An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 39
SERM. XXXIX.
What are theſe Apples which Chriſt refreſheth his Spouſe with? Or what are thoſe Scripture-grounds of comfort, which ſupport the hearts of Gods children under all their afflictions?
2 COR. 1. 4.
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation.
THere is no tribulation either for the kind or degree of it, but God can and doth comfort his people therein. It is therefore requiſite to know what are thoſe cordial comforts, what is that balm and oyl by which he healeth the wounds of his afflicted ones. For ſeeing Gods comforts do farre exceed all Philoſophical remedies, as much as the Sunne doth a Gloworm: And Paul's admirable temperament, I know how to abound, and how to want, doth infinitely tranſcend that ſo much celebrated carriage of Socrates, who was noted to be alwayes Eodem vultu, let whatſoever befall him. It is very uſefull to know, Gods children deficient in a two-fold reſpect concerning Gods comforts.what are theſe Apples of comfort, as the Church calleth for, Cant. 2. 5. And the rather this is to be done, becauſe many of Gods children are deficient in a three-fold reſpect about Gods conſolations. For either
1. They are in a great manner ignorant of what foundations and ſure grounds they have of comfort. They do not know what fountains of living water they may abundantly bathe themſelves in. They are as Eliſha's ſervant, who though there was a great hoſt of Angels to help him, yet he did not ſee them. So that the Spirit of God doth not only illuminate us in the matter of duty, but alſo in matter of comfort; hence he is called, The Comforter. Or
2. Though they know many arguments of comfort, yet their memory faileth them, that in the very hour of their temptations, in the midſt of their furious aſſaults, they forget what comfortable ſupports they might make uſe of. So that it is good to preach of theſe principles of conſolation, that thereby we may be remembrancers to you, and put you in mind of that joy, which in the midſt of your afflictions, your corruptions, and the Devils temptations are ſo apt to ſtrike out. As the Diſciples were ſometimes blamed for their forgetfulneſs, they did not remember the miracle of loaves. Thus alſo the children of God, may often rebuke themſelves, and with David ſay, Why waſt thou caſt down, O my ſoul? And why waſt thou ſo troubled within thee? Hadſt thou thought on ſuch a promiſe, ſuch a place of Scripture? Hadſt thou remembred ſuch a precious and ſweet truth, the temptation had not prevailed ſo much upon thee.What are theſe good things that God hath prepared for thoſe that love him to comfort them.
Come we then to lead you up into the Mount of transfiguration, let us ſee even in this life, as farre as our narrow hearts can comprehend, What are the good things God hath prepared for thoſe that love him? And
Firſt, Take this for a foundation, That God comforts only through and by the Scriptures. He muſt enter into this pool, that will feel theſe conſolations deſcending upon him, he muſt buy this field of the Scriptures, that will have this pearl hidden there. The Spirit of God is that indeed which doth efficiently reach to the ſoul, and make it to receive comfort; but the means by which, or the harp (as it were) whereby the evil ſpirit of ſorrow and dejection is removed, is by the word of God: So that as the Spirit of God doth powerfully change and alter the heart yet the word is organically and inſtrumentally uſed for that end. So though the Spirit of God be the Comforter, yet it is through the Word. Hence the Apoſtle Rom. 15. 4. That we through comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. And David doth not only admire the word of God, becauſe it fore-warneth of ſinne, quickeneth up to duty, but alſo becauſe it was a reviving, comforting Word, whereby he was kept from fainting, and being utterly overwhelmed in his troubles. And this is the more to be conſidered by the godly, that ſo they may not be deluded by falſe joyes. When the Devil is ſaid to tranſform himſelf into an Angel of light, 2 Cor. 11. 14. that is, into light of comfort, as well as of truth, There are falſe joyes, there are comforts from the Devil, as well as doctrines of the Devil. The Papist hath his comforts. The Socinian, the Antinomian, all theſe have a ſpirit of deluſion in their joyes, as well as in their opinion. The Spirit of God doth firſt lead into truth, before it vouchſafeth comfort. But we detain you too long.
The firſt ground therefore of Scripture, that may be had out of the treaſury What grounds of comfort the Scriptures afford unto us.thereof, is this, viz. That all the tribulations we fall into, they are preciſely determined by God as a Father out of much love, both in regard of the beginning of them, the degree of them, as alſo the continuance of them. And if this truth be well rumiated and digeſted, here is matter of comfort enough; here is more oyl then we have veſſels to receive. This the Scripture doth frequently inſinuate, Matth. 5. Your heavenly Father knoweth what you have need of. But eſpecially Heb. 12. 9, 10. the Apoſtle declareth at large, That becauſe we are ſons, becauſe God loveth us, and is a Father, therefore he doth chasten us; and ſo if we give reverence to earthly parents, becauſe they correct us, as the Apoſtle implieth, How much more ought we to bleſs God for his fatherly love to us in correcting of us? Out of very faithfulneſs, ſaith David, thou hast afflicted me, for before that came, he went aſtray. So then, he who is taught by Scripture, he ſeeth as much of love, as much of a Father in theſe tribulations, as in any outward mercies. Whereas therefore they ſaid, If thou art the Sonne of God come down from the croſſe: the godly man ſaith on the contrary, becauſe he is the Son of God, he will aſcend up to the Croſs, when his Father commands him: hence afflictions are ſpoken of by way of gift, To you it is given to ſuffer; and they are called, The precious trial of our faith. Say then as Chriſt, Shall I not drink of the Cup which my Father hath given me? And becauſe he is a Father, and he makes his afflictions medicinal, therefore they are ſtinted and meaſured by him, both for the time, when they ſhall begin, thy tribulations fall not out when the Devil and thy enemies would bring them upon thee; but when Gods time is come, as you ſee they could never touch Chriſt, till he ſaid, His time was come. So that as God is ſaid to determine the bounds of mens habitations, ſo he hath alſo of the afflictions of his children; they come not ſooner or later than thy Father in wiſdome had appointed. Now as winter and cold is neceſſary in its ſeaſon, as well as Summer in its ſeaſon, and the night hath its uſe as well as the day: Thus a time of tribulation is as neceſſary, as a time of reſt and quietneſs. There is a great deal of mercy to thee in the very time of thy trouble; unleſs the grain of Corn fall in the earth and die, it cannot be fruitfull; this Chriſt applied to himſelf, and is alſo true of every Chriſtian. As the time is thus prefixed, ſo the kind of it, with the meaſure and degree of it. Revel. 2. 10. The Devil ſhall caſt ſome of you into priſon. The Apoſtle alſo Heb. 11. ſpeaketh of the ſeveral ſorts of tribulations the Saints were exerciſed with; and if Gods providence reacheth to the Sparrows fall on the ground, yea to the hair falling from the head, how much more to the head it ſelf, to man himſelf? Is not this then a true ſolid ground of comfort, to think that thy heavenly Father knowing thy temptations, and what will do thee moſt good, hath appointed thee to drink of this cup of an affliction, rather than another? Know, that that very tryal upon thee, how contrary ſoever to thy fleſh and bloud, yet is the beſt and moſt profitable affliction of any in the world to thee: other afflictions would be like contrary phyſick to a diſeaſe, do more hurt than good.
Laſtly, This heaveuly Father hath not only appointed the time, the kind, the degree of thy tribulation, but alſo the time of deliverance from it. And this is alſo a great comfort to know, that the tribulation ſhall not ſtay an hour longer, then while it may do good to thee; he will not take one drop of blood more from thee then is neceſſary to prevent thy diſeaſe, or abate it. So Rev. 2. 10. Some ſhould be cast into priſon for ten dayes. You ſee here God had determined the time. Even as the Artificer knoweth how long the gold muſt be in the fire, to take away the droſſe, and will not ſuffer it to abide any longer. This the Pſalmist made uſe of in his Prayer for the Church, The time to favour her, yea the ſet time is come. Pſal. 102. 13.So thou art to know, that the time of favour, the time of deliverance, yea the ſet time will come. So that this may adde much comfort to the godly, that their afflictions ſhall be as the horſleeches ſet to the body, to ſtick no longer then the corrupt bloud is taken away. Thus Job though he had many gloomy and ſad temptations, yet ſometimes again he was refreſhed with this, That he ſhould come out of that affliction, like gold out of the fire, Chap. 23. 10. How wonderfully was Habakkuk comforted in his exerciſes? for being informed, Chap. 2. 3. That the viſion was for an appointed time, that God though he did tarry would ſurely come, ſee how he breaketh forth, Chap. 3. 17, 18. Although the fig-tree doth not bloſſom, &c. yet I will rejoyce in God, I will joy in the God of my ſalvation. Well may God be called the God of conſolation, who can make Habakkuk ſo greatly rejoyce, when all earthly props are taken away.
A ſecond Scripture-cordial, by which God comforts his people in all tribulations, is from Chriſt, with all the fulneſs that is in him. Certainly Christ received by faith, and improved Evangelically, is able to make us gather grapes of thorns, and figs of thiſtles: He that hath this Sunne cannot be in the dark night: What makes Paul, Rom. 8. ſo triumph and boaſt in all manner of tribulations, challenging (as it were) every one of them to do their worſe? Is not the foundation of all this, Christ dead, and Christ riſen again? And if he hath given us Chriſt, how ſhall he not with him give us all things? Thus the preſence of Chriſt, the ſpiritual influence of Chriſt into the ſoul, taketh away the bitterneſſe of all troubles. Thus it was with the Martyrs: Thus it is with Gods children, while by faith they lay hold on Chriſt. As the light of the Sunne puts out the light of the fire: Thus the preſence of Chriſt, putteth out all other comforts, yea and all troubles alſo. Hence Iſa. 9. Chriſt is promiſed to the godly by way of comfort to them, when the outward condition of the Nation was like to be very miſerable. Micah alſo Chap. 5. 5. promiſeth, that Christ ſhould be the peace, when the Aſſyrian ſhould come into the Land. But what Peace was Chriſt, he did not bring temporal peace, neither was he to have a temporal Kingdom? But to the godly, who looked for a ſpiritual Meſſiah, this was the comfort of comforts, to have a Chriſt as a ſpiritual Saviour. If then thy tribulations be heavy, and irkſome; Oh deſire more knowledge and enjoyment of Chriſt, for he will be in ſtead of all things to thee; he is Wiſdome, he is Righteouſneſſe, he is wealth, he is honours, he is husband, friend: So that he who hath fellowſhip and communion with Chriſt, finds him to be, as thoſe three Worthies caſt into the fiery fornace, having the company of one, who is ſaid to be in form like the Sonne of God; a defence againſt the rage of the fire, ſo that the very garments did not ſo much as ſmell of any burning. Thus the preſence of Chriſt hach ſo wonderfully raviſhed and refreſhed the heart of an afficted afflicted Saint, that he hath almoſt forgot his affliction, and diſcovereth not the leaſt ſoil from it.
3. Another Scripture diſcovery for comfort, is to preſſe and command the life of faith upon Gods promiſe. So that whatſoever the principles of the world and ſenſe do ſuggeſt, yet faith rectifieth all: That finds honey to come out of a dead Lion; that can ſuck honey from a bitter herb, when fleſhly wiſdom, and humane reaſon can go no further, yet even then faith can gather ſure and firm arguments of comfort. David in that great diſtreſſe at Ziklag, yet is ſaid to encourage himſelf in his God. Paul maketh this the ground of a Chriſtians magnanimity, ſupport and joy uuder all tribulations, Heb. 11. 1. Becauſe faith is the ſubstance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not ſeen. Gods thoughts and our thoughts are wholly different, only faith inableth us to know the mind of God; and where fleſh is ready to ſay, God is caſting off, and utterly forſaking, there faith ſeeth him drawing near. The Diſciples in a tempeſt thought they had ſeen a Spirit, and were affrighted, but it was Chriſt. The promiſe of God and faith applying it, do bear up the ſoul, and make it rejoyce in troubles. Heb. 6. 18. we have there Gods promiſe, and Gods oath alſo to confirm it, and therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, We have thoſe two immutable things, that we might have ſtrong conſolation. See there, becauſe of Gods promiſe, and that confirmed by an Oath: We have a conſolation, and a ſtrong conſolation; Strong, becauſe the ground of it is ſtrong, Gods Word, ſo that it is ſtronger than mountains, it is ſtronger than Heaven and earth: Every creature ſhall fall to the ground rather than the promiſe not be made good to thee. Again, it is a ſtrong conſolation, becauſe neither the Devils nor his inſtruments ſhall be able to overcome it. Though therefore thy enemies be ſtrong enemies: though thy troubles are ſtrong troubles, yet remember here is a ſtrong conſolation; death it ſelf cannot deprive thee of it: if then we walk by faith, and not by ſenſe; if we live upon theſe breſts of conſolation, as the Infant doth, ſurely we may then ſwallow down even deadly and poiſonous things, yet they ſhall not do any hurt: Becauſe the promiſe is the ſame, thy heart would alwayes be the fame, as the Law is written in thy heart in reſpect of obedience; ſo let the promiſe in reſpect of faith: Faith from the Word doth ſhew carnal reaſon, all the miſtakes and falſe principles it proceedeth upon, diſcovering light in darkneſſe, love in afflictions, and life even in death it ſelf.
Laſtly, (For theſe bunches of grapes may ſerve to acquaint you what the Land is) eternal glory to be poſſeſſed after the troubles, vexations and exerciſes here, is able to make the heart to be exceeding glad under all our troubles. Thus the Apoſtle 2 Cor. 4. 16, 17. We faint not, for this light affliction worketh for us a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; and this is by looking not on the things that are ſeen, but the things that are not ſeen. At another time the godly are commanded to lift up their heads when the day of judgment draweth nigh, becauſe their redemption is at hand. And 1 Theſſ. 4. 18. after a diſcourſe of our Lords coming, and that the godly ſhall be ever with him, they are enjoyned, To comfort one another with theſe things; that incomprehenſible glory which is provided for us to receive after our ſufferings here, makes the heart rejoyce, while it is in the valley of tears; this Haven after our ſtorms; this reſt after our troubles; this Crown after our warfare, is that which reviveth the ſoul, and makes it a Naomi, while it is a Marah.