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GOD DELIGHTS TO COMFORT HIS PEOPLE
IT is the peculiar character of the Lord’s people, that they enter into the concerns of the Church, rejoicing in her prosperity, and lamenting whatever tends to her dishonour. For both these exercises of mind there is occasion in every place and in every age. If but one soul be added to the Church, it is a ground of joy even to the angels in heaven, and much more to those whose hands are strengthened by every such accession: on the other hand, the low state of the Church must of necessity fill every pious soul with grief and shame. But there is a time approaching, when the grounds of joy will greatly preponderate, when there will be a vast increase of glory to the Church, when innumerable multitudes both of Jews and Gentiles shall flock to her standard, and “her peace shall flow down like a river.” It is of this period that the prophet is speaking, both in this and the preceding chapter: and so sudden will be its arrival, that it will seem as if “a nation were born in a day.” To this period we should look forward with joy: and whatever occasions there may be for sorrow, on account of existing circumstances, the prospect of such a glorious event should fill us with heavenly consolation.
That we may enter more fully into the exhortation in our text, we shall set before you,
I. A general view of the consolations which God has prepared for his people—
God delights in the character of a comforter: he calls himself “The Comforter of all them that are cast down:” yea, each person of the ever-blessed Trinity is expressly designated by this title: “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort [Note: 2Co_1:3.]:” The Lord Jesus is “the Consolation of Israel [Note: Luk_2:25.]:” and the Holy Spirit is yet more particularly made known to us as “The Comforter, (that other Comforter,) whom the Father will send to us in Christ’s name [Note: Joh_14:16; Joh_14:26.].” And well is God set forth under this character, since he has prepared most abundant and “everlasting consolation” for us,
1. In the work and offices of his Son—
[What is there which fallen man can want, that is not treasured up for us in the Lord Jesus Christ? Are we ignorant, guilty, polluted, and enslaved? “Christ is of God made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption [Note: 1Co_1:30.]:” he is a Priest, on purpose to make atonement for us; a Prophet, on purpose to teach us by his word and Spirit; a King, on purpose that he may rule over us and in us. In a word, there is “all fulness treasured up in Him [Note: Col_1:19.],” in order that we may “receive out of His fulness grace for grace [Note: Joh_1:16.].” Hence the Apostle, assuming it as an obvious and acknowledged truth, urges it as a motive to universal love; “If there be any consolation in Christ, fulfil ye my joy,” being all in perfect unity with each other [Note: Php_2:1-2.].]
2. In the fulness and stability of his covenant—
[The “everlasting covenant,” which from all eternity was made between the Father and the Son, was “ordered in all things and sure [Note: 2Sa_23:5.].” There is not any thing we desire, but there is the most abundant provision made for it by many and repeated promises, all of which he has confirmed to us by the most solemn oath. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! Jehovah covenants; Jehovah swears! And wherefore does he so condescend to the infirmities of men? Is it to guard against a versatility of mind on his part? No; but to comfort us under our fears of his displeasure: “being willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, he confirmed it with an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold of the hope set before us [Note: Heb_6:17-18.].”]
3. In the richness and variety of his ordinances—
[God does not merely permit us to approach him, but has commanded us to come to his footstool, and to make known to him our requests in every possible situation and circumstance of life. He has appointed ordinances, public, private, social, assuring us, that, if we “draw nigh to him, he will draw nigh to us,” and “do exceeding abundantly for us above all that we can ask or think.” These ordinances are beautifully represented in our text as “breasts of consolation, which we may suck and be satisfied with, yea, from which we may milk out and be delighted with an abundance of glory.” And here let me ask the people of the Lord, Whether God has not “spread for them, as for his people of old, a table in the wilderness;” and abundantly blessed to them the provisions of his house? whether “their weary souls have not been satiated, and their sorrowful souls replenished?” whether in these seasons “light has not often arisen to them in obscurity, and their darkness been made as the noon day?” and especially, whether at the table of the Lord, when they have been feeding on the body and blood of their crucified Saviour, they have not often found “his body to be bread indeed, and his blood to be drink indeed?” Yes; in reading his word, and in communion with him, the soul enjoys a feast of fat things, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined [Note: Isa_25:6.];” and those who have most frequented “his banqueting house,” have most found “his banner over them to be love [Note: Son_2:3-4.].”]
4. In the gifts and trials of his Ministers—
[Various are the gifts with which the Lord endows his servants [Note: 1Co_12:8-11.], that he may thereby adapt his word to the necessities of all [Note: Eph_4:11-13.]: and the particular commission which he gives to every one of them is, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem [Note: Isa_40:1-2.]: “Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees, and say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not; your God will come and save you [Note: Isa_35:3-4. See also, particularly in this view, Isa_61:1-3.].” He chooses to apeak to us by men, rather than by angels; because they, by their own experience of the bitterness of sin and of the consolations of the Gospel, are able to testily of “the things which they have heard, and seen, and handled [Note: 1Jn_1:1.];” and can speak with tenderness and compassion to others, from a sense of their own great and manifold infirmities [Note: Heb_5:1-2.]. It usually happens, too, that those ministers who are made most useful to the Church of God have themselves been brought into deep waters, and been subjected to many trials; God “giving them thereby the tongue of the learned,” and qualifying them to “speak a word in season” to persons in all the varied circumstances of life [Note: Isa_50:4.]. To this St. Paul ascribes both the trials and consolations which had so greatly abounded in his experience: “God,” says he, “comforteth us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble with the same comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation; or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation [Note: 2Co_1:4-6. This passage is worthy of very particular attention, specially in the view in which it is here adduced.].”]
But, if we would justly appreciate the consolations prepared for us, let us take,
II. A more particular view of them, as represented in the image before us—
The images in the Holy Scriptures have this distinguished excellence, that they bring home to the comprehension and the feelings of every man truths which are at once the most exalted and most interesting that can be presented to our view. It is quite erroneous to suppose, that, because an image is common, it is therefore unfit to be a vehicle of Divine truth; we should rather say, it is therefore the most proper for illustrating such things as are analogous to it. The idea of a little infant sucking at his mother’s breast, and borne in her arms, on her side, or dandled on her knees, may seem unworthy to express the love of Jehovah towards his people; yet will we assert, that the whole creation does not present an image that will more adequately convey this sentiment to our minds. It suggests to us,
1. His attention to our wants—
[How great and manifold are the wants of a little child; no one of which he himself is able to supply! but his mother provides for every one of them, and anticipates them even before he is brought into the world. In like manner, the number of our wants is only equalled by the extent of our helplenness: we are not of ourselves able to do any thing good, nor “to speak a good word,” no, nor even “to think a good thought.” But our God has promised “to supply all our wants, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus [Note: Php_4:19.].” “He knoweth what things we have need of before we ask him;” and he has engaged, that, “though the lions may lack and suffer hunger, they who fear him shall want no manner of thing that is good:” he will give them “grace to help them in every time of need,” and “his grace shall be sufficient for them.”]
2. His sympathy with us in our troubles—
[Through diseases of various kinds, and accidents almost innumerable, the days of infancy afford much scope fur the exercise of parental tenderness and affection. And where is the mother whose bowels have not frequently yearned over her afflicted offspring? How has the sudden cry of her infant pierced her soul, even as with a sword! Yet is this but a very faint image of the tenderness and compassion of our God. In reference to his people of old, it is said, “His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel [Note: Jdg_10:16.];” and “in all their afflictions he was afflicted [Note: Isa_63:9.].” So now, if any presume to injure them, God says, “He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye [Note: Zec_2:8.].” Our Divine Master identifies himself with his people, and regards every thing that is done to them, whether good or evil, as done unto himself: if they be persecuted, it is he that is smitten [Note: Act_9:4.]; or if they have kindness ministered unto them, it is he that is relieved [Note: Mat_25:45.]. One member of the body does not more participate the feelings of the rest, than he does the trials and troubles of his redeemed people: indeed, he submitted to be “made in all things like unto them, on purpose that he might, as our faithful and compassionate High Priest,” be stimulated, as it were, from his own experience, to pity and relieve his tempted people [Note: Heb_2:17-18; Heb_4:15.].]
3. His forbearance towards us in our perverseness—
[Few things perhaps are more trying to the temper than the untowardness of a perverse child: it requires all the love of a parent to support it, when it is great and of long continuance. But what parent ever had to endure a thousandth part of the perverseness which our God has seen in us; seen too in the midst of all his kindness? No one can read the history of Israel in the wilderness without being amazed at the multitude of their provocations, and at the patience with which “God suffered their manners forty years:” yet this is a just representation of human nature, in every place, and every age. Of the very best amongst us it may he said, that “he falleth seven times a day:” yea, “in many things we offend all.” But God “does not deal with us after our sins, nor reward us according to our iniquities:” on the contrary, “he spareth, when we deserve punishment;” “he keepeth mercy for thousands,” who, alas! would soon cast it away; “he forgiveth iniquity, transgression, and sin;” and, if constrained to chasten us with the rod, he “does not suffer his whole displeasure to arise,” but chastises in mercy only, and “does not utterly take away his loving-kindness from us.”]
4. His affectionate endearments—
[It is well known with what delight a mother will “bear her” infant in her arms, and “dandle him on her knees:” and it should seem as if this were an extravagant representation of the Saviour’s love to us: but he “bare his people, and carried them all the days of old:” even “as an eagle beareth on her wings” her unfledged offspring, so does he now “carry the lambs in his bosom, and gently lead them that are with young.” It is, if we may so speak, a delight to him to “manifest himself to them” in the most endearing manner; to “lift up the light of his countenance upon them;” to “kiss them with the kisses of his lips,” and to “shed abroad his love in their hearts by the Holy Ghost.” He accounts them “his jewels,” and “his peculiar treasure;” and “rejoices over them, to do them good” in every possible way. Not all the endearments of the tenderest mother can exceed the exercises of his mind towards us, as described by an inspired prophet: “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty: he will save: he will rejoice over thee with joy: he will rest in his love: he will joy over thee with singing [Note: Zep_3:17.].”]
Address—
1. Those who are strangers to our Jerusalem—
[It is generally thought amongst you, that there is no happiness in religion. But, I would ask, Where else is it to be found? You may go and watch for it through the whole creation in vain: “The depth saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, It is not in me. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof [Note: Job_28:14-15.]:” it is in Christ only that the nations of the earth either are, or can be, blessed. If it be said, that religion has its peculiar trials; we acknowledge readily, that it has: but if it bring trials, it affords comforts also to counterbalance them: indeed the very word “comfort” necessarily implies in it somewhat of previous pain or trouble. Sorrow for sin, the mortification of our in-dwelling corruptions, the enduring of contempt and reproach for Christ’s sake, may all be considered as painful in themselves; but none ever took “this yoke” upon them, without finding it, after a season, both “light and easy;” and being enabled at last to take pleasure, and to glory, in those very trials, which appear so formidable to unenlightened men [Note: 2Co_12:9-10.]. But if you wish to be happy and yet hold fast your sins, that is impossible: as the tenderest mother in the universe cannot make her child happy, whilst he is under the influence of perverse and wicked dispositions, so neither can God himself make you happy, whilst you are living in disobedience to any one of his commands. There must of necessity be a difference between a duteous and a disobedient child: to the one a wise mother will impart many testimonies of her regard, which she is constrained to withhold from the other. So it is with God: he manifests himself to his faithful people as he does not unto the world: and if we would but walk before him as obedient children, he would give us a foretaste of heaven itself, in the light of his countenance, and in the tokens of his love. Were this duly considered, we should no longer be content to live as “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,” but should seek to become “fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”]
2. Those who love and mourn for her—
[Your concern for the welfare of the Church is a hopeful evidence that you have received the word of God in truth; for it is the characteristic mark of all true saints, that “they prefer Jerusalem above their chief joy.” But, whilst you are concerned about the Church at large, you must not forget, that you yourselves constitute a part of that Church, and that the other members of this great family will rejoice or mourn, according as you walk worthy, or unworthy, of your high calling. The comfort of God’s children depends, not only on the manifestations of his favour, but on the state of the Church around them. What tears did David shed on account of those who kept not God’s law! and how did Paul feel, as it were, all the pangs of travail renewed in his soul, when the misconduct of some in the Galatian Church caused him to stand in doubt of them! On the other hand, no words could express the joy which John, the beloved disciple, felt, “when he saw his children walk in truth.” Be watchful then over your whole spirit and conduct; and see that they be such as become the Gospel of Christ. On this the honour of your heavenly Parent depends: on this also depend the manifestations of his love to your souls. Only seek that God may be glorified in you; and then shall thanksgivings abound towards him on your account: your own “peace also shall flow down like a river,” und the prosperity of Zion be greatly increased.]