"wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace 1." "My mouth," says the holy Psalmist, "shall praise thee with joyful lips "." "My lips shall greatly rejoice, when I sing unto thee; and my soul which thou hast redeemed "." The apostle Paul, speaks of his having been filled with comfort; of his having been exceeding joyful in all his tribulation; and of his having been sorrowful, yet always rejoicing P. "Blessed be the God of all comfort," says he, "who comforteth us in all our tribulation ." He doth not say, Who hath comforted, or, Who will, or, Who can comfort us, if it please him; but,Who comforteth, Who always comforteth us. Neither doth he say, Who comforteth us in some, or in many tribulations; but, "Who comforteth us in all our tribulation," of whatever kind or degree. Indeed, the Lord always comforteth his people, in a greater or less measure. He giveth them songs even in the night".

7. Believers have always the seed, or principle of spiritual comfort, in them; but not always, the sense or feeling of consolation. As they have, at all times, ground of consolation, and must have it, so long as the everlasting covenant continues to be established with Christ, and with them in him; so, they have always the seed and root of it, in their hearts. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness, for the upright in heart."

in Ps. lxiii. 5.
P 2 Cor. vi. 10.

Isa. liv. 8-10.

Gladness

Ps. lxxi. 23. 42 Cor. i. 3, 4. Ezek. xxxvii. 26.

is sown for the upright in heart; and though, like seed sown in winter, which lies long under the clod, it seems to be lost; yet, it is preserved, and it will in due season spring up to view, and yield a plentiful increase. Though the seed of consolation appointed for the saints, may lie covered for a time, yet it is not destroyed. Believers have at all times, the seed or principle, and also the habit of spiritual joy, in their hearts. Even in their deepest dejection, they have a seed of comfort that will spring up. The fruit of the Spirit in them, is joy and peace; and the Spirit as a Comforter, abideth with them for ever ". But although they always have the principle, yet they have not, at all times, the sensible enjoyment, of comfort. They do not continually, exercise the grace of joy; and therefore, they do not always see or feel in themselves, the principle and habit of that grace. It is, when they are exercising any grace of the Spirit, that they commonly perceive it. Their sensible enjoyment of consolation in this life, is often interrupted, by the remaining corruptions of their nature, by the fiery darts of the wicked one, and by the hidings of God's countenance from them. In interrupting their sensible comfort, they themselves have a sinful hand "; Satan and his instruments, have a malicious hand; and the Lord, in order to manifest his sovereignty, to chasten them for their sins, to try and exercise their graces, to excite their more earnest prayers, and to teach them to improve for the future the sense of his favour,

u John xiv. 16. * 1 Pet. v. 8.

Jer. ii. 17, 19. Isa. Ixiii. 10.

hath a holy hand. Hence, though the believer is, sometimes, lively, and in his exercise of faith and love, feels at his heart, a glow of heavenly joy; yet, at other times, he is languid, cold, and in a great degree disconsolate. Like Hagar at the well, his eyes are so held, that he cannot perceive as formerly, his grounds of comfort; and then, his day of gladness, is turned into a night of heavi

ness z.

8. The peculiar seasons, in which, actual and sensible comfort is commonly afforded to believers, arc the following:

The time of some special manifestation of redeeming love to the soul, after a dark night of desertion; the season of God's appearing remarkably for his church; when some heavy trial is approaching, in order to fortify their minds to endure it ©; in, and especially after, a time of deep affliction; the time of tribulation, for the cause of Christ and his gospel; often, about the time of their first conversion f; the season in which, the ordinances of the gospel, are administered to them, with uncommon liveliness; frequently, at the season of much humiliation, sorrow ", and melting

Y Ps. xxx. 7.

z Lam. v. 15.

c Acts xxvii. 24.

b Exod. xv. 1.
Isa. xliii. 2. Ps. xciv. 19. and cxii.
Acts xvi. 25. 2 Cor. i. 4, 5.

8 Isa. lvi. 7.

f Luke xv. 22-24.

A good man who, lying upon Iris bed of sickness, was once asked, Which were the most comfortable days, that ever he enjoyed? cried out, in his artless manner,

O give me my mourning days; give me my mourning days again; for they were the joyfullest days, that ever I had. BROOKS' Cabinet, p. 242.

of heart for sin; the time in which, they are more than ordinarily engaged in the exercise of grace, and practice of duty, and especially, when they are conflicting much, with the corruptions of their heart; after sharp conflicts with sin or temptation, from which, they have come off victorious; the season in which, the Lord is calling them to some extraordinary service, for which, they need special encouragement; the time in which, they see and find least comfort in creatures, or in which, they are destitute of creature-comforts, and are enabled more than usually to despise them, in comparison of Christ and God in him; the season in which, the Lord confers upon them, some remarkable and unexpected favour"; and the time in which, they employ themselves in fixed and deep meditation on the adorable Redeemer, and his glorious grace. These are, for the most part, the ordinary seasons of sensible comfort, to the saints. But, as the Lord is infinitely sovereign, wise, and gracious, in dispensing his blessings to them; there are also some extraordinary seasons of rejoicing; some ineffable glances of light, upon their souls, which penetrate, transform, and fill them with rapturous and inexpressible joy.

9. The comfort which the Lord bestoweth, is, in every instance, the most suitable to the present necessity of the believer. "As thy days," saith Moses, "so shall thy strength be "." The Chris

Dan.ix. 21-23. Jer. xxxi. 18-20. i Rev. ii. 17.

n 1 Sam. ii. 1-10. P Deut. xxxiii. 25.

m Gen. xiii. 15, 16.
Luke i. 46, 47.

2 Cor. xii. 7-9. and xlvi. 3, 4.

• Ps. civ. 34.

tian's comforts are wisely and wonderfully adapted to the nature, degree, and continuance, of his grievances. When he has the most discouragement without, he has usually the most consolation within: when the Lord Jesus giveth him least of creature-comfort, he commonly affords him most of himself, as the Consolation of Israel. He seldom allows him, much of the fatness of the earth, and of refreshment from above, at once; but when he shutteth before him, all doors of help from this world, he openeth to him the doors of heaven. It was only, when the Martyr Stephen'saw nothing but death for him in this world, that he saw "the heavens opened, and the Son of man, standing on the right hand of God "." When the Lord bringeth his people into outward straits, he commonly favours them with inward enlargements: when he putteth a cup of affliction into their hands, he usually giveth them a cup of consolation. "Will he plead against me, saith Job, with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me." The Lord Jesus said to Paul, when he was afflicted by a thorn in the flesh, "My strength is made perfect in weakness." The time, in which, believers are most sensible of their utter inability, to resist and overcome their corruptions, or tempta'tions, and are most engaged in relying on their great Redeemer, for strength; is the season, in which, by supporting and strengthening them, He usually affords them, the most illustrious displays of the perfection of his strength. In proportion as their weakness appears to them, will his strength r Job xxiii. 6. $ 2 Cor. xii. 9.

4 Acts vii. 56.