251 Coj ei. lÍy tery area.. TX. brought to give up themfelves to fèrve God in love, without comfortable 2pprehenfionymikke love of God towards them ? I dare fay, there are no filch prodigies in the new - birth. Seventhly,What comfortleis religiondo thof'e make, twat allow people no comfortbefore-hand, to ftrength- en them for holy performances, which are verycrofs, difpleafing and grievous to their natural inclinations, as the plucking out a right eye, tutting off a right- band ; but would have them firft to do fuch things with love and delight, under all their prefent fears, defpondencès,and corrupt inclinations, and tohopcf that, by doing the work thoroughly and fincerely, they (hall at laft attain to a more comfortable ftate All true fpiritììial comfort, as well as falvation, is in- deed quite banifbed out of the world, ifit be fufpend- ed upon theconditionof our good works whichhath already appeared to be the condition of the law, that worketh no comfort, but wrath, Ro. iv. 14, ty. This makes the way of godlinefs odious to many. They think they (hall never enjoy a pleefant hour in this world, if they walk in them ; and they had rather comfort themfeives with finful pleafures than have no comforts at all. Others labour a while in fuch a comfortlefs religion with inward fretting and repin- ing at its bondage, and at laft grow weary and throw off allreligion,becaufe they know none better. They that bind fuch heavy burdens upon men, and griev- ous to be born, will plead, that they are not to be blamed,becauf theydo not preach the gofpel of God and Chrift : whereas indeed they preach a gofpel of man's own forging, contrary to the natureof the true gofpel of Chrift, which is glad tidings of great joy to all people, Luke ii. to An uncomfortable gofpel cannot proceed from God theFather, who is the Fa- ther of mercies, and the God of all comfort, 2 Cor. í. 3. nor from Chrift, who is the confolation of Ifd rael, Luke ii. 25 nor from the Spirit, who is the Comforter, John xiv. i6, 17. God meeteth him that
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