An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 130
SERM. CXXX.
Of Gods confirmation of us upon his Promiſes, by his own grace.
2 COR. 1. 21.
Now he which eſtabliſheth you with us in Chriſt, and hath anointed us, is God.
THe eſtabliſhment of a Chriſtian upon the Promiſes of God is only the work of God. Man cannot ſettle himſelf, no more than he can make himſelf. Wherein Gods confirmation of us upon the promiſes conſiſteth. 1. In working principles of grace.There remaineth for the explication of this truth, to declare, wherein poſitively this confirmation by God doth conſiſt, and
Firſt, Hereby God doth ſtrengthen the heart in reference to the Promiſes, by working in us habits of grace, and ſome permanent conſtant Principles, whereby we are carried out eaſily and delightſomly unto them. The heart of man being originally and habitually corrupt, is contrary both to the commands of God, and the Promiſes of God, which is greatly to be obſerved; for the enmity indeed of our hearts againſt thoſe holy duties which the Law commandeth is often treated on, that is conſtantly preached upon; but the ſinfull enmity that is in our hearts naturally to cloſe with the Promiſes of God, that is ſeldome thought upon. It is therefore very neceſſary to know the backwardneſs and frowardneſs of the heart, to embrace Promiſes, as well as to obey commands: For, whence is it that the heart is humbled for ſin? whence is it ſenſible of the guilt and burthen thereof, that it flyeth from the Promiſe? whence is it that the Goſpel of Grace, and Juſtification of a ſinner is ſuch a Myſtery to it? Whence is it that experience in a godly man teacheth him that Faith in the Promiſes of all works is the moſt difficult? Is not all this from the contrariety of the heart, though humbled, to Gods way of Promiſes? This being then laid for a foundation, when God doth ſanctifie a man, he doth not only put theſe Principles into him, wherby he is inabled to obey the commands of God, but alſo whereby he is ſtrengthened to receive the Promiſes of God. And therefore as we have the Spirit of Sanctification, whereby we are fitted for Holineſs, ſo we need the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we are prepared for the Promiſes of God. Now if you ask what are thoſe habitual Principles wrought in us by God, whereby we entertain the Promiſes, and apply them to our own ſelves? I anſwer, They are theſe,
The Firſt, which doth immediately and formally work the ſoul thereunto is 1. Faith.Faith. Faith and the Promiſes are mutually related one to another, They are like the ſtomach and meat, hence Gal. 3. 22. it is ſaid, That the Promiſe by faith of Jeſus Chriſt might be given to them that believe. And Ver. 14. the Gentiles are ſaid to receive the promiſe of the Spirit through faith. By which it doth appear that the Promiſe without faith doth us no more good than meat without eating: Therefore to believe is John 6. to eat the fleſh of Chriſt, and drink his blood. This Faith therefore in the Scripture is commended above all other Graces, both in reſpect of its working, ad intra, and ad extra: ad intra, for by it Chriſt dwelleth in our hearts, by it we receive the Promiſes, by it we are juſtified, by it the heart is purified: and then ad extra, by faith we are quickened up to all thoſe holy duties which are required of us. It is faith which worketh by love, Gal. 5. 6. and ſo by patience, by zeal, by repentance. If then thou wouldſt have thy ſoul fixed upon the Promiſes, pray above all things for this grace of faith. Faith diſpelleth fears, doubtings, and all temptations of Satan: therefore we are ſaid to be kept by the power of God, but through faith to ſalvation, 1 Pet. 1. 5. we are left, as in a ſafe garriſon, ſo the word ſignifieth, as ſome obſerve. Know then, that if thy faith could alwayes be kept lively, and vigorous in thee, there is nothing could divide between thee and the promiſe; but as the childe in the wombe is nouriſhed by the navel of the mother, ſo is thy heart by Faith in the Promiſes. Hence it is obſerved, that of the ſame root in the Hebrew, whence the word Faith cometh, there ariſeth alſo the word ſignifying a nurſe, foreign Numb. 11. 12. as a nurſing father beareth the ſucking childe: as if faith did make a man continually ſuck at the Promiſes, as a childe doth at the nurſes breaſts. This then is the moſt eminent and principal grace, eſtabliſhing the heart: As on the contrary, unbelief is that which doth unſettle and diſtract the heart.
A Second habitual grace and principle inclining the heart to the Promiſes, is 2. Love.Love: not that we are juſtified by love, or that love is a receptive grace, applying the Promiſes; but only it doth ſweeten the heart in reference to God. It putteth us upon good thoughts to God, we look not upon him as a ſevere judg, taking all opportunities to damn us, but as a gracious and loving father, reconciled to us through the blood of Chriſt. Therefore not only faith, but love likewiſe doth expell tormenting fears, and doubts. Thus the Apoſtle notably 1 John 4, 18. There is no fear in love, but perfect love caſteth out fear, becauſe fear hath torment. He that feareth viz. in this ſlaviſh manner is not made perfect in love. We ſee in this Text what the nature of ſlaviſh fear is, and what is the proper effect of a filial love of God. Slaviſh fear is tormenting: doth not every ſoul exerciſed therewith, ſubſcribe thereunto? are not ſervile fears almoſt like the torments of Hell it ſelf? How intolerable is it to fear God as Cain did, as Judas did, with dreadfull apprehenſions of Gods wrath againſt them? Thus fear produceth ſpiritual hornets as it were in the ſoul to ſting it day and night; but love, the more that is perfected, it caſteth out them. How bleſſed a thing then is it to have the heart filled with the love of God? For as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 13. Love ſuffereth long, and is kind, is not eaſily provoked, thinketh no evil. Thus doth our love affect us towards God: though he exerciſeth and chaſtizeth us, yet we ſuffer long, and bear it patiently; neither do we entertain hard thoughts of God, as if he were too ſevere, as if he did puniſh us more than our ſins deſerve: it removeth theſe ſuſpicious thoughts which guilt is apt to raiſe up in us, as if God were become our enemy, and interpreting every thing in the worſt ſenſe; yea this love ſeeketh not her own, but ſo that God is honoured, that his great name is magnified and glorified, he mattereth not his own conſent and eaſe. Therefore though God leave him long in deſertions, though he be under manifold temptations, yet he ſaith, God is good, and he loveth God, even when God ſeemeth not to love him; ſo we may truly ſay with Solomon, Cant. 8. 6. Love is as ſtrong as death, the coales thereof are as coales of fire. Many waters cannot quench love, many floods cannot drown it. Certainly if this be true of humane love, how much more of divine love? If therefore thou wouldſt have thy heart ſetled upon the promiſes, preſerve this love like the fire upon the altar of thy heart daily.
Thirdly, Another habitual principle to confirm the heart upon the promiſes, 3. Heavenly courage and ſpiritual fortitude.is, Spiritual fortitude and heavenly courage. Ariſtotle maketh fortitude a moral vertue, when a man either doth or ſuffereth great things for vertues ſake; but Chriſtian fortitude is of a more ſublime nature: neither do we ſpeak of it, as enduring great things from man, but from God. For we may ſee David many times ready to ſink under the heavy temptations, he was conflicting with; but then ſee how his holy generoſity recovereth it ſelf, Pſal. 42. 9, 11. I will ſay unto God my rock, why haſt thou forgotten me? &c. And why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul! Why art thou diſquieted? hope in God. Hence David exhorteth all that hope in God, Pſal. 31. 24. To be of good courage, and God ſhall ſtrengthen their hearts. Of all temptations none are ſo grievous to be born, as thoſe which ariſe from Gods withdrawing of himſelf, and hiding of his face from us; then we apprehend no promiſes do belong unto us; then we queſtion very principles, and ſo are like a ſhip toſſed in the Sea, without Pilot or Anchor. Therefore ſpiritual fortitude to withſtand theſe ſtrong aſſaults, is above all required. How many have ſunk irrecoverably into this pit of deſtruction? So that unleſſe Gods power ſettle us, unleſſe that compoſe our hearts, we can as well remove mountains, as this ſad and ſainting ſpirit of ours. Lay then faſt hold on Chriſt, thou canſt not ſink in theſe waters, if his arm doth uphold thee. Thus Timothy is exhorted, To be ſtrong in the grace that is in Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Tim. 2. 1. there is his duty to be ſtrong, but how muſt he come to have this ſtrength, It is by Jeſus Chriſt; you would think the exhortation were ſuperfluous: for why muſt I be ſtrong, if it be the grace of Chriſt that muſt enable me? But the exhortation is uſefull howſoever; for hereby we are taught our duty, as alſo to go out of our ſelves, renouncing our own ſtrength, and laying the faſter hold upon Chriſt himſelf. To this purpoſe we have the like exhortation, Epheſ. 6. 10. Finally my brethren be ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might: when he had before laid down ſeveral precepts, then knowing how impotent and unable we are, he ſaith, Be ſtrong in the Lord. Here you ſee what we are commanded, but it is the power of his might, that is, his mighty power, that muſt confirm us; and where this is preſent, then we wonder how we are carried through ſuch temptations, led through ſuch wilderneſſes as we have been; we ſtand and admire to ſee what red Seas we have gone thorow, and how the waters have yeelded unto us. Thus Paul, I can doe all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthens me, Phil. 4. 13.
Fourthly, Divine hope doth exceedingly conduce to ſtabliſh the ſoul upon the promiſes, 4. Divine …op…as you heard, from thoſe admonitions of David to his ſoul, Hope thou ſtill in God. Faith is carried out to the truth of God, and hope to the mercy and power of God; and therefore he that hopeth in God, is got into the Ark, while others float in the waters, Heb. 6. 19. it is compared to the Anchor of the ſoul, both ſure and ſtedfaſt, and which entereth within the vail. By this we ſee, that hope doth notably ſettle the ſoul. Faith indeed and hope are two ſiſters and twins, and look ſo like one another, that we can hardly make the difference; yet faith eſtabliſheth the ſoul upon the promiſes, by apprehending them as preſent; ſo that the ſoul is in as holy a manner ſecure, as if it were already in Heaven. But hope doth ſettle the ſoul on Gods promiſes, as the things promiſed are future and to come. For ſeeing between Gods promiſes, and the accompliſhment of them, there happen ſo many croſſe providences in appearance; yea ſo many difficulties and ſeeming impoſſibilities are in the way, we need ſome divine grace to overcome all theſe, and that is hope, compared excellently to an Anchor; for as that doth faſten the ſhip, which otherwiſe would be toſſed up and down, and in danger of ſplitting upon every Rock; ſo the ſoul of the moſt godly man is toſſed up and down with ſuch ſad temptations, that did not this hope bear up the heart, all would fail within us. But this ſpiritual anchor exceedeth all material ones; for this is ſure and ſtedfaſt. Sure, ſo that no outward violence of ſtorms can break it: and ſtedfaſt, in reſpect from within there is nothing without or within that can diſanu…l this. But then whereas other anchors are faſtened into the earth, this is in Heaven, in God, and inviſible things. A godly mans hope cannot be ſeen by the bodily eye. Take heed then of weakning this grace of hope, it's an excellent corroborater of the ſoul, ſtaying it up with that glory, which will be revealed hereafter.
Laſtly, Another habitual principle, whereby God doth exceedingly eſtabliſh the heart on the promiſes, is Spiritual joy and heavenly conſolations. This is 5. Spiritual joyone great reaſon, ſay Divines, why Angels and Saints in Heaven are ſo confirmed in that eſtate, that nothing can tempt them off from God, they never will be weary of the preſence of God; even becauſe they are filled with ſo much infinite delight and joy, that they cannot deſire any better thing than God. Now the godly they have the beginnings of theſe conſolations here upon earth; for by the ſpirit of adoption, they are ſo filled with joy and delight, that all the world is no more than an husk unto them; they look upon the world as a wilderneſſe, and Heaven as the Canaan. So that ſpiritual conſolations, when wrought in the ſoul, are like a mighty pillar to bear up the heart. Hence the Apoſtle prayeth, 2 Theſ. 2. 17. That God would comfort their hearts, and ſtabliſh them. Firſt, Comfort, and then eſtabliſh. How hardly is the heart dejected, and full of deſpondent thoughts eſtabliſhed? But comfort and joy is oil to the wheels. Thus Nehemiah ſpake, Neh. 8. 10. Be not ye ſorry, for the joy of the Lord is your ſtrength. So much ſinfull grief as thou letteſt in, it is like the letting in of waters at ſome leak in the ſhip, it may ſink the ſhip at laſt. Bleſſe God therefore for any gladneſſe of heart, for any conſolations of ſoul through the Spirit of God; theſe ſupport the ſoul, theſe make it rejoyce in the midſt of all afflictions. It is true, ſometimes the people of God, for wiſe and holy ends are deprived of them; but when they are vouchſafed, they come like pleaſant gales of winde to carry the ſhip to its Haven.
In the next place, As God doth poſitively eſtabliſh by theſe habitual principles; 2. By actual motions of his Spirit upon usſo alſo by the actual motions of his Spirit upon us. There is not only habitual grace, but efficacious grace, whereby the Lord worketh in us both to will and to do. How many times do the principles of grace, like Chriſt in the ſhip, lie aſleep in us, inſomuch that till they be awakened, we are in danger of ſhipwrack? Therefore when the Apoſtle exhorteth us, To work out our ſalvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2. 13. he giveth a wonderfull reaſon; for it's God that worketh in you to will and to do, and that of his good pleaſure. So that the confirming power of God lieth chiefly in this, in actuating thoſe habitual principles within us, whereby we depend upon God continually, as the beams of the Sun do upon the Sun. This Doctrine Pelagians and Papiſts cannot reliſh: but certainly if God come not with efficacious actual help, as well as habitual; the inſtances of the fals of Gods people in all ages, will palpably declare they are undone of themſelves.
Having thus illuſtrated the Doctrine, let us touch ſome arguments à posteriori; Arguments that all our eſtabliſhment is from God. It appears, 1. From that unevenneſs that is in the godly themſelves.whereby it is plain, That all our eſtabliſhment is from God. And
1. It is plain, In that a godly man findeth ſuch an inequality in the temper of his ſoul. Sometimes he is able to withſtand ſtrong guſts of temptations; and at another time, he is ſo weak, that every blow will beat him down. David diſcovereth theſe hils and valleys in his ſoul in many Pſalms. Now if it were a mans own ſtrength, then he would be more conſtant and uniform. Only by theſe ebbings and flowings we are taught, that God doth alone ſupport us; if he withdraw his hand, then are we troubled.
2. It is plain, Becauſe ſometimes weak Chriſtians have gone through great temptations, 2. In that weak Chriſtians have gone through great temptations, when ſtrong ones have failed.when ſtrong ones have exceedingly failed. Did not Peter an eminent Apoſtle of Chriſt fall very dangerouſly? And yet how many weak women have been inabled to become Martyrs for Chriſt? Did not Abraham called the father of the faithfull, ſhew much ſinfull fear when he was in Abimelechs country? Alas, if Samſons hair be cut, he is no ſtronger than other men. Oh the wiſe diſpenſation of God! Sometimes the ſtrong Chriſtian ſtumbleth and falleth, when the weak ſtandeth. And why is all this? but as the Apoſtle teacheth us, to ſhew, That the root beareth us, and not we the root, Rom. 11. 18. Chriſt keepeth us to him, we do not keep Chriſt to our ſelves.
Laſtly, That it is God alone who eſtabliſheth, as appeareth, By the prayers of 3. It appears from the prayers of Gods people.Gods people. And it's a Rule of Auſtins of old againſt the Pelagians, It is an abſurd thing to pray unto God for that which is in our own power. If we can eſtabliſh our ſelves, why do we pray, that God would not lead us into temptation? Do we not therein proclaim, that our own power, our own ſtrength cannot preſerve us in any temptation? Thus David prayeth, Uphold me according to thy Word, Pſa. 119. 116. and Pſal. 51. 12. Uphold me with thy free ſpirit. The guilt upon his ſoul, for thoſe groſſe ſins would have ſwept him away like a flood, had not God mercifully upheld him: and as the godly have declared this by prayer, ſo alſo by their praiſes and thankſgiving, acknowledging that they could never have gone through ſuch exerciſes, conflicted with ſuch temptations, had not the Lord ſupported them. They wonder to ſee how their hearts were kept up under ſuch dejections. Thus David, Pſal. 63. 8. My ſoul followeth hard after thee, thy right hand upholdeth me. And Pſal. 145. 14. The Lord upholdeth thoſe that fall; though they fall, yet he doth not quite take off his hand from them, but raiſeth them up again. Thus you ſee how true the Text is, That it is God who eſtabliſheth us.