act faith on this almighty Jesus, our hearts would not be troubled for any thing. What 'can hurt us? What should we fear? Our blessed Jesus, our saviour, our husband, commands all things; he rules, and over-rules all things; no creature, no man, no devil, can act any thing against us without our Lord's leave. Believe in this captain, and let not your hearts be troubled, He will tread satan under your feet shortly,' Rom. xvi. 20. He will make all his and our enemies his footstool. Let us look by faith unto our captain, and keep our eye on him, and follow him wheresoever he goeth. Let us make him our leader, and by faith in him we shall be more than conquerors. He hath overcome the devil and the world for us, and he will evercome all our corruptions, fears and sorrows in us, and will shortly set his crown upon our heads. Christ is the captain of our salvation: "and in bringing of many sons to glory, he was made perfect through suffering," Heb. ii. 14. John xvi. last. Act faith in him who hath perfected our salvation for us: that work is done, and it was through suffering, to teach us to be willing to suffer also, to walk in his steps; for in the way of suffering he entered into his glory; and the very same way will he bring all his sons and daughters unto glory: So that while we are suffering for him, or from him, if we be his children, (which we may know if we have his spirit) we are in the right and ready way to glory. And then have we any cause to let our

hearts be troubled with sinful fears, cares, and sorrows? Have we any cause to be cast down and discouraged while we are following our captain, are making conformable to him, travelling the same way to heaven that he went thither, the same way to glory, the way of reproach, shame, grief, sorrow, fear, poverty, persecution, tribulation, desertion, the same steps that our Lord went to glory? O that we could but still keep our eye on Jesus, and often consider what way he went to heaven; and being our captain, we should shew ourselves his good soldiers, and be content to go the same way.

Fifthly, Jesus Christ is called the consolation of Israel, Luke ii. 25, a sweet name indeed. He is the only person that brings true comfort, being the fountain of the spring of all consolation; that one of a thousand, who gave himself a ransom for us. He it is that "comforteth his people in all their tribulations,' 2 Cor. i. 3, 4. He it is that speaketh and giveth his peace to his people; and when he giveth peace, none can cause trouble. And it is his promise, that when he hath brought his people into the wilderness of fears and troubles, that they know not which way to turn, that then he will speak comfortably to them, will speak to their hearts, as the word in the original signifies, Hos. ii. 14.

I might largely shew here that Jesus Christ is the consolation of his people many ways; as by his coming from his father into the world to become our surety, to undertake for us, to

take our sins upon him and to make his soul an offering for our sins; and by his blood to purchase our remission, Ephes. i. 7. O how comfortable is a surety to one that is arrested, indicted and arraigned! How comfortable is a redeemer to a poor miserable captive! How comfortable is a pardon to a condemned malefactor! All this is Jesus to his people, and infinitely more. He is gold to make us rich, white raiment to cover our nakedness, eye-salve to make us see, Rev. iii. 17, 18. He is light, John v. 12. the light of life, the fountain of life, of spiritual and eternal life, no life but by him. And he hath assured us, that, "whosoever cometh to him, and believeth in him, shall have everlasting life, and shall not come in condempation, John iii. 16. 36, He is afflicted in all our afflictions," Isa. lxiii. 9. And is not this a comfortable consideration? All his promises are as so many breasts of consolation, all his ordinances, means of consolation; his word, a word of consolation; yea, his rod of affliction, as well as his staff, is blessed for the comfort of his people, Ps. xxiii. He hath also promised to send his spirit, the comforter, to his people, "to abide with them for ever," John xvi. 7. Yea, Christ himself makes this his own special work also, to comfort them that mourn, Isa. lxi. 2. and hath blessed those that mourn, Mat. v. 4. that is, with godly sorrow, for, saith he, they shall be comforted.

How greatly then doth it concern us to believe in this Jesus, the consolation of Israel, to

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look by faith to this fountain of comfort, look to his office, look to his word and promises; beg him earnestly to send the spirit, the comforter, into your hearts: look to Jesus alone for all comfort, and draw from this spring by prayer, faith and meditation, all supplies of comfort; and let not your hearts be troubled.'

Sixthly, Jesus Christ is called a counsellor Isa, ix. 6. He is most wise; he is the "wisdom of the father: in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," Col. ii. 3. Yea, he is made of God our wisdom, 1 Cor. i. 30. So that when we are in doubts and darkness, perplexed with temptations, and know not what to do; when we are under sad and dark providences, and know not how to interpret them; when we are under various exercises, and know not how to answer God's ends in them, nor how to improve them; when we are in the dark, and know not the meaning of God's dispensations, nor the design of God in them; now are our hearts troubled in all such cases; but here is our remedy, this is the course we must take: act faith now upon Jesus, he is wisdom; he is a most wise and faithful counsellor, we may freely open all our cases and conditions to him; he will not betray us, nor bewray us, we may safely trust him with all the secrets of our hearts: and let us labour by faith to trust him for counsel in all cases; let us wait for his counsel, trust to it, and "let not our hearts be troubled."

Seventhly, Jesus is a redeemer, that is his

name: he came into the world on this very business, to redeem his people, to redeem them from all iniquity, Tit. ii. 14, "from this present evil world; from our vain conversations." He hath shed his precious blood to purchase us we are bought with a price, 1 Cor. vi. 20. We are none of our own, we are his, the purchase of his blood; and we may be confident that he dearly loves us, for he dearly bought us: and if he had not dearly loved us, he would never have given himself for us, Gal. ii. 20. That was the highest testimony of his love; "He loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood," Rev. i. 6. He will redeem us from the wrath to come. O then let us act faith on our sweet redeemer, as Job did in the midst of all his troubles; I know, saith he," that my redeemer liveth," &c. So may every believer say, although my friends and dearest relations die, my credit and estate dies; though my outward comforts all die, this supports me, that my redeemer liveth, and this our redeemer is mighty, mighty to save, able to save to the uttermost, Heb, vii. 25.

Therefore let us act faith on our dear redeemer, and upon his redemption; and let us believe that' shortly the day of our full redemption will come, when we shall be delivered fully and for ever from sin, satan and the world; from all our burdens, fears and sorrows, temptations and tribulations.

I might mention many other sweet names and titles of Jesus Christ, which would be