think the poorest Carman or tankerd bearer at liberty happier then hee who would not change estates with him So it is with a man that hath not sued out his pardon nor is at peace with God he hath no comfort so long as he knowes his sins are on the file that God in heaven is not at peace with him who can arme all the Creatures against him to be revenged of him in which case who shall be Umpire betwixt God and us if we take not up the controversie betwixt him and our soules Therefore it being so miserable a case to want assurance of the forgivenesse of sinnes it should make us be never an houre quiet till we have gotten it seeing the uncertainty of this life wherein there is but a step betwixt Hell Damnation and us Therefore sue unto God plie him with broken and humble hearts that he would pardon all the sins of our youth and after age knowne and unknowne that he would pardon all whatsoever Take away all iniquity And do good to us For so it is in the Originall but it is all one Receive us gratiously and do good to us All the goodnesse wee have from God it is out of his grace from his free grace and goodnesse all grace every little thing from God is grace as we say of favours received of great persons this is his grace his favour so this is a respect which is put upon all things which we receive from God when wee are in Covenant all is gratious Take wee the words as they are the more plaine in the Originall Take good and doe good to us take good out of thy Treasure of goodnesse and doe good to us bestow upon us thy owne good First Take away our iniquities and then take good out of thy bounty and doe good to us whence we see That Gods mercy to his children is compleate and full Doct. That Gods favours are compleate to his children For hee takes away ill and doth good men may pardon but withal they think that they have done wondrous bountifully when they have pardoned but Gods goes further hee takes away ill and doth good takes good out of his Fountaine and doth good to us Therefore let us make this use of it Vse of incouragement to be encouraged when we have the first blessing of all Forgivenesse of sinnes to goe to him for more and more and gather upon God further and further still for because hee is a Fountaine of goodnesse that can never bee drawne drie hee is wondrously pleased with this Wee cannot honour him more then by making use of his mercy in the forgivenesse of sinnes and of his goodnesse in going to him for it and having interrested ourselves in his goodnesse goe to him for more Lord thou hast begun make an end thou hast forgiven my sinnes I want this and this good together with the pardon of my sinnes doe mee good Receive us gratiously or doe us good That good is the loadstone of the soule Now good is the loadstone of the soule the attractive that drawes it therefore after Forgivenesse of sinnes he saith doe good The Petition is easie God will soone grant it for nothing else interposeth betwixt God and us and makes two but sinne which being remooved he is all goodnesse and mercy All his waies are mercy and truth Psal 25.10 Yea even his sharpest waies are mercy all mercy when sin is forgiven there is goodnesse in all in the greatest crosse and affliction Doe good to us That God appeares to bee good onely to a sanctified soule The soule wee see desires good and needs good It is a transcendent word here and must be understood according to the taste of Gods people of a sanctified soule Doe good especially doe spirituall good to us together with the forgivenesse of sinnes give us the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ sanctifying grace such good as may make us good first for the desire must bee such as the person is who makes it Wicked men as it is said of Balaam have good gifts without the good God but wee must not bee so pleased with gifts unlesse wee bee good our selves and see God making us good Can an evill tree bring forth good fruit Mat 7.18 Therefore the Apostle calls the regenerate person Gods workemanship c. We are Gods good worke and then wee doe good workes being made good good comes from us Doe good to us It is an acknowledgement of their owne emptinesse Doe good to us That asking of good argues the ingenuity of confessing want and emptinesse We are blinde in our owne understandings inlighten us we are perplexed set us right we are dull quicken us we are empty fill us we are darke shine upon us we are ready to goe out of the way establish us every way doe good to us suitable to our wants The best that wee can bring to thee is emptinesse therefore doe thou doe good to us fill us with thy fullnesse Do good to us every way whereby thou usest to convey spirituall things to thy servants soules give us first thy grace thy Spirit which is the spring of all good things for the Spirit of God is a Spirit of direction of strength of comfort and all therefore he who hath the Spirit of God hath the spring of all that is begd in the first place And then give us good Magistrates to rule us well and good Ministers who are the dispensers of grace instruments of our salvation the Conduit-pipes whereby thou derivest and conveyest good to us when thou hast made us good continue the meanes of salvation for our good every way The Church when she saith Doe good to us hath a large desire here be seeds of wondrous large things in these two short petitions Take away all iniquity And doe good to us A Bono Deo c. From the good God nothing can come but what is good therefore do good to us in all spirituall things The Prophet David aimes at this excellent good Psal 4.6 7. saying that other men are for corne wine and oyle and say who will shew us any good But Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thy loving kindnesse is better then life therefore doe good to us When thou hast forgiven our sins shine gratiously upon us in Jesus Christ In the good desired outward prosperity is also included And it extends its limits likewise to outward prosperity this desire of doing good let us have happie daies sweeten our pilgrimage here let our profession of Religion bee comfortable doe not lay more crosses upon us then thou wilt give us strength to beare doe good to us every way But marke the wisedome of the Holy Ghost in dictating of this Prayer to them hee speakes in generall doe good to us not to doe this or that good but he leaves it to the wisedome of God as they here frame their hearts unto the will of
and deeper considerations of true happinesse and the way unto it God puts into the heart of a man whom he intends to save serious and sad considerations what estate he is in whither his course leads and withall hee lets them feele some displeasure of his towards them in those waies by his wayes towards them where upon they make a stop 2. There must be Humiliation 2. Humiliation with displeasure against our selves judging and taking revenge of our selves working and reflecting on our hearts taking shame to our selves for our wayes and courses And withall there must concurre some hope of mercy for so long as there is hue and crie as we say after a Traitor he returnes not but flyes still and hasts away but offer a pardon Luk. 15. and he Returneth So unlesse there be hope of pardon to draw a man againe to God as the Prodigall was moved to Returne by hope of mercie and favour from his father wee will not wee dare not else Returne 3. 3. Resolution There must be a Resolution to overcome impediments for when a man thinks or resolves to turne to God Satan will stirre up all his instruments and labour to kill Christ in his Infancie and to quench good while it is in the purpose only the Dragon stood watching for the Birth of the Childe so doth Satan observe the birth of every good resolution and purpose so farre as he can know them to destroy them Vse Let it be thought of by us in all our distresses and in whatsoever other evidences of Gods anger whether this meanes have bin taken up by us It will be thus knowne 1. Turning is a change of the posture of the body so is this of the frame of the mind by this we know a man is in a state of turning the looke of his Intentions Purposes the whole bent of his soule is set another way even upon God and his word is the starre of Direction towards which he bends all his thoughts 2. His present actions also be contrary to his former there is not only a change of the disposition of his soule There is a Change of Actions Behold all things are become new Not some things but all not only new but with a Behold new 2. Cor. 5.17 This change undoubtedly sheweth that there is a true conversion and unfained By our association 3. By our association he that turnes to God turnes presently to the company of Gods people together with the change of his nature and course of life there is a change of company that is of such as we make choice of for amity and friendship Isa 11. other company by reason of our callings and occasionally may be frequented 4. It is a signe that one is not only Turned but hath gon backwards from sinne a great way when the things of Heaven only are great things in his eyes for as the further a man goeth from a place the lesser the things behind him seeme so the greater the things before he being neerer to them The more sublime and high thoughts a man hath of the wayes of God and the meaner thoughts of the world and worldly matters hee esteemed so highly of in the daies of his vanity the more hee is Turned unto God This Returning is further inforced saying Returne unto the Lord thy God It is very emphaticall and significant in the Originall returne usquè ad Iehovam even to Iehovah as though he should say do not only beginne to Returne towards Iehovah but so Returne as you never cease comming till you come to Iehovah Even unto the Lord thy God Obser It is not enough to make a stop and to forbeare the practising of our former sinnes but wee must come home even unto the Lord our God to be pardoned and healed of him The Prodigall serue Luk. 15. had beene never a whit the better to see his sinne and misery and to be grieved for his wicked life past unlesse hee had come unto his father for Pardon and Comfort Act. 2.38 And when those were pricked in their hearts at Peters Sermon asking Peter what they should do hee exhorted them To Repent every one to be Baptised in the name of Iesus Christ for the Remission of sins and so they should receive the Holy Ghost And when Christ invites all those who are wearie and heavie laden to come unto him Matt. 11.28 he bids them not now be further humbled and grieved for their sinnes but by Faith to come unto him to be healed and so they should find rest and peace to their soules It is not sufficient for a wounded man to be sorry for his brawling and fighting and to say he will fight no more but he must come to the Surgeon to have his wounds stopt dressed and healed or else it may cost him his life So it is not enough to be humbled and grieved for sinne and to resolve against it we shall relapse againe do what we can unlesse wee come under the wing of Christ to be healed by his blood Vse Many think they have repented and are deceived upon this false ground they are and have bin grieved for their sins and offences are determined to leave and forsake them and that is all they do they never lay hold on Christ and come home to God For thou hast fallen by thine Iniquitie Here divers points might be insisted on 1. that Obser Where there is a falling into sinne there will be a falling into miserie and judgement This is made good in the experience of all times ages persons and states still the more sinnfull any were the more fearefull judgements fell upon them and as soone as any man came into a sinfull state he entered into a declining state as Iacob said of his sonne Reuben who had defiled his bed unstable as water Thou shalt not excell Genes 49.4 because thou wentest up to thy fathers bed So sinne still debaseth a man so much sinne so much losse of excellencie The Use hereof is first against those that complaine of their troubles and miseries as Vse 1 though God and men had dealt hardly with them whereas their owne waies indeed have brought al these evills upon them Lam. 3.39 God is a sufficient wise and holy disposer and orderer of all the wayes of men and rewarder of good and evill doings God being wise and just in his disposing of all things it must needs follow that it shall goe well with those that are good as the Prophet speakes Say unto the just that it shall be well with them for the reward of their workes shall be given them And if it fall out otherwaies then well with men the blame must be laid on their owne sinne As the Church confesseth and therefore resolveth Micah 7.9 I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill hee plead my cause and execute judgement for mee hee will
their faults So a man may justifie good things though he speake not a word to any man for such a ones life is a confutation and sufficient witnesse for God against the world Therefore it is good though a man doe not confront the world in his speeches yet notwithstanding at least to hold a course contrary to the world in his conversation We have need of a great deale of courage to doe this but there is no heavenly wiseman but he is a couragious man though in his owne spirit he may be a weake man yet in case of opposition Grace will be above Nature hee will shew then his heavenly Wisedome and Prudence and of what mettall he is made by justifying wisdome in all times The just shall walke therein But to come more directly to the words The just shall walke in them Observ A just and righteous man that is made just by them shall walke in them Hence we may observe That first men must have spirituall life and be just before they can walke Walking is an action of life there must be life before there can be walking a man must first have a spirituall life whereby he may be just and then hee will walke as a just man For as wee say of a Bowle it is Austins comparison it is first made round and then it runnes round so a man is first just and then he doth justly It is a conceite of the Papists that good works doe justifie a man Luther sayes well that a good man doth good works Good works make not the man fruit makes not the tree but the tree the fruit So we are just first and then we walke as just men We must labour to be changed and to have a principle of spirituall life then we shall walke and have new feete eyes taste eares and senses all shall then be new Againe in the second place the necessity of it appeares hence that there must be first spirituall life in the inward man ere a man can walke Because there will nor else be a harmony and correspondency betwixt a man and his wayes A man will not hold in those wayes that hee hath an Antipathy too therefore his nature must be altered by a higher principle before he can like and delight in the wayes of God This is that which Gods children desire first of God that he would alter their natures inlighten change and quicken them worke strongly and powerfully in them that they may have a Sympathy and liking unto all that is good first they are just and then they walke in Gods wayes The just shall walke in them Observ In the next place wee may observe hence That a just man he being the prudent and wise man he walks in Gods wayes That is spirituall wisedome and prudence together with Grace Righteousnesse and Justice they leade to walking in Obedience Let no man therefore talke of grace and wisdome or prudence altering him further then he makes it good by his walking He that is just walkes as a just man hee that is wise walks wisely he that is prudent walks prudently Which is spoken to discover Hypocrisie in men that would be thought to be good Christians and wisemen because they have a great deale of speculative knowledge I but looke we to our wayes let them show whether we be wise or foolish just or unjust If a man be wise Pro. 9 12. Pro. 14.8 he is wise for himselfe as Salomon saith to direct his owne wayes The wisdome of the wise is to understand his owne way that hee is to walke in If a man have not wisedome to direct his way in particular to walke to Heaven-ward he is but a foole For a man to know so much as shall condemne him and be a witnesse against him and yet not know so much as to save him what a miserable thing is this Now all other men that know much and walke not answerable they know so much as to condemne them and not to save them Our Saviour Christ he calleth such foolish builders Mat 7. that know and will not doe so unlesse there bee a walking answerable to the Wisedome and Prudence prescribed a man is but a foolish man Therefore let it be a rule of tryall would we be thought to be Wise and Prudent Iust and Good Let us looke to our wayes are they Gods wayes doe we delight in these wayes and make them our wayes then we are Wise Prudent and Iust The just shall walke in them As the just shall walke in them so whosoever walks in them are just wise and prudent for is not he prudent who walks in those wayes that leade directly to eternall happinesse is not he a wiseman that walks by rule in those wayes where he hath God over him to be his Protector Ruler and Defender is not he a wise man who walks in those wayes that fits him for all conditions whatsoever prosperity or adversity life or death for all estates he that walkes therefore in Gods wayes must be the onely wise man What walking in Gods wayes implyes Now what things doth this walking in the wayes of God imply 1 Perspicuity to discerne them First Perspicuitie those who walke in the wayes of God they discerne those wayes to bee Gods wayes and discerne them aright 2. To proceed in them Then when they discerne them to be Gods good wayes answerably they proceed in them from step to step for every action is a step to Heaven or to Hell so a just man when hee hath discovered a good way he goes on still 3. An uniforme course And then he keepes an uniforme course for so he doth who walks on in a way he makes not indentures as he walks but goes on steadie in an uniforme course to a right end So a just man when he hath singled out the right way hee goes on in that steedily and uniformly 4. Resolution And likewise where it is said the just walkes in them it implyes Resolution to goe on in those wayes till he come to the end though there be never so much opposition But how shall we know whether we go on in this way or not First he that goes on in a way the further he hath proceeded therein looking backe that which he leaves behind seemes lesser and lesser in his eye and that which he goes too greater and greater so a man may know his progresse in the wayes of God when earthly profits and pleasures seeme little his former courses and pleasures seeming now base unto him when Heaven and heavenly things seeme neere unto him it is a signe he is neere Heaven neere in time and neerer in disposition and in wisedome to discerne because the best things are greatest in his eye and esteeme In this case it is a signe that such a one is removed from the world and is neere unto Heaven having made a good progresse in the wayes of God It implyes likewise in the
them And he answereth them largely that He will be as the Dew to them that they shall grow as the Lillie and cast foorth their rootes as Lebanon All set out by most excellent comparisons helping grace by nature our soules by our bodies and our spirits by our senses As we have soules and bodies so God applyeth himselfe to both His Branches shall spread his Beauty shall be as the Olive and his smell as Lebanon Then in the 7. Verse his gratious promise reacheth unto those who dwell under the Church Those that dwell under his shadow shall returne they shall revive as the corne and grow as the Vine c. The new Church that shall come under the shadow of the old shall flourish as the ancient did They that dwell under his shadow that is under Ephraims and Israels shadow shall returne and be partakers of the same dew of grace Now this eigth verse containeth a further gratious promise to Ephraim upon his repenting and former resolutions Ephraim said Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses neither will we say any more to the worke of our hands ye are our gods Now what saith God here repeating the words of Ephraim Ephraim shall say is not in the Originall but onely set downe to expresse what the meaning is whereas Ephraim said What have I any more to doe with Idols Ephraim shall have this answer I have heard him and observed him I am like a greene firre tree from mee is thy fruit found As though the Lord had said let not Ephraim thinke that when he hath forsooke Idols hee hath forsaken his comfort as though there were no comfort in walking according to the rule of my Word and Lawes Let him know that in steed of these poore and base comforts either in grosse Idolatry or other more cunning Idolatries whatsoever which formerly tooke him up that now he shall exchange them for more solid and substantiall comforts For I have heard him and observed him so that let him see what he looseth in parting with base corruptions worldly lusts pleasures and the like hee shall finde it more abundantly supplied in a farre more excellent manner in mee and in the fruits and effects of my love unto him so as he shall finde that there is nothing lost by entring strictly into my service And whereas formerly hee walked in a vaine shadow in relying on Egypt Ashur and the works of his owne hands now hee shall have a farre more excellent shadow which no storme nor raine nor injury of weather can pierce through I am like a greene fir-firre-tree unto him Not such a shadow as those his Idols were who could not keepe off the storme of Gods wrath from him Ionah 4.5 6. nor such a shadow as Ionahs gourd was which flourished for one day and was nip't the next No I will be constant and permanent as my selfe I will be as the greene firre tree a constant shadow to keepe backe all annoyance whatsoever not like the cursed noysome shadow of Idols under which Ephraim rested before But I will observe and regard him and be like a greene firre tree unto him I will not onely be a shadow and shelter of defence unto him from injurie and molestation that he may rest quietly but hee shall be also fruitfull though the firre tree be not so fruitfull yet from mee is thy fruit found whatsoever he is in himselfe yet this shall not be matter of discouragement unto him I am all sufficient there is enough in mee to supply him with from mee is thy fruit found But to take them in order Ephraim shall say what have I any more to doe with Idols c. Some thinke the words come upon Ephraims observing and hearing of him so as when God is seene in his most excellent majesty and glory and observed as he is just mercifull and wonderfull terrible in himselfe that this manner of hearing and observation causeth flesh and bloud so to stoope and reforme as they yeeld themselves and resigne up all unto God seeing that miserable condition they are in and what an infinite distance there is betwixt their impurity and Gods most excellent holinesse As we read of Isaiah when he had seene God in his throne of majesty Isa 6.5 Woe is mee saith he for I am undone because I am a man of uncleane lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of uncleane lips for mine eyes have seene the King the Lord of Hosts And so of Iob Iob. 42.5 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes Which indeed is true in the generall that a man then truly repenteth and turneth unto God when he knoweth God and himselfe to purpose and never effectually untill then for Christ who cannot lye and is truth it selfe calleth this kinde of knowledge eternall life This is life eternall to know thee to be the onely very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Iohn 17.3 But though this be a generall truth yet we take it here rather for an incouragement unto Ephraim as before that nothing is lost by cleaving unto Gods wayes and forsaking of sinne Now whereas Ephraim shall say what have I any more to doe with Idols In the words we may consider 1. The manner of expression with a great indignation of soule What have I any more to doe c. 2. The matter so hated with indignation is Idolatry their former Idols Ephraim shall say What have I any more to doe with Idols Ephraim wee see renounceth Idolatry The true renouncing of sin must bee with indignation but in what manner is this done with an high indignation of zeale and hatred What have I any more to doe with Idols Hee doth not say now that Ephraim hath left Idolatry I will supply all these comforts that they had by Idols But Ephraim loathes Idolatry therefore he saith What have I any more to doe with Idols It is a figurative Question implying a strong deniall with a strong indignation What have I any more to doe with Idols I have had too much to doe with them I have now nothing to doe with Idols It is a negation and deniall with as great aversation and abhomination as can bee possibly exprest for in such questions the deniall is set forth more strongly by a negation and with a greater emphasis then by any affirmation is possible to expresse So elegant is the Spirit of God in setting forth spirituall things in a heavenly and transcendent manner Ephraim shall say what have I any more to doe with Idols c. Hence in that Ephraim shall say thus and say it with such vehemency of spirit and indignation we may observe in generall Observ There is excellent use of the affections God hath planted the affections in us to be as the winde to carry the soule too and fro forward
goe boldly on in a good course what should we feare when God is our master he will shield us and keepe us safe and give his Angels charge over us to shew that he hath a care over us indeed he hath many keepers under him but he is the grand keeper who sets all a worke for Angels Magistrates Ministers and our friends keepe us but Gods Spirit within us and his gratious good providence without us are our chiefe keepers Therefore let all our care be to serve God and to be in his wayes he will keep us in his wayes what an incouragement is this to bee in good courses where we may looke for the shadow of the Almighty God without tempting of him Jf a man be in an ill way and course hee cannot looke that the Almighty should shadow him his heart will tell him now God may withdraw his shelter and wing from me hee may leave me naked to the Divell and to the malice of men he may strip me of all comfort in my soule and conscience and give me up to terrors of heart out of his way If J trust him now I tempt him because he will be a defence onely in his owne wayes Therefore let us labour alwayes to bee in those wayes and then God will bee as a greene firre-tree unto us Vse 3 And last of all let it bee an use of Comfort unto us for all the time of our life to come whatsoever may come wee yet passe under a buckler let a whole showre and shot of arrowes fall upon us we have a buckler Thou Lord art my Buckler Psal 18.1 thou Lord art my defence my hiding place my castle we are subject to a world of dangers whilst we live heere But wee have God instead of all to keepe of all he is a Buckler a Shield a Shadow and a Hiding place let what ill so ever bee presented to our thoughts there is in God some fence against it For this purpose we have many excellent passages in Psa 18. which vvas made after a great deliverance I love the Lord my buckler my shield my defence as if he should say J have in my life time been annoyed with many troubles but I have found experience of God in all He is my buckler my shield my fence every thing to me So let us comfort our selves in this let come what vvill come all shall come vvell to Gods children he vvill keepe them if not outvvardly yet in that they most desire to be kept in he vvill preserve their spirits from every evill worke from doing ill and from desperate falling from God and he vvill guard them invvardly by the peace of God which passeth understanding it shall guard their hearts they shall have invvard peace in the midst of all the troubles of this vvorld a great comfort What a rejoycing is it to a poore passenger vvhen he passeth by the high vvay side in a hot burning day or in a storme to see a goodly high tree with spreading boughes that he may hide and repose himselfe under it from the storme or heate this pleaseth him marvellously as Ionas gourd did him Doe these outward poore contentâ—â—â—ts so refresh us in this world and shall wee now thinke that God which provides such poore contentments for this sorry life in this world will he not provide a shadow in regard of the mâ—ine dangers surely he will if we trust him and shew our trust by casting our selves upon him in obedience suitable to our calling saith the Apostle I am perswaded t◠〈…〉 to come Rom. 8. â—8 39 nor life nor dea◠〈…〉 thing shall be able to seperate us from the loâ—â— of Christ Iesus our Lord. Therefore let us be afraid of nothing that can befall us God will be a shield and a buckler and all in all to us in a good way Wee have aboundance of comfort every wâ—â—re in Scripture and want nothing but Faith to apply it home in practise Therefore we ought to beg of God so to inlarge our Faith that as his promises and comforts are very large so may out vessels be to retaine all these excellent comforts and sweet promises All other comforts in the world are but like Ionas gourd for all other shadowes yeeld onely a shadow for a while and thâ—â— the S◠〈…〉 or East-winde is like a worme to nipâ—â—em a sunder Never trust then or leâ—â—e to such shadowes as these bee oâ— Friends Riches c. Which are shadowes 〈◊〉 â—â—â—inarily holy upon J have such and 〈◊〉 a friend a place and the like my mountaine is thus and thus strong all these are Ionas gourds there is a worme of vanity will be at the roote of all and consume all all other shadowes are but meere shadowes What is more transient then a shadow but Gods shadow is like a greene firre tree it never failes nor forsakes us as all other shadowes and contentments doe whatsoever but God saith he will be like a greene firre tree unto thee yet this is not all nor enough for after this he adds From mee is thy fruit found God is not onely to his children a Firre tree in regard of shadow that tree abounding in leaves very thicke whereby we are kept from annoyance of scorching heats of troubles and terrors of conscience and persecution c. This is not all but he saith also From mee is thy fruit found A Firre tree though it be for thicknesse of the leaves a very good shade yet it is a barren fruitlesse tree but God is such a tree as hath both shadow and fruit in God there is a supply of all wants whatsoever All the scattered excellencies of all creatures being united in God and eminent in him it is in him and in him in a divine gratious eminent and comfortable manner All the creatures as they come from God are his creatures neither is there any creature but hath somewhat of God in it Therefore God vouchsafes to take Names from the creatures to be a Rocke of salvation he is as a rocke to build on to be a shadowing tree because he is a defence from ill and to be a fruitfull tree because he yeelds good and comfort and grace as he doth fruit When we see any thing that is usefull we may say this we have from God in an eminent manner this preservation and comfort Doe J in my passage to Heaven finde such comfort in the creature when I am passing through a wilde place have I such comfort in the shadow of a tree or when I am hungry am I so refreshed by a fruitfull tree what comfort then is there in God in Heaven in glory when there are such comforts in the way of my pilgrimage in this world therefore God is said here both to be a firee tree and a fruitfull tree For then the passenger travelling through a wild barren place thinkes himselfe made when he can retire from the scorching of the heat and also therewithall find