An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 35
SERM. XXXV.
Some Propoſitions clearing the Doctrine of Gods Mercy, from both Doctrinal and Practical Objections.
2 COR. 1. 3.
The God of all comfort.
VVE ſhall now put both theſe deſcriptions of God joyntly together, having already conſidered them ſeverally. For ſeeing in the mercy of God is all our hope, Chriſt hath this Rainbow about his Throne. And although it may affect us to hear, that God is Wiſe, Omnipotent, of glorious Majeſty, yet nothing is ſo ſutable and proper for poor ſinners, as to hear of Gods mercy. Therefore I ſhall at this time enlarge further about it, and ſo conclude. And that which I ſhall deliver, ſhall be laid down in ſo many Propoſitions, which will be to obviate either Practical or Doctrinal Objections. And
Firſt, The mercy and comforts of God, this glorious Nature of his, whereby Propoſitions obviating practical and doctrical objections about the mercy or comforts of God.he is ready to pity thoſe that are miſerable, is ſo to be managed in the publick preaching thereof, that it be a ſovereign Antidote againſt all despair, and yet a curb againſt all preſumption. For ſo it falleth out, that we can hardly open the treaſures of Gods mercy, and diſcover the glory of his grace and goodneſs to the humbled ſinner, but preſently the carnal prophane heart is ready to encourage himſelf thereby. It is therefore the part of a wiſe Diſpenſer of this glad tidings, to conſider the ſubjects with whom he hath to do, and accordingly to publiſh terrour to whom terrour is due, wrath to whom wrath is due. And then on the other ſide, peace to whom peace belongs, mercy to whom mercy belongs. Though therefore God ſtyle himſelf, The God of the fatherleſs, and the widow, that he is pitifull to ſuch as are miſerable: Though very wicked (it may be) and prophane, yet this is with a general mercy onelyonly; his peculiar and ſpecial mercies are onelyonly to thoſe that fear him. If then a man go on wilfully in his ungodly wayes, if he will ſtill retain his tranſgreſſions, he muſt not think to find God mercifull to him, he will find David's prayer fulfilled, Pſal. 59. 5. Be not mercifull to any wicked tranſgreſſour. This bread is for children, not for dogs; yet how difficultly can we keep ſuch off from applying this mercy to themſelves? Thoſe are commonly moſt confident of it, to whom it doth not belong; therefore beaſtly men are barred off from coming near this Mount; This pearl is kept from Swine. When we meet with broken contrite hearts, here we diſplay the mercy of God with all our might; To ſuch we ſay, Gods mercies are infinitely more than their ſinnes; That although they had the ſinnes of all the men in the world, yet they were but as a drop to the Sun-beams of his mercy, which will quickly dry them up: To ſuch we ſay, God doth as eaſily pardon great ſinnes, as little; as the Sun doth enlighten one place with as much eaſe as another: To ſuch we ſay, That it's their duty to hope in Gods mercy; that they cannot diſhonour God more than by looking upon him, as one who is hardly brought to remit offences: That it is Gods will we ſhould come to this fountain, and drink abundantly of it. We tell them, that they cannot think ſo much of ſinne to condemn them, as they may of the multitude of Gods mercies to ſave them: To ſuch we ſay, That when they have thought all they can, yet there is more in Gods mercy, than they can go to the bottom of. God is ſaid to forget ſinnes, but he cannot forget his property of mercy. Thus you ſee that mercy is ſo to be held out, as the cloud was in the wilderneſs, it was light to the people of Iſrael to guide them, but darkneſs to the Egyptian. The Doctrine of mercy is indeed matter of terrour to every preſumptuous ſinner, for he hath nothing to do with it, but it is full of beauty and reviving to the wounded heart. Hence the whole drift of the Scripture is to repreſent this grace and mercy of God to an humbled ſinner. This is the main ſcope of it. For who could or dare think of God any otherwiſe, but a conſuming fire, till the Scripture hath revealed him otherwiſe? And indeed the Parable of a Shepherd fetching home his loſt ſheep, is comfortable; yet Chriſt exceedeth that Shepherd, for he ſought for his ſheep, as goods that he needed, that he wanted; but Chriſt doth for us, whom he doth not want, he is well enough without us. Again that alſo is a refreſhing Parable of the Father entertaining ſo mercifully his prodigal Sonne; but yet Chriſt exceedeth that Father alſo; for there the Sonne came firſt and humbled himſelf, and intreated for favour; but God he doth firſt ſeek us out by his mercy; We do not chooſe him, but he chooſeth us. Though Vorſtius doth diſtinguiſh of ſpecial grace to believers, calling one ordinary, which God vouchſafeth to thoſe who ſeek him in the uſe of means; and another extraordinary, which God (he ſaith) ſometimes but rarely vouchſafeth, and that is, while men never think of God, yea in wayes of oppoſition to God, as the Gentiles and Paul; yet indeed we may ſay of all that are converted, That God thinketh of them before they think of God. It is he that prevents them; his grace finds them out, and prepareth them for mercy. Again, Chriſt compareth himſelf to the Phyſician; but what Phyſician healeth as he doth? Other Phyſicians they make their Patients ſick and bleed, to help them to health; but Chriſt, he himſelf is wounded, and his bloud is ſhed for to ſave us. All this is to ſhew, That we cannot imbolden and incourage the ſincere converts enough; but the more hopefull and confident thoughts he hath of Gods mercy, the more pleaſing it is to God.
Secondly, We muſt not judge of Gods mercy without Scripture-light and guidance, for if we do, we ſholl thereby encourage our ſelves in wicked wayes, and yet ſay, God is mercifull. And truly this is the poyſon that many ſuck down, they judge of Gods mercy according to their own humane pity and compaſſion; and thereupon never conſider his Juſtice, his Wiſdome, his Holineſs, as well as Mercy. So that this is diligently to be conſidered that we muſt not apprehend of God as full of mercy and comfort any otherwayes than the Scripture doth manifeſt him, and that will be ſalt to ſeaſon you againſt the abuſe of Gods mercy, ſo as to turn his grace into wantonneſſe. How many are there undo themſelves for want of a Scripture conſideration of Gods mercy, both Doctrinally and Practically. As
In the firſt place. What is the reaſon, that ſome have imbraced that old and unſavoury Doctrine of Origen, That all both men and Devils after ſo many years in hell, ſhall be releaſed from thoſe torments? Why is this? But becauſe theſe miſericordiſts conceive of Gods mercy without Scripture-grounds. They think it doth not ſtand with the pity and compaſſion of God, to let ſo many thouſands of his creatures lie roaring in hell, and he never deliver them. But is not this againſt Scripture, which calls it everlaſting fire, and that there ſhall never be any coming out of that priſon, That of their torments there ſhall be no end?
Again in the ſecond place, There are thoſe that do with open mouth cry Of the Calviniſts Doctrine concerning Gods abſolute Decrees, and how they ſtand with the mercy of God.down the Calviniſts as blasphemous againſt Gods mercy, and making God to be more unmercifull and cruel, then any Tyrant that ever lived: Becauſe (ſay they) ſuch do hold, God did by abſolute, and irrespective fatal Decrees, appoint the greater part of mankind to ſinne, and then for their ſinne to damne them. As Tiberius, deſiroes to put a veſtal Virgin to death, cauſed her violently to be defloured, and then becauſe ſhe was defloured, he put her to death. But
Firſt, Here is a falſe and an odious repreſentation of the Calviniſts Doctrine; and if their opinion, as they truly ſtate it out of the Scripture, be thought to be againſt the nature of Gods mercy, it's becauſe they do not conſider Gods ſupream dominion, his Juſtice and Holineſs, as well as his Mercy. But that the Calviniſts do not any wayes diminiſh the gracious and mercifull Nature of God, by their opinions in the Doctrine of Election, efficacious Converſion, &c. will eaſily appear to thoſe that are candid and ingenuous. I ſuppoſe Election to be an Act of mercy, relating to our miſery in Adam's fall, though the learned Doctor Twiſs diſputeth much againſt it, Lib. 1. contra Armin. digr. 9. For
1. They hold, That there is no man is damned, but for his ſinne; Their deſtruction is of themſelves. Neither do they ſay, That God by any Decree compelled Adam to ſinne at firſt, but Adam ſinned as voluntarily, and as freely, as if God had made no permiſſive Decree about his fall. It is true indeed we ſay, That God hath predetermining Decrees efficacious about what is good permiſſive, about what is evil; but yet we ſay, Theſe Decrees do not alter the nature of ſecond cauſes, but according to the nature of them, ſo is Gods providence attempered thereunto. Therefore we acknowledge that of Auſtin's, Malevola eſt illa miſericordia, quae facit eſſe miſerum, ut miſereatur, That is cruel mercy, which makes miſerable, that it may ſhew mercy; Adam did voluntarily ſin, ſo that God was not to be blamed.
Neither do we call thoſe Decrees of God Abſolute and Irrespective, as if hereby all means were excluded from accompliſhing the end we are elected to. When God elects a man to ſalvation, we ſay, in this Election is comprehended holineſs, as the way to happineſs. And therefore to impoſe ſuch an Irrespective Decree upon the Calviniſts, as if their meaning was, God had decreed to ſave ſome men, whether wicked, or not wicked: That it was all one, whether prophane or godly. This is an horrible calumny. It is true, we ſay, it's Abſolute, becauſe God did not look to any thing in us, as a cauſe, or a merit, antecedently to his Election, yet we ſay, God elects to faith and holineſs, as well as to ſalvation. Therefore we do not injure the mercifull Nature of God; but they do his holy, juſt and wiſe Nature; yea they diminiſh his grace and mercy in our Election, and attributing too much to man. For whereas the Apoſtle ſaith Rom. 9. It is not of him that willeth or runneth, but of God that ſheweth mercy; They will make it to be as well of him that runneth, as of God that ſheweth mercy: And though in words they ſeem to give the priority to Gods grace and mercy, yet in reality they do not. If then that of Auſtin be true, Gratia non eſt gratia ullo modo, niſi ſit gratuita omni modo, then all thoſe are enemies to the grace and mercy of God, who take in the leaſt meaſure from it.
3. We do not enervate the mercy of God, in holding, the Election of ſome onelyonly to eternal life, becauſe God might juſtly, if he had pleaſed, damned all, and none could have accuſed him for want of mercy. For hath not God bound up in chains of darkneſs all the apoſtate Angels? Are not every one of them condemned to eternal torments? Yet they are more noble and excellent creatures, than man is. Oh then the mercy of God that any is ſaved, ſeeing that all might juſtly be damned!
Laſtly, Not to enlarge on this, God is mercifull in this Abſolute Election, duly explained, becauſe hereby a very great number are ſure to be ſaved. God by this Decree of his, will ſo work in time, that they ſhall be called, juſtified, and at laſt glorified; for Election will obtain. Now doth not this Doctrine more commend the mercy of God, than the Arminians Conditional Decrees? Notwithſtanding which, no man in the world may be ſaved. For notwithſtanding Gods Decrees and Will, to ſave all men, notwithſtanding Chriſts dying for all men, yet they acknowledge it poſſible, not any one man be ſaved. For God (they ſay) leaveth a man to the good uſe of his Free-will, he doth not alter or change by his efficacious and wonderfull grace any mans heart; and if God do no more, who then can be ſaved? They cannot inſtance in one Heathen, that ever yet uſed his naturals well, thereby to partake of ſupernaturals. So that if all be left to man, and God ſhould not ſhew mercy, no one man would be ſaved. Therefore our Doctrine is a mercifull one, and theirs is cruel.
In the third general place, The Socinians, they blame all the Orthodox, as evacuating the mercy of God, becauſe, we ſay, that the Juſtice of God being ſatisfied through the bloud of Chriſt as a ranſome, we thereby obtain remiſſion of ſinnes. Now (they ſay) how abſurd and contradictory is this, God is ſatisfied by a juſt paiment to pardon ſinne, and yet it's the meer mercy of God to forgive it?
But to this we anſwer, That though the pardon of ſinne be of Juſtice to Chriſt, yet it is wholly of mercy to us. It is not any thing we could do, that might procure pardon; if we could merit or ſatisfie the Juſtice of God by the works we do, then indeed it would not be of grace and mercy to us; but this Juſtice is only between Chriſt and the Father: So that it's wholly of mercy to us, both in reſpect that he hath found out a Saviour for us, as alſo in applying the benefits of Chriſts death. For though Chriſt become into the world, yet how many eternally periſh? It is therefore unſpeakable mercy to thee, that thy ſins are pardoned, that thou art converted, and ſo many thouſands abide under the power of Satan and ſinne. Therefore when Gods mercy is ſpoken of in pardoning of ſinne, it is perpetually in reſpect of us, not of Chriſt. Thus you ſee, judging of Gods mercy without Scripture-light, into how many Doctrinal errors it may plunge us.
4. For want of Scripture-direction, the Papiſt and Antinomian oppoſe the mercy of God, but in extream contrary wayes. Though God be mercifull, yet he hath ſo ordained, that none ſhall partake of his mercies in time, but thoſe who by his grace are inabled to believe and repent, as the way to ſalvation. Now the Papiſt injureth the mercy of God, for he will have his Faith, Repentance, with other holy works, the merit and cauſe of his ſalvation, diſdaining to have eternal life, as meer alms from God. But the Antinomian to avoid this Scilla falls into Charybdis, he affirmeth, a mercy, and that of Justification, even while we are ſinners, before we do either believe or repent. But the Scripture-mercy lieth between both.
In the next place, Let us conſider, What Practical Danger we are in, by conceiving of God as a mercifull God, without Scripture-information. And
Firſt, We are apt to flatter our ſelves with Gods mercy, though we allow our ſelves in our ſins and iniquities, whereas the Scripture ſpeaks not a drop of mercy to ſuch Have you not many dreadfull examples of Gods anger and terrour as well as mercy? What was the caſting of all the Angels into eternal blackneſs for one ſinfull thought, and that the firſt which they were guilty of, giving them no ſpace to repent, no day of grace, affording no means for their recovery? Is not this an inſtance of Gods ſeverity? But you will ſay, This was to Angels, he is more mercifull to man. But conſider that example of Gods Juſtice in drowning the whole world, ſave eight perſons; Doth not that proclaim God is juſt and angry againſt ſinne, as well as mercifull; not to ſpare the whole world, becauſe it had corrupted its wayes, but to drown ſuch an innumerable company of men, women and children, yea to deſtroy the whole earth, as it were? Oh, who can ſtand before the anger of God! Have we not alſo a formidable demonſtration of Gods anger againſt Sodome and Gomorrah, when fire and brimſtone was rained from Heaven, to deſtroy thoſe Cities, and all that did belong to them? What had the little children done? They could not be guilty of thoſe unclean vices, but God cutteth off all. Many other inſtances of Gods wrath we have in Scripture, eſpecially the day of Judgement, will be a dreadfull manifeſtation of it to the wicked, and therefore the Scripture will informe us in that, as well as of Gods mercy.
A ſecond Practical Errour (I ſhall conclude with) that neceſſarily accompanieth the thoughts of Gods mercy without Scripture-direction, is to encourage a mans ſelf in his ſinnes, becauſe God is mercifull. Every wicked perſon turneth this honey into gall. Paul ſpeaketh of ſome, who made thoſe wretched inferences, Let us ſinne that grace may abound. Take heed then of having any ſuch wicked thought ariſing in thy heart, God is mercifull, therefore I will go to my luſts again: Oh no; the Scripture repreſents Gods mercies for another end, to repent and be converted from thy evil wayes, Rom. 2, Knoweſt thou not the goodneſſe of God would lead thee to repentance. Oh then do not abuſe the mercy of God! for there is a time coming when there will be no more mercy. It's called the day of wrath; thou ſhalt meet with nothing but terrour, Ezek. 8. 18. The Scripture ſpeaks of veſſels of mercy, and veſſels of wrath, and there is no greater ſign of a veſſel of wrath, one fitted and prepared for deſtruction, then to grow wanton by the mercies of God, to be evil, becauſe he is good; ſo much mercy abuſed will one day be turned into ſo much vengeance.