An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 27
SERM. XXVII.
Of the Names of God; 'tis he alone who can give Grace and Peace to his People. He is a Father to all Believers, even the weakeſt as well as the ſtrongeſt.
2 COR. 1. 2.
From God our Father.
VVE have diſpatched the choice and ſpecial mercies here prayed for; we now come to the Original and Spring of them; The Efficient Cauſe, who alone can vouchſafe this to us, and that is two-ſold, God our Father, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Let us conſider the firſt, and there we have a deſcription of him,Of the names attributed to God in Scripture.
1. Abſolutely, God.
2. Relatively, a Father.
3. The Community of this to all Believers, or the Extenſion of it, Our Father.
We ſhall diſpatch all theſe particulars briefly.
The firſt head, is the abſolute conſideration of God, expreſſed in the word foreign, whether that word come from fear, or to runne, or to behold, is doubted of. In the Hebrew there are ſeveral Names given to God, inſomuch that the Rabbins call him Haſhem, the Name. Whether God himſelf revealed his Name to Adam, or Adam impoſed a name upon him, it is hard to determine. This is certain, that the Scripture names do very emphatically repreſent the Nature of God, eſpecially thoſe two Jehovah and Elohim. The word Jehovah is commonly rendred by the Septuagint foreign, yet in the New Teſtament, Chriſt is commonly called foreign, and God the Father foreign, eſpecially when named together, as is to be ſhewed in the verſes following.
Now of theſe two mentioned words, one in the ſingular, the other is in the plural, which doth denote (eſpecially having light from other places of Scripture) that there is One Divine Nature, and Three Perſons. Hence ſometimes Jehovah Elohim is put together; although alſo the former word ſignifieth the fulneſs of Gods being, and giving being to other things. For which reaſon (ſay ſome) he is not named Jehovah till the ſecond Chapter in Geneſis, when all things were compleated; and in another place, God is ſaid, Not to be known by the Name Jehovah, Exod. 6. 3. becauſe they had not ſeen the great things promiſed, accompliſhed; and Elohim denoteth God, as governing and ruling the world; in which ſenſe, the fool is ſaid to affirm, There is no God, no Elohim, Pſal. 14. 1. Yet having light from other places of Scripture, eſpecially from the New Teſtament, we ought not to reject this conſideration, that therefore Jehovah is in the ſingular number; and Elohim in the plural, to ſignifie the One Nature, and Three Perſons. For though from the plural number meerly, we cannot pitch upon the number three more than four, yet from other places joyned to this we may. So then, as God in making of man, ſpake in the plural number; ſo we ſhall find in the Scripture in other places ſpeaking of God, as Makers, in the plural number, Iſa. 54. 5. Pſal. 149. 2. Job 35. 9. for this reaſon. Though ſome Divines dare not ſay, Tres Jehovae, Three Jehovahs, yet they ſay, Three Elohims, as Zanchy nameth a piece of his works. Indeed there are others, who do wholly reject and diſlike that expreſſion. The word God is applied ſometimes properly, ſometimes improperly. Improperly, ſo it is given to Angels and Magistrates. The Apoſtle ſaith, They are foreign, called Gods in Heaven and Earth. Though a learned man obſerves, That never any Angel or Magiſtrate is called a god in the ſingular number; but they are ſaid to be gods in the plural number; now the Apoſtle ſometimes layeth an argument even upon the number. Improperly alſo it is given to Magiſtrates; Moſes is ſaid to be made a god to Pharaoh; here is the ſingular number, but the reſpective limitation is added; becauſe of his dominion God gave him over Pharaoh, to bring judgements upon him: Yea, the Devil is called the god of this world, who is ſaid to blind the minds of diſobedient perſons. Although ſome expound that of the true and eternal God, who doth in juſt judgement harden the hearts of wicked men, Non impertiendo malitiam, ſed denegando gratiam. But properly and truly it is attributed to the true God only, and he alone is here ſaid with Chriſt, to be the Author of that Grace and Peace we have. From whence obſerve,
That God alone can vouchſafe this grace and peace to his people.God alone can give grace and peace to his people.
This is part of Gods Regalia, There are many things that the creatures can do as ſecond cauſes; but here God is the alone efficient. We remain, as it were, in ſo many tormenting Hels, till God cauſe his face to ſhine upon us. Hence (you heard) God is called the God of peace; and as it followeth in the next verſe, The God of all conſolation. As therefore God is the fountain of holineſs, ſo that there cannot be the leaſt degree of holineſs wrought in thee, without it come from above, thou haſt no free-will or power of thy own to procure it: So it is in matter of conſolation and peace. There is not the leaſt drop of comfort can fall into thy heart to refreſh it, till God pour it into thee.
I ſhall briefly mention ſome grounds of this, becauſe it will be more largely handled in the next verſe.
Firſt, God alone can give this grace and peace, Becauſe he was at firſt the Reaſons.maker of the heart, he is the Father of all fleſh, and of all ſpirits. Having therefore ſuch an immediate dominion over the heart of man, to put into it what he pleaſeth, to raiſe up what affections he will; no wonder if he alone giveth comfort. Elihu ſpeaketh fully to this, Job 35. 10. None ſaith, where is God my maker, that giveth ſongs in the night? In the night] when the ſoul may be moſt poſſeſſed with ſad and dejected thoughts, even then he can give ſongs, and that becauſe he is a maker: That as he who maketh an inſtrument of Art, the Clock or Watch, he can make it ſtrike, when, and how he pleaſeth; if there be any hinderance in the motions of it, he can preſently rectifie it, becauſe he made it; thus it is with God, he knoweth all the workings, and turnings of thy heart, he made every power and ability of thy ſoul, and ſo he alone can fill it with joy or bitterneſs, as he pleaſeth. Though our hearts be not in our power, yet they are in Gods power, and what he bids it think, it thinketh; whereas we have not our own thoughts and motions in our own power. It is God therefore that made the heart, who can make it peaceable and joyfull.
Secondly, God alone muſt be the fountain of all grace and peace, Becauſe he alone is the perſon offended. When we ſin, it is he that is provoked, it's his honour, and his Law that is deſpiſed; and therefore ſeeing not the creatures, but God himſelf is chiefly offended, till he be reconciled, we cannot have any true and certain peace. That as it is with a Subject, who hath offended the Prince, it lieth in the Prince his power only to be gracious, and to give a pardon; though all men in the Nation ſhould give it him, yet if not ratified and confirmed by the Prince, whom he hath offended, he looketh upon his condition as helpleſs: Thus the foul troubled for ſin, though all the world give him peace, yet that will not ſatisfie him; his thoughts are daily, What doth the Lord ſay? Beſides theſe, as you ſee in David, though he greatly offended, and injured man, being guilty of bloud; yet he cryeth out to God, Againſt thee, thee only have I ſinned; and earneſtly prayeth, God would not hide his face from him, Pſal. 51.
Uſe of Direction, To all contrite broken hearts, who like that woman troubled with the bloudy flux, have ſpent all they had upon Phyſicians that could do no good. Thou haſt thus many years been bowed down, a ſtranger to all joy and peace, look up to God more, know he alone can give thee true joy. For this reaſon we ſee David and others, ſtill making their addreſſes to God, That he would make the bones that were broken to rejoyce, that he would make the parched wilderneſſe to be like a pleaſant ſpring, for otherwiſe they are undone and miſerable, till he looks upon them. Now then, if God be the only cauſe of thy peace; take heed how thou provokeſt him; better offend all the world than God. For the world, though it rage and perſecute thee, yet cannot deprive thee of this peace; but God hideth his face in a moment, and then thou muſt needs be troubled. Therefore do not think to get this grace and peace from thy own works and doings, but imitate David, who ſaid, He would hear what the Lord will ſpeak, Pſal. 85. 8. for he will ſpeak peace to his people. Thus we are to be attending more to the voice of God in his Word, by his promiſes ſpeaking to our comfort, then to our own hearts; thou wilt hear what thy own perplexed heart ſpeaks, or what the Devil ſpeaks, which alwayes ſuggeſt matter of terrour and diffidence, and doeſt not hearken to what God by his Spirit through his Word ſpeaketh to thee. Only take the caution along with thee, the Pſalmiſt giveth, If God have ſpoken peace, take heed of returning to folly. Sin may in that particular be well called folly, for thereby we unſettle our ſouls; we that had the quiet enjoyments of God, and his imbracements of grace, for ſome ſin that pleaſeth or tickleth but for a moment, do caſt our ſelves into darkneſs and miſery. So that then ſin is eſpecially folly, when we have once experimentally taſted the good grace of God, and then afterwards voluntarily chaſe it away by our own careleſneſs. Oh how long mayeſt thou with tears and cries pray for light and comfort again ere thou canſt enjoy it?
In the next place, God is here deſcribed relatively, a Father. The word Father is ſometimes taken abſolutely, as it denoteth God the Creatour and Governour of all things; ſometimes relatively, as denoting the firſt Perſon in the Trinity. Although the Socinian flight this diſtinction, denying the Sonne to be called the Father, unleſs once, Iſa. 9. which they would wreſt to another ſenſe, and that the holy Ghoſt is never called Father; yea, that the Father is never called Father in reſpect of the firſt creation of all things; but becauſe of his fatherly love and care to the things created; yet theſe things might be cleared againſt them, were it in our way ſo much. Here indeed God the Father is named relatively, and not ſo much from the firſt creation, and making of all things; as from the Covenant of grace, whereby through Chriſt we are made his ſonnes, and what Chriſt hath by nature, we have by grace. So that the paternal relation here mentioned, is more peculiar and ſweet, than that general one to all the creatures, even wicked men, who yet are preſerved by him, and like Iſhmael have many gifts, though they have not with Iſaac the inheritance. Obſerve,
That God is a Father in a more peculiar and ſpecial manner to thoſe that do God is a Father in a more peculiar manner to thoſe that believe.truly believe.
The Poet ſaid, We were Gods offspring, who knew not the grace of Adoption, yet the Apoſtle confirmeth that ſpeech, becauſe we are all his creatures, but the good Angels, and good men, are the ſons of God in a more endeared reſpect.
We ſhall not inſiſt long neither upon this, though the Scripture make it the treaſury of all our conſolation; only we may briefly conſider, What it is what it is for God to be our Father.to be our Father. And
Firſt, It implieth his ſpiritual begetting us by the Word. For before converſion the Devil is our Father, we may ſay, Our Father which art in Hell, if we were to pray to him; as our Saviour told the Phariſees, not Abraham, but the Devil was their Father, and all, becauſe we have his likeneſs upon us, and his works we do. But when God by his Spirit doth change us, and make us to partake of his Divine Nature, then we are ſons, Sonnes by Adoption, and ſonnes by Regeneration. It is not then every one, that God is thus a Father to, he muſt have the Image of God, and his likeneſs. Therefore though many call him Father, yet he is a Judge, and an enemy to them, becauſe they are contrary to him in nature and actions.
Secondly, As God is thus a Father in respect of a metaphorical generation; ſo alſo in regard of all his paternal love and care to thoſe that are his. No bowels of father or mother are comparable to his. Therefore the Prophet Iſaiah makes his love to tranſcend the mothers love, and that to her ſucking infant, Iſa. 49. 50. Inſomuch that all our doubts and fears may preſently be ſubdued, if we conſider he is a Father. Why art thou ſo diſquieted, as if like Melchizedech thou were without father and mother? Thou art afraid of hell and condemnation, but will a Father do thus? Again, thou doubteſt about many earthly and ſenſible comforts, what thou ſhalt eat or drink, and doth not our Saviour ſay, Matth. 6. 8. Your Father knoweth what ye have need of? Improve then the relation of a Father; think what care, love and bowels God hath put into thy heart who art a father to thy children; thou never doubteſt of thy affections to them, but many times of their affections and dutifulneſs to thee; And is not this fatherly affection much more in God?
Thirdly, He is not only our Father, but he ſendeth his Spirit into our hearts, to aſſure us of this, and to be more affected with it, Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 6. For whereas in nature, there the child by a natural inſtinct is carried out to his father, and to call upon him; It is not thus in grace, for when God is become our Father, then we need the Spirit of God to aſſure us of this, to make us believe it; of our ſelves we ſhould rather conclude, he is our enemy, and our Judge; but this Spirit of God putteth a filial confidence into us. Again, it doth not only aſſure us, but inableth us againſt all thoſe doubts and jealouſies we have to the contrary, to cry Father, that denoteth the ſoul is in a very great agony, many objections and oppoſitions it hath; but yet we are enabled againſt our hearts, and againſt the Devils temptations thus to do:
Laſtly, He is a Father, and therefore doth afflict us, and chaſtiſe us for our good. Inſomuch that it is from his fatherly love to afflict us, as well as to give us of his mercies; and if as the Apoſtle urgeth, Heb. 12. 9. We reverenced our fathers after the fleſh, when they chaſtized us, how much rather our Father after the Spirit? which cannot miſcarry, or erre in his afflictions upon us.
To this Doctrine let us adde the Extenſion of it, Our Father. Paul ſaith not my Father, or the father of Abraham, and ſuch eminent Saints, but our Father. Obſerve,
God is a Father to the meaneſt and weakeſt believer, as well as the God is a Father to the weakeſt believer as well as the ſtrongeſt.ſtrongeſt.
Hence our Saviour taught all the godly to ſay, Our Father. In this expreſſion is implied:
Firſt, Appropriation and application. It is not enough to acknowledge God a Father, but we muſt bring this relation home to our hearts, Our Father, my Father, and thy Father.
Secondly, It implieth, That God is ſo the Father of one believer, that he is the Father of all the reſt. Earthly parents have ſometimes ſo many children, that they cannot provide for all (at leaſt) ſo liberally, but God can do as much for any one child of his, as if he had no more; his riches and inheritance is given to every one, All his children are heirs, and have as much as if there had been but one child.
Thirdly, There is implied the unity and agreement of all believers amongstthemſelves. They have one Father. why then ſhould there be ſuch diviſions amongſt them? The Apoſtle Epheſ. 4. 6. urgeth this one God, and Father of all, one Lord, one Spirit, one God and Father. Theſe are brought as arguments of unity, not meerly becauſe they are one, but one …o believers. All believers have but one Lord, one Spirit, one God, and therefore are to manifeſt this unity.
Uſe. From both the Doctrines joyned together of Direction, with what Evangelical, quiet, and joyfull ſpirits we ſhould live upon this divine truth; Gods being our Father ſhould be the Goſpel harp to drive out every unbelieving and troubleſome thought. 1 John 1. 3. Truly our fellowſhip is with the Father, and with his Sonne Jeſus Chriſt. Our fellowſhip] it ſhould be no new or ſtrange thing to us.