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…

First, In the manner and way how thou comest by them, Are they by the Scriptures truly understood? (I say, truly understood:) For, if thou abusest Scripture, putting thy own sense upon it, and thereby receiving comfort, it is no longer then Verbum Dei, but verbum tuum; thou wrestest it, and makest it thy own, or the devils, and not Gods. If therefore thy experience of comfort be grounded on the Word, if thy consolation flow from hence, then this will abide, That we through comfort of the Scriptures might have hope, Rom. 15. 4. The Spirit of God doth first lead into all truth, and then into all comfort.

Secondly, In the original, and the efficient cause; is it from God, from the ¹Spirit of God? Or from the devil, who may harden thy heart, and make thee have such joy as mad men have, not feeling their own misery? The comfort and the joy that is truly so, is still attributed to God and the Holy Ghost, as the fountains thereof.

1. 12. Are they from the Spirit of God?

Thirdly, Doth thy experience of Consolation make thee more humble and empty? ¹Doth it drive thee out of all thy vain carnal confidences? This argueth it cometh from God, if with the Centurion, when Christ cometh to thy soul, thou sayest, Lord, I am unworthy this joy, this consolation should enter into me. And therefore the more comfort, the more lowly and debased in thy own eyes: And never more, then when the most joy. This is a good experience of comfort, as coming from God. So also, if this comfort be conducing to holiness, if by this thou art more quickened to mortify sin, to subdue the corruptions that remain; if this be like oil to the wheels, thou art more fervent, more