350 SERMONS UPON JOHN XIV. 1.
3. It is contrary to that peace, comfort, and happiness we might otherwise take in the rich provisions and preparations of grace which God hath made for us. It is said, Ps. xciv. 19, ' In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts dehglit my soul.' It is a great point of sincerity to comfort ourselves with God's comforts, such as he alloweth to us, provideth for us, and worketh in us. Many careful troubles and perplexing thoughts are apt to arise in our minds in a time of danger. Now where is our ease and relief but in God's comforts ? These will yield not only support, but delight ; they have a power to revive and cheer the soul. All the business is to inquire what are God's comforts ? The comforts of the gosj)el, such as result from the sense of our reconciliation with God : Eom. v. 11, 'Ye joy in God through om* Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the atonement.' The pardon of our sins : Mat. ix. 2, ' Son, be of good cheer ; thy sins be forgiven thee.' Our adoption, or being taken into God's family : Heb. xii. 5, ' Ye have forgotten the exhortation that speaketh unto you as unto sons.' It cannot be otherwise with those that have a Father in heaven, but they may have some comfort ; if not in the creature, yet in God ; if not on earth, yet in heaven. Besides this, there is the hope of glory : Eom. v. 1, 2, ' Therefore being justi- fied by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.' Sin hath woven calamity into our lives, and filled us with troubles, griefs, and fears ; but God hath sent his Spirit, not only a sanctifier, but comforter, into our hearts, ' to fill us with all joy and peace in believing,' Eom. xv. 13. Now, shall God make all this provision for our comfort and we never the better ? Luke xxiv. 38, ' AVhy are ye troubled ? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts ? ' Surely the comforting work of the Spirit should not be interrupted by us. It is our sin if these comforts be despised, our infelicity if they be not enjoyed, they being necessary for us, for our encouragement in the way of holiness, and to quicken our praise and thanksgiving, and raise our hearts in love to God.
Use. Let us all take heed then of the evil of a troubled and uncom- fortable spirit. What shall we do to prevent it ?
1. Something is pre-required, that a man be upon good terms with God : 1 Sam. xxx. 6, ' David ' encouraged himself in the Lord his God/ He was in a great distress at that time ; the city wherein he left his family, and the families of his followers, was taken and burnt, their wives and children carried away, and all gone ; so that David and those that were with him lifted up their voices and wept till they had no more power to weep ; and to make up the calamity, his soldiers were ready to stone him. In this desperate condition, David ' encouraged himself in the Lord his God.' So Ps. xlii. 11, 'Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul ? why art thou disquieted within me ? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.' David speaketh this when he was deprived of ordinances and his constant recourse to God's solemn worship, which was a sad reflec- tion to him ; yet lie rebuketh himself for being utterly cast down or immoderately disturbed ; and why ? Because he had some supports in the midst of all this sadness, ' God is the health of my countenance j '
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and he did not despair but God would return in mercy to him, and he should find some way of escape, because God was his God. This is a stay to our drooping souls, that we be not too much dejected and dis- turbed, that God is our loving Father when we are under his sharpest chastisements. If God be ours in covenant with us, why should we be troubled? If you have consented that God shall be your God, your portion, and saviour, and sanctifier, there needeth no more for your comfort. Are you resolved of this ?
2. See that your hearts be mortified to the world, and fixed on heavenly things. Whilst you have too great a value for worldly things, your hearts will be overwhelmed with griefs, and cares, and troubles. Our affections increase our afflictions : Job i. 22, ' In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly ; ' 1 Cor. vii. 30, ' And they that weep, as though they wept not ; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not ; and they that buy, as though they possessed not ; ' 2 Cor. vi. 7, ' By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of right- eousness, on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report ; ' Phil. iv. 12, ' I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; everywhere and in all things I am instructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.' A man must learn both lessons, or he learneth neither. The prevalency of any earthly love will always expose us to disquiets, and we should have more in God if we looked for less in the creature ; but whilst we dote upon these things, we are more solicitous about getting or keeping, and troubled at the want or loss of them.