1. Because God challengeth this as his own right to comfort the heart of man ; and therefore, whatever the means of the comfort be, God will be owned as the spring and fountain of it. He keepeth this as his great bridle upon the world, to govern the hearts of men : Job xxxiv. 29, ' When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble ? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him ? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only.' Our peace and trouble is in God's hands, and at his disposing. It is true he exer- ciseth his sovereignty according to law, and in his internal govern- ment according to the law of grace, penally withdrawing his comfort- ing Spirit, and leaving us to our doubts, and troubles, and fears ; by the rewarding our obedience and faithfulness with the manifest tokens of his love, as the matter shall require. It is enough for the point in hand that God alone doth powerfully dispense peace or trouble. _ And when he will give comfort, none can make his gift void ; for it is at his command ; and in both, a nation is all one with a particular per- son as to any ability to resist God.
2. Though grounds of comfort be never so clear, yet if God concur not, we find not the effect ; therefore it is his Spirit that can only com- fort the heart. To have God's warrant for our comfort is much, l)ut to have his impression is more ; both must concur, or the soul will not be comforted. It falleth out many ways, sometimes out of ignorance. When a well of comfort was near, poor Hagar saw it not, and was almost famished with thirst, until ' God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water,' Gen. xxi. 19. We know not the grounds of our com- fort. Sometimes out of passion ; grief is obstinate, and will admit no remedy : as ' Piachel would not be comforted,' Jer. xxxi. 15. They are so peevishly addicted to their worldly comforts, that if tliey be crossed in them, they will not admit of God's comforts, though they are evident, clear, and pertinent. Sometimes out of forget fulness: Heb. xii. 5, ' Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children.' And oblivion is an ignorance for the present. Had they remembered, they would not have fainted and waxed weary. It is a great work of the Spirit to bring to remembrance. Sometimes questioning their interest in comfort; besides that, there are general com- forts, when interest is not clear. Now the Spirit, that showeth us the
172 THE SEVENTEENTH SERMON. [2 Thp:S. II. 17.
things given us of God, doth also reveal and evidence our right to them. What is wrouglit in our heart.s — that is to say, by quickening us to exercise grace, — he cvidenceth the truth of grace ; and in our afflictions hy patience maketh out our comfort : Rom. v. 3-5, ' We glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope ; and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.' From the whole, there can be no true solid comfort but what God bestoweth ; his favour, and our interest in his fjivour, is manifested to us by his Spirit
IIL What advantages we have by this, that all solid comfort is of God.
1. It assureth us of God's readiness to comfort poor afflicted crea- tures that humbly submit to him. He that is the God of all comfort is also the Father of mercies ; his mercy and compassion inclineth him to comfort us. God hath his name from this effect — Nomina sunt a notiorihus — ' God that comforteth those that are cast down,' 2 Cor. vii. 6. He is very tender of all afflicted creatures, much more of his people.
2. God's comforts come with more authority, and silence all our doubts and fears: Ps. xciv. 19, 'In the multitude of my thoughts ■within me thy comforts delight my soul,' We have many intricate, perplexing thoughts, out of which we cannot disentangle ourselves ; no comf(jrts come with such authority and power as God's comforts. In the comfort we have it is good to consider whence it cometh : Is it God's comfort, or a fancy of our own ? If it be made up by our own fancy, it will be like a spider's web, that is weaved out of its own bowels, but is gone and swept away with the least turn of a besom ; but God's comforts are more durable : they flow from the true fountain of com- fort, upon whose frowns or smiles our happiness and misery dependeth. There is little warmth in a fire of our own kindling. God's comforts are built on his covenant, and have a commanding force and over- powering efficacy on the soul. God in his word speaketh by sovereign authority ; in our hearts he worketh by powerful efficacy. The autho- rity of his word we own when we speak to others or to ourselves, when we know trouble but in supposition or imagination. The efficacy of his grace we feel when trouble comes actually upon us ; many that strengthen others, when it cometh upon them faint themselves: Job iv. 4, 5, ' Thy words have upholden him that is falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.' Which showeth that not only the matter of comfort, but the effectual blessing cometh from God, or comforting of souls is his work.