Comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and work
Divine comfort
I.
Comfort.
1. What it is.
(1) Our natural refreshment. We cannot enjoy our temporal mercies with any delight without God’s blessing (Ecc_2:24; Ecc_3:13; Act_14:17).
(2) Our support in troubles (Psa_119:50; 2Co_1:4; Act_9:31).
(a) God can give His people comfort in the greatest tribulation (Isa_12:1-6). As long as we have God to stand by us and the promise of eternal life trouble will be counterbalanced (Rom_5:2-3; 2Co_4:17; Isa_40:1-2; Mat_9:2).
(b) There is special allowance of comfort for God’s people in affliction (1Pe_4:14). As the mother keeps most with the sick child, so God looks to the afflicted. This is the difference between God and the world; the world ever runs after those that are prosperous, as rivers into the sea, where there are waters enough.
(c) Our comforts carry proportion with our sorrows (2Co_1:5; 1Co_10:13).
2. What it is to have our hearts comforted. The heart is the proper seat of spiritual comfort (Psa_4:7). God’s comfort is like a soaking shower that goes to the root, whereas the dew only wets the surface. Other comforts refresh the outward man. The joy of the world makes a great noise but leaves the heart sorrowful. God in dealing with the heart uses means, but His Spirit works immediately by--
(1) Opening the understanding to see the grounds of comfort (Rom_15:13).
(2) By raising the heart to the lively act of joy (Act_13:52).
3. In what sense it is of God.
(1) When it is allowed by Him (Ecc_5:18).
(2) When the matter is provided by Him (Joh_14:1).
(3) When by these means He worketh comfort (Rom_14:17).
II. Why this is of God.
1. Because God challenges as His own the right to comfort the heart (Job_34:29).
2. Though the grounds of comfort be never so clear, yet if God concur not, we find not the effect.
3. Because of the advantages springing from this source. Our comforts--
(1) Come with more authority, and silence all our doubts and fears (Psa_94:19). If comfort be made of our own fancy it will be like a spider’s web that is weaved out of its own bowels, but is easily swept away.
(2) Are full and strong. For God works like Himself, and therefore can and will support His people in the greatest difficulties.
(a) They are full (Act_13:52; 2Co_7:4; Joh_15:11).
(b) Strong (Heb_6:18).
III. The uses.
1. To reprove Christians for over-much dejection and fainting in troubles. Why are we so much cast down? Is there no balm in Gilead or comfort in God?
2. If all comfort be of God, let us go to Him for it.
(1) See that you are qualified for it. Comfort follows holiness, as heat fire. The Spirit is first a Sanctifier and then a Comforter (Eph_1:13-14).
(2) Expect not a singular way of comfort besides the Word, prayer, Lord’s supper, etc.
3. Consider the ends for which God gives comfort--to fortify us against the enemies of our salvation. (T. Manton, D. D.)
Divine comfort
When a man walketh in the sun, if his face be towards it, he hath nothing before him but bright shining light and comfortable heat; but let him once tram his back to the sun what hath he before him but a shadow? And what is a shadow but the privation of light and heat of the sun? Yea: it is but to behold his own shadow, defrauding himself of the other. Thus there is no true wisdom, happiness, comfort, but in beholding the countenance of God; look from that and we lose these blessings. And what shall we gain? A shadow, an empty image of ourselves instead of the reconciled face of God. (J. Spencer.)
Establishment
I. What it is. Confirmation in the grace we have received. It must be distinguished--
1. With respect to the power wherewith we are assisted. There is--
(1) Habitual confirmation, when habits of grace are more settled and increased.
(a) Faith: for we stand by faith (Rom_11:20; 1Pe_1:5 : Luk_22:32).
(b) Love (Son_8:6-7).
(c) Hope (Heb_6:19).
(2) Actual establishment, when these habits are fortified and quickened by the actual influence, of God; otherwise neither stability of resolutions (Psa_73:2), nor of gracious habits (Rev_3:2) will support us.
2. With respect to the matter about which it is conversant--stability.
(1) In the doctrine of faith (1Th_5:21; Jer_6:16). We ought to be well settled lest our fluctuating opinions breed unbelief in others and shame to ourselves. Yet while we cry up constancy we must not cherish prejudice which shuts the door on the light.
(2) In every good work, or holiness of life. Here the greatest establishment is needed. It is ill when the mind is tainted, but worse when the heart is alienated (1Th_3:13). This is difficult.
(a) Because of the contrariety of the principles that are within us (Gal_5:17). The garrison is not free from danger that has an enemy lodged within.
(b) Because it is more hard to continue in conversion than to be converted. The latter is more passive, the former active.
3. With respect to the subject in which it is seated: the soul with its faculties.
(1) The mind is established when we have a clear, certain, and full apprehension of the truth of the gospel (Col_2:2).
(2) The will is established when it is firmly and thoroughly resolved for God against sin (Act_11:23; Psa_27:4; 1Pe_4:1).
(3) The affections are established when they stir us up to do what the mind is convinced of, and the will resolved upon as to the necessary duties in order to eternal happiness (Psa_119:32).
(a) Love fills us with delight (Psa_40:8; 1Jn_5:3; Psa_112:1).
(b) Hope bears us up (Heb_3:6).
4. With respect to the uses which it serves.
(1) Doing the will of God with delight, cheerfulness, and constancy (Eph_3:16).
(2) Bearing afflictions with honour to God and safety to ourselves (Php_4:13; Col_1:11).
(3) Withstanding temptations (Eph_6:10).
5. With respect to the degree, it is such a strengthening of the soul as prevents not only our fall but our shaking (1Co_15:28; Eph_3:17; Col_1:23).
II. How needful it is.
1. Man at best is but a creature. As providence is a continual creation, so stablishing grace is the continuance of the new creation (2Co_1:21).
2. The indisposition of our natures.
(1) To every good word. The truths of the gospel are supernatural and must be settled and preserved by Divine power (Eph_2:8).
(2) To every good work (Jer_14:10; Psa_95:10).
3. In regard of those oppositions that are made against us after conversion. Satan pursues us ever (Col_1:13, cf. 1Jn_4:4); therefore there must be the same power to stablish us in grace that first brought us into a state of grace.
4. The saints miscarry when God withdraws His supporting grace, as Peter, David, etc. (Psa_51:1-19; 2Ch_32:31).
III. Why it is to be sought of God.
1. He only is able (Rom_16:25; Jud_1:24; 2Ti_1:12).
2. He is willing (2Co_1:10; 2Ti_4:17-18).
3. He has promised (Psa_73:23).
4. This is the experience of saints (Psa_94:18).
Conclusion: Look up to God for establishment.
1. When you begin to decline and grow indifferent in the practice of godliness. If grace be weak, you must get it strengthened (Psa_17:5; Psa_119:133).
2. In unsettled times when we are full of fears, and think we shall never hold out (Psa_16:8). (T. Manton, D. D.)
Sustained by Christ
There are men and women here who would have been dead twenty years ago but for Jesus. They have gone through trial enough to exhaust ten times their physical strength. Their property went, their health went, their families were scattered. God only knows what they suffered. They are an amazement to themselves that they have been able to stand it. They look at their once happy home, surrounded by all comfort. Gone! They think of the time when they used to rise strong in the morning and walk vigorously down the street, and had experienced a health they thought inexhaustible. Gone! Everything but Jesus. He has pitied them. His eye has watched them. His omnipotence has defended them. Yes, He has been with them. They have gone through disaster, and He was a pillar of fire by night. They have gone across stormy Galilee, but Christ had His foot on the neck of the storm. (T. De Witt Talmage.)
