An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 53
SERM. LIII.
Afflictions not in themſelves, but as improved by Patience, conduce to our Salvation: What goes to the producing of Patience.
2 COR. 1. 6.
Which is effectual in enduring of the ſame afflictions, which we alſo ſuffer.
THe ſecond part conſiderable in this amplification of the divine advantage and heavenly profit we have by afflictions for Gods cauſe, is the manner, how this ſalvation is promoted, and that is foreign, In the enduring, or in patience under ſufferings. It is not ſimply and barely ſufferings, for murderers ſuffer, robbers ſuffer; but it muſt be for God; there muſt be a good cauſe. And yet further, a good cauſe is not enough; there muſt be an humble, patient and meek deportment in thoſe that do ſuffer. For if they ſuffer with grudging and repining, thinking God is a ſevere Maſter, who impoſeth ſuch hard tasks upon them, then they loſe their reward; neither is ſalvation advanced hereby. The Greek word foreign, is tranſlated ſometimes tolerantia, enduring; and thus in the Text: Even as the Verb foreign, is ſometimes Matth. 10. 22. Heb. 12. 3. But for the moſt part it is rendred patientia, patience. Thus Luk. 21. 19. Rom. 5. 3. It is alſo taken by ſome for perſeverance and conſtancy; ſo that is explained, Heb. 12. 1, Let us runne foreign, with patience, we render it, or rather with perſeverance and conſtancy, that we faint not, or be weary, ere we come to the end of our race. Although therefore many other graces are neceſſarily required to go through afflictions; ſo that our ſalvation may be exalted thereby, yet the Apoſtle here, and in many other places, inſtanceth impatience, as that which is the moſt proper and genuine grace for the improving of our ſufferings. Therefore from hence obſerve,
That ſufferings not barely of themſelves, but as improved by patience, do conducē Sufferings not barely in themſelves, but as improved by patience, conduce to our ſalvation.to our ſalvation.
Without patience our corruptions, and our damnation is furthered by all the tribulations we groan under. So that patience is like the ſalt to ſeaſon this Sacrifice, that it may be acceptable. If we ſtruggle and ſtrive againſt God, complain plain and murmur, becauſe we meet with ſuch hardſhip, this depriveth us of our glory. We are not to be like the Sacrifice, that did ſtruggle and ſtrive, and therefore muſt be bound to the Altar; but we are to deny ourſelves, to take up the croſſe (which argueth voluntarineſs and readineſs) and then we muſt follow him. Holy obedience muſt accompany this bearing of the croſſe, Luk. 9. 23. yea it is added, He muſt take it up daily; implying, that though this croſſe be put upon thy ſhoulders every day; though it be from week to week, from year to year, thou muſt not repine, but take it up daily. You muſt not carry the croſs of Chriſt, as the Philiſtims heifers did the Ark, lowing as they went for their young ones; where patience is, there is alſo a quiet, meek and ready reſignation of our ſelves, even as was in Chriſt, Behold I come to do thy will, O God; which will of God was partly to ſuffer moſt dreadfull things to fleſh and blood. Contranitency then and contrapugnancy to the will of God, bringing tribulations upon us, doth deprive us of all that ſoul-ſaving benefit we might have by them. It is true indeed, there is a conditional will in every ſufferer for Chriſt, ariſing neceſſarily from nature within us, which deſireth to preſerve it ſelf; and by this we would deprecate that cup which God is giving us to drink. Even Chriſt himſelf in this conditional manner prayed, Father, if it be poſſible, let this cup paſſe away from me; but then with their abſolute will, they do ſubmit and ſay, Not our will, but the will of God be done. Thus we have a notable expreſſion, John 21. 18. where Chriſt ſpeaking of the death and martyrdom Peter ſhould ſuffer for his name, he ſaith, Another ſhall gird thee, and carry thee whether thou wouldſt not; not that Peter ſuffered againſt his will abſolutely, not that he repined at it, but rather rejoyced in it, only it was againſt his conditional will; nature of itſelf would have deſired rather freedom from thoſe torments.
But let us proceed to enquire into the Nature or Properties of this Patience; Humane Philoſophers agreed in the commending of patience.and I ſhall not enlarge my ſelf on this ſubject in this place, becauſe it will come in more expreſly and explicitely ſome where elſe.
1. Therefore take we notice, That although humane Philoſophers by their ſeveral Sects did greatly oppoſe one another, yet they did agree in the commending of patience. Indeed Ariſtotle doth not reckon patience nor humility amongſt the moral virtues; but the Stoicks eſpecially, they did ſo commend patience, as that thereby they would have a man turned into a meer ſtone (as it were) and an unnatural dedolency; but no Philoſophical patience, not that of Anaxarchus (who cried out ſo ſtoutly to the Tyrant, who cauſed him to be brayed and pounced to death, Tunde, tunde Anaxarchum non tundis.) or of others ſo greatly applauded by humane Writers, is worthy of the name of Chriſtian patience. There is a vaſt difference in the principles, in the end, in the effects, in the concomitants, as might be ſhewed; but I ſhall not dilate at this time. This particular is brought in, to make us examine, What is the grace of patience, and what may be Natural or Moral Patience. Natural Patience I call that, which cometh much from the conſtitution and complexion of their bodies, they are more mild, quiet and enduring of grief than others. Moral patience I call that, when men by wiſdom and reading of moral precepts can harden themſelves heroically to bear the tribulations up on them; but Chriſtian patience is that which comes from a regenerated and ſanctified nature, eying Gods glory, his will and command only, not regarding other ſiniſter reſpects. So that a Natural Patience, a Moral Patience under thy ſufferings, will not advance thy ſalvation, but that which is Chriſtian. You have a notable place for this 2 Pet. 1. 6. To patience, godlineſſe. The Apoſtle doth there exhort to have the chain of graces linked together, not to think it enough to have one grace, unleſs he have all. And therefore patience muſt be added to temperance; for that requireth the denial of our pleaſures, the crucifying of our delights, which cannot be without patience: but then to this patience we muſt adde godlineſſe, implying, that though we be never ſo meek, ſo ſtill, ſo Lamb-like under our troubles; yet if godlineſs be not added to this patient deportment, if it be not from divine principles, and to divine ends, then our patience is greatly defective. Look we therefore that when we quietly and patiently ſuffer, it came from the grace of patience, not from a counterfeit patience, for this is not true gold, and ſo will not enrich us.
This diſtinction being premiſed, whereby a Chriſtian may be inabled to know when it is Nature, and when it is Grace that doth bear; when fleſh and blood doth ſuffer, and when a divine Nature within him. In the next place, let us conſider, What goeth to the producing of this grace of patience; for we cannot of our ſelves perform this duty of patience no more than a wilderneſſe can bringforth roſes. Therefore
Firſt, The efficient cauſe of patience is God only. The heart of man under any What goeth to the producing of patience. 1. The efficient cauſe is God.afflictions is like a wild bull in a net, there is nothing but raging and repining under every exerciſe, till God give a patient ſpirit. Hence Rom. 15. 5. he is called, The God of patience: For what a wild unruly bedlam is an unſanctified man under any preſſure upon him: Like Cain he crieth out, It is greater than he can bear. Like Jobs wife, he is tempted to curſe God, and ſo die. Doeſt thou therefore under thy trials, want patience? Doth it grieve and ſadly afflict thee, to ſee thy ſelf ſo paſſionate, ſo impaſſionate? Then let this make thee to run to the throne of grace, improve this title, God is the God of patience: Say, Oh God, it is but ſpeaking the word, it is but ſaying, Let there be patience, and there will be patience! How often have I reſolved for patience? How often prayed for patience, and yet Lord my heart is tormented and toſſed up and down, like that Lunatick, which could not be bound by any chains? Not only my tongue, but my heart are worſe than unruly and ſavage beaſts they may be tamed; but this, no man, only God can tame it. It's God only therefore that maketh in us patience: The grace of patience is farre above our power. Tertullian wrote a Book of Patience, but in the very beginning he apologizeth for himſelf, why he ſhould write of that ſubject, which he had ſo little experimentally and practically attained unto, and he excuſeth it thus, That he doth as thoſe who are ſick, they delight to be talking and praiſing of health: So I (ſaith he) who am Aeger caloribus impatientiae, ſick with feavoriſh impatient heats, do delight to write of patience. Thus do thou, ſeeing it is more then of thy ſelf thou art able to do. The leaſt tryal, the leaſt affliction, is ready to heat thee with impatience; pray to God importunately, let him not alone, till he bleſſe thee with this compoſed patient ſpirit. Say with the ſame Tertullian, Pereat ſeculum dummodo patientiam lucrifaciam, Let the whole world periſh, ſo that God will give me patience.
Secondly, As God is the efficient cauſe, ſo the word of God that is inſtrumental. 2. The word of God is the inſtrumental cauſe.The Word is like Davids harp to drive out this evil ſpirit. So the Apoſtle, Rom. 15. 14. That we through patience of the Scriptures might have hope. When thy impatient fleſh doth ſuggeſt this, and that argument to diſcontent and repining, Oh remember what the word of God ſaith! It is for want of Scripture-conſideration, of Scripture-arguments that thy heart is ſo clamorous and unruly; ſuch a command, ſuch a promiſe would preſently have made all calm and quiet. The Heathen adviſeth an angry furious man to look in the glaſſe, while he is in thoſe paſſionate fits, that he may ſee how deformed he is made thereby; but how much rather, when thy heart hath boiled over with impatient repining thoughts, art thou to recover thy ſelf immediately, and to look into the Word? See what that faith, what that requireth, and then thou wilt be aſhamed, and abhorring thy ſelf as a very beaſt.
Thirdly, Afflictions themſelves according to Scripture-expreſſion, they work patience alſo. Thus Rom. 5. 3. Tribulation worketh patience. Jam. 1. 3. The trying 3. Afflictions they alſo work patience.of your faith worketh patience. Here you ſee afflictions are ſaid to work patience, but not of themſelves, it's the power of God in and through them; only as the beaſt accuſtomed to the yoke is more tame than at firſt; ſo when we are conſtantly exerciſed with afflictions that they ſeem to be no new thing, then through Gods grace, we come to be more ready and willing in a patient enduring of them. It is ſaid of Chriſt himſelf, He learned obedience by the things which he ſuffered, Heb. 5. 8. not that he could grow properly in grace, or be more obedient than he had been formerly; but it is ſpoken in regard of experimental obedience, he had the ſenſe and feeling of it more than before: but the adopted ſons of God, they do increaſe in obedience and patience by the things that they ſuffer. Therefore thou who haſt more afflictions than others, it is a reproach to thee, if they have not taught thee more patience and meekneſſe than others.
Fourthly, The exemplary or ideal cauſe of patience, is God and Chriſt. From 4. God and Chriſt are the exemplary cauſe.them we have a moſt exact and compleat rule of patience, Mat. 5. 48. Be ye therefore perfect, as your heavenly Father is. To be perfect is there to be patient, for he had before inſtanced in the patience of God, that even to the unjuſt he cauſeth the Sunne to ariſe; and from this inferreth, Be ye therefore perfect: To be patient, and that to enemies, may be called perfection, becauſe this alone is taught in Chriſtianity. To love our friends is acknowledged a duty by all Nations, but to love enemies is only profeſſed by Chriſtians. Well then may we be patient under all the perſecutions, reproaches and vexations the enemies of God bring upon us: For is not God patient towards them, and yet they are more his enemies then thine? He that could immediately be avenged on them; he that could command legions of Devils to drag them to hell preſently, yet with much patience ſuffereth them. God is ſo patient, that as Tertullian, Ipſa ſibi detrahit, (…de pat.) His patience detracteth from him, he ſeemeth to be a loſer by it. For people ſinne the more obſtinately and wilfully, becauſe they meet with impunity. Becauſe vengeance is not ſpeedily executed, therefore the heart of the wicked is encouraged to evil, Eccleſ. 8. 11. It is true indeed, if we ſpeak properly we cannot attribute the Greek word foreign to God, as if that were an attribute in him. The Scripture uſeth other words foreign and foreign, but never foreign, becauſe God being moſt abſolutely bleſſed and happy in himſelf, he cannot be under any miſery: So as to be ſaid foreign, to be patient under it: neither can God be ſaid to pati, to ſuffer, in a paſſive ſenſe, yet his goodneſs, his forbearance, theſe are called patience. And from the patience of God we may be encouraged to a conformity thereunto. Should God be as impatient of thee, ſhould he as little endure thy failings, as thou canſt his diſpenſations, thou hadſt been with Dives, calling for a drop of water long before this time, and not able to partake of it. Chriſt alſo is a wonderfull examplar cauſe of patience, for him to lay aſide the manifeſtation of his glory, to be born of a Virgin, to be expoſed to ſuch an ignominious death: in all which he did ſeem, as Tertullian expreſſeth it, Contumelioſus ſibiipſi, Injurious and reproachfull to himſelf; which made the Marcionites ſay, He had only a phantaſtical body, thinking it a reproachfull and diſhonourable thing to him, to have a true real body of the Virgin Mary. But this exinanition and emptying of himſelf, doth the more commend and make his patience illuſtrious. Hence 1 Pet. 2. 23. and in other places, Chriſt is commended as a patern to us of patience in all our ſufferings; and certain never may we more ſhame and abhorre our ſelves for all our repining and impatient workings of ſoul, then when we ſet Chriſt before our eyes; he was as a ſheep in the hands of the ſhearer that opened not his mouth: Yet how much did he ſuffer both from God and man, and that without any cauſe in reſpect of himſelf, though juſtly in reſpect of Gods Covenant with him, as our Surety. Now though all this was for us enemies to him, ſuch who would contemn his love, and be ready to crucifie him over and over again, yet in theſe great agonies and unſpeakable ſufferings, he is not impatient. Thus we have heard of a patience greater than that of Job, even of Chriſt himſelf, and let his patience ſhame thee out of thy impatience.