Use 1. Information in these branches.
1. That comfort is allowed to the saints. I observe it, because we are nothing and deserve nothing unless it be misery, torment, bondage, and so out of guilt we entertain comfort with jealousies and fears. Dolorous impressions are most natural to a guilty conscience ; we sus- pect comfort, and in deep distresses we refuse it: Jer. xxxi. 15, 'A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping ; Rachel weeping for her children, refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not ; ' and Ps. Ixxvii. 2, ' My soul refused to be comforted.' This was his infirmity. God hath made you a good allowance, take heed of refusing comfort upon God's terms. God alloweth it ; it is made a part of our work : Phil. iv. 4, ' Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice.' We serve a good master. Christ hath purchased it, and the Spirit worketh it, for he is the com- forter : Rom. xiv. 17, "' The kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.' Nay, it is not only God's allowance, but his great aim ; the solemn assurance that is given by his covenant is that you may grow up in believing to a strong consolation, and be able to laugh at fears and sorrows.
[1.] You may pray for it when you want it : Ps. xc. 14, ' 0 satisfy us early with thy mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.'
[2.] Nay, when you have lost it by your default, it is not boldness to ask grace and comfort again when you have wasted conscience and weakened your hopes ; as David, Ps. li. 12, ' Restore unto me the joy
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of thy salvation/ When your candle is put out, you may get it lighted again.
[3.] You may wait for comfort, and still continue your attendance upon God : Ps. Ixxxv. 8, ' I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people and to his saints.'
[4.] You may entertain it when it comes. Comfort is a fruit of th.e Spirit as well as grace ; he which is the God of grace is also the God of consolation ; and the same Spirit which works grace witnesseth for our comfort ; and it is as great a crime to smother his witness as to resist his work. Whatever we think, God would have us not only to be holy, but to be cheerful. Would you make the heart of Christ glad? See John xv. 11, ' These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.' Christ rejoiceth most in his heritage, when they live up to the provision and preparation he hath made for them in the gospel. The devil envieth our comfort, he knows how useful it is in the christian life, to make us thankful for mercies, cheerful in his service, to wean us from carnal delights, and make us willing to do and suffer for God ; he seeks to weaken our confi- dence, as knowing the joy of the Lord is our strength ; he would either keep us from grace, or from a sense of it; and make us either wicked or sad, and keep us from a comfortable feeling and apprehension of grace.
2. If strong consolation be a fruit of certainty upon God's oath,then it informs us that it is a false comfort and peaceiWhich is not the fruit of certainty and confidence in Christ, which ariseth either from a neglect of duty or carnal jjleasure ; and all that wicked men have comes from one of these grounds. It is good to look to the fountain and spring of our joy and comfort, that we may be able to say with the psalmist, ' Thy comforts delight my soul,' Ps. xciv. 19. AVe should look to the ground and reason of our peace and security. Why am I thus quiet ? Is it because God is reconciled to me in Christ ; because of assurance from liim, under his oath, upon my taking sanctuary in Christ ? The devil lulls men asleep by other means. Carnal men's comfort arisetli from carelessness and negligence in the spiritual life ; they do not trouble the devil, nor he them ; ' When a strong man armed keeps his palace, his goods are in peace,' Luke xi. 21. The devil lets us alone when we let him alone, when we do not exasperate lusts, nor trouble his kingdom in our heart. Look, as the sea is very calm when wind and tide go together, so when our corruptions and Satan's temptations run the same way, all is calm and quiet. As a man feels not the sickness that grows upon him till the humours are stii-red by exercise, so when there is a spirit of slumber and security, and men are neglectful and careless in the spiritual life, and let Satan alone to possess the heart, they sleep, but their damnation slumbers not. Then for carnal pleasure, this will not give them leave to think of their condition ; their whole life is nothing but a knitting of pleasure to pleasure, and a diversion from one contentment to another ; so they put far off from themselves the thoughts of their own eternal condition. The outward man is gratified, and the inward man hath no time ; they fill the soul with work, that it may not fall upon itself, as a mill grinds not itself as long as it hath something to work upon ; as the prophet observes of those that drink wine in bowls, ' and put far away the evil day,' Amos vi. 3. They