An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 127
SERM. CXXVII.
Of the uſefulneſſe and unchangeableneſſe of the Promiſes of God.
2 COR. 1. 20.
For all the Promiſes of God, in him are yea, and in him amen,
ALl the promiſes of grace, you have heard, are eſtabliſhed upon two immovable pillars, Gods unchangableneſſe, and the bloud of Chriſt. To proceed from this, followeth Firſt, That Deus abſolutus, as Luther was wont to ſay, or Deus in praedicamento ſubſtantiae, is a conſuming fire, and we are nothing but ſtubble before him: it muſt be God as in praedicamento relationis, as he is a God promiſing mercy unto us in Chriſt; that is the ground of all our commerce and fellowſhip with him. We are not to appear before God in confidence of our obedience to his commands, but by faith in his promiſes: inſomuch that the only foundation we have to build upon in all our approaches unto him, is Gods promiſe alone in Chriſt. The godly ſoul is to look with as much or more chearfulneſſe on that, than Rahab could do on the ſcarlet thread held out, as a commemorative ſigne to preſerve her life: were it not for this promiſe in Chriſt, who could, who might, who dare draw nigh to God the Father? So that it is through Chriſt that the way is opened for us to come unto God. We may ſee this notably prefigured, as it were in Gods diſpenſation with the people of Iſrael, Exo. 33. 2, 3. for when they had by their ſinnes greatly provoked God, the Lord denied his preſence to go along with them: I will not go up with thee, leſt I conſume thee in the way: this ſheweth, that ſuch was Gods anger againſt their iniquity that he could not bear it; It's a ſpeech taken from the humour of men, otherwiſe the anger of the Lord is ſubject to his own power, only this is ſpoken to ſhew what diſtaſtefull objects they were to him; But though his anger be thus againſt them, yet ſee what he promiſeth, ver. 2. I will ſend my Angel before thee: Here God would not go, but his Angel, now this Angel is Chriſt, as appeareth Exod. 22. 20, 21, 22. where he is deſcribed as one, in whoſe power it is to pardon iniquities, with this addition, for my Name is in him. Obſerve then here a ſweet Oeconomy or diſpenſation of Gods dealing with the people of Iſrael, as a Preſident to inform us about all mankinde; God would not look upon mankinde, neither would he behold, as it were, if he did, he ſhould immediatly deſtroy them all; but he ſends an Angel, he ſendeth Chriſt into the world, and ſo in and through him he becomes propitious to us: Now how little is this underſtood by Chriſtians, who do go to the promiſes upon their own obedience? they think they beleeve, they repent, and in the mean while Chriſt is not all in all, as if in our graces, in our performances: The promiſes of God were yea and Amen, and not in God himſelf: It is a long while ere the miniſtery of the Law hath any efficacy upon mens hearts, ere they are ſenſible of the weight and the heavineſſe of ſinne, ere they go bowed down becauſe of this burden; and when that hath broken them, it is many times longer ere they are directed to an Evangelicall life, ere they can tell how to make uſe of the proper remedy, which is the promiſe of God in Chriſt; for all their diſputes and doubts ariſe from this, as if the fullfilling of the promiſes were eſtabliſhed upon themſelves, and not upon Chriſts bloud. Truly if the humbled ſinner were well inſtructed in this principle, it would be like the riſing of the Sunne, to diſpell all darkneſſe, for either the promiſes are made good becauſe of thy faith, and of thy repentance, or becauſe of Chriſts bloud and atonement through that; if becauſe of the former, then no wonder thou art no more quieted in thy minde, no wonder thy heart is ſo full of fears: for how weak is thy faith? how ſtrong and heavy is thy heart? if thou muſt be juſtified by their worth, thou art undone. But then if Chriſt be the ſurety, if he hath undertaken for thee, and performed for thee what was required by the Law, then thou maiſt pleade, though not for my ſake, yet for Chriſts ſake let thy promiſe be made good to me.
But the troubled ſoul will object very plauſibly againſt this, Though Gods promiſes are made good in Chriſt, yet there is the duty of faith and repentance required of me, ſo that if I do not beleeve, if I do not repent, there is no promiſe through Chriſts blood eſtabliſhed, that will do me any good: what? is it your meaning, that though I am a ſinner, and while I abide in my ſins, I ſhould pleade the promiſe of God in Chriſt? Is not this to daſh my ſoul at the Antinomian rock? This deſerveth a full anſwer.
And firſt, It muſt be acknowledged, that in this point it is hard to ſail between Anſ. 1. It is hard to ſail between the Arminian and Antinomian rock.the Scylla and Charybdis of the Arminian errour on one hand, and Antinomian on the other ſide. For the Arminians they indeed make Chriſt to be the atonement for our ſins, but ſo that we muſt beleeve and repent, all which is true. But then if it be asked, how come we to beleeve, and to repent? here they fly, in part at leaſt; to our own free will, for they deny that faith is purchaſed by Chriſts death; ſo that by their doctrine the whole fruit of Chriſts death ſtandeth ſuſpenſe and indeterminate, till it be determined by our faith. Chriſts death is made effectuall to us by our beleeving; and this beleeving is not wrought in us by Chriſts Spirit, nor is it beſtowed on us as the fruit of his death, but only we joyning with the grace of God do make the redimibility which was before faith, by faith to be actual redemption. And the Papiſt he erreth more groſly herein, for he addeth further, that our faith and repentance, yea, all holy works are cauſal conditions, ſuch as are meritorious, and have an inward condignity and proportion to the reward. Thus generally the Papiſts, though ſome of them deny this merit and cauſality; But the Antinomian falleth into another extremity, for he doth ſo offer Chriſt and his promiſes to a man, as if nothing at all were required on mans part, and therefore tels a ſinner that it is his duty while a ſinner, and abiding in that ſtate, to receive the promiſe; yea, one goeth ſo far *Saltmarſh.as to ſay, that Chriſt did beleeve for us, Chriſt did repent for us, and therefore that we are not bound to beleeve or repent, but only to reſt on Chriſt that he hath done theſe things for us. Thus you ſee, here are two extreme opinions, and it is very hard for the ſoul in its firſt troubles and pangs to be guided out of this wilderneſſe: how many have been ſeduced by Antinomian errours, under the ſpecious pretence of free grace? and how many again have fallen into Armintan and Popiſh principles, thinking that way to aſſwage their bleeding hearts? but the Scripture truth doth lie between theſe two; for Chriſt, and ſo the promiſes, are not applicable to ſinners as ſinners, whether they beleeve or not beleeve, whether they repent or not repent, but do require indiſpenſably of all grown perſons faith and repentance; but yet on the other ſide, this faith and repentance of ours, have no merit or dignity in them, nor are they the effect and fruit of our own will and power, but are the gifts of Gods grace, and the conſequent of Chriſts death, ſo that Chriſt did not only die for our ſins, he did not only dye to confirm the promiſes to us, but he died alſo to give us faith and repentance, that by them we might be qualified ſubjects for ſuch glorious mercies. Hence the Scripture maketh faith and repentance to be the gifts of Gods grace, as well as remiſſion and pardon of ſinne. Theſe duties then are neceſſarily required of us, that the promiſes may be made good to us, againſt the Antinomians; yet theſe duties are Gods gift, and the work of his ſpirit, not the iſſues of our free-will; againſt the Arminians.
Therefore in the ſecond place, when a Chriſtian cometh to make uſe of a promiſe, 2. A Chriſtian in making uſe of a promiſe muſt not oppoſe it to Chriſt, nor Chriſt to it.he muſt not oppoſe Chriſt and his duties, but compoſe them together: he muſt ſubordinate his duties to Chriſt. We complain that the Popiſh doctrines oppoſe Chriſt and duties, even as the Apoſtle argueth againſt the Galathians, who by works of the Law made Chriſt of none effect: and we cannot deny but the heart of man is ſo prone to put confidence in what we do, and although we diſclaim the merit of works, yet to have a ſecret reſt of the ſoul upon them, that it is very difficult to keep within our bounds, but yet we are alſo to know that every thing in Chriſtianity is very hard to fleſh and bloud. Any thing graciouſly done, is exact, and accurately commenſurated to the rule of God: whereas ſuch is the inſtability and unrulineſſe of man naturally, that he is apt to run from one extreme to another, and while he ſeeketh to avoid one, to fall into another: our duty therefore is, to reſt upon Chriſt alone in the promiſes, as the meritorious and fundamentall cauſe, yet diligently to purſue after holineſſe, as that which qualifieth the ſubject for the glorious things promiſed: God hath required theſe duties of thee, therefore be thou as faithful and diligent in the performance of them, as if there were no Chriſt, no Mediatour: And again, be thou as wholly recumbent on Chriſt, as if thou hadſt no faith, no repentance at all; diſtinguiſh between the neceſſary preſence of them, and the cauſality of them. Thus it ought to be the wiſedome and skill of Miniſters ſo to preach and exalt Chriſt, as thereby no duties are to be omitted or neglected: And again ſo powerfully and exactly to preſſe duties, that Chriſt be not in the leaſt manner diſrobed of his glory; for although Chriſt interpoſeth between the Fathers wrath and us, yet you muſt not ſo underſtand it, as if by our ſins we could not provoke Chriſt; as if through our unbeleef and impenitency, we might not cauſe him of a lamb to be like a roaring lion: We muſt not apprehend Chriſt to have only mercy in him, and all wrath to be in God the Father only: for obſerve that counſel given to the people of Iſrael concerning this Angel, who was to guide them, which is Chriſt, Exod. 23. 21. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not, for my Name is in him. Though then the promiſes are eſtabliſhed upon Chriſt, yet take heed of provoking him by impenitency, for even Chriſt will be a judge againſt thee becauſe of thy diſobedience: Well, let all this be granted, yet ſtill the tender and broken heart will object: I dare not lay hold on the promiſes, they do not belong to me; I finde ſo much unworthineſſe, ſo much dulneſſe and ſtupidity, that though others What a Chriſtian ought to do in his doubtings of his intereſt in the promiſes. 1. He is not to aſcend into the high points of predeſtination and univerſal redemption.may pleade the promiſe, yet my heart is ſo full of fears and confuſion, that I dare not do it. What therefore ſhould a Chriſtian, doubting whether the promiſes do belong to him, do in that darkneſſe and perplexity which is upon him?
And firſt, we grant, That a Christian ſo exerciſed, is not to aſcend up to thoſe high points of predeſtination, or the univerſal redemption by Chriſts death. We do not require of thee to aſcend up into heaven, as it were, to ſearch into the Book of life, whether thy Name be written there, and then to ſay, the promiſe belongs to thee. This abſurd and prepoſterous courſe ſome would faſten upon thoſe, who hold the doctrine of Gods abſolute election; as if from that it did neceſſarily follow, that no Chriſtian humbled for ſin might apply the promiſes, till they firſt know whether they be elected or no. And again, thoſe that pleade for Univerſall redemption by Chriſt, they think, that unleſſe that be received, we cannot rationally perſwade any humbled ſinner to apply a particular promiſe to himſelf, that Chriſt loved him, and gave himſelf for him; but no afflicted ſinner is to run to any of theſe doctrines, but is out of the ſence of his unworthineſſe, to go as boldly to Chriſt in the promiſe, as if none of thoſe doctrines had ever been diſputed by learned men.
For in the ſecond place, We are to make Gods commands and invitations the 2. He ſhould make Gods command and invitation his ground of drawing nigh to a promiſe.ground of our drawing nigh to the promiſe. If then the Scripture be full of ſuch gracious invitations to all that are hungry and thirſty, to all that are humbled and debaſed under their unworthineſſe, to come and finde reſt for their ſouls; yea, if the Scripture commands ſuch as are poor in ſpirit, with all holy boldneſſe to draw nigh to the throne of grace, then here is their warrant, from this, they are to encourage themſelves; ſo that the truly humbled ſinner is only to hearken what the word of God commands. Art thou one who findeſt thy ſelf undone? Doſt thou f…el thy ſelf to be a loſt man? then know it is Gods will and command to come unto him for pardon: Thou art bound in conſcience, if thou wilt not diſhonour God, nor damn thy own ſoul, to eat of this tree of life. Never then perplex thy ſelf about theſe thoughts, whether the promiſes of God belong to thee or no; for it's plain, They belong to ſuch who are ſick under the ſence of ſinne, who are burthened under the weight of it; and if the promiſes belong not to ſuch as thou art, they belong to none in the world: and withall ſet this home upon thy ſoul, that the longer thou keepeſt off from the promiſe, the worſe it is with thee; the work of faith will be the more difficult; the longer thou ſuffereſt this wound to feſter, the more difficultly will it be cured: The longer thou wandreſt in this wilderneſſe, the more hard it will be at laſt to enter into Canaan: the longer the water is muddied, the harder will it be to ſee the face. For when all is done, and thou haſt diſputed thy ſelf out of breath, thou muſt come to this at laſt, even to lay hold upon the promiſe by particular application, Shall Eſther reſolve to go into the Kings preſence, though no Scepter of Invitation were held out, ſaying, If I periſh, I periſh? how inexcuſable then wilt thou be if thou draweſt back, when the Scepter is held out? No wonder if Adam did run from God, endeavouring to hide himſelf from his preſence upon his tranſgreſſion; for as yet he had received no promiſe from God. But how wilt thou pleade for thy ſelf, when the promiſe is indefinitely propounded to every one that findeth the need thereof? This is certain, it is inevitable ruine to run from the promiſe; where wilt thou help thy ſelf, if thou flyeſt from it? There is no other way, but this Ark to eſcape drowning: Therefore remember, it is not diſputing, but reſting of thy ſoul on Chriſt, that will at laſt quiet thy ſpirit.
In the next place, in that all the promiſes of God are thus Amen in Chriſt; it The promiſes being …ounded upon will never be altered or changed.followeth, That they will never be altered and changed; that they are more immovable than the Laws of Medes and Perſians: ſo that although David and others of Gods Children, have ſometimes ſadly complained, Hath the Lord forgot for ever? yet this was from their imbecillity, attending more to the dead womb of ſecond cauſes than to Gods truth. For God can no more break his promiſe, than he can ceafe to be God; and truly herein the heart of a godly man ſhould greatly rejoyce. The promiſes depend not upon thy ſtrength, upon thy perſeverance, upon thy good uſe of the opportunities enjoyed by thee, but upon Chriſt alone. How often haſt thou, as much as lieth in thee, made the promiſes of none effect to thee? but the promiſes keep thee, and not thou the promiſes, God cannot break his promiſe. Oh pray to God for an heart that is yea and Amen, as well as the promiſes: ſay, O Lord, I would gladly have faith as firm as the promiſes; I deſire my ſoul may be Yea and Amen as well as they are. Oh how full is the Scripture of ſweet and comfortable promiſes? But we are dejected and deſolate, not at all attending to them; ſo that it is with us, as Pythagoras fancied about the heavens, viz. that they made moſt admirable muſick in their motion, but our ears through continuall uſe are ſtupified, and hear them not. To be ſure, the Scripture vouchſafeth excellent muſick and raviſhing joy to a gracious heart, but that many times attendeth not to it. But you may ſay, If this be ſo, that God breaketh not his promiſe, how ſhall we underſtand that place, Num. 14. 34? where God threatning the people of Iſrael for their murmuring againſt them, and that their carcaſes ſhould fall in the wilderneſſe; then ſaith God, ye ſhall know my breach of promiſe, or as in the margin, my altering of my purpoſe. Here it ſhould ſeem God may break his promiſe: to this it may be anſwered, if we follow this Tranſlation, that God ſpeaketh of that particular promiſe about their entring into the land of Canaan, which was conditionall, if they did not rebell againſt him; and ſo they not fullfilling the condition, God is there ſaid to break his promiſe. But others render the Hebrew word otherwiſe, as ſome tranſlate it, ultionem meam, my revenge: The Hebrew word Tenuathi, cometh of Noah to break; and as it is applyed to words and promiſes, ſo alſo to other things; and therefore the moſt genuine tranſlation is abruptionem meam, you ſhall know my breaking, that is as ſome, that diſobedience whereby you have broken your ſelves from me; or elſe, which is moſt probable, that breaking which I have made upon you, becauſe of your ſins; you ſhall know I have divided my ſelf from you for your iniquites; and this I conceive moſt genuine.
The Uſe is of Inſtruction: would we ever have the promiſes of God fullfilled to us, then the way is to get an intereſt in Chriſt; the promiſes are fullfilled in him, and therefore without Chriſt, without the promiſes. He is the heir, and therefore contrary to thoſe in the Parable; Let us not kill him, but obey him, and receive him for our Lord, and then the inheritance will be ours. Canſt thou upon good grounds ſay, Chriſt is mine? then thou maiſt alſo ſay, all the promiſes are mine: but know Chriſt cannot be thine upon any other terms than by forſaking all thy ſins, though never ſo pleaſant and profitable: Chriſt cannot be thine, unleſſe you leave every thing elſe for him. This is the pearl that we muſt ſell all to make ours; and truly no tongue is able to expreſſe, or heart to conceive the deſperate condition of thoſe, to whom no promiſe of grace doth belong: they are herein like the damned in hell. It is true, in your extremities, in your terrours, you will call for mercy, cry out for pardon; but where is the Chriſt, in whoſe name this is to be obtained? Certainly if Chriſt be yours, the ſpirit of Chriſt alſo, ſubduing your luſts and ſins for you.