he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God 4. By Christ overcoming the world the world is become ours the troubles of the world which would of themselves hinder our Salvation shall be made through the Conquest of Christ to further our Salvation Phil. 1.19 I know that this shall turn to my Salvation The Apostle speaks of his Bonds and of the afflictions some evil minded men thought to add to his Bonds ver 13.16 And he knew that his afflictions should be so far from hindring that it should be a furtherance of his Salvation See also 2 Cor. 1.6 VVhether we be afflicted it is for your Consolation and Salvation which is effectual in enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer The Salvation of the Corinthians was effectual that is powerfully promoted effectually carried by enduring the same sufferings which the Apostle endured Hence the World through Christ is said to be ours as well as all other things 1 Cor. 1.21 22 23. Because even the troubles of the World are through Christ made to work for our advantage § The intercession of Christ a ground of comfort against the troubles of the World II. The intercession of Christ is a ground of comfort against the troubles of the World Joh 17.9 13. I pray for them whom thou hast given me And these things I speak in the VVorld that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves He acquainted them with his praying for them on purpose that their hearts might be filled with joy It is a comfort to such as are in affliction to hear that good men are always mindful of them in their Prayers to God 1 Thes 3.6 7. You have a good remembrance of us alwayes Therefore Brethren we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your Faith If it were good tidings to the Apostle to hear that the Thessalonians had good remembrance of him always and that which did comfort him in all his affliction and distress How much more may it comfort us in all our affliction and distress to hear that Jesus Christ hath good remembrance of us alwayes and ever liveth to make intercession for us For 1. Though Christ be in Heaven and we are upon the Earth he beareth us upon his heart continually This was typified by the high Priest under the Law Aaron bore the names and the judgment of the Children of Israel upon his heart continually when he went into the holy place Exod. 28.29 30. And Aaron shall bear the names of the Children of Israel upon the Breast plate of judgment upon his heart when he goeth in unto the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually And shall bear the judgment of the Children of Israel before the Lord continually Aaron the high Priest was a Type of Christ who is our great high Priest Heb. 4.14 Aarons going in unto the holy place was a Type of Christs ascending into Heaven Heb. 9.24 What Aaron did Typically when he entred into the holy place that Christ doth really for us now he is in Heaven And what was it that Aaron did when he went into the holy place 1. He bore the names and he bore the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart The judgment of the Children of Israel may signifie all their causes their affairs their condition this teacheth us Christ our high Priest knoweth his by name and that both their persons and conditions are born upon his heart 2 Aaron bore the names and judgments of the Children of Israel upon his heart at all times when he went into the holy place twice it is mentioned that he bore them continually which teacheth us that neither our persons or conditions are at any time forgotten of Christ but they are upon his heart continually now that he is in Heaven Psal 73.23 I am continually with thee That is continually upon thy heart under thy care And as David was so are we continually with Christ 3. Aaron bore both the names and judgment of the Children of Israel for a memorial before the Lord continually So Christ our high Priest as he carrieth our persons and conditions upon his own heart so he continually presenteth our case and condition before his Father The Apostle said 2 Cor. 7.3 You are in our hearts to die and live with you The like may be said of Christ concerning all that are his They are so much in the heart of Christ that he dyed for them and now that he is raised from the dead they are so much on his heart that he will live with them for evermore The Church of Christ is more upon the heart of Christ than the Church of Corinth was upon Pauls heart Now if the Saints had such a Room in Pauls heart that it was in his heart to live and dye with them then how much are all the Saints upon the heart of Christ What the Lord saith of Solomons Temple 2 Chron. 7.16 Mine Eyes and mine Heart shall be there perpetually The same is true of all Christians that are the Temple of God 2 Cor. 6.16 Ye are the Temple of the Living God The eyes of the Lord and the heart of the Lord shall be upon them perpetually Christs bearing us upon his heart is set forth by his carrying his Lambs in his Bosom Isa 40.11 He shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd he shall gather the Lambs with his Arm and carry them in his Bosom It is not said he shall put them but he shall carry them in his Bosom intimating that not only strong Christians but the weakest and most feeble and shiftless are always born upon his heart And in doing this he fulfills his Peoples Prayers for they desire to be set as a Seal upon the heart of Christ Cant. 8.8 Set me as a Seal upon thine heart as a Seal upon thine Arm. The Seal makes and leaves an impression upon the Wax and all the cuts and engravings on the Seal are imprinted on the Wax 't is as if the Spouse should have said carry me upon thy heart as men use to carry Seals which they are very chary of and that there be deep and abiding impressions of all my troubles graven upon thy heart set me as a Seal upon thine Arm that is manifest the love of thine heart by thy actings towards me and for me put forth thy power to help me in all my troubles The Apostle had great confidence that God would give preserving grace to the Philippians because they were much in his heart to pray for them every time he went to the Throne of Grace Phil. 1.4 6 7. Always in every Prayer of mine for you all making request with joy Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it untill the day of Jesus Christ even as it is meet for me to think this of you all because I have you in my heart If the
goat and confess over him all the Iniquities of the Children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sins And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities into a Land not inhabited This did signifie Gods laying all our sins upon Christ Isa 53.6 And Christ making satisfaction for them all bearing them all away by his death 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body upon the tree The discharge that Christ by his death hath obtained for us is a full discharge VVhatever sin may be charged upon us by the Law by Conscience by Satan who is our accuser by the justice of God all is discharged and quitted and answered by the death of Christ Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect. It is God that justifieth It is Christ that dyed Out of respect to the Death of Christ God will forgive us all our trespasses how many or how great soever they have been Col. 2.13 Having forgiven you all trespasses Ps 103.3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities Ps 85.2 Thou hast forgiven all the iniquities of thy people thou hast covered all our sin And that we may be the more fully assured that the pardon which our Lord Jesus hath obtained for us is a full and general pardon of all offences the Lord hath obliged himself by many promises for Christs sake to pardon all and every one of our sins Jer. 33.8 I will cleanse them from all their Iniquity whereby they have sinned against me and I will pardon all their Iniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against me Ezek. 36.25 From all your filthiness and all your Idols I will cleanse you 2. Our Lord Jesus hath obtained of God that this general pardon shall be for ever that all our sins should be forgiven for ever and never be remembred against us to Eternity Heb. 8.12 I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their Iniquities will I remember no more And this is implyed in such promises as these Mich. 7.19 Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea that is as Drusius observ's aeternâ oblivione delebit memoriam peccatorum nostrorum He will blot out the remembrance of our sins for ever Those things that are cast into the depths of the Sea are wholly and for ever taken out of our sight Psal 103.12 As far as the East is from the West so far hath he removed our transgressious from us That is so far as they shall never be laid to our charge any more For the East and VVest are at that great distance that they shall never come together Ezek. 33.16 None of the sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned to him 3. The Lord Jesus hath obtained a general and perpetual pardon of all offences upon terms of free grace without any respect to merit or worthiness in us that are partakers of it Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ Eph. 1.7 In whom we have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace It is from grace free-graces the riches of grace that we have pardon of our Sins through the blood of Christ It is not for our sakes but for his own sake and his Sons sake that the Lord pardons our sins Isa 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember tâ—y sin Eph. 4.32 God for Christs sake hath forgiven you 4. This free this everlasting this general pardon of all offences our Lord Jesus Christ hath purchased for all that are his that is for all that do and all that shall believe in him in all places and all ages of the world Act. 13.39 By him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 10.43 To him gave all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Now this free this everlasting this full and general pardon which our Lord Jesus Christ hath obtained for all that are his by shedding his blood for them is a ground of strong consolation under all the troubles of life and all fears and terrours of death Rom. 5.1 3. Being therefore justified by Faith We glory in Tribulations Justified persons whose sins are remitted through the blood of Christ may glory not only when they are got out of their troubles but when they are in the midst of all their tribulations Isa 33.24 The Inhabitant shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquities It is not said the Inhabitant shall be without sickness The greatest of Gods favourites are liable to sickness as well as other men Daniel was a man greatly beloved yet he was sick and faint many days Dan. 8.27 I Daniel fainted and was sick certain dayes And it is said of Lazarus John 11.3 Lord he whom thou lovest is sick Justified persons are oft times sick as well as other men but the pardon of sin doth so sweeten their affliction that they shall not say I am sick that is they shall not say by way of complaint and discontent Sin unpardoned makes afflictions like gall and wormwood that is exceeding bitter Lam. 3.5 15 42. He bath compassed me with gall He hath filled me with bitterness he hath made me drunken with worm wood We have transgressed and rebelled and thou hast not pardoned But pardon of sin doth so sweeten the bitterest afflictions that it takes away all causes of complaint under the rod of God The Inhabitant shall not say I am sick and why is it because there is no sickness No but because the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquitie VVhen a man is taken sick and his sickness for ought he knoweth may be his death sickness when he is so sick that he can't go or stand or set up but is confined to his Bed if his sins be forgiven him he may be of good cheer Math. 9.2 Son be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee Here is a sick man his sickness was very uncomfortable he was sick of the Palsie he was brought very low he kept his Bed there was no way for his recovery but a miracle yet before Christ gave him any intimation of his purpose to heal him he bid him be of good cheer and why because his sins were forgiven him This pardon of all our sins which is obtained for us by our Lord Jesus Christ may comfort us against all the fears and terrours of Death on several accounts 1. VVhen our sins are pardoned the sting of Death is taken away For the sting of Death is sin 1 Cor. 15.56 And when Sin is forgiven Death hath lost its sting and when the sting of Death is taken away we need not be afraid of Death
promised to comfort his afflicted people And ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem That is to be observed for this Prophet had foretold great judgments and desolations should come upon Jerasalem As Isa 3.8 Jerusalem is ruined and Judah is fallen Isa 24.3 11. The Land shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoyled All joy is darkned and the mirth of the Land is gone Isa 64.10 Thy Holy Cities are a Wilderness Zion is a Wilderness Jerusalem a desolation Yet though these Ruines and Desolations were coming upon Jerusalem that the Land should be utterly spoiled all joy be darkned and the mirth of the Land quite gone yet the Lord promiseth to comfort his people in Jerusalem We that have such promises may rest upon God that for Christs sake he will comfort us in all our tribulations Mich. 7.8 VVhen I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me Afflictions and troubles are set out by the name of darkness Isa 45.7 Joy and Comfort are expressed by the name of light Psal 97.11 So that the meaning is when I am in trouble and distress the Lord shall give me comfort Ps 38.7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble thou wilt revive me Obj. But do we not see that notwithstanding these promises and the confidences of the people of God that God will comfort them in their afflictions yet they are oft times under very great sorrows and heaviness A. 1. The people of God have Flesh as well as Spirit though the Spirit be willing to love the cross the Flesh is weak though the Spirit rejoyceth in God the Flesh feeling the smart of the Rod mourns 2. Their sorrows do not last alwayes but are soon turned into joy Joh. 16.20 Ye shall weep and lament but your sorrow shall be turned into joy Christ doth not promise his Disciples that they shall have no sorrows no cause of weeping but this he promiseth that they shall not be left comfortless under their sorrows for their sorrow shall be turned into joy Psal 30.5 11. VVeeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning 3. Even while the people of God are mourning they are sowing the seeds of joy and comfort and shall doubtless reap the fruit of their sorrows in more abundant consolations Ps 126.5 6. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoyceing bringing his sheaves with him There is much more reaped than was sown A little quantity of seed yields whole Cart-loads of Corn. To open this more fully of Christs promising not to leave his people comfortless in their troubles I will shew you several wayes whereby Christ comforts his Members and gives them peace under their greatest troubles 1. By shedding abroad the love of God in their hearts by the Holy Ghost which he gives unto them Rom. 5.3 5. VVe glory in tribulation because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us By shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts understand the manifesting of Gods love to our souls the giving us the knowledge and understanding of the love of God which doth wonderfully affect the heart with joy and gladness Psal 42.7 8. All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me yet the Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time and in the night his Song shall be with me Two things are here worthy of our observation 1. David did believe that in his greatest distresses when all Gods waves and billows went over him God would express and manifest his love to him yet the Lord will command his loving kindness The commanding his loving kindness implyeth the powerful expressions of his love VVhere the word of a King is there is power Eccl. 8.4 And the abiding impressions of his love Ps 33.9 He commanded and it stood fast And the speedy manifestation of his love For when God gives a command to things to be done it implyeth speed Ps 147.15 He sendeth forth his Commandment upon the Earth his word runneth very swiftly 2. David did believe that the manifestation of the love of God would be such a comfort to him that it would make his heart to sing for joy in his greatest distresses yet the Lord shall command his loving kindness and in the night his song shall be with me 2. Jesus Christ comforts and refresheth his Members in their troubles by those gracious visits which he gives them in their afflictions Job 10.12 Thy visitation hath preserved my Spirit John 16.22 And ye now have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you A visit from a good man is very comfortable in a day of trouble 2 Cor. 7.5 6. Our flesh had no rest we were troubled on every side without were fightings within were fears Nevertheless God that comforteth them that are cast down comforted us by the coming of Titus If a visit from a good man be so refreshing that it will comfort us when we are troubled on every side when we have fightings without and fears within then how comfortable is a visit from Christ in the day of trouble But how doth Christ visit his afflicted people what are those visits of Christ which he gives his people in their affliction A. 1. Christ visiteth his people with his word by bringing suitable and encouraging promises to them in a day of distress Lam. 3.54 57. Waters flowed over mine head then I said I am cut off Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee thou saidest fear not Thus the Lord visited Abraham with a suitable word of promise Gen. 15.1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abraham in a Vision saying Fear not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward And these are sweet visits which do greatly rejoyce the heart Psal 119.162 I rejoyce at thy word as one that findeth great spoil 2. Jesus Christ visiteth his people in their afflictions by his Spirit the teachings the revivings the supports of his Spirit Cant. 2.6 His left hand is under my head his right hand doth embrace me Isa 41.10 Fear thou not for I am with thee I will strengthen thee I will uphold thee Isa 57.15 I dwell with him that is of a contrite and an humble Spirit to revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones 3. The Lord Jesus visits his afflicted people when he answers their Prayers and fulfils his own promises Gen. 21.1 And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken 4. The Lord visits his afflicted people when he raiseth up deliverance for them out of their troubles Psal 106.4 O visit me with thy Salvation And such visits when God saves his people out of their troubles cause great joy Psal 21.1 The King shall joy in