a solemne fast of seven daies continuance as in likely Now it was time to give him some comfort and make him to heare joy and gladnesse that the broken bones might rejoyce This is done in the verses which I have read And here he hath first comfort in his owne minde by which he was able to comfort Bathsheba For he should have beene a poore comforter of her unlesse he had first comforted himselfe secondly outward comfort in giving him a son by her and giving that sonne two names and that by the message of Nathan the Prophet one Shelomo that is peaceable or his peace or the peace of the Lord and the second Iedidiah the Lord will love him because both God did love him and he was to bee an instrument of abundance of prosperity and peace to Israel yea because God would love him with a constant love for Iedidiah signifies the Lord will make to love And now the breach betwixt God and David is fully made up For in calling Salomon by that name he would signifie that he was now at peace with David And by calling him Iedidiah hee would signifie that the Lord did love him also The words are plaine enough and the matter will bee fuller understood if you reade in 1 Chron. 22.9 where David tells Salomon that God tels him that a son should bee borne unto him whose name should be Salomon and that hee would give him rest and peace whence it is apparant that even before the childe was borne GOD sent to him to give him this name and to let him understand that this sonne was hee that was meant in the former prophesie of Nathan who must raigne after him and build the house of the Lord. Now this could not but exceedingly rejoyce David to make him assured that God was reconciled to him because he would choose a sonne of his begotten of the same woman after the sin to be King after him to build him a house Now let us see what instructions we may gather out of these words CHAP. II. §. I. DAavid becomes a comforter of Bathsheba by which it is evident that he was in good measure comforted himselfe We heard him confessing his sin we saw him lying in the dust clothed with sackcloth tumbling in ashes Now you see him cheerefull againe speaking cheerefully to Bathsheba and striving to revive his drooping spirits for doubtlesse shee was in fault as well as David and when shee heard of Nathans reproofe and saw her childes sickenesse and death she cryed peccavi and she cast downe her selfe as well as he Hence learne this lesson §. 2. That the people of God having humbled themselves after their sins must then labour also to take comfort When wee have cast downe our selves before the Lord and confessed and bewailed our offences be they what they will then must we raise vp our selves and strive to settle peace and quietnesse and gladnesse in our hearts againe Consolation should follow mourning and gladnesse should come after sadnesse If any Saint have fallen into some great sinne yet when he hath renewed his repentance for the sinne hee should againe take comfort in God notwithstanding that sinne The Apostle Paul hearing of the incestuous Cortuths great griefe writes to them to comfort him and confirme their love to him 2 Cor. 2.8 9. that he might not be swallowed up of too much sorrow Loe there is a time when a man must wade out of his griefes for feare of being drowned in them Therefore you know our Saviour promiseth to comfort them that mourne Mat. 5.4 and to give them the oyle of gladnesse instead Isa 61.3 of the garments of sadnesse It is not Gods purpose to make his people goe alwaies in black hee would have them weare lightsomer colours after a time The Apostle Paul after hee had seene the Lord in the way Acts 9.19 was in very great heavinesse for three daies and nights but after he was baptized and took comfort and began to preach Christ The people Acts 2.37 46. were pricked in heart but we read after that they did eate their meate with gladnesse The Iayler parted cheerefully with Paul and Silas though he had a lamentable meeting with them § 3. Now there is great reason that the Saints should take comfort after they have taken griefe First Reason because they have as good and sure grounds and causes of comfort as of sorrow Secondly because they shall glorifie God as much Thirdly because they shall profit themselves as much by taking comfort as by their mourning First I say a good man that hath mourned hath as great cause to take comfort as ever he had to mourne for he hath the promises of God to the penitent as well as his threats against the sinner He hath his mercy to the humble as well as his justice against the transgressor He hath Christs prayers merits intercession to stand for him as well as the cry and clamour of his sinnes to stand against him God hath as plainely and as strongly tyed himselfe to accept the repenting sinner as to punish the unrepenting and hath as carnestly required us to believe his promises as his threats and is altogether as true in his promises and as carefull to performe them as to performe his threats And it is the office and worke of the Spirit to be a Comforter and to convince of righteousnesse as well as of sinne The Lord hath as plainely said Ezek. 18.21 24. If the wicked man neturne from his wicked waies he shall live as if the righteous returne from his righteousnesse he shall die Hee hath promised refreshing to all heavic laden as well as threatned destruction to all wilfull and wicked transgressors and to wound the hairy scalpe of such an one as goeth on in his trespasses Psal 68.21 Seeing the Lord offers himselfe gratiously to them therefore have they cause to enjoy these consolations of his Word Yea the Apostle shewes that the Word was written that through comfort of the Scriptures we might have hope Rom. 15.4 So that it may appeare that Gods chiefe end in compiling the Scripture was to prepare comfort for the sonnes of men if they humble themselves and become capable of it Yea the Spirit of God is called the Comforter and God is called the God of all consolation and the God that comforteth the abject all which grounds of consolation being offered us we are bound to receive them § 4. Againe it is a worke as truly honourable to God and maketh as much for his glory that his people doe take the cup of consolation at his hands as that they drink the bitter cup of wormewood yea and more too For to grieve even for sinne further then it tends to comfort and ends in it is nothing at all to the glory of God of it selfe for in hell they grieve enough but that griefe is not in them a worke tending to Gods glory because it aimes not
proveth saying Blessed is the man whose sinnes are covered whose iniquity is pardoned and to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne And againe having said Psal 51.8 Make mee to heare joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce hee adds immediately Hide thy face from my sinnes ver 9. The same our Saviour declareth plainly saying to the poore Palsy-man Sonne bee of good comfort thy sinnes be forgiven thee Mat. 9.2 and to that sorrowfull weeping woman in the Gospell who made her eyes as it were a yewre to wash his feet Daughter thy sinnes are forgiven There is nothing suffcient to beare up true comfort but a true and well grounded assurance of this unspeakeable goodnesse of God which is the foundation of all other benefits And as any mans soule hath a more solid and stedfast and well built perswasion of this mercy so is he the more comfortable at least more capeable of comfort as hee hath lesse firme or lesse true know-ledge of this so is hee lesse fit and able to receive consolation So then this conclusion must be written in the heart God hath pardoned my sinnes and received me gratiously in Christ afore it can bee duely comforted and so you see the ground of the comfort we seeke for § 7. Thirdly I will shew you by what degrees this comfort groweth in the heart usually When a mans sinnes lie most heavie upon his soule and that the law like a sword hath ripped up and launced his very heart that it runs and bleeds againe then he heareth the doctrine of the Gospell teaching remission of sins by Iesus Christ and doth assent to the truth of it as that it is an undoubted verity and then strives to apply it to himselfe and hath a secret perswasion that it shall be performed even to himselfe now this perswasion groweth up in three degrees First the promise makes him thinke with himselfe Assuredly my sinnes may be pardoned The righteousnesse of Christ is sufficient to justifie me and God can accept and forgive me This makes him runne crying and praying to God for pardon and affoords a little glimmering of comfort as when a sick man knowes his disease to be curable and that the Physitian can cure him this is one graine of faith Secondly having continued to pray to God for aspace he then conceiveth a little stronger hope and saith in himselfe I hope God will pardon me which makes him yet more warme in in his suit and bringeth a little more consolation this is an other graine of faith Lastly he begins to conclude God hath pardoned me at first making this conclusion fearefully not without admixture of many doubts which he resisteth and laboureth to reject and at length with more strength and lesse doubting till he attaine a very full assurance that scarce findeth any wavering and then hath his soule a strong consolation even a full weight of comfort Thus I have shewed you the third thing I intended that no man may bee discomforted utterly because he is not at first able perfectly to comfort himselfe as sometimes good people are thinking that they have no faith because they have not the highest degree thereof CHAP. V. § 1. NOw in the fourth place I will tell you by what meanes you must strengthen your faith that it may affoord you large and strong consolation for though no labour of man without the power of Gods Spirit can worke this comfort yet doth the Spirit of God beget it by meanes of such holy labours and endeavours as himselfe incites us to These meanes are chiefly foure Meditation Prayer Conference and a due information of judgement concerning this matter of remission of sins The first then is Meditation and that principally of foure things 1. Of the perfect merits of Iesus Christ 2. Of the infinite mercies of God 3. Of the large and unlimited promises of the Word 4. Of Gods gratiousnesse to other sinners out of all which sound consolation may be taken by the most broken heart that is or can be § 2. The first thing then to be seriously pondered upon is the perfection of Christs merits for upon this foundation doth comfort most depend For our selves it matters not what we have deserved or can deserve for it must be confessed that our deserts extend to nothing but ruine and destruction But our Lord and surety Iesus Christ hath made a full and perfect satisfaction to the justice of God and deserved full and perfect remission of sinnes for all that seeke unto him For of him the Scripture beareth witnesse Mat. 3. ult That in him God is well pleased and that by him all that beleeve Act. 13.38 39. are justified from all things from which they could not bee justified by the law of Moses And him hath God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud Rom. 3.25 Hee hath redeemed us from the curse of the law Gal. 3 1 being made a curse for us 1 Cor. 1.30 Also He is our Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption And in Him wee have redemption through his bloud Ephes 1.7 the forgivenesse of sinnes And He hath taken away the sinnes of the world Joh. 1.29 And His bloud cleanseth us from all sinne 1 Ioh 1 7 And He is able to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 to save those that come unto God by him All these places doe testifie the fullnesse and absolute perfection of his righteousnesse and satisfaction that as by the sinne of one man the first Adam many have beene made sinners so by the righteousnesse of one man the second Adam Rom. 5.9 many be made righteous Now as it is in the case of a debtor and of his surety so it is betwixt God and us in this matter Though the debtor being a meere banquerupt cannot possibly discharge his owne debt yet if his surety have already made payment of all his debts or fully discharged them he is safe enough from danger So though we be utterly destitute of all ability to satisfie for our sinnes and to deserve pardon of them yet if our surety Iesus Christ have fully satisfied for them as he hath there is hope enough of our being pardoned For our Lord Iesus Christ was both God and man a person infinitely more excellent then all men and therefore his sufferings and obedience are of such infinite worth and valew that by him the wrath of God is fully appeased towards us For it was a great demonstration of Gods justice to punish him his onely begotten Sonne for our sinnes in such sort as he did as if he had punished us to all eternity Suppose divers debtors one owing 10000 lb. another 5000 another 1000 another 100 lb. some more some lesse but each one more then his substance could possibly satisfie yet if some able person had laid downe divers Iewels of farre greater valew then all their debts did amount unto then were their debts sufficiently answered
boundlesnesse of his compassion to thinke that thou canst possibly exceed his goodnesse with thy badnesse but go unto him and acknowledge saying O Lord the multitude of thy mercies doe farre surmount the multitude of my rebellions O therefore be gratious to mee according to the multitude of thy mercies and so thou shalt bee safe But thou wilt say perhaps how can I tell that God will shew mercy to me I answer Art not thou one of those to whom he hath sealed up mercy in baptisme yea but thou wilt say many are baptized that never finde mercy I answer not one that in sence of want of mercy and in a perswasion that God can bee mercifull to him doth seeke to the throne of grace for it And for a fuller answer to this doubt now proceed to the third meditation § 5. This is of the widenesse and largenesse of Gods promises to sinners which are of such an unlimited extent that they exclude no sinner for no sinne and in no time of comming to him For in all these respects are his promises wondrous large and of great extent J say first they shut not out any sinner but runne in this generality Come unto me All that are heavie laden even all all without any exception so that whosoever he be that is heavy laden hee sees the gate of Gods goodnesse standing open to him and wide enough to receive even him also among the rest of sinners next hee excepts not any sinne but telleth us thus The bloud of Christ purgeth us from all sinne 1 Joh. 1.7 And againe if your sinnes were as red as scarlet they shall bee as white as snow Isa 1.18 And againe Ezek. 18.22 I will blot all his iniquities out of my remembrance and he bids them pray thus Take away all iniquity Hos 14.2 and allowed David to cry and say Psal 51.9 Blot out all mine iniquities Doe you not heare how generall these promises bee not narrowed with any exception but alone to be understood with this qualification of the persons if they be humbled for sin And in like manner for the time of comming lies not the promise in the day that the sinner turneth Ezek. 33.12 meaning when so ever sooner or later first or last so that hee turne in truth you see no time excepted for the grant of pardon of sinne Indeed in regard of crosses it may fall out that a man may seek to God for freedome of them and not find it but for pardon of sinnes he that comes in truth comes never too late And here now is the right use of those universall promises which are set downe in Scripture God would have no man perish but would have all men saved and come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 and He is a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world 1 Ioh. 2.2 and Hee gave himselfe a ransome for all 1 Tim. 2.6 and He tasted death for every man Heb. 2.9 Which the Lord hath of set purpose conceived in this ample forme of words that there might bee sure and certaine ground and footing for the faith of any man whatsoever that being tyred with his sinnes doth runne unto this grace of God in Christ to finde helpe in time of need Seeing God hath not excepted thy person or thy faults or thy time of comming doe not thou except thy selfe make not the gate of Gods promises scanter or narrower then it is He hath opened both the leaves of these dores as wide as may bee and thinkes it not fit to cloze them up against any humbled and confessing sinner at any time O doe no thou put a distrustfull hand upon them to shut them against thy selfe but let them stand wide open and enter boldly and aske mercy and looke for mercy and finde it § 6. Now followes the last meditation which must be of the examples of Gods grace in performing these promises to other sinners as bad if not worse then any of us can be For the Lord hath made good these words of his in his Son to as great hainous willfull presumptuous offendors as any have beene are or can bee in the world that will come unto him No man can name so great a sinne or sinnes with so great aggravations but that the Scriptures affoord us examples of as grievous sinnes pardoned and as grievous sinners saved if they have framed themselves to humiliation and conversion For what may thy sin bee or thine obstinacy in sin Is it murder and adultery runne into with fore-resolved deliberation continued in with great hardnesse and obduration behold these were Davids faults and thou seest him pardoned and comforted yea though he ran unto them in old age after many benefits received and after a long time of forwardnesse in the true religion and service of God Hast thou beene an Idolater a Buggerer a Drunkard a Rayler an Extortioner why such were some of the Corinthians as Paul remembers them and yet they were washed sanctified justified as he also telleth them Hast thou besides Idolatry followed Sorcerers and Witches and practised inchantments and sorceries and that with so much and so long obstinacy as to kill those that should admonish thee of these faults Why so did Manasses too and yet he is pardoned Hast thou persecuted Christ blasphemed him made others to blaspheme and put them to death that would not why so did Paul also and that after divers yeares spent in those places where many wonders and miracles were wrought to confirme the Gospell of Christ and yet he is pardoned Hast thou beene an harlot so was Rahab and the sinnefull woman in the Gospell Hast thou beene a theefe so was hee that defended Christ on the Crosse Hast thou denied and foresworne Christ so did Peter also after hee had beene diverse yeares his disciple and yet all these are pardoned Yea verily brethren the first sinne that ever was committed was in many respects the greatest of all particular acts of sin that ever were committed since It was virtually radically causally all sinne and yet loe Adam and Evah that did commit it they are saved The smalnesse of the matter makes the fault farre greater being a light and easie thing propounded meerely for a triall and as a signe and profession of their obedience as if a man should forbid his childe a very slender thing and that which hee might easily forbeare to testifie his obedience unto him he would be more offended against him in this case by how much hee had made choyce of a more triviall matter to proove his obedience withall Now for such persons at such a time in such a place in such a state on such motives to disobey their maker in such a thing so easie to bee observed and given to them onely to proove their obedience surely a greater disobedience and therefore a greater sinne can hardly be named and yet as I said before this sinne is
not dominion there it is healed and a mans soule is truly sanctified and himselfe in the state of grace Rom. 6.24 For it is said Sin shall not have dominion over you because you are under grace Now it is certaine that where any sin is thus constantly and conscionably resisted opposed with these spirituall weapons namely by the consideration of Gods goodnes in Christ of his commandmēts threats and promises in his Word it is subdued and the dominion there of is broken Such an one doth mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit and is in killing them though they bee not quite slaine that ruleth not that is perpetually resisted oppugned fought against Therefore though some such corruption be very violent do both often and palpably break out yet it is pardoned for he doth not love serve sin that doth thus fight against it and resist it O but J do not repent in truth J answer dost thou thus confesse and lament and resist every sin one as well as an other and that before God in secret Then surely thou repentest truly for no man sets against all sin and that before God but hee doth it in uprightnesse and sincerity of soule § 5. Ah but I have no faith I have no faith and therefore I am not pardoned I answer first thou maist have it hereafter if thou hast not yet attained it yea thou shalt have it if thou continue to beg it yea I answer againe this is a false accusation thou hast faith For he that doth so acknowledge the perfect righteousnesse of Christ that he concludes Christ can pardon me and therfore followes him with continuall supplications for pardon he hath faith and a good measure of faith too For how shall they call upon him in whom they have not beleeved saith the Apostle our Saviour saith to the blind men that confessed hee could helpe them and ran crying after him for helpe according to your faith be it vnto you Well therefore thou dost beleeve and though thy faith may be weake yet some it is that so much as shall make thee accepted for weakenesse of faith cannot hinder remision of sins seeing the Apostles were pardoned whom yet our Saviour reprooveth because they were men of little faith O but all graces are weak and feeble in me even so weake that I cannot tell whither I have any or none I answer an infant is a very weake thing and hath little and feeble limbs and so small use of reason that one can hardly perceive him to have any at all and yet he is a man a reasonable creature Grace is as little at first as naturall life and reason in a new borne babe but if it be true all is well then at last it shall be strong and true it is if one find its own weaknesse and be made little in his owne eyes because of its littlenesse and mourne because it is so little and would faine have it more and use the best meanes he can to increase it and by not finding so great an increase as he desireth is not driven to cast off all meanes but rather labours to use them more and better that by them it may at last attaine its wished confirmation CHAP. VIII § 1. SO have I answered those objectiōs which are taken from our owne defects of graces now follow more taken from want of feeling yea from feeling of great terrors even from God First I answer to that objection taken from want of feeling It may be thou thinkest that thou hast no feeling but hast thou not sometimes when thou prayest earnestly some little kinde of ease and refreshing and hope if thou hast why that is feeling though thou didst not know it And I think scarce any Christian can say he hath continued long to pray but he hath had some such feeling Secondly I answer if thou hast had yet no feeling thou maist have in due time for thou takest the right way to get it And againe J answer David had as little feeling as thou hast when he complained Psal 119.82 83. That his eyes failed in waiting for Gods salvation and that he was become like a bottle in the smoke A man may feele no comfort in remission of his sins and yet have his sins pardoned for a Christian as J said before must not live by feeling but by faith yea he must beleeve first and feele after Sence will deceive in the judging of colours and quantities how much more in spirituall things that bee above sence Wherefore what conclusion may be duly diducted out of Scripture that is most true and certaine though a man have no feeling of it yea though hee feele the contrary was this conclusion I have my sins pardoned or shall have may be diducted out of Scripture for such a man as feeleth nothing but overwhelming griefes thus All that being heavy laden come unto Christ shall bee refreshed but Jam heavy laden and come unto Christ therfore I shall be refreshed and find rest to my soule For he comes to Christ heavy laden that in the sence of great anguish continues to cry and pray therefore must hee labour to support himselfe with hope that his case shall bee good howsoever it bee for the present and so animate himselfe to continue praying and crying § 2. Yea but J find my selfe even weary of praying and ready to faint give over I answer so did David too Psal 69. when he said his eyes did faile and he was weary of crying and yet he cried still and so do thou which so long as thou dost thou art in none other estate then he was and therfore in a good estate onely so that thou wilt be content as I said to live by faith and not by feeling Yea but I am not alone void of all peace and comfort but even filled with feares terrors I answer so was David too in divers places by name Psal 69.1 where he saith that the waters were come unto his soule and that he stuck fast in the mire If any say this is meant alone of danger from his outward enemies J answer beleeve that who can I cannot David was no coward that the apprehension of a meere naturall death should drive him unto such complaints sure there was more in it then so his soule also was well neere overwelmed with temptations feares of Gods displeasure as well as thine So was he that made the 77. Psalme he saith my soule refused comfort he neither could nor scarce would take comfort yea complaines will the Lord cast off for ever shewing that hee had much adoe to keep himselfe from sinking under despaire So Heman the Ezrahite Psal 88. saith ver 16. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me and thy terrors cut me off but how behaved he himselfe in these terrors he cryed unto the Lord and said that in the morning his prayers should prevent him I say then to thee whither do thy
I answer upon thy resolution to obey after mourning and confessing thou hast interest to comfort and it must bee comfort that must strengthen thy resolutions and confirme thee in obedience Now then see thy mistaking and know thou art one to whom comfort is due and let not error over-shadow the sunne of comfort from shining upon thee § 7. Another cause of not being comforted is infidelity the moourners cannot believe that the comforts appertaine to themselves but this is a fault too For why doth not God call to him all that be heavie laden with sin and in calling them to him even bind them to take comfort Indeed the divell envies the comfort of the Saints and seeketh to hinder it with multitude of objections And some of Gods people bee so weake that they suffer the divell to have his will on them this way and hearken too much to his leasenings But now see that this is a fault that doth even disgrace piety to many and make them thinke that godlinesse and joy cannot dwell in one heart so that they refuse piety for feare of wanting joy whereas no companions will better agree then these two I have beene long in this reproofe and yet as you see milde and gentle enough It is a weakenesse it is a frailty It is a thing hurtfull and offensive take notice of it and reprehend thy selfe for it CHAP. IIII. § 1. Vse 2 ANd secondly let me nowpresse the Saints of God to follow David in the paths of consolation You heard him confessing you saw him in ashes now you see him chearefull againe Hast thou followed him in that heavie path follow him in this gladnesse Now that the Lord pipeth to thee see that thou dance Now that God biddeth thee take comfort see that thou take it Coe hither all yee Saints that have long beene clad in black and have rolled your selves in ashes and have mingled your drinke with teares Come hither and learne of David to comfort your selves O heare joy and gladnesse and let your broken bones rejoyce You I say that have sate in darkenesse that have wept and wailed that with bitter sighs and salt teares have blamed and shamed your selves before God come hither now and behold David and follow him put on thegarments of gladnesse and comfort your selves in Gods mercy It is as needfull and as plaine a duty to believe Gods promises as his threats to acknowledge his goodnesse as your owne badnesse You have done the one now doe the other also and let everlasting joy be upon your heads Doth not Christ tell thee that hee came to comfort the mourners hee is here now in his Ordinances to comfort thee ô let him not comfort thee in vaine Sitrre up thy selfe and say Iought to take comfort and Lord through thine helpe I will take comfort to my selfe and give thee the glory of the riches of thy grace in Christ § 2. If any say but I can feele no comfort I answer Thou must believe it first and then thou must feele it after First thou must draw out of Gods booke happie condlusions of comfort That thy sinnes are pardoned that God is reconciled that thy soule shall bee saved and then must so presse and urge these conclusions upon thy soule and binde thy selfe to consent to them that in time sence of comfort may follow after § 3. Now that you may be able to comfort your selves against sinnes and the feare of Gods wrath and damnation for them for you see that the Text calleth us to minister that comfort you must take notice of foure things needfull to further men in comforting themselves when they be made fit for comfort First one notable impediment to comfort whereof you must take heede Secondly the true ground of comfort Thirdly the degrees by which comfort groweth Lastly the meanes of comforting your selves § 4. 1. For the first if you will take comfort indeed you must resolve to beleeve neither the divell not the flesh neither to credit Satan nor your owne hearts but onely God speaking in his holy Word The divell is a knowne and wilfull and purposed lyar and alwaies almost frameth his tale against turth If he meete with a sinner that feeleth not sinne at all hee will flatter him with false hopes and make him if he can to beleeve that all is well and that God will shew mercy to him though he have no manner of right unto it And by his good will hee would have men lulled a sleepe with these false and vaine and worthlesse comforts even till their dying day But when he cannot hold them any longer in this sweete dreame but that they begin to see and to feele sinne and to feare Gods judgements then hee will tell them a quite contrary tale That there is no hope that the time is past that God will not receive them taht their offences afe unpardonable that it is in vaine to seeke mercy that the date of grace is gone and past that so if it were possible they might bee drowned in despaite Wherefore whosoever would finde comfort must stop his eares against Satan and resolve to beleeve nothing he sayes Thou foundest him a lyer in his comforts formerly now know him a lyer too in his present terrors Hee is equally false when hee roares as when he sings § 5. Againe beleeve not thy selfe thine owne heart for that is false and deceitfull and full of error Thou must not conclude I have no interest unto comfort because I thinke I have none Gods waies are not our waies nor his thoughts our thoughts What we thinke it matters nor but what hee saith in his Word Thou mayest see the falsehood of thine owne heart also by experience dost thou not know well that thy heart deceived thee heretofore in telling thee that all was well with thee when thy case was very miserable Did it lie then in ministring to thee ungrounded and lying consolations then know that it is as likely to lie at this time in denying comfort to thee So farre as we suffer our eares to be open to the suggestions of Satan and to the conceits of our owne hearts so farre we hinder our selves of comfort But we must say I will heare what God saith Psal 85.8 he will speake peace I will believe him and not the divell not my selfe Well now thus the heart is set in way of taking ocmfort § 6. Now in the second place I will shew you the ground and foundation of this spirituall comfort whereof we are now speaking There is indeed a comfort against outward evills and against other sorrowes then those for sinne concerning which many things might well bee spoken but I have not to doe with them at this time Alone I am to shew the sole base and ground-worke of spirituall comfort which is the stedfast and assured apprehension or perswasion of the remission of our sinnes and the love and favour of God in Christ Psal 30.1 This David