An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 117
SERM. CXVII.
Of Changing in Matters of Religion.
2 COR. 1. 18.
Our word toward you, was not yea, and nay.
WE are now arrived at the laſt particular conſiderable in this Text, and that is the firmneſſe and conſtancy of the Doctrine that Paul preached to the Corinthians. You heard that malevolent adverſaries from a ſuppoſed levity in Paul, otherwiſe did preſently argue to an inconſtancy in his Doctrine. And although this was but once, they could not charge ſuch an appearing levity upon Paul often. It was but at one time, yet how ready were they to take an advantage hereby againſt Gods truth. It is true, the verity and firmneſſe of Gods truths doth not depend upon the eſteem of Miniſters, his word is ſure, though men be vain and inconſtant; yet by this inſtance we ſee, how much it concerneth the Miniſters of the Goſpel to abound in gravity, ſincerity and conſtancy; eſpecially ſo to deport themſelves, that the Doctrine they preach may not be ſuſpected of changeableneſſe, as if they would preach that for Gods truth one time, which afterwards they would preach to be the Devils lie. This is that which Paul doth here renounce, Our word toward you (ſaith he) was not yea and nay, that is, it was not light, mutable, it was not white and black, hot and cold, but it was alwayes the ſame conſtant abiding truth. From whence obſerve,
That for a Miniſter to be mutable and contradictory in his Doctrine, is very reproachfull to him, and makes his Miniſtry wholly uſeleſſe'Tis a great reproach for a Miniſter to be mutable and contradictory in his doctrine
Sometimes to preach one way, as the way of God; one opinion as the certain truth of God, and then afterwards to preach up the clean contrary, this debaſeth the perſon, and the office of a man, it maketh all his Miniſtry to be deſpiſed: They conclude either that ſuch a man thinketh there is no Religion at all, or at leaſt, that he is either Atheiſtical, believing none, or elſe very ignorant, or carnal, and ſelf-ſeeking; that with Demetrius the Prieſt of Diana's Temple, doth judge that only Religion, which is profitable, and therefore meaſure the truths of Doctrines by their intereſt and carnal emoluments. In the Old Teſtament we read of many ſuch lying Prophets, who did not propheſie according to the viſions of the Lord, but from the imagination of their own hearts, preached to Kings and people ſuch pleaſing things as they deſired. This hath done a world of hurt in the Church of God, when the officers therein have not regarded, whether the things they preach were Gods truths, but whether pleaſing to men, or no. This was to make the Sunne to follow the Dial, and the truth of God ſhall no longer be truth, but while it pleaſeth man. Now ſuch men, that are thus mutable, muſt needs be accounted tranſgreſſours by all. For ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, If I build the things againe, I once deſtroyed, I make my ſelfe a tranſgreſſour, Galat. 2. 18. This Doctrine deſerveth ſerious examination, becauſe as there is much truth in it, and thereby much good may be done: So occaſionally through miſtake, men may be prejudiced to their own hurt. For did not the Papiſts brand the Reformers at firſt with inconſtancy and perfidiouſneſſe, that they were nothing but Yea and Nay? For formerly they came to the Maſſe, they worſhipped Images, they acknowledged the Pope as well as they: But then of a ſudden they were all changed, then the Pope was Antichriſt, then the Maſſe was blasphemous Idolatry, then they puiled down their Altars and Images. Thus ſay the Papiſts, they were yea and nay. And in our age, Are there not many offended, becauſe the Miniſters of the Goſpel do not keep up the ſame Church-adminiſtrations, as they once did, that they do not pray, baptize, adminiſter the Lords Supper, in the ſame way as once they did? If it was no ſinne then, why is it now? Thus they think there is much inconſtancy and levity in Miniſters, becauſe they ſee ſuch changes and alterations in their publick adminiſtrations.
Let us therefore abide the longer upon this truth, ſeeing the Text doth give ſuch ſeaſonable advantages thereunto. And
Firſt, You muſt know, That all yea and nay is not bad. There may be a 1. All changes are not bad.time, when he that hath been for a Yea a long time in Religion, muſt if ever he will be ſaved, come to a Nay. There is ſometimes a neceſſity of changing, and that is, when people and Miniſters have been carried away with errours and falſe wayes. Though ſuch things may plead antiquity, though you may urge preſcription for many hundred years, yet upon conviction and illumination, we are to change from yea, we are to bewail ſuch errours as we once lived in. Was it not thus with Paul? Though Paul was not now Yea and Nay, ſince he was an Apoſtle, yet he was once ſo; neither was that to his diſpraiſe, but his honour in the Church of God. Did not Paul once violently perſecute that way, which afterwards he preached for? Thoſe traditions and phariſaical ſuperſtitions which once he maintained, even to the killing of all the oppoſers thereof; Doth not he in time, with as much zeal renounce them, as ever once he did plead for them? This change of Paul was ſo wonderfull that Act. 9. 21. Many who heard him preach Chriſt, were amazed, ſaying, Is not this he, that deſtroyed them, who called on this Name in Jeruſalem? You ſee then that there may be a juſt occaſion to change our opinions, our practices in Religion. There is a juſt occaſion for a Jew, a Turke, to leave his Religion, and become a Chriſtian. There is a juſt occaſion for Papiſts and Hereticks to forſake that way of worſhip, they have followed with ſo much zeal and devotion. Neither may they fear the ſhame and reproach of being accounted weather-cocks and turn-coats; but rather they have cauſe to bleſſe God, who hath opened their eyes, and not ſuffered them to periſh in the Aegypt and Sodome they were in. It is true naturally, it is accounted an hainous ſinne to change that Religion which a man is born and bred up in. Therefore we have an Hiſtory of our King John, (Fuller. Hiſtor. of the Church) who being in great Stateextremities, ſent to the King of the Moors for aid and aſſiſtance, promiſing him his Kingdom if he would, and that the Nation ſhould receive the Turkiſh Religion. But the Morocco King refuſed the offer, ſaying, That he had lately read Paul's Epiſtles, and did like the matter well, ſo that he found no fault with Paul, but becauſe he changed the Religion he was born in. I bring this inſtance to ſhew, what a great influence that Religion hath, let it be falſe or true, upon a man, in which he hath been educated. Yet there is a neceſſity, if men will be ſaved, ſometimes of forſaking that Religion our Fathers and Anceſtours have lived in. For ſeeing that is directly againſt Scripture, that any man in any Religion may be ſaved: and alſo that ſeeing there are ſo many contrary Religions in the world, it followeth inevitably, that there are ſome in ſuch damnable wayes, and that of Religion, that without repentance, and coming out of thoſe former impieties, they ſhall never eſcape the eternal flames of hell; and ſuch a change is not matter of reproach, but it is the wonderfull converſion of Gods grace upon our hearts. Hence the Apoſtle doth ſo often admire the riches of Gods grace to thoſe Heathens, who were delivered out of that ignorance and darkneſſe, with the abominable impieties they once lived in. As it is in Philoſophy, they diſtinguiſh of alteration or change, it is either deſtructiva or perfectiva. Thus when a man of a fool is made wiſe, of a vicious perſon, virtuous, here is a perfective alteration: ſo it is alſo in the matters of Religion, we may change the beſt errour for truth, darkneſſe for light. It is not then enough to ſay, Thou wilt not change thy principles, thy way of Religion, thou haſt been born in them, and thy Anceſtours have lived in the ſame way; for this every Jew, every Turke may plead as well as thou. The Heathens pleaded this againſt the Chriſtian Religion, Sequendi ſunt patres qui foeliciter ſunt ſuos ſequuti, contumelioſa eſt emendatio ſenectutis. If this be true, why art thou not a Papiſt ſtill? Why doeſt thou not call for the Maſſe and Church-duties to be done in Latine? For this was the way thy Anceſtours were brought up in.
Hence in the ſecond place, It is not ſimply the Yea and Nay that is to be 2. But 'tis a ſin and reproach to change from the truthblamed, but when it is in the truth, when we ought to be conſtant and immoveable therein. As every party doth brand another with Heretick, Schiſmatick, Apoſtate, ſo alſo with inconſtancy; but it is not the meer names, but the reality that maketh ſuch perſons. If then a man holds Gods truth, he is no Heretick, though the whole world ſhould condemn him. He that hath a Scripture-ground to depart from the Idolatries of the Church, is no Schiſmatick, though others charge him with it, for Cauſa non ſeparatio facit Schiſmaticum. Thus if a man forſake his former errours, his former ſuperſtitions; if he leave his corrupt Doctrines, this mans change is a duty, he is not to be blamed for it; but if a man leave the truth, if he forſake the way of God, then his Yea and Nay is to be reproved. If then you ſee a man, leaving one opinion after another, one practice after another, ſo that all this while it is a progreſſe in the truths of Chriſt, this man is the more to be encouraged. For ſuch is the pertinacy of man, and love to his owne credit and glory, that it muſt be ſome great cauſe, which ſhall make him retract and recant that which he did once zealouſly profeſſe; ſo that it is in Doctrinals, as in morals; if you ſee a man that hath for many years wallowed in his luſts, that hath been glewed to them, ſo that he appeared, Non tam peccator, quam ipſum peccatum; if this man through the grace of God be converted do contrary to all that once he did, ſhall this man be derided, becauſe he will not be the ſame prophane perſon, that once he hath been? No, God rather is to be glorified; who made the prodigal that was loſt to be found, that was dead to live again?
Thirdly, Although thus to increaſe in knowledge and light, whereby we leave off doing the things we once did, be thus a duty, yet even ſuch a change 3. Even ſuch a change ſuppoſeth imperfection.ſuppoſeth an imperfection in a man. For were our underſtandings fully illuminated, we ſhould be able to ſee the truths of God, at the very firſt; light would not come in ſucceſſively upon us, and by degrees diſpelling darkneſſe, as we ſee the Sunne doth in the morning, but it would be in its vertical point immediately. Even as Photius reporteth out of an Hiſtorian Agatharcides, that there are a people to whom the Sunne doth not appear by degrees, as to us, but it cometh ſuddenly and perfectly upon them, out of the depth of darkneſſe. It is true therefore our weakneſſe and imperfection, not that we come to know things better than we did, or that we are changed, but becauſe we needed ſuch an alteration: We know but in part, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Corinth. 13. putting himſelf into the number. Hence it is that in Heaven, when our underſtandings ſhall be fully perfected, then we ſhall not grow in knowledge, we ſhall not imbrace errours, and upon further illumination leave them. So that whenſoever God ſhall make ſuch a change upon us, that we are not to believe, as we have done, worſhip as we have done, lived as we have done: As we are to be thankfull unto God, ſo we are to be humble in our ſelves, becauſe that ever any darkneſſe did take hold of us. The Thomiſts among the Schoolmen, give this for a reaſon, why the good Angels proved conſtantly good, and the evil Angels unchangeably evil: Becauſe (ſay they) Such is the perfection of the Angelical Nature, that what it willeth, it willeth immoveably, it cannot alter again, and therefore an evil Angel cannot repent. I ſhall not juſtifie this reaſon; but certainly we ſee it a glorious perfection in God, that his underſtanding is infinite, his will immutable; ſo that he cannot know any new thing, or will any new thing, which he did not from eternity: Yea the eſtate of the glorified Saints in Heaven, is admirable in this particular, that they are ſo confirmed by grace, they are ſo perfectly enlightned and ſanctified, that they receive all truth at firſt, and can never come to know more or better, then they did at firſt admiſſion into that glorious place.
Fourthly, There is no man living, though never ſo learned and ſo knowing, 4. No man but may know more than he doth.but may ſtill underſtand more. In him there may be, there will be Yeas and Nayes: He will have cauſe to confeſſe he was in this errour once, he miſunderſtood ſuch and ſuch Texts of Scripture formerly. Doth not experience confirm this? Hence are their retractations, their recognitions and reviews of their works, which they have put out with much judgement and deliberation. So that we are not to wonder, if the moſt excellent and learned men do ſometimes ſay, This I thought once, and this was my judgement once, but now I am better informed. It is true, the caſe of the Apoſtles, and ſuch as were divinely inſpired of old, is different from the moſt eminent, holy and learned men that are in the Church; for though after their firſt call by Chriſt, they did retain ſome ignorance upon them, yea did erre in ſome doctrinal points of great conſequence, yet after they received the holy Ghoſt, in a full confirmation of them in their Office, then they were made infallible; ſo that in their preaching and writing they could not erre: And therefore if there had been any Yea and Nay, any contrariety in their Doctrine. If any of them ſhould have ſaid, Thus I thought once, but it was my errour, I am now of another mind, this would have made us queſtioned their immediate call from God; but all Paſtors and Teachers that are to guide the Church, they are not to expect ſuch infallibility, neither ſhould people look for ſuch aſſiſtance upon us; but we are limitted to the Scripture, as the Rule by which all ſpirits are to be tried. If therefore any eminent Officer of the Church do build hay and ſtubble upon the foundation of precious ſtone and pearle, wonder not at it: Or if you ſee ſuch afterwards more enlightned, and to bewaile the hay and ſtubble they have built. Let not this make you ſtagger; ſo as to think with your ſelves, what can we believe? For they may erre in one thing as well as another; and as they confeſſe they have taught falſe in one particular, ſo it may be in all the reſt, and therefore we are not bound to believe them at 5. We muſt diſtinguiſh betwixt what is, and what is not fundamental.all. For
In the fifth place, You muſt diſtinguiſh between that which is fundamental in a word, and that which is circa, or ſupra fundamental. The word of God containeth in it all things that are neceſſary to ſalvation, but withall it hath many excellent concluſions that are deduceable from them. It hath not onelyonly the foundation ſtones, but an excellent and glorious ſuperſtructure: It hath not onelyonly milk for the babe, but ſtrong meat for the adult perſon. And although there be no truth revealed in the Scripture, which when ſufficiently propoſed to us, we ought to deſpiſe, it being the truth of the holy Ghoſt: and wilfully to oppoſe any known truth of Gods word, though it be farre from the fundamentals, is a very damnable ſinne, and rebellion againſt the Spirit of God; yet for all that, we muſt alwayes diſtinguiſh between the fundamentals and principles of Religion (ſuch as are named, Heb. 6.) and the concluſions, by many mediums deduced from them; between the ſeed and the crop; between the eſſentials and the acceſſories. For there is no godly man, much leſſe no godly Officer, that is ſo farre left by God, as to erre in fundamentals of ſalvation, at leaſt perpetually; and therefore they have no Yea, and Nay in them. For they have the promiſe of God, which is, That the Spirit ſhall lead them into all truth, John 16. 13. And they have alſo the anointing, which will teach them all things, 1 John 2. 27. where by all things, is not meant, Omne ſcibile, Every thing that may be known; for then they ſhould know all the arts, and all the tongues, every one would be wiſer than Solomon. No nor all things in Religion, not all things in faith and manners, for that would contradict other places, which ſay, We know but in part, 1 Cor. 3. and alſo, That we are to grow in knowledge, 2 Pet. 3. 18. but all things neceſſary to ſalvation. They ſhall not want the knowledge of that thing, the abſence whereof will damn them. It may be for a ſeaſon, they may be involved in ſome fundamental errour, even as they may in regard of their lives fall into ſome groſsimpieties, that do for the preſent take away the preſent claim that they have to the Kingdom of Heaven; but at laſt they ſhall be delivered, becauſe it's not poſſible the elect ſhould be deceived, viz. totally and finally, by the moſt deceiveable wayes of falſhood that are, Matth. 24. 24. Now the knowledge of this is neceſſary to obviate that Objection, which you heard mentioned. If the Miniſters of the Goſpel may be Yea and Nay in ſome things, why not in all things? If they erre in one thing, why not in every thing? This is not to be yeelded unto. For they cannot erre in neceſſaries, though they may in acceſſories; They cannot lay any other foundation than what is laid, yet they may build hay and ſtubble. Therefore it's ſenſleſs and irrational to argue from any errour or miſtake the Miniſters may have in ſome points of Religion, that are problematical, to thoſe that are eſſential. For in theſe later we are ſure, we are never deceived, we may with Paul confidently ſay, If an Angel from Heaven preach contrary to that Doctrine, let him be accurſed.