A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

3. Moreover, we have the Holy spirit of Christ, that is purposely given us to be our Comforter: And if that be not a pleasant life that is managed by such a Guide, and that be not likest to be a joyful soul, that is possest by the Spirit of joy it self, there is no joy then on earth to be expected. Hath God promised his Spirit to comfort you that are wicked in your sin? No, it is the malicious deceiving spirit that is your Comforter: that by his comforts he might keep you from solid, spiritual, everlasting comforts: ⟨p. 305⟩But the Repenting, Believing soul that is united unto Christ, and hath already had the spirit for his conversion, it is he that hath the promise of the spirit for his consolation. And if that be not the most comfortable life, where the God of Heaven becomes the comforter, we cannot then know the effect by the cause. If Life it self will quicken; if light it self will illuminate; the comforting spirit will certainly comfort, in the degree and season as God seeth meet, and the soul is fitted to receive it.

4. Moreover, we have the whole treasury of the Gospel to go to for our Delight. And little doth the sensual unbelieving soul know what sweetness, what supporting pleasures may be from thence derived. I had rather have the holy word of God to go to for contents, then the treasures of the rich, or the pleasures of the sensual, or the flatteries and vain glory of the ambitious man: All that the world doth make such a pother about, which they ride and run for, which they so much glory in, will never afford them so much Content, as one Scripture promise will do to a truly faithful soul. I must profess before Angels and men, that I had rather have one Promise of the Love of God, and the life to come, which is contained in the holy Scriptures, then to have all the riches, pleasures, and honours of this world. My God, this was my Covenant with thee, and to this I stand. O blessed be the Lord, that hath provided us such a Magazine of Delight as is this heavenly sacred Book! The Precepts appoint us a pleasant work: The strictest prohibitions do but restrain us from our own calamities, and keep out of our hands the knife by which we would cut our fingers: The severest threatenings do but debtor us from running into the consuming fire; and hedge about the devouring gulf, lest we should foolishly cast our selves therein. And these are the bitterest parts of that holy word. But when we read the promises of a Saviour, and the wonderful history of his Incarnation, and of his holy self-denying life, his conquests, miracles, death, resurrection, ascension, intercession, and his promise to return; when we read of the foundation which he hath laid, and the building which he intends to finish, of his rich abundant promises to his chosen, what provision do we find for our abundant joys! No strait can be so great, no pressure so grievous, no enemies so strong, but we have full consolation offered us in the promises, against them all. We have promises of