An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 63
SERM. LXIII.
What is to be understood by Paul's being preſsed above meaſure; As likewiſe, how neither natural, nor moral ſtrength can carry us through troubles in a gracious manner.
2 COR. 1. 8.
Above ſtrength.
THe next particular to be conſidered in this Deſcription of Paul's trouble, is the Aggravation of it from the Quality, It was above ſtrength, foreign. Chryſoſtome obſerveth this differeth from the other. For a burden may be exceeding heavy, yet to ſome mighty man, it may not be above his ſtrength. When Samſon, Judg. 16. 3. carried away the gates of the City Gaza, with the poſts and barre upon his ſhoulders: here was a burden out of meaſure heavy, no ordinary man could do ſo; but yet to Samſon it was not above his ſtrength. Thus it was with Paul, who may be called a ſpiritual Samſon, for that heavenly might and power, which God had endowed him with; he is aſſaulted with a trouble, that was not only hyperbolically weighty, but alſo above his ſtrength. Paul had no more power to ſtand under it. The Greek word foreign, doth often ſignifie that inward power and ability, which a man hath to do any thing; and ſome diſtinguiſh it from foreign, Right or Authority: The one they call Potentia, the other Potestas: The one is Natural, the other is Moral. Many a man hath a power to do a thing, when yet he hath no right or authority to do it. But in the Scripture we may obſerve theſe words promiſcuouſly uſed for one another; yea ſometimes they are put together, as ſignifying the ſame thing, Luke 4. 36. 1 Cor. 15. 24. In the Scripture we find this word often uſed for that power to work miracles; yea and miracles themſelves are called foreign, Act. 2. 22. Rom. 15. 19. Sometimes the word is applied to Angels, becauſe of their great ſtrength and power, 1 Pet. 3. 22. In Heb. 6. 5. we have an expreſſion of the powers of the world to come, which ſome are ſaid, to have taſted of; but what that is, is greatly controverted.
As to our purpoſe, we may take notice from the Scripture of a two-fold power:
1. The power of God, which is put forth in us by his grace, which we receive and partake of; and ſo in that ſenſe may be called our power, viz. objectively; yea and in ſome ſenſe ſubjectively, though not efficiently, Epheſ. 3. 20. According to his power which worketh in us. Again ſaith Paul, I can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengtheneth me, Phil. 4. 13.
2. There is our own humane and natural ſtrength, what we can do by our ſelves only. Now the Queſtion is, Whether Paul mean that this affliction was above even his divine ſtrength, or that meaſure of grace and power which God had given him. So that if the Lord had not come in with extraordinary ſupply, and more than wonted grace, this trouble had overcome him? Or whether he mean only of his natural ſtrength and power? So that his meaning ſhould be; as a man he could not bear it, though as a Chriſtian he did. It is very probable, that both theſe are included. So that neither the natural ſtrength Paul had, nor that divine ſtrength which uſually he enjoyed, could have carried him through that difficulty.
Now to this expreſſion which Paul uſeth in the Text, we have another place in Paul, which ſeemeth directly, and in expreſs words to contradict this; it is 1 Cor. 10. 13. There hath no temptation taken you, but what is common to man; but God is faithfull, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above what you are able, &c. There Paul ſaith, God will not let his people be tempted above what they are able. And here Paul ſpeaketh the contrary, He is troubled above what he is able: How can this be reconciled? Some untie this knot from the difference between temptation and affliction; There is no temptation (ſay they) befalleth the godly above what they are able; but there may ſome trouble and affliction. For it is a temptation, when it doth induce us into ſinne, and maketh us to offend God. Therefore we pray, God would not lead us into temptation; but it may be an affliction, even when it is ſo farre from being a temptation, that we do thereby more exerciſe and put forth our graces. Thus (ſay they) it was with Paul, It was an affliction above his ſtrength, but not a temptation above his ſtrength. For at that time Paul kept up his graces, his faith and patience were made more illuſtrious, as file getteth off ruſt. I cannot ſay this is ſolid enough.
For the Text therefore, though Expoſitors go ſeveral wayes, yet I ſhall pitch on this as moſt probable.
The former part of the verſe, is a reaſon of that good exhortation, and neceſſary to every one, which he had given before, Let him that thinketh he ſtandeth, take heed leſt he fall: Why? Becauſe there hath no temptation as yet taken hold of you, but ſuch as all men are capable of. An humane temptation, that is, little, ſhort and attemperated to mans ſtrength, or what is uſual amongſt men; As the rod of a man: And Iſa. 8. 1. The pen of a man. Rom. 6. 19. I ſpeak after the manner of men, ye have not yet been afflicted for Christianity. Nero hath not yet commanded the Christians to be vexed and tormented for the faith you profeſſe: Like that expreſſion, Heb. 12. 4. Ye have not yet reſiſted to blood. So that they had juſt cauſe to walk humbly, and to be afraid of falling, becauſe God had not put them yet upon any hard tryals for Chriſts ſake. What they hitherto ſuffered was ſuch as other men, though not Chriſtians, did endure as well as they. But leſt this ſhould deject too much, as if the time were coming, when their perſecutions ſhould make them Apostates, he giveth them this wine to comfort their hearts with. This gracious promiſe which every Chriſtian ſhould call his promiſe, a continual Antidote, a daily Cordial, God is faithfull, &c. where every thing ingredient to it, is of admirable comfort, God is faithfull. It belongs to the faithfulneſs of God to preſerve you, he hath taken you for his, and therefore his diſhonour would be more than thy loſſe, if thou ſhouldſt periſh. No husbandman will lay a greater burden upon his beaſt, than he can bear: Shall man be pitifull to beaſts, and not God a gracious Father to his children? The Artificer or Refiner likewiſe, he will not ſuffer his gold to lie longer in the fire, than the droſſe will be purged away; and ſhall not God ſo faithfull regard his children under their burdens? Again, He will not ſuffer you to be tempted. No Devil, no wicked man in the world can go further than God ſuffereth: Further, Not above that ye are able] He knoweth your ſtrength, he knoweth what will hurt you; he knoweth the time when he muſt take off the affliction: Therefore the iſſue will be comfortable, He will give to eſcape, foreign. Some make it a Metaphor from the ſouldier, who eſcapes out of the warre with victory and conqueſt. Others from one, who is ſhut in, in ſome place, ſo that he is compaſſed about, but at laſt finds a way to get out: Yea the iſſue is not only to eſcape, but God will ſo plentifully come in upon us as that we ſhall foreign, more than ſuffer, more than bear. As a ſtrong man that is not only able to carry his burden to ſuch a place he is commanded, but further alſo, if need require. Thus the godly have no more laid upon them than they can bear, by this promiſe; yea they can more than bear it, how then was Paul's above his ſtrength? The Anſwer is, That this promiſe is to be underſtood of the final iſſue of any affliction, though for the preſent they may ſeem even to ſink under it: They cry out, they cannot hold, they cannot bear any longer, yet God doth ſecretly ſupport, and at laſt will give them ſtrength, not only to bear, but more than bear, even to glory and rejoyce in it. And thus it was with Paul; this trouble, though ſo exceedingly preſting, though for the preſent above his ſtrength; yet ſee how much ſtrength he feeleth at the latter end. This trouble did not overcome him, but he overcame by the trouble by the grace of God. For by this he was brought not to truſt in himſelf, but in God, who did deliver him; and thereupon he concludeth, he doth and will deliver him. So that God never ſuffereth any trouble, though it be for the preſent never ſo heavy and burdenſom, totally and finally to overcome a man, but at laſt he proveth even more than a conquerour. Theſe things thus explained, Obſerve,
That it's not the natural ſtrength of any man, no not of Paul, that is able It is not the natural ſtrength of any man that can carry him through all afflictions.to carry a man through ſuch afflictions, that God may exerciſe him with.
Paul ſaith here, It was above his ſtrength; not to complain, not to accuſe God, as if he were too ſevere; but thereby to debaſe himſelf, and to give all glory to God. Thus Iſai. 40. 28, 29. when the Church began even to deſpair under her long calamities, ſaying, Her way was hid from God, he took no notice of her condition. With what incouragement doth God ſpeak, and that from this property in him? The Creator of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary. God ſinketh not under the government of the world, nor the preſervation of the Church. For if the Sunne that hath runne its courſe ſo many years, is not weary, but can perform it as ſwiftly as ever: Do we think God will be weary? But this is not all the comfort. As he hath this power, ſo he communicateth it to his weak people. To them that have no might, he increaſeth ſtrength. So that the more ſenſible we are of our own impotency, the more ready is God to put forth his power.
To explain this, Let us conſider,
Firſt, That the ſenſe of the Doctrine is, That no man can bear any burden 1. No man can bear all afflictions aright in his own ſtrength.of affliction in a gracious manner without divine aſſistance from Chriſt. Men may be naturally patient under great troubles; yea they may have that fortitude, as to be able to deſpiſe death it ſelf; but all this is not done in a godly way. There is not the leaſt temptation or affliction that cometh upon thee, but if God ſhould leave thee to thy ſelf, thou wouldſt be broken under it; nothing but ſinne and corruption would manifeſt it ſelf therein. Peters caſe is abundantly known, a temptation did befall him, that was more than he could bear for the preſent, though he had a good iſſue out of it. Now this was a very little one in it ſelf; Peter had not yet reſisted to blood; It was but a Damſel, and ſome others that told him he was of Chriſts company. Here was no arraigning of him, no impleading of him: Here is no ſentence of death pronounced againſt him, and yet for all that he falls under it, and in a moſt dreadfull manner denieth Chriſt. What will any one ſay here, Peter was preſſed above meaſure? No: but from hence we may gather, That there is not the leaſt, or moſt inconſiderable trouble that is, but falling upon thee in thy own ſtrength, as Sampſon with his hair cut off, but it is able to overwhelme thee. Therefore in all thy exerciſes, conſider thy infirmity: Know that to bear the leaſt burden as a Chriſtian, thou canſt not do it, unleſſe it be given thee from above. For if (Iohn 15.) We are not able to do any good, ſeparated from Chriſt; if we cannot performe any holy action without the help of grace, then much leſſe are we able to bear any affliction graciouſly. Conclude then on this, That ſo great is thy ſinfull infirmity and impotency, that thou canſt no more in a godly manner bear thy burden, then the lame Cripple could riſe up, and take his bed, and walke, till Chriſt bid him, and gave him power to do it.
Hence in the ſecond place, All thoſe opinions, which hold, That a man is 2. All opinion's that hold the contrary, are injurious to the glory of God.able to reſist the tentations of ſinne, whether by prosperity or adverſity, ſo that they be not very extream and grievous, without grace and ſtrength from Chriſt, are very injurious to the glory of God, though never ſo much coloured with ſpecious distinctions. A man cannot do the leaſt good, or beare the leaſt evil without Gods power, in an holy manner: And (beſides many Texts in Scripture) the reaſon is plain, Becauſe the power of man, and ſupernatural objects have no proportion or habitude between them. Ordo Naturae, and Ordo Gratiae, differ as much as Heaven and Earth. For this reaſon the people of God are ſo earneſtly to pray to God, that they be not lead into temptation. For let what temptation ſoever ariſe, if God leaveth thee to thy ſelf, it will be to thy ruine.
Therefore in the third place, Experience doth confirm it, That many men 3. There is a great difference betwixt a natural and ſpiritual bearing of troublesthrough the natural ſtrength they have, are able to beare up themſelves under extream troubles. Therefore we muſt acknowledge a vaſt difference between a Natural bearing, and a Spiritual bearing of troubles: And it is the duty for every one to examine, whether Nature or Grace doth ſupport. Rom. 4. 18. it is there ſaid of Abraham, That againſt hope, he believed in hope; againſt natural hope, he believed in divine and ſupernatural hope. Thus the godly they do above ſtrength with ſtrength endure afflictions, above natural ſtrength, with divine.
But becauſe many men naturally have patient diſpoſitions; others ſtout and ſtrong ſtomacks, it is good to know, whether Nature or Grace ſupport thee. When Solomon ſaith, Prov. 18. 14. The ſpirit of a man will ſustain his infirmities, but a wounded ſpirit who can bear! He doth by that give us a diſtinction of two ſorts of troubles, The former External, ſuch as fall upon our Body, Eſtate, or good Name. And now under theſe, many a man hath ſo much natural courage and boldneſſe, that he will not ſhrink under them. But then
The ſecond ſort is Internal, becauſe of the guilt of ſinnes, when the wrath of God falleth upon the conſcience being now awakened and made tender; this he calleth a wounded ſpirit; and concerning this he ſaith, None can bear it. So that although for outward troubles, many men do with their natural power and ſtrength go through them, yet a troubled conſcience no humane power is able to bear, if God withdraw his helping hand. Cain cried out, It was greater than he could bear. Iudas was ſo overwhelmed with it, that he deſtroyed his own ſelf. Oh then take heed of bringing a burden upon thy conſcience, that is heavier than any weight! Poverty may be borne, miſery and ſtreights may be borne, but a wounded conſcience, who can beare?
In the fourth place, There is not only a great difference between the natural 4. There is a difference likewiſe betwixt moral and ſpiritual bearing of afflictions.ſpirit of a man to bear infirmities and a gracious, but alſo that moral vertue called Fortitude by Philoſophers, which is ſo commended by them. They make Fortitude as a vertue, to lie in attempting difficult things, or bearing great evils for vertues ſake. The Romans boaſt of many ſuch virtuous perſons amongſt them, and for patient enduring of bitter torments, what expreſſions do the Stoicks delight in? They make all Philoſophy to be in theſe two words foreign and foreign, Suſtine and abſtine. Now although by their rules they would teach a man to bear afflictions, yet this is but a ſplendid ſinne. It's from Chriſt onelyonly we can be ſtrengthned to ſuch things. And Paul, Phil. 4. 12. ſaith, foreign, I am instructed as in a ſecret myſtery, to know how to abound, and how to ſuffer need. Wonder not then if you read of what fortitude and patience, even to admiration Heathens have excelled in, who yet were not ſtrengthned by Chriſt: for vain-glory and corrupt aims may make men contemn their lives; yea, and the Devil many times filleth ſuch with boldneſs and preſumption; as we ſee in blaſphemous Hereticks, who have ſhewed great confidence in their death. For as the Devil, when he poſſeſſed the bodies of ſome perſons, filled them with more ſtrength than naturally they had, ſo that they have been able to break iron chains in pieces; thus when he filleth the hearts of men by Gods juſt judgement with impudency and mad undaunted boldneſs, they will willingly adventure any danger whatſoever. The Devil hurrieth ſuch into danger, yea death it ſelf, as he did the ſwine into the ſea.
Uſe of Inſtruction, to all that fear God, to humble themſelves under every trouble God brings upon them; to go out of themſelves, to acknowledge Gods ſtrength onelyonly. Say, O Lord, if I had no more power than my own, there is no croſs I could bear; I am ſuch a bruiſed reed, that I could not ſtand under any tribulation: Therefore I caſt my burden upon thee; thou canſt make me bear it, though of my ſelf I cannot urge God: When thou feeleſt thy infirmities with that gracious promiſe, Iſai. 40. 30, 31. All ſhall loſe their ſtrength, rather than the people of God. What? hath God given thee ſtrength to love him, to believe in him, and haſt thou no ſtrength to ſuffer afflictions? Be ſtrong in the power of the Lord, Epheſ. 6. 10.