Use. The use that we are to make of this is, that in all oui* sufferings, before we come to heaven, ive should look to Christ. He hath turned all things. Let us study Christ, and fetch comfort from him. Our flesh was abased in him. Our flesh is glorified in him now in heaven, in his person. And so it must be in our own persons. Our flesh must be abased, and then as he is glorious in heaven, so shall w^e be in ourselves. That very Spirit that raised and advanced him at the lowest, that very Spirit (there being but one Spirit in the head and members) in our greatest abasement shall vouchsafe us the gi-eatest advancement that we can look for, to sit at the right hand of God, to reign with Christ ; ' for if we sufler with him, we shall reign with him,' Rom. \-iii. 17.
And hence you may have a reason likewise why Chi'istians have no more comfort. They do not study Christ enough. They consider not Christ, and the nearness wherein Christ is to them, and they to Christ, that both make one Christ. They do not consider how Christ hath sweetened all. He hath turned God, and turned all to us. He hath made God om- Father, and in him all things favourable unto us. So that now the fii'e is our friend, the stone, and the gout, and all diseases, disgi'ace and temptation, all are at peace and league Avith us ; all is tm'ned in the use and issue to good, to the help and comfort of God's children [k). ' AU things are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's,' 1 Cor. iii. 23. There is not the worst thing but it is at peace with us ; because the malignant power it hath, in order to damnation, is taken away. Now it doth not hm-t us, but there is a sovereign curing power to turn it to good.
I confess God's children are discomforted, but then they wrong their prmciples, they wrong their gi'ounds, their religion, their SaAiour. They * That is, ' precedent' = exemplar. — G.
2 COEINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER, G. 93
vtTong all tlic comforts they have interest in, because they do not improve them when occasion serves, as Job is checked, ' Hast thou forgot the con- solations of the Almighty ?' Job xv. 11, or why dost thou forget them ? So if we have consolations and forget them, and doat and pore upon our grievance, it is just with God to leave us comfortless ; not that we want any comfort, but we flatter our gi-icvance and forget our comfort. Let us change our object, and when we have looked upon our gi-ievance, and been humbled in the sight of our sins, let us look upon the promises, let us look upon Christ in gloiy, and see ourselves in heaven triumphing with him.
What can terrify a soul ? not death itself, when it sees itself in Christ triumphing. Faith sees me as well triumphing in heaven, and sitting at the right hand of God, as it doth Christ, for it knows I am a member of Christ, and whatsoever is between me and that happiness, that is reserved for me in heaven, I shall ti'iumph over it.
Christ triumphed in his own person over death, hell, sin, the grave, the devil, and he will triumph in me his mystical body. WTiat he hath done in himself, he will do in me. This feith will overcome the world, and the devil, and hell, and all that is between us and heaven. A Christian that sees himself sitting at the right hand of God with Christ, triumphing with him, he is discouraged at nothing ; for faith that makes things to come present, it sees him conquering already.
Let us be exhorted to joj^, ' Rejoice, and again I say rejoice,' Philip. iv. 4. We have reason to do so, if we look to our gi-ounds. But when we yield to Satan, and our own flesh, we rob God of his glory and om'selves of comfort, but we may thank ourselves for it.
But I come to the sixth verse, wherein the apostle enlargeth himself, by shewing the end of his sufferings in regard of them, by setting down both parts, both affliction and comfort.
VERSE 6.
* Whether ive be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation: or whe- ther ice be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.' It is much in eveiything, how the mind is prepared to receive what is spoken. The apostle, therefore, to make way for himself in their hearts, he removes scandal from his sufferings, and he shews that it was so far that they should take offence at it, that they ought to do as he did, to bless God for it ; for as the sufferings of Chi*ist abounded in him, so his comfort abounded. And because they should think themselves no way hm-t by his sufferings and base usage in the world, he tells them in the verse that all was for their good. No man should be offended at his own good. They had no reason to take scandal at that which was for their good ; but, saith he, if you think basely of me for my sufferings, you think basely of your own comfort : for my sufferings are for your good, and my comforts are for yoiu* good. "\Miether I suffer or be comforted, it is for you.