An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 92
SERM. XCII.
A further Diſcovery of the Nature and Effects of Godly Sincerity.
2 COR. 1. 12.
In godly ſincerity.
GOdly Sincerity (you heard) did raiſe up the heart of a man above all low and inferiour ends, fixing it upon God only.
Now becauſe I have ſpoken much of this upon other occaſions, I ſhall Propoſitions concerning godly ſincerity.briefly diſpatch this ſubject at this time, laying down ſeveral Propoſitions, which will partly be deſcriptive of the nature of this ſincerity, and partly manifeſtative of what are the effects of it. And
Firſt, This ſincerity doth comprehend an Univerſality in it. Hypocriſie dealeth in pieces and parcels, it doth many things, and it omitteth many 1. 'Tis univerſal.things; whereas ſincerity comprehendeth all the eſſential parts of Religion, it is not defective in neceſſaries; though it hath not perfection of degrees, yet it hath of parts: Therefore ſincerity is the ſame with foreign, compleatneſſe of all parts and limbs, when a man hath every part of the body, that is his foreign, lot, or condition, or portion to have, 1 Theſſ. 5. 23. Hence Jam. 1. 4. it is called entire, that ye may be entire, wanting nothing. It was the fault that Chriſt found with the Church of Sardis, Revel. 3. 2. That he had not found her works perfect before God, foreign, filled up. There were many empty hollow places and vacuities, as it were, wanting this grace, and that duty which would have made her compleat. Now there are ſeveral kinds of Univerſalities, wherein this ſincerity doth diſcover it ſelf. There is an univerſality of the Object matter, about which it is exerciſed: It maketh a man carefull to performe the greateſt duties, and the leſſe duties: It accounteth nothing little, wherein the command of God is concerned, that is a great God: It abſtaineth from great ſinnes and little ſinnes: It accounteth no ſinne little, which cannot be purged away, but by the blood of Chriſt. Again, it doth faithfully reſpect all the Commandments of God, ſuch as are terminated upon God himſelf, or ſuch as relate to man. Paul expreſſed this ſincerity, when he called it, A conſcience void of offence both towards God and man, Act. 24. 16. He knoweth true Religion cannot be without righteouſneſſe; nor godly righteouſneſſe without the duties of Religion. Furthermoee, there are duties of ſuffering for Chriſt, as well as of doing for him: Sometimes it is farre more unpleaſing to fleſh and blood to ſuffer for Chriſt, then to be doing for him. But the ſincere heart is prepared for both, he doth not capitulate with Chriſt about what he ſhall be put upon: Therefore it is that he is willing to take up the croſſe, and to follow Chriſt; he accepteth of thoſe duties, where ſelf-denial, and ſelf-mortification are requiſite, as thoſe which may be more gratefull and acceptable unto a man. Oh how much eaſier is it to preach theſe things, and to hear theſe things, then to practiſe them! As there is an univerſality of the Object, ſo alſo of the Subject where this is; every part of the ſoul is ſanctified. There is not illumination without ſanctification; gifts without grace: but the whole man is rightly conſtituted. Hence we told you, ſincerity is not properly a grace, but it's the modification of grace, every grace is to be ſincere, 1 Tim. 1. 5. There is a pure heart, a good conſcience, and faith unfeigned. So that ſincerity is a property, and an affection of every grace; it's not repentance, unleſſe ſincere; it's not faith, except ſincere. Again, There is an Univerſality of time and place. A ſincere man is godly in times of proſperity, as well as of adverſity; in times of health, as well as of ſickneſſe; on the week day, as well as the Sabbath. And ſo for places, Paul ſaith in the Text, it was in the world, as well as at Corinth. At ſome times, in ſome places, and with ſome company to pretend onelyonly for God, this diſcovereth hypocriſie in the bottome.
Secondly, Sincerity is herein remarkable, That it goeth to the bottome and 2. Sincerity goeth to the bottom of ſin.root of ſinne. It doth not onelyonly take away the external acts, and ſo make a ſmooth skinne, but it giveth good vitals and inwards: eſpecially it ſetteth againſt that rotten core, that is in every man, (viz.) a deceitfull and falſe heart towards God and man. It is knowne, what the Pſalmiſt concludeth of every man, Pſal. 116. 11. which the Apoſtle maketh uſe of, Rom. 3. 4. Every man is a lyar; that is of himſelfe, and in his owne nature; otherwiſe David and Paul, were not lyars in delivering of this truth, neither are regenerate men lyars, ſo farre as the Spirit of God doth ſanctifie them. But naturally the hearts of all men are deceitfull, full of lies and falſhoods towards God, as if they loved him, as if they repented, when yet ſelf is the motive that ſetteth all on work: and no leſſe falſe is it to man alſo. It is true indeed, commonly it is interpreted by good Expoſitors, as if this ſpeech did come from David in unbelief, that it was the weakneſſe of his faith, thinking as if Samuel, and other Prophets had deceived him about the Kingdome. But in this ſenſe, there would have been a falſhood in the ſpeech; neither would the Apoſtle then have made that uſe of it, as he doth. Beſides, at the verſe before, he ſaith, I believed, therefore have I ſpoken, which the Apoſtle alſo maketh uſe of, 2 Cor. 4. 13. for freedome and boldneſſe in the profeſſion of our faith; therefore it may very well be, that David from the ſtrength of his faith now in his perſecutions (for that haſte he ſpeaketh of, is to be underſtood of his flight, and running from place to place) doth encourage himſelfe from the truth of God, and is not diſmayed to ſee Abſolom, and all his people prove falſe and perfidious: for the corrupt nature of man inclineth him to no better. If then the heart of a man be ſo naturally prone to be falſe towards God and man, to be mercenary to ſeek our ſelves, to be hypocrites. This is the excellency of ſincerity, that it eateth away the rotten fleſh at the bottome. Hence
In the third place, It is becauſe of this ſincerity, that the way to Heaven 3. Hence it is that it is ſo hard to be a Chriſtian.is ſuch a ſtreight, and narrow way: That Godlineſſe is ſo rare a Jewel, That many are called, but few are choſen; becauſe though there be many duties, many religious profeſſions, yet little ſincerity of ſpirit. Oh, if there were no more required to goe to Heaven, than to hear, pray, keep up an external forme of Religion, different from the courſe of the world, How eaſie and broad would the way to Heaven be? Many thouſands more would goe to Heaven than doe: But this is that which makes it ſo difficult a thing to be ſaved; becauſe no duty, no religious performances are entertained, but rejected by God, which come not from a ſincere and true principle of grace within: It is not then praying, but ſincere praying: It is not hearing, but ſincere hearing: Yea Martyrdome without ſincerity, is but the Devils Sacrifice: So that experience will teach thee to ſet upon religious duties, from principles of ſincerity, is a farre more difficult task, then thou ever thoughtſt of; while going on in a formal, cuſtomary way, Heaven could never be ſo difficultly obtained; neither could thoſe Texts of Scripture, which ſpeak of the holy violence and agonies that muſt be in the way to Heaven, were the externals of Religion enough; but it is ſincerity in theſe actings that maketh the ſtreights. When we ſet upon that, then we ſee how far nature, education, cuſtom, and formality may carry us, and yet want the ſoul and life of all.
Therefore, Fourthly, Sincerity is the proper characteriſtical difference, between 4. Sincerity is the proper difference betwixt a temporary profeſſour, and a true believer.a temporary in Chriſtianity, and a true convert. It is one of the greateſt practical Queſtions in Divinity that is, What is that, which differences between the common graces of Gods Spirit, and the ſpecial? Or, What are the bounds and limits, whereby we may know to diſtinguiſh between an enlightned hypocrite, fervent in all external, religious duties, and he who is cordially, and truly ſo? The Queſtion is, Whether it be a ſpecifical or gradual difference? And what is that, which the truly godly doth? And the fooliſh Virgin, or fooliſh builder cannot do? And if we deſcend not to particulars, but ſpeak in the general, then we muſt ſay, Sincerity is the eſſentiall difference. So that as rationality maketh the eſſential difference between a man, and a beaſt: ſo doth ſincerity between the truly godly, and the ſeeming ſo onelyonly. This made the difference between Saul and David, between Peter and Judas, between many Kings recorded in the Old Teſtament, who did very much in the wayes of the Lord; and thoſe who did ſeek God with all their heart. So that by this you ſee, how much it lieth us upon to look after ſincerity in duties, more than duties; after ſincerity in gifts and religious abilities, more than gifts: for this maketh the Chriſtian. The other are but as the body and garments, this is the ſoul. All thy glorious building muſt be pulled down, if this be not the foundation. It is no matter what ſtanding thy Diſcipleſhip to Chriſt is of, nor how famous thy gifts and parts are, nor what an intereſt thou haſt in the thoughts of Profeſſours, nor what a ſtricter way of Church-order, thou mayeſt ſeeme to ſet upon, if ſincerity be not the ſalt to ſeaſon all. Oh then that Chriſtians would ſtudy more in this point, meditate about it, read about it, knowing that this is all in all! If this be not the firſt ſtone laid in thy ſpiritual building; when ſtormes ariſe, thy building will fall, and thy fall will be the greater, by how much the appearances of holineſſe have been the greater. Therefore it is that ſincerity is uſually called by Divines the Gospel-perfection, when many are ſaid, To ſeeke God with a perfect heart; the meaning is not, as if there were no ſinnes or imperfections cleaving to them; but becauſe they were upright and ſincere: Though weak faith, yet if ſincere faith: Though imperfect love, yet if ſincere love; this hath a kinde of Goſpel-perfection. Hence of all the deceits in the world, none is more dangerous and pernicious, then when we take our ſelves for upright and ſincere, but are not.
Fifthly, Sincerity doth carry a man on in religious wayes from principles 5. Sincerity carries us through duties with delight.of voluntarineſſe and delight within. Outward motives may make falſe hearts towards God ſet upon many notable ſervices; as we ſee in Iehu and Iudas, &c. But here was no voluntary and delightſome principle within. For a man will never ſincerely leave the ſweetneſſe of his luſts and profits he had in a carnal way, till he finde infinitely more ſweetneſſe, and delight in heavenly things. So that this doth neceſſarily accompany ſincerity, that it maketh a man voluntary and willing, with joy and delight in the whole work of God; Pſalm 110. 3. Thy people ſhall be willing (willingneſſes) in the day of thy power. It is true, even the moſt upright doe ſometimes finde much deadneſſe and unwillingneſſe to ho y things; there is a weariſomneſſe and averſneſſe they ſometimes feele; but this is an heavy burden to them: They cry out to God, to quicken them, to draw them, to enliven them; whereas the inſincere man is carried out by external motives: Even as when the water maketh the Mill runne round, that of it ſelf would never move, becauſe it wanteth life within. Therefore that expreſſion of Iob is obſerveable, Iob 27. 10. Will he delight himſelfe in the Almighty? Will he alwayes call upon God? The inſincere man cannot delight in God, and therefore his duties are not conſtant and perpetual: whereas this ſincerity doth fill the heart with internal principles of joy, readineſſe and delight in the wayes of God. Hence it is that the favour of God, and the light of his countenance enjoyed by faith, doe take him off from all the delight he formerly had in other things. As Auſtin who was carried out with a vehement and moſt flagrant deſire after knowledge and learning, which made him try all the ſeveral Sects of the Philoſophers, as alſo to fall into the Maniehee-hereſie: When it pleaſed God to make a powerfull, ſincere and effectual change upon his ſoul, then he ſaid of all the ſciences, formerly ſo dear to him, Nunc prae illius amore vix veniunt in mentem. The love of God made him ſcarce ever thinke of them. This makes grace natural (as it were) becauſe the principle is within.
Sixthly, Sincerity making a man thus to worke from a principle of readineſſe 6. Sincerity makes a man find grace to be a reall thing.and delight within, Therefore it is that he findes grace to be a real lively thing within him. Inſincerity maketh a man have onelyonly confuſed and general apprehenſions about grace: whereas uprightneſſe giveth a man a reall taſte and experimental feeling of the ſame within him. A man without this reall power of grace, under the moſt glorious profeſſion, is but as a pictured man, or a painted fire. Who were more diligent in the externall ſtudy of the Law, than the Iewes? How greatly did they glory in the knowledge thereof, as if they had come out of the Fathers boſome? Yet obſerve what our Saviour ſaith, (Iohn 5. 37.) to them, Ye have neither heard his voice, or ſeene his ſhape at any time: That is, either they had not powerfull, experimentall diſcoveries of God upon their ſoules: or though they had heard Gods voice many times in their Anceſtours, and had ſeene many apparitions of God by Angels, yet becauſe Chriſts word did not abide in them, it's accounted, as if they never had any knowledge at all. Hence grace is often compared to life. Now as a man that is alive, feeleth and knoweth himſelfe to be ſo: Thus, where this ſpiritual worke of grace is ſincerely putting it ſelfe forth, there the ſoul hath much reality in the ſenſe of it. It maketh a man diſcourſe and conferre about that, of which he hath experience; as Paul, Galat. 2. 26. I no longer live, but Chriſt in me. Many ſpeake of grace, as ſome doe of ſtrance Countreyes, wherein they never travelled. What they have by Books and Mapps that they diſcover. Thus it is with many, they know nothing of Regeneration, of the New-creature, but what they have by Bookes, or by hearing of Sermons, and therefore have not ſuch a reall, evident and clear apprehenſion of Gods grace, as they ſhould have. Now it's ſincerity that maketh all things to be reall, and in power, not in name and words onelyonly. And from this reall lively working of grace ſincerely in us, we come to have much aſſurance and comfort in our hearts, as Paul here in the Text, his rejoycing was from the teſtimony of his conſcience concerning his ſincerity. Therefore the hypocrite he never attaineth to any ſolid joy, or any powerfull aſſurance about the favour of God towards him. This experience of the love of God ſincerely and really working in the heart of Peter, as fire in the boſome, made him againe and againe ſay to Chriſt, That he loved him. And thus Auſtin in thoſe reall and affectionate workings of Gods grace upon him, made him ſo bold as to ſay, (Lib. 10. Confeſſ. cap. 6.) So Ianſenius conjoyneth the words, Non dubiâ, ſed certâ conſcientiâ Domine, amo te, percuſſiſti cor meum verbo tuo, & amavi. O Lord, I am ſure in my conſcience that I love thee; Thou haſt ſmitten me, and wounded my heart with thy Word, and therefore I love thee. So that let a man goe on in a formall, cuſtomary, empty way of Religion: Let him pray, heare and profeſſe Godlineſſe, but all this while without ſincerity, and the power of it; and afterwards God breake his heart, new mould him, make him a new creature, he will then finde ſuch a wonderfull change, and ſee grace to be ſuch another powerfull thing in his ſoule over once he thought; that he will even ſtand amazed to ſee, what he is. Oh little did I know, did I feele what now I doe! When ſome few dropp… of this precious ointment ſhall fall into his ſoule, then the ſweetneſſe will be incredible, not onelyonly to others, but alſo to himſelfe, which he findes within him. Thus ſincerity doth cauſe reall, lively, and aſſured comfortable motions of the ſoule in heavenly things. Not that the ſincere are alwayes on this Mount of transfiguration: No, they are in a wilderneſſe ſometimes, as well as in a Canaan; but onelyonly this is the nature of ſincerity ſo to doe. Thus it is in the Idea, though in the ſubject there are many times divers imperfections and weakneſſes. To be ſure no ſpirituall thing, whether it be of grace or comfort in a Chriſtian heart, can be carried on without much combate and conflict.