An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 37
SERM. XXXVII.
That Believers only are the Subjects of the Comforts and Conſolations of God.
2 COR. 1. 4.
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation.
THe next particular, which followeth in order, as the Text ſtands divided, is the Subject whom God doth thus comfort, and that is ſaid to be Us, who comforteth us; that is, both us believers, in a general ſenſe, and us Apoſtles, in a particular manner. For they being like Uriah in the fore-front of the battel; and more aſſaulted by the Devil within, and enemies without, they do need the greater comfort. But we ſhall handle it in the moſt large ſenſe, and obſerve,
That God is a God of all comfort unto believers only.God is a God of comfort only to believers.
For this [Us] in the Text, is not only determinative, to ſhew who they are into whoſe wounds God doth thus pour oyl, but alſo reſtrictive to ſuch and ſuch only. Indeed the wicked ones of the world, may have comfort in outward mercies; They may rejoyce in the good things of this life; and this is acknowledged by Solomon, To be a gift of God, but theſe worldly joyes do become a ſinne, and a curſe to them. The Poet ſaid well,
O miſeri quorum gaudia crimen habet!
Their very joyes do become like wine to men in a feavor, though refreſhing a little, yet inflaming and increaſing the diſeaſe more. So that theſe worldly joys, being not univerſal, nor pure and unmixed; yea being the ſeed of eternal grief and torment, therefore they may be well excluded from the name of joy, and the Doctrine be truly aſſerted, That God is a God of conſolation onelyonly to believers.
Let us explicate this truth. And
Firſt, We are to know, That God doth not only vouchſafe grace, but comfort alſo and delight to his people, in the exerciſe of thoſe graces. He doth not only give bread that ſtrengthens, but wine that makes the heart glad. Grace, that carrieth us out to honour God, to love him, and live to him; but comfort, that is for our encouragement, that is to ſweeten and facilitate the heart in doing ſo. So that if a man have never ſo much grace and holineſs, yet if he want this conlation, as you ſee it was with Job, with Jeremiah, with David, when Pſal. 51. he prayed ſo earneſtly for the reſtoring of it again to him, all his deſirable things periſh. Chriſt himſelf under thoſe agonies he conflicted with, had an Angel to comfort him. So that you ſee they are two diſtinct gifts of God; to give Grace, and to give comfort; therefore the holy Ghoſt hath a two-fold work, both to ſanctifie, and alſo to comfort; yet though diſtinct, God doth many times joyn them together; yea there is ſome unuſual impediment, if joy doth not alwayes follow grace, and that like Caſtor and Pollux, they do not alwayes appear together. Therefore Godlineſſe is comprehended under the name of gladneſſe in that expreſſion, Pſ. l. 45. 7. applied to Chriſt, Heb. 1. 9. Thou haſt anointed him with the oyl of gladneſs, as Chriſt was; ſo alſo are his members thus anointed with the oyl of gladneſſe. God then doth not only ſanctifie and make his people holy, but he alſo doth fill their hearts with joy and gladneſs. Thus Acts 9. 31. They in the Churches walked in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the holy Ghoſt: Only when we ſay, That God giveth his people comfort as well as grace. You muſt know the comforts are of two ſorts; Sometimes they are concomitant, ſo that even in the very exerciſes of grace, they find unſpeakable joy and ſweetneſs. The very Heathens had ſome glimmering of this, when they ſaid Virtus was ſibi ipſi praemium, Virtue it ſelf was a reward, as well as duty, becauſe of the great tranquillity and contentation of mind that it brought to the ſoul. Even as wicked actions have an immediate horrour and remorſe of conſcience accompanying them. And then
2. There are conſequent joyes, which follow after the work is done, as Paul found at the 12th verſe, This is our rejoycing, the teſtimony of a good conſcience. So that a man of an ill conſcience, who hath ſtings from that, though all the world applaud him, yet he cannot have any true ſolid joy. Quid proderit tibi non habere conſcium, habenti conſcientiam. The Martyrs they found concomitant joyes in their moſt dreadfull ſufferings, Act. 5. 41. The Apoſtles went away rejoycing, that they were counted worthy to ſuffer for Chriſts Name. They minded not their ſtripes, nor their reproach and diſgrace, but they went away rejoycing, not from hearing the Word, from prayer, from ſuch holy Ordinances, but even from ſcourges and ſtripes. But in many other duties and ſervices for God, though for the preſent we may feel no joy, yet there are ſubſequent joyes that may ariſe long after. For as ſinne may not ſting for a while, as we ſee in Joſeph's brethren, the guilt of their conſcience awakened them many years after: So the comfort of holy duties, though for the preſent thou mayeſt not apprehend them, yet ſometimes or other God will revive them.
Secondly, Although God giveth not only grace, but comfort to his people, yet we are not to ſerve him onelyonly for comforts ſake, but for his own ſake, and that while he denieth us the breſts of conſolation to ſuck on, yet we are as fervently and zealouſly to obey him, as ever. It is many times the ſad complaint of Gods children, that they want comfort, and thereupon are dejected and diſcouraged; they care not for praying, for hearing; they have no heart for the Ordinances, and all becauſe they find their hearts like a barren wilderneſſe full of howling beaſts. Oh, when they have comfort, then they can runne the way of Gods Commandments, then they have fire in their boſome! But when this is gone, they become like a ſtone, or a lump of earth. But although it be true, That the joy of the Lord is our ſtrength, Nehem. 8. 10. yet for all that it is too low and mercenary to ſerve him onelyonly for comfort. This is Amor concupiſcentiae, not amicitiae towards God. The grace of love carrieth us to God ſo, that we chooſe him, and delight in him above all things; that though he ſhould not give us Heaven and everlaſting glory, yet we were to love him, becauſe he is the ſupream and moſt excellent good: How much more than are we to ſerve God, to be diligent in his work, though we find not thoſe experimental ſuavities upon our ſouls for the preſent? Therefor thou art to deny thy ſelf in this matter of joy, when God diſpenſeth it to thee, walk thankfully, humbly, and fruitfully under it: And when in darkneſs, in deſolateneſs of ſoul, yet let not thy ſoul abate in love and ſervice to God. The Stoick was ſo ſevere, that he thought he could not be virtuous, who did any virtuous action for the delight and ſweetneſs that followeth it: They would not have Virtus propter voluptatem, but voluptas propter virtutem. How much more ſhould our Chriſtianity teach us to preferre Gods will, and his honour, above all conſolations. If Job ſaid, Though he kill me, yet I will truſt in him; then do thou, though when thou askeſt for bread, he give thee a ſtone, when thou askeſt for fiſh he give thee a ſerpent. yet ſtill ſay, I will own him as a Father, honour him as a Father. Chriſt when he was in thoſe agonies, and deſtitute of all comfort, yet he did not refuſe to accompliſh the will of God.
Thirdly, As God giveth comfort to believers, ſo he doth it proportionably and ſutably to their tryals, neceſſities and wants. Greater tryals need greater comforts; greater temptations need greater conſolations. Thus the Apoſtle at the next verſe, As our ſufferings abound, ſo our conſolation alſo aboundeth through Chriſt. One drop of honey is not enough to ſweeten the ſalt waters of the ſea; neither can ſmall conſolations equal great afflictions. Hence the wiſdome and goodneſs of God is moſt remarkable, that he reſerveth his comforts for ſuch times and ſeaſons, when the ſoul doth moſt want them. Now if ever, the Lord muſt comfort; elſe they ſhall be overwhelmed, as in the time of our firſt converſion to God, when our ſins lie with all their weight upon our backs; when we ſee nothing but terrour; which way ſoever we look; we are in ſtrong pangs and agonies of ſoul. The Devil alſo taketh his opportunity then to caſt in all his fiery darts. Thus when the ſoul of a man is filled with fear, doubts, ſeeing no way but hell and damnation, at ſuch a time God comes in with his beſt wine; then God delights to ſpeak to the heart of ſuch, Pſal. 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my ſoul. The Hebrew word ſignifieth perplexed thoughts, like boughs on a tree intangled one with another, that a man cannot part them; ſuch were his thoughts, ſo intricate, ſo enfolded one within another, that he knew not what to reſolve on, what to determine, yet the comforts of God did refreſh his ſoul. Thus new converts have many times more comfort then ever they ſhall have all their life time, they needed them moſt then.
Again, When the people of God have any great props and ſupports of comfort and joy taken away from them, then commonly God comes in with more than ordinary comfort. This makes him to be ſtyled, The Father of the fatherleſſe, and Judge of widows; ſuch who need help and comfort moſt. When David was in danger of loſing his life and Kingdom, and that by his unnatural rebellious ſonne Abſolom, when Shimei reviled him, when he fled up and down with his Army, with aſhes on his head, weeping and wailing, as he went up the hill, yet even at that time, Pſal. 4. 6. he ſaith, God had put more gladneſſe into his heart, then they could have in their harveſt joy. So the Diſciples, when they were to be parted from Chriſt, he was not to be corporally preſent with them; upon this, how greatly did ſorrow fill their hearts? What ſhould the ſheep do without their Shepherd, the Chickens without their Hen? Yet ſaith our Saviour, I will not leave you comfortleſſe, John 16. Chriſt would ſend his Spirit a Comforter in his room. Thus you ſee Gods way, when he taketh away the comfort of an Husband, a Father, a Friend, he will be in ſtead of all theſe to us. Thoſe conditions which we thought would have broken our hearts, he made even joyfull to us.
Laſtly, When God calleth his people to any high degrees of ſelf-denial, even to Martyrdome it felf, then as their grief and fears would ſuperabound; ſo alſo their joyes ond comforts will be above them. The Martyrs never felt ſuch joy and delight in all their lives time, as they did in a dark dungeon, and in the flames of fire. Therefore Gods children ſhould not ſinfully torture their ſouls with thoughts: what if God ſhould call them out to ſuffer, to be impriſoned, to be burnt at the ſtake? Oh they ſhould deny Chriſt over and over again, prove wretched Apoſtates! They muſt not judge thus according to their preſent diſpoſition; but remember that God will proportion ſtrength and comfort to their exerciſes, and give them Giants ſtrength, if he lay a Giants burden on them.
Fourthly, God doth not only do good to his people in giving them joy, but to ſhew how ready and willing he is, the Scripture ſaith, That it is a joy to God to do any good for us, he rejoyceth to beſtow his mercy upon us. This is ſpoken after the manner of men, to denote with what willingneſſe he vouchſafeth his favours to us. See what a wonderfull expreſſion the Prophet uſeth, Zephan. 3. 17. while God is ſaid to be in the midſt of his people, ſaving of them, even becauſe he doth thus; he is ſaid, To rejoyce over them with joy, to reſt in his love, and to joy over them with ſinging. By this we ſee, that while God giveth us grace, and other mercies, whereof joy is a chief one, he himſelf rejoyceth therein. Even as Ariſtotle obſerveth of a liberal man, That he takes more joy in giving, than he that receiveth the benefit, can do in receiving of it. God then giveth thee grace and joy not unwillingly, not difficultly, but he himſelf rejoyceth in making thy heart joyfull. See a ſweet place to confirme this alſo, Iſai. 61. 5. At the Bridegroome rejoyceth over the Bride, ſo ſhall thy God rejoyce over thee.
Fifthly, This joy, God giveth believers, is a ſpiritual joy. Worldly joy is like the culinary fire which goeth out, if it have not daily fuell; but this is like the elementary, that needeth no pabulum, but continueth of it ſelf without ſuch additaments. Though friends die, though the creatures break under us, yet this joy abideth the ſame ſtill. It is a ſpiritual joy, becauſe ſeated in the ſpiritual part of a man moſt. So that we do not ſpeak here ſo much of a ſenſible bodily joy, but of that which is rational and ſeated in the ſoul. It is true, when the ſoul is greatly affected by way of ſympathy and redundancy, it doth overflow even to the bodily part of a man alſo; but the Subject, wherein this joy is immediately and properly ſeated, is in the ſoul and heart of a man. Hence it is that the heart is ſo often ſaid in the Scripture, To rejoyce in the Lord, which is the mind and the will. Therefore as a godly ſoul may truly repent, when yet it cannot ſhed bodily tears; ſo it may truly rejoyce, when it hath not a bodily gladneſſe upon it. So that as the Wiſeman ſaith of carnal laughter, that even in that, the heart may be ſad; So alſo, though in bodily ſadneſſe, yet the conſcience of a man may have great tranquillity and joy. It is alſo a ſpiritual joy, becauſe the motives of it are chiefly from ſpiritual objects; It's joy in the Lord, and joy in the holy Ghoſt. Luke 10. 10. Our Saviour commanded his Diſciples, Not to rejoyce in that they could work miracles, and caſt out Devils, but becauſe their name was written in Heaven. It's ſpiritual alſo in its operations. For whereas worldly joy enters into men, as the Devils did into the Swine, hurling them headlong into Hell. This makes the heart more active, more fruitfull; It's like the Spirit to Ezekiel's wings, like the wind that made the dry bones gather together and live. It's like Eliſha's fiery chariot, mounting him up into Heaven; whereas grief and ſorrow are like the wormes that eat into the wood, and devour the ſtrength of it.
Laſtly, This joy is given by God to believers, though formerly great and grievous ſinners. For we might think, ſuch as have been the chiefeſt of many thouſands in ſinning and blaſpheming againſt God, though God ſhould have pity and mercy upon them, yet he ſhould never give them any comfort in this life. You would think their former luſts, pride, uncleanneſſe, and exceſſe of riot, ſhould be like a mill-ſtone alwayes about their neck; They ſhould go mourning to the grave, never able to remove their ſinnes out of their ſight; but thinking they purſue them as cloſe every moment, as Aſahel did Joab to damn us: Yet even to ſuch, after God becomes reconciled with them, God it may be giveth more comfort, than to others. Great ſinnes when repented of, cannot barre off great conſolations; and indeed, ſuch need ſtrong conſolations, for their great conflicts and agonies. If Chriſt put not both armes under them, they hardly keep from fainting away. Mary Magdalen and Peter were in a ſpecial manner owned and comforted by Chriſt, though they had deeply wounded their ſouls with ſinne. We ſee Paul, though ſo notorious a wretch againſt Chriſt, yet when converted, God doth not upbraid him with former rebellions; but in the number of thoſe who have peace and joy, he reckons himſelf; and the truth is, ſuch are moſt humble, tender and melting under comforts. What (Lord) ſuch a beaſt, ſuch a Devil as I have comfort? What (Lord) I that might have been a Cain, a Judas, crying out, My ſins are greater than I can bear? That like Dives might have begged for one drop of water to cool my ſcorching heat, but have been denied? Shall ſuch an one have comfort and conſolation?