96 8 Chap.4z. an Expoftion upon the Bookof J o a. Verf.; t I. port the weak. The weak, in the latter words, are the fame withi the feeble in the former ; and the fupport fpoken of in the one, is nothing elle but the comfort fpoken of in the other. Comfort to a feeble mind, is like a prop or a:pillar to a feeble building, the fupporter of it. And becaufe it is fo important a work, to comfort feeble minds I (hall briefly name.fome fpecial cafes, wherein the mind of man is feeble, and then hint what word of comfort is molt proper for its fupport, in each cafe. Firfl, If the mind be infeebled by outward wants, apply that comfortable Scripture{Mat. 6, 3z, 33.) Toter father knoweth that ye have need of thofe thinLs; which if received by faith will give the mind great fupport in that cafe. Secondly,. In cafe of the lofs or death of friends ; the Apoí}le bath put words into our mouths for the comforting of fuch (t Theft; 4. 13.)chiefly thefe two ways. Fig(l, By remembring that their friends are only afìeep an Nu, or gone to fleep in the bofome of Jefus.. Secondly,That they (,hat! be railed again at the coming of Jefus. Thirdly, In cafe of fuffering and perfecution,read comfort and fupport, Mat.5.YI,12,13. I pet.4.IS,13,14. Fourthly, In cafe of bodily ficknefs, or any chaflenings from the hand of God, we have a flore or treafure of comforting words, Beb. Is. from the 5. to the r4th verle. Fifthly, In cafe of deferticr, or Gods hiding his face, take Eomfortfrom /fasoto Ifa54.7,8. Sixthly, When any are under the fence of divine wrath for fin, they may take comfort by meditating all thofe Scriptures which hold out the free grace of God to finners, and the full fa- tisfation which Chrif} hath made for fin to the juflice of God,and fo for deliverance from the wrath which is to corne ( a Tbeff. r. to.) Thefeare the principal cafes wherein we need a comforter; and' moil of there, if not all, met in Job, cafe. He was poor and bad loll all, that was the firfl cafe ; his children were dead, that was the fecond; he wasperfecuted, vexed,and reproached, that was a third ; he was lick and weak in body, that was a fourth ; he was under grievous defertiens, that was a fifth ; he was alfo un- der the fence of wrath, the arrows of the Almighty drunk up his fpirits.
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