A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

2. Another Cause of strong Comfort is Interest and Propriety. Besides the Excellency of the Privilege, there must be the Clearness of our Interest. The Object of Joy is not only good in common, but our Good, [Greek or Hebrew]. That which is a Man's own, is sweet to him. It doth not enrich a Man to hear there are Pearls and Diamonds in the World, and Mines of Gold in the Indies, unless he had them in his own possession: So it doth not fill us with Comfort and Joy, to hear there are unchangeable Purposes of Grace, and that there was an eternal Treaty between God and Christ about the Salvation of Sinners, and that there is a possible Salvation; but when we understand this is made over to us. When God led Abraham through the Land of Promise to view the Breadth and the Length of it, and see the Goodness of it, he saith, All this will I give thee, Gen. 13.15. So here we speak of rich Comforts, but happy is the Man that can apply them: We speak of abundance of Comfort, but it is to those that have an Interest in it, not to those that live in their Sins. Here is a description of the Parties, which must be regarded, if we would establish this Comfort. When once we take Sanctuary in Christ, and run to him as our City of Refuge, then God saith, All this will I give thee; this Hope is thy own, and you are those to whom belong these unchangeable Purposes of Grace; otherwise it is but a Joy in fancy and conceit. It is said of David, 1 Sam. 30.6. But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. He comforted himself not only in God, but in the Lord his God. That God is ours, this is a Ground of Comfort. As the Father said, Tolle meum, tolle Deum; Take away mine, and take away God: So the Church, Hab. 3.17, 18. Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall Fruit be in the Vines, the labour of the Olive shall fail, and the Fields shall yield no Meat, the Flock shall be cut off from the Fold, and there shall be no Herd in the Stall; yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my Salvation.

2. Another Cause of strong Comfort is Interest and Propriety. Besides the Excellency of the Privilege, there must be the Clearness of our Interest. The Object of Joy is not only good in common, but our Good, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. That which is a Man's own, is sweet to him. It doth not enrich a Man to hear there are Pearls and Diamonds in the World, and Mines of Gold in the Indies, unless he had them in his own possession: So it doth not fill us with Comfort and Joy, to hear there are unchangeable Purposes of Grace, and that there was an eternal Treaty between God and Christ about the Salvation of Sinners, and that there is a possible Salvation; but when we understand this is made over to us. When God led Abraham through the Land of Promise to view the Breadth and the Length of it, and see the Goodness of it, he saith, All this will I give thee,