An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 22
SERM. XXII.
How Grace and Peace, and ſuch like ſpiritual Mercies and Priviledges, are to be deſired before any temporal Mercies whatſoever.
2 COR. 1. 2.
Grace be to you, and Peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
HItherto we have conſidered the Inſcription; we now come to the Salutation, which is in theſe words, and it containeth matter of prayer. It is not any earthly or temporal mercy he prayeth for, but what is heavenly and ſpiritual. The Apoſtle Paul doth conſtantly uſe this Salutation; only in both thoſe Epiſtles to Timothy and Titus, which were Church-officers, he interpoſeth Mercy between Grace and Peace. Calvin thinketh he putteth it in his Salutation to Timothy, becauſe of his dear affection and love to him; but why ſhould he do it to Titus alſo? Certainly it ought to be conſidered, that only to Church-officers he uſeth this Salutation. Some think, becauſe the work of the Miniſtry meets with much malice and froward oppoſition from wicked men, which made Paul pray, that God would deliver him from unreaſonable, abſurd men, who are led only by humours and paſſions, not by Reaſon and Religion. Therefore ſeeing thoſe that do faithfully diſcharge their truſt, meet with little favour and love from men; hence it is that he doth in a peculiar manner pray for mercy to them. Others they think the word is inſerted, becauſe of the great difficulty of the Miniſtry, it being a burden too heavy even for Angels ſhoulders: Inſomuch that Chryſoſtome thought, Few Church-officers could be ſaved. Seeing then the work is ſo great, ſo much grace is required to manage it, and the beſt have failings, therefore they need the mercy prayed for. But this by the way.
Come we to the Text. In that we may conſider, the Matter prayed for: And the Efficient Cauſe from whom it is to come. The Matter and Benefit is ſet down in two words, which though but two, yet comprehend all that a godly heart can deſire; the firſt is Grace, the ſecond Peace. In the original there is a defect; and therefore moſt do ſupply it by foreign; as our Tranſlators, Grace be to you. Though the Apoſtle Peter in the ſalutations of both his Epiſtles, expreſſeth the word, and that is foreign, Be multiplied; and ſo Eſtius would ſupply it here: but there is no inconvenience to keep to the former Interpretation.
2. There is the Cauſe of this, which is two-fold, God our Father, and from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. All theſe parts ſhall be opened, as we take them in order; only let us firſt take notice of the Manner and End of this Salutation in the general, That it is not for any earthly or worldly thing, but what is ſpiritual. The Grecians they uſed commonly foreign, and foreign in their Salutations, as the Latines, Salve, and are relating only to temporal welfare. And indeed the Heathens knew no better; but the Apoſtle would lift up our hearts to higher things. The Apoſtle James Chap. 1. 1. writing to the disperſed Tribes, uſeth the word only, Greeting; which made Cajetan, among other reaſons reject it, as not Canonical, as if ſuch a Salutation ſavoured of an humane ſpirit: But this is no Argument. For the Apoſtles gathered together in a Councel at Jeruſalem, ſending a Letter to the Churches abroad, uſe no more Salutation than that, only in that we are to comprehend, whatſoever is more expreſly in Pauls Salutation. Seeing then its only ſpiritual things which Paul here doth wiſh to them. Obſerve,
That ſpiritual mercies and priviledges are to be deſired above all earthly and worldly ones what ſoever.Spiritual mercies are to be deſired before temporal.
The Grace of God, and Goſpel peace is infinitely to be preferred before any outward advantage. Pſal. 4. 6, 7. when David had repreſented the natural deſire of every man unregenerated, Who will ſhew us any good? He preſently demonſtrates the clean contrary diſpoſition of thoſe that are godly and ſpiritual, Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us; and, Thou haſt put more gladneſs into my heart, then they have had, when their wine or oyl increaſeth. By David you may judge of all the faithfull; they eſteem more of the love of God, and the ſenſe or perſwaſion of this, more than the whole world. Let the prophane bruitiſh men of the world ſay, as ſome did in Chryſoſtomes time, whom he reproveth, Give me that which is ſweet, although it choke me. So let me have my pleaſures, my luſts, though they damn me. The godly on the other ſide, if raiſed up to this heavenly transfiguration, as it were, to have the ſpirit of Adoption, enabling them to call God Father, and to walk under the light of his grace and favour, they will ſay, It is good to be here. So that the deſires and earneſt longings of mens hearts do divide the world into two parts; Some, and they are only few, who with David ſay, As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks, ſo do their ſouls after God. Yea, Their ſouls break for the longing they have to God at all times. But then others, they ſeek the things of this world in the firſt place; Let them have their pleaſures, their wealth, their honours, then with the Reubenites they will ſit down, and go no further, becauſe they ſee the Land is a good and pleaſant Land, never deſiring to go into Canaan.
To open this Doctrine, conſider,
Firſt, That all the while a man is meerly natural and dead in his ſins, he is not affected with, nor can he deſire any ſpiritual mercy. Even as dead men are not affected with pleaſant ſights, or melodious ſounds. No wonder then, though we do out of the Goſpel ſhew ſuch all the glory of Heaven, yet they will not fall down and worſhip Chriſt, becauſe they are no wayes ſenſible or apprehenſive of a better good. Can a Worm that crawleth upon the ground live the life of an Angel, or a man? Alas, that knoweth nothing, but to crawl on the ground, and feed on the duſt of the earth. Thus it is with every carnal man, ſpeak to him of the ſavour of God, of the light of his countenance, he knoweth no more what you mean, than the bruit beaſt doth what reaſon is. Beſides, ſinne hath ſo infected and polluted the heart and appetite of every natural man, that he calleth good, evil; and evil, good; he takes ſweet for bitter, and bitter for ſweet. That as the Swine loveth to wallow in its mire, and delighteth in that, more than in the ſweeteſt garden that is: Or, as they ſay of thoſe blind Beetles that live in muck and dung, but ſweet things do preſently kill them; thus it is with every natural man, he is not only not affected, but he is contrarily diſpoſed to heavenly things, Rom. 8. The wiſdome of the fleſh is enmity againſt God. The wiſdome, the beſt underſtanding, parts and knowledge that he hath, is as full of malice againſt holy things, as a Toad of poiſon. The Greek word doth not only ſignifie his intellectual, but his practical wiſdom and affection; he doth not ſay, He hath ſavoury knowledge of heavenly things (Sapientia eſt ſapida ſcientia;) And as Bernard, Sapiens eſt cui res ſapiunt, prout ſunt. Heavenly things ſavour as heavenly; earthly things as earthly.) But in every natural man his appetite and taſte is wholly diſordered, he finds no excellency, lovelineſs in heavenly things, which yet to a gracious heart are matter of exceeding delight and raviſhment.
Hence in the ſecond place, Till a man be regenerated, till he be made a new creature, and endowed with an heavenly heart, he is no ſutable ſubject for theſe heavenly things. Every one then as he is affected and diſpoſed, ſo he judgeth; if earthly, then all his affections move that way; if heavenly, then they are turned the contrary way. As you ſee in mixed and compounded bodies, what element doth moſt predominate, accordingly is their motion, either upward or downward; now in this regenerate perſon, his nature is now changed, and he hath a ſpiritual reſurrection, that as the body, when that ſhall riſe, will loſe its gravity and burdenſomneſs; for we ſhall meet the Lord in the Air, even with our bodies. So the ſoul in this life made partaker of a ſpiritual reſurrection, hath caſt off thoſe burdens and clogs, that did preſs it down to the creature, and aſcends up to communion with God and Chriſt.
And beſides this general Cauſe, there are ſome peculiar qualifications, which What are thoſe things that peculiarly move the godly to preferre ſpirituals before temporalsprovoke the godly man to eſteem the Grace and Peace of God above all things As,
1. The ſenſe of the ſting of ſin, and the bitter guilt thereof, is that which makes a man go out of himſelf and all creatures, to have ſome ſupply and comfort. Alas, the ſoul thus broken and contrite for ſinne, is like that diſeaſed woman, that had ſpent all ſhe had upon Phyſicians, and yet ſhe was as bad as ever, till Chriſt cured her. So that the grace of God, and Goſpel peace is the only oil, that can be poured into this wound. Come to a David, who complaineth, God had hid his face, yea his bones were broken, and all his deſirable things periſh; and tell him, while thus affected, That he had a glorious Kingdom, many outward mercies and delights he might rejoyce in; What good would this muſick do to his ſad heart? Oh it's ſomething elſe that muſt cure him! No creature, no wealth can do it, but peace from God; and this made him, while in thoſe conflicts, but getting ſome victory, breathe out ſo affectionately, Pſal. 32. 1. Bleſſed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no ſinne; not bleſſed is he who hath the good things and pleaſures of the world, who liveth at his hearts eaſe, but whoſe ſinne is pardoned. Thus the guilt of ſinne maketh him eſteem Grace and Peace.
2. Thoſe ſpiritual deſertions and temptations, which ſometimes the deareſt of Gods children feel, do make them eſteem of the favour of God, the poſſeſſion of that more than any thing. They ſit as Rachel, refuſing to be comforted, till they have obtained this. How precious was the preſence of Chriſt to the Church? When ſhe had loſt him, then ſhe will hold him, and not let him go; as the night, or the eclipſe maketh the Sunne more precious. Where there is nothing but ſenſe of unworthineſs, what is more welcome than grace? Where there is a deſert of hell and damnation, where the ſoul hath cauſe to expect nothing but the frowns and vengeance of God, there to meet with grace and favour: Oh how welcome is this! Thus the heart which hath continual fears, tumult and warre within it ſelf, to have peace, and that with God; ſuch a peace as no outward miſery can take away; What unſpeakable refreſhments are theſe? It is theſe dark and cloudy thoughts, that make the leaſt beams of Gods face ſhining upon them more than all the enjoyments of this world.
3. The experimental taſte and ſweetneſs, which they have of heavenly things, maketh them undervalue all things elſe. If the Prodigal after he had eaten of the ſatted Calf, and been refreſhed in his fathers houſe, had returned again to his husks, how unſufferable had it been? This aggravated the Iſraelites ingratitude, that after they had eaten Manna, they ſhould deſire the garlick of Egypt. The Apoſtle Peter, 1 Pet. 2. 2, 3. exhorting them, to deſire the ſincere milk of the Word, to be as much affected with it, and delight in, as children with their milk, he addeth, If ſo be ye have taſted how good God is; implying, that this taſting, this experimental trial of the goodneſs and grace of God in Chriſt, is that which will make them ſtill long for more and more of God. It's no wonder, that natural men are never affected with theſe Goſpel-promiſes, they never knew better, they were never acquainted with better, and therefore they cannot deſire it; but thou haſt known how good God is, thou haſt had the firſt-fruits of Heaven and glory upon thy ſoul, and therefore thou doſt ſtill importune for more, and deſire more of Gods preſence, never ſaying, It is enough.
In the next place, Let us conſider the Reaſons, why the gracious heart doth The Reaſons of it.thus deſire heavenly things above all outward advantages whatſoever. And
Firſt, Becauſe theſe ſpiritual objects have only univerſal ſufficiency and fulneſs in them, to ſatisfie and content the heart. If God be reconciled, if he be our God, what then can be wanting to our happineſs? Thus David acknowledged, when he ſaid, Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and none in earth in compariſon of thee? And Pſal. …3. how contented and happy is he, in having God his God? The creatures they are but as a drop, they have only a limited goodneſs, but God is the ocean, there is nothing wanting. Hence it is, that becauſe the glorified Saints have a beatifical viſion of God, therefore they cannot ſin, they cannot immoderately deſire any thing elſe.
Secondly, Theſe ſpiritual mercies they are everlaſting and eternal. If the Apoſtle had wiſhed honours, wealth, long life to them, yet all theſe would have been but for a moment comparatively, they could not have continued with them alwayes; whereas the favour of God, and the effects thereof, they are to all eternity: whom God taketh into his favour, he never caſteth out. How many men have been in grace and favour with the Potentates of the world, yet at laſt caſt off, and ended their dayes tragically? Haman may be a conſtant inſtance of the inconſtant grace and favour of men; but whom God receiveth into this favour, he will never abhorre again: Such gifts as theſe, are without repentence. Oh then preſs hard for this, uſe an holy violence for this! This will never leave thee, till it hath made thee eternally happy. The Manna that was gathered for any day of the week, would laſt but that night, but that which was treaſured up for the Sabbath-day, would continue longer. Thus the things laid up for this life, they will quickly vaniſh, but what is in reference to Heaven, and our Sabbath or reſt there, that will continue alwayes.
Uſe of Inſtruction, To teach us what we are moſt to deſire for our ſelves or others. What ſhould Miniſters moſt wiſh for the people, even that they might have this grace, this peace in the Text? And you ſhould above all things deſire it for your ſelves: Oh then take heed of ſuch wayes, ſuch courſes, as drive away Gods grace, and his peace! What peace can there be (as Jehu ſaid) as long as whoredoms were in the Land? See that notable place, Iſa. 57. 21. There is no peace, ſaith my God to the wicked. What canſt thou expect Gods grace to pardon, while thou haſt no grace in thy own heart? This alſo teacheth parents what they ſhould in the firſt place pray for their children, as alſo friends for their acquaintance, even this grace of God. How zealous was Paul in deſiring this for the Jews? We read of a notable expreſſion, Epiſt. 3. of John ver. 2. There he wiſheth Gaius, as much health to his body, as he had in ſoul; How excellent was his ſoul, that was in better condition than his body?