An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 76
SERM. LXXVI.
Of the Neceſsity of Gods continuing his Mercies to us, as well as his conferring Mercies upon us.
2 COR. 1. 10.
And doth deliver.
THe Apoſtle having thankfully acknowledged the goodneſs of God to him in what was paſt, he cometh to celebrate what was for the preſent; for we ſee in this Verſe the goodneſs of God, extending it ſelf to all differences of times: If God ſhould but once help us, but once deliver us, we ſhould immediately fall into utter deſtruction. Therefore the Apoſtle obſerveth that the mercies of God are chained together. God doth not only begin to do good, but he continueth it. Hence he addeth foreign, and doth deliver. Indeed Beza ſpeaketh of the Syriack Interpreter, as not reading this paſſage and alſo ſome Coppies, and therefore addeth, Fortaſſis hoc redundat, it may be this is ſuperfluous. Chryſoſtome alſo taketh no notice of it, but it being ſo generally received in moſt Copies; and the Apoſtle nameing the paſt and future time, it is likely he would alſo celebrate the goodneſs of God which he did injoy for the preſent; for if the Lord did not continually deliver all, our former deliverances would do us no good. The Greek word foreign, is obſerved by Varinus to be cuſtomarily uſed in Homer for foreign, to keep, keeping, being a kind of deliverance; Heſychius renders it by foreign, but the moſt eminent and principall is foreign, to ſave, and hence in the Scripture Chriſt who is the Sauiour is called Rom. 11. 26. foreign, out of Sion ſhall come the deliverer. Now when Paul ſpeaketh thus in the preſent tenſe, he doth deliver, it ſuppoſeth that that as he was as yet in troubles, as he ſaith, We ſuffer even to this preſent hour, 1 Cor. 4. 11. Paul needeth deliverance continually, becauſe he is in troubles continually, though happily for the preſent they were not ſo great as thoſe he formerly conflicted with. Again, In nameing the preſent tenſe he implyeth, That if God did not daily keep him, the ſame, or the like decumane waves would overwhelme him. But laſtly, With which ſenſe I cloſe, this ſignifieth that it is not enough for God to vouchſafe mercies once to his people unleſs he continue to do ſo all the day long. From whence obſerve,
That Gods continuing of his mercies is as neceſſary as his firſt beſtowing of Gods continuing his mercies, is as neceſſary to us as his firſt beſtowing them.them.
If the Lord ſhould deliver us from any evill, and afterwards leave us to our own ſtrength and wiſedome, to preſerve our ſelves, how inevitable would our ruine be? Therefore we muſt turne this Text into Prayer. O Lord, thou who haſt delivered, ſtill deliver, go on, and continue thy helping hand. To illuſtrate this, let us conſider.
1. In what particulars this word in the Text is uſed in the holy Scriptures, for What deliverances God workes for us.we are apt to look only to bodily deliverances, to externall mercies. Whereas we ſhall find a ſoul deliverance, and ſpirituall deliverance, principally ſpoken of in Gods word, and for which Chriſt is called the deliverer, ſo that the conſideration of this ſhould raiſe us up into ſpirituall and heavenly Meditations. And
1. For a bodily deliverance. This Paul ſpeaketh off, 2 Tim. 4. 17. I was 1. Temporall.delivered foreign, from the mouth of the Lion, a Lion, and the mouth of the Lion, he was in the very mouth, little hope of ſalvation. When the danger is ſo extreame, whether he meant it particularly of Nero, or whether by that he would allegorically expreſs ſome eminent danger, to be ſure he meaneth Gods helping hand, and that in bodily miſery. Thus alſo Paul 2 Tim. 3. 11 enumerating ſeverall perſecutions, he concludeth, but out of them all God delivered me. Although therefore ſpirituall evils are judged by the godly the greateſt evills, and ſpirituall deliverances the greateſt deliverances; yet the godly being men, conſiſting of fleſh and blood, they alſo are ſenſible of externall evils, and thereupon do greatly need Gods mercies towards them in their outward deliverances. Davids Pſalmes do for the moſt part glorifie and praiſe God in reſpect of temporall deliverances; and therefore ſuch Pſalmes have the moſt powerfull influence, and do moſt affect the heart, when we come to be in the ſame dangers and feares with him; ſo that in all our outward deliverances we are to acknowledg God only; not our own wiſedome or our own power. Not unto us Lord, but unto thy name be all glory given.
2. There is alſo a ſpirituall deliverance the Scripture mentioneth, and this 2. Spirituall.ought diligently to be headed by us.
1. There is Chriſts ſperituall deliverance of us 1 Theſſ. 1. 10. in reſpect of 1. From wrath to come.the wrath and vengeance to come, we are there ſaid to wait for Jeſus, which deliuered us from the wrath to come. What is that wrath to come? even the day of judgement, wherein God will be avenged upon all impenitent wicked men, adjudging them to thoſe externall torments prepared for the Devill and his Angels. Oh how little do men think of the wrath to come? ſo they may enjoy their preſent pleaſures, their preſent luſts and advantages, they never remember what wrath is to come, for all this. Oh let the prophane man ſay to his ſoul in the midſt of all jollities! well, for all this, there is wrath to come, put not this out of your mind day and night; but to the godly, the Apoſtle ſaith, he hath delivered us from this wrath to come. We may truly ſay with Agag, The bitterneſs of death is over, yea the bitterneſs of Hell and damnation is over. Oh what an unſpeakeable deliverance is this? who art thou that God ſhould deliver thee from that wrath which conſumeth ſo many thouſands? how can the believing ſoul ever let this mercy ſlip out of his mind. When others ſhall hear that dreadfull ſentence, depart ye curſed into everlaſting fire, then ſhall they be called to inherit everlaſting glory. Though now for the preſent, for want of ſaith, thoſe future things are not realized to us. Yet at that great day, when we ſhall ſee all theſe terrible things tranſacted before our eyes. Oh the thoughts of heart that then will work in us! what outrages to Mountains and Hils if poſſible to ſave them from this wrath? The godly are ſaid to be already delivered from it, becauſe Chriſt hath purchaſed their deliverance, and they have right thereunto by the promiſe of God; ſo that they are as firmely to conclude of it, as if it were already done. Even as we are ſaid to ſit already in heavenly places with Chriſt.
2. There is a spirituall deliverance from the Bower of ſinne and Satan. We 2. From the power of ſin and Satan.are by nature captives and ſlaves unto him, we are in bondage to every luſt, and we greedily fullfill the deſires of our own corrupt hearts. But by Chriſt we obtain a deliverance, we are ſet free faom the power our former ſinnes had over us, Col. 1. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkneſſe, and tranſlated us into the kingdome of his deare Son. You ſee what the condition of every man is till converted, it is ſaid to be under the power of darkneſs. How unſpeakeable is the miſery of all unregenerate men, who are thus the Devils priſoners bound hand and foot, that they are not able to ſhake off any one ſinne they are accuſtomed unto, neither are they willing to be delivered? They do not mourne and groane after a Redeemer; how inlarged therefore ſhould the heart of a godly man be, when he ſhall ſee himſelf thus delivered? the time was I could not give over my looſe and wanton wayes; I could not part from my prophane and wicked Companions; the time was, I hated ſuch as feared God, I could not indure any holy ſtrictneſs, any family-duties. The time was when the cares of the world did lord it over me, ſo that neither praying, or hearing, or any holy Ordinances had any influence upon me, being ſo greatly inſlaved to thoſe earthly thing: but now bleſſed be God the ſnare is broken, and my ſoul like a Bird is eſcaped; I can now run with delight in the wayes of God. Oh how bleſſed a deliverance is this, to be ſaved from thy former impieties, to be delivered out of thy old blindneſs and wickedneſs? Seeſt thou not in what miſerable bondage many perſons are intangled in by their luſt? They have ſome convictions, ſome terrors upon their conſcience; they cry out, oh that they could never fall into ſuch ſinnes again, and yet upon every temptation hideouſly relapſe again. Auguſtine before his full converſion to God, complained of this captivity exceedingly. If therefore God hath delivered thee from thy former unregenerate eſtate; if he have made thee a new Creature, then know the goodneſs of God towards thee, is more then ever can be comprehended by thee. It cannot enter into thy heart to conceive of the fullneſs thereof: But becauſe this deliverance is not compleate and perfect in this life, as appeareth Rom. 7. where Paul complaineth of a captivity, ſtill he was plunged into, he breaketh out at laſt into that affectionate expreſſion, Who will deliver me from the body of this death? Oh how bleſſed and happy will that day be! when thou ſhalt have no more thornes in thy ſide, or rather in thy heart; no more Jebuſite to diſquiet thee, but all ſinne with the effects thereof ſhall be wholly dryed up.
3. There is a ſpirituall deliverance in reſpect of the continuall temptations 3. From temptations to ſin and apoſtacy.we meet with in this world, to draw us to ſinne, and to make us turne the back upon God. That we may alwayes have Gods protection herein, we are taught to pray, even as often as for our daily bread, that he would deliver us from evi'l, Luke 11. 4. and herein the Lord doth vouchſafe more daily deliverance to us, then we can poſſibly apprehend. Every condition, every mercy, every affiction, would be a temptation to us, to allure us to ſinne; did not the Lord daily deliver; What is it that keepeth thee from the Apoſtacy of others? and ſo from the wounds and gaſhes of Conſcience, which uſually fall thereupon; but the meer delivering mercy of God? Thus you ſee in how many particulars God doth deliver his people; but as the Doctrine is; It is not enough for God to deliver once, unleſs he doth it daily, continually, never withdrawing his arme from under us; and the grounds of the neceſſity of continued mercy are theſe.Why 'tis neceſſary God ſhould continue his mercies as well as give them to us. 1. Becauſe we cannot continue them our ſelves.
1. Becauſe of our utter inability and impotency to continue the ſame to our ſelves. If the Lord doth beſtow ſuch and ſuch deliverances on us, leaving us afterwards to our ſelves, that we by our own wiſdome and power ſhould preſerve our ſelves; Alas, This would immediately prove a ruine to us; for we can no more continue the deliverance, then we could procure it at firſt; he that hath delivered, muſt be the ſame that doth deliver. Its not God that hath delivered, and then we who do deliver. Humble thy ſelf therefore thankfully under all Gods mercifull diſpenſations towards thee; ſay, O Lord I depend on thee for daily bread, for daily grace, for daily pardon, for daily preſervation. The ſame infinite power and wiſdome is required to uphold thy mercy, as was at firſt to bring it to thee.
2. This continuance of mercy is requiſite not only from our naturall imbecillity, 2. Becauſe of our unworthineſs.but alſo our morall unworthineſs; So that though the Lord hath delivered once and twice; yet we are apt to be ſo unthankfull and forgetfull, that the Lord may deliver no more. Oh how often do we forfeit the good mercies that God vouchſafeth us? how often have we provoked him to take away his good gifts from us? but it is his mercy, it is his goodneſs to continue them unto us. Every day thou doſt enough to make God take away all he had beſtowed upon thee. Even as when he had made man, who revolted from him, and was plunged into obſtinate wickedneſs; it is ſaid Gen. 6. It repented him that he made man, and it grieved him at the heart; an expreſſion to humane capacity, to ſhew how unworthy a Subject man was now become of all that love, God had ſhown to him; and maiſt thou not feare, when thou lookeſt upon thy own barrenneſs and unworthy dealings with God? that God doth repent that ever he thus honoured thee; that ever he thus bleſſed thee; that ever he vouchſafed ſuch grace to thee, and ſo take all from thee? Take Saul for an inſtance, how many perſonall favours did the Lord beſtow on him? but at laſt God quite forſooke him becauſe of his Hypocriſie ane Rebellion; If therefore we conſider how forgetfully and wretchedly we walk under Gods mercy, we may evidently ſee, that if the goodneſs of God did not continue them, as well as at firſt beſtow them, we ſhould quickly be ſtript of all. How many not perſons only but Churches, for want of the continuance of Gods mercies are of Gardens become a very Wilderneſs? Is God to the Nation of the Jewes, as to the Churches of Aſia as he was once? ſo that the demerit which is upon us after mercies received, our not improving of them for God, may provoke God after the good he hath done for us to bring all evill upon us.
3. It is neceſſary the Lord ſhould continue mercies and deliverances, as 3. Becauſe our dangers and temptations continue.well as at firſt vouchſafe them to us, becauſe our dangers, our temptations continue. They that renew their diſeaſe daily, muſt alſo renew their Phyſick. They that fall daily, need to be raiſed daily. Iterated troubles, need iterated deliverances. It is true, there are ſome mercies that cannot be iterated any more, the benefits of them may, but not the mercies themſelves. Thus the Creation of the world was at firſt, and it would be abſurd to pray that God would create it. So the Incarnation of Chriſt, this was once done, that it cannot be done any more; Gods Predeſtination likewiſe of his people was from all eternity; neither can it be iterated. But then there are other mercies which are duely to be continued, yea, often to be repeated; ſuch as pardon of ſinne, the daily quicknings and excitings of grace. It is true, ſome have of late affirmed, that ſinne is pardoned from eternity, and that we cannot pray for the pardon of it; onelyonly we may for the ſenſe and aſſurance of the pardon. But it is abſurd to think a ſinne ſhould be remitted, before committed; and therefore as we multiply to offend, ſo God is ſaid to multiply to pardon. Do not therefore think it enough that God hath once ſanctified thee, once juſtified thee; and therefore thou needeſt not the help and daily ſuccour of Gods grace; for if the ſame grace did not preſerve and keep thee, which did at firſt regenerate thee, thou wouldſt fall into thy old Chaos thou waſt once in: We do not therefore fall from grace, becauſe man of himſelf, if abſolutely conſidered, cannot throw himſelf out of it; but becauſe Chriſt will looſe none of his Members, and therefore he keepeth them united to him. Even as we ſee it is in regard of the world, it is not enough that God did once make it; but it is neceſſary he ſhould conſerve and uphold it, as Heb. 1. he keepeth up all things by his power; hence conſervation is called a Creation, and they require the ſame infinite power for the one as as the other. Thus it is alſo in the work of grace, in the whole conduct to ſalvation. An infinite power, an infinite love muſt begin continue, and at laſt conſummate. Thus by theſe Reaſons you ſee, why God that hath delivered, doth continue to deliver.
Uſe. 1. To reprove that unthankfullneſs and unworthineſs which is in moſt men. It is God that daily continueth their mercies to them. It's he that upholds the world. He that keeps up the meanes of grace, and yet we take theſe things as if they were ſo many debts to us. How little doth it enter into our hearts to think if God withdraw it, if God give but a blaſt, all the world is but as duſt before him. It is God that hath continued thy health, thy ſtrength to thee this day more, this week more. It's God continueth thy relations alive: had not he done thus, all had been broken in pieces before this time.
Uſe. 2. Doth God thus continue deliverances and mercies? then take heed of abuſing them, to wantonneſs, of not improving them faithfully for God; if he continues thy health and life, lay it out to the Author thereof; if he continueth thy wealth, and greatneſs, let not the Devill and ſinne have the fruit of it. Oh how unjuſtifiable is it? what curſes and torments do we deſerve, if when God continueth our mercies, we thereby ſerve the Devill? if the Devill did create thee; if the Devill did preſerve thee; if you did live and move in him: then you might pay him out of his own. But oh the patience of God that ſuffereth ſo many wretched ſinners to advance the Devils Kingdome by thoſe good gifts he hath given to them.