An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 110
SERM. CX.
Of the ſinfulneſſe of Levity, and unconstancy in the Children of God.
2 COR. 1. 17.
When I therefore was thus minded, did I uſe lightneſs? or the things that I purpoſe, do I purpoſe according to the fleſh, that with me there ſhould be yea, yea, nay, nay?
IN this Verſe the Apoſtle maketh his apologetical Defence againſt ſuch calumnies that were caſt upon him, either for the changing of his purpoſe to come to them, or deferring it longer than they expected. And for the more efficacious convincing of them, he propounds his Diſcourſe interrogatively, Did I uſe lightneſſe? Do I purpoſe according to the fleſh?
So that in the words we have,
1. The foreign, the Crime, Cauſe, or Charge ſuppoſed.
2. Their Accuſation upon it.
The Charge ſuppoſed is, That he was thus minded to come to them, foreign, becauſe it was done out of deliberhtion, and ſerious advice. Though ſome Copies read foreign, as denoting onelyonly an act of his will. Now this purpoſe Paul did not fulfill, he changed his mind, and did not come according to expectation: Whereupon his adverſaries charged two crimes upon him, which uſually make men ſinfully alter their minds.
1. Levity and Inconſtancy, Raſhneſſe and Temerity; as if he did not regard what he ſaid. The Greek word is foreign from foreign the heart, becauſe of its lightneſſe and agility.
2. Carnal and corrupt deſigns, they make men alſo often alter their reſolutions, and that he doth remove in the enſuing words.
I ſhall take notice of the firſt at this time; we may conſider how diligent the Apoſtle is to free himſelf from all Levity and Inconſtancy, becauſe his enemies would extend this to his Doctrine alſo, as appeareth in the following Diſcourſe. He that is not to be truſted (ſay they) in his ordinary promiſes; he that is uncertain and inconſtant there, will alſo be in his preaching and Doctrine; but the Apoſtle doth with all vehemency, yea with a ſolemne oath purge himſelf from this calumny. From whence obſerve,
That lightneſſe and inconſtancy is a great ſinne and reproach in any perſon, Lightneſs and inconſtancy is a great ſinne and reproach to all, much more to Miniſters.but especially in the Miniſters of the Gospel.
As it relateth to them, I ſhall (God aſſiſting) treat of it, at the clauſe of the verſe. For the preſent I ſhall handle it in the general, as a neceſſary truth to be made uſe of by all believers. And whereas this inconſtancy may be diſcovered either in our civil and moral converſation, or in our religious and holy concernments.
I ſhall begin with the firſt. Let us conſider the ſinfulneſſe of inconſtancy in civil Of the ſinfulneſs of inconſtancy in civil reſpects. As 1. When we are not conſiſtent with our ſelves in our aſſertions.respects, which may be manifeſted in theſe particulars:
Firſt, When we are not conſiſtent with our ſelves in our aſſertions and affirmations. This is a great diſhonour to God and our ſelves, when we will ſay and unſay things, affirme one thing at one time, and the contrary at another: And in this caſe Inconſtancy is the ſame with lying. Thus it argueth a light vain heart, to talke one thing one time, and another thing another time. Hence the Rule is, Oportet mendacem eſſe memorem. A liar muſt have a good memory; and as others ſay, A liar muſt have a good pair of legs, that he may runne away; for he will quickly be diſcerned, if he ſtay long in one place. Now we may not wonder, if Paul would not be thought guilty of a lie. For the way of lying is inconſiſtent with the ſtate of grace, as Coloſ. 3. 9. Lie not one to another, ſeeing ye put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man. Obſerve the Apoſtles argument, you that are made new creatures, you that have the Image of God repaired in you, how can you lie to one another? Hence you have David praying for the grace of God herein, Pſal. 119. 29. Remove from me the way of lying. And, verſ. 163. I hate and abhorre lying, but thy Law do I love. Mark the oppoſition, no man can love God and his Word, but he muſt abhorre lying. But how little do people generally take heed to themſelves herein? They think not their graceleſſe and unregenerated hearts may be diſcovered by ſuch inconſtant lying words, as well at by groſſe enormities. Oh therefore look upon it as a very hainous ſinne, not to be a perſon of gravity, conſiſtency and harmony in thy words. Can there be a greater reproach then to ſay of a man, he will ſay and unſay, there is no heed to be given to his words? We are not to believe all things they ſay: if this were onelyonly thy diſhonour, it were not ſo much matter, but it cometh from a corrupt heart within. Now the people of God above all perſons are to look to their words in this reſpect, becauſe with Paul they have their enemies to obſerve them. And we ſee how prophane perſons are apt to charge them with this, that though they will not ſwear, yet they will lie. This indeed they do, becauſe of their enmity and malice to ſuch as feare God; but be thou ſure to give no occaſion herein for them to blaſpheme. We ſee this holy Apoſtle in a ſolemne, ſacred manner, ſometimes calling God to witneſſe, That he ſpeaketh the truth, and lieth not, 2 Cor. 11. 31 Gal. 1. 20.
Secondly, This inconſtancy and mutability in civil respects, is diſcovered 2. In our promiſes.in our promiſes; Yea, when it becometh a crimſon ſinne, then it is manifeſted in our promiſſory oaths, lightly and perfidiouſly breaking of them. Now as to abſtain from all lying, and to ſpeak the truth to every man, is made a property of a godly man: So alſo it is a character of a godly man, to keep his promiſe, to be faithfull to that, though it ſhould be to his own damage, Pſal. 15. 4. He that ſweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. Though his Word and promiſes prove afterwards prejudicial to him, yet he preferreth truth above all earthly reſpects whatſoever. It is true, Divines have a Rule, In malis promiſſis reſcinde fidem, A ſinfull promiſe is not to be kept; for that would be to adde iniquity unto iniquity, and to double thy ſinne. But in things that may be inconvenient to thee, thou art not to uſe lightneſſe, and eaſily break thy word. Thus then it is a character of a godly man to look to his promiſes, to be very carefull to obſerve them: It's unjuſtice to break them, becauſe by a promiſe thou becomeſt a debtor to another. And do you ſee Paul ſo carefull, leſt he ſhould be thought to be yea and nay? And art thou careleſſe about thy word? Oh you muſt know, that true Religion and godlineſs doth not conſiſt in the duties of the firſt Table, but of the ſecond likewiſe. Do not think that this is godlineſſe enough to pray, to perform holy duties, to be often in religious Ordinances: No, but thou art to abound in all truth and faithfulneſſe towards man, to avoid all lying, all falſhood in promiſes, and ſo to have truth both towards God and man. But how apt are our hearts to deceive us in this kind? Some think their righteouſneſs towards man, becauſe their words are as good as oaths, that therefore they ſhall go to Heaven, though they be not forward in religious duties; they have no family-worſhip of God; they do not walk ſingularly to the courſe of the world; and others again, they are ready to think that their religious duties, their forwardneſſe and zeal therein; though they regard not words and promiſes, though they neglect the duties of righteouſneſſe, yet their condition will be good enough. Oh but remember this paſſage of Paul for ever, Be not haſty to promiſe, labour not to forget what thou haſt promiſed, which will be if thou haſt a conſcientious regard unto thy ſelf herein. For when thou doeſt not think it matter of conſcience, when thou thinkeſt godlineſs is not much concerned herein, no wonder then if thou art ſo often found faulty herein. The Scripture is very frequent in preſſing theſe duties of truth and righteouſneſs between man and man.
Thirdly, This mutability in civil affairs is ſeen in our affections, our love 3. In our affections.and respect to men. It is a mans duty to be a faithfull friend to ſuch whom he hath cauſe to reſpect; and therefore of a friend ſuddenly to become an enemy, for one while to love, and another while to hate, this is to be yea and nay. Men may be unfaithfull two wayes:
1. When all the love and respect they profeſſe is in hypocriſie. Their tongues and their hearts doe no wayes agree. Joab's Ave, and Judas his Salve, when they intended deſtruction, is famous even to a Proverb. David often complaineth of ſuch deceitfull men: but then there are unfaithfull men, who once did love, and were real for the time in their reſpects; but then
2. Upon carnal ſinfull grounds alter their affections again. Such perfidious and inconſtant dealings are abominable to God and man. It is one great part of David's complaint that maketh him ſo ſolemnly cry unto God for help, even becavſe the faithfull fail from among the children of men, Pſal. 12. 1. It is true, a man of no godlineſs may be a faithfull friend; there are great inſtances of ſuch friends amongſt Heathens; and the wiſeſt Writers amongſt them, have ſerious Diſcourſes about Friendſhip. But godlineſs only doth rightly order and regulate this faithfull friendſhip. That is a Rule to be abhorred by all men, Ama tanquam aliquando oſurus; yet it may have its uſe, conſidering how wicked and uncertain men are: But true Religion inclineth a man to a ſetled and fixed way of love, to thoſe that are fit ſubjects thereof. The Scripture ſpeaketh of a love to all men, and of a brotherly love, which is upon more peculiar and holy reſpects. Now truly, if we ſpeak in a moral ſenſe onelyonly, we may take up Solomon's complaint, Prov. 20. 6. Moſt men will proclaim their own goodneſſe; but a faithfull man, who can find? Men will talk, and boaſt, and profeſſe much love and kindneſſe; but as it was in David's time, ſo it will be in all ages, Pſal. 5. 9. For there is no faithfulneſſe in their mouth, their inward part is very wickedneſſe, they flatter with their tongue. Hence is that Rule, foreign. But why is there ſuch hypocriſie, diſſimulation and falſhood in mens hearts and tongues? It is becauſe there is ſo little true godlineſs; for that maketh a man ſincere, and of a ſingle heart, both towards God, and towards man. If then Paul was ſo afraid of being thought a light and inconſtant man any was; this ſheweth what gravity, conſtancy and faithfulneſs of ſpirit we ought to walk even to men in the world, godlineſs and Religion teacheth us theſe things, whereas to be double-hearted, double-tongued, cannot conſiſt with a man that is made a new creature. Labour then to inform thy ſelf of the extent of Religion, how farre godlineſs will put forth its ſelf, not onelyonly in religious duties towards God, but righteous, juſt and faithfull actions towards man. Now that we may have ſuch plain and faithfull ſpirits, conſider the aggravation of this ſinne in our civil actions, to be yea and nay, to be inconſtant and changeable. And
Firſt, This is directly contrary to the glorious nature of God, whoſe image Of the aggravations of this ſinne. 1. 'Tis contrary to the nature of Godought to be ſtampt upon us; we are to be like God in our holineſſe. Now how often doth the Scripture proclaim this glorious property of God, that he is unchangeable, that he is faithfull in his Word and promiſes? And truly this is the comfortable ſupport of our ſelves, for it's not any worth in us, but Gods faithfulneſs in his promiſes that preſerveth us to eternal glory. Thus he is called a faithfull Creator, 1 Pet. 4. 19. ſo faithfull is he that hath called us, 1 Theſſ. 5. 24. If God were not faithfull in his promiſes, even when we have unfaithfull hearts, how miſerable would our end be? It's Gods faithfulneſs, not our own we are to depend upon. Now the children of God they are to have this Image of God eſtabliſhed upon them, to be faithfull as he is faithfull. There is no yea, or nay with God. See this notably affirmed, Numb. 23. 19. God is not a man that he ſhould lie, neither the ſonne of man, that he ſhould repent; hath he ſaid, and ſhall not he do it? So 1 Sam. 15. 29. The ſtrength of Iſrael will not lie or repent, for he is not a man that he ſhould repent. The Scripture maketh it a neceſſary property to a man to lie, and to repent, unleſſe he be aſſiſted by grace. For ſuch is the weakneſſe and ignorance of his underſtanding, that he cannot fore-ſee things, and therefore muſt neceſſarily alter his reſolutions; and then ſo corrupt is his heart, that as there are ſeveral objects to entice him, ſo accordingly he transformeth himſelf; but God is infinitely wiſe and infinitely holy, and therefore there is no ſhadow of change in him. Oh then be in love with this glorious Attribute of God, and according to a creatures capacity do thou imitate it! Shew forth the Image of God in this thing, that thou art even a man, and wilt not lie, wilt not ſinfully change thy words and promiſes. I ſay ſinfully, becauſe we are ſo apt to be ignorant, to miſ-judge of things, to be deceived in what we reſolve of, that many times it is our wiſdom and duty to be of another mind, and to take up contrary reſolutions, to what once we pitched upon, of which more in its time.
Secondly, Endeavour after ſuch conſtancy in words and life, becauſe as it is 2. 'Tis a reproach to mena great ſinne againſt God; ſo it's an heavy reproach and ſcandal to Religion. It thou ſhouldeſt ſtudy to do the Devil ſervice, and to promote his Kingdom, ſo as to have Religion ſtink in the noſtrils of all men, thou canſt not take a more compendious way then to lie, to deceive, to be unjuſt, to make no conſcience of words and promiſes. This is to betray godlineſs to the ſcorn of all wicked men. You ſee that even the moſt holy men that are, that walk in a moſt tender conſcientious regard to all their words and works, yet cannot ſcape the cenſure of men in the world, that they are hypocrites, that they are lyars, that they have no truth in them. Oh then what a woe will be pronounced to thee, who ſhould give juſt occaſion for ſuch men to blaſpheme the holy calling, wherewith we are called? When one by his apoſtaſie and inconſtancy had betrayed the true Religion of Chriſt, he was afterwards troubled in heart for it; he could have no reſt in his ſpirit, thought himſelf unworthy of any Church-communion; and therefore cried out, Calcate me inſipidum ſalem, Trample upon me as unſavoury ſalt. If then thou wouldſt have Religion honoured, the Goſpel well ſpoken of; look to thy ſelf in theſe things, let no lie, no falſhood, no deceit be found in thy words and dealings. For if there be, preſently Religion is wounded, then the carnal ones rejoyce; this is their godlineſs, this is their Religion. Certainly a godly heart cannot but bleed exceedingly, if at any time he hath in this way been ſo overtaken, as to make men think the worſe of godlineſs; wherers on the other ſide to be true, righteous and faithfull in all thy wayes, as it is an ornament to Religion; ſo it maketh thee have an awe and a reverence in the conſciences of the moſt profligate perſons. Thus becauſe John was a juſt man, therefore even Herod the King did reverence him, Mark 6. 20. John was both juſt and holy, and this wrought reverence.
Thirdly, It is a great ſinne to be thus raſh and inconſtant, becauſe hereby a 3. Hereby a man makes himſelf unfit for Gods ſervice.man maketh himſelf unfit for Gods ſervice, either in Church or Commonwealth. ſuch an unfaithfull man can never do any good, but be ſcorned and reproached; as one Biſhop was called Euripus in antiquity, for his inconſtancy and mutability; and this was the great reaſon, why Paul doth with ſo much earneſtneſſe and affection take this calumny off from himſelf; for this would be a ſpecial means to bring his perſon and Doctrine into contempt: if there had been juſt cauſe to judge him ſuch a mutable man, Paul's preaching would never have done good more; as we hear him ſaying at another time, Gal. 2. 18. If I build again the things which I deſtroyed, I make my ſelf a tranſgreſſour. Thus it always falleth out, that a man of mutable and inconſtant principles, he can never be ſerviceable to God; for this debaſeth him before men, this maketh him vile and contemptible, and thereby like a broken veſſel that is of no uſe.
Fourthly, It is a great ſinne to be thus inconſtant in our words, becauſe it's an 4. 'Tis an abuſe of our tongue.abuſe of our tongue, which the Scripture calleth a mans glory (though ſome apply it to the ſoul) now for thy glory to be a ſhame, to have thy tongue accounted a lying tongue, a double tongue; a falſe tongue; This is an aggravation of thy wickedneſſe.
Laſtly, As God doth threaten to puniſh lying and deceitfull tongues, ſo he doth 5. God threatens lying, but encourageth ſincerity.graciouſly encourage all ſuch as are of ſincerity in all their words and works. A lying tongue is one of the ſeven abominations which God hateth, Prov. 6. 17. as on the other ſide, How mercifully doth God encourage ſome, Iſa. 63. 8. for he ſaid, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie, ſo he was their Saviour. So that if all theſe particulars be laid together, we may ſee how neceſſary it is to adde righteouſneſs to our Religion, to be as Chriſt, Whoſe lips were without guile in reſpect of God and man. Oh this will afford thee great comfort; this will aſſure thee that thy Religion was not hypocriſie. It's eaſier performing multitude of duties then to walk thus uprightly towards men; they may be done with more eaſe to fleſh and blood, yea they may be the fuell to thy hearts-pride and ſelf-applauſe; but this tendeth really to mortifie ſinne within thee, and to cauſe thee to have reſpect to all Gods commandments.