'48 Thatye may be able tofland 2. Oaef. dInfro.i heart, yea, zealous he went into the field, though when the ene- __ my appear'd his heart fail'd him. Secondly, confider but the way how God communicates his love after his Saints falls, not in finning, or for finning, but in mourning and humbling their fouls for their fins,Indeed did God fmile on them, while acting linfully, this might ftrengthen their fins as wine in a leaver would the difeafe ; but when the fit is off, the venome of thedifeafe fpent, and breathed out in a kind- ly humiliation, now the creature lies low. Gods wine of com- fort is a cordial to the drooping fpirit, not fuel for fin. When Davidwas led into temptation firft, he muff be clad in fack-cloth and mourning, and then God takes it off, and puts on the gar- ment ofjoy and praife, r Chron. 21. r0, 1 5. yob, though he expreft fo much courage and patience, yet (bewraying Tome in- firmities after he wasbaited long by fo many freth dogs, men and devils) he mull cry peccavi, and abhor himfelf in dull and allies, before God will take him into his armes. 7o6 42 6. and the fame way God takes with all his children. -Now to his Saints in finch a poflure, Godmay with fafety to his honour and their good, give a larger draught of his love then ordinary ; their feares and forrow which their fin hath colt them, will ferve in ftead ofwater to dafh this flrong wine ofjoy, and take away its headineffe, that it neither fume up into pride, nor occalion them to reele backward into Apoftafie. But why doth God now communicate his love ? Firft, from his own pitiful nature ; Yon have heard of the pa- tience 0/ Job, and havePeen theend of the Lord, that the Lordit verypitiful, and of tender mercy, God loves not to rake in bleed- ing wounds, he knowes a mourning foul is fubjeet to be difcou- raged. A frown or an angry look fromGod, whonvthe Saint fo dearly loves, mull needs go near the heart, therefore God de- dares himfelf at hand to revive fuch, IA 57, r .5. and he gives the reafon, verfe i6. For I will not contend for ever, neither will 1 be always IIroth, for the fpirit Amid pile before me. Whole fpirit is there meant ? not of the prefumptuous firmer; he goes on, and never blunks ; but of the contrite and humble ones. As the father obferves the difpofirion of his children, one commits a fault and goes on rebellioufly, defpifing his fathers anger, another (when offendinghim) layes it to heart, refufeth
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