An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 67
SERM. LXVII.
The People of God often paſs falſe judgement upon the diſpenſations of God towards them. The Reaſons from whence this falſe judgement proceeds, with Rules to prevent it.
2 COR. 1. 9.
But we had the ſentence of death in our ſelves, that we might not truſt in our ſelves.
WE have obſerved from the firſt part in this Verſe, That even the godly themſelves are apt to be deceived about Gods dispenſation towards them. They make falſe concluſions becauſe they erre in ſome premiſſes. It remaineth that after ſome generall and remote inſtances, we come to inſiſt on that which the Text affordeth, viz.
That then the People of God are deceived, when they judge of Gods Gods people are deceived when they judge according to ſenſe not ſaith.dealings according to ſenſe and humane helps, not according to Gods power and his promiſe. And with this deceit the Children of God are frequently overtaken. How often do we find David in many of his Pſalmes thus deluded? what falſe concluſions doth he many times make about himſelf and his affaires, and all this did ariſe becauſe he limiteth God to his own thoughts and expectations; if God remove not ſuch impediments; if his helps come not in before ſuch a time, then they conclude all is hopeleſs. It is ſaid of the people of Iſrael, that they limited the holy one of Iſrael, Iſa. 78. 41. And wherein did this appeare? The Pſalmiſt ſpake of it before, viz. Can God furniſh a Table in the Wilderneſs; They grant he provided water for them even out of the Rock the ſtreames overflowed: But can he give bread, can he give fleſh alſo? Oh blind and fooliſh unbelief, Is it not as eaſie for God to provide bread as water in a dry Wilderneſs! but they limited God to their own thoughts and wayes. Now this ſinne of limiting God to ſuch humane helps and wayes as we propound to our ſelves, doth inſinuate very much into the hearts of thoſe thoſe that are godly. What was that expreſſion of David, I ſhall one day periſh by the hand of Saul, but bitter fruite from that bitter root? Oh how often do the people of God in their extremities ſay, Can God furniſh a Table in the Wilderneſs? Thoſe millions of thoughts which eat thee up in a dividing diſtruſting way, how ſhall this difficulty be overcome, how ſhall that want be ſupplyed, what if God ſuffer ſuch a thing to be, then where am I? Is not all this to ſay, Cen God prepare bread in the Wilderneſs? And this way Paul's deſponding thought in this trouble. The extremity is great, death is at hand, there is no way to eſcape it; but that which deceiveth him, is becauſe he looketh only to ſenſible helps, he conſiders the inſtruments, not the hand in which they are. This is a very ſecret inſinuating ſinne, and therefore the godly are more diligently to watch and pray againſt it, that it do not at any time overcome them. Take heed of living by ſenſe, The Apoſtle diſclaimeth ſuch a life in the behalf of the godly, 2 Cor. 5. 7. We walk by faith, and not by ſenſe. Did faith make us overlooke inſtruments, ſecond cauſes and all Creatures, how certain and conſtant would the hopes of the godly man be? The Sun would alwayes go down upon a peaceable fixed, ſerene frame of heat; but when faith prevaileth and for that compoſeth the ſoul, and maketh it like the Rock, which though one wave after another fiercely aſſault, yet that abideth in the ſame place ſtill; ſo though conditions alter, though unheard cauſes and helps be mutable, yet becauſe God is the ſame, and the promiſe is the ſame, he therefore continueth the ſame: Let then the Children of God examine and ſearch their hearts more in this particular, ſee if the cauſe of all thy diſquietneſs, of all thy troubles and feares do not ariſe from this, that thou art deceived, that thou paſſeſt falſe judgement upon thy ſelf; certainly the Devill is enemy enough to thy comfort, he indeavours to ſeduce thee and deceive thee; Do not thou joyn with him againſt thy own true and ſolid comfort. But let us proceed to examine the grounds of this truth. And
The firſt is, Becauſe the godly are apt to be haſty and too quick in judgeing Reaſons. 1. Becauſe the godly are too haſty in their judgings.theſe things. They do not conſider and well weigh all things together. They do not compare Gods promiſes and his providences together; They do not ſet Gods word and his workes together, Inſipientis eſt aſpicere ad pauca, they caſt their eyes only upon that which is diſcouraging. They look upon the dead wombe and not on the power of God, and this inconſiderateneſs makes them paſs falſe judgement, Pſal. 31. 22. I ſaid in my haste I am cut off from before thy eyes, and again Pſal. 116. 11. I ſaid in my haſte all men are liars. You ſee what haſty and ſudden thoughts and words may come from thoſe that feare God. Oh do not judge in thy raſhneſs, do not conclude this or that in thy haſte, but conſider, debate and compare all things together. Moſes though ſo meek a man, and the faithfull Servant of God, yet in a ſuddain haſte ſpake unadviſedly with his lips. Examine then, whether moſt of thoſe thoughts whereby thou haſt wronged God and wronged thy ſelf, have not riſen from unadviſed haſtineſs. Thou ſaiſt in thy haſte, God forſaketh thee, thou ſaiſt in thy haſte, thou ſhalt be undone.
2. Another reaſon why the godly are ſo apt to be deceived in Gods adminiſtrations, 2. Becauſe of their feare and anger wherewith they are too paſſionately tranſported.is becauſe they are apt to be paſſionately tranſported with anger and feare; and theſe are like a miſty foggy vapour to the Sun, that doth obnubilate it, and obſcure the light. When David doth conclude he is caſt off, and cut off, he doth not only this in his haſte, but in his paſſions alſo. It is anger maketh him ſay ſo; it is grief maketh him ſay ſo; his ſpirit is often troubled, leavened, and overwhelmed within; ſo that as when the water is bemuddied, we are not able to ſee thoſe little ſtones in the bottome, which when clear we might do: Thus it is here, when the heart is moved with fear and grief, when it is in ſad commotions, then it is no wonder if it judge erroneouſly, anima ſedendo & quieſcendo ſit ſapiens. Let reaſon and wiſdome, or faith, rather meet thy paſſionate heart, as Abigal did David, and this may prevent many ſad things, which prove a trouble to thee afterwards: let it therefore be thy wiſdome when thou art ready to give this cenſure, and paſs that ſentence about thy affaires, or Gods dealings with thee, to ſtay till the heat and commotions of thy ſoul be over: fear and anger and grief, theſe are ill counſellours; erect ſuch a Tribunall in thy ſelf, as they ſay that of the Areopagite was, no man was to move the affections by any Rhetoricall indeavours, leaſt thereby the judgement might be perverted.
3. Therefore the godly may miſjudge and conclude contrary to what God 3. From the want of ſpirituall wiſdome.intendeth, becauſe of the want of that ſpirituall skill and wiſdome, which is requiſite, when we are to inquire or determine about Gods proceedings. Clouds and darkneſs ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 29. 7. are round about his pavilion, and as his eſſence is a light that none can draw nigh unto; ſo alſo his adminiſtrations do far exceed our naturall capacity, and therefore we are not able to comprehend his counſell and wayes. Now although this be ſo, yet as the Scripture is a Directory to us, how we are to conceive of his nature, ſo it doth alſo teach us how we are to underſtand his actions. The Scripture is a Key that doth in ſome particulars even open the deep things of God; and as Sampſon out of love did diſcloſe to Dalilah ſuch ſecret things, that none elſe did or could know, ſo (ſetting aſide many imperfections in the compariſon) doth God out of his love to his Church reveale to them, wherein his ſtrength lyeth, how ſhe may prevaile with him, which way if ſhe take, ſhe is ſure to have good acceptance with him; but to receive this, there is a Heavenly wiſdome and skill required. When the Apoſtle 1 Cor. 2. 14, 15, 16. made a diſtinction between a naturall man and a ſpirituall as to their judgement and diſcerning, (for by the naturall man cannot be meant a weake Chriſtian, as a late Writer would have it, which is the greater wonder, becauſe thoſe of his way (I mean the Arminians,) think they ſtrongly conclude Paul doth not ſpeak Rom. 7. in the perſon of a regenerate man, becauſe he cals himſelf carnall, and yet this Authour though of the ſame judgemen with them will by a naturall man underſtand a babe in Chriſt, or a weak Chriſtian.) The Apoſtle (I ſay) making this diſtinction between theſe two, ſaith, The naturall man receiveth not the things of God, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. Now there muſt be alwayes ſome proportion between the faculty and the object. The eye cannot ſee muſick, nor the eare heare colours, nor doth a Beaſt underſtand reaſon; but then the ſpirituall man having received the Spirit of God, he judgeth all things, and ſuch have the mind of Chriſt. There is then that Heavenly and holy wiſedome which if we receive from above, if we plow with this Heifer, we are able more exactly and certainly to judge of Gods proceedings then otherwiſe we could do; for as God giveth it to his people to underſtand the myſteries of the Goſpell, when they are hid from other mens eyes; ſo to the godly it is impart given to underſtand the wayes and workes of the Lord, that thereby they may prevent thoſe deluſions or deceits which otherwiſe they are lyable unto. Whereupon it is, that becauſe in this particular as well as in other, we know but in part, we have heavenly wiſedome but in part. Therefore it is that we do ſo often miſcarry. As in all civill Governement there are arcana imperii, ſecrets of ſtate, which only the wiſe favorite is admitted unto, the ſingle and credulous Subject he believeth the pretences and appearances of things. Thus God alſo, though in a wiſe and juſt manner hath his ſecrets in governing of his Church, he proceedeth in ſuch methods that to the judgement of fleſh and blood do appeare very improbable and unlikely ever to produce any bleſſed end; and hence it is that the carnall wiſe men of the world are ſo often taken in their own craft, and wherein they deale not only proudly, but wiſely, God is above them; whereas if they had underſtood the method of Gods proceedings, they would not have been found ſo fooliſhly to fight againſt God: but the godly have Scripture wiſedome and prudence, and therefore are not wholely in the dark, but while they follow them, are kept from thoſe bogs and pits, which others are very ready to fall into; we may inſtance in ſome of thoſe Divine Maximes of ſtate. As
1. The underſtanding of this truth will prevent much falſe judgment, viz. Rules for the preventing of falſe judgements concerning Gods dealings with us.When we conſider that God delights to carry on the great things of his Church in a contrary way to humane thoughts and expectations, let us inſtance in that main foundation of all our comfort and duty; Christ Crucified with the benefits and effects flowing from him. Was not this the maſter piece of Gods wiſedome, and power, and mercy, yet how contrary and unſuitable to the judgement of fleſh and blood, for God to be made Man, and Man not in a glorious externall way as the great Potentates of the world, but in a moſt abject and ignominious way; and then by ſuch an accurſed and reproachfull death, to procure our pardon of ſinne, and acceptation with God; it hath ſo much abſurdity in it to fleſh and bloud, that to the Jewes it was a ſtumbling block, and to the Gentiles fooliſhneſs. Non pudet, quia pudendum omnino credibile, quia prorſus impoſſibile. What the thoughts of men were about Chriſt, while working out our redemption, appeareth Iſa. 13. 2, 3, 4. There is no beauty that we ſhould deſire him, he is deſpiſed and rejected of men, we did eſteem him ſmitten of God; So that generally all the Nations of the Jewes were deceived about a Meſſiah; yea the Diſciples themſelves were full of prejudices in this Point. This then is Gods way to do the great things of his Church, in a ſuper-humane way; So that even then when the things themſelves are not ſuper-naturall, yet the manner of accompliſhing them is wholely above nature. What therefore God ſpeaketh in one caſe to his people about the pardon of ſinne, Iſa. 55. 8, 9. is true in all the reſt of Gods adminiſtrations, My thoughts are not as your thoughts; For as the Heavens are higher then the Earth, ſo are my wayes higher then yours. By this it is plain, that a Dwarfe is as able to reach to the Heavens, as we are to comprehend Gods wayes; ſo that whatſoever God doth for thee whether body or ſoul, it is a myſtery. All will be wonderfull, and marvelous in thy eyes; As he ſaid that was not worthy the name of eloquence which did not beget admiration in the Hearers; So the Lord accounteth of nothing as beſeeming his Majeſty which may not put the ſoul in admiration: poſſeſs thy ſoul with this principle, and thou wilt not be often in thy complaints; I looked for this and hoped for that, but God hath taken away that I never dreamed off.
2. Another Rule is, That when God hath promiſed to do any thing for his people, yet he doth for the moſt part ſeem to go contrary to it, eſpecially at firſt, as when Abraham was promiſed a great Poſterity; David a Kingdome, they met at firſt with nothing, but what did make againſt theſe, ſo that his providence did ſeem to gainſay his promiſe. Now if this be not known, how quickly will the godly be deceived. The world was a great Chaos and confuſion before it was made ſo glorious as now it is.
3. This will prevent miſtake alſo, when we conſider, That God doth uſually hide himſelfe and deny help, till every thing be deſperate, and then he cometh to help. When the poore creple that lay ſo many years, and could not be put into the Poole, ſaid, I have no help, then Chriſt healed him; Chriſt did not provide Wine at the Marriage Feaſt till all was ſpent; Moſes cometh when the …aske of brick is doubled; in the Mount the Lord will be ſeen. Would not this truth alone deliver thee from many concluſions, as if God had forſaken thee, and would be mercifull no more. What if Chriſt do with thee as that Woman of Canaan to put thee off, to call thee Dog? Is it not to provoke thy faith and importunity more?
4. The Heavenly Artiſt remembers this Rule alſo, That God will ſometimes alter his ordinary wayes, do things becauſe of his ſoveraignty and prerogative. What Diſputes and different thoughts had Job and his friends about Gods dealing with him in his particular, wherein both Job and his friends were at a loſs; only Job ſpake more rightly then they? Yet God diſcovereth his greatneſs and Najeſty to Job, thereby informing of him that he did not ſufficiently conſider his own weakeneſſe, and Gods infinite greatneſs.
5. And laſtly, God delights to put his people upon a life of faith, and that in temporall and ſpirituall mercies, The juſt ſhall live by his faith. This faith doth exalt God and debaſe man; now ſaith and ſenſe they are oppoſite, one flyeth up to Heaven, the other crawleth on the ground; and therefore the moſt believing Chriſtian is the leaſt erring. As the Aſtronomer judgeth not by ſenſe, but his Artificiall Inſtruments, of the celeſtiall bodies, and that maketh him not deceived: Thus judge by faith, ſpeake by faith, conclude by faith, and then thou wilt not fall into the Ditch.