An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 38
SERM. XXXVIII.
How God will comfort his People in all both their ſpiritual and temporal Afflictions, which all the Art of Philoſophy can never do.
2 COR. 1. 4.
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation.
THe ſecond particular in this Text hath been diſpatched, viz. the Subject whom God comforteth [Us] Apoſtles and believers, in the general; ſuch onelyonly have a right and intereſt comforts. Why ſuch onelyonly have a right, will be treated on more opportunely in the procedure of the verſe.
We therefore go forward to the third part of the Text, as it ſtands divided, and that is the Object matter wherein this comfort is communicated to us, and that is for the nature of it ſaid to be foreign, Tribulation; and for the extenſion of it, all tribulation. Tribulation] The Greek word ſignifieth, Such an affliction as doth even oppreſſe and ſqueeze a man, as it were: Hence it is tranſlated ſometimes perſecution, Act. 11. 19. The Churches afflictions are called perſecutions, to ſhew the voluntary, malicious endeavours of her enemies, who run up and down to ſeize on ſuch as belong to Chriſt; which implieth alſo, that the godly did not raſhly and ſinfully put themſelves into their enemies hands; but that according to Chriſts command they did flee, when their adverſaries ſought for them. And this may be done in faith, not in ſinfull fear, as appeareth, Heb. 11. where ſome are ſaid to hide themſelves in caves and holes, yet by faith. But the word is commonly rendred tribulation, having ſometimes the epithete foreign added to it, as Mat. 24. 21. And the Latine word tribulation anſwers the Greek well, which (ſay ſome) comes from the flail of the threſher, that bruiſeth the corn: Or (as others) from thiſtles that are ſharp and vexing. Well, the word ſignifieth ſuch a tribulation, as is bruiſing, pricking, ſadly moleſting: Yet as out of the ſame root cometh the ſweet Roſe, as well as the ſharp prickles, ſo from the ſame condition ſhall ariſe joy as well as grief. Obſerve,
That there is no tribulation, or affliction Gods people can fall into, but God will comfort them therein.God will comfort his children in all their affliction whatſoever.
The Text ſaith, all tribulation, let it be what it will be. Do not ſay, Every tribulation but mine; Take heed of thinking thy dungeon is ſo dark, that no ray or beam of this Sunne can come unto thee. For as Paul argueth in another caſe, Heb. 2. 8. In that all things are put under ſubjection to Chriſt, it is manifeſt he left nothing that is not put under him. So in that God comforteth in all tribulation, it is manifeſt, that there is no tribulation exempted, or left out. Take heed of that prophane Queſtion, Is God the God of the hils, as well as of the valleys? Think not that God is limited, ſo as if there were ſome kind of water that he cannot turn into wine; ſome ſtones that he cannot convert into bread. But let us explain this. And
Firſt, God doth comfort his people in all tribulations, for the ſeveral kinds of Propoſitions explaining the Obſervation.them. The tribulations that may fall upon the people of God are of ſuch different ſorts, that it is very difficult to number them, as it is the ſand upon the Seaſhore; yet we may divide them into theſe two ſorts, The ſoul-troubles in the general, or ſpiritual ones; and the external, or temporal ones, In both theſe God will not leave his people comfortleſs. Their ſpiritual troubles, they may empty themſelves into ſeveral chanels. As
1. There is a ſoul-trouble ariſing in the heart, becauſe of Gods displeaſure for Several ſorts of ſoul or ſpiritual troubles, in all which God comforts his children.ſinne. This trouble David doth ſadly groan under many times, and this is the greateſt evil that the godly can grapple with. When God hideth his face from David, it's neither his Kingdom, or ſucceſs, or any great proſperity he hath, that can be ſo much as a drop of water to cool his thirſty ſcorched ſoul. Job alſo was in this troubled condition, when he complaineth, That the arrows of the Almighty did ſtick in him. What comfort or joy could Job find in any thing in the world, while God was thus frowning on him? So that the ſoul in this caſe is moſt remote from comfort. Bring him riches, honours, you do but as they that gave vinegar and gall to Chriſt for to drink, you increaſe ſorrow more: yet at laſt we find both David and Job were comforted; God could and did of that chaos and dark confuſion they felt within them, work much light and joy. And certainly, if there be any of Gods children that live and die without comfort, having no evidence or aſſurance of Gods favour; this is not becauſe God cannot comfort, or becauſe God is not gracious and pitifull to ſuch, but becauſe God ſeeth it beſt not to give comfort to ſuch. Seeing therefore it's God that breaketh the heart, it's he that makes the ſoul tremble, it is he that convinceth of ſin, and humbleth the ſoul under it: So it is the ſame God only that can command comforts; when he ſpeaketh the word, all ſorrow and tormenting fears ſhall flie away, as dark miſts before the glorious light of the Sun. Oh then, let ſuch dejected and overwhelmed ſouls remember the Omnipotency of God in comforting, as well as in other things! Say, O Lord, my heart would break and break again, if I had nothing but men or Angels to comfort; but I have to do with thee who art the Father of ſpirits, and ſo canſt put into the ſoul gladneſſe of heart, as well as grace.
A ſecond ſpiritual trouble is, The want of that ſanctifying and mortifying power they deſire againſt their luſts. They find the reliques of corruption too prevalent; their hearts are not in their own power; They complain and ſay, I command my hands, and they move as I would have them; I ſtirre my feet, and they obey preſently; but when I charge my ſoul to be heavenly, believing, to be chearfull, patient, it doth not at all yeeld to me. Paul, Rom. 7. did in a moſt pathetical manner complain of this conflict and agony with him, The evil he would not do, that he did. As theſe impetuous luſts are a burden, ſo the deadneſs, barrenneſs and hardneſs of his heart: Oh often doth he cry out of his ſoul, as like the mountains of Gilboa, on whom no dew doth fall, like a parched and dried wilderneſs, and he knoweth not how to come out of it, yet even in theſe ſad, perplexed thoughts God comes in with comfort, when his heart affords none, when all within riſeth up againſt him; yet as it was with Paul, his complaints ſhall be turned into praiſes, I thank God in Jeſus Chriſt.
A third Soul-tribulation may be from Satans temptations: He is called the tempter, he is ſaid to have his fiery darts, he hath his buffetings. We ſee how fiercely he aſſaulted Chriſt himſelf; and as for the inceſtuous perſon by Satans devices, he was almoſt ſwallowed up with ſorrow. And indeed, what horrid ſuggeſtions of blaſphemy, ſelf-murder, and whatſoever is moſt terrible and amazing, will not he aſſault the godly ſoul with, if God bind him not up. Well doth the Scripture compare him to a a roaring Lion; what can a poor Lamb do, if he fall upon it? And truly no more could the poor humbled ſinner ſtand before all the temptations and oppoſitions of Satan, if Gods grace did not interpoſe; yet even in this helliſh darkneſs, when the ſoul is apt to judge its condition, like thoſe that are damned in hell; when he is ready to conclude, God hath forſaken him for ever, that the expreſs ſigns and characters of a caſt-away are upon him, as he thinketh, yet of this Whales-belly, from the mouth of hell, God doth raiſe him, and give him comfort; yea many times thoſe have the greateſt comforts, that have the greateſt exerciſes of this kind; and therefore the Lord did leave them in this black night, that the day might be the ſweeter and more welcome.
Laſtly, The Souls-trouble may ariſe from the breaches it hath made by Apoſtaſie, and falling into great ſins after it hath known God. And theſe commonly do give a mortal blow to all our former comfort. You ſee it in David, Pſal. 51. when he complaineth of his broken bones, praying to have joy reſtored to him. Some have thought that David never had ſuch comfort again as formerly. Certainly the godly in ſuch fals ſinne hainouſly, becauſe of the experience they have of Gods favour, and the bitterneſs of ſinne, therefore for them to revolt from God is an high aggravation: As if the Prodigal ſon, after he had been entertained in his Fathers houſe, and feaſted with the fatted calf, ſhould have gone to his husks again, how intollerable would that have been? Well, but for all this, this ſad condition of a gradual Apoſtate, and revolter, is not without ground of comfort, when truly humbled and debaſed before God. Doth not God ſpeak graciouſly, Jer. 3. 22. Return ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings? And ſee how this mercifull offer is imbraced, Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God. She pleadeth her intereſt and right to God howſoever. Thus alſo God promiſeth, Hoſ. 14. 4. Ile heal their backsliding. So that although when the conſcience hath been the ſecond time bruiſed; when thou haſt been twice as it were in the new birth, thou muſt look for greater pains and agonies, yet God can, and doth comfort ſuch alſo. Peter ſpeaks of joy unspeakable, and full of glory, which the people of God have, though he had greatly revolted from Chriſt his maſter. So that manna may be had in this wilderneſs alſo.
The ſecond kind of troubles are outward, and theſe are alſo innumerable, Act. 14. 22. We muſt through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of Heaven. We How God comforteth his people in outward tribulations.muſt expect like Chriſt to be men of ſorrows: for we are to ſuffer with him, if we will reign with him. Now two ſorts of troubles there are in which God will give comfort, and in them all troubles are comprehended.
1. There are troubles, ſuch as we bring upon our ſelves by our own folly and ſins. We have provoked God to be angry, and to take away many outward mercies from us. Now becauſe our ſins, and our iniquities have done all this, therefore it is that we may juſtly expect that God will deny all comfort. We might think it is true, when we ſuffer for Gods ſake, when we are perſecuted for righteouſneſs ſake, then Chriſt will take us into his wine-ſellar, and bid us, Drink abundantly. But it is my vile heart, my proud heart, my looſe and negligent walking that hath brought all this evil upon me, and what comfort then can I expect from God? But even in this condition, ſuch is the grace and mercy of God, that although our ſins have brought evil upon us, yet if humbled under them, and bewailing of them, we ſhall find God for to comfort us. When David, Pſal. 4. had that overflowing joy which he ſaith, God put into his heart, more than all harveſt joy, yet he was at that time in very ſad exigencies, purſued by his ſon, and driven out of Jeruſalem, and this God threatned as the fruit of his ſinne; but behold all this, God giveth him comfort: And the truth is, when humbled for our ſinnes, then the nature of theſe afflictions are altered, they become paternal and medicinal chaſtiſements, they are arguments of Gods love to us; we may rejoyce in them as teſtimonies thereof; for ſo Heb. 12. and Rev. 3. it is ſaid, Whom God loveth he chaſteneth. God makes as the Phyſician an excellent antidote of that which is poiſon, and ſo the fruit of thy ſins becometh great matter of thankfulneſs, as David acknowledged, when he ſaid, Out of very thankefulneſs thou haſt afflicted me. And as for the ſecond kind of afflictions, which are only for the exerciſe of graces, when we are perſecuted not for the evil in us, but the good appearing, as the caſe of the Martyrs was; then God giveth us comfort with full meaſure, preſſed down, and yet flowing over; witneſs the Apoſtles, who went away rejoycing, becauſe they were accounted worthy to ſuffer all things for Chriſts ſake. The Martyrs alſo had more joy in their troubles then ever they had in their proſperity, and it is of thoſe tribulations the Scripture ſpeaketh of. Indeed ſome Philoſophers have eſſayed upon ſuch a comfort, as Epicurus ſaid, If a wiſe man were burnt in Phalaris his Bull, he would ſay, Dulce eſt, & ad me nihil pertinet, This is a ſweet thing, and doth not at all hurt me. But theſe were Book ſayings. No Philoſophers ever endured miſery for their Sects, as Chriſtians have done for the truth of Chriſt. But you may ſay, What is that by which God comforts his people in all their tribulations? Hath the Scripture any higher grounds than Philoſophy? Philoſophy is called animi medicina; and as there were ſeveral Sects of them, ſo they had different principles to comfort; for there was no theam treated on more by them than this; only ſome principles were contrary to others; for ſome perſwaded this as a ſpecial help to premeditate on evils before they came. Others they refuſed this, as making a man miſerable before he was ſo. Others ſupported themſelves with the thoughts of neceſſity, and that it could not be otherwiſe. But of all theſe we may ſay, as Job to his friends, Ye are miſerable comforters, and are of no more advantage then the rending of garments, or pulling off the hair in grief, which Bion derided in one, as if a bald head would take away grief. We therefore conclude, That no Philoſophers had the true art No Philoſopher ever had the true grounds of comfort.or grounds of comfort, and that
1. Becauſe they were wholly ignorant of Jeſus Chriſt, in whom alone is all the cauſe of comfort. Therefore he is called our Peace, and he is ſaid to be the Prince of peace. Foeliciſſimum eſt cui non eſt opus foelicitate, and ſuch an one is the man in Chriſt, for he will never thirſt more than hath drunk of that fountain. No ſinne, no guilt, no curſe can be removed, but by the bloud of Chriſt. Inſomuch that all their Philoſophical precepts about comfort were as the influence of the Moon, which doth rather rotten than ripen in reſpect of the Sunnes influence.
2. They were without the Spirit of Christ the efficient cauſe of comfort. Chriſt is the ſubject matter in whom alone we can have comfort; and the Spirit of God is the efficient cauſe that doth alone give a comfortable and glad heart.
3. They were altogether unbelieving of a Reſurrection to leternal glory, which is an admirable ground of all true joy. This the Apoſtle preſſeth againſt immoderate ſorrow about thoſe that are dead, Not to grieve as thoſe that are without hope.
Laſtly, They were wholly unacquainted with the life of faith, that is only inſtrumental to receive joy.
Uſe of Exhortation, in all thy tribulations to look up to God in Chriſt for comfort. Thou runneſt to this creature to comfort, and thou thinkeſt this and that condition would comfort thee; but how can the chanel have any thing in it, if the fountain doth not give it? Say not, it's thy affliction, ſo greatly to be aggravated, that makes thee diſconſolate: No, it is for want of Gods preſence in it.