An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 131
SERM. CXXXI.
The moſt eminent for Godlineſſe need to be eſtabliſhed by God as well as the meaneſt, which Eſtabliſhment is in Chriſt Jeſus.
2 COR. 1. 21.
Now he which eſtabliſheth us together with you in Chriſt, &c.
THe next thing conſiderable is the Subject of this Eſtabliſhment, with the Object wherein. The Subject is, Us with you. In this doth appear the Apoſtles modeſty and humility; Though he had ſuch a plerophory, and did exceed many others, as much as the Cypreſſe doth the ſhrubs, yet he attributeth it not to his own ſtrength, or power, but to the grace of God: If God leave him, then this Samſon is no more than other men. And when he ſaith, With you] this is to be underſtood indefinitely, not univerſally. For who can think, that every Corinthian was thus eſtabliſhed, anointed and ſealed? But it is ordinary with the Apoſtle, when writing to Churches, to ſpeak of them as thoſe that are truly godly, either becauſe many were ſo, or elſe becauſe in charity, it was meet for him to think ſo. Or laſtly, becauſe according to their outward calling and profeſſion they declared themſelves obliged and bound thereunto. Thus writing to the Church of the Epheſians, he ſpeaketh generally, Grieue not the Spirit of God, whereby ye are ſealed unto the day of redemption, Epheſ. 4. 30.
In the next place, you have the Object, and that is, in Chriſt, foreign, in Chriſtum. Some render it, as being more emphatical. The ſenſe is, that we are incorporated (as it were) into Chriſt, and thereby eſtabliſhed, for out of Chriſt, we are as reeds ſhaken with every wind. From theſe two particulars, we may obſerve two Doctrines to be briefly diſpatched at this time. The firſt is,
That even the moſt eminent in godlineſſe do need Gods power to ſtabliſh them, The ſtrongeſt Chriſtians need Gods eſtabliſhing grace as well as the weakeſt.as the weakeſt and moſt infirm.
Even the Pauls that are like gyants, when others are but as dwarfs, are not preſerved by their own power. It's Gods right hand that upholdeth them, and if that be removed, they are no more than other men. This is a very neceſſary truth to be improved for the comfort of thoſe that are weak in their own ſenſe and feeling. Whatſoever encouragements you declare to them, they are ready to put off all with this; It is true, ſuch as Paul, ſuch as Abraham and David, that were ſtarres of the firſt magnitude, theſe could do ſo; God was in a ſpecial manner preſent with them. But we muſt not argue from theſe Cedars to ſuch Briars as we are; whereas this Text ſheweth, that all are alike as to this dependance alone upon God, Us with you, ſaith the Apoſtle; and therefore we have him, Rom. 8. and in other places putting himſelf in the number of other Chriſtians, and a guing for their juſtification, perſeverance and eternal glory, by ſuch arguments as are common to all believers, not from any thing peculiar and extraordinary in himſelf. So that all believers have the ſame God, the ſame Chriſt to reſt their ſouls upon, though they differ much in their inherent graces. Thus we may ſee David a preſident herein, Pſal. 32. 6. when he had declared Gods great goodneſſe to him, upon his purpoſe to confeſs his ſins, I ſaid, I will confeſſe my tranſgreſſions unto the Lord, thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſinne: that is ſpoken by way of aggravation; whatſoever was guilty and damnable in it, though never in ſo heinous a manner, thou didſt pardon it; then mark the inference, For this ſhall every one that is godly, pray unto thee for this, becauſe God did ſo with David: whereas it might be objected, Though God did ſo with David. yet will he with ſuch an unworthy wretch as I am? But David anſwereth you, For this eueryevery godly man ſhall be encouraged to pray.
To demonſtrate the Doctrine, viz. That the ſtrongeſt Chriſtians are alone ſtabliſhed by the power of God, conſider theſe particulars:
Firſt, The examples of the fals of the moſt godly men that are recorded in 1. It appears from the falls the ſtrongeſt have had.Scripture. By which it is plain, that not they themſelves, but the power of God did preſerve them, and when that had forſaken them, being left to themſelves, they fall into the mire. Thus David and Peter are ſad inſtances: what weakneſſe is upon the beſt, if the Lord forſake them but for a while? Peter was ſo confident of his immoyeableneſſe, that he thought, though all others ſhould deny Chriſt, yet he would ſtand it out; but how ſadly did he fall to the great bit erneſſe of his ſoul? Thus the godly appear ſometimes like Trees in the winter, which though having ſome life in the root, yet outwardly have no apparent difference from thoſe that are ſtark dead; and all is, becauſe they have not that eſtabliſhing grace they uſe to have. Let not then the ſtrong man in grace, glory in his ſtrength, nor the ſwift man in the wayes of Heaven, glory in his ſwiftneſſe and fervency, for he is alone ſupported by the power of God. Yea, which is the more obſervable, you may ſee them falling and ſtaggering in thoſe particular graces, wherein they ſeem to be moſt corroborated. Abraham is the Father of the faithfull, and yet he diſcovered much carnal fear in Abimelech's countrey. Moſes was the meekeſt man upon the earth, yet in what a froward paſſion, when he ſtruck the Rock? which ſo provoked God, that thereby he had onelyonly a ſight of Canaan, and was not permitted to enter thereinto. Peter is noted to have the greateſt fervency and zeale of all the Apoſtles, and yet how ſurprized with cowardize and ſinnefull feare? In theſe graces of all other, you would not have thought they ſhould ſtumble and and fall: But behold how it is the arme of the Lord that doth beare us up.
Secondly, This truth is demonſtrated from thoſe wonderfull dispenſations 2 From Gods diſpenſations towards themtowards his beſt ſervants. Many are the temptations that they are aſſaulted with; and all this is, to ſhew their impotency to them, to diſcover their infirmities to them, that ſo they may be humble alwayes in their own eyes. Thus Abraham and Jacob, they were in conſtant exerciſes; no ſooner were they delivered from the Lion, but a Bear met them; one wave followed another. And what was the end of all this, but to keep them in continual dependance and waiting upon God? David alſo was conſtantly in a wilderneſſe, where no water was; and Gods end herein was to make him ſee his ſalvation was in God alone. Yea Paul himſelf, though by the grace of God he was ſo preſerved, that after his converſion we read of no other extraordinary fall he had, yet leſt hereby, as alſo from many other glorious priviledges he enjoyed, he ſhould be puffed up above meaſure, 2 Cor. 12. he had the buffetings of Satan, and a thorn in the fleſh, to make him go out of himſelf, and to reſt on Chriſt only. So that Gods end in putting them upon theſe trials, is to inſtruct them wherein, or in whom their ſtrength doth conſiſt.
Thirdly, That it is God alone who doth ſtabliſh the moſt holy, will appear, 3. From the Devils malice againſt them more than others.If you conſider how great the power, ſubtilty and malice of the Devil is, who is ſet againſt them more than any others. As Chriſt told his Apoſtles, Satan had a deſire to ſift them as wheat, Luk. 22. 31. Thus the Devil doth with the greateſt violence oppoſe thoſe, that are more eſteemed for gifts and graces than others. Theſe like Uriah ſtand in the fore-front of the battle; for if they …al…, if they become a ſtumbling block; and a reproach, God is more diſhonoured, wicked men are more hardened, then if many weak Chriſtians ſhould fall: and therefore thoſe that are remarkably godly, they are to be ſo farre from high-mindedneſſe and ſelf-confidence, that indeed they are to be in the greateſt fear and watchfulneſſe; for it is ſuch as thou art, the Devil aimeth at. The trees full of fruit have the greateſt violence made upon their boughs. Now alas, what is a godly mans ſtrength to the Devils violent aſſaults and ſubtil inſinuations, if God did not ſtrengthen him. What defence hath a ſheep againſt a roaring Lion? Obſerve that reaſon expreſſed, 1 John 4. 4. You have overcome Antichriſt, ſaith that Apoſtle; but why? Becauſe greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world. In you] that is emphatical: It's Chriſt dwelling in us, that keepeth off Satans victorious power, and all his inſtruments. Thus alſo 1 John 5. 5. It is faith that overcometh the world, which alwayes relieth on a power without us; for faith as it is a grace, doth not; but as it receiveth ſtrength from Chriſt: As the Vine and Ivy are not ſupported of themſelves, but by thoſe trees they lean unto.
Fourthly, It is plain, that God alone doth eſtabliſh the moſt able believers from 4. From Gods leaving them oft to themſelves, that they may ſee their ſtrength to be only in him.that providence of God, whereby he many times leaveth ſuch to themſelves, that in their own experience and acknowledgement of others they may ſee all help is from God alone. This truth the godly are not alwayes ſo practically convinced of, as they ſhould be. Hence they are apt to be puffed up ſometimes with ſecret delight and complacency in themſelves, for which God doth leave them to themſelves, that they thereby falling, may know what they are of themſelves, and what they are by the grace of God. Thus it is noted of Hezekiah, a man full of integrity in Gods wayes, 2 Chron. 32. 31. God left him to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. Even this good man did not know how baſe, falſe and deceitfull his heart was, and therefore God left him: and we ſee the bleſſed effect of this mercifull deſertion, verſ. 26. Hezekiah humbled himſelf for the pride of his heart. Is not here then a plain inſtance, that God many times in much mercy leaveth the godly to themſelves, that ſo they may have full ſentiments of this truth upon their hearts? This alſo was the caſe of Peter, who did not anſwer his name of a Rock in this caſe; and had the Church been built on him, as the Papiſts boaſt, it had fallen all into pieces; for it was Chriſts looking upon him that recovered him, not any ſtrength of his own. But how cometh Peter thus to ſtumble and fall? It was becauſe of his ſelf-confidence and preſumption in his own power; yea ſome have ſaid that Chriſt left him meerly to himſelf, not for any preceding ſinne in Peter, but only by way of meer diſpenſation, that hereby an example of humility and holy fear might be left upon record to all ages. But that Peter's ſinne of groſs confidence did deſerve this graduall dereliction, is more than probable: only we grant that as God doth ſometimes tempt, ſo alſo forſake ſometimes for ſinnes antecedent, ſometimes from his meer ſoveraignty and holy wiſdome, thereby to teach man, that which otherwiſe would not be acknowledged. It is indeed a Rule, that Deus neminem deſcrit, niſi prius deſeratur: God forſaketh none, that doth not forſake him; which may be granted as true, if we ſpeak of a deſertion by way of anger and puniſhment; but of a deſertion by way of mercy and triall, or thereby to make way for greater diſpenſations of his glory, ſo it is not alwayes true; God may forſake gradually, that thereby he may not forſake totally and finally. Such deſertions that are for a ſeaſon are ſometimes mercies and very uſefull, being a ſubſtraction of grace, in order to fill us with more grace: And the end of ſuch providential adminiſtrations is to convince us fully of this truth, that we do not ſettle our ſelves, but it is God that doth it for us.
Laſtly, This truth may be demonſtrated from the nature of that grace which is 5. From the nature of the grace within us.habitual and permanent in us. For though that there be in us as a principle qualifying of us to work holy things with delight, joy and content, yet it cannot put us upon working without a further actual efficacious work of grace upon our ſouls; which you heard the Apoſtle calleth, Working in us both to will and to do, Phil. 2. 13. So that although there be never ſo much grace planted in us, yet that lieth aſleep (as it were) and worketh not, till this efficacious grace actuate it, and put it into motion; neither ought this to be any wonder to us. For we ſee in natural cauſes, it is not enough to have a principle of life, unleſs God alſo enable us to move; For in him we live, and move, and have our being; much more then muſt this be in ſupernatural things, where the Actus primus and ſecundus is of God. Not but that in the progreſſe of grace we act and move, but Acti agimus, moti movemus. It is the grace of God that doth efficaciouſly incline the ſanctified will to ſpiritual operation; then the North-wind, and the South, doe (as it were) blow upon the ſpiccs, that they may ſend forth their fragrant ſmell. It is true, at the firſt work of grace, there we are meerly paſſive, but God doth not then force our will, he only changeth it; as water which naturally deſcends, when made air doth naturally aſcend upwards. Thus the will of a man which was depreſſed to earthly things by ſinne, when ſanctified and made heavenly aſcendeth up towards God and heavenly objects. By theſe diſcoveries it is manifeſt, that the beſt Saint in this world is ſetled by the grace of God alone. Thoſe corruptions within him are treacherous, and would betray him into the hands of Satan, did not Chriſt corroborate him. And is this any wonder of man fallen, ſeeing Adam fell for want of this confirming grace, and the elect Angels do therefore not leave their habitation, as the Apoſtate have, becauſe the grace of God doth confirm them? So that the good uſe we are to make of this Doctrine, is to be exceeding watchfull and tender about all ſinne, leſt thereby we provoke God to leave us. How terrible do ſuch deſertions many times prove? To whom are woes, to whom are wounds and gripes of conſcience, but many times to thoſe, who being left of God, have thereby ingaged in ſinfull wayes, and ſo having loſt an holy frame of heart, have thereby deprived themſelves likewiſe of an Evangelical, comfortable one? Take heed through thy lazineſſe, negligence, pride, or ſome other ſinne, God forſake thee, and thou become worſe than Nebuchadnezzar, of a godly man, made like a beaſt. This will be bitterneſſe in the latter end.
As for the ſecond Doctrine, I ſhall not ſay much to that, becauſe it hath been in part already ſpoken unto; it is
That in Chriſt alone we are eſtabliſhed.In Chriſt alone we are eſtabliſhed.
That as in the building, other ſtones are ſtrengthened, becauſe of the corner ſtone, or the foundation ſtone; or as the branch in the Vine doth therefore live and flouriſh, becauſe in the Vine: ſo it is with us, becauſe in Chriſt we are ſetled with Chriſt; in Chriſt we are confirmed with Chriſt, which made Auſtin ſay, In Chriſto ſumtis Chriſtus, extra Chriſtum, nihil. In Chriſt we are even like Chriſt, out of Chriſt we are nothing at all. To conſider this, we are to know,
Firſt, That all the godly through the efficacy of Gods Spirit are united to Chriſt, and ſo become his myſtical and ſpiritual body. By reaſon of this it is, that Chriſt 1. By grace are Chriſtians united to Chriſt.dwelleth in them, and they in Chriſt; Chriſt actively communicating of his goodneſſe and virtue to them, and they paſſively receiving influences of grace from his fulneſſe. This union is repreſented in Scripture by many ſimilitudes, of a building, of a vine and branches, of an husband and wife; but none ſo expreſly, as that in the Sacrament of bread and wine, denoting us thoſe elements are naturally turned into our nouriſhment, and made one with us: ſo we are in a ſpiritual and myſtical manner made one with Chriſt. This being laid as a foundation, then
Secondly, From this our eſtabliſhment and ſettlement followeth, whereby we are ſure to perſevere, and nothing ſhall be able to diſſolve this union; whence once 2. From this union followeth our eſtabliſhment.made a true member of Chriſt, there cannot be any ſeparation made, ſo as ever ſuch a perſon ſhould at laſt be damned in hell; for that would redound to the higheſt diſhonour of Chriſt the Head, as could be imagined. The reaſon why Adam fell, though without any inherent corruption in him, was partly becauſe he was not united to Chriſt in that manner, as the weakeſt believer is now under the Covenant of Grace. And although theſe things are derided by the Arminian, yet this Doctrine of ſpiritual union with Chriſt, may compell every one to believe the truth thereof: ſo that if we now fall, Chriſt muſt fall with us; we are not to be conſidered as ſingle perſons, ſtanding upon our own bottome, but as united to Chriſt. Therefore
Thirdly, Being thus in Chriſt, our ſtabliſhment ariſeth two wayes from Chriſt.3 Our eſtabliſhment comes from Chriſt 1. By meritorious impetration.
1. By meritorious impetration, Chriſt as our Mediatour hath deſerved this through his propitiatory death, that we ſhould alwayes be kept his; and therefore when we have a thouſand times over deſerved, that God ſhould leave us, yet becauſe Chriſt hath deſerved that God ſhould alwayes love us, therefore it is that we ſtand faſter than Mount Zion, which yet is ſaid, not to be moved.
The ſecond way is by efficient application; for he doth communicate of his 2. By effectual application.power and ſtrength to us, whereby when we are ready of our ſelves to fall, yet he doth prevent it. So that our being in Chriſt is the foundation of all ſtrength, and all comfort, and therefore this diſcovereth the wretched eſtate of ſuch who can claim no intereſt in Chriſt; theſe are toſſed up and down from one luſt to another; they roll from one iniquity to another; the Devil doth what he pleaſeth with them, he throweth them ſometimes in the fire, and ſometimes in the water, and all this is becauſe not in Chriſt. If at any time through the common graces of Gods Spirit, they are got up to the pinacle of the Temple, they are eminent for gifts and place in the Church of God, all the godly have admired them for a while; yet at laſt you find them blaſted and curſed in this way; you find them like ſwine wallowing in the mire, that were judged to be the ſheep of Chriſt. Wonder not, but ſay, they wanted the root, which is Jeſus Chriſt.