An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 81
SERM. LXXXI.
How, and why we ſhould praiſe God for all his Mercies vouchſafed to us.
2 COR. 1. 11.
That for the gift beſtowed upon us by meanes of many perſons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
THis latter part of the Verſe, containeth the reaſon or finall cauſe of his requeſt, for the unanimous publick paryers of the Corinthians. viz. That as by the prayers of many, his deliverance hath been obtained; ſo alſo by them publick praiſes and thanksgivings may be given to God in his behalf.
The ſenſe of the words is very plaine and clear, only the Grammaticall Conſtruction hath cauſed great variety of Interpretations; I ſhall indeavour to clear every obſcurity, as it cometh in order.
In the words there is,
1. The end it ſelf, and that is, that thanks may be given.
2. The Object matter for which, and that is called foreign, the gift. viz. of deliverance from that great death.
3. The Subject by whom this gift is obtained, and that is by many.
4. The Perſons who are to give thanks, and that is alſo many, foreign, And
Laſtly, In whoſe behalf, and that on our behalf.
Let us take theſe parts of diviſion, as they come in order. And
Firſt, We meet with the finall cauſe, That thanks may be given, foreign, it is in the paſſive ſenſe, and therefore noted to be an unuſuall and a very rare phraſe, it being every where elſe uſed actively. Obſerve
That when by prayers we have obtained mercy, it is our duties by praiſes Whenſoever we have received mercies from God, we are by praiſe and thankfullneſs to acknowledge then to him.and thankfullneſs to acknowledge the ſame to God.
Prayer muſt not be alone, when it hath prevailed with God like Caſtor and Pollux, prayer and praiſes muſt go together, Phil. 4. 6. In every thing by prayer and ſupplication, with thanksgiving, let your requeſts be made known to God. Here you ſee ſupplication and thanksgiving muſt go hand in hand. Its no leſs Gods command to praiſe him for mercies, then to pray to him; and this truth is the more to be preſſed, becauſe of our horrible negligence herein. In our diſtreſſes, in our exigences, we call and cry unto the Lord, but in our mercies and deliverances we forget him, and do not own the Author of our favours and benefits. This is notably repreſented in that Hiſtory Luke 17. 17, 18. Where often Lepers that were cleanſed, there was but one did returne and give glory to God by thanksgiving, and he was a Samaritan alſo. So that thoſe from whom it was expected, did neglect this duty. We ſee by this how backward we are to praiſe God, though very forward and earneſt to pray to him in our miſeries. Thoſe nine Lepers that regarded not to praiſe God, yet they lifted up their voices and ſaid, Jeſus, Master, have mercy on us; and thus while we are in any exigences, then our hearts are very hot and lively. Then we cry and pray, Lord hear us, our trouble is great; but if the Lord do vouchſafe his mercy to us, then God may ſay, where is the man, where is the woman that was cleanſed, that was healed, that had this or that mercy and deliverance, for they have not returned to glorifie me. It is love to our ſelves; it's a ſelf-ſeeking that makes us pray, but it would argue love to God, and an honouring of him, when we returne praiſes to him. It is therefore the duties of Miniſters to preſs you upon the duty of praiſing of God, as well as of praying unto him. Many are horribly negligent in both, ſome are more often in prayer, then they are in thanksgiving. Whereas God is ſaid to inhabit the praiſes of his people, Pſalm 22. 3. as well as he is the God that heareth prayers, Pſalm 65. 2. God dwelleth in the praiſes of Iſrael, that is, in or amongſt Iſrael continually praiſing of him; or elſe it is to ſhew, that as a man dwelleth in his houſe conſtantly reſiding there; ſo God is daily adminiſtring matter of praiſes to his people; implying thereby, that there is no time, no place, no condition, wherein we ought not to bleſs and praiſe God. Thoſe many Pſalmes which David made, declare how neceſſary a duty it is, and how much the people of God are to exerciſe themſelves therein. Hence it is that David profeſſeth he will never intermit this duty; as we are to pray without ceaſing, ſo to praiſe God without ceaſing, Pſalm 145. 1, 2. I will bleſs thy name for ever and ever; I will bleſs thee every day: See what an ardent affection David hath to this. For although the Apoſtle James ſaith, Is any man afflicted let him pray, is any man merry let him ſing Pſalmes, James 5. 13. implying thereby, that there are ſpeciall times wherein one duty is to be exerciſed, more than another: yet there is no time wherein the Lord doth not give his people occaſion to give thanks to him.
That your hearts may be both rightly inſtructed in the manner of this duty, and awed againſt all ſlothfullneſs therein, take notice of theſe enſuing particulars.
1. What is required to this Duty. And
2. The Motives thereunto. And
Firſt, To praiſe God, there is required an acknowledgement by faith, that What is required to the praiſing of God. 1. An acknowledgement that God alone is the Authour of all our mercies.God, and God alone, is the Author of all the mercies, both temporall and ſpirituall, that we do enjoy. Hence an Atheiſt can never be thankfull, becauſe he owneth no God, the giver of mercies: And the practicall Atheiſt, who liveth as if there were no God; he like the Swine, eateth indeed upon the fruite that he findeth upon the ground, but never looketh up to the tree from whence it falleth. Now this practicall Atheiſme doth raign every where, and that cauſeth the univerſall ingratitude that is in the world: men take theſe mercies as ſo many debts belonging to them. They look upon them as the things of a naturall courſe, not as the diſpenſations of a free and voluntary Agent; even the great God who giveth them, and denyeth them at his pleaſure. David therefore in his Pſalmes, doth ſo often magnifie God by many glorious Titles, thereby profeſſing, that From God cometh every good and perfect gift. Hence alſo the Apoſtle James, Cap. 4. 15. maketh it the duty of every one in their daily reſolutions, to buy and ſell, or to go to ſuch a place, to ſay, if the Lord will; declaring hereby, that it is from God that we are inabled to performe any naturall or civill action. I alſo add, that it muſt be an acknowledgment of God alone, becauſe in ſpirituall mercies many corrupt Teachers have divided the kingdome between Gods gracious power and mans mans free-will. Therefore the Papiſts, the Socinians, the Arminians, theſe do either in whole or in part deſtroy the very foundation of thankſgiving to God, in reſpect of ſpirituall mercies; eſpecially in that whereby one man differs from another. That which the Apoſtle doth ſo evidently attribute to God only, 1 Cor. 4. 7. that they appropriate to themſelves the good uſe of free-will, or the improving of grace offered, is made mans work; and then certainly we are to glory more in our ſelves then in God. But if we are to give God thankes for every morſell of bread we eate; ſhall we not much rather for every ſpirituall mercy to the ſoul? It was Tullies obſervation, that though their Anceſtors praiſed God for their proſperity and ſucceſs, yet they never did for their vertuous actions, thinking that abſurd, as if unleſs they were not done by their own power, there was no commendation due to them; and too much of this Heatheniſh and Philoſophicall leaven doth ſtill ſoure the minds of many Learned men in the Church. Know then, ſo much as thou ſetteſt up a free-will beyond Scripture bounds, ſo farre thou takeſt off from the duty of praiſing and bleſſing of God. Beſides we ſay, God muſt be acknowledged in every mercy, temporall and ſpirituall. Thou that prayeſt God would give thee thy daily bread, wilt thou not praiſe God when he doth it? yet how ſottiſh and brutiſh are many perſons and Families, when they go to meales, and riſe from meales, and no thankes or praiſes are given to God, ſhould not the example of Chriſt move thee? when he had but ſome loaves of Barly and a little Fiſh; yet he bleſſed God, before he did eate thereof. How then cometh it about, that there ſhould be ſuch unthankfull wretches that take their food, and yet never thank God that giveth it? Thou wouldſt account that poore man a proud or unworthy perſon, to whom thou ſhouldſt give ſome food in his neceſſity, and he never ſo much as open his mouth to give one word of thankfullneſs to thee. Thou dealeſt more frowardly and wickedly with God. And if for temporall mercies, then much more for ſpirituall; if thy meate, thy drink, thy rayment, be Gods mercy, much more is thy regeneration, thy juſtification, which do ſo far tranſcend the power of nature.
2. To this duty of praiſing God, is not only required Theſe generall acts 2. Both the generall and particular acts of faith.of faith whereby we own him for the Jehova, and the Creator of Heaven and Earth; but alſo thoſe particular Acts, whereby we do apply and appropriate him as our God in particular. For it is this particular applying Act of faith that maketh the heart full of praiſe and thanksgivihg. Therefore you may obſerve David in his Pſalmes, not only calling God a buckler, a refuge, a ſtrong tower, but his buckler, his ſtrong tower, his God. Neither can we be thankfull in ſpirituall mercies, about pardon of ſinne, ſupport in temptations, till with Paul, Gal. 2, we ſay, Who loved us, and gave himſelf for us; and this is one reaſon why we urge the People to take heed of diffidence, not to give way to diſtruſt and doubtfull perplexities of ſoul, becauſe while theſe are predominant, they cannot walk thankfully and give the glory, that is due, to him.
3. Love to God, Becauſe he heareth our prayers, will raiſe up the heart exceedingly 3. Love to God.to thankſgiving, Pſal. 116. 1. I will love the Lord, becauſe he hath heard my ſupplications. That God ſhould hear the prayers of one ſo unworthy and polluted as thou art; that God ſhould do thee good, who art ſo evill; this freeneſs of his love, this riches of his grace ſhould exceedingly melt thee; it ſhould be like fire that aſſimilateth every thing into its ſelf: now when this love, like ſo many coales of fire is in thy breaſt, it cannot be, but that it will open thy heart, and thy mouth wide to praiſe the Lord. This is our corruption, we love the mercy it ſelf, but not God that giveth it; we delight in the comforts that are beſtowed upon us, but do not rejoyce in God from whence they come. If therefore thou findeſt thy heart frozen and dull; thou canſt not raiſe it up to bleſs God; meditate much upon the love of God to thee, ſo vile and unworthy.
4. An heavenly heart is neceſſary to bleſs and praiſe God. The praiſing of God is Angels works, and the imployment of the glorified Saints to all eternity. 4. Heavenly mindedneſs.Praiſe is comely, but it is from clean hearts and clean mouths. We need the Spirit of God to inable us to thankſgiving, as well as to prayer. Pſal. 119. 7. I'le praiſe thee with uprightneſs. An hypocrite who giveth God glory by his mouth, but reproacheth him by his life, not only his prayer, but his praiſes are abominable. Hence Pſal. 50. ult. it is ſaid, Who ſo offereth praiſe, glorifieth God. But leſt you ſhould extend this to every man; See what is added, And who ſo ordereth his converſation aright, &c. If a man praiſe God in never ſo melodious a tune, but then there is no harmony, nor order in his life, this is a reproach to God. We may benedicere linguâ, when we do maledicere vitâ. There is a real praiſing of God by exerciſed holineſs, as well as verbal by the tongue. In the Sacrifices of thankſgiving, Levit. 7. 10. Whoſoever did eat thereof, that had uncleanneſs upon him, he was to be cut off. By this is typified, how unpleaſing the praiſes of ſuch are, who live in their ſins; it is as uncomely, as a pearl in the Swines mouth. It is true, God doth greatly condeſcend to accept of our praiſes; for he hath millions and millions of Angels continually praiſing of him, who have not the leaſt blemiſh or ſpot upon them: but yet he is pleaſed to take this Sacrifice at our hands. In the Sacrifice of thankſgiving, Levit. 7. 13. there was leaven allowed. Junius obſerveth, That whereas God allowed leaven in no other Sacrifice (though Bonfrerius thinketh otherwiſe, and that leaven only was forbidden ſo farre as to be offered, but the common opinion is otherwiſe) why then was leaven allowed only in this Sacrifice? Hereby to teach us (ſaith Junius) that there is corruption and ſinfulneſs in our beſt actions, and that we need the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, that they be accepted of. Even then in our praiſes there is matter of humiliation, there is ſome bitterneſs, yet through Chriſt we are accepted of. But though all pollution cannot be purged out, yet he that liveth in a wilfull way of ſinning, cannot give glory to God acceptably.
5. He that praiſeth God, muſt do it voluntarily, readily, chearfully, otherwiſe 5. Chearfulnes.it is not worthy the name of praiſe. As God loveth a cheerfull giver, ſo eſpecially a thanksgiver. To praiſe God with an heavy, lumpiſh, unwilling heart, is a contradiction to the duty in thy hand; it is as if we ſhould ſay, a black Sun, or a cold fire. Lev. 22. 29, 30. The Law about a Sacrifice of thankſgiving is that when they offer it, it muſt be at their own will, which argueth the readineſs and willingneſs that ought to be in us at that time; and then on the ſame day it was to be offered, they were to eat it all up, to leave none till the morrow, whereas in other Sacrifices they might. And this was to ſhew, that he who would give thanks to God, he muſt do it ſpeedily, he muſt not delay, or put off. So that by this you ſee a praiſing frame of heart requireth a moſt curious, exact temperature. It's that Apothecaries ointment which belonged to the Highprieſt, onelyonly made up of choice ingredients. A ſinfull heart cannot praiſe God, and a worldly heart cannot praiſe God, that wants wheels to its chariots, wings to flie up with. The Lark lifteth her ſelf off from the earth, ere ſhe begins to ſing. And then a ſorrowfull dejected heart, that cannot praiſe God, no more than a ſtring in the inſtrument too much wetted, can cauſe a melodious ſound,
In the next place, Let us conſider the encouragements thereunto. AndMotives to praiſe God. 1. 'Tis an excellent duty, in that we are ſo backward to it.
1. The excellency of this duty is apparent, in that the heart is naturally ſo froward and oppoſite to it. It may cauſe ſome wonder, why the ſoul of a man ſhould be ſlow to this work; and commonly all are more in petitions, then in thankſgivings. Hence David, Pſal. 103. though a man more exerciſed in this ſervice, than any one, called therefore the ſweet ſinger of Iſrael, and who is not contented himſelf to praiſe God, but cals upon all the creatures in Heaven and earth, yea the moſt inconſiderable ones to praiſe God; yet he finds ſome liſtleſneſs and ſlothfulneſs in himſelf, ſee therefore how he prepareth and ſtirreth up himſelf, as the Cock doth before his crow, Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, and let all within thee praiſe his holy name. His heart doth need calling upon, his ſoul muſt be moved and quicknnd ere it doth his duty. Conclude then certainly this duty is moſt excellent, it is very pleaſing to God, becauſe I am ſo backward, I am never ſcarce in a praiſing temper, one clog or other is upon me.
2. Conſider, That the Scripture vouchſafeth it the name of a Sacrifice, Heb. 13. 15. 2. It is called a Sacrifice.Where you have the duty commanded, the time when, and the manner how, Let us offer the ſacrifice of praiſe to God, and that continually. As David ſaid, Seven times a day will I praiſe thee, Pſ. 119. 164. It is a ſacrifice, and every ſacrifice muſt have fire; there muſt be zeal and fervency; but by whom muſt we offer it? it is by Chriſt; ſo that he is the Altar upon which the incenſe of prayers and praiſes are to be offered to God. By him we have both power and acceptance to praiſe God; and in this ſenſe all the people of God are called Prieſts, and they have the ſacrifices of praiſe continually to offer up unto God. Hence to praiſe God, is expreſſed Hoſ. 14. 2. by rendring the calves of our lips.
3. It is a debt that is due to God. He that hath commanded thee to pray to him, hath alſo enjoyned thee to praiſe him. Yea this is all that God looketh for; Thou 3. 'Tis a debt due to God.canſt not ſatisfie God for thy ſins committed, thou art not able to repair his honour and glory ſhouldſt thou be damned a thouſand times over, yet it could not recompence to God according to what thou haſt diſhonoured him. Therefore ſeeing this is the only debt God obligeth unto, why ſhould we not be more diligent in it? If he had required ſome greater ſervice of us, and more terrible to fleſh and blood, ought we not to have done it?
4. One chief motive, which is to put us upon all holy obedience unto God, is, Thankfulneſs. There are two great and principal parts of Divinity, the one is, De gratià 4. The chief motive is thankfulneſſe.Dei, of the grace of God; and the other, De gratitudine hominis, of mans thankfulnes. There are indeed ſeveral reaſons why we are commanded to abound in holy works, but one of them is thereby to teſtifie our thankfulnes to God, that though we cannot do anything to merit at his hands; though Chriſt as Mediator hath purchaſed all ſpiritual priviledges; ſo that we cannot do any holy duty, as a cauſe to procure them; yet to manifeſt our thankfulnes to God, we are ready with delight to do his will.
5. A thanksgiving heart is the moſt proper and ſutable dispoſition to the Gospel diſpenſation; wherein grace doth in ſo many wonderfull effects demonſtrate it ſelf. Now 5. A thankfull heart is the moſt proper diſpoſition to Goſpel diſpenſations.praiſe doth properly anſwer to free grace and love, Eph. 1. 16. Gods predestination and his adoption, it is, That we ſhould be to the praiſe of the glory of his grace. Theſe new ſongs ſhould alwayes be in our mouths. And again, v. 12. That we ſhould be to the praiſe of his glory. So that if you ſay, Why did God predeſtinate thee? It is to his praiſe. Why doth he convert? It is to his praiſe. Thus he adopts, he juſtifieth, that we might be only to his praiſe. Thus 1 Pet. 2. 9. we are a choſen generation, a peculiar people, that we ſhould ſhew forth his praiſes. The children then of free grace, muſt be the children of praiſes and thankſgivings unto God. Every power of the ſoul, every part of the body ſhould be a tongue (as it were) to glorifie God. Were we more affected with the depth, breadth and length of this grace of God, we ſhould be more abounding in this duty of bleſſing God. David cals his tongue, his glory (though ſome apply it to the ſoul) becauſe of this work.
Laſtly, If we praiſe not God when mercies are obtained by prayer, it diſcovereth a rotten and inſincere heart. It argued thou never didſt pray for mercies upon right 6. The neglect of this duty is an argument of a rotten heart.grounds to glorifie God, to be thereby more inſtrumental in our ſervice of him, but only for our own ends, and our own neceſſities. For he that prayeth ſpiritually, will praiſe God cheerfully; he will more rejoyce in the favour of God, becauſe God heareth his prayers, then the benefit obtained. If then thou neglecteſt this duty of thankſgiving, thou diſcovereſt a prophane earthly heart, that thou preferreſt the mercy deſired above the glory and honour of God; and therefore it will be juſt with God, never to hear thy prayers more. For thankfulneſs is the only way to preſerve mercies, and to have more added.