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…

Let us explicate this truth. And

First, We are to know, That God doth not only vouchsafe grace, but comfort also and delight to his people, in the exercise of those graces. He doth not only give bread that strengthens, but wine that makes the heart glad. Grace, that carrieth us out to honour God, to love him, and live to him; but comfort, that is for our encouragement, that is to sweeten and facilitate the heart in doing so. So that if a man have never so much grace and holiness, yet if he want this consolation, as you see it was with Job, with Jeremiah, with David, when Psal. 51. he prayed so earnestly for the restoring of it again to him, all his desirable things perish. Christ himself under those agonies he conflicted with, had an Angel to comfort him. So that you see they are two distinct gifts of God; to give Grace, and to give comfort; therefore the holy Ghost hath a two-fold work, both to sanctify, and also to comfort; yet though distinct, God doth many times join them together; yea there is some unusual impediment, if joy doth not always follow grace, and that like Castor and Pollux, they do not always appear together. Therefore Godliness is comprehended under the name of gladness in that expression, Ps. l. 45. 7. applied to Christ, Heb. 1. 9. Thou hast anointed him with the oil of gladness, as Christ was; so also are his members thus anointed with the oil of gladness. God then doth not only sanctify and make his people holy, but he also doth fill their hearts with joy and gladness. Thus Acts 9. 31. They in the Churches walked in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the holy Ghost: Only when we say, That God giveth his people comfort as well as grace. You must know the comforts are of two sorts; Sometimes they are concomitant, so that even in the very exercises of grace, they find unspeakable joy and sweetness. The very Heathens had some glimmering of this, when they said Virtus was sibi ipsi praemium, Virtue it self was a reward, as well as duty, because of the great tranquillity and contentation of mind that it brought to the soul. Even as wicked actions have an immediate horror and remorse of conscience accompanying them. And then