2 COKINTHIANS CHAP. IV, VER. 7-9. 403
(4.) Labour at all times to maintain a good conceit of God and his r/ood- ness. If Satan suggest he will cast us off, and that there is no hopes for us in our God, answer again, It is not so. Labour to have a spirit of faith to beat back all such temptations. You shall see strange temptations, and yet excellently answered. ' Yet God is good to Israel,' Ps. Ixxiii. 1, When the child of God is low, yet he keeps good conceits of God, though things go strangely. I know not what to make of my condition and of the churches,"" 'yet God is good.'
The reason is, when we be at worst, God can help us. And therefore come those comfortable exceptions in the Psalms. ' Great are the troubles of the righteous, hut the Lord delivereth them out of all,' Ps. xxxiv. 19. * The}' were afflicted sore, hut not delivered to death,' Ps. cxviii. 18. So here mark the exceptions : wo be in straits, persecuted and cast down, but yet delivered.
Thus labour for a good conceit of God. The like things you may observe out of these words of the apostle ; and I beseech you, let us make use of them for the right knowledge of these things. Hence it is said, Rom. viii. 37, ' That in all these we are more than conquerors ; ' a strange speech, in affliction, pressures, casting down, 'we are more than conquerors.' And how Cometh this ? ' We are more than conquerors in him that loved us, in Jesus Christ ; ' more than conquerors, because we are overcome f when we seem to be overcome ; because religion hath grown even by blood and suffering. St Austin saith, by straits and afflictions the church hath been delivered and spread abroad to the uttermost parts of the world (.r).
' We are more than conquerors ' in all these in a treble regard.
[l.J Specicdly in regard of ourselves ; for the devil aimeth at separation between God and us. ' Now, what shall separate us ? ' saith the apostle, Rom. viii. 35.
The devil intends a divorcement ; but when by a spirit of faith we draw near to God, and cleave fast to God, then the devil's policy is overthrown. The more the world diiveth us from God, the faster we cleave to God; and then we be more than conquerors.
[2.] In regard of spiritual courage. The more God's Spirit is depressed, the higher it riseth. The enemy labours to quail the spirits of them that be good, but they cannot do it, for the Spirit of God is invincible. And the spirit of a Christian being supported hy an higher Spirit than their own, ' I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me,' Philip, iv. 13. Therefore they are more than conquerors by the invincible Spirit of Christ.
[3. J And then they be more than conquerors in regard of the. cause. The devil labours to drive men to the dislike of the cause and religion by suffer- ing disgrace, but he cannot.
Use. Firsthj. And therefore, I beseech you, let me conclude nith a jioint of encouragemeut, considering it is spoken with a great deal of courage. 'We are afflicted, but not foreaken ; cast down, but not destroyed;' let it en- courage us to take the cause of God in hand, and go through ivith it in spite of Satan and. his instruments, and fear nothing that shall befall its. Why should we fear the devil ? Let no man think what the devil threats, but what God promises. Therefore fear nothing, for God will make it good ; he will be never nearer than when we stand most in need of help. And therefore set upon God's cause with courage ; and not only on the cause of religion, but cause of honesty and justice. The truth of God in any kind is dearer than our lives; The worst that can befall us is to be persecuted * Qu. 'church's'? — Ed. f Qu. ' we overcome '? —Ed.
404 COMMENTARY ON
and distressed. You shall have more comfort from heaven than discomfort from the world ; and what do you lose then '?
Therefore let us all support ourselves with this. There is more force in God's help from heaven to secure and support hy an inward invincible Btrength, than there is in the world, or Satan the prince of the world, to cast us down ; we have more for us than against us. When we be stripped of all, yet know, that God is the God of all ; when he hath taken all,'yet ho leave til himself. We have all at the fountain, all at the spring. Therefore let that be ground of resolution ; * If I perish, I perish,' saith the good woman, Esther iv. 16. But never depart from God, from religion, from justice, from the cause of the church ; because I know God will be like himself ; he camiot deny himself, but constantly deals with his church and children, as in former times. It cannot be otherwise with me, than Paul the great apostle of the church. If that befalls me that did befall Paul, as I am in Paul's distress, so I may look for Paul's support and comfort.