Now for the ways whereby we must labour to comfort our hearts (amongst many that I might speak of), I will name a few.
Fii'st of all, there must be a due search into the heart, of the r/rounds of our trouble ; for oftentimes Chi'istians are troubled, they cannot tell wherefore ; as children that will complain they know not why. I speak not of h}-pocrites, that will complain of that which is not a tnie giief to them ; like some birds that make greatest noise, when they be furthest from their nests. But of some poor Christians that are troubled, but distinctly know not the gi-ound of it. But search the heart ingenuously and truly to the bottom of it, and see if there be not some Achan in the camp ; some sin in the heart (for sin is hke vnnd ; when it gets into the veins, it will have vent, and a trouble- some one; and so will sin, if it get into the soul). It is that indeed which causeth all trouble. And therefore search your hearts thoroughly;
844
FIRST SEEMON.
what siu lieth there unrepented of, and for which you have not been humbled.
2. And ■when you have found out your sin, f/ive it vent by confession of it to God, and in some cases to others.
3. And when wo have done so, consider ivhat jnvmises, and comforts, in that u-ord of God are fitted to that condition. For we can be in no condi- tion but there are comforts for it, and promises fitted to yield comforts for every malady. And it will be the wisdom of a Christian to accommodate the remedy to the sore of his heart. And therefore we ought to be skilful and well seen in the word of God, that we may store up comforts before- hand. Our Saviour Clirist tells them beforehand of the scandal of the cross, and of Peter's denial, that they might lay up strength and spiritual aimour against the day of trial. Those comforts do not, for the most part, hold out in the day of adversity, which were not procured in the day of prosperity. Non durant in adversis qua; non in pace quccsita. It is not wis- dom to be to learn religion when we should use it. And, therefore, let us be spiritual good husbands* for our souls, by storing up comforts out of the word of God ; and then we shall have no more to do, than to remember the comforts that we did beforehand know.
And there be some promises of more general use, that are catholica, fitted for all sorts of grievances. And of these we must make use when we cannot think of particular ones, as the promises that concern forgive- ness of sin. Think of God's mercy in pardoning sin with admiration ; because sin will be presented us in such ten-ible colom-s, that if God be not presented in as gracious coloui's, we shall sink. And, therefore, set out Chi'ist in his mercies, and all-sufficiency, when siu is aggi'avated to be in its heinousness, and out of measui-e, siafulness ; as the prophet Micah doth, ' "Who is a God like our God, that pardoneth iniquity, transgression and sin ?' vii. 18. Likewise, how many promises and comforts are there in that one promise, ' He will give his Spirit to them that ask him,' Luke xi. 13. And here our Saviour promiseth to send the Comforter. All gi-aces and all comforts are included in the Spirit of grace and comfort. His Spirit is a Spuit of all grace ; and, therefore, our Savioui' thought that he pro- mised enough when he said he would send them the Comforter. And so what a world of comfort is in that promise ! ' All things shall work together for the best, to them that love God,' Rom. viii. 28. Yea, those things that are worst shall work together. Though they be hostile, and opposite one to another, yet they join issue in this, they be all for the good of God's people ; as in a clock the wheels go several ways, but all join to make the clock strike. And so in the carnage and ordering of things, one passage crosses another, but in the issue we shall be able to say, ' all things work together for the best ;' I found God turning all things for my good ; and I could not have been without such a cross, such an aiiliction. And so for present assistance in your callings or straits, remem- ber that promise made to Joshua, which is repeated in Hebrews xiii., * I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee,' verse 5 : a promise which is five times renewed in Scriptm-e. And how much comfort is in that, that he will vouchsafe by his Spirit a gracious presence in all conditions whatso- ever ! And hkev/ise that of David, Ps. xxiii. 4, ' Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, yet will I fear no ill, for thou art with me.' It was a terrible supposition made, that ' though he should walk in the val- ley of the shadow of death, yet he would fear no evil.' These promises * That is, ' husbandmen.' — G.
FIEST SERMON.