Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1, Commentary · Commentary on verse 5

Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1 · Commentary · Commentary on verse 5

p. 73VERS. V.

For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolations also abound by Christ.

HEre the blessed Apostle shewes the reason why his heart was so inlarged as we see in vers 3. in the middest of his troubles and persecutions, to blesse God, there was good reason, for as his afflictions, so his consolations abounded. It is a reason likewise of his ability to comfort others, the reason why he was fitted to comfort others: because he found comfort abound in himself in his sufferings: so they have a double reference to the words before. But to take the words in themselves.

As the Suffrings of Christ abound &c.

It is an excellent portion of scripture, and that which I should have a great deal of encouragement to speak of, if the times and disposition of the hearers were for it: for it is a text of comfort for those that suffer persecution, that suffer affliction for the Gospel. Now because we do not suffer, or at least we suffer not any great matter, (except it be a reproach or the like, which is a matter of nothing, but a chip of the cross, a trifle,) therefore we hear these matters of comfort against the disgrace of the crosse of Christ, with dead hearts. But we know not what we are reserved to: therefore we must learn somewhat to store up, though we have not present use of it. The severall branches of divine truths that may be observed from these words, are first this,

That the sufferings of Christians may abound. They are many in this Doctrines.world, and they may be more still.

Secondly, what we ought to think of those sufferings, what judgment we are to have of them.

They are the sufferings of Christ.

p. 74Thirdly that being the sufferings of Christ, he will not destitute us of comfort, but we have our comfort increased in a proportion answerable to our troubles.

The fourth point is by whom & in whom all this is, this strange work is by Christ, the ballancing of these two so sweetly together, crosses and comforts, they come both from one hand, both from one spring, the sufferings of Christ, and the comforts of Christ, and both abound, our troubles are for him, and our comforts are by him. So here is sufferings, and comfort, increase of suffering, increase of comfort, sufferings for Christ, and comfort by Christ, you see them ballanced together, and you see which weighs down the ballance, comfort by Christ, weighes down sufferings for Christ; the good is greater then the ill. It is a point of wondrous comfort. The Ark you know mounted up, as the waters mounted up, when the waters overflowed the world: so it is here in this verse, there is a mounting of the waters, a rising of the waters above the mountaines; afflictions increase, and grow higher and higher, but be of good comfort, here is the Ark above the waters, here is consolation above all, as our sufferings for Christ increase, so our consolations likewise by Christ increase.

For the first, I will be very short in it.

The sufferings of Christ abound in us:Doct. The sufferings of Christ abound in us.

There is no bodie in this world, but first or last, if they live any long time, they must suffer, and as a man is in degrees of goodnesse, so his sufferings must abound, the better man the more sufferings. Sufferings abounded in St. Paul, it doth not abound in all, that was personall in St. Paul, …ll suffer not alike.to abound in sufferings, it doth not go out of the person of St. Paul, and such as St. Paul was. All must suffer, but not in a like measure: there are several cups, all do not abound in sufferings, as all do not abound in grace, and strength. Those that are of a higher ranck, their sufferings abound more. God doth not use an exact proportion in afflictions, but that which we call geometrical, a proportion appliable to the strength of the sufferer. Christ, as he had more strength then any; so he suffered more then any; and St. Paul having an extraordinary measure of strength, he suffered more then all the Apostles, the sufferings of Christ abounded in him, but all must suffer.

What is the reason of it? What is the reason that troubles abound thus? Surely, if we look,

If we look to God and Christ we are ordained to be conformable to Reas. 1. In respect of God.Christ; we must be conformable to Christ in sufferings first, before we be in glorie. It is Gods decree, we are called to sufferings as well as to be believing: we must answer Gods call, every Christian must resolve to take up his Crosse every day, some degree of the Crosse or other: reproach for Christs sake is a suffering, the scorn of the world is the rebuke of Christ. We are called to suffering as well as to Glorie: it is part of our effectual calling, it is an appendix, an accessorie thing to the main, we must take grace with suffering; and it is well we may have it so too: it is well that we have the state of grace here, and glorie hereafter with suffering, R…as. 2. In respect of Satan.If we look to the divel, there must be suffering; Satan is the Prince of p. 75the world; he is the prince of an opposite Kingdom.

If we consider what place we live in when we are taken out of the world to the blessed estate of Christians, to be members of Christ, and heirs of heaven: the world is strange to us, and we are strangers to it. Crosses Reas. 3. In respect of the wordand afflictions are necessarie for them that are travellers, we would think else that we were at home, and forget our countrie, considering the condition we live in, we must have sufferings. If we consider the disposition of the parties among whom we live, they are people of an opposite spirit, therefore they maligne us, because we are taken from among them. And though there be no opposition shewed to them: yet it upbraids enough their cursed estate, when they see others taken from them that speakes loud enough that their course is naught, that they see others mislike it. The world, that is led by the spirit of Satan, malignes them that are better then themselves. There is opposition between the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the woman: so long as there are wicked men that are instruments, and Organs of the divel, Gods Children must be opposed while there is a Divell suffered to be the God of the World; and so long as he hath so strong a faction in the world as he hath, the Children of disobedience in whom he rules, Gods Children shall never want suffering.

If we regard our selves, we have alwaies in our selves, good and bad. That which is good, we have need of sufferings to exercise it, and to Reas. 4. In respect of our selvesknow it: for if their were no sufferings, how should we know what good we have? Is it not a great comfort to a Christian, when he knowes, by 1. In respect of the good in us.suffering that he hath more patience then he looked for, that he hath more faith then he thought he had, that he hath more love to God, that he can endure to suffer more for God then ever he thought he could, that he hath more resigning of his heart, and giving up of himself then he thought of, that he can denie the world, which he thought he could not have done? What a comfort is it to a Christain, when he knowes by suffering what he can do, and what he cannot do?

It is good therefore, and necessarie in regard of our selves, that we may know our strength.

In regard likewise of the evill that is in us, suffer we must: for there must 2. The evill in us.be a daily purging, and the best instruments to scoure us, are wicked men, the Divells Instruments; It is unfit for Gods Chiidren to take that base office on them, for one Christian to fall upon another: it is good there should be an opposite faction in the world, that there should be wicked men, in regard of the ill that is in us; there is somewhat to be scoured and purged out. So we see whether we look upward, or downward, to God, or to the Divell, or to the faction of the Divell in the World, or to our selves for good, or evill, it is necessary that there should be some afflictions.

And to speak a little more home to us, there must be sufferings in this regard, because the Church alway hath corruption and soyl, especially in Afflictions necessary to purge corruptions contracted by the peace of the Church.prosperity. If a man look to the Churches in Germany that have suffered much of late, and mark what reports hath been given of them, how cold, and dull they were in the profession of the Gospel, how indifferent they were, how they valued not that invaluable pearl, a man shall see that suffering was needful to scoure them. If a man look to the state of this Citie (though there be many good people, the Lord increase the number of them, yet) if a man consider with what cold affections the blessed truth of God is entertained, which (I say) is above all. what is all, that we enjoy? what is p. 76our peace to the Gospel of peace? What is our prosperity, and what is all to the blessed truth of Salvation? If we had not that, wherein were not the Turks as good as we? for all other things were not other nations as good as we? certainly yes; for policy, and other beautie, and ornaments, and rarities, what have we to lift up our excellencie, but the continuance of the blessed doctrine of salvation, whereby our souls are begotten to God, to an inheritance immortall, undefiled, reserved in the heavens? Now the cold esteem of this, certainly will enforce in time a national suffering▪ unlesse there be a national repentance. It is true of every particular Christian: as we see when the raine and the heat joyn together, they breed as well Weeds as Corn: so prosperity, and the blessings of God, they have brought up in us much weeds as well as good Corne, and there must be a time of weeding and purging in regard of our state in this world, we are gathering soyl every day, there must be a suffering one time or other.

But some will say, what do you talk of suffering? Now is a time of peace, Object.we live among Christians, and not Pagans, and Turkes, and for our adversaries, though they be many, yet they do not shew themselves.

St. Austin answers this in himself, do but begin to live as a Christian Ans. August. Afflictions in the most peaceable timesshould, and see if thou shalt not be used unchristianly of them that are Christians in name, but not in deed. A suffering from Christians is more sharp then that of enemies. Those that are fleshly will be ready to be injurious: those that are carnal, formall professors, will be ready to offer some disgrace or other to those that are more spiritual then themselves.

There is a three-fold suffering in the Church since Christs time. The Three-fold suffering in the Church.first was of doctrine concerning the natures of Christ, there was persecution about that: for there were Arians that denyed the God-head, and others that denied the man-hood of Christ, and such like great enemies of the Church. Afterward in Poperie, they set on Christs offices, and divided his Kingly, and priestly, and propheticall office, to the Pope, to Saints, to works and such like, incroaching upon them, and persecuting with fire and faggot, all those that gave all to Christ, and did not sacrilegiously give any thing to the creature.

But there is a persecution as ill as any of these where the nature and offices of Christ are well enough understood, where the power of religion is opposed by others, when so much religion as is necessary to bring a man to heaven is opposed: for it is not the knowledge of the nature and offices, and benefits by Christ, but it is a knowledge that hath obedience with it that must bring us to heaven; a knowledge with self-denyall, a knowledge with selling and parting with all our lusts and wicked courses that will not stand with the Gospel.

Now where this is, this cannot be brooked by any meanes, and it goes under as great disgrace, as heresies did in former times: so that it is a matter of reproach to have so much religion as is necessarily required of a man before he can be saved. That which the world disgraces is necessary to every man before he can be saved, that is a strickt giving up of himself to God, and a watching over his waies, as much as humane frailty will permit; a conscionable endeavour in all things to please God, out of conscience and thankfulnesse to God; we must not think to come to heaven without that, it will not be, without holinesse none shall see God This despised holinesse, this maligned holinesse is that which is necessarie to bring us to heaven, and so much as is necessarie to bring us to heaven is disgraced every where.

p. 77Those that resolve to be Christians in good earnest and would have comfort on their death bed & in the times of persecution they must endure to be set light by, to bear the reproach of Christ, they must resolve on this before hand, that when these things come to passe, we be not offended.Use. How to judge of afflicted men

Well, then to make a little use of this; since there must be troubles and crosses, and they must increase, if we will be Christians; Let this teach us to judge aright of those that are ill thought on in the world oft times, (when we see nothing but good in their carriage) oh what imputations are laid on them, you may see what an indiscreet man he was, you may see that he lacked wisdom and policy, else he might have kept himself out of this trouble. I would ask such a party, had not Christ as much wisdom as thee? He was the wisdom of the Father, did he keep out of reproaches? was he not reproached as a troublesome man, as an enemie to Cesar, and taxed for base things; as a wine bibber &c. and one that had a divell, and many other waies? Was not St. Paul as discreet as we are, who in our understanding and conceit are ready to conceive distastfully of men that suffer any thing for the Gospel? and yet notwithstanding, all his wisdom kept him not from the crosse, but the crosse abides me, saith he, every where. The Divell and the crosse follow Gods Children wheresoever they go, all their wisdome and holinesse cannot keep them from it, because God hath decreed it, and called them to it, and they must be conformable to Christ.

Therefore let us take heed that we do not suffer men to suffer in our conceits, when they suffer in a good cause, the crosse of Christ, reproachful things, base death, &c. Afflictions are therefore called the crosse, because there is a kind of basenesse with them, and as it is so, so carnal men esteem it, presently with the suffering there goes a taint, and an abasing in their conceit, of those men that suffer in a good cause, there is a diminishing conceit goes in carnall men of that which should be their glorie; our crosses abound; but what ought we to judge of these crosses.

They are the sufferings of Christ.

Why? Christ suffers nothing, he is in heaven, in glorie; how can he suffer? Doctr▪ The sufferings of Christians are the sufferings of Christ.This is to disparage his Glorious estate, to make him suffer any thing.

I answer, the sufferings of Christ, they are two-fold; the sufferings of Christs person, that which he suffered himself which were propitiatory, and satisfactory for our redemption; and the sufferings of Christ in his mystical body, which likewise is called Christ. For Christ in scripture is taken either Christ three waies taken in scripture.for Christ himself, or for the members of Christ; why persecutest thou me? saith he to Saul: or for the whole body mysticall with the head 1 Cor. 12. so is Christ, Christ head and members is called Christ. Now when he calls the sufferings of the Church the sufferings of Christ, he meanes not the sufferings of Christ in his own person; for he suffers nothing, he is out of all the malice of persecutours, they cannot reach to heaven to Christ; but he means the sufferings of Christ in his mystical body, these are called the sufferings of Christ.Quest.

Why are these called the sufferings of Christ? Partly, because they are Ans. They are the sufferings of Christ.the sufferings of mystical Christ, the body of Christ, the Church; for the Church the companie of true belevers, are the fulnesse of Christ, they make up the mystical body of Christ; therefore when they suffer he that is 1▪ Because of Christ mysticallythe head suffers.

Again, they are called the sufferings of Christ, those that his members and p. 78Children suffer, because they are for Christ, they are in his quarrell, they 2. They are for Christs cause.are for his truth, for his cause, and by his appoyntment he calls us to suffering; it is for his cause, in our intendment we intend to suffer for Christ, to maintain his cause, they are the sufferings of Christ likewise in the intent of the opposites and enemies, they persecute us for some goodnesse they see in us, they persecute the cause and truth of Christ in us, so they are the sufferings of Christ both waies.

Especially, they are the sufferings of Christ by way of sympathie, because 3. By way of sympathyChrist doth impute them to himself. The sufferings of Christ. It is a phrase that springs from the near union that is between Christ and his members, the Church, which is as near or nearer then any natural union between the head and members: hereupon it comes that we are said to suffer with him, to die with him, to be crucified with him, to ascend with him, to fit in heavenly places with him, to judge the world with him, to do all with him by reason of this union; and he is said to suffer with us, to be afflicted in us, to be reproached with us, he was stoned in Stephen, he was persecuted by Saul, he was beheaded in Paul, he was burned with the Martyrs, he was banished with the Christians, and he suffers in all his Children: not that he doth so in his own person, but because it pleaseth him by reason of the near communion that is between him and us, to take that which is done to his members, as done to himself; therefore they are called the sufferings of Christ, he suffers when we suffer, and we suffer when he suffers.

The difference is, all the comfort in our sufferings it comes from communion in his sufferings, because he is our surety; for why are we encouraged to suffer by way of sympathy and communion with him? because he in love died for us, and was crucified for us, and abased for us, and shamed for us. And when is the soul encouraged to suffer afflictions for Christ? when it hath a little felt the wrath of God that Christ suffered for it. Oh, how much am I beholding to God for Christ that endured the whole wrath of God. They are the sufferings of Christ, this is a wondrous comfortable point, and it is a notion that doth sweeten the bitterest crosses, that they are the sufferings of Christ; not onelyonly that we are conformable to Christ in them, we suffer as he did, but they are the sufferings of Christ, he imputes them as done to him, he suffers with us.4. He is present with us.

And another reason, why they are the sufferings, of Christ, it is because he not onelyonly takes it as done to himself; but he is present with them, he was with St. Paul in the dungeon, he was with the 3. young men in the firie-furnace, there were 3. put in, and there was a fourth which was Christ, the son of God, he goes with the martyrs to the prison, to the stake, he is with them till he hath brought them to heaven, he is present with them when they suffer.

Here I must (before I come to make use of it) distinguish between the crosses, Differences between sufferings of Christ and ordinary crosses.and sufferings of Christ, and of ordinary sufferings as men. Something in this vale of misery we suffer as creatures; as being subject to mutability and change, because this is a world of changes. In this sublunary world 1. Sufferings as creatures,there is nothing but changes, thus we suffer as creatures, all creatures are subject to vanity, and complain, and groane under it. Somwhat we suffer as men, it is the common condition of men, this nature of ours since 2. As menthe fall is subject to sicknesses, to crosses, and pain, and casualties, every day brings new crosses with it, this we suffer as men.

p. 79Now the sufferings of Christians as religious holy men, those are here 3. As holy men.meant, those are the sufferings of Christ. Yet notwithstanding the sufferings as men (by the Spirit of God) helps our conformity to Christ, by them the flesh is purged, and the Spirit strengthened, and weaning from the world is wrought, and a desire to heaven.

By the daily crosses we suffer as men, not for Religion, we are much bettered: and those in some sort may be called the sufferings of Christ: because by them we are conformed to Christ more in holinesse, we grow more out of love with the World, and more heavenly minded. This distinction is necessary to know which are best, the sufferings of Christians as good men.

It is a point I say of wonderous comfort, that we should be conformable Use encouragement to suffer for Christ.in our sufferings with our Head Christ Jesus, our Glorified head in heaven, is it not a wonderous comfort? Nay is it not a glory? It is a wondrous glory that God will set us apart to do any thing, that God will take any thing of us, much more that he will single us out to be Champions in his quarrel, and more, that he will triumph in us that the comfort shall abound.

To give an instance; if a Monarch should redeem a slave, a Traitor from Prison, and take him to fight in the Quarrel of his own son, to be his Champion, were it not an honour? so the very sufferings for Christ are an encouragement; the disgraces, and whatsoever they are that we suffer in a good cause, they are ensigns of honour, they are badges of honour of Christian knighthood. If a Golden Fleece, or a Garter, or such things be accounted so highly of and glorified in, because they are favours, &c. much more should the sufferings for Christ be glorified in as ensigns of the love God, and of our Christian profession; when we fight under Christs Banner, we are like to Christ, we are conformable to him, he went before, and we follow his steps; and if we suffer with him, we shall be Glorified with him.

Therefore be not discouraged, that which we think to be matter of discouragement, it should be our Crown, it is our Crown to suffer reproach in a good cause. It is a sign God favours us, when he takes our credit, our goods, or our life to honour himself by. Is it not an honour to us? doth he take any thing from us but he gives us better? he takes our goods, but he gives us himself: he takes our liberty, but he gives us enlargement of conscience: he takes our life, but he gives us heaven: if he take any thing from us, for to seal his truth, and stand out in his quarrel as Christ saith, he gives an hundred fold in this World, that is a gracious spirit of contentment and comfort.

We have God himself: hath not he more that hath the spring, then he that hath twenty Cisterns? Those that have riches, and place, and friends, they have Cisterns, but he that suffers for God, and for Christ, he hath Christ, he hath God, he hath the spring to go to, if all be taken from him, he hath God the spring to go to: if all particular Beams, he hath the Sun. It is durable, wondrous comfort to suffer for Christs sake.

Therefore let it encourage us in a good course, notwithstanding all the opposition we meet with in the World, let us here learn what is our duty, let the malicious world judge, or say, or do what they will, if God be on our side, who can be against us? And if we suffer any thing for Christ, he suffers with us, and in us, and he will triumph in us over all these sufferings at last.

p. 80I will add no more, to set an edge upon that I have said then this, they are the sufferings of Christ, we should be many wayes encouraged to suffer for him. For did not he suffer for us that, which if all the creatures in heaven and earth had suffered, they would have sunk under it, the wrath of God? And what good have we by his sufferings? are we not freed from Hell and Damnation, and have we not Title to Heaven? hath he suffered in his person so much for us, and shall not we be content to suffer for him, and his mystical body, that in his own body suffered so much for us?

Again, when we suffer in his quarrel, we suffer not only for him that suffered for us, but we suffer for him that sits at the right hand of God, that is glorious in heaven, The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Our sufferings are sufferings for him that hath done so much for us, and for him that is so able now to over-rule all, to crush our enemies, for him that is so able now to minister comfort by his Spirit. This is a notable encouragement, that they are the sufferings of Christ, that is so glorious as he is, and that will reward every suffering, and every disgrace; we shall be paid well for every suffering, we shall lose nothing.

And will not this encourage us likewise to suffer for Christs sake, because he will be with us in all our sufferings, he will not leave us alone, it is his cause, and he will stand by his own cause, he will maintain his own quarrel, he will cause comfort to increase. Is it not an encouragement to defend a Princes quarrel in his own sight when he stands by to abet us? it would encourage a dull mettle. When we suffer for Christs cause, we have Christ to defend us, he is with us in all our sufferings to bear us up, he puts his shoulder under by his holy Spirit to support us.

We cannot live long in this world, we owe God a death, we owe nature a death, the sentence of death is past upon us, we cannot enjoy the comfort of this World long: and for favour and applause of the World, we must leave it, and it will leave us, we know not how soon: and this meditation should inforce us to be willing, however it go with us for any thing here, for life, or goods, or friends, or credit and reputation, or whatsoever, to be willing to seal the cause of Christ with that which is dearest to us, If we suffer with him, we shall be glorified with him.

The very sufferings of Christ are better then the most glorious day of the greatest Monarch in the world that is not a Christian, it is better to suffer with Christ, then to joy with the world. The very abasement of St. Paul was better then the triumph of Nero. Let Moses be judge, he judged it the best end of the ballance; the very sufferings and reproach of Christ, and of Religion, is better then the best thing in the world: the worst thing in Christianity, is better then the best thing out of Christ. The best thing out of Christ, is the honour of a King, the honour of a Prince, to be a Kings Son, &c. but the reproach of Christ for a good cause is better then the best thing in the world. I say, let Moses be judge, if we will not believe it our selves till we feel it: the worst day of a Christian is better then the best day of a Carnal man: for he hath the presence of Gods Spirit to support him in some measure.

Therefore let us not be afraid before hand, fear nothing (saith the Apostle) that thou shalt suffer. And with Moses let us not be ashamed of the rebuke of Christ, but Let us go out of the Campe with Christ learning our reproach. And because we know not what God may call us to, let us entertain p. 81presently a resolution to endure whatsoever in this world, God calls us to: to passe through thick and thin, to passe through all kind of waies to the hope of our Glorious calling, if by any way, by any meanes saith St. Paul I may attain the resurrection of the dead; If by any meanes I may come to heaven, by fair death, or by violent death, he scorned reproach, if by any means he might be happie.

And for others, it is a wondrous quailing to the spirits of men that offer Christ persecuted by wicked men.any wrong, if it be but a disgrace; a scoffe is a persecution to a Christian for a good cause: when wicked men oppose a Christian in a good cause and course, let us learn what they do, they kick against the pricks. Do they know what they do? when they reproach Christians, it is the reproach of Christ. What was Ishmaels scorning? a persecution; Christ is scorned in his members, will he endure this at their hands? When good causes are opposed, Christ is opposed, and Christ is scoffed. This doth enable our suffering, being an abasing of it self, that Christ accounts it done to him.

Base men of the world, they think when they scoffe at goodnesse, and wrong the Image of God in his Children, they think they deride and despise a companie of weak creatures, that they scoffe at silly persons meaner then themselves; but they are deceived, they scoffe Christ in them, and he takes it so, Saul, Saul why persecutest thou me? The foot is trode on on the earth, and the head speaks from heaven. It is the reproach of Christ; and it will be laid to thy charge at the day of judgment that thou hast scoffed, and persecuted, and reproached Christ in his members: it will be a heavy indictment. Men should not regard, what they conceive of things: but what he that must be their judge will conceive of things ere long, and he interprets it as done to his own person. It is true both of good and ill, whatsoever good we do to a Christian as a Christian, to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple, Christ takes it as done to himself, Matth. 25. In as much as you have done it to these, you have done it to mee.

It should animate us to do good offices to those that are Christs, what Encouragement to do good to Christians.we do to them, we do to Christ. Let us be willing to refresh the bowels of Christ in his members, at home, or abroad as occasion serves, to maintain the quarrel of Christ as much as we can, to relieve Christ, he comes to us in the poore and asks relief, he that shed his blood for us, he that dyed for us, he that hath given us all asks a little pittance for himself; that we for his sake would be so good to him in his members, as to do thus and thus: that for Jonathans sake we would regard poore lame Mephibosheth his son. Christ though he be gone, he hath some Mephibosheths, some poore weak members, and what offices we do them, he accounts done to himself, it runs on his score, he will be accountable for every good word we speak in his cause, for every defence, for every act of bountie. It is a point of large meditation to consider, that the Crosses and Afflictions of Christians they are the sufferings of Christ.

Do but consider the spirit of God intended in this phrase, to dignifie all disgraces and indignities that are put upon us in a good cause and quarrel; could he have said more in few words? he calls them not disgraces, or losses; or death, but he puts such a comfortable title upon them that might make us in love with suffering any thing, and set us on fire to endure any thing in a good cause, they are the sufferings of Christ.

p. 82As the sufferings of Christ abound, so our consolations &c. The third general point is, That our consolations are proportionable to our sufferings. Our consolations abound. We suffer in this World, that is hard. I, but they are the sufferings of Christ, there is sweetnesse. And then another degree is, our consolations abound as our sufferings abound. Consolation, is (as I shewed before in the unfolding of the word) an inward support Consolation what.of the soul against trouble felt or feared: and it must be stronger then the grievance, or else the action of comfort will not follow. There is a disproportion between the agent, and the patient, in all prevailing actions, or else there is no prevailing: if the comfort be not above the maladie it is no comfort: And therefore no comforts, but divine comforts will stand at length, because in all other comforts sedet medecinum morbo, the maladie is above the remedie: they may make glorious pretences as the Philosophers do, Plutarch and Seneca, and the rest: but they are as Apothecaries boxes they have goodly titles, but there is nothing within.

Alas! when there is trouble in the conscience awakned with the sight of sin, and the displeasure of God, what can all those precepts compose and frame the soul in petty troubles? They have their place: and surely the neglect of them many times is that, that makes the crosse heavier: but alas in divine troubles, in terror of conscience, it must be divine comfort, it must be of like nature, or else the effect of comfort will never follow; and those be the comforts that he meanes here. As our troubles and afflictions abound, so our consolations, our divine supports they abound: the point is this, that

Our comforts are proportionable to our sufferings.

What did I say proportionable? it is above all proportion of suffering. Doctr. Comfort proportionable to sufferings.As it is said Rom. 8. the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed. And indeed in this life, the consolations abound as the sufferings abound. For God keeps not all for the life to come, he gives us a taste, a grape of Canaan, before we come to Canaan; as the Israelites they sent for grapes to taste the goodnesse of the land, and they had them brought to them by the spies, by which they might guesse of the fruitfulnesse, and sweetnesse of the land it self: so the taste and relish that Gods Children have of that fulnesse which is reserved in another world, it is answerable, and proportionable to their sufferings, and in the proportion, the exceeding part is of comfort: there is an exceeding if not for the present, yet afterwards. The Ark did rise together with the water, and comforts rise together with matter of suffering.

But what is the reason of the proportion, why the greatest comforts follow the greatest sufferings, what is the ground of it?

They are many, to name some. First of all this is a ground, that the Reas. 1▪ Troubles enlarge the capacity of the soul.more capable the soul is of comfort, the more comfort it receives; but great troubles bring a capacity, and capablenesse of soul, fitting it to receive comfort. How is that? Troubles do humble the soul, and humility is a grace, and the vessel of all grace, and of comfort too: a low, and meek spirit Because they humble it.is a deep spirit, and the lower, and deeper, and the larger the spirit is, the more capable it is to contain heavenly comfort. We know the more empty a man is of himself, the more fit he is for comfort: but crosses and afflictions empty us of our selves, to see that there is nothing in us, that what we are we must be out of our selves; and the lesse we are in our selves, the more we are in God. And that is the reason that St. Aust. saith, that nothing is p. 83more strong then a humble emptie spirit: because it makes the creature to go out of it self to him that is strength it self, and comfort it self; Now that which makes us go out of our selves to strength, that is strong; but this doth crosses and afflictions: that is the main reason why the proportion holds.

Again, another reason is this, troubles, and afflictions and crosses do exercise 2. They exercise grace.graces, and the more grace is exercised, the more comfort is derived: for comfort followes Graces, the comforts of the spirit follow the graces of the spirit, as the heat followes the fire, or as the shadow followes the bodie. Now the more grace, the more comfort, the more affliction the more exercise of Grace, the more exercise of Grace, the more Grace it self. As we see the deeper the root the higher the tree: after the sharpest winter, usually there is the sweetest spring, and the fruitfullest summer, and Autumn: because in the sharpest winter the ground is mellowed most, and the seed sinks the deepest; and the ground is inwardly warmed, the soile, the earth is prepared for it, and thereupon when the outward heat comes to draw it forth, it comes to be abundantly fruitful. We see it in nature, that, that we call Antiperistasis, the environing if one contrary with another increaseth the contrary. Whatsoever is good is increased, being environed by the contrary ill, because they are put to the conflict.

So it is with the soul, it is the showers of affliction that bring the sweet flowers of comfort after: the soul is prepared, and manured for them, the soul is exercised and inlarged, and fitted for them every way. In the multitude of my sorrowes thy comforts refreshed my soul, saith David Psal. 94. 19 answerable to our discomforts, God comforts refresh our souls.

And God is so wise, that before we enter to suffer any great matter, he Reas. 3. From Gods wisedom.will give us more Grace answerable to the greatnesse of our suffering, and after great suffering he will give great comfort. God is so infinitely loving and wise, that he will not call us to suffer great troubles till he give us some grace answerable. As a Captain will not set a fresh-water Souldier in a sharp brunt, but some experienced man. Whatsoever wisdom is in man, it is but a drop in regard of that infinite wisdome that is in God: he proportions our strength before we suffer, and in suffering he doth increase it, and after suffering, then comfort comes following amain; indeed especially after a little while waiting: for Gods time is the best time. And we shall have most experience of the presence of Christ, and his holy spirit Reas. 4. We have a nearer presence of God.at such times. The nearer to the spring of comfort the more comfort, but in the deepest, and sharpest afflictions, we are nearer to God, therefore the more comfort.

How is this proved? The more we are stripped of outward comforts, the more near we are to God, who is stiled the God that comforteth the abject, and the nearer to God, the nearer to comfort it self: for all comfort springs from him, and when outward meanes fail that should convey comfort to us, then he conveys it immediately by himself. I confesse he is present at all times, but when the comfort is conveyed by the creature, by man, it is not so sweet as when God joyns with the soul immediately, as in great crosses he doth. Such occasion▪ and such extreamity may be, that none can comfort a man but God, by his spirit. When Christ comes to the soul immediately what abundance of comfort is there then? As a King that doth not send a messenger, but comes immediately in his ownperson to visit one in misery. what a grace is it? So what a grace is is to a soul afflicted p. 84and deserted to ha ve Christ immediately present? As the Martyrs found when no other creature could comfort them, there was a fire within, above all the outward fire, and torment, which abated, and allayed the torments that were without: the divinest comforts are kept for the harshest and the worst times, we shall have the presence of Christ in the absence of all other creatures, and he will minister comfort. They may keep outward comforts from us, they can never keep the God of comfort from us: & so long as a Christian soul and God can close together it cannot want comfort.

Another reason why comforts increase because we pray most then: Reas. 5. Then we pray most.when we pray most, we are most happie; but in our greatest sufferings we pray most, and most ardently: therefore then we feele most comfort. When God and a christian soul can talke together, and have communion: though he cannot speak to God with his tongue, yet he can sigh and groan to God, he can pour forth his spirit to God, and as long as we can pray we can never be miserable, as long as the heart can ease it self into the bosome of God, there will alway be a return of a sweet answer. Of all the exercises of Religion, that exercise, that hath most immediate communion with God is prayer; then we speak familiarly to God in his own language and words, and call upon him by his own promises, we alledge those to him, and this cannot be, we cannot speak, and confer and converse with the God of Comfort without a great deal, without a world of comfort: great crosses drive us to this, and therefore then we have great comfort.

What use may we make of this? first for our selves, we would not fear nor faint neither faint in troubles, nor fear troubles: faint not in them, we shall have comfort proportionable, and let us not fear troubles before they come, or any measure of them, proportionable to the measure of our afflictions shall be our comfort. Let us not fear any thing we shall suffer in this world, in a good cause; for as we suffer so we shall receive from God; we fear our own good. For it is better to have the comfort we shall have in suffering any thing for a good cause, then to be exempted from the suffering and to want the comfort; there is no proportion, the choyse is much better, to have comfort with grievance, then to want the comfort together with the grievance. St. Paul would not have chosen immunity from suffering, he would not have been exempted from the crosse to have wanted his comfort.

For the disproportion is wide, and great, the comforts are inward and sweet, the crosses (for the most part) are outward. What are all the croses, Disproportions of sufferings and comfort.and sufferings in this world? (set aside an afflicted conscience) it is but brushing of the garment (as it were) some outward thing in the outward man, but the comforts are inward and deep.

But what if there be inward grievances too? Then we have deeper comforts then they: the crosse is never so deep but the comfort is deeper, Oh the depth of the wisedom and love of God! there is the part and dimension of Gods love, the depth of it. There is a depth in crosses. Out of the deep have I cryed to thee. But there is a deeper depth of comfort, there is a hand under to fetch us up at the lowest, Thy right hand is upon me, and thy left hand is under me saith the Church to God: there is comfort lower, and deeper then the greivance, though it be inward, spirituall greivance. Nay, of all grievances, (I know what I speak a little of mine own experience, and it is true in the experience of all Ministers, and Christians) that there is none that have more help then they that are exercised with spirituall temptations p. 97of conscience, they are forced to search for deep comforts, shallow comforts will not serve their turn, and when they have them, they keep them, and make much of them, they have more retired and deep thoughts of Christ, and of comforts then other people, who as they are strangers to their crosses, so they are strangers to their comfort. There is no degree of proportion between the crosses and the comforts, the crosses are momentary, the comforts are growing, the crosses make us not aw…it the worse, and the comforts make us better. Feare nothing therefore, but go on in the wayes of religion, and never be discouraged to suffer in a good cause for feare of men, to think, oh this will come, and that will come. No, no, if the sufferings grow, the comforts shall grow with it, be of good comfort.

Again, Another use may be, that we judge aright of those that are disgraced in the world, if their cause be good, that we should not have distastfull Use 2. To judge aright of those that are afflicted.conceits of them (as indeed suffering breeds distast naturally in men, they love men in a flourishing estate, and distast them suffering, but that is corruption of men, but) God is the nearest to them then, nearer then ever he was, and their comforts increase with their crosses. In the conunction between the Sun and the Moon; (as by expaerience we see) in the space between the old and new Moon, there is a time of conjunction, we think the Moon to be lost in that time, because we see her not: but the Simile.Moon is more inlightened then, then ever she was in her self, but here is the reason, the light part of the Moon is turned to the Sun-ward, to heaven-ward, and the darke part is turned toward the earth: So a Christian in crosses, and abasement, seems to be a darke creature, but he is more inlightned then, then ever before; why? his light part is to God-ward, it is not seen of the world, the world sees his crosses, but they doe not see his comforts, and as the Moon is nearer the Sun at that time then at other times: so the soul hath to deale with God in afflictions, it is nearer to God, and his dark side is toward the world. As the World sees the Moons Eclipse, so the world sees our darknesse, but not our inward comforts, therefore we should judge aright of others in this case.

Another use shalbe of thankfulness to God, that besides the comforts of heaven (which are not to be spoken of, and which we shal not know till we Use 3. Thankfulnesscome to feel them) besides the great comfort we have to be free from Hell, that we have a measure of comfort here in this world, in our pilgrimage, and absence from Heaven, such a measure of comfort, as may carry us with comfort along. We ought to be thankfull to God, not onelyonly for redemption, and glorification, but that God comforts us in our pilgrimage, that he mingles crosses with comforts, nay, that in this world our comforts are more then our crosses.

Some may object, I, but my crosses are more then my comforts.

Are they so? dost thou suffer in a good cause or no? if thou dost, thy Object.comforts are more then thy crosses, if there be not a fault in thee.Answ.

What shall I doe therefore?

First, Take this direction in suffering, pull out the sting of sin, though we suffer in never so good a cause, for in one suffering God aims at divers What hinders comfort in afflictions.things. God in thy suffering aims at thy correction as well as at the exercise of thy grace, and at thy comfort; therefore, let affliction have the correcting and amending part first, and then the comforting part will ollow. p. 98Though the cause be good, yet Gods Children oft times want comfort till afterward. Why? They have not renewed their repentance, and cleansed their souls, they have not pulled out the sting, when they have repented of their personall sins that lye upon them, and gone back to the sins of their youth, and then renewed their Covenant with God, and their purposes for the time to come, then comes comfort and not before; Therefore it is no disparagement to a good cause, that sometimes Christians find not present comfort, they have personall sins that hang on them, that are not repented of, which God intends to amend them of, as well as to honour them by suffering in his cause.

Againe, if Gods Children complain, that their sufferings are above their strength, and above measure, and desire God to weigh their afflictions, they are so great, as Job saith; It is the speech of sense, and not of faith, it is the speech of the fit, and not of the state (there is a fit and a state) it is no matter what they say in their fit, then the flesh and sense speak, and not grace and faith at that time; If they judge by sense, then they judge so, but we know that reason corrects the errours of sense, and faith corrects the errours of reason; but what do they say in their constant state? their comforts are answerable to their crosses, either in suffering or afterwards, though not alway at the same time. So much for that.

But this will be abused by carnall persons, we speak of abundance of comfort, but it is to those that have interest in it: the book of God speaks No comfort to wicked men.no comfort to persons that live in sin, and will do so: we speak comfort to those that are broken-hearted for their sins, that are content to indure the reproach of religion in despight of the world, that will beare the cross of Christ: For the other, as their jollity increaseth in the world, so their crosses and troubles shall increase. As it is said Revel. 18. 17. of mysticall Babylon the Church of Rome, that hath flourished in the world a great while, and sate as a Queen and blessed her self, As she gloried herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her. So it is true, of every wicked man, that is in an evill course, and will be, and as the Scripture phrase is, blesseth himself in an evil course, they shall be sure of the curse of God, and not of comfort: for in what proportion they have delighted themselves in this world in sin, in that proportion they shall have torment of conscience (if conscience be awaked) in this world, and in that proportion, they shall have torment in the world to come: As sin is growing, so rods are growing for them; wicked men, saith St. Paul, they grow worse and worse, the more they sin, the more they may, they sink in rebellion, and the more they sink in rebellion, the more they sink in the state of damnation, they fill up the measure of their sins, and treasure up the wrath of God against the day of wrath. Whosoever thou art that livest in a sinfull course, and wilt do so in spight of Gods Ordinance, in spight of the motions of the spirit, that hast the good motions of the spirit knocking at thy soule, and yet wilt rather refuse comfort then take comfort together with direction: go on still in this thy wicked course, but remember as thy comforts increase in this world, so thy torment is increasing. And here is the disproportion between Gods children and others, they have their sufferings first, and their comfort afterward, but others have their pleasure first, and their torment after, theirs are for a time, but others for ever. Thus we see what we may comfortably observe from this, that comforts increase as crosses increase.

p. 99A Word of the fourth and last point.

How comes this to pass, that as our afflictions abound, so our consolations abound?Doct. 4. Consolation … bounds by Christ.

They abound by Chrst, saith the Apostle, God the Father, he is the God of comfort. the Holy-Ghost is the Comforter: but how comes this to pass, that we that are not the Objects of comfort, but of confusion, should have God the Father to be the God of comfort, and the Holy-Ghost to be our comforter? Oh it is that Jesus Christ the great peace-maker hath satisfied God, and procured the Holy-Ghost: for the holy-Ghost is procured by the satisfaction and death of Christ, and he was sent after the resurrection and ascension of Christ. Therefore Christ is called, the consolation of Israel, and those that waited for Christ, waited for the consolation of Israel. All comfort is hid in Christ, he is the store-house of comfort, we have it through him, and by him, and in him: For that God is the Father of comfort, it is because Christ is our Mediatour and Intercessour in Heaven, that the Holy-Ghost is the comforter, it is because Christ sent him; and the comforts of the holy-Ghost are fetched from Christ, from the death of Christ, or the ascention of Christ, from some argument from Christ. Whatsoever comforteth the soule, the Holy-Ghost doth it by fetching some argument from Christ, from his satisfaction, from his worth, from his intercession in Heaven, something in Christ it is: So Christ by his Spirit doth comfort, and the reasons fetched by the Spirit are from Christ, therefore it is by Christ.

What is the reason that a Christian soule doth not feare God, as a consuming fire, but can look upon him with comfort?? It is because God hath received satisfaction by Christ. What is the reason that a Christian soule feares not Hell, but thinks of it with comfort? Christ hath conquered Hell, and Satan. What is the reason that a Christian feares not death? Christ by death hath overcome death, and him that had the power of death, the Devill: Christ is mine saith the Christian soule, therefore I do not feare it, but think of it with comfort, because a Christian is more then a Conquerour over all these. What is the reason that a Christian is not afraid of his corruptions and sins? He knows that God for Christs sake will pardon them, and that the remainder of his corruptions will worke to his humiliation, and to his good, All shall work for the best to them that love God. What is the reason that there is not any thing in the world but it is comfortable to a Christian? When he thinks of God, he thinks of him as a Father of comfort, when he thinks of the Holy-Ghost, he thinks of him as a spirit of comfort; when he thinks of Angels, he thinks of them as his attendants; when he thinks of Heaven, he thinks of it as of his inheritance; he thinks of Saints as a communion whereof he is partaker: whence is all this? By Christ who hath made God our Father, the holy-Ghost our Comforter, who hath made Angels ours, Saints ours, heaven ours, earth ours, Devils ours, death ours, all ours in issue.

For God being turned in love to us, all is turned, our crosses are no curses now, but comforts, and the bitterest crosses yield the sweetst comforts. All this is by Christ, that hath turned the course of things, and hid blessings in the greatest crosses that ever were. And this he did in himself, before he doth it in us: for did not his greatest crosses tend to his greatest glory? who ever in the world was abased as our head Christ Jesus was? that made him crie: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mee? p. 100All the Creatures in the world would have sunk under the sufferings that Christ indured, what abasement to the abasement of Christ? and what glorie to the glorie of Christ? Phil 2. He humbled himself to the death of the cross, wherefore God gave him a name above all names, that at the name of Jesus eueryevery knee should bow, both of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. Now as it was in our head, his greatest abasement ushered in his greatest glorie; so it shall be in us, our greatest crosses are before our greatest comforts, he is our President, he is the exemplarie cause as well as the efficient working cause, it is by Christ all this, that consolations abound in us, it was performed first in him, and shall be by him, by his Spirit to the end of the world.

The use that we are to make of this, is, that in all our sufferings, before Use. To study Christ.we come to Heaven, we should look to Christ, he hath turned all things: let us study Christ, and fetch comfort from him: our flesh was abased in him, our flesh is glorified in him now in Heaven, in his person. And so it must be in our own persons, our flesh must be abased, and then as he is glorious in Heaven, so shall we be in our selves: That very Spirit that raised and advanced him at the lowest, that very spirit (there being but one spirit in the head and members) in our greatest abasement shall vouchsafe us the greatest advancement, that we can look for, to sit at the right hand of God, to reigne with Christ: for if we suffer with him, we shall reign with him.

And hence you may have a reason likewise, why Christians have no more comfort; they doe not studie Christ enough, they consider not Why Christians are no more comfortable.Christ, and the neernesse wherein Christ is to them. and they to Christ, that both make one Christ, they doe not consider how Christ hath sweetned all, he hath turned God, and turned all to us: he hath made God our Father, and in him all things favourable unto us,: so that now the fire is our friend, the Stone, and the Gout, and all diseases, disgrace and temptation, all are at peace and league with us: all is turned in the use and issue to good, to the help and comfort of Gods Children: All things are yours, and you are Christs, and Christ is Gods, 2 Cor. 3. ult. There is not the worst thing but it is at peace with us: because the malignant power it hath (in order to damnation) is taken away: now it doth not hurt us, but there is a soveraigne curing power to turne it to good.

I confesse Gods Children are discomforted, but then they wrong their principles, they wrong their grounds, their religion, their Saviour, they wrong all the comforts they have interest in, because they do not improve them, when occasion serves, As Job is checked, Hast thou forgot the consolations of the Almighty? or why dost thou forget them? so if we have consolations Job 15. 11.Job 15:11and forget them, and dote, and pore upon our grievance, it is just with God to leave us comfortless, not that we want any comfort, but we flatter our grievance and forget our comfort. Let us change our object, and when we have looked upon our grievance, and been humbled in the sight of our sins, let us look upon the promises, let us look upon Christ in glory, and see our selves in Heaven triumphing with him.

What can terrifie a Soul? not Death it self, when it sees it self in Christ Triumphing, Faith sees me as well Triumphing in Heaven and sitting at the Right Hand of God, as it doth Christ; p. 101for it knowes I am a Member of Christ, and whatsoever is between me and that happiness, that is reserved for me in Heaven, I shall triumph over it.

Christ triumphed in his own person, over death, Hell, sin, the Grave, the Devil, and she will triumph in me his mysticall body, what he hath done in himself, he will doe in me. This faith will overcome the world; and the Devill, and Hell, and all that is between us and Heaven. A Christian that sees himself sitting at the right hand of God with Christ, triumphing with him, he is discouraged at nothing: for faith that makes things to come present, it sees him conquering alreadie.

Let us be exhorted to joy, Rejoyce, and again I say rejoyce, we have reason to do so, if we look to our grounds; but when we yield to Satan, and our own flesh, we robb God of his glory and our selves of comfort, but we may thank our selves for it. But I come to the sixth verse, wherein the Apostle inlargeth himself, by shewing the end of his sufferings in regard of them, by setting downe both parts, both affliction and comfort.