An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

In the third place, God doth comfort removendo prohibens, by removing whatsoever is obstructive and destructive of comfort. As

1. By chaining up the Devil, who is not only an enemy to the graces, but also the comforts of Gods people. As the holy Ghost is a Comforter, so the Devil is the prince of darkness, a Tempter to unbelief, to sad, and soul, yea and body-murdering thoughts. God therefore doth restrain him in his temptations, in his sad suggestions. For we see by Job's instance, the Devil cannot go any further, than he is licensed by God himself.

1. By chaining up the Devil, who is not only an enemy to the graces, but also the comforts of Gods people. As the holy Ghost is a Comforter, so the Devil is the prince of darkness, a Tempter to unbelief, to sad, and soul, yea and bodymurdering thoughts. God therefore doth restrain him in his temptations, in his sad suggestions. For we see by Job's instance, the Devil cannot go any further, than he is licensed by God himself.

2. God doth subdue not only the Devil without, but also that corruption within, which doth vehemently incline to unbelieving, vexing and tormenting thoughts. For although a man naturally be in security, in self-ease and carnal presumption, yet when once awakened for sin, and feeling the terror of the Lord thereby, then we are as peevish, as froward against the promises, as ever formerly we were against the precepts; Adam endeavours to hide himself from God upon his sin. We see in Cain and Judas, what sad and dreadful effects the guilt of conscience would work in every one, did not God command those winds and tempests to be still. Therefore God doth repress these, and thereby we are more ready for comfort.