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[2.] Tliougli God is at liberty, yet usually he fills those which are exercised with hard and long conflicts with their corruptions. Comfort is Christ's entertainment for those that return from victory over their lusts: Eev. ii. 17, ' To him that overcometh,' that is, the enemies of his sal- vation ; he that hath been long wrestling with the powers of darkness, and the inconveniences of the world, and corruptions of his own heart, and can persevere notwithstanding assaults and temptations, ' to him I will give to eat of the hidden manna ; ' that is, feast him with inward and spiritual refreshments, figured by manna ; ' and I will give him a white stone,' which some say was a token of election ; a white stone they gave in their suffrages for choice of a magistrate, to manifest they had chosen him ; or else white stones were given to wrestlers as a token of victory ; or, as among the Eomans, a black stone with a hole in it was a sign of condemnation, a white stone of absolution ; or in lots, a white stone was a token of good luck and happiness, a black stone of misfortune. Take it either way, Christ will give it to him that over- cometh ; they shall have the comfort of pardon, and free justification with God, and till then a man is not fit for comfort.
[3.] Those that are called forth to great employments and trials are seldom without comfort, and this strong consolation, that they may behave themselves worthy of their trial. Look, as men victual a castle when it is in danger to be besieged, so God layeth in comfort aforehand when we are like to be assaulted. This we have in the example of our Lord himself Just before Christ was tempted, he had a solemn testi- mony from heaven: Mat. iv. 1, ' Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil.' Every circumstance of scripture is notaljle, and when the Spirit of God notes the time, it is to be regarded : Then ; it looks back to the words before, chap. iii. 17, ' Lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' And after this solemn assurance, ' Then was Jesus led up by the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted by the devil' Certainly somewhat there is in that, that the same apostles must see the beaming out of the divine glory of Christ, and afterwards see his agony, as Peter, James, and John, first his glory in the transfiguration, and then his agony in the garden ; to show that when once we have had experience of the glory of Christ, when he hath given us any signi- fication of his love, any foresight of heaven, and of our interest in the comforts of the covenant, then most commonly we are called out to suffer agonies and bitter conflicts. God's conduct is gentle and faithful, he drives on as the little ones are able to bear ; he doth not lead into great temptation until he hath given the advantage of great comforts ; first he stores the hearts, and lays in sweet consolation, then calls out to trial.
Secondly, On our part. It is not absolutely required that we should enjoy it, but only to seek after it : and if we want it, to submit to God's pleasure. Comfort is seldom withheld when it is long sought and highly prized. I cannot say he is no child of God that hath not a feel- ing of this strong consolation, but he is none that doth not seek after it, and that hath low and cheap thoughts of the consolations of God : Job XV. 11, ' Are the consolations of God small witlithee ? ' We are absol- utely bound to communion with God in point of holiness, and to seek
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after communion with God in point of happiness ; but rewards differ from duties, and they must be left to Grod's pleasure. There is a difference between comfort and grace ; comfort is a mere dispensation, and is to be referred to the pleasure of God ; but we cannot be without grace, without sin ; the one belongeth to communion with God in point of holiness, and the other to communion with God in point of happi- ness ; and God hath the dispensing of our happiness : the one concern- eth our being, the other our well-being ; grace makes us living, comfort makes us lively christians. On God's part, if he doth not give us sensible consolation, he is only bound to give us sustentation and sup- I)ort ; and there is no breach of duty on our part to want comfort, provided it be not despised, and we do not neglect to seek after it. To want grace or any degree of it, though it be God's gift, is a sin, because tlie creature is under a moral obligation ; but to want comfort is no sin, because that is a thing given, not required. Grace is given and required. Comfort is required that we should seek after it, but for its attainment we must leave that to God's pleasure, and tarry till the master of the feast bids us sit up higher, and till then we must be con- tent with our measure and degree. And this is God's course, he gives less comfort, that we may look after more grace ; and in the decay of comfort a christian many times doth receive a greater increase of grace ; as you know a summer's sun that is clouded yields a great deal more refreshment and comfort than a winter's sun that shineth. It is an advantage to be kept humble, and therefore we must submit to God's will, and be contented with ' unutterable groans,' though we have not the ' unspeakable joys' of the Spirit, 1 Peter i. 8, Rom. viii. 26, we must be satisfied with a lower dispensation.