3. That God's comforts are full and strong. For he worketh like himself, and therefore can and will su])port his people in the greatest difficulties. It is sometimes represented as full : Acts xiii. 52, * The disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost ;' and, * I am filled with comfort, and am exceeding joyful in all our tribulations,' 2 Cor, vii. 4 : vTrepirepKra-evofiai, rff x^PJ- -^"d our Lord Jesus, when he took care for our comfort, took care for our full comfort: John xv. 11, ' The.se things have I spoken, that my joy may remain in you, and your joy might be full.' Thus we see the joy of believers is a full joy,
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that no other joy necdeth to be added to it ; it is a full joy to bear us out under all discouragements. For what is wanting to them who have God for their portion, and the promised glory for their inherit- ance, and God's providence engaged for their protection, safety, and comfort, while they are here by tiie way ? And it is strong as well as full : Heb. vi. 18, ' That by two immutable things, in which it is im- possible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation.' Other comforts are weak and of little force ; they are not affliction-proof, much less are they death-proof, and judgment-proof; they cannot stand before a few serious, sober thoughts of the world to come. The comforts of the world cannot stay and revive the heart ; for every blast of a tempta- tion scattereth them.
Use, 1. To reprove Christians for their over-much dejection and fainting in troubles. Why are we so much cast down ? Is there no balm in Gilead, nor comfort in God ? Why hath God taken the name upon him of being the God of all comfort, and put this office upon his Spirit to be the comforter ? Hath he not made sufficient provision in the new covenant ? Is there any evil which the promise of eternal life cannot countervail ? Is God backward to give you comfort ? Why, then, did he send Christ, write scriptures, appoint a ministry and ordinances, seek to prepare you for it by the seal and earnest of his Spirit, and invite you so earnestly to trust in him, to cast all your care upon him, and so often forbid your fear and sorrow ?
Use 2. If all comfort be of God, let us go to God for it. But then take these three directions: —
1. See you be qualified for it. Comfort follows holiness, as heat doth fire : the Spirit is first a sanctifier and then a comforter ; and according to God's promise, is more necessarily a sanctifier than a comforter : Eph. i. 13, 14, ' In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation : in whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.' Comfort is our happiness ; but we are made holy before happy. Hereafter we enter into our master's joy, we have a taste of it in the world. But who have this taste but the sanctified and self-denying Christians ? The work of sanctification is carried on more certainly, but his comforting work is many times obscure and interrupted. Do your work tlioroughly and faithfully, and you may refer yourselves to God for comfort.
2. Expect not a singular way of comfort besides the word. It was Eliphaz's charge upon Job, chap. xv. 11, ' Are the consolations of God small with thee ? Is there any secret thing with thee ?' The charge is, that he undervalued the common consolation of God, and looked for some secret way peculiar to himself of getting comfort, besides humbling of himself, and turning unto God. No ; God hath sufficiently provided for the comfort of his people, and we must not expect singular manifestations of his love, and special signs and tokens, beyond the common allowance given to the whole family. It is a thousand to one but it is some false consolation and dream of comfort which they affect and cry up, beyond or besides the usual comforts of his word.
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3. Do not compare lower discoveries of God witli that great re- velation he hath made of his mind in the word, for the comfort of his people ; for this argueth great unthankfuhiess, and a secret desire to set uj) man's comfort against those which are unquestionably of the Lord, Sure it is, that whatever good is in nature, is from God ; hut it is mingled with so many weaknesses, that what is of God can scarce be seen in it. I speak of those that cry up heathen philosophy, to the disparagement of the word of God, as if it were a better institution to quiet the mind, and fortify it against all troubles, than Chris- tianity. But alas! they neither know the true ground of misery, which is sin, nor the true ground of comfort, which is Christ, And that which mere man offereth can neither come with such authority and blessing as what cometh immediately froiu God. This is a moonlight that rotteth things before it ripeneth them. In short, pliilosophers were never acquainted with Christ, the foundation of comfort ; nor the Spirit, the efficient cause of comfort ; nor the pro- mise of pardon and life, which is the matter of comfort ; nor fjxith, which is the light by which we know things that depend upon divine revelation, and so the proper instrument of comfort. This I thought good to say, because comfort and rest for souls is one of the great benefits of our religion: Jer. vi. 16, ' Stand in the way and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein ; and ye shall find rest for your souls;' Mat. vi. 28, 29, ' Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."