An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 121
SERM. CXXI.
Christ is Jeſus, a Saviour to his people.
2 COR. 1. 19.
For the Son of God, Jeſus Chriſt, &c.
VVE have in a brief manner declared the former deſcription of Chriſt, in reſpect of his divine nature, The Son of God; whoſe Deity, ſo much oppugned by blaſphemous Heretiques, is yet the Foundation of our Chriſtianity. Therefore, thoſe Socinians, who would reckon the manner how he is God, among the Acceſſories, and not Fundamentals in Religion, are juſtly to be exploded. If we believe he is God (ſay they) it is enough to ſalvation: but, whether he be an eſſential God, or made and conſtituted one, that is not neceſſary. Even as (they inſtance prophanely concerning Alexander) to ſome he was accounted a God, to others a man: but becauſe both theſe, though different in their Opinions, did reverence and obey him, as a King, that was enough. But, oh prophane mouth! The Lord rebuke ſuch ſpirits, and let not the Godly ſo much as bid God ſpeed, or receive into their houſes ſuch as bring this blaſphemous Doctrine. But let us proceed to the other deſcriptions of Chriſt, which are partly in reſpect of his Humane Nature, Jeſus; and partly, in reſpect of his Office, Christ. We have already ſaid enough from the firſt Verſe, to clear the Grammatical Interpretation of theſe words; as alſo, what the judgments of Learned men are about thoſe two Names: So that I may not actum agere, I ſhall inſiſt upon New matter, not then delivered, and firſt we Obſerve.
That the Lord Chriſt is a Jeſus, and a Saviour to his people.Chriſt is a Saviour to his people.
This Name containeth the glad Tydings of the Goſpel. If ſo be the news of a Phyſician, that can cure all Diſeaſes be ſo welcome to diſeaſed Perſons: if the year of Jubilee was ſo acceptable to all thoſe whoſe Lands were morgaged amongſt the Jews, and they perplexed in extream Debts: how precious and dear ſhould the name of a Saviour be to poor undone ſinners, who while they look upon themſelves only, and their own power, ſee no way to eſcape Eternal wrath? Did the Angels ſo much rejoyce, when this Jeſus came into the World, who were not concerned ſo much in his Redemption? and ſhall diſtreſſed and ſinfull man not have his heart leap within him, for joy hereat? That we may be affected What is implyed in Chriſts being a Saviour. 1. That all mankinde was loſt.herein, let us conſider, what is implyed in this Title, He is a Saviour. 2. Of whom he is a Saviour.
Firſt, In that Chriſt is thus called a Saviour, their is neceſſarily implyed, that all mankinde are loſt, that we are all in an undone and hopeleſs condition. Thus our Saviour, Mat, 18. 11. For the ſon of man is come to ſave that which is loſt. What bleſſed words of comfort are here! He is come to ſave; it is of his own accord, of his own good will he cometh; there is no neceſſity, he might have choſen whether he would or no; but, of his own meer will, he is come: and then he is come to ſave: that implyeth, this is the work, he had no other thing to do: if man had not been loſt, he had not come into the world. If then it be Chriſts proper work and Office to ſave, ſhall we think, he will be fruſtrated therein? and then it is to ſave, in that it comprehended all things. He came to convert, to ſanctifie, to juſtifie, to glorifie; for Salvation includeth all theſe. Hence the Scripture ſpeaketh of the Godly, as ſaved already, though but in the way, 2 Tim. 1. 9. who hath ſaved us, and called us.
Laſtly, He came to ſave that, which was loſt, actually loſt, not in danger to be loſt, not in probability to be loſt; but loſt; and then loſt; that doth imply our hopeleſs eſtate. Its grace muſt finde us out, its Chriſt that muſt ſeek us out; as the good Shepherd did his wandring ſheep. So that we ſee in what condition every man is, though never ſo great, wiſe, and learned, till he hath an Intereſt in Chriſt; though a Great man, a loſt man; though a Rich man, yet a loſt man, and that to all Eternity, for ever loſt, till this Saviour doth recover. What then haſt thou to do, but to ſit down, and bewail thy loſs? to aggravate thy loſs? Oh wretched and undone man, I have loſt God, I have loſt his image, I have lost Eternal glory. Is it not a reproach to thee, to ſee how thy heart can mourn, and mert, for outward loſſes? I have loſt my dear Relations, I have loſt all I am worth; and to have it like a ſtone and a rock, in this particular? It is one thing to be loſt, and another thing to be ſenſible of this. All men by nature are loſt, though they do not feel it, though they rejoyce, and are carnally jolly: but then, ſome few only, whoſe hearts God doth ſoften by his Grace, they feel, and groan under this loſt eſtate.
2. We are to conſider, what kinde of Saviour he his, and what kinde of Salvation 2. What kinde of Saviour is Chriſt? Even a ſpiritual one.it is: And now that is plain, he is not a temporal Saviour, but a ſpiritual one. ſo the Angel interpreteth it, for he ſhall ſave his people from their ſinnes, Mat. 17. 21. In the Old Teſtament we read, that God did raiſe up his people many temporal Saviours. Thus Moſes was a Saviour, Joſhua, who hath the ſame name with Jeſus, he was a Saviour: and the Apoſtle to the Hebrews maketh Joſhua the ſon of Nun, delivering the Iſraelites from their dangers and enemies, ſo that at laſt, he bringeth them into the Land of Reſt; to be a Type of Chriſt, our ſpiritual Saviour, who delivereth us from all our ſpiritual enemies, ſin, and Satan, not leaving us, till he hath made us ſit on Thrones of Glory. Now this carnal Opinion, that Chriſt would come as a temporal Saviour, did almoſt infect the whole Nation of the Jews; yea the Diſciples were leavened with this ſower leaven. And becauſe ſome places of Scripture did plainly ſpeak of the lowlineſs and afflictions of the Meſſiah, and other of his glory and greatneſs, therefore ſome Jews fancyed two Meſſiahs, one humble, lowly, and poor, the other magnificent and glorious. And certainly, if Chriſt had come as a temporal Meſſias, to vindicate his people from all external bondage, and to beſtow on them outward pomp, and greatneſs, this world would have ſuited with fleſh and bloud; but it is a ſpiritual Salvation he bringeth; and though natural men do not think ſo, yet this is the greateſt Salvation, this alone deſerveth to be called Salvation: To be ſaved from thy ſinnes, to be ſaved from hell, to be ſaved from damnation. This is that which alone makes happy. The Romans they ſacrificed to Jupiter, as their Saviour, and that was only for temporal Deliverances. But with what praiſe and joy are we to acknowledg Chriſt our Saviour, who doth thus vanquiſh our moſt potent and ſpiritual enemies? But no hearer can reliſh this truth, unleſs he be ſpiritual; he muſt be like the man of Jericho, wounded not in body, but in ſoul, crying out, I am not a dead man, but a damned man, that deſireth this oyl to be poured into his wounds.
3. As it is a ſpiritual Salvation, ſo it is an efficacious, full ſalvation. Hence 3. He is an effectual Saviour.he is called foreign and foreign, in the abſtract Salvation it ſelf: and we have an excellent Expreſſion, He is able to ſave thoſe to the uttermoſt, that come unto him, Heb. 7. 25. He is not an half ſaviour, he doth not ſave in part. It is true, this ſalvation is not in one inſtant perfected, it is done by degrees; the Lord doth not perfectly ſave us from the ſpot and blemiſh of our ſinnes. There is the guilt of ſin, the power of ſin, the filth of ſin. Now, even in this life, Chriſt doth ſave us perfectly from the guilt of ſin; ſo that, Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to thoſe that are in Chriſt Jeſus: as alſo from the power of ſin he delivereth us ſo, that Sin ſhall not have dominion over us, becauſe we are under grace: only for the preſence of ſin, and the luſts thereof, exciting and tempting; theſe are left as the Jebuſites in the land. Chriſt could perfect his Salvation in one inſtant, but for wiſe ends, he doth it by degrees. With him it is eaſie to ſave, there is no difficulty in it. Indeed this ſalvation is purchaſed upon hard termes; he was willing to be in thoſe Agonies, and conflicts, he was willing to dy that ignominous death, that we might be ſaved, ſo that, he himſelf ſeemed to be loſt a while, that he might ſave us; otherwiſe, by his death he hath obtained a plentifull Salvation. There are no ſinnes too many, or too great, from which he cannot ſave. It is true, we meet with an expreſſion, 1 Pet. 4. 18. That the righteous are ſcarcely ſaved; which ſome indeed apply to a temporal deliverance, that they do hardly eſcape outward afflictions; for the Apoſtle had formerly ſpoken that Judgment must begin at the houſe of God. But if we apply it to the ſpiritual Salvation of a godly man, then it is true, even a godly man is ſcarcely ſaved. Not, that there is want, or any defect in Chriſt; not that his blood can difficulty do it, but, becauſe the way to Salvation is ſo ſtraight a way, ſo contrary to fleſh and blood, and the Oppoſitions are ſo many, to retard, and divert, that therefore he is hardly ſaved. Were it not for the preſerving Grace of God keeping of us, when we do not keep our ſelves, it is impoſſible, that the moſt holy man ſhould be ſaved. Yet, if we conſider Chriſt himſelf, the Saviour, the godly ſoul may take ſo much encouragement from his Fulneſs; and ſee more in him to ſave, then can be with his ſinnes, (yea, if all the ſinnes of the world were likewiſe upon his ſcore,) to condemn and deſtroy him.
In the next place, let us conſider, Who they are, to whom he is a ſaviour. For, Who is Chriſt a Saviour to?though he be a ſaviour, yet it is not of all men; the greater part, not only of mankinde in the general, but of ſuch as are within the Church, will be damned. Therefore the Apoſtle diſtinguiſheth mankinde into two ſorts of perſons, 2 Cor. 3. 15. the foreign, and the foreign: ſuch as are to be ſaved, and ſuch as are to periſh. not that this doth redound to the blame of any Decrees of God, about the ſalvation of ſome men only, or to the particularity of Chriſts death; as if ſome had a deſire, and would have been ſaved, but Chriſt would not ſave them; but becauſe, in the men to periſh, their own ſinnes do indiſpoſe them for ſalvation, and they do wilfully and obſtinately thruſt it away far from them. And then the foreign, they are ſuch, who by the meer grace of God are ſaved from Hell, that would have been damned as well as others; only the Grace of God did from the firſt to the laſt preſerve them for this Bleſſedneſs. In this ſenſe it is, Act. 2. 47. The Lord added to the Church ſuch as ſhould be ſaved. Not that this word denoteth a preſent Diſpoſition, where by a man doth eſcape the ſinnes of the world, (though all that are ſaved ſhall do that,) but the mercifull Grace of God pulling them out, as he did Lot from Sodom; (for there its ſaid) When he lingred, the Lord being mercifull to him. So it is here, we are unwilling to come out of this Sodom, unwilling to be delivered from our luſts; and ſo are unwilling to be ſaved. But God being mercifull to us, by his omnipotent power he changeth our hearts, and maketh us, of refractory and unwilling, ready and obedient. Well then, who are theſe ſaved ones? A great Queſtion, and neceſſary. For would it not be more than all the world, to finde thy ſelf one in the number of theſe ſaved ones, when thouſands, and thouſands ſhall periſh in everlaſting flames.
I ſhall not enlarge in this, but give ſome brief Deſcriptions of them.
Firſt, It's ſome of mankinde that he cometh to ſave: not any of the Apoſtate 1. Some of mankinde.Angels; which doth infinitely commend the love of this Saviour to loſt man. The Apoſtle taketh notice of this aggravation, Heb. 2. 16. For verily he took not upon him the nature of Angels. Who would not have thought, Chriſt would come rather to ſave loſt Angels, than loſt men? Angels are of more noble and excellent natures than men. Angels, if ſaved, would have done God more ſervice, and brought him more glory than men. We ſee, if a learned, if a great man in place and power, be converted, how much he may do for God beyond an inferiour man: and then, much more would a ſaved Angel have done, than the moſt able men. Yet ſuch was the love of God, that his only Son muſt come from his boſome, to ſave loſt man.
But Secondly, It is not all loſt men that he cometh to ſave, but the humbled ſinner; the repenting and believing ſinner. He muſt be a ſinner, for if he were not 2. The repenting, believing ſinner.ſo, he needed not a Saviour; hence he ſaith, Matth. 9. 13. He came not to call the righteous, but ſinners to Repentance: that is, either ſuch as thought themſelves righteous, that were preſumptuouſly confident thereof; or elſe, (as others) thoſe that are indeed righteous, if any ſuch could be, Chriſt came not to them. Hence this conſideration of being a ſinner is not to diſcourage thee is not to keep thee off from a ſaviour; for if thou wert not a ſinner thou didſt not need a Saviour: Who ſhould come to a ſaviour but a ſinner? to the Phyſician but the ſick? Hence Paul comforted himſelf under this, when he had been ſuch a Perſecutor, and Blaſphemer, that Chriſt came to ſave ſinners, whereof he was chief, 1 Tim. 1. 15. But I add, it muſt be the humbled ſinner, the wounded ſinner, that feeleth himſelf periſhing; as the Diſciples in the waters, feeling themſelves ready to ſink, cryed out, Maſter, ſave us, we periſh, Matth. 8. 25. So it muſt be ſuch a broken-hearted ſinner, that feeleth himſelf dropping into Hell, falling into thoſe eternal flames, and therefore cryeth out, O Lord Chriſt ſave me, elſe I periſh. We may read, Mat. 11. 28. who they are that have the Scepter of Grace held out towards them, and are invited to come into his preſence, even ſuch as labour, and are heavy laden, that have no reſt in their ſoules as yet, becauſe of ſin; neither their bids, nor their houſes, neither their gardens, nor their wealth can give them any reſt.
Hence, in the third place, They are ſuch as are ſaved already from the evil 3. They are ſaved from …, and the world.and wicked wayes of the world. There is a twofold ſalvation; the one, from Hell and damnation: and many look only upon this as ſalvation. But then, there is a ſalvation from the evil cuſtomes, and wicked wayes of the world: and he that hath not this ſalvation will never have the latter. Therefore Act. 2. 37. when Peters hearers were pricked in their heart, (that is a preparatory way to converſion) they asked, Men and brethren what ſhall we do? They would gladly be ſaved from the guilt of theſe ſinnes. Then obſerve, what counſel the Apoſtle giveth, yea, he did it with much exhorting and teſtifying, v. 40. ſave your ſelves, or be ye ſaved from this untoward generation: that is, Be not in the number of thoſe that do reſiſt Chriſt; that will not believe his Doctrine, and miracles, but eſcape from them: they are in a dangerous eſtate. Therefore if thou wouldeſt be ſaved hereafter, ſee, Art thou ſaved already? art thou delivered from the number of thoſe wicked and ungodly men who will not obey Chriſt? How greatly would a man roaring in Hell be affected with ſuch mercy, as to be delivered from thoſe torments? But, it is no leſs to be ſaved from thoſe ungodly wayes, thou didſt once live in: to be ſaved from the wicked companions, and the inticements of luſts, that once thou waſt intangled in.
Fourthly, They who are to be ſaved are Chriſts people and none elſe. Such as take him for a Lord, as well as a ſaviour. Every wicked wretch loveth to hear, that 4. Chriſts people.Chriſt is a ſaviour: but then, if thou enquireſt to whom, this will marr all thy hopes; He will ſave his people from their ſinnes, Mat. 1. 21. his people, that is, ſuch as do accept of him, and receive him, as their Lord and Master; who do cordially ſubmit to his Lawes, and Ordinances. So that, theſe two words, Chriſts people do ſhut out a very great part of of the world from this Salvation; they have neither part or lot herein. Is the praphane man one of Chriſts people? no, he is one of his enemies, one of his adverſaries; he ſaith, We will not have Chriſt raign over us.
Fiftly, They that are ſaved are very few, comparatively, to thoſe that are 5. The ſaved are but few in compariſon of the damned.damned. Chriſt, though he be a ſufficient ſaviour, to ſave the whole world, yet he is an actual efficacious ſaviour but to few only: therefore, they are called a little flock. Hence when one put that Queſtion to our Saviour, Whether there would but few be ſaved, Luke 13. 23. Though our Saviour did not directly anſwer him, as proceeding from curioſity, yet he did implicitely reſolve it, when he bid that man ſtrive to enter in at the ſtraight gate, for many will ſeek to enter in, and ſhall not be able. There will be a time, when a ſaviour will be in requeſt, though for the preſent we ſeek after other ſaviours. But alas, Will thy riches ſave thee? will thy wealth ſave thee at that day? If Chriſt then be a Saviour, and ſalvation is the great end of thy ſoul, to prepare for that ought to be thy greateſt care and delight. Better never have been born, then not to be ſaved hereafter. Oh remember, now is the acceptable time of thy ſalvation, now Chriſt proffereth to be a Saviour. In his firſt coming his profeſſion is, that he came not to judg, but to ſave the world, John 12. 47. But at his laſt coming, he will then appear, not to ſave, but to juge the world. Oh then that men ſhould be ſo beſotted, and bewitched, as to neglect this ſalvation offered! Oh what terror will it be, to hear millions of perſons adjudged for their ſinnes to eternal deſtruction! then in horror to cry out, Oh Chriſt ſave us, Lord ſave us, but it will be too late.
The Second Doctrine I ſhall but only name; which is,
That the Lord Jeſus is Chriſt; that is, the Meſſias, the anointed one, he is Jeſus is the Chriſt, the anointed of God.a Chriſt, that he may be a Jeſus.
Now Chriſt is no more then Anointed: and becauſe in the Old Teſtament Kings, and Prieſts, and ſometimes Prophets were anointed to that Office, and thereby were made ſacred, and inviolable; Touch not my anointed, and do my Prophets no harm: hence in alluſion Chriſt is ſaid to be anointed, not indeed with material oyl, but with the holy Ghoſt; which is called the oyl of gladneſs, Pſal. 45. 7. And from hence we have our names, Chriſtians, as much as anointed ones; A glorions title implying our participation of Gods Spirit, and his Graces. Hence the Apoſtle 1 John 2. 20. But ye have an unction from the Holy One. and at the 21th verſe in this Chapter, God is ſaid, to have anointed us. I ſhall therefore put off this excellent point of our anointing by Chriſt, till we arrive at that Text.