28 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. LVI.
in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience/
2. Then let us plead promises ; let them not lie by us as a dead stock, but put them in suit, and put God in remembrance. When the accomplishment is delayed, it is a notable way of raising and increas- ing our confidence : 2 Sam. vii. 25, ' And now, 0 Lord, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said.' So ver. 28, ' And now, 0 Lord, thou art that God, and thy words are true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant.' So may we do with any promise of mercy and grace which God hath made with his people in his covenant.
SERMON LVI.
This is my comfort in my affliction ; for iliy ivord hath quickened
me. — Ver. 50.
In the former verse the man of God had complained of the delay of the promise, and that his hope was so long suspended ; now in this verse he showeth what was his support, and did revive him during this delay and the sore afflictions which befell him in the meantime. The promise comforted him before performance came, ' This is my comfort in my affliction, thy word hath quickened me.'
1. Observe here, the man of God had his afflictions ; for we are not exempted from troubles, but comforted in troubles. God's promise, and hope therein, may occasion us much trouble and persecution in the Vv'orld. Yet —
2. This very promise which occasioneth the trouble is the ground of our support ; for one great benefit which we have by the word is com- fort against afflictions.
3. This comfort which we have by the word is the quickening and life of the soul. The life of our soul is first received by the word, and still maintained by the same word: James i. 18, 'Of his own will begat he us Avith the word of truth ; ' 1 Peter i. 23, ' Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which livetli and abideth for ever.'
Doct That all other comforts in affliction are nothing to those com- forts which we have from the word of God.
David confirmeth it from experience ; in his deepest pressures and afflictions, his soul was supported and enlivened by the word of God. The apostle Paul doctrinally asserts it : Eom. xv. 4, ' Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.' The general end of scripture is instruction ; the special end is comfort and hope. Id agit toia scriptura, ut credamus in Deum (Luther) — the business and design of scripture is to bring us to believe in God, and to wait upon him for our salvation; to hope either for eternal life, which is the great benefit offered in the scriptures, or those intervening
VeR. 50.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. Of)
blessings which are necessary by the way, and also adopted into the covenant. The reasons are taken —
1. From the quality of those comforts which we have from the word of God.
2. From the provision which the word hath made for our comfort.
3. From the manner whereby this comfort is received.
First, From the quality of those comforts which we receive from the word of God.
1. It is a divine comfort : Ps. xciv. 19, ' In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.' In all the com- forts we have, it is good to consider from whence it cometh. Is it God's comfort, or a fancy of our own ? A comfort that is made up of our own fancies is like a spider's web, that is weaved out of its bowels, and is gone and swept away with the turn of a besom. But God's comfort is more durable and lasting ; for then it floweth from the true fountain of comfort, upon whose smiles and frowns our happiness dependeth. Now God's comforts are such as God worketh, or God alloweth. Take them in either sense, they come in with a command- ing or overpowering efficacy upon the soul. If God exciteth it by his Spirit, who is the comforter, Ps. iv. 7, ' Thou hast put gladness into my heart' There is little warmth in a fire of cur own kindling: the Holy Ghost raiseth the heart to a higher degree of a delio-htful sense of the love of God than we can do by a bare natural act of our own understanding. Or whether it be of such comforts as God alloweth, if we have God's covenant for our comfort we have enouo-h ; no comfort like his comfort. In philosophy, man speaketh to us by the evidence of reason ; in the scripture, God speaketh to us by way of sovereign authority : in his commands he interposeth his power and dominion ; in his promises he empawneth his truth. And therefore scriptural comforts are God's comforts, and so more powerful and authoritative.
2. It is a strong comfort : Heb. vi. 18, ' That the heirs of promise might have strong consolation,' la'xypav TrapaKXTjaiv. Other comforts are weak and of little force ; they are not affiiction-proof, nor death- proof, nor judgment-proof ; they cannot stand before a few serious and sober thoughts of the world to come ; but this is strong comfort, that can support the soul, not only in the imagination and supposition of a trouble, wheu we see it at a distance, but when it is actually come upon us, how great soever it be. If we feel the cold hands of death ready to pluck out our hearts, and are summoned to appear before the bar of our judge, yet this comfort is not the more impeached ; that which supported us in prosperity can support us in adversity ; what supports in life can support us in death ; for the comforts of the word endure for ever, and the covenant of God will not fail us livimr or dymg.