An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 64
SERM. LXIV.
The natural fear of Death is not taken away by Grace. What are the Uſes of it.
2 COR. 1. 8.
Inſomuch that we deſpaired even of life.
THis laſt clauſe in the Text is a further Aggravation of the greatneſs of this trouble, which came upon him in Aſia, and it is from the Event or Conſequent; It was ſo great, that he could not eſcape death. The Greek word foreign, hath an emphaſis in the Prepoſition, and ſo is more than foreign, for that doth properly ſignifie, When a man is indeed doubting and full of debates within himſelf, not well concluding what to do. Joh. 13. 22. Gal. 4. 20. but when this Prepoſition foreign is added it denoteth ſuch a perplexing that a man cannot any way evade out of it. Therefore the Apoſtle, you would think, ſpeaketh the contrary to this paſſage (as we ſhewed he did ſeemingly to the former.) For 2 Cor. 4. 8. there the Apoſtle doth expreſly ſay, foreign. This word is uſed only there and in my Text. It may ſeem then a contradiction for the Apoſtle here to ſay, He was without all help or means, and there to ſay, The godly never are. But the anſwer is eaſie. For when in the Text Paul ſaith, He was without all help or means, he meaneth natural and viſible; There was no outward way to help him. Not but that God might deliver him in a way he did not ſee or apprehend; and ſo indeed God did deliver him, as appeareth afterwards. Therefore when in that fourth Chapter he ſaith, The godly are never ſo deſtitute as to be without help, he meaneth ſo as to have neither divine or humane help. Even as in the ſame place Paul ſaith of the godly foreign, We are not distreſſed; yet 2 Cor. 6. 4. he ſaith, He was in neceſſities, in diſtreſſe, foreign, ſo 2 Cor. 12. 10.
The word thus explained, the ſumme of his meaning is, That this trouble was ſo great, that it brought him into ſuch a ſtraight, that in reſpect of any humane help, there was a neceſſity of his death, and this fear of death did much afflict and aſſault the ſpirit of Paul. Some render the word taederet, ſo that Paul was even weary of his life, as if he deſired to die, his trouble was ſo great. Some with our Tranſlators, We despaired of life. But Beza doth willingly abſtain from that word; therefore that which doth moſt expreſs the ſignificancy of the word, is ſuch a perplexity and doubting in his mind about his life, that he could not ſee any wayes to eſcape; he was like Jonah in the Whales belly, out of which there was no viſible way to be delivered. So that the word implieth theſe two things:
1. That Paul was very anxious about his life, and was afraid of death.
2. That fleſh and blood did conclude there was no help for him, becauſe outwardly there did not appear any. From whence we may obſerve this Doctrine,
That Grace, though it be never ſo lively and active, yet doth not remove the natural fear of death.No grace removeth the natural fear of death.
Grace doth not deſtroy nature. This holy Apoſtle, who is ſo confident of the love of God, and can triumph in all diſtreſſes, is yet afraid of death, is yet very ſolicitous about the preſerving of his life. There is a natural fear of death, becauſe there is implanted in a man a deſire of ſelf-preſervation, ſo that to be without it would be a ſinne. And then there is a ſinfull fear of death, which ariſeth from ſinne, or tendeth to ſinne. Now the grace of God doth at leaſt in ſome meaſure conquer the latter, but it cannot overcome the former. Hence Jacob for fear of death, we ſee him in a great ſtraight upon his meeting with his brother Eſau, greatly praying to God to turn the heart of his brother, and alſo ſtudying to mollifie his ſpirit, with preſents he ſent to him. David likewiſe was very ſollicitous in the preſervation of his life, when Saul did ſo bitterly purſue him. Yea Hezekiah, though he had the teſtimony of a good conſcience, and could appeal even to God, That he had ſerved him with an upright heart, and in truth, yet when the Prophet Iſaiah declared to him, that he muſt die, it is ſaid, He wept ſore, Iſa. 28. 2, 3. and at the ninth verſe, we have a deſcription of the bitterneſs of his ſoul under thoſe fears. Yea the Lord Chriſt himſelf, In whom was found no ſinne, yet we find him greatly affected with the fear of death. And although he had a peculiar reaſon, becauſe he tasted of death for our ſake, and ſo did therein bare our ſinnes, conflicting with the wrath of God due to us, yet there was included in this a natural fear of death. They that make Christs fear of death only natural, and ſay, therefore he was more ſadly affected with it, than any of the Prophets or Martyrs, becauſe of the exquiſite and tender conſtitution of his body, do greatly derogate from that work of mediation for us, and ſatisfaction, which was done by his blood to the juſtice of God.
From theſe examples you ſee, that though grace can ſubdue ſinne, conquer luſts, overcome the Devil, yet it cannot totally take away the anxiety and fear of death, which is altogether natural, though the ſinfulneſs of it may be mortified. But to this it may be objected, How could Paul be ſo ſollicitous about death, when Phil. 1. 23. he ſaith, He had a deſire to depart, and to be with Chriſt? Yea he did not know what to chooſe, whether life or death, He was in a ſtraight betwixt two, a deſire to be with Chriſt, and a deſire to live, that he might be ſerviceable to the Church? That this may be anſwered, it is good to take more exact notice of that place; for it is an admirable demonſtration of the gracious frame of Paul's heart: leſt the Philippians ſhould think that he deſired their prayers for himſelf now in bonds for the Goſpel, as being too inordinately affected to the deſire of life, he ſheweth what a bleſſed frame of heart he had obtained unto; even that if it were put to his choice, whether he ſhould live or die. he ſhould be ſtraightned what to do; The deſire to be with Chriſt on one ſide, did ſo affect him, and the deſire of the Churches good by his labours on the other ſide did ſo much work upon him: where we may obſerve, that his deſire to depart was not becauſe he had troubles and calamities here, it was not becauſe of the miſeries and afflictions he met with, but want of love to Chriſt, That I may be with Chriſt, ſaith he; he doth not ſay, that I may have glory, that I may reign in Heaven, but be with Chriſt. Chriſts preſence maketh Heaven to be Heaven. Though Paul in this life was in Chriſt, yet he was not with Chriſt. Further, he doth not ſay meerly, I deſire, but foreign, Having a deſire; it was a conſtant, ſetled, permanent deſire in him, and that foreign, to cut the rope (as it were) and to ſet fail to Heaven, to return to him from whom he had his ſpiritual being. The Apoſtle then did not only deſire to be with Chriſt, but he judged it the farre better condition for him.
Therefore we muſt diſtinguiſh of a two-fold deſire; there is a Natural Deſire, The difference betwixt a natural and an elicite deſire.and an Elicite Deſire. A Natural Deſire is that which floweth from the meer principles of Nature, deſiring to preſerve it ſelf; and this Paul could not but have as he was a man. Even as our Saviour told Peter, He ſhould be bound, and ſhould be carried whether he would not, Joh. 21. 18. that is, according to his natural will, otherwiſe according to his will as ſanctified, did with readineſs and joy go to the place of his Martyrdom. An Elicite Deſire is that which a man putteth forth according to the principles of reaſon and grace, ſo that we may deſire one thing with a natural deſire, another thing with an elicite. A man that hath a putrified arm, doth with a natural deſire will to continue his arm ſtill in his body, but with an elicite deſire following reaſon, ſo he willeth to cut it off: And thus Paul did with an elicite deſire, ſo he willed Heaven and being with Chriſt, rather than to continue in the fleſh.
To amplifie this, Conſider,Propoſitions clearing the truth. 1. Man was not made mortal.
Firſt, That death is not according to mans creation at firſt, he was not made mortal or corruptible: But as the ſentence of God doth witneſs, In the day Adam did eat of the forbidden fruit, he fell into a dying condition. It is true, The Queſtion is of a large diſpute, Whether Adam was made immortal or no? The Papiſts ſay, he was made mortal; and the Socinians they do more frowardly oppoſe this truth, affirming, Adam would have died, though there had not been any eating of the forbidden fruit. So that with them actual death was neceſſary before Adams ſinne; only it became a puniſhment after. But Rom. 5. the Apoſtle at large ſheweth, That by one mans ſinne death came into the world. And Rom. 6. 23. The wages of ſinne is death. Death then being wholly againſt the natural inſtitution: At firſt Adam had an implanted love of his life in him. And although his eſtate was ſo bleſſed, that there could not be place for any fear, yet had he been capable of loſing his life, his love to it would have made him afraid of being deprived of it. This then is the great myſtery, that the natural wiſe men of the world were ignorant of. Death they would not deny, they called it, The tribute of Nature, which all muſt pay; only they did not know the cauſe of it, they underſtood not how it came to ſe…ſe upon all mankind.
Secondly, Seeing that death is thus connatural, and the effect of ſinne and 2. Tis ſin that maketh death ſo terrible.the Devil, Hence it is that which maketh Death farre more terrible than otherwiſe it would be, is ſinne. Whatſoever bitterneſs and gall is in death, it doth chiefly come from ſinne, 1 Cor. 15. 56. The ſting of death is ſinne. So many ſinnes as thou committeſt, thou putteſt ſo many ſtings into death to make it more dreadfull. Could a man die, and have not any ſinne laid to his charge, though it would be pain, yet it would not be terrour. When Ariſtotle calleth death foreign, The terrible of terribles. He ſpeaketh of death as now it is. Now in death, as ordinarily men die, there is not a bare apprehenſion of the diſſolution of ſoul and body, but there is the guilt of ſinne likewiſe interpoſing, whereby a dying man is uſually terrified with the thoughts of what he hath done, and in Chriſtians, what will become of them when they are dead. Animula blandula, quae nunc abibis in loca. Die I dare not, live I cannot; and thus his ſoul is miſerably in agonies, and grievous tormenting fears, and all becauſe ſinne is the ſting of death. Oh it were eaſie to die were it not for ſinne, for hell, for judgement, were it not for conſcience accuſing and condemning. But this is it which maketh the thoughts of it ſo grievous and terrible.3. Chriſt came into the world to remove this ſting of death, ſinne.
Therefore in the third place, The Lord Chriſt came into the world to deſtroy and remove this ſting of death. To change the nature of death that it ſhould not be matter of terror, but of joy and comfort; being like Joſeph's Chariot to carry us to the place of our hope and deſire. Thus we have the Apoſtle inſulting over death, 1 Cor. 15. 54, 55. Death is ſwallowed up in victory. Death doth not ſwallow the godly man, but he doth ſwallow that up: O death, where is thy ſting? Thanks be to God which giveth us victory by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Were it not then for Chriſt, what would become of a poor humbled ſinner? What terrour would compaſſe him about? This powerfull effect of Chriſts death (for death overcometh death) is notably ſpoken of, Heb. 2. 14. That through death he might deliver them, who through fear of death, were all their life time ſubject to bondage. A learned man Cocceius underſtands this of the Jewes eſpecially, who becauſe of thoſe many Ceremonial Lawes, they were in bondage to, were in continual fear of death, becauſe the tranſgreſſing of many of thoſe Lawes God made capital, they were to die for it: hence they could not be, but in conſtant fear of death. But it ſeemeth more genuine to interpret more largely, as an effect of Chriſts death to believing Gentiles, as well as to the Jewes. It is from Chriſt only that the terrible thoughts of death can be mitigated, otherwiſe to a man not in Chriſt it is the beginning of hell.
But in the fourth place, Though to the godly thus death is changed in its 4. Yet howſoever nature cannot but tremble at the thoughts of it.Nature. The Serpent hath its ſting taken out; Moſes need not runne from it, it is only turned into a rod of a fatherly chaſtiſement, yet Nature cannot but tremble at the approaches of it. The heart of that man, who is moſt heavenly, though he would gladly be in Canaan, yet he is not willing to paſſe through this wilderneſſe to it; he would be cloathed with immortality, but is unwilling to put off this garment of the body. We would be happy, but we would not die. As children cry for a new garment to have it on, and yet cry while it is putting on: ſo greatly is the love of life, and the fear of death engraffed Of what uſe the natural fear of death is. 1. Hence men do more patiently endure afflictions.in the very heart of a man. And ſo farre as this fear of death is only natural, not immoderate, it is of great uſe. For
Firſt, Hereby men do more patiently abide under their afflictions. As long as it is not death, they do the more willingly bear it. Lament. 3. 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain? If a man be greatly puniſhed for his ſinnes, yet if God keep him alive, he hath cauſe to be more patient. Thus Satan thought (Job 2. 4.) Skinne for skinne, and all that a man hath he will give for life. Therefore he would have Job tryed in that. Fear then of death is a mercy, becauſe hereby men may the more readily ſit down under other afflictions that are not ſo bad as death. When therefore men come to ſuch high diſcontents as Ahitophel, becauſe his counſel was neglected: or ſuch deſpairing terrours of conſcience as Judas did, that they chooſe to die, yea to make away them ſelves. This as it is an heavy temptation and deſertion from God, ſo it argueth that by the fear of death, men do patiently abide under their diſtreſſes; but when they care not for this, they voluntarily throw themſelves into the flame of hell.
Secondly, The natural fear of death is of great uſe in this reſpect, That 2. It keeps men out of many ſins.it doth keep men from the committing of many ſinnes, which otherwiſe they would ſecurely offend in. Hence God appointed in the Law, the puniſhment of death for many ſinnes. And Rom. 13. the Apoſtle biddeth him that doth evil, be afraid of the powers, Becauſe they bear not the ſword in vain. It is therefore the fear of death that maketh men keep within bounds of righteouſneſſe and honeſty. It is not the fear of God, nor the fear of hell, nor the fear of ſinne it ſelf, but a bodily corporal death that reſtraineth men from ſinne. So that if men come to that height of obſtinacy, as not to fear death, they are prepared for any impiety, Vitam qui contempſit ſuam tuae Dominus eſt. When the Devil would perſwade Eve to ſinne, he telleth her, She ſhall not die; he giveth her hopes of life.
Thirdly, The natural fear of death is thus farre advantagious, That it maketh 3. It makes a man more thankfull for the mercies of life.a man more thankefull for the mercies of his life, for his food and raiment, which go to the preſervation of his life. Therefore a godly man doth make advantage of this fear of death, to ſtirre up himſelf to all thankfulneſſe, to look up unto God, as knowing, That in him onelyonly we live, move, and have our being. It is alſo from this fear of death, that the godly are more quickned to improve the day of grace; to be working while it is called to day. Thoſe that had made a Couenant with death, they grew deſperate, Let us eat and drinke, for to morrow we ſhall die, whereas rather to have concluded, Let us pray, mourn rnd repent, leſt to morrow we die. If therefore the godly are at any time greatly dejected with the fear of death, the thoughts of it are a great temptation, they ſadly complain, that they cannot conquer thoſe ſlaviſh thoughts; the memory of death is bitter to them, they cannot take any joy, when they think of it: Let them, among other things remember, to turne this water into wine by faith: Let them make an advantage of this natural infirmity. Doeſt thou fear to die? Then be more thankfull to God for the dayes and years he hath given thee in this world. Doeſt thou fear to die? Oh then be fruitfull, live holily, make a good uſe of thy health, that ſo when death ſhall come, it may be only death thou ſhalt grapple with, not death and ſin alſo, death and the anger of God with it. Death enough is terrible, do not thou make it fuller of horrour.
Fifthly, This natural fear of death is very difficultly kept from being a 4. The natural fear of death is very hardly kept from being ſinfull.ſinfull fear. It is very hard to regulate and order it aright, ſo that in ſome reſpect or other it doth not go beyond its bounds. It's hard ſo to fear, and not to over-fear. Even the moſt godly have found this fear of death to be a great ſnare to them; They have not done the good they ſhould have done, becauſe of this fear: They have gone againſt conſcience, wounded their ſpirits, becauſe of fear. Abraham, though he was the Father of the faithfull, yet did uſe ſinfull equivocation with Abimelech about Sarah, from which many ſad evils might have been committed, and all was this ſinfull fear of death. Though a godly man be allowed to have a natural fear of death, yet he muſt take heed of a ſinfull fear. This hath brought many into ſuch grievous ſinnes, that the fear of their conſciences about Gods anger, about hell and damnation, have quite ſwallowed up the fears of death, at laſt the greater fear hath devoured the leſſe. To whom are woes and wounds of conſcience by apoſtaſie and forſaking of Chriſt, but to thoſe who have too exceſſively been afraid of death? As we ſee in Peter, and many others. Our next work therefore is to ſhew, when the natural fear of death goeth beyond its bounds, and becometh ſinfull.