An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 139
SERM. CXXXIX.
What is implyed in Gods giving us the earneſt of his Spirit?
2 COR. 1. 22.
Who hath alſo given the earneſt of the Spirit in our hearts.
THe Spirit of God with the graces thereof (as we have heard) received and perceived by a beleever, are a ſure earneſt of future glory.
In the handling of which hitherto, we have only treated of the diſſimilitude that is between this heavenly earneſt, and an earneſt amongſt men: our work is now to ſhew poſitively, wherein the reſemblance doth conſiſt, or what is comprehended in this metaphorical expreſſion.What is implyed in the earneſt of Gods Spirit. 1. Gods will to bring us to ſalvation.
And Firſt, Hereby is declared Gods will and infallible purpoſe to bring us unto eternal glory; of which this grace received is an earneſt. For (as you heard) it is not grace as grace, but grace as an earneſt, that doth deſerve an accent, as it were, upon it: The emphaſis lieth in this. So that by theſe beginnings of Gods Spirit upon me, I may unqueſtionably conclude my future glory. And this Chryſoſtome upon the place doth well obſerve: He doth not (ſaith he) ſingly and barely call it the ſpirit, but an earneſt, foreign, that from this thou maiſt have boldneſſe and confidence upon the whole, for if he did not intend to give thee all (ſaith he) he would not have given thee this earneſt in vain, and ſo as to loſe it. Thus Macarius alſo an holy Writer, from this ſimilitude gathereth, that ſuch who have this earneſt may rejoyce, and be as confident as if they were already crowned with glory, and reigning in heaven. Homil. 17. foreign; oh then the unſpeakable happineſſe of ſuch who do finde this earneſt in their hearts! God would be found unfaithful, and to break his promiſe, if as he hath begun, ſo he ſhould not alſo finiſh this work of grace in thee. So that the Arminian exception is very frivolous and abſurd, ſaying, It is true, this is an earneſt, but we may loſe it: We may fall into ſuch ſinnes as ſhall wholly caſt us out of the favour of God: for this earneſt is given us on purpoſe, to aſſure us that God will ſo preſerve us, and by his grace ſo guide us, that we ſhall never fall out of this ark into the waters. What comfort and encouragement were in this expreſſion, if it did denote no more then a conditional ſecurity; No, it is a poſitive and abſolute ſecurity. Therefore that learned Voſſius was under ſome temptation ſurely, when he wrote that Pelagian Hiſtory; for in that he hath this paſſage, where ſpeaking of ſome Ancients, who from the metaphor of an anchor and earneſt conclude the certainty of eternal life, gloſſeth after this manner, Hiſtor. Pelag. lib. 6. Theſ. 13. Certos nos dicunt, quamdiu habemus arrhabonem spiritus ſancti ſed arrhabonem hunc ſiquis abjiciat, hinc certitudinem ſimul ſalutis amittere: We are certain of eternal life, as long as we have this anchor, this earneſt; but if we loſe it, we loſe our certainty alſo of ſalvation. How inexcuſable is this, though ſome learned men, great friends to that excellent Authour ſay, that he promiſed to review that Hiſtory of Pelagian hereſie in time? For therefore is this earneſt given us to take away our fears about the future: Whereas in their ſenſe we muſt needs be as uncertain as before; and beſides this earneſt would need another earneſt, and ſo in infinitum. The Scripture then by calling it an earneſt would hereby inform us of Gods will, that he who hath given us the firſt-fruits will in time alſo give us the lump or harveſt it ſelf: he will ſo preſerve us, that not only any thing without, as the devil and the world, but alſo any thing within us, our own hearts, our own luſts ſhall not betray us, and become our deſtruction: and certanily that reaſon of Chryſoſtowe, which is alſo grounded upon the Scripture, is among others very remarkable. If God of his free-grace did (while enemies) convert us, and beſtow his ſpirit as an earneſt upon us, will he not much rather do it for us, ſince he hath received us into his friendſhip? To this purpoſe the Apoſtle alſo argueth very ſtrongly, Rom. 5. 9, 10. While we were yet ſinners, Chriſt dyed for us, much more then being now juſtified by his bloud, ſhall we be ſaved from wrath through him: for if when we were enemies we were reconciled by death of his Sonne, much more being reconciled, we ſhall be ſaved by his liſe. If then God hath done the greater, will he not do the leſſe? when we wallowed in our luſts, when we tumbled in our filth, even then the grace of God did ſpeak unto us to live, even then it did put comelineſſe and beauty upon us, and ſhall he not much more do it ſince he hath made us his own? So that the ſame grace of God which received us, though unworthy, will preſerve us, though unworthy: and as our rebellious heart did not finally withſtand converting grace, but was overcome by it, ſo will the grace of perſeverance watch over us, that this earneſt ſhall not be totally loſt. For this end we have many glorious promiſes to encourage us in this particular; we muſt not then look upon our own dead womb, but the power and promiſe of God, concluding by this, Lord, I know thy will is, that I ſhall be ſaved, by this I am perſwaded, that nothing, no, not I my ſelf, ſhall ſeparate my ſelf from thy love, for thy grace will alwaies prevent my will.
Secondly, In that it is called an earneſt, there is implyed, that grace here and 2. That grace and glory are of the ſame nature.glory hereafter are of the ſame nature; that they differ only gradually: Even as in an earneſt amongſt men, that is part of the full payment, and of the ſame nature with it. Thus grace is nothing but glory begun, and glory grace perfected; for which cauſe it is called glory, 2 Cor. 3. 18. We are changed into the ſame image from glory to glory, that is, from grace to grace, till we come to inhabit glory: For which cauſe alſo the Apoſtle compareth our ſtate of grace here to the ſtate of a childe, and that of glory hereafter to a virile eſtate, 1 Cor. 13. Now as a childe differeth from himſelf when made a man but gradually, he is the ſame individuall perſon ſtill. Thus it is here, thy grace will not be aboliſhed thou haſt here, but perfected: We do but think and underſtand in heavenly things as children only; comparatively to what ſhall be done in heaven. Even as theſe individual bodies ſhall put on immortality and incorruptibility: They ſhall not be new bodies, but changed bodies. It is true, there are ſome graces which ſuppoſe an imperfection in the ſubject, while he is here in the way, at leaſt in their actings, and ſo farre as there is imperfection, it ſhall be aboliſhed: as 1 Cor 13. Thus ſaith, as it juſtifieth, as it is oppoſed to viſion, and hope as oppoſed to enjoying; repentance likewiſe as it is ſorrow for ſin, and patience which ſuppoſeth afflictions. Theſe things cannot be put forth in heaven, but probably the habits of theſe graces may continue there, as being an ornament and perfection of the ſoul; it being extrinſecal only, and by accident, that the occaſion of the exerciſe of thoſe graces is removed, Hence (ſome ſay) but not probably, that the Spirit of God is a pledge in reſpect of faith and hope, becauſe they ſhall ceaſe, but an earneſt in reſpect of charity, which abideth for ever. Salmeron in loc. No wonder then if grace be an earneſt of glory, ſeeing they are the ſame thing in nature, and differ only as perfect and imperfect; yet when we ſay, that grace is only glory begun, that muſt be underſtood in a ſound ſenſe: for ſome of the Papiſts make an inward condignity between grace and glory: we are not then to think, that grace of it ſelf would in a naturall and neceſſary way ſpring up into glory, as an Acorn would (in a phyſicall manner) breed up into an Oak, being ſeminally and cauſally contained in it. No, but in a moral ſenſe, by the gracious appointment and order of God; grace is glory begun, otherwiſe ſuch is the imperfection and droſſe that is in our graces while in this life, that when we have arrived to the higheſt pitch, we might juſtly be deprived of glory. Grace in the Apoſtate Angels formerly, was not glory ſeminally and radically, for then they had not miſſed it: But if we do now regard the covenant of Gods grace, he hath ſo appointed it, that whoſoever hath grace here, that ſhall be preſerved and kept ſo faithfully, that it ſhall be perfected into glory hereafter. And thus the earneſt is of the ſame nature with the full payment it ſelf.
Thirdly and laſtly, This ſimilitude doth not only declare Gods purpoſe and 3. That heaven ſhall as certainly be ours as if we were already in it.effectuall will concerning us, but it is alſo to aſſure and perſwade us of heaven, as if we were already in it: and this is indeed one of the main ends of this ſimilitude. God will by this inform us of the tranſcendant excellency of the covenant of grace above that of works, which he made with Adam; Thus our Saviour ſaith, Joh. 5. 24. He that beleeveth is paſſed from death to life, he is already, and therefore is ſure of everlaſting happineſſe; ſo that in this ſimilitude there is not only the perſeverance of the Saints denoted, but alſo their aſſurance and certain perſwaſion of it. And the truth is, great is the neceſſity of this doctrine; for while a godly man looketh upon what is to come, he ſeeth ſuch a terrible wilderneſſe he is to go through, ſuch a Red Sea to paſſe over, ſuch Anakims in the way to be deſtroyed, that had he not this certain perſwaſion, that he ſhall overcome all theſe difficulties, and that God would daily hold him in his arms of grace, that he ſhall not fall, his doubts and fears would wholly diſhearten him. And thus much is comprehended in the metaphor of an earneſt. It is not my purpoſe at this time to lanch into that ocean of the doctrine of perſeverance, as alſo the certainty of it. I ſhall therefore amplifie this doctrine, with ſome few propoſitions, and ſo conclude it; for the excellency and comfortableneſſe of it will not let us wholly paſſe it by: This precious flower can be found only in the paradiſe of the Scripture; Therefore Auſtin was weary of Platonical Books, becauſe they had not theſe excellent things in them, the Scripture hath, whereof this arra spiritus, the earneſt of the ſpirit is one he inſtanceth in, lib. confeſ. cap. 7.
As firſt, We muſt know, that comfort of perſeverance is only improved by 1. The comfort of perſeverance is only to be improved by thoſe that are certain of the work of grace in them.thoſe, that are certain of the preſent work of grace in their ſouls. He that findeth grace for the preſent in his ſoul, may undoubtedly conclude of his ſalvation hereafter; but if a Chriſtian do lie in doubts, whether he hath grace or no, this doctrine will not be as the honey-comb to him, for he hath not laid the foundation that this muſt be built upon: but if his thoughts about the preſent work of grace be hopefull only in him, then alſo are his thoughts about perſeverance hopefull only: He may have ſome comfort, but not ſuch a certainty as the Scripture propoundeth: Neither can he uſe thoſe triumphing expreſſions of holy confidence, which Paul Rom. 8. ſpeaketh not of himſelf, by any peculiar revelation, but of all the children of God, that nothing ſhall ſeparate him from the love of God in Chriſt.
Secondly, There are ſome Doctors and Teachers, who make the certainty 2. There are divers opinions concerning this nearneſſe.of our preſent grace, and of perſeverance therein, two diſtinct, yea, and ſeparable things. They will grant that a man may be certain of the preſent grace he hath, but then they deny he is to be certain that he ſhall continue and perſevere in this; for they affirm, that a man may have true grace, and yet totally and finally fall from it; others ſay, that a man may have grace, and not be elected, and ſuch may loſe it, but he that hath true grace and elected, that man ſhall never loſe his intereſt in heaven: Nay, ſome of theſe Teachers do not only deny any ſuch certainty of perſeverance in our preſent grace either ordinarily poſſible or neceſſary. But ſay ſuch a certainty would be very dangerous and deſtructive to all vigilancy and carefulneſſe in an holy life; for what a man is aſſured of, he cannot fear he ſhall loſe, let him live how he will; but this upon another account is in time to be more largely debated. Therefore for the preſent I only adde this third Propoſition, viz.
That the certainty which the godly have, is not ſuch an abſolute abſtracted one, 3. Certainty of perſeverance doth not exclude means.as that it doth not include the means leading to ſalvation, but rather doth neceſſarily connote them. Inſomuch that if any godly man ſhould be left to ſuch a deſperate frame of heart, as to ſay, I am ſure of heaven, let me fall into the moſt abominable impieties that are, theſe ſhall not hinder ſalvation; ſuch an one would certainly be damned: but that is not to be ſuppoſed, that ſuch who have the true ſeed of grace, will ever be given up to ſuch a prophane ſpirit. The certainty then that a beleever hath, is in the uſe of means to attain their deſired end; So that it's like, the aſſurance that Paul had concerning the preſervation God would vouch ſafe to all his fellow-paſſengers in the ſhip with him, which yet did relate to the neceſſary uſe of means, as Paul exhorteth them; or like that of Hezckiah, to whom God promiſed the addition of fifteen years longer to his life. Now he was aſſured of this, God could not lye, yet he did not neglect to eat and drink; he knew Gods promiſe implyed the uſe of the means, ſo that the adverſaries to this Truth do fully miſtake, when they ſay, we preach ſuch a certainty of perſeverance, that though a man fall into any enormous crimes, yet he ſhall enjoy this ſtill: This is oppoſitum in appoſito to ſuppoſe, that if fire be water, it will refrigerate.
Fourthly, We are further to diſtinguiſh of a two-fold certainty in this matter of 4. This certainty is either 1. dogmaticall, orſalvation and perſeverance in the way therein. The firſt I call a dogmaticall certainty, and that is when a man is fully convinced out of the Scripture of this truth in the generall, that whoſoever hath once had true grace, ſhall never fall from it, but certainly ſhall be ſaved; and he that hath this, differeth from thoſe corrupt and erroneous Teachers that affirm the contrary, as the Arminians and their complyers in this reſpect: for there is no more reaſon to doubt of this doctrinal point, than others that are maintained by the Orthodox againſt that party; ſo that there is no more reaſon to make this a problematical point, wherein learned men may diſſent from one another, then any other in the Arminian controverſies. But 2. there is a perſonal or reflexive certainty; 2. Perſonal.and that is when a man doth not only beleeve this poſition as a truth, that he who hath true grace cannot fall from it, but alſo is perſwaded, that he hath true grace in his own heart, and therefore that he is built upon ſuch a rock, that no ſtorms or tempeſts ſhall be able to overthrow him, and this is that every godly man is to preſſe after: This text is a ſpeciall furtherance in this work, for the ſpirits fealing perſwadeth of the grace already wrought in us, and the earneſt doth aſſure us of that which is to come. If you ask, what grounds there are, why Reaſons why they who have this earneſt cannot fall away. 1.he who findes grace in himſelf may thus conclude infallibly for heaven hereafter? I ſhall amongſt many give three only, which is ſuch a threefold cord that can never be broken.
As firſt, That all true grace is the proper effect of predeſtination; ſo that whoſoever is effectually called in time, is thereby declared to be predeſtinated before the world began. Thus the Apoſtle, Rom. 8 30. whom he did predeſtinate, he called; and thoſe he juſtifieth, and thoſe he glorifieth. You ſee it's a chain of Gods making, and ſo cannot be diſſolved; therefore Tit. 1. 1. it's called the faith of Gods elect: ſo Eph. 1. 4. he hath choſen us before the foundation of the world, that we ſhould be holy. We ſee then, that holineſſe and true faith is proper to the elect only, and therefore to diſtinguiſh of a two-fold Sonſhip of God; ſome by preſent grace only, and ſome by election alſo, and that there are perſevering ſons and apoſtatizing, wherein election maketh the difference (which opinion ſome attribute to Auſtin) is wholly inconſiſtent with Scripture, and Auſtin himſelf in other places, if that were his opinion. The godly then are to look upon the grace of God wrought in them as the effect of Gods immutable and unchangeable love, which will certainly obtain its end.
Secondly, Their certainty of ſalvation, and ſo of perſeverance therein, is 2.built upon the many promiſes of God, which are made to this very end, as that famous one, Jer. 32. 40. I will make an everlaſting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good, but will put my fear in their hearts that they ſhall not depart from me. What can be more pregnant than this? God covenants he will not turn from them; and withall to put ſuch fear in their hearts that they ſhall not turn from him. So alſo Phil. 1. 6. being confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in you will alſo finiſh it. His confidence was not in them; for alas, we ſhould prove the prodigals, and loſe all; but it is in Gods grace, and that becauſe he had begun; for none ſhall ſay of him, he began to build, and could not finiſh: So that the wiſedom, mercy, and glory of God is intereſted in our perſeverance, and indeed if our ſinnes ſhould hinder him from continuance of his grace, why did they not from the beginning at firſt? were we not then objects of his diſpleaſure? So that in our converſion the greateſt work was done; then we had, as Chryſoſtome ſaith upon the place, the beginning and root of what was to come.
Laſtly, The union that is between Chriſt and a beleever being indiſſoluble, doth neceſſarily infer the certainty of his ſalvation, a member of Chriſts body ſhall 3.not be taken from him, and thrown into hell; for from this union as their bodies ſhall neceſſarily riſe to glory, ſo their ſouls alſo ſhall be prepared for the ſame.