CAP.V1.s 27,28. God'sdealingwith a foule inirsWilderne%-Condition I50 2. Intanglement; as the Ifraelites were in the Wilderneffe, they knew not what todoe, nor whichway to take one ftep , but only as God went before them: ashe took them by the hand, and taught them to goes God bringeth . them intoa loft condition: they knownot what todoe , nor which way to take, nor what courfe to pitchupon: and yet in this Wildernefé slate, God Bothcommonly ftirre up fuch gracious difpofitions of foule in them , as him- felfe is exceedingly delighted withall: hence he doth peculiarly call this time, a Time ofLove, which he remembreth with much delight. All the time ofthe Saints walking withhim , hetaketh not greater delight in a foule , when it cometh to its higheft peace and fulleft affurance,then when it is feeking after him in itsWilderneffe Intanglement. So he expreffeth it Ierem:2. 2.Thusfaith the Lord, I remember thee, the kindnefeof thyyouth, the Loveof thine Efpoufali, when thou wenteflaftermee in the Wilderneffe, ina land that was notfowen. And what hehere affirmeth, holds proportion therewithall. TheTimeoftheir be- ing in the Wilderneffe, was the Time oftheir Efpoufals; and fo it is here, the Time ofthe LordsBetrothing the Soule to hirnfelfe: theWooing words where- byheBoth it, being intimated in the next verfe. For, 4 27. I. Hefpeakethcomfortably to them; fpeaketh to their hearts:goodwords that may fatisfy their fpirits, and give them Reft, and deliverance out of that condition. What it is that God fpeaketh, when he fpeaketh comfortably to the very hearts ofpoore foules, he telleth you, 'Pi: 40.. I. Comfort you, com- fortyou my People,faithyour God,fpeake you comfortably to 7erufàlem, and cry unto her, that herwarfare is accomplijbed , that her iniquity ispardoned; It is the pardonofiniquitythat enwrappeth all the Confolation,that a poore Wilder- nefle foule feparated and intangled is capableof, or doth delire. And this is the firft defcription ofthe Perfons, to whom this Promife isgiven. They are fuch as God bath humbledandpardoned; fuch as he hath converted,and ift- ed; whom hehath allured into the Wilderneffe,&there fpoken comfortably. to them. 28. 2. Verfe r 5, the Lord promifeth to this called and juftifedPeople, plen- tyofSpirituali Gofpell Mercies,which he fhaddoweth out with typical! Expref fionsofTemporali enjoyments, and that with Allufionto their deliverance ofold, from "Egypt, in three particulars. I. In general's Héwill give thent Vineyardsfrom thence (that is, from the Wilderneffe)as he did to them in Canaan, when he brought themout ofthe W ilderneffe. This God often mindeth themof, that he gave them Vineyard which theyplantednot. Deut.6. i i. Andhere fetteth out theplenty of Gofpell Grace, which they never laboured for, which he had provided for them, un- der that notion. He giveth them of the Wineof the Gofpell, his holy Spirit. 2. Inparticular: Hecompares his dealingswith them, to his dealings in the valleyofAchor;a molt pleafant and fruitfull valley,that was neere Jericho, being the firft theIfraelites entred into, when they came out oftheWilder- nefíes which is mentioned as a fruitfull place. Ifa. 65.1o. And therefore this is laid to be to them adoore ofhope, or an entrance into that which they hoped for; it being the firft fat, fruitfull, and fertile place that the Ifraelites came ínto,in theLand ofCanaan , and fo anentrance into the good land which they hoped for, anfwering their Expe&ation to the uttermoft.In the Promife of the abundance ofSpiritual] Mercies &Grace, which God bath prepa- red for his,here calleth into their minds,the confederationofthe refrefhment, which the Ifraelites after fo long an abode in the wall and howlingWildernefe, had, and took in the fruitfull plenteous valleyofAchor. Such is the fpirituall provifion, that God bath made for the entertainment ofpoore foules, whom he
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