Secondly, The next term is 'strong consolation.' Why is it so called ?
1. It is called so either in opposition to worldly comforts, which are weak, vanishing, and washy. The consolations of the world seem to be strong till they come to be tried. Carnal joy makes a great noise, but is soon gone : ' As the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool,' Eccles. vii. 6. None seem to lead such merry lives as carnal men ; but when it comes to the trial, when their joy is put to it by sickness, trouble, pangs of conscience, or death, it is soon spent. Take away the creature and it is gone ; it dependeth upon somewhat without them. Or if the creature continueth, it availeth not; before it cometh to trial, wicked men tremble at the very thoughts of eternity. Outward things cannot ease the conscience ; if they could satisfy the heart, they cannot buy a pardon : Jer. xvii. 11, 'As the partridge sitteth on eggs and liatcheth them not, so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool ; ' Prov. xi. 4, ' Eiches profit not in the day of wrath.' Carnal mirth is a merry madness, as a bird in the fowler's snare : Prov. ix. 17, 18, ' Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant ; but he knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell ; ' a stolen fit of mirth when con- science is asleep. Carnal mirth entangleth us ; the more dreggy delights oppress reason, wound conscience, and so make way for sorrow.
316 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS VI. 18.
2. Or else it is called ' strong consolation ' in comparison with itself, with respect to less or more imperfect degrees of comfort. There is a latitude in comfort, some have more, and some less ; some have only weak glimmerings and drops, others have strong consolation, 'joy iinspealvable, and full of glory,' 1 Peter i. 8. Now a christian should aim at the highest degree ; the stronger your consolation, the better is Christ pleased with it: John xv. 11, ' These things have I spoken unto yoii, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy might be full.' This makes the heart of Christ glad, when our comforts are more able to swallow up our sorrow, and revive the soul in the midst of trouble. In some this confidence is accompanied with more sensible doubts, staggerings, and weaknesses, though comfort gets the upper hand ; in others it is more strong, clear, and lively, and they act in the ways of God with greater encouragement.
3, It may likewise be called strong in regard of its effects.
[1.] It marreth carnal joy, it puts the soul quite out of taste with other things. Men used acorns till they found out the use of bread. We content ourselves with husks till we taste of the fatted calf in our father's house. The soul must have some oblectation, love cannot lie idle ; we are taken with garlic and onions till we taste manna. When once we have tasted of the love of God, other things will not be so sweet : Cant. i. 4, ' We will be glad, and rejoice in thee ; we will remember thy love more than wine.'
[2.] It is stronger than the evil which it opposeth ; it swalloweth up all our sorrows, whatever they be. Look, as we say of wine, or of any spirits, it is very strong, when a few drops can change a great deal of water into its own nature, so, because it overcometh the greatest evils, terrors of conscience, worldly miseries, and the greatest anguish and distress which may befall us, therefore it is called strong comfort. A mighty joy, a sense of God's love in Christ, swalloweth up all our sorrow whatever. The wrath of God is a dreadful thing ; we can hardly think of it without amazement. The fear of hell, death, and judgment to come, these are wont to raise a great storm in the conscience, but spiritual joy can only allay it. As a wounded conscience can say, There is no sorrow like unto my sorrow ; so a peaceable conscience can say, There is no joy like unto my joy : Phil. iv. 7, ' The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds, through Jesus Christ.' The strength of this joy is seen by experience rather than expression. In outward troubles, they can ' take pleasure in infirmities,' 2 Cor. xii. 10 ; ' Glory in tribulation,' Kom. v. 3. The more the devil seeks to trouble the saints, they have the more joy, and are ' more than conquerors,' Kom. viii. 37, and all by the power of this joy ; as the more we seek to wrest a staff out of a man's hands, he holds it the faster. Tribulations, anguish, distress, fears, torments, difficulties, they are all overpowered by this joy.
II. How this strong consolation ariseth from assurance and certainty.
To establish joy and comfort, two things are necessary — excellency and propriety. The thing in which I rejoice, it must be good, and it musi be mine. Suitably here in the text, there is an assurance of excellent privileges ; and then there is a qualification annexed, that we may understand our own interest. God by his oath assures us of excellent privileges in Christ, and that is aground of strong consolation.