cannot consist together and hence ariseth much strife and debate in a
soul. His need requireth both, and both will not agree. But O that you
could see this one universal good, one for all, and above all, your souls
would choose him certainly--your souls would trust in him! Ye would say,
"Asshur shall not save us, we will not ride on horses." Creatures shall
not satisfy us, we will seek our happiness in thee and nowhere else; since
we have tasted this new wine, away with the old, the new is better. I
beseech you, make God your friend, for he is a great one, whether he be a
friend or an enemy, he hath two properties that make him either most
comfortable, or most terrible, according as he is at peace or war with
souls,--eternity, and omnipotency. You were all once enemies to him. O
consider what a party you have, an almighty party, and an unchangeable
party! and if you will make peace with him and that in Christ, then know
he is the best friend in the world, because he is unchangeable and
almighty. If he be thy friend, he will do all for thee he can do and thou
hast need of. Many friends willing to do, have not ability, but he hath
power to do what he wills and pleases. Many friends are changeable,--their
affections dry up and of themselves die, and therefore even princes'
friendship is but a vain confidence, for they shall die, and then their
thoughts of favour perish with them, but he abides the same for all
generations. There is no end of his duration and no end of his affection;
he can still say, "I am that I am. What I was, I am, and I will be what I
am." Men cannot say so, they are like the brooks that the companies of
Teman looked after, and thought to have found them in summer as they left
them in winter, but behold they were dried up, and the companies ashamed.
God cannot make thee ashamed of thy hope, because he is faithful and able.
Ability and fidelity is a sure anchor to hold by in all storms and
tempests.

Such is God in himself. Now, there are two manner of ways he vents himself
towards the creatures,--in a comfortable way, or in a terrible way. This
glorious perfection and almighty power hath an issue upon sinners, and it
runs in a twofold channel, of mercy or justice, of mercy towards miserable
sinners that find themselves lost, and flee unto him and take hold of his
strength, and justice towards all those that flatter themselves in their
own eyes, and continue in their sins and put the evil day far off. The