Chapter 16: How a Treasure of Comforts Is to Be Laid Up
A fourth treasure to be hoarded up in the breast of a believer, is the sweet and satisfying comforts of the Spirit. It is true, these are the arbitrary and immediate effects of the sanctifying and sealing Spirit, yet ordinarily comfort is dropped from Heaven into the believing soul in a way of duty and holy endeavor, the nearer we approach to the Sun, and the more light and heat, now exercises of religion are a soul's approaching to the Sun of Righteousness, and for this cause it is good for us to draw near to God, that we may anchor and center our souls upon him, where only we shall have rest. This present reward we may find in keeping God's commandments, grace and peace, holiness and comforts go usually hand in hand, for her ways are ways of pleasantness, and her paths are peace (Proverbs 3:17). And great peace have they that love your Law (Psalm 119:165). Every gracious act has some degree of comfort annexed to it, peace is in them, as well as on them, that walk according to rule, and these good old ways bring us to rest in God, and produce a blessed Sabbath of rest in our spirits. If you keep God's commands, Christ will send the Comforter to you, or rather, himself will come to you, and make his abode with you (John 14:15, 16-23). Be much in the performance of holy duties, and enjoyment of God in Ordinances, and therein you may behold his beautiful face, and hear his pleasant voice. Here you may suck and be satisfied at these breasts of consolation, through these blessed pipes you may derive solid joy, and enjoy ravishing sweetness. Improve Scripture truths, act spiritual graces, lay up reviving experiences, and the result of all will be refreshing comforts.
But besides these, I counsel you to hoard up and make much of such thoughts as may be streams to feed and fill the well of solid, settled comforts in your hearts. Take only these four directions:
1. Lay up all your comfort in God alone. God is the Father of mercies, and the God of all consolation; there is not a beam of light or stream of joy, but what proceeds from this Sun and spring of grace and happiness. The great God that made all things with a word, can speak and make peace in the confused heart, it is one of his royal incommunicable prerogatives (Isaiah 51:12). I, even I am he that comforts you — if God comfort, who can sadden? And if God afflict, who else can comfort? The air lights not without the Sun, the fuel heats not without the fire, neither can any instrument cheer up a drooping heart, where God suspends his influence. But God's children have been encouraged and comforted in God in the absence of other comforts, as David and Habakkuk. O Christians, learn this divine art of fetching all your comforts from God, lay up your stock of comfort in the Rock of Ages, this will be as honey out of the Rock, as water from the fountain, that comes freely, sweetly, purely and abundantly. If you lay up all your comfort in the streams, what will you do for comfort when the streams are cut off? If you hang your comfort on every hedge, it will be far to seek in a day of need. But if God be your portion, the antidote is at hand, so that you need not fear poisoning or perplexing evils, for his very rod and staff shall comfort you. Old Chytraeus had this only and all-sufficient medicine and remedy in his troubled affairs, to support his fainting heart, the Father's heart, the faithful word and powerful hand of Jehovah, and thus he sings, Unae est in trepidâ mihi re Medicina Jehovae, Cor Patrium, os verax, omnipotensque manus. Hence it was that holy David disclaims all the world, and says, he has none in Heaven, or earth besides God (Psalm 73:25-26). And when all was gone he had still a sufficient portion in the absence or opposition of all the world. Hence it is that the saints have been like Mount Zion, and remained impregnable in the midst of waves, being settled upon the Rock of Ages. O Sirs, could you account God your exceeding joy, how sweetly and cheerfully would you go to his altar upon all occasions (Psalm 43:4). And if you lay up your comfort in God, you may know where to find it when you have lost it, and none can take your joy, because they cannot take your God away from you. That is the first.
2. Lay the stress of your comfort on free grace in justification: here only is the spring of all your comfort (Romans 5:1), being justified by faith we have peace with God — indeed, peace within, in our own consciences, for we glory in tribulations, verse 3. Gratuitous justification is the ground of all consolation: Christ's righteousness imputed is the sweetest word in all the Scriptures, which is ten times repeated in Romans 4. Though Papists make a mock of it, let Protestants make much of it; it is the sweetest flower in our garden, the Jachin and Boaz of our gospel temple, the ladder upon which souls ascend to Heaven. Our only comfort is bound up in the covenant of free grace, not in that of works: stick to this, stickle for this, let all go, rather than let this go — it is the chief article and principle of our religion, upon which the Church stands, without which it falls, as Luther says. O therefore let no mud defile this blessed stream; study free grace, ascribe all to free grace, lay up thoughts of undeserved distinguishing grace. Remember what our blessed Redeemer has done and endured; let the sorrows of his soul be the solace of your hearts: fetch your only comfort from his bitter cross. Consider how fully Christ has satisfied divine justice, how large and liberal the gospel proclamation is, how our dear Redeemer opens his arms and bosom to embrace repenting prodigals, how he bids all welcome, and never yet cast off any that came to him: how he has pardoned infamous sinners, and has received gifts even for rebellious. Roll these in your mind, clap the promises warm to your heart, let the hyssop of faith sprinkle Christ's blood upon your conscience, for generals afford no comfort; particular application is the only means of consolation. A hungry man takes little pleasure in gazing upon a feast, while he tastes not of it; David's table spread with dainties in the midst of his enemies, rather vexed than pleased those envious spectators. It is a blessed thing to think of pardon of sin, justifying grace, adoption, reconciliation, but what comfort can we take in that, except we can say, he loved me, and gave himself for me: my Lord, and my God, my Redeemer lives, a crown of life is laid up for me? O this, this is the life of our lives, the support of our souls! Yet if you cannot always say, that grace is yours, Christ is yours, and Heaven is yours, yet be much in the thoughts of free grace; pore not upon your vileness and unworthiness, but ponder upon that which can answer all in one word, I will have mercy, because I will have mercy, and on whom I will have mercy. Lay up such Scriptures as these (Romans 3:24; Isaiah 53:4-6; Isaiah 43:25; Hebrews 8:12), that by the comfort of these and such like Scriptures you may have hope: they may be worth mines of gold, and all the world, in a day of darkness to the doubting Christian.
3. Store up your clearest evidences of sincerity: the Spirit ordinarily conveys comfort by shining upon its own work; and by helping the soul to make practical syllogisms, as thus, whoever does sincerely call on the name of the Lord shall be saved, but says the soul, I do sincerely pray and perform other Christian duties, therefore I shall be saved. Or thus, grace is with them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, but says the soul, I love the Lord Jesus in sincerity, therefore I have the grace or favor of God. The major proposition is a Scripture assertion, the minor, or assumption is from a soul's inward experience of sincerity, and the Spirit of God witnessing with an upright heart and conscience, helps the soul to this demonstrative inference and conclusion, that he is a child of God, in God's favor, and shall be saved: and from that arises satisfaction and consolation. The poor soul by a reflex act does view the seeds and sproutings of a sincere faith and love, and says, though these have not purchased my husband's love, yet are they sweet effects thereof; these divine ornaments of saving graces do satisfyingly evidence that my soul is betrothed to Jesus Christ. If your souls be all glorious within in sanctification, it is a good sign your clothing is of wrought gold in justification — make sure and clear your effectual vocation, and then you clear up your eternal election. The sanctifying Spirit witnesses with the sanctified soul that it is a child of God: and thus some understand those three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, water and blood, to be the cleansing acts of the Spirit, evidencing the soul's interest in our Savior's efficacious merits. But this I desire of you, to clear up the truth of grace, fall upon the old trade of inquiring after marks of sincerity, yet do not think the bare hearing of them, or having such notes in your books or memory, will be sufficient means of comfort, but lay your hearts by them, in a close and convincing application, improve them by a self-posing examination, and then fetch inferences from them, in a rational way of argumentation, and lay up those deductions against a time of need. Write it down that you may have it to show under your hand against the quarrels of an unbelieving heart: treasure up the means and instruments of your peace and settlement, the time when, and place where your souls were satisfied, the low and hopeless state your souls were in before the Lord did visit you from on high. O lay up carefully the various circumstances about your satisfying comforts, the seasonable incomings thereof, their powerful entrance, and self-discovering, soul-recovering evidence: lay up the gradual progress, or sudden infallings of comfort into your hearts, with the strong abiding impression they left upon your spirits. Finally, lay up the sweet result and strengthening effects of those your consolations, that so for the future, in the multitude of your disquieting thoughts within you, these comforts may again delight your souls (Psalm 94:19).
4. Lay up tears in God's bottle, prayers in God's book, comforts in others' breasts, and promises in your own; I put all under one head, for brevity's sake. 1. Lay up many tears in God's bottle, comfort is the portion of mourners, it is promised by God, purchased by Christ, applied by the Spirit of comfort, and only suitable to weeping mourning souls, it is the usual constant design of God to comfort those that are cast down, to heal the broken in heart, to revive drooping souls, and contrite hearts; do you mourn for your sins, and God will comfort you in your mourning, the sorrows of the saints are like the pangs of a travelling woman, that tend to and end in comfort (John 16:21). Repentance is the ready road to contentment: the same word in Hebrew, that signifies first to repent, does also denote comforting or ceasing from sorrow, because true comfort belongs only to the penitent: the Jews fable, that with such as weep in the night, the stars and planets weep, and if they let the tears fall down their cheeks, God is ready with his bottle to receive them, which he pours (say they) upon the enemies' edicts to blot the writings that the Jews shall receive no hurt thereby: but sure I am, God is much affected with his children's tears, and comes (as it were) with a handkerchief to wipe away those tears, or rather (as the Scripture speaks) puts their tears into his bottle, and reserves them as a precious liquor for their future comfort. Shedding penitential tears is a spiritual seed-time, and they that sow in tears shall reap in joy; even sheaves of comfort are the harvest of this precious seed-plot: this briny water shall be turned into refreshing wine: according to the depth of your sorrow, will be the height of your comfort: not a tear shall be lost that's of the right stamp: every gracious groan is set before the Lord as delectable incense, and every drop distilled from a broken heart, shall in time multiply to a flood of joy. Who was more dissolved into tears than holy David? and who had a heart more full of joy, or a tongue so full of the high praises of God, as that sweet singer of Israel? O sirs, grieve much for sin, and you shall rejoice in, and for your grief: plenty of tears prepares for, and ushers in plenty of joy. But 2. Lay up many prayers in God's book, as well as tears in his bottle, be much in approaching to the throne of grace: the sighs of your spirits will be echoed with the sweet gusts of God's Spirit: the Spirit of grace will be a Spirit of peace; as prayer goes up, comfort comes down; God makes children joyful in the duty of prayer, as well as in the house of prayer: for this (says the Psalmist) shall every one that is godly pray to you — surely then in the floods of great waters they shall not come near to him (Psalm 32:6). Prayer reaches to heaven, and fetches heaven into the heart: prayer seeks, and the soul by faith in prayer sees God's face, which is a heart-rejoicing sight: it scatters fears, lightens the soul, and prevents shame and sorrow: ask, says Christ, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full (John 6:24). Therefore, Christians, pour out your heart to God, and he will pour in comfort to you. And then, thirdly, comfort others, as you are able, empty yourselves of experiences, by communicating them to afflicted souls, and they shall recur and retreat upon you with double advantage: there is much pleasure in opening our hearts to Christian friends. When you say, come and I will show you what he has done for my soul, God will do more for your souls: if you help others, God will help you: you little know how it may comfort you to impart comforts to others. Mister Knox rose off from his sick and death-bed, and would needs go to the pulpit, that he might impart to others his sweet meditations on Christ's resurrection, and the solacing consolation he felt in his soul. There's no envy in spiritual things, it's the property of a child of God to long, that others might taste of that which his soul feels comfort in: and indeed, God makes the breasts of some, to be the storehouse of comfort for others (2 Corinthians 1:6). Whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation, and salvation: not only by way of sympathy and affection, but by way of intercourse and communication. Besides, the more you comfort others, the more you have to pity and comfort you, the law of gratitude will engage them, and the treasure you have laid up in them will dispose them to be helps to you in the day of your sadness. 4. Lastly, store up Scripture cordials, covenant promises in your souls (Psalm 119:50). This is my comfort in affliction, your word has quickened me: this was David's portion, heritage, and his song in the house of his pilgrimage; especially improve and apply gospel promises, these are (fasciae Christi) the swaddling clothes of Christ, these are like Aqua vitae to the fainting soul. The Scripture is full of them, some have observed that the covenant of grace is mentioned directly a hundred times, but by clear and necessary consequence a thousand times in the book of God. God has laid in all these promises for our comfort, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. To this very end is it, that God has not only spoken but sworn, that we might have strong consolation (Hebrews 6:18). Promises are the breasts of consolation, at which you may suck and be satisfied: promises are sacred anchors, to fasten the soul upon the Rock of Ages, white sails for the blessed Spirit to waft over souls by, to the haven of rest; they are gospel pails, bowls and breasts to suckle and feed the Lord's lambs, and rich mines to make the Christian rich in grace, and rich in comfort. Therefore let Christians always have these divine antidotes at hand, for the help and support of their fainting souls: only look to your right to, and improvement of the promises. Divines observe a two-fold right to promises: 1. An hereditary right, [jus haereditarium] as we are co-heirs with Christ, so an interest in, and union to Jesus Christ, gives us this right. 2. A right of aptitude, fitness, disposedness, [jus aptitudinale] and this is by having holy dispositions, gospel qualifications, and the required conditions of conditional promises; this is necessary as well as the other, look you after both, and then you shall have the comfort of the promises, and a sure foundation of lively hope.
Thus I have endeavored to help you to hoard up these four precious and necessary treasures of truths, graces, experiences and comforts, let none of your souls be found destitute of these, or of a large share thereof particularly, for this last: O let not the consolations of God be small in your eyes, set a high price upon them, store them up, they are not the least part of your treasures; these will fit you for God's service, qualify you for enduring afflictions, fortify your spirits against temptations: you that at present are dandled upon the knee of God's fatherly indulgence, satisfied with favor, and sit at the high table eating and drinking in God's presence, feasting your souls with the dainty meats of assurance. Consider how soon may the Lord turn the tables, give you bare commons and water of gall to drink, and fill your souls with bitterness, be sure, you shall not always live by this kind of spiritual sense, a time of heaviness may come, when you must cast anchor in the dark, and act a faith of adherence upon an unseen Redeemer; indeed, trust in that God whom your souls do also fear as one that is ready to kill you: and you'll find it a hard thing, to hang about an angry, chiding, scourging father; therefore lay up the comforts your souls do now partake of, give God the glory of them, and recollect them in a time of darkness, plead them before the Lord, and upon a due sense of those, though now you see him not, yet love him, and believe in him, and in due time you shall rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8).
