Encouraging Gospel words of sanctification and comfort from John Colquhoun.If you would, read slowly, consider, and take them in...
True comfort, with regard to its object, is a rejoicing more in the amiableness and excellence of Christ, manifested, than in the manifestation of them; but counterfeit joy, is a rejoicing more in the manifestation itself, than in the excellence of the Divine object, manifested.
The true Christian, rejoices most in the holy, and amiable nature of the things of Christ: the formalist delights most in his own pretended interest in those things. That which delights him, is not so much the beauty of the Lord, as the beauty of his own experience.
The delight, which the believer taketh in the Lord, and in his word, is his chief delight, his exceeding joy. The dearest delights of nature, are, in his estimation, infinitely below Christ, and God in Him. The presence and enjoyment of Christ will, in his esteem, supply the want of all other comforts. But, the chief delight of the hypocrite, is not in the Lord, but in some other object.
True consolation usually accompanies, or follows, godly sorrow for sin; but the joy of the empty formalist, springs up quickly, and without contrition of heart. If the hypocrite but offers to mourn for sin, it will effectually hinder his rejoicing in God.
The godly sorrow of the believer, will be a matter of joy to him: he rejoices more, when his heart is melting for sin, than he would do, though he had all the carnal delights in the world.
The consolation of the believer is holy: it hath a holy, a sanctifying influence upon his soul. It disposes him to practice willingly and cheerfully, universal holiness. It strengthens, encourages, and enlivens his heart in holy obedience. It invigorates him for it: it excites him to it. But the joy of the hypocrite is unholy: it leaves his heart, as carnal, and his life, as unholy as ever; nay, it strengthens his lusts and encourages him in sloth, and in the practice of some secret iniquity.
True comfort humbles the sincere Christian, and lays him in the dust at the footstool of a God of infinite holiness, and sovereign grace; but counterfeit joy, puffs up the empty formalist, with pride and self-conceit.
Pure consolation, is accompanied with a constant fear of displeasing the Lord; but delusive joy, is connected with no fear, except that of suffering from him.
Spiritual comfort cannot be maintained, without a holy tenderness of conscience, and a constant struggle against all manner of sin; but carnal and hypocritical joy is preserved, without, either the one or the other.
True consolation, renders every sin more and more hateful; but counterfeit joy leaves the hypocrite under the reigning love of all iniquity, and especially, of some darling sin.
Holy comfort, disposes the believer to the frequent exercise of impartial self-examination; but delusive joy, inclines and encourages the hypocrite to neglect that exercise.
In a word, True consolation is permanent. It is by the Holy Spirit so fixed in the heart, that it can never be wholly removed; and it is so strong, that it swallows up almost, all matter of unwarrantable fear and grief. Indeed, when the believer hath lost all sight of his personal interest in the Saviour, he cannot, as formerly, exercise his joy in God, and cannot, in such a case, but lose the sense of that joy, even while the principle and habit of it still remain. But, though the hypocrite's persuasion of his pretended interest in the Divine favor, continues; yet his joy ceases: his sense of that interest becomes insipid to him.John Colquhoun, A Treatise on Spiritual Comfort. (pp 33-36)
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