An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 77
SERM. LXXVII.
Former Experience ſhould be a ſufficient Argument for future Confidence.
2 COR. 1. 10.
In whom we truſt that he will yet deliver.
In this laſt Clauſe we have Pauls confidence in the power and goodneſs of God, for the future bottomed upon his former and preſent deliverances; for were it not the duty of a believer quietly to repoſe his ſoul with a firme truſting in the truth and goodneſs of God; he could not live an hour, or a day, without perpetuall heſitation and anxiety about what might befall him.
In the words we have
1. His truſt profeſſed.
2. The matter or object thereof.
The profeſſion of his confidence is in theſe words, foreign, in whom we have hoped, Eraſmus rendreth, in whom we have fixed hope, in oppoſition to that vain, moveable, and uncertain hope, which men have in earthly and tranſitory things; we render it truſting, though it be not the ſame word with that uſed in the 9. Verſe; But we told you that faith hath its truſting, and hope hath its truſting, and theſe two graces are of ſo near affinity, that they are often put for one another; and indeed they both denote ſome recumbency and reſting of the ſoul upon him, whom they truſt or hope in: So that as we read foreign, and foreign, ſo alſo of foreign, 1. Tim. 5. 5. and foreign, 1 Tim. 4. 10. Which words denote, that hope doth alwayes carry along with it ſome affections, and cordiall adheſion to God; So that as we reject the Popiſh diſtinction of fides informis and formata, we do alſo of ſpes informis and formata; becauſe the grace of hope doth ſanctifie the ſoul for its reſpective operations, as well as love doth to its proper actings. Concerning the word foreign, Favorinus ſaith, it differeth thus from foreign, which is applyed to the expectation of evill things, as well as of God. (although in the Scripture it is hardly uſed any where, but concerning good things.) Whereas foreign, is only uſed of good things; the word coming either of foreign, or foreign, to draw; becauſe the things hoped for, do draw and allure the ſoul towards them. Among the Latins, ſperare is ſometimes for timere, but that is very abuſively ſpoken. You ſee then, whom Paul maketh the object of his hope and trusting, even God alone. So that we may not place our hope, in the wiſdome or power of men, nor in Angels or Saints; no not as inſtrumentall cauſes to procure us our good we need: For a divine hope, muſt have for the motive of it divine truth and goodneſs; divine power and help, as well as aſſenting faith, muſt have divine revelation and authority. Beſides, ſecond cauſes though cauſatively concurring to ſuch effects, yet becauſe they have both their eſſe, and operari dependently from God, and ſo do not help in and of themſelves, it is vain to truſt in them.
2. There is the object truſted for, and that is, a temporall deliverance. For although God himſelf, and eternall glory, be the principall objects of our hope and truſt; yet temporall mercies may be the ſecondary and leſs principall, as they relate and conduce to this eternall bleſſedneſs; for ſome are only to hope for outward mercies, as thereby our everlaſting happineſs may be advanced. Now Paul by truſting in God for future deliverances, doth thereby ſuppoſe that he ſhall alwayes be in dangers; and that though once or twice delivered, yet new temptations will aſſault him. But though they do, he is not diſheartned. The ſenſe he hath had of Gods former mercies, doth incourage him for the future: for ſeeing God doth help his people becauſe they are in miſery, becauſe they are his, and he ſtands engaged in promiſe to them: Theſe Reaſons being perpetuall and alwayes the ſame, no wonder if Gods mercies and deliverances likewiſe be continuall. Obſerve.
That the experience of Gods goodneſs and power to his people formerly, may The experience of former mercies ſhould encourage us to truſt in God for the future.incourage them to truſt in him for the future.
Paul was delivered by God, and therefore he truſteth he will deliver him. Thus David alſo argued, 1 Sam. 17. 37. God had delivered from the Lion and the Beare, therefore alſo he truſted, he would from that uncircumciſed Philistian. Hence at another time David profeſſeth, He will remember the mercies of God, which had been of old; for theſe are of great uſe to keep the heart fixed for the future. We have the Apoſtle expreſſing his confidence even concerning others, and that in the matter of grace and ſalvation; from the foundation God had already laid that ſpirituall building, Phil. 1. 6. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will performe it till the day of Jeſus Chriſt. That this hope in Paul concluding from one deliverance to another, was fixed upon, may ſee alſo at another time, 2 Tim. 4. 18. Where having acknowledged Gods mighty prefervation to him, in that he was delivered from the mouth of the Lion, he addeth, And the Lord ſhall deliver me from every evill work; How greatly then are the people of God to be reproved for their diffidence and diſtruſt, who though they have the Word of God, and the workes of God; the promiſe of God, and the providences of God, upon which to quiet their ſoules concerning all events to come: yet upon every new trouble, are as much tormented and perplexed, as if they had never heard or known any thing of God.
To amplyfie this, conſider,
1. That although we have in many particulars found the goodneſs and Conſiderations clearing the truth. 1. Though we have oft had experience of Gods goodneſs, yet every new trouble is ready to ſtartle us.power of God to us; yet every new trouble, every new danger, is ready to ſtartle us, and to overwhelme us. The Children of God in any new exerciſe, are many times as much to ſeek, as if they had never been delivered by him. They are ready to feare, that now they ſhall ſink, though hitherto preſerved. Even as David, when his truſt in God was weakned, then he cryeth out, He ſhould one day periſh by the hands of Saul: all the great deliverances vouchſafed to him, did not ſettle his heart for the future. Such therefore is the diffidence, and ſinfull fear which is ready to ſurprize us upon any new tryall, that we are apt to think; though God hath done thus and thus for us, yet can he conquer this temptation? can he help out of this trouble? This is worſe then all the reſt; and can he deliver herein? Even as we read of the people of Iſrael, who had the experience of ſo many wonderfull preſervations, and miraculous mercies beſtowed on them in the Wilderneſs, Pſalme 78. 19. yet queſtioning, Whether he could furniſh a Table in the Wilderneſs? and Verſe 20. Behold he ſmote the rock, and waters guſhed out; can he give bread alſo? See here how they limited God to one mercy, and to one deliverance; now this was ſo great a ſinne, that the Pſalmiſt cals it, a ſpeaking against God, it was Blaſphemy; and he addeth an aggravating particular, yea, they ſpeak againſt God; as if this were a greater ſinne then all their former rebellions; therefore it is ſaid Verſe 21, 22. The Lord heard this, and was wroth, his fire was kindled againſt Jacob: Becauſe they truſted not in his ſalvation. Oh let this be a dreadfull inſtance, never to be forgotten by thee! how often doth thy heart ſay ſuch things? God hath hitherto maintained; hitherto delivered; hitherto provided for me, and mine: But, Can he furniſh a Table in this Wilderneſs? can he ſuccour me in this exigency that I am now plunged in? Oh take heed of ſuch diſtruſting thoughts! it is, ſpeaking againſt God, it is a kind of blaſphemy.
2. Although the promiſe of God be ground ſure enough for us to truſt in, 2. Though the promiſes be ſufficient grounds for our truſt, yet experiences do much promote faith.yet ſuch is our weakneſs and infimity, that experiences and ſenſible props do wonderfully promote our faith. Could we act purely and perfectly from Divine Motives, the promiſe of God would be as good to us, as all the experiences in the world; for it is the word of him that cannot iye; and therefore nothing of ſenſe or reaſon, is ſo ſure as that of faith. But becauſe we conſiſt of a body as well as a ſoul; therefore as in other things, God doth condeſcend to our weakneſs, ſo here alſo. The Sacraments and miracles were vouchſafed by God, to confirme our faith; not that they add any certainty to the promiſe, or can bring more authority to it; only in reſpect of our imbecillity, ſo they became helps to our faith. Thus alſo when we have great and glorious promiſes, which may abundantly ſatisfie us, ſo as to conquer all diſtruſtfull and perplexing thoughts, yet experiences joyned with theſe; and when we ſee him fullfilling with his hand, what he hath ſpoken with his mouth; this doth greatly add to our confidence. It is true, our Saviour ſaith, John 20. 29. to Thomas, who would not believe, unleſs his ſenſe did confirme him, Bleſſed are they that have not ſeen, and yet have believed, becauſe ſuch do give more glory and honour to God; As Abraham did, who regarded the power of God, reſting on that, and conſidered not Sarahs dead Wombe: Yet they are not wholly caſt off by God, who do believe, and ſee alſo. There is a time when we are to truſt in God before we can have experience of Gods diſpenſations; ſuch is the time of converſion. Then the ſoul being brought into the deeps of the Lord, then it being in divers and ſad agonies, the heart is more difficultly brought to truſt in God. For all things are then new; the ſoul never felt ſuch temptations before; it was never in ſuch feares before; it is ready to cry out, Never any was in the like caſe with me; what will be the iſſue of thoſe wonderfull things, in his ſoul he knoweth not. All this diffidence is, becauſe at that time the believer had no experience of Gods dealings; is not acquainted with the deep myſteries of God in bringing us to ſalvation, our with the depths of Satan, who indeavours our deſtruction. But when once the ſoul cometh to have more experience of Gods works upon it ſelfe, and is more acquainted with the wayes of God, then he comes to hope, whereas before he was ready to caſt off all in deſpaire. If then God hath from year to year, trained thee up in many experimentall diſcoveries of ſoul-mercies, and body-mercis; how inexcuſable wilt thou be, if thou are ready to be ſhaken, and to looſe thy hold upon every new trouble? Gods promiſe ſhould be enough to thee; thou needeſt no more: If a man that is faithfull and able ſhould aſſure thee ſo much, thou wouldſt reſt contented. How unworthily then doſt thou deale with God, when his word and his workes put together, yet do not compoſe thy heart? Oh remember! is not he the God, that created light out of ſuch darkneſs, as did once cover thy ſoul? Is no… he the God, that helped in ſuch a trouble? that came in with ſo ſeaſonable a deliverance? and when thou knoweſt his name thus, wilt thou not truſt in him?
3. It is a ſpeciall way to keep the heart in a ſerene and quiet frame, to 3. 'Tis a good way to keep the heart calme, even to exerciſe truſt in God for the future.exerciſe truſt in God for the future. Not only to bleſs God for the mercies we have, and do enjoy; but alſo as confidently and ſecurely to truſt in God for all future things, that ſhall befall us, as if we did for the preſent enjoy what we could deſire. We ſhall find, that for want of this truſting in God for the future, all our anxieties and diſquietneſs doth ariſe. We do continually create unto our ſelves conſtant moleſtations of ſpirit, becauſe we make ſuppoſitions about the future. What if I ſhould be brought into ſuch a condition? What if ſuch a ſad eſtate ſhould befall me? What if I be left unto ſuch a temptation? Thus conſtant conflicts about what is to come, taketh off all joy and thankfullneſs, for what we have for the preſent. Therefore it is a ſpeciall duty in the Children of God, to be acting dependently upon God for the future, as well as for the preſent. Our Saviour Mat. 6. 25. doth by ſeverall choiſe and precious Arguments, indeavour to conquer that ill temper in his Diſciples, who were ſo ſollicitous what would befall them to morrow? how they ſhould be cloathed hereafter? how they ſhould live hereafter? Therefore the Child of God is to live with as much joy and contentation in reſpect of future things, as if they were preſent; And this is the reaſon why the promiſes in Scripture are ſometimes expreſſed in the paſt tenſe, and ſometime in the preſent, becauſe we are alſo as much aſſured of every good thing promiſed, as if we had it already in our hands.
4. The good things we are to truſt in the Lord for, as future, are both 4. The future good things that we are to truſt in the Lord for, are both ſpirituall and temporall.spirituall and temporall things. Though Paul ſpeakes here, and David many times in his Pſalmes of truſting in God for temporall mercies; yet the moſt noble and excellent objects of our confidence, is to be eternall glory, or the injoying of God in that ſtate of bleſſedneſs. Hence it is, that God is ſometimes, and everlaſting glory is ſometimes called our hope, becauſe in the expectation of theſe things the ſoul is daily ſupported: and certainly if the Husbandman would not plow, but in hope; neither would a believer indure all thoſe ſufferings and afflictions for Chriſts ſake, but for this hope. This truſting, to have that unſpeakable joy hereafter, and to be for ever with God, ſhould be put forth more vigorouſly by us. And we ſhould find it excellently uſefull to weane us from the world, and to make us part with our deareſt comforts for Chriſts ſake; yea, as was hinted before, we are to truſt in God, for theſe temporall things only as they are conducible thereby, becauſe God hath promiſed them no further, and ſo farre they are abſolutely promiſed; inſomuch, that we may no more diſtruſt God about temporall things, ſo farre as neceſſary to our ſalvation, then we may of ſpirituall and gracious things: which may detect the Hypocriſie of our hearts, whereby we pleaſe our ſelves, as if we truſted on Chriſt for our juſtification, and the ſalvation of our ſoules; when in the mean while we diſtruſt him about a morſell of bread, or a drop of water. Only it may be doubted, how Paul, and any godly man can truſt in the Lord for the future about temporall mercies, ſeeing Object.that the godly may many times be without them; and if Paul be delivered once by God, it dothnot follow, he muſt be delivered every time; for then he could not have ſuffered Martyrdome as he did at laſt. And why might not John the Baptist, and James have truſted in the Lord to be delivered? Which if they had done, it had been a falſe truſting. To this ſome ſay, that we are as abſolutely bound to truſt in God for every temporall mercy, as we are for any ſpirituall; Anſwer.and that it is meerly for want of faith or truſting in God, if we have not all the temporall deliverances we ſtand in need of. If a man dye of the Plague, they will ſay it is for want of faith in God; but although no doubt the People of God are greatly to be blamed for their diffidence, and for want of truſting in God, they looſe many outward mercies; yet becauſe temporall things are not ſo abſolutely promiſed as ſpirituall, therefore there cannot be ſuch an abſolute truſting for them. Others they ſay, that we are to truſt in Gon conditionally. To reſt upon him for this and that mercy, with this condition, if God will. But thoſe that ſay we are abſolutely to pray for temporall things, theſe muſt alſo conclude, that we are to truſt in God for them abſolutely likewiſe: and therefore ſuch do not like that expreſſion, by way of condition, when we pray for theſe outward mercies. They like not this expreſſion in prayer, Father, if it be thy will, recover ſuch an one that is ſick. They think this is not a Prayer, becauſe from a conditionall ſuppoſition, no certain thing is inferred.
Others therefore they conclude, we are to pray abſolutely for temporall things, (and by conſequence we may alſo add to truſt for them,) only there ought to be a ſubmiſſion in our ſpirits, that if God give us not our requeſts, we yield our ſelves up to his holy and wiſe will. Thus with them, though we may not pray with condition, yet we ought with ſubordination; and happily they that ſpeak of this condition, mean no more then ſubordination. There is then a difference about truſting in God concerning ſpirituall and temporall things; eternall glory abſolutely, and ſuch a meaſure of grace as will beare us through all temptations, that we ſhall not totally and finally be overcome by them, temporall things with ſubordination, yet ſo farre alſo abſolutely ab out them, that no good thing ſhall be withheld from us; ſo that we may with Paul Rom. 8. in an holy triumph profeſs, That neither life nor death; neither things preſent, or things to come, ſhall ſeparate us from the love of God in Chriſt.