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is even so, I see all is wrong, and I have b deceived my own soul, &c.-Now the remedies against this device are these:

Remedy 1. Against this device of Satan consider, that the loss of comfort is a separable adjunct from grace; the soul may be full of holy affections, when it is empty of divine consolations. There may be, and often is, much of true grace, where there is not a drop of comfort, nor a dram of joy.* Comfort is not of the being, but of the well-being of a Christian. God hath not so linked these two choice lovers together, but that they may be put asunder.t That wisdom that is from above, will never instruct a man to reason thus: I have no comfort, therefore I have no grace; I have lost that joy that I once had, therefore my condition is not good, nor was ever good, &c. But it will enable him to reason thus: though my comfort is gone, yet the God of my comfort abides; though my joy is lost, yet the seeds of grace remain. The best men's joys are like glass, bright and brittle, and ever in danger of breaking.

Rem. 2. Solemnly consider, that the precious things which thou still enjoyest, are far better

Ps. Ixiii. 1, 2, 8. Is. i. 10. Mic. vii. 8. 9. Ps. xlii. 5. + Spiritual joy is a sun that is often clouded, though it be as precious a flower as almost Paradise affords, yet it is subject to fade and wither.

than the joys and comforts which thou hast lost. Thy union and communion with Christ, thy son-ship, thy saint-ship, thy heir-ship, which thou still enjoyest by Christ, are far better than the comforts thou hast lost by sin. Though thy comforts be gone, yet thou art a son, though a comfortless son; and an heir, though a comfortless heir; a saint, though a comfortless saint. Jer. xxxi. 18, 19, 20. Though the bag of silver (thy comforts) be lost, yet the box of Jewels, (thy union and communion with Christ, thy son-ship, thy saint-ship, thy heir-ship) which thou still enjoyest, is far better than the bag of silver thou hast lost; yea, the least of those precious jewels is of more worth than all the comforts in the world. Well, let this be a cordial to camfort thee,* a star to lead thee, and a staff to support thee,-that thy box of jewels is safe, though thy bag of silver is lost.

Rem. 3. Consider, that thy condition is no worse than hath been the condition of those precious souls who were dear to Christ in life, and who are now at rest in his bosom. One day you hear them praising and rejoicing, the next mourning and weeping; one day singing,

When one objected to Faninus's cheerfulness Christ's agony and sadness, he answered, Christ was sad, that I migh be merry; he had my sins, and I have his righte ousness. He would therefore rejoic in the Lord.'

† Ps. li. 12. xxx. 6, 7. Lam. i. 16.

Mat. xxvii. 46.

Job xxiii, 6, 8, 9, 30, 31.
Ps. xlii. 5. Lam. v. 15.

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The Lord is our portion;' the next sighing and expostulating with themselves, Why are ye cast down O our souls? Why is our harp turned to mourning? And our organ into the voice of them that weep,' &c.

Rem. 4. Consider, perhaps thy former joy and comfort might spring from the newness and suddenness of the change of thy condition; for a man in one hour to have his night turned into day, his darkness into light, his bitter into sweet, God's frowns into smiles, must greatly exalt and comfort him. It cannot but make his heart to rejoice within him, who in one hour shall see Satan accusing him, his own heart condemning him, the eternal God frowning upon him, the gates of heaven barred against him, all the creation standing armed at the least beck of God, to execute vengeance on him, and the mouth of the infernal pit open to receive him. Now in this hour, for Christ to come to the amazed soul, and to say to it, I have trod the wine-press of my Father's wrath for thee, I have laid down my life a ransom for thee, with my blood I have satisfied my Father's justice, and pacified his

A pardon given unexpectedly into the hand of a malefactor, when he is on the last step of the ladder, ready to be turned off, will cause much joy and rejoicing; the newness and suddenness of the change of his condition, will cause his heart to leap and rejoice; yet in process of time, much of his joy will be abated, though his life is as dear to him still, as ever it was.

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anger, and procured every token of his love for thee; by my blood I have purchased the pardon of thy sins, thy freedom from hell, and procured thy right to heaven.' Oh, how will this cause the soul to rejoice and leap for joy!

Rem. 5. Consider, that God will restore and make up the comforts of his people. Though thy candle be put out, yet God will light it again, and make it burn brighter than ever.* Though thy sun for the present be clouded, yet he that rides upon the clouds, shall scatter those clouds, and cause the sun to shine and warm thy heart, as in former days, as the Psalmist speaks, "Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shall quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side,' Ps. lxxi. 20, 21. God takes away a little comfort, that he may make room in the soul for much consolation. This the Prophet Isaiah sweetly shews: 'I have seen his ways and will heal him; I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him, and to his mourners,' Is. lvii. 18. Bear up sweetly, O precious soul! thy storm shall end in a calm, and thy dark.

* Hudson the martyr, deserted at the stake, went under his chain, and having prayed earnestly, was comforted immediately, and suffered valiantly. So Mr. Glover, when he was within sight of the stake, cried out to his friend, He is come! he is come!' meaning the comforter that Christ promised to send. See Ps. cxxvi. 6. and xlii.

7, 8.

night in a day of sun-shine; thy mourning shall be turned into rejoicing, and the waters of consolation shall be sweeter, and rise higher in thy soul than ever; the mercy is surely thine, but the time of giving it is the Lord's: wait but a little, and thou shalt find the Lord comforting thee on every side.

CHAPTER VII.

The seventh Device that Satan hath to keep souls in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition,

is,

BY suggesting to the soul his frequent relapses into the same sin, which formerly he hath pursued with particular sorrow, grief, shame, and tears, and prayed, complained, and resolved against. Saith Satan, thy heart is not right with God, surely thy estate is not good, thou dost but flatter thyself to think that ever God will eternally own and embrace such an one as thou art, who complainest against sin, and yet fallest into it; who with tears and groans confessest thy sin, and yet every now and then art falling into the same sin again.

I confess it a very sad circumstance, for a soul after he hath obtained mercy and pity from the Lord, and God hath spoken peace and pardon to him, and wiped his tears from his eyes, and

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