in whom it is nearest of all in whom it is advanced above the angelical nature And therefore our blessed Saviour might well say I go to my God and your God to his God first and then to our God Now we may say God is our God and upon good grounds because God is Christs God and in him our God which is a point of singular comfort and therefore I will inlarge my self further in it Doct. For God to be our God especially in having that in our hearts unfolded in regard of our spirits and best being is the most fundamental comfort that we have For from this that God is our God commeth all that we have that is good in nature and grace Whatsoever is comfortable commeth from this spring That God is Christ is our God our reconciled God That Gods nature and ours now are in good tearms Beloved what cannot we expect from God that is now becom our God what he is what he is able to do what he hath all is ours considering himself is ours If we have the field we have the pearl in the field And therefore the wise Merchant in the Gospel sold all for the field wherein the treasure was We have the field it self in having God and we have all that God is or can do for us for our good even as we have Christ and all that Christ is or hath done and suffered and injoyeth all is ours because we are Christs and Christ is Gods as the Apostle saith so that having God we have all because we have him that possesseth all the Creator of all and preserver of all and disposer of all But to clear an objection a little if God be ours and all things else how comes it that we want so many things I answer it is our own fault for the most part we want faith to make use of and improve this comfort And then again we want nothing that is for our good want it self is for our good And observe this our God is so powerful a God that he maketh the worst things we suffer a means to convey the greatest good oftentimes to us If God be our God and Father in Christ why have we sins why vexed with the Devil why persecuted with men why streightned thus and thus and thus all this is for our good God is our God by these and in the midst of these and is never more our God then in the greatest extremity of all for then we come nearest the Fountain there is near and sweet communion between this God and us when we take of the fountain When the means are drawn away the Conduits of conveyance and we have nothing to go to but God immediatly there is sweet communion and sweetest comfort in Heaven we shall have God in Christ who will be all in all unto us We shall need no Magistracy Ministery food raiment or defence against cold or injury we shall be out of the reach of Satan and all enemies God will be all in all immediatly The same God is all in all to us either by means or immediately When means fail he conveyeth his sweetness and his power immediatly but ordinarily by means And what sight doth in Heaven faith doth now in some proportion for as sight in Heaven seeth God in Christ all in all and injoyeth that happy vision so faith seeth God to be all in all and Christ to be all in all though in an inferior degree to sight and clearness of vision yet for the capacity of this life we injoy God now as they do in Heaven We have inward comforts when most deserted God was never more near our blessed Saviour then on the Crosse when he cryed my God my God c. for then he found invincible strength supporting him in the great undertaking under the wrath of his Father And so God is never neerer then in extremity In strength though not in sense and feeling and oftentimes in feeling it self we never have sweeter comforts then in the want of all outward comforts whatsoever when nothing else can comfort us but the presence of God And we must know besides that the state of a Christian in this world is an hidden condition for it is to the eye of faith not of sense and therefore God is a God to his though the world see it not There is a secret hidden influence a secret passage between Heaven and earth that none seeth Who observeth the influence of the Sun or the sweet influence of the Starres upon the earth light we see but there is a secret influence pierceth deeper then the light to the very bowels of the earth whence metals come Where no light comes there is an influence though not discerned and much more can there be influence of strength and power and hidden comfort though there be no sight Cannot God be our God in regard of strength supporting and supplying though there be no visible and sensible comfort though we see it not our selves Certainly the soul is upheld by an invincible strength in the worst condition that can be Therefore this is true that God is our God in all conditions Let us make use of this To what use is riches and friends if we do not use them to what use is God and Christ if we use them not Nostrorum est utamur nostro bonâ— He is ours let us use him for our special good on all occaâ—ions Oh that we had faith answerable to our prerogative it is a prerogative more then Heaven and earth that God is ours and had we faith suitable what kind of persons should we be in grace and comfort and whatsoever is good Therefore labor to make use of it but more of this after we have spoken of some rules of tryal because whatsoever I may say this way may be misapplied They be excellent comforts but perhaps saith the distressed soul they belong not to me to whom it doth belong perhaps it belongeth to me faith another that is a stranger and a carnal man to whom it doth not belong Therefore our Saviour giveth some notes of distinctions to know whether God be our God or no. Not to be much in the argument yet to be plain in it 1. God is their God in this peculiar manner that I speak that is in the Covenant of grace not otherwise and I speak not what God is by creation of man for so the Devil is Gods and every Creature But the question is whom God is a God to in the nearest bond of the covenant of grace that is the only comfortable relation that can be for if God be not our God in that all other comforts will be nothing It is better we be no Creatures at all then not Creatures in the covenant of grace It is therefore worthy the commending to you especially considering our naughty hearts are prone to deceive us Sataa and melancholly and temptations do make some refuse the comfort
place and Element The perfection of the soul is in Heaven to see Christ face to face and God in Christ Heaven is the Element of a Christian it is his proper Region he is never well till there and there is his rest his solace and contentment and there all his desires are satiated to the utmost Till we be in Heaven we be under desires for we be under imperfections All the while we are in imperfections we are in an uncomfortable estate and while we be so we are not as we would be And therefore wheresoever any are partakers of Christs Resurrection they mind the ascension as present Where any grace is there the thoughts are for Heaven presently Let us take a scantling of our dispositions from hence There be many that think it good to be here alwayes they never think of ascending If they could live here alwayes they would with all their heart but it is not so with a Christian it is his desire to be where his happiness his Saviour his God and Father is where his Country and inheritance is and therefore he mindeth ascension and things to come When any thing is done he thinks that what is done is not yet enough As your great Conquerours in the world they forget what they have conquered and remember what they have yet to do So Christ having got conquest over death he thinks now of ascension to conquer in the eyes of all for it is not enough to conquer in the field but he will conquer in the City he will conquer to Heaven and make shew of his Conquest I ascend to lead captivity captive to make a shew as it is exprest Colos 2. 15. While any thing is to do or receive our souls should not be satisfied but still stretched out to desire further and further still more and more still till we be there where our souls shall be fill'd to the uttermost and there is no place of further deâ—ire as Heaven is the place to satiate and fill all the corners of the soul Quest But how shall we know whether we be risen with Christ or no Resol Partly we may know it by our former courses Christ when he was risen all the Clothes were laid together in the grave he left him behind and rose with an Earth-quake there was a commotion and after his Resurrection he minded Heaven So if ye be risen with Christ your former vile courses lie in the grave your Oaths are gone prophaness and wickedness of life gone Tell you me you are risen while you carry the bonds of your sins about you your prophane wretched swearing ungodly persons filthy speakers that have an heart more filthy vile in body and soul can they have any part in Christ where is that that bound you before you carry it about still therefore you be in the bonds of the Devill you be in the grave of sin there is no rising Resurrection is with commotion there was an Earth-quake when Christ arose and there is an heart-quake when the soul riseth can the soul rise from sin without commotion In the inward man there will be division between flesh and spirit without any adoe at all and therefore they that find nothing to do in their spirits where is their rising again But that which is proper to the occasion in hand is the third where grace is begun there will be an inward proceeding and ascending with Christ How shall I know therefore whether I ascend First by minding things above the Apostle telleth us directly Col. 3. 1. Mind things above be heavenly minded in some sort live the life that Christ did after his Resurrection all his discourse was after his Resurrection of the Kingdom of Heaven and his mind was on the place whither he was to go and so a true Christian indeed that is truly risen his thoughts and discourse is when he is himself heavenly Other things he useth as if he did not as while we be in the world we must deal with worldly things but we must deal with them as that which is not our proper Element 1 Cor. 7. 37. They used the world as if they used it not and they married as if they did not for they knew the fashion of this world passeth away And therefore they that affect earthly glory carnal affections and delights they cannot think of these things with any comfort They be moles which grovel in the Earth Some make a profession and they ascend higher as Kites do but they look lowe they make high professions but their aims are low The true Eagles that ascend to Christ as they ascend so they look upward and upward still they do not mind things below they do not take a high pitch and still continued arthly minded but they look high as well as ascend high therefore let us not deceive our selves 2. Yet more particularly those that ascend with Christ they that are in Heaven and they that are on earth do the same things though in different degrees and measure What do they in Heaven there they meddle not with defilements of the world and so though a Christian be on earth he defileth himself not with the world or ill Company He will converse with them but not defile himself with them They that be in Heaven are praysing of God and so be they much in praysing of God here They that be in Heaven love to see the face of God they joy in it And they that be heavenly-minded here joy in the presence of God in the world the Sacraments and his Children If they be ascended in any degree and measure this they will do And then they will joy in communion with God all they can as they do in Heaven you have some carnal dispositions that are never themselves but in carnal Company like themselves If ever we mean to be in Heaven we must joy in Heaven on Earth that is in them that be heavenly in their dispositions If we cannot indure them here how shall we ever live with them in Heaven What was Christ to ascend for what is the end of his ascension The end of his ascension was to take possession of Heaven in his body which had never been there before 1. And he was to take possession of Heaven in his body for his Church that is his mystical body So he ascended to Heaven carried his blessed body that he took in the Virgins womb with him 2. And likewise he ascended to Heaven to take up Heaven in behalf of his Spouse his Church as the Husband takes up Land in another Countrey in behalf of his Wife therefore he did ascend 3. And likewise he ascended to leave us his spirit that he might send the Comforter He taketh away himself that was the great Comforter while he was below He was the Bridegroom and while the Bride-groom was present they had not such a measure of the spirit Christs presence supplyed all
up in believers reverence and obedience Let us sin because grace abounds is the Devils application of Christs Doctrine These and several other particulars are with much brevity spirituality and perspicuity handled in this Treatise and with that liveliness that they shew they come from one whose own heart savored what he taught to others The largest part of this Book is spent upon that sweet Doctrine viz. A Believers interest in God as a Father and the comforts that flowe from that sweet relation The foundation of our relation to God is here handled and how God is first a Father to Christ and in him to us What can be more comfortable in this earthly interest shaking disjoynting confounding age then to clear up to our souls an interest in God Tolle meum tolle Deum as he said it were better for me there were no God then that he should not be my God this will be thy comfort that when thou canst not say my state my liberty my House my Land my friend my Trade thou may'st be able to say my Father my God If therefore thou savorest the things of God this subject will be acceptable and grateful to thee and if this Treatise may be any wayes instrumental for putting thee upon study how to get it or upon practice how to improve it or in casethy soulsits in darknes how to endeare and clear thy interest the publishers shal have much of their aim and thou wilt have no cause to repent thy cost in buying or thy pains in reading We shall adde no more but this Blessed is that man or woman that hath an interest in him who is the Father of Jesus Christ by eternal Generation and of all believers in Christ by adoption and regeneration in which inheritance and portion that thou may'st have a share shall be the prayer of Thy souls and thy faiths Servants in the work of the Ministery for Jesus sake Simeon Ash James Nalton Joseph Church A heavenly Discourse between Christ and Mary after his Resurrection JOHN 20. 16. Jesus said unto her Mary she turned her self and said to him Rabboni that is to say Master And Jesus said to her touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father but go to my Brethren and say to them I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God THe same love of Christ that drew him from Heaven to the womb of the Virgin from the womb of the Virgin to the Crosse and from the Crosse to the grave the same love of Christ moved him to discover himself after he was risen from the grave to them that he knew did intirely and wonderfully love him And therefore before he would ascend to Heaven he did vouchsafe many apparitions and discoveries of himself partly to instruct them in the certainty of his Resurrection and partly but especially to comfort them Those that he knew did love him His first apparition of all was made to Mary the woman out of whom he had cast seven Devils She was much beholding to him and therefore loved much No Sex may discourage any sinner from Christ She expresseth her love to Christ by her desire of finding him by her seeking weeping notwithstanding all impediments before she found him As she wept she stooped down and looked into the Sepulchre and there saw two Angels in white a colour of glory purity and joy because it was a time of joy they were one at the head and the other at the feet As in the Law when the Mercy-Seat was made two Cherubims were also fram'd and placed one at the one end and the other at the other end thereof with their faces looking one towards another And when Christ was risen there were two Angels one at the head another at the feet to shew that peace was to be expected in the true propitiatory Jesus Christ One at the head the other at the feet of the body of Jesus And they sate there it was a time of peace peace was made between Heaven and Earth God and man and here is a posture of peace They sate quietly In Christ Angels and we are at one God and we and all There is a recapitulation and gathering of all things in Heaven and Earth The Angels they attended on Christ in all the passages of his life death till they brought him to heaven They brought news of his birth comforted him in his agony they were at his resurrection and you see here they attend At his ascension they accompany him And as they did to the head so they will to the Members In our Infancy they take charge of our tender years in our dangers they pitch their tents about us in our deaths they carry our souls to Abrahams bosome a place of happiness At our Resurrection their Office is to gather our bodies together That service and attendance they afforded the head they afford to the Members to mysticall Christ as well as naturall Therefore let us comfort our selves in the service they did to Christ Now besides the apparition of the Angells here is the speech of the Angels Woman why weepest thou they knew she had no cause of weeping for Christ whom she sought was ris n again She answereth because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him If it had been as she supposed there had been cause enough of her weeping if her Lord had been taken away for when the Lord is taken away what remaineth that is comfortable And if the Lord be not taken away it matters not what is taken away for he is all in all Carnall people so they have their wealth and friends and comforts in the world they care not what is taken away But she is of another mind They have taken away my Lord and what comfort can I have if my Lord be taken away But it was but the speech of an opinion she did but think it And there were two things might lead her truth and probability which is the foundation of opinion Probability he is not here therefore he is taken away Truth Christ promised he would rise again therefore he would take away himself There was certain truth to ground faith and weak probability to ground opinion yet such is the nature of weak persons in distress if there be probability certain truth yet they will be sure to cleave to their probabilities Oh their 's be great sins I but there is greater mercy for faith to lay hold upon So the presumptuous sinner faith God is mercifull I but God hath excluded thee from Heaven thou art an adulterer a swearer a filthy person thy opinion is grounded scarce upon probability God is mercifull but not to such sinners as live in sins against reconciliation as thou dost Therefore when one hath but probability to ground opinion and the other certain truth to ground faith be so wise for our souls
every thing by name he knows every thing of a man to the very hair he knowes their parts and their very excrements of their parts he knew her and acknowledged her too Mary 1. It is a word of knowledg and familiar acquaintance and acknowledgment 2. It is a word of compassion because he had held her long and now could not longer He pittieth the state she was in he saw her ready to â—ink for grief and melt for sorrow and therefore he said Mary 3. As it is a word of compassion so it is a word full of exceeding love 4. And it is a word of peculiar appropriation Mary whom I have so much respected heretofore And a word of satisfaction on his part out of his pitty and out of his love and former familiarity acquaintance Mary I am the man thou seekest I know what all thy seekings tend to thou wantest him whom thou lovest thou wantest me I am he whom thou seekest She answered him again Rabboni which is interpreted Master She returned him an answer again she spake to him he first began then she follows she found the virtue of his speech in her heart there was an influence of it to her heart and his love witnessing to her heart raised her love to him again So it was an answer of Christs speech and from the same affection an answer of love and an answer of exceeding large affection and satisfaction to her soul Oh my Rabboni the soul of my soule the life of my life my joy my rock my all that can be dear to me Rabboni I have enough As he desired to give her satisfaction so she takes satisfaction in the word And yet it was not full satisfaction for after she claspes about him and would not let him go It was an affection that stirred up much desire more and more to have communion with him so that he was fain to check her afterward Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father she had not enough as indeed a believing affectionate soul hath never enough till it be in Heaven And thus you see the sweet intercourse upon the apparition and first discovery of Christ to Mary He spake to her and she answered him again with the same affection And it is a word of dependance as it is fit Rabboni my Master it is not only a word of honour not any superior but a superior in way of teaching there was submission of conscience to the Rabboni as the Rabboni labouring to sit in the consciences of people It is a Syriack word which signifieth in the originall Multiplication of knowledge in him that speaketh that laboureth to breed much knowledg in him that is spoken to and therefore it is a word of great respect and dependance She might well call him Rabboni for he was Master of Masters Rabboni of Rabbonies the Angel of the Covenant the great Doctor of the Church the great Gamaliel at whose feet all must fit and be taught So ye see what sense and affections are in these little words The fulness of heart that was in this Couple cannot be exprest were it possible to say all that could be said And therefore we leave the Hypothesis and come to make application of it to our selves First we may learn here that till Christ himself discovers himself no teaching will serve the turn No the teaching of Angels will not serve turn till Christ himself by his holy spirit discovers himself when Christ doth it it is done And therefore it should teach us so to attend upon the ministery as to look up to the great Doctor that hath his Chair in Heaven and teacheth the heart If he teach it is no matter how dull the Scholar is He is able to make any Scholar if he instruct I will not inlarge the point because there be particular places wherein they will be inlarged The second thing I will observe is this That Christ when he teacheth he doth it by words not by Crucifixes not by sights We lost our salvation and all our happiness by the ear and we must come to it by the ear again Adam by hearkening to Eve and Eve to the Serpent lost all and we must recover salvation therefore by the ear As we have heard so we shall see We must first hear and then see Life cometh in at the eare as well as death Faith ye know is the quickning of a Christian the spirituall life of a Christian now faith comes by hearing And therefore I beseech you in the bowels of Christ set aside prejudice and meekly attend Gods Ordinances Do not conâ—ider who we are we are but poor Ministers frail men as your selves But consider the Lord that is pleased to convey life and salvation and grace and whatsoever is fit to bring to Heaven this way therefore they that despise this way set light by salvation as the Apostle saith Acts 14. They judge themselves unworthy of the Kingdom of Heaven They can read at home but is that the way God hath sanctified Did not the Manna stink when gathered on the Sabbath day There is a curse upon all private industry and devotion when it is with neglect of publick Ordinances She could have no comfort till Christ spake Nay the very sight of Christ could not comfort her Let this I pray you be enough that I may not inlarge the point any further This is the way for comfort We must hear him in his Ministers here if we 〈…〉 him comfortably 〈…〉 after Come ye blessed oâ— m◠〈◊〉 c. 3. It was but one word Mary and is there so much force in one word yea when it is uttered by Christ One word coming from Christ and set on the heart by the spirit of Christ hath a mighty efficacy The word had an efficacy in creating all things fiat fuit Let it be done it was done Let there be light there was light So let there be light in the understanding and there it shall be presently So in all Christs cures he said the word and it was done So in all spirituall cures let him say the word it is done Nay a very look of Christ if the spirit go along with it is able to convert the soul Respexit Christus flevit Petrus amare Christ lookt on Peter he wept bitterly what will his word do when his look will do so much It was but a word and but one word say but the word saith he in the Gospel and my Servant shall be healed This should make us desire that Christ would speak though but few words to the soul That he would cloath the words of men mightily with his word and with his spirit and then they will be mighty in operatioâ—â—nd works One word but it was a prâ—gnant word It was full of affection she knew it well enough Mary What to call her so familiarly so sweetly by her accustomed name it wrought on her bowels
he was on earth and think of him what he is now in Heaven Therefore to bring him down to our base conceits to sense and the like this is the humour of men that labour to crosse the scope of the Gospel For why are men so addicted to outward things outward complements It is pride it is satanicall pride they think that God is delighted with whatsoever their folly is delighted withall Because amongst men there must be a deal a doing therefore they think God is well pleased with such things God is a spitit and though outward things be necessary yet all must not be turned outward as in Popery We must not bring God down to our foolish conceits as if he were delighted as we are 2. It is wonderfull easie too all outward things any naughty men have them with their sins Let a man perform a little outward complement he may be what he will be let him live as he will and be possest that outward things will serve the turn he is safe his Conscience is daubed up till God by sense of wrath awakeneth conscience and then they shall find it another matter to deal with God then by complement 3. There is also a great glory in outward things There is commendations and mens observance of them as in the Pharisees and in Popery But the spirituall worship of Christ hath no observance to the eye of the world it is between God and the soul men naturally love those things that be glorious It is said of Ephraim that he loved to tread out the Corn but not to plow that is Ephraim will take that which is easie but not that in Gods worship which is hard There be two things in Gods service An easie thing which is outward complement And an hard thing which is to trust him to deny our selves to relie upon him and live by faith And that Ephraim will not do Ephraim will tread the corn because the Heifer may eat corn But there be hard things in Religion which he will not practice He will not plough Touch me not saith Christ Thou hast not conceits spirituall enough to deal with me now I am risen But what is the reason Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father That seemeth to be a strong reason But it seemeth to be a contrary reason Touch me not now when my body is present but touch me when I am gone and removed out of sight of all flesh Touch me not now when thou mayst touch me and touch me when there is an impossibility of touching me This is seemingly strange But indeed there is no contrariety in it Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to the Father There is a double meaning of the words First of all touch me not for I am not yet ascended c. Thou needest not claspe and cling about me as if I would stay no more with you below I am not yet ascended to the Father there will be time enough afterwards For the word touch in the originall doth not signifie meerly to touch but claspe associate joyn and soder with a thing the Scripture speaking of the evill man you shall not touch him that is not make him one with him The Devill shall not take him from Christ and make him one with himself It is a strange word in the originall Thou claspest about me thou dost more then touch me thou clingest to me and wilt not leave me as if I would go presently to the Father but I am not yet ascended to the Father That is one part of the meaning But there is farther then that I am not yet ascended to the Father touch me not That is it is another manner of touch that I look for better for thee and in some regard for me to touch me by the hand of faith when I am ascended to the Father then touch me and take thy full of touching me But for the present I am not ascended I have not done all I have not manifested my self to my Disciples in full when I am ascended all is done and then there is place for touch And that I take is meant here I am not yet ascended to the Father thou thinkest I have done all is to be done but thou art deceived I must ascend to the Father and when I am there I expect to be touched after another manner after a gratious spiritual manner which is by faith as Augustine saith well send up thy faith to Heaven and then thou touchest Christ As he said in the Sacrament Quid paras dentem ventrem Crede manducasti what dost thou prepare thy teeth and stomack for believe and thou hast earen So the best communion with Christ is to believe till we come to Heaven to have eternall communion with him This touch will do thee little good and it pleaseth me as little When I am ascended to the Father then touch me at the full so you see what Christ meaneth The life of a Christian here and the manner of the dispensation of Christ here is by promise and by his spirit that we should live by faith and not by sense The life of sight is preserved for another world when we are fitted for it She was not fit for a life of sense but was to expect the Holy Ghost from Heaven to be filled with that and then to be filled with faith and love and then to have an holy Communion with him in Heaven But I am not yet ascended Thus you see the meaning touch me not There be two reasons of Christs prohibition 1. Her respects were too carnall and ordinary considering he was in the state of glory And then 2. for that there will be time enough do not stand imbracing of me There is a greater work for thee to do Christ preferred the great work of giving notice to his Disciples of his Resurrection before the Office of respect and service to himself Go about a duty that I more regard a great deal Go tell my Brethren I ascend c. So that every part of the Text yields satisfaction to that prohition Go saith he to my Brethren I have another work for thee to do Touch me not Thou claspes about me as if thou hadst nothing to do there is another work to do that pleaseth me better and more fit for thee to comfort them that are in distress my poor Brethren and Disciples And therefore go to my Brethren and say unto them so that Christ prefers a work of charity to his poor Disciples before a work of complement to his own person She clingeth about him but this is not it I would have Those poor souls are mourning and disconsolate for me as if I â—â—re clean taken away go to them and prevent their farther sorrow God hath a wonderfull respect to others It is strange that Christ should say Go and be reconciled to thy Brethren and then
should have been in the grave to this day And then think of our dignity to be Brother to him that is King of Heaven Lord of Lords Ruler of the whole world that hath all things subject to him O that our hearts were inlarged to conceive the wonderful comfort that every Christian hath in this Relation Go tell my Apostles under the sweet tearm of Brethren Who art thou will Satan say flesh and blood a peece of earth wretched Sot wilt thou claim kindred of Christ I saith the Christian-believing soul It is true if it were my own worthiness it were another matter but shall I give him the lie when he owned me for his Brother after his Resurrection shall I deny the Relation therefore never believe Satans tempting words and sinful flesh for Satan cometh to us in our own flesh and maketh us think God and Christ to be such and such I but what saith Christ himself believe him and not Satan that cometh to thee in thy own despairing dark doubting flesh Believe the word of Christ who calleth thee Brother if thou believest in him and castest thy self upon him This sheweth the dignity of a christian when he is once in Christ the excellent super-excellent transcendent glory of a christian When they told our Saviour Christ that his Mother and Brethren were to speak with him saith he they that hear my word and do it they are my Brother and Sister and my Mother This is the excellency of a christian that he is of so near a kin to Christ When we believe Christ it is all one as if we conceived Christ as if we were Brothers to Christ as if we were of the nearest kindred to him Nay it is more he preferreth Mother before Mother Brother before Brother ther Mother in spirit before Mother in the flesh and Brother in spirit before all other Brothers Therefore an excellent thing to be a christian When once a Christian giveth himself to Christ and denyeth his own doubting despairing heart which is the greatest enemy he hath 1. Then what belongeth to him then God is his and Christ is his he must have an inheritance he is fellow Heir without all are his 2. What carrieth he in him He carrieth in him the spirit of the Father and the Son and the graces of of the spirit which make him lovely to God 3. What cometh from him Having the pretious graces of the Holy Ghost in him what can come from him as a christian but grace and comfort to others He is a Tree of righteousness and what can come from a good Tree but good fruit so far he is so So if you regard what belongeth to them what is in them the inheritance they shall have or what cometh from a christian that is Brother of Christ he is an excellent person more excellent then his Neighbour there is no man in the world never so great but is a base person in comparison of a christian What will all be ere long if a man be not in Christ these things will add to our vexation It will be a misery to have had happiness the greater will be the misery when they must be parted withall And therefore raise your hearts to consider of the excellent condition of a christian when he is once the Brother of Christ I confess it is an hidden dignity as Paul saith our life is hid with Christ in God We have a life a glorious life but it is hid It is dark sometimes under melancholy sometimes under temptations sometimes under the afflictions of the world and disgrace and so it is an hidden excellency but it is a true excellency The world knoweth us not more then they know God and Christ but it is no matter God knoweth us by name He knew Mary by name as it is said in Isaiah I have called thee by name He is a Shepheard that knoweth his sheep by name and is known of them He knoweth thee and thee and thee by name yea and the hairs of thy head are numbred and therefore it matters not though thy dignities be hid with the world yet God knoweth them he hath written all thy members in a book and he hath a book of remembrance of thee And therefore it is no matter though it be an hidden dignity it is a true dignity to be a brother of Christ Let us oppose this to the disgrace of the world and to all temptations of discouragement whatsoever What are all discouragements to this they fall all before this that we are the Sons of God and Brethren of Christ What can discourage a man that is thus apprehensive of this Excellency upon good tearms I will inlarge the point no further but leave it to your own meditations and the spirit of God work with it Go to my Brethren When doth he bid her go now after his Resurrection when he was to ascend to Heaven The first degree of his glory was his Resurrection after his lowest abasement in the grave You see that honour doth not change Christs disposition as it doth amongst men when they be advanced to great places they will not look on their old friends and acquaintance but Christ had no such disposition he owneth his poor Disciples in their greatest abasements Go tell my Brethren Now when he was in state of glory ready to go to Heaven and he giveth them a more comfortable title now then ever before In the Gospel he called them Servants and friends and Apostles and Disciples but now Brethren a word of all sweetness and nothing but sweetness Go tell my brethren presently Christ would have no delay for he saw they had present need Christs love is a quickening love and the fruits of it are very speedy There is more then angelicall swiftness in Christ when there is need of him God helpeth at need in the most seasonable time and he knoweth the time best of all He did but rise in the morning and the very same day Go tell my Brethren ye have Cant. 2. that Christ cometh leaping upon the Mountains when he was to help his Church he leaped over the Mountains as in the eight verse The voice of my Beloved behold he cometh leaping upon the Mountains skipping upon the Hills He cometh from Heaven to Earth from the Earth to the Grave and now he is risen he is all in hast he maketh no stay because his manner of dispatch is to help and comfort by the Ministry of others God quickly do not stand imbracing of me but go and tell my Brethren But why then do not we find comfort sooner that are afflicted Answ Beloved where is the fault Is it in Christ you stand out at staves end with Christ you will not imbrace comforts when they be offered or else you be not sufficiently humbled for he is wise as he is swift he knoweth which be the best times You see then that Christ as soon as
of reverence for it includeth a mixt affection of fear and love And it is an affection of an inferior to a superior He is great therefore we ought to fear him He is good therefore we ought to love him There is with him beams of Majesty and bowels of compassion As there is beams of Majesty we ought to fear him as bowels of compassion we ought to love him so that fear and love mixt together is the affection we owe to God as our Father If we tremble and are afraid to go to him we know not he is loving If we go to him over boldly and sawcily we forget that he is great therefore we must think of his greatness that we forget not his goodness We must so think of his goodness that we forget not his greatness therefore go boldly to him with reverence to the Throne of Christ In the word Father there is more saving power then in ten thousand it toucheth his very bowels when a Child wanteth any thing and is in distress let it but say Father or Mother and the bowels of the Parents yearn upon him If God be our Father go to him boldly but with reverence go with affyance to his bowels Oh it is a perswasive word What cannot we look for from that Majesty that hath condescended to be called Father and to be a Father to us in all our necessities either we shall have what we want and lack or else we shall have that which is better he is a wise Father he answereth not alwayes according to our wills but alwayes according to our good He seeth it is for our good that we are not presently cōforted The Physitian giveth a sharp potion O I cannot indure the Chyrurgion lanceth oh I cannot indure it but the Chyrurgion knoweth it is not healing time even so we would be presently taken off from under crosses but God is a wise Father knoweth how long it is fit for us to continue under the Crosse Come to him boldly therefore under the name of a Father that he may move his bowels and surely will hear us For as in Psalm 27. when all forsook me my Father and Mother forsook me but the Lord took me up Fathers in the flesh and Mothers die but the Lord taketh us up he is an eternal Father and therefore a ground of eternal boldnesse with God and of everlasting comfort He was our Father before we had a Father in the world and he will be our Father when we shall cease to be in the world They be but Instruments under God to bring us into the world God is our true Father Our other Fathers are but under God to give us a being to fit us for Heaven He provideth the best inheritance and paternity for us in Heaven And therefore never be disconsolate but remember I go to my Father and your Father which is a word of eternal comfort He was our Father from eternity in election he will be our Father to eternity in glorification Can a Mother forget her Child yea though she should yet can I not forget thee thou art written in the palm of my hand God hath us alwayes in his eye A mother cannot alwayes think of her Child she sleepeth sometimes but God is a Father that never sleepeth The Keeper of Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth And this is our comfort in all times and for eternity And therefore we ought to carry our selves to God reverently and go boldly to him and alwayes make use of him And this we should learn likewise to maintain a sweet frame between God and us shall God open such an advantage to us shall God be our Father and bear the gracious eternal affection of a Father and shall not we by prayer and faith fetch from our Father all we stand in need of As our Saviour saith you that be earthly Fathers when your Children ask such a thing will you deny And have we a Father so rich so loving and shall not we have intercourse with him in all our daily necessities What a Trade is open to us if we know what a comfort is laid up in the sweet relation of a Father Your Father knoweth what we stand in need of and he will give thee the spring of all graces not only a broken heart a spirit of life and vigor in his service but go to God and he will give thee his holy spirit which is the best thing next Christ that can be And therefore be incouraged to make intercourse between thee and God considering we have a Brother in Heaven our nature is there and our spirit is below we have the best things in Heaven next Christ on earth and God hath our flesh in Heaven by Christ and therefore why should we not be much in prayer and much in prayses in all our necessities Beloved it is a comfort of that largeness that I cannot express it I rather leave it to your admiration that you may see what use to make of this sweet relation of Father 1. But we must know that every one cannot say my Father for there are a company of men in the world that may say in some respects our Father but in other respects they cannot As our Saviour Christ saith peremptorily John 8. 44. You be of your Father the Devil They bragged of God their Father and they were of their Father the Devil Therefore consider who is fit to take this name into their mouths My Father mark the disposition of the Scribes and Pharisees and then you shall see who be fit to bragg of God as their Father They be very formal men look to their outward devotion who so devout as they They studied it but what were they for the inside they were malitious men they were satanical men men opposite to the power of Religion arrant Hypocrites painted Sepulchres It is no matter for Complement or formality an Hypocrite may have much of that in the eys of the world yet may be a Child of the Devil for all that and a Pharisee for all that Thou maist be malitious against the truth as the Pharisees sought Christs blood A man may be like Herod seeking the blood of Christ in his Members persecuting Christ as all cruel men do They seek to devour Christ in his professors what they can they disparage and dishearten them they are enemies to the power of Religion and to the Ordinances of God they be the Children of the Devil and therefore have no reason at all to bragg that God is their Father Indeed an inward bitter disposition against the power of Religion though under any formality is a Character of a satanical spirit such cannot say Our Father If they do it is an usurpation for their true Father is the Devil ◠Who then can say our Father those that by the spirit of the Father and the Son by the Holy Ghost are ingraffed
be severe I but that is the greatest part of their weakness if they have any goodness in them For who was more indulgent to the Disciples then Christ who saw their weakness He bore with all their infirmities Where we see any goodness let us bear with many weaknesses we ought to be peaceable men Beati sunt pacifici they that be appeased in their consciences in sense of their own pardon are ready to shew mercy to others Busie contentions quarrelsom dispositions argue they never found comfort from God himself If God be a Father and we are Brethren it is a levelling word it bringeth Mountains down and filleth up vallies All are Brethren take them in what condition you will if they be great in the world Brethren of an high degree yet brother levelleth thē If they be of low degree yet it filleth them up raiseth thē to the height in this brotherhood And therefore go tel my Brethren tell them all for they be all equally Brethren If I were to speak to persons of quality and great parts as I am to speak to mean let them be put in mind of their condition Nothing should raise us up so high as to forget the everlasting relation of Brother Infirmity should not so far prevail with us as to forget that which the Children of God have to eternity And for other persons more eminent if he be a King let him not so mind that as to forget all other For all relations determine in death and must be laid in the dust all must stand on equal ground before Gods Barre and they that have most to answer for have the highest accompt of all and therefore it is ground of humility to all Let them that are in greatest eminency consider this Paul after conversion could say henceforth know I no man after the flesh There is a great deal of humanity in the World complement is very ordinary which is the Picture and out-side of humanity but Christian love which is a degree above humanity the Apostle calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brotherly love that is the scorn of the world They will own a Brother in office but owning them in the sweet bonds of Brotherhood as they are the Sons of God here is Heaven make much of them in that kind that is a strange thing in the world but we must know what it meaneth before we come to Heaven we must respect a Christian be he what he will be under all his infirmities if he hath a good spirit in him which God the Father seeth and Christ seeth We must bear love to all Saints Some will make much of an eminent man that hath excellent parts because there may be some countenance from such persons but here is sincerity that beareth love to all Saints He wraps them up all in the general tearm Go tell Peter amongst the rest that hath offended more then the rest If you will know whether you be true Brethren or no or Sons of God or no make a use of tryal by what is formerly delivered I shall inlarge my self in that point because all dependeth upon it God is the Father of all by creation he is the Father in a general Covenant of all that receive the Sacrament and are baptized But if they have no other relation to God but so they may go to Hell as Judas and others did therefore we must know whether we may claim this relation of Father on good grounds or no else it is an usurpation 1. Those that belong to God the spirit of God witnesseth to them that they are Sons They that are adopted have the spirit of adoption in some degree God sendeth his spirit into their hearts that assures them that they be Gods Children And howsoever this is the first yet God giveth some intimation by his spirit that they look to God in another familiar manner then before and he looks on them in a Fatherly manner so there be some intimations and insinuations and hints though the spirit of adoption witnesseth not fully and gloriously to the soul always because we are not fitted for it but sometimes in great afflictions and desertions Where the spirit of God is there is Communion with God in the spirit of adoption And when the voice of the spirit of adoption speaks not lowdly yet there is a work of the spirit there is something in us renewed by the spirit there is something of the new Creature When a Christian cannot hear God say to his soul I am thy salvation yet a man may see a work of grace there is a love to God to the Ordinances to the people of God a mourning because he cannot mourn a sighing because he hath not an heart plyable He is discordant with his condition when he is disconsolate so that there is a work of the spirit helpeth him in his worst condition Besides there is a spirit of supplication in some measure though he cannot make set discourses to God yet he can in a sweet manner lay open his sorrow and grief to God and leave them in his bosom They be broken words perhaps but God can pluck sense out of them God knoweth the meaning of the sighing of his own spirit though broken speeches So that where there is any tongue for God in a man there is a spirit of prayer there is not a strangeness of God to go altogether by but the spirit hath a kind of acquaintance with God and it goeth to God in a familiarity and layeth forth grief and putteth forth Petitions in another manner then the World doth Again a Christian in the worst condition God not only shineth on him through the Cloud but there is a spirit in him that sigheth to go through all thick Clouds to God There is a spirit of supplication and of love in some degree for that is promised The spirit shall help our infirmities when we know not how to pray the intercourse and Communion with God is never broken off where there is any spirit of adoption Therefore Jonas and David and the rest though they could not pray yet they sighed to God and would not leave him If they could not imbrace Christ they would touch the hem of his garment They will not yield to the stream altogether but strive against it And though they be carried away with the strength of the stream and see no goodness in themselves yet they that be with them shall see a spirit striving to another condition then they are in Something of Christs something of Gods spirit there will be in them And take them at the worst they will appear better then the civil man that thinks himself a glorious man though he hath nothing but for shew and fashion who would be in such a mans condition without some brokenness of heart some sighs 2. Likewise we may know it by our sympathy and Antipathy Our sympathy with them that be good and antipathy
to that which is naught There is a love of that which is good So things good things are connatural to a good man There is a relish in good Company and good things As there is sweetness in the best things so there is something in the Children of God that is answerable to the God whom they serve He is never so out of tast but he findeth his chief comfort in this thing and he is never himself so much as when he is conversant in these things though in different measure sometimes more and sometimes lesse There is an inward antipathy to God in a proud carnal man that hath not his heart subdued by grace there is a contrariety to the power of that grace which outwardly he professeth and a sympathy with the world and the spirit of the world Take a good Christian at the worst he is better then another at the best I beseech you therefore examine our dispositions how we stand affected to things of an higher nature then the things of the world to spiritual things how we can relish spiritual things Gods Ordinances any thing that is holy surely if there be the life of God and Christ in us there will be a kind of coÌ„naturalness suitableness of taste to the sweetnes that is in holy things To come to the next mark the order here Go to my Father and your Father We are the Sons of God at the second hand God is the Father of Christ first and then ours He is his God first then our God This is a weighty point for directing of our devotion that we may know in what order to look on God See God in Christ see all things in Christ first and then in us Look upon him as Father to Christ and then to us Look on him as a God to Christ first and in Christ a God to us Look on him as having elected us but elect in Christ first See our selves justified but see Christ justified first from our sins and his justification declared by his resurrection See our resurrection and ascension and glorification in Heaven not directly but in Christ our head who is in Heaven and taketh up place for us See God loving us but look on it in Christ who is Sedes amoris The next thing to God is his Son and he loveth none but in him When we consider of any spiritual blessing say with the Apostle Blessed be God who hath filled us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Otherwise we do not know our selves nor God Whatsoever is derived from God to us is through Christ all promises are his first they are made to him and to our nature in him and they are performed for his sake he taketh them from God the Father and they be performed for his sake He is the true Aaron we are but the skirts the Oyl that is powered upon his head runneth down to his skirts it runneth to the meanest Christian but the Oyntment of grace is first powred on his head Of his grace we receive grace for grace and of his fulness The first fulness is God himself the second receptacle of all is Christ God-man the third are we we have it at the third hand God emptieth himself into Christ as Mediator In him are the fulnesse of all riches the treasures of all wisdom and knowledg we are compleated in him and in him we are full His is not only a fulness of the Vessel as ours is but a fulness of the Fountain And it is for our comfort that it is so that Gods love is to Christ first There is a firm foundation when God loveth us in his Son and we are Children in his natural Son in whom we are adopted then our state is firm Oâ—r first state in the first Adam was not firm but now our nature is taken into the unity of the second person it is firm So that the love and care and Fatherly disposition of God towards us it is sweet to us because it is tender to his Son It is eternal to us because it is eternal to him He can as soon cease to love his Son as cease to love us For with the same love he loveth all Christ mystical head and members There is not the least finger of Christ the least despised member of Christ but God looketh on him with that sweet eternal tenderness with which he looketh upon his Son preserving the prerogative of the head Oh this is a sweet comfort that now all the excellent priviledges of a Christian are set on Christ and then on us and therefore we should not lose them for Christ will lose nothing When the favour of a Prince is founded on his Son whom he always loveth the affection is unalterable on the Son and therefore the case is good So Gods favour to us is foâ—nded on his love to his Son therefore unalterable and eternal we should therefore look up to God in his son put up all our PetitioÌ„s to him in his son expect all from him in his sonne He is in Heaven for us to do that that belongeth to us Expect all from God through Christ and do all to God through Christ love God in Christ and Christ in God our selves in Christ and our selves in the love of God Christ is in God and God is in Christ God and Christ are in us there is a marvellous sweet relation and communion between God and us and Christ and us It is a sweet communion and mysterious to us How sweet is the communion between the soul and the body the soule being so spiritual and the body a peece of earth But what is this to the mystery of mysteries when God takes clay and dust into unity of his person and all this is for this union The great and glorious union of Christ to our natures is that he may take us into his mystical body and so make us one with himself and one with the Father He took our natures that he might convey his Fatherly goodness and love and spirit to us The sweet union of the two natures of Christ is to confirm union between the Father and us and Christ and us And we are never happy till we be assured thaâ— we are one with Christ which is the issue of his excellent prayer John 17. Our blessed Saviour fetcheth the comfort of our Father from this that God is his Father first and so to joyn both together That God is our God because he is his God first It is a point very considerable That whatsoever comfort we look for from God and in God we must see it in Christ first before we see it in our selves because we be but Sons by adoption and we have all we have from God through Christ Whatsoever we see in Christ think this will belong to us And whatsoever we look should belong to us see it first in him As verily as he ascended we shall ascend As verily
word to be a God is to be all-sufficient to any to be sole-sufficient and to be self-sufficient To be a God is to be all-sufficient for every Creature to be all-sufficient when nothing else can be sufficient And to be self-sufficient to be sufficient of himself and therefore to reduce all back again to himself Now God is a God of himself for himself and by himself God is all-sufficient self-sufficient sole-sufficient and whatsoever the Creature hath it hath it from him There is in a word in God a sufficiency for all good and happiness and an efficiency to apply that sufficiency for the good of the Creature And in particular to be a God to any is to do that for a Creature that no Creature in the world can do but God To make it of nothing to free it from misery that it is beset withall when no other can free it to recover it again God is Jehovah that hath a being of himself giveth being to the Creatures that can make the Creature of nothing and being something can make it nothing Now if God be a God to any he is not only to give being to us in a certain rank of Creatures as we are advanced above other Creatures as to have a being or a life of growing or a life of sense or to advance us to a life of Creatures indowed with reason whereby we are common in that fashion with Angels and understand God himself Alas this were a poor priviledge if it went no farther then to set us in that rank of Creatures though a great favour But considering us in a lapsed estate it is a poor favour to leave us here And therefore God is said to be our God now in a state of grace when he advanceth us to an higher being and life then all this to a life of grace here and of glory hereafter When out of his soveraignty and power he reduceth all to help forward his main end the salvation of his in peculiar So God is a God in peculiar of some that he taketh out of base mankind There is a world taken out of the world as Augustine useth to speak And thus he is a God not to bestow a life of grace and supernatural being here but a glorious condition hereafter in Heaven and to make all things serviceable to that that we may say all is ours because we are Christs and Christ is Gods So that whatsoever befalleth a Christian is serviceable and conducible to the main and last end And that is for God to be God indeed to make us his in Christ Jesus to give us a new Creation and a new State better then at first Now what is the foundation of this that God is our God in the Covenant of grace we say it is founded on Christ God is Christs God and then our God and that is the reason why Christ is called Emanuel which is as much as to say as it is expounded God with us Not only because when he took our nature on him there was God and man in one person but the meaning of the word is Christ is Emanuel God with us by being God in our nature and satisfying divine justice in our nature hath brought God the Father and us together into a sweet Covenant So that God may be our God and our Father notwithstanding his justice because all is satisfied by Christ who took our nature to die for us Christ is Emanuel because he hath made God and us one So that God is our God and not only so but our Father in him Thus you see how it cometh to passe that God is our Father by Christ who came to bring us again to God as his whole office was to bring a few that had been singled out of mankind to God again from whom they fell for we all had communion with God in Adam but we lost it and now must be brought again to God which must be done by Christ God and man Thus much for the foundation of the point That God is Christs God and God in Christ is our God to do all things for us to bring us to an happy condition here and an everlasting happy condition in Heaven We see here it is brought as a ground of comfort and so indeed it is And we may observe from hence That now by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ God is not only become a Father to us but a God This is a ground of many cōforts go tell my Disciples now I am risen again therefore justice is satisfied and now they may have lively hope of a better condition hereafter For God is my God that hath raised me up and who will raise up mine too so that now we are copartners with Christ sharers with him in the Fatherhood of God and God is God in common with Christ and us This may well be brought as a point of comfort if there were any comfort in the world of sweeter efficacy then this our Saviour would have sent it to his Disciples Comfort being his main Office and his main end he would have the best comfort after his best Resurrection And he picks this from amongst them all Go tell them I go to my Father and their Father to my God and their God And therefore it is a pregnant comfort and indeed no heart can conceive the comfort of it that we have interest together with Christ in God and with the Fatherhood of God And both these the Scripture joyneth together 2 Cor. 2. 6. I will be your Father and your God To unfold the comforts more God is said to be our God in Covenant in Christ He is the God of Christ and therefore of us because he hath made himself over to us A thing is said to be another mans when the Title is past to another man Now God hath as it were past over himself to his believing Children and Members of Christ He hath made over himself to them to be their God as he was the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles so he is of every good believing Christian to the end of the world God maketh himself over to be theirs and as the Scriptures stile is he is their portion and their Inheritance a blessed portion a blessed inheritance more to us then if all the world were ours then if Heaven were ours then if ten thousand worlds were ours for he is our God that can create millions of worlds more then this if it were needful Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia He hath all things that hath him in Covenant that hath all things And therefore when the Scripture saith I go to their God it implyeth I go to him that is all in all to them that is larger then their hearts can be for what heart can conceive the fulnesse of the comforts arising from hence that God is our God Many know they need comfort of
such a transcendent nature The heart of man is so distrustful so faithless and the conscience is such a clamorous thing and therefore he cannot think this is too much I beseech you therefore do not lose the comfort of it that in Christ God is our God though we can say of nothing else it is ours perhaps we cannot say great houses are ours or great friends are ours or Inheritances ours that is no matter we can say that is ours which is infinitely more then that We can say God is ours in Christ Nay being exhorted to say by the spirit of faith that God is ours in Christ all things in the world are ours As you have it in that place of Scripture All things are yours why because you are Christs and Christ is Gods Whether things present or things to come Paul Apollos Cephas life death all is yours you are Christs and Christ is Gods that is all things must by a command from God conspire to make us happy affliction or Satan or death or trouble of conscience or desertion or every thing to help us to Heaven The curse is taken away and there is a blessing hid in every thing that befalleth a Christian to bring him to Heaven therefore it is a comfort of infinite extent All is yours because God is yours You shall see the extent of the comforts further by retail as it were If God be ours then all is ours too what be they the Scripture telleth you and I should spend too much time in unfolding of them 1. If God be ours his wisdom must needs be ours to find out wayes to do us good for his infinite wisdom hath found out a way in Christ by satisfaction of his justice to bring us to Heaven He can make us go beyond all the policy of our Neighbors for his wisdom is ours 2. If we be in danger his power is ours to bring us out 3. If we have sinned his mercy is ours to forgive us He himself being ours his mercy must needs be ours The whole being ours it followeth out of the strength of reason that the parts also must be ours 4. In any want his allsufficiency is ours to supply it or to turn it to good and make it up in a better kind 5. In a word God being ours whatsoever is in God whatsoever God can do whatsoever he hath is ours because himself is ours And therefore I beseech you make this use of it to get into Christ by faith to be one with Christ that so God may be our God Get faith above all graces the grace of union and the grace of communion that being one with Christ we are one with him God being ours all is ours yea the worst thing in the world is ours If God be not ours it is no matter what else is ours Alas all things must be taken from us we know not how soon and we taken from all things else What if we ha d a Kingdom as Saul had if we be forsaken of God as he was What if we had Paradise if we offend God we shall be cast out What if we had the dignity to be Apostles if with Judas we have not God what will all come to What if a man should enjoy all the world if out of Christ it would yield him no comfort As the Emperor said I have gone through all varieties of conditions Et nibil mihi prodit but it hath done me no good If we had all what is it but vanity of vanities and not only so but vexation Now when we have God to be our God he is able to fill the soul He is larger then the soul and he is able to quiet the soul he is the rest of the soul the soul is quiet in him is the Center as the place of quiet If God be ours then the soul resteth in it for God filleth the soul and quiets the soul and hath alwayes fresh comforts for the soul infinite still to all eternity There is nothing in the world but we do as it were deflorare take away the flower of it by use and it becometh stale Though a man continue many thousand years in the world yet he will be weary of all things in the world because there is no freshness in them It is finite and the soul is larger then the comforts of the world But in God is a spring of fresh comforts to everlasting Consider the things that inable him to be our God to fill the soul and to be larger then the soul to quiet and calm the soul in all the troubles of it and then to have fresh springs of comforts what a comfort is this to have God for our God Let it therefore raise up our souls to labor after our God and never rest till we have some interest in this great portion of God to be our God When we can by faith go out of our selves to Christ and lay a right and just claim to God to be our God this is a comfort that reacheth from everlasting to everlasting It giveth us forgiveness of sins when we had lost our selves because we are in Christ he hath forgiven us In all extremities and troubles when no creature can comfort us it is his glory to shew himself a God It reacheth to the Resurrection of the body God is Abrahams and Isaacks and Jacobs God when dead because he was the God of whole Abraham Isaack and Jacob and therefore of soul and body And it reacheth from all favours of this world so far as is for our good to all eternity being our God he will protect us from all extremities in this world he will speak comfort to our souls which nothing can do but God When we be dead he will raise up our dust because he is our whole God the God of our souls and bodies and we shall be for ever with the Lord. It is a comfort of wonderfull extent Vse 1. Let us therefore make this use of it Labour to make him so to us for as he is to us so God by his spirit is our comforter who being satisfied giveth us his spirit We must make God our God and then he will be a God unto us These be mutual wheresoever they be wheresoever God is God to any they by the spirit obtained by Christ have grace to make him so to themselves What is it for us to make God a God to us It is this to set up God a throne in our hearts and to give him a Soveraignty over all things in the world that we may say in truth of heart God is our joy God is our comfort God is our rock God is all in all to us When we give him supremacy of affection above all the world we esteem nothing above him we value him above all esteem his loving kindness is better then life it self for else we do not make him a God to us and then it is no comfort