The Spirit ofChrift, a Chriffidgt Comfort. 443 bled; but they were fo full of t roubles,ihat they could not hearken to Moles and ilwon. And fo the Difciples in the Text it were a fin for them not to be troubled for the abfence of Chrifis body ; but fo to be troubled , as if God couldnot comfort them without him, this was their weaknefs : And to come to our cafes , it were a fin to flight this Difpcinfation of God that is coming upon us, if we fliould nor be troubled for the lofs of the Minifiers of Jefus Chrifl ; but to mourn before God under the fenfe of this Difpenfation , to mourn fo much , as to think that when thefe are gone, all is gone, tobe Co much troubled, as not to hearken to the words of the Text , That we hive 4 Comforter. I remember an admirable exoreffion of a Child , to his Mother when his Father was dead , to , Th.tt ant of themou:hs of Babes and Feicklings God can ina?Ocelt his praife. why Mother (fayes the Child ) thow:h my Father be dead, yet God is a- live. May not I lay fo to you? Though your Miniflers be as it were niturally dead, yet is not God alive ? is not the Spi:ic of God alive? Though you have force comfort , yet you have little in comparifon of what you may have, if you leek for it. 2. Study the excellent nature of the comfort , how little foever a man hath of this fpiritual comfort; it will oseeten his condition, be it what it will be. When a man bath communion with the Spirit of God , he bath comfort in all conditions ; then, though a mans con- dition be never fo had, yet it is very good, !lab. 3. 17. Though the Fig-tree fhgll not bloyome, though th tiofst be not in the Vines, the labour of the Olive fh,lice-zit, and the flt145 119411 yield no meat; the flock lha 11 be cat offfrom the Fold , and there (hall be no Herd in the aalls , yet Ariel l retoyee In the Lord,I willjoy in the God of myPtivation. He cart fetch hope , and ground his faith upon the Frornifes, though the Providences and Difpeniasions of God be never fo myfletious , the comfort of the Spirit doth make up the want of all other comforts: the comforts of Ordinances are fweet comforts , Sermon-comforts are fweet comforts, Sacrament-comforts are fweet comforts ; but the comfort of the Spirit can fupply the want of all thefe I all outward croffes cannot hinder theft invvard comforts; a man that bath rhete comforts , may have a feat} with bread and water ; a little of this comfort is able to fweeten a whole Ocean of forrow : In the multitude of thy thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my foul, Pfal. 94. to. So that when the hearts of Gods people are Flied with fad thoughts , what will become of rhernfelves , what wili become of their F,inilies ' m what will becoe of the Church of God , what will become of the Miniary ()f the Gofpel , and of the Ordinances of ? they full offad.fears, and diftraaking thouglis,when they have
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