An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 46
SERM. XLVI.
The ſame Doctrine proſecuted, ſhewing the Object for which Chriſtians are to ſuffer, if they would ſuffer for Chriſt.
2 COR. 1. 5.
For as the ſufferings of Chriſt abound in us, &c.
THe Doctrine that hath in part been treated on, is, That a true and faithfull owning of Christ, is accompanied with ſufferings and perſecutions. Some Particulars have been given in to clear this. We proceed to adde more; and the firſt in order ſhall be, That although it is very difficult to fleſh and blood, to own Chriſt ſo farre as to ſuffer for him, yet the Scripture repreſents 'Tis a glorious and bleſſed thing to own Chriſt in the midſt of ſufferings.it as a moſt bleſſed and glorious thing, howſoever the world judge it reproachfull. I ſhall not here enlarge my ſelf about the encouragements to ſuffer, when Chriſt calls for it; it is enough at this time, in the general, to inform, That God will not honour every one with perſecutions for himſelf; It is a great expreſſion of his grace and favour. Hence ſome Confeſſors, have deſired to be Martyrs, but God by his providence preſerved them, they have been greatly humbled, and dejected under this, as if it were for ſome ſpecial ſinne and unworthineſſe in them, that God would not in that manner dignify them. Theſe are not words, and meer oratory, the Scripture is clear in proclaiming this for a title of favour, to be a ſufferer for Chriſt. Act. 5. 41. The Apoſtles rejoyced that they were accounted worthy to ſuffer ſhame for his Name. That they might have ſhame and reproach for Chriſt, this they rejoyced in, as a great matter of honour. Who were they that the Lord ſhould ſo exhalt them? So Phil. 1. 29. To you it's given, not only to believe, but to ſuffer. By this you ſee, that every one to whom God doth give to believe, he doth not alſo give to ſuffer for him. It's a gift then, and where this is beſtowed, they ought to rejoyce, and to be exceeding glad. Yea, 1 Pet. 3. 14. They are happy. And, 1 Pet. 4. 16. Thy are to goorifie God in that behalf. If we could believe theſe Scripture truths, ſo much ſinfull fear and puſillanimity in the cauſe of Chriſt, might not be charged upon us, as too often it may be, we would not run from a duty accompanied with ſufferings, as Moſes did from the rod turned into a Serpent; neither ſhould we with Simon the Cyrenean, be compelled to bear the croſſe. That is obſerveable, 1 Pet. 2. 19. If a man ſuffer for conſcience towards God: foreign; We tranſlate it, this is thankworthy. But happily that is not ſo proper; for, if a man ſhould ſuffer all the Martyrdomes that have been in his own body, yet God is not to thank him; he hath not ſuffered more then he ought to do. Neither do I know that the word foreign is uſed in ſuch a ſenſe. Therefore it's better tranſlated, This is a favour; this is grace, if God bring us to ſuffer for a good conſcience towards him. If then thou art to ſuffer, either verbally, by mocks and ſlanders, or really, by miſeries and perſecutions; ſet the Crown of Glory, to the Crown of Thornes; ſet the honey, to the gall; ſet the honour with God, to the reproach amongſt men. That which the carnal heart is ſo afraid of, the Scripture makes matter of joy, and of glorifying God for it.
Secondly, It being therefore ſo glorious a thing, it is good to inform you, What it is to ſuffer for Chriſt. For we may be the devils Martyrs, ſuffer as offenders, or as buſybodies; ſuffer for hereſies, and the works of the fleſh, yet perſwade and flatter our ſelves that we ſuffer for Chriſt.
Now to clear this, we muſt conſider what is required ex parte objecti, on the What it is to ſuffer for Chriſt. 1. Ex parte Objecti.behalf of the matter we ſuffer for. And
2. What is required ex parte ſubjecti; what qualifications ought to be in him who doth ſuffer for Chriſt.
And for the Object matter, the Scripture deſcribeth it in theſe Particulars:
Firſt, That what a man ſuffereth for, it muſt not be for any ſinne, that is 1. It muſt not be for any ſin.juſtly puniſhable by the Law: It muſt not be for our folly and buſy medling in ſuch things wherein we have no call. The Apoſtle Peter (1 Pet. cap. 3. 15, 16.) ſpeaketh notably to this; for giving the people of God in that Chapter, great encouragements to ſuffer, he cometh in with a caution, They muſt take heed for what they ſuffer: which is laid down poſitively, and then oppoſitly. Poſitively, as a Chriſtian; it muſt be for profeſſing and doing ſuch things as Chriſt requireth: Let it not be ſtrange fire, but the fire from the Altar. If thou wouldſt have comfort, it muſt be for doing that which as a Chriſtian thou art bound to do. And the oppoſite to this, is to ſuffer as a murderer, as a thief, or which is more general, as a buſybody in other mens matters: foreign; that is, one who buſily ſpyeth into, and medleth with thoſe things that he hath no call to; it's not his Office to deal in. Now this muſt not be underſtood, as the world will judge a man a buſybody. If a Miniſter, a Magiſtrate, or any in Office be zealous againſt ſin, and ſee to the puniſhing of it, the prophane ones of the world call this an an hot buſy medling. So if private Chriſtians cannot bear the impieties they ſee committed in the places where they live, but do faithfully and boldly admoniſh and reprove ſuch offenders; and if this doth no good, then they will proceed further, to the Magiſtrate and Officers to complain of ſuch, that ſinne may be puniſhed, God honoured, and publique judgments prevented. If (I ſay) private Chriſtians be thus ſtirring (as they ought to be, unleſſe they will have other mens ſins lie at their doors, and they become thereby very guilty;) then what an out-cry is made? theſe are factious, troubleſome, diſquieting follows. So that to judge who is a buſy-body, and when a man is guilty of it, you muſt have recourſe to the Scripture, and to ſound caſuiſtical Divinity, applying the general rules of Scripture to particulars, and not to the common voice and noiſe of people in the world. That good zealous Prophet for God Eliſah, who becauſe he burned with fire for God, had a wonderfull reward thereof, to be carried up in a fiery Charriot to Heaven, yet becauſe he would not endure the ungodlineſſe of Ahab and Jezebell, what is ſaid to him? Then art the troubler of Iſrael. They condemn him for a buſy-body, whereas indeed Ahab by his wickedneſſe (as the Prophet ſaid) was the troubler of the Land. In ſuffering then for Chriſt, we ſee much prudence as well as zeal is required; yet ſo, as not to regard the cenſure of the world: For, who ever ſuffered for Chriſt, and their perſecutors did not repreſent them ſo odiouſly, as that they might ſeem to deſerve it? This is the firſt thing.
Secondly, For the object matter, The Scripture expreſſeth it another time, 2. It muſt be for the name of Chriſt.for the Name of Chriſt. Mat. 19. 29. Whoſoever ſhall for ſake houſes, lands, &c. for my Names ſake. Job. 15. 21. All theſe things will they do to you for my Names ſake. What is Christs name? not only the Perſon of Chriſt himſelf; but as the Name of God, is that whereby God is known, ſo is the Name of Chriſt. Yea, under this, is comprehended thoſe Doctrines, and that Faith which Chriſt had delivered to us. The truths of Chriſt are to be dearer to us then ourlives. Hence it was, that Chriſtianity hath amazed the world, with thoſe millions and millions of Martyrs, that have been for the faith of Chriſt. It was a wicked opinion of the Priſcillianiſts of old, That a man migh lye, diſſemble, and forſwear the truths of Chriſt, bow to Idols, and communicate with heathens in any bodily worſhip, ſo as they kept the true faith in their hearts. But this is directly oppoſite to Scripture. Rom. 10. 16. With the heart man believeth, and with the month confeſſion is made to ſalvation. To ſalvation: So that a man cannot be ſaved, though he doth in his heart believe, if he do not, when it is caſus confeſſionis, a caſe of confeſſion, confeſſe alſo with his mouth the ſame faith. And Rom. 11. 4. The true worſhippers of God in Eliahs time, are deſcribed not only by their inward grace, but externally alſo, that they did not bow their knee to Baal. It is true, there is a difference between profeſſion and confeſſion ſtrictly taken: As Cyprian, Maluit nos Dous confiteri fidem, non profiteri. To profeſſe, is to do it ultroneouſly of our own accord, when we are not called to it; as ſome of the Martyrs would do, crying out, Chriſtianus ſum, I am a Chriſtian; for which they were put to death. And this could not be excuſed in them, unleſſe we ſay, an extraordinary heroical frame of ſpirit was at that time infuſed into them by the Holy Ghoſt. This voluntary profeſſion, when danger is, is not required: Yea, in leſſer truths, we are not to profeſſe them ſo, as to diſturbe the faith of others. So the Apoſtle, Rom. 14. 22. Haſt thou faith? have it to thy ſelf. But then, in caſe of confeſſion, when the glory of God, the good of the Church, and our own ſalvation requireth it, then we are to confeſſe the truths of Chriſt, though we looſe all. It is the great glory attributed by Paul to Chriſt, that (1 Tim. 6. 13.) before Pontius Pilate, he witneſſed a good confeſſion. To ſuffer then for Chriſt, it is to looſe all for his Truth, for his Faith, when he requireth. Therefore though Heretiques may glory in their ſufferings, and they be canonized as Saints amongſt their Diſciples, yet they will be ſound to have loſt their blood in vain, and that they were not the Lord Chriſts, but the devils Martyrs. The Donatiſts of old, yea thoſe Circumcelliones, that would kill themſelves, and like mad men, would make others kill them, did triumph in the name of Martyrs. The Meſſaliani alſo, becauſe they were puniſhed for their Idols, called themſelves Martyriani, the Martyrians; as if they only were the Martyrs. How greatly are the Popiſh Calenders filled with their ſaints, when yet ſome of them dyed of deſperate and high rebellions and treaſons? So that this alwaies falleth out, as men are perſwaded of their way, ſo they judge it true perſecution or falſe. Haſtia did truly call the Donatiſts perſecutions, Perſecutiones ſteriles, …barren and fruitleſſe; as loſing the crown of glory, though they boaſted of them. On the other ſide, the rigid Lutherans did condemn our Martyrs in Queen Maries daies, (becauſe they dyed againſt that error, That Chriſt was bodily preſent in the Sacrament;) yea, and called them Martyres Diaboli, The Devils Martyrs. This (I confeſſe) is more grievous many times, then all the perſecutions of the adverſaries, when thoſe who are of the ſame general profeſſion, yet for ſome particular differences, ſhall ſo uncharitably cenſure one another: But this is no new thing in the Church of God. The Socinians, though they blaſpheme the Deity of Chriſt, and their doctrine is not ſimply hereſie, but blaſphemy alſo, yet they will admire their ſufferings, as if for Chriſt alſo. The Polonian Gentleman, that writ Socinus his life, would preferre him above Luther and Ignatius As for Ignatius, the Father of Jeſuites, we have nothing to do with him; but that he ſhould preferre him above Luther for the greatneſſe of his faith, Becauſe (ſaith he) Luthers Doctrine at the firſt had many to applaud it, but Soci…ius had few or none to encourage him: Though we might ſay, Luthers was univerſally hated, the whole world being then ſubject to the Pope, yet that can be nothing with that writer, who confeſſeth that pride and vain-glory, may make all a mans ſufferings to be fewel to it. Thus you ſee, how that all ſuffering parties in Religion, will pretend to Chriſt, and plead they ſuffer for him; but as Chriſt is Chriſt, though there have riſen many falſe Chriſts, ſo ſuffering and perſecution for Chriſt is truly ſo; and ſome there are, and they only, who can claim this honour, though others do gloriouſly pretend to it. It is a true rule of Auſtins, Cauſa non paena facit Martyrem, Not the puniſhment, but the cauſe makes a Martyr. Even as Cauſa, non ſeparatio, facit ſchiſmaticum: It muſt be indeed the Doctrine of Chriſt, not our opinions and preſumptions we ſuffer with.
Thirdly, The Scripture expreſſeth this, Suffering for righteouſneſſe ſake. He 3. For righteouſneſſe ſake.that ſuffereth for doing that which is righteous, ſuffereth for Chriſt. Mat. 5. 10. If ye be perſecuted for righteouſneſſe ſake, bleſſed are ye. This is made the ſame with ſuffering for Chriſts ſake. This is good to obſerve, leſt we ſhould think, that then we only ſuffer for Chriſt, when the matter we are troubled for, is either Chriſt himſelf, or his truth and ordinances; ſomething that is immediately terminated upon Chriſt. No: this is to be extended farther. For, when a Magiſtrate is zealous to rebuke ſinne, and put it to ſhame, if he be maligned for this, he ſuffereth for Chriſt. So, if a private Chriſtian ſet himſelf, in a lawfull way, againſt all the impieties that abound where he liveth, and thereupon all his neighbours hate and oppoſe him, he ſuffers for Chriſt: And all becauſe it's for righteouſneſſe. Inſomuch that thou maieſt take much comfort herein, as one Martyr did, That it is not for any wickedneſſe of thine, any wrong or injury thou haſt done them; only becauſe thou haſt had a zeal for God and his glory: therefore it is that they riſe up with ſuch malice againſt thee. And let this encourage all ſuch, who deſire to have all ungodlineſſe and diſhonour to God by ſinne, be wholly rooted out; though in this labour they have many oppoſitions, and much hatred, yet remember it is for Chriſt. It is true indeed, that beſides meer righteouſneſſe, there muſt be alſo a knowledge of Chriſt: For without faith, it is impoſſible to pleaſe God, Heb. 11. 3. And therefore, though Ariſtides the juſt, was baniſhed for righteouſneſſe, and Socrates put to death, for maintaining there was but one God; yet theſe cannot be ſaid to ſuffer for Chriſt, becauſe they had no knowledge of him: Seeing Chriſt is only in the Church, therefore there cannot be any true ſuffering for him, but in the Church.
Laſtly, In reſpect of the object matter, Then we ſuffer for Chriſt, when we are perſecuted for keeping a good conſcience, and will not break the peace thereof 4. For a good conſcience.for all the advantages in the world. Thus the Apoſtle Peter, 1 Pet. 3. 16. maketh the having of a good conſcience, to be equivalent to ſuffering for righteouſneſſe ſake, and alſo for the Name of Chriſt. This good conſcience conſiſts in this, That whereas the enemies and perſecutors ſpeak all evil of us as evil doers, they may at laſt be aſhamed for ſuch falſe accuſations. Here you ſee, none ever perſecuted the Church of God, but they laid foul things to their charge: That as they did put the Chriſtians ſometimes in Bear-skins, to make the dogs tear them with the greater rage, ſo alſo they have turned their names into Heretiques, Schiſmaticks, and every odious title, that ſo they might be the more juſtified in their cruel waies. Now then, to ſuffer with, and for a good conſcience, is to be innocent from all theſe calumnies; that we dare appeal to God, as Chriſt ſaid, For which of the good works do ye ſtone me? So, for what good is it that I have done, you reproach, you revile and perſecute me? But when we ſay a good conſcience, we mean, that which is truly ſo, and informed out of Gods Word; otherwiſe, as Paul ſaid, he had a good conſcience, while he was a Phariſee, and thought he was bound to do againſt Chriſt what he did. So, many deluded conſciences may indure much miſery, yea death it ſelf, with a good conſcience thus farre, that they do not go againſt any light thereof: They are not as ſome Heretiques, foreign, ſelf-condemned, as it is commonly expounded; No, they may think they are bound to ſuffer as they do: Yea, if they ſhould recant their errors, though never ſo damnable, while their conſcience is perſwaded to the contrary, they would ſinne againſt God, (not becauſe they renounce an error materially, but becauſe they do that which formally appeareth a truth to them) and it may be bring much horror and teror upon their own conſciences. It is not enough therefore to make a man a ſufferer for Chriſt, if in a falſe way, becauſe he is perſwaded ſo; his conſcience doth not tell him to the contrary; he hath much comfort doing as he doth; whereas, if he ſhould do otherwiſe, he ſhould have no peace: For, conſcience is but an inferiour Judge, and is no further to command, then guided by the Word of God; and when it is ſo, then whoſoever will not pleaſe men, but indure all hardſhip, rather then wound this conſcience, this man ſuffers for Chriſt. Thus you ſee what it is to ſuffer for Chriſt, in the Scripture expreſſion, and let it be thy earneſt prayer to God, to have a preparedneſſe of heart thus to ſuffer. Oh, conſider how much Chriſt ſuffered for thee, both from God and man! He ſuffered in his Name in all reproach and ignominy, dying a moſt accurſed death, and ſhalt thou be ſo tender and delicate, as not to indure the mocks and rages of men for him? Shall Chriſt be in cruce, and thou in luce? Chriſt in convitiis, and thou in conviviis? Chriſt in patibulo, and thou in Paradiſo? (as Gerhard expreſſeth it.) Oh fear left this prove dreadfull at the latter end!