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I. GOOD MEN ARE OFTEN GREATLY CAST DOWN IN SOUL. Paul had been disappointed at not meeting with Titus at Troas.

1. Why was he so anxious? Paul had met with perils by sea and by land, etc. These things tried him greatly, but it was suspense of mind concerning the state of the Corinthian Church that cast him down. It is not temporal trials, toils, or perils that break down the spirit of a man, so much as cankering cares and anxiety.

2. There are many things that "cast down" the spirits of good men.

(1) The prosperity of the wicked.

(2) The triumphs of wrong — fraud in trade, corruption in politics, errors in science, moral filth in popular literature.

(3) The non-success of Christly labour.

II. GOD SOMETIMES COMFORTS A GOOD MAN BY THE VISITS OF A FRIEND. "Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus."

1. God does comfort His depressed servants.

2. God sometimes comforts by the instrumentality of good men. David, dejected in the wood, had his heart strengthened by Jonathan (1 Samuel 23:16).Conclusion:

1. Christliness does not remove the constitutional infirmities of human nature.

2. That the vicarious sufferings of love are amongst the most depressing.

3. A genuine Christian carries comfort into the house of his distressed friend — Titus to Paul.

(D. Thomas, D. D.)

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KJV: Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

WEB: Nevertheless, he who comforts the lowly, God, comforted us by the coming of Titus;