Use 1. First of all, to take notice of this most excellent attribute of God, and to make use of it upon all occasions at our most need, then to present to om' souls God thus described and set out by his ovm Spirit, to be ' he that comforteth the abject,' and sheweth mercy to "the fatherless and op- pressed. This we should make use of for the chm'ch in general, and for every one of ourselves in particular. The church hath been a long time like a forlorn widow, as it were. God hath promised that he will have a care of the ' widow and the fatherless,' and so he will of his poor chm-ch.
We see in the parable, the widow, with her importunity, prevailed with an unrighteous judge, Luke xviii. 5. The church now being like a widow, what is wanting but a spirit of supplication and prayer ? Which spirit, if the church had to wrestle with God, and lay hold upon him as Jacob did, Hos. xii. 4, and not sufier God to rest till he had mercy on his poor church, certainly it would be better with it than it is, for God comforteth the widow, Isa. Ixii. 7. If one, what will he do for the whole spouse, which hath so long been a despicable and forlorn widow ? And for the time to come it ought to minister matter of comfort for the church. Certainly, God that * Isa. xii. 17, lix. 16, Ixiii. 5, xlviii. 9.
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is merciful to the fatherless, he will be merciful to the poor church. We see in the Revelation, though the woman was persecuted by the dragon, yet there were given two wings of a great eagle to her, that she might Hy unto the wilderness, where she had a place provided of God, Rev. xii. 14. It alludes to the storj' of the Israelites when they came out of Eg}'pt. God provided for them in the wilderness. They had manna from heaven, and water out of the rock ; and till they came to Canaan, God provided every way for them in a marvellous manner. So God will be sm-e to provide for his in the wilderness of this world. He will have a harbour still for the church, and a hiding-place fi'om the stormy tempests of her adversaries, Isa. iv. 5, 6. Therefore let us not despair, but stir up a spirit of prayer for the church, that he who shews mercy to the fatherless, and commands mercy to be shewed to the widow, that he would shew that himself which he requires of us. And why may not we hope and trust for it. The chm'ch in this world is, as it were, a fatherless person, a pupil, an orphan, a sheep in the midst of wolves, as Daniel in the lions' den, as a ship tossed in the waves, as a lily among thorns. It is environed with enemies, and of itself, like the poor sheep, is shiftless.* "What is the church but a company of weak persons ? Not so witty f for the world as worldly-wise men are, not so strong in the arm of flesh, nor so defenced, but a company of persons who have a hidden dependence upon God we know not how, and hang, as it were, by a thread, as the church in this land, and abroad in other places. The true church is maintained, we know not how. God keeps up religion, the church, and all, because he is merciful to the fatherless, who have no shifting wits, as the worldly Ahithophels have. God is wise for them that are not wise for themselves, and powerful for them that have little strength of their own. Therefore let us not be discouraged thoiigh we be weak creatures, a httle flock, like a company of sheep, yet notwithstanding we have a strong shepherd, Ps. xxiii 1. The church is Uke a vine, a poor, despicable, withered, crooked, weak plant, which winds about, and must be supported, or else it sinks to the gi'ound ; yet it is a fruitful plant, Isa. v. 1, 7. So the church of God, a number of weak Christians professing religion, they want many helps, yet God supports them, and hath ordained this and that haven for them, as this magistrate and that person. God hath one support or other for them. "While they are fruitful and true vines, God will have a care of them, though they be never so weak and despised in the eye of the world, Isa. liv. 11.
Use 2. Again, this should teach us to make God our all-sufficiency in all estates ichatsoerer, and not to go one hair's breadth fi'om a good conscience, for fear of after-claps. J I may be cast into prison, I may lose my goods. AMiat of all this ? Is not God aU-sufficient ? And is not he especially seen in comforting of those who stand in most need of comfort, who want other helps ? And ^vill he be indebted to any man who stands out in a good quarrel for his cause ? Isa. xli. 17. Will he not give needful supply, if not in this world, yet in a better, of all comforts whatsoever ? It is a good supply when the loss is in outward things, and the supply in inward peace, gi-ace, and strength. It is a happy loss that is lost to the advantage, Isa. Ix. 17 ; Ixiv. 5. 'There was never any man yet, from the beginning of the world, who lost by cleaving to religion and good causes. God ever made it up one way or other. Therefore this is a ground of courage to cast ourselves upon doing good when God ofiiers the occasion, relying upon