One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 86
SERMON LXXXVI. That it is a greater Mercy to be kept from Sinne and all Evil in our Afflictions and Troubles, then from the Afflictions themſelves.
JOH. 17.15.
But that thou ſhouldſt keep them out of the Evil.
THis is the poſitive part of Chriſts Explication of himſelf in his Petition for his Diſciples, viz. to keep them from the evil, foreign.
Sometimes this is applied to the thing or matter which is evil, as in the Lords Praier, Mat. 6.13. Deliver us from evil.
2. To Perſons, Thus often in the Scripture, Mat. 12.45. So it ſhall be to that wicked generation in that day. Sometimes it's applied to the devil as the Original of all wickedneſſe, who alſo tempts to it, So Matth. 13.19 Then comes the wicked one, 1 Joh. 2.13. Ye have overcome the evil one. Now there are ſome who limit this to the devil, keep them from the devil, becauſe it is with the article, foreign but that is not neceſſary, as appeareth, Matth. 5.37. Whatſoever is more then this cometh, foreign, So Mat. 5.49. Reſiſt not evil, foreign, that cannot be the devil, for we are commanded to reſist him, but we may take the word generally both for ſinne and the devil, and ſinful perſons, That the ſence may be thus, Though I pray not that thou ſhould keep them free from all evil and afflictions, yet I pray that they may be preſerved from ſinne thereby, that whatſoever may befall them, yet they may not ſinne, and here we ſee alſo that it's Gods gift to keep men in their afflictions that they ſin not; Otherwiſe they would undo themſelves, and through many tribulations they would go not into the Kingdom of Heaven, but of hell, from miſery here to miſery hereafter.
Obſ. That it's a greater mercy to be kept from ſinne and all evil in our Afflictions and Troubles, Obſerv.then from the afflictions themſelves; This is a ſpeciall Truth, for whoſe heart is not troubled about the Affliction more then the Sinne? Whoſe heart is not more upon the paſſive evil he ſuffers, then the active evil he doth? Whoſe ſoul is made ſo ſpiritual that no vexation, or pain and loſſe in body or Eſtate doth affect him ſo greatly, as the ſinful diſtempers and troubles of his ſoul doth.
But to open this Conſider,
1. That it's Gods ſpecial Gift and his power only that keeps his people from ſinne in their afflictions: For did not God ſanctifie, Did not God teach as well as chaſten, the Evil of Sinne and the Evil of Puniſhment would alwaies go together, the time of our trouble, and the time of our tranſgreſſions would never be ſeparated; When David could ſay, That out of very Faithfulneſſe God had afflicted him, that before he was afflicted he went aſtray, This was wholly from the Grace of God, for how many in their diſtreſſe are like Ahaz, that then did worſe then ever before, for certainly Afflictions to wicked men are like the fire or pouncings to ill and unſavoury Herbs, the more they are med…ed with the more they ſtink: As the damned in hell, their Torments make them rage and blaſpheme againſt God, Thus it is with the wicked on the Earth, their preſent troubles draw out their corruptions; They are more impatient, more diſcontented, and never more evil then when they have the greateſt cauſe to be exceeding good; But to the Godly it is otherwiſe, that light which burneth the wicked enliveneth the Godly, as the fire in Nebuchadnezzars Furnace did loſe the bonds that the Worthies were bound in, and made them at Liberty, when it conſumed the ungodly; Thus Afflictions many times ſet the Godly at Liberty from their ſinnes, looſe their hearts more from the world, but how comes this about, it's the meer Gift of God, Did not God ſupport, as Chriſt did Peter, in theſe waves, we would preſently be over-whelmed; Oh then reflect on thy ſelf, Hath any trouble? Have any Afflictions made thee more humble and more upright? Hath Beleeving outed thee from the world and earthly things, know that it's God that hath kept thee from the evil.
Secondly, The Scripture ſpeaks of it as a ſpecial favour, when God will be with us in our Afflictions, ſo that we ſhall not be left to Temptations; Therefore we are conſtantly to pray, Mat. 6.13. that God would deliver us from Temptation; Now although proſperity and outward mercies are a Temptation, yet the Scripture doth for the moſt part call Afflictions only Temptations, becauſe we are ſo hardly able to keep our Integrity and holineſſe in them, We can hardly overcome fleſh and bloud, or conquer our ſelfiſh Inclinations ſo, as to lie humbly and with deep Reſignation into Gods hand: Oh then what great thoughts of heart ſhould there be that ſuch a Condition, ſuch a ſtreight, ſuch an Affliction be not a Temptation to thee, that God do not leave thee in it; It's a ſpecial mercy to be kept from a Temptation but a greater in it; This is miraculous like thoſe that were in the fire, and yet not burnt. There is not a more comfortable evidence of Gods love when thou ſhal…be bruiſed and broken with many afflictions, and yet they are not able to ſtir up corruptions in thy heart; Never forget to pray, That as Temptations and Afflictions ſhall come on thee, ſo Gods ſutable Grace and tender Preſervation may accompany thee; Though Chriſt prayed thus for the Apoſtles to be kept from the evil, yet Peter gradually though not totally or finally was left by God in his Temptation, when he was ſurpriſed with fear, how grievouſly doth he deny Chriſt with bitter curſes and ſwearings? Here Peter was not quite from evil, though ſo farre as Chriſt prai'd for him, he was preſerved, viz. that his faith might not fail; Oh by this ſad inſtance we ſee if God withdraw his Arm from us how dreadful our Eſtate would be; That thou haſt not blaſphemed God and his Providence, and charged God fooliſhly in thy ſtreights, bleſſe and praiſe God for it, and remember that ſelf confidence is the great ſinne to provoke God to leave thee to the evil of temptations, as we ſee in Peter and Hezekiah; Take heed of going out of Gods arms, of letting go his hand or provoking him any way.
Thirdly, Afflictions and Tribulations do not of themſelves make us holy, but they work according to the ſubject exerciſed with them; Indeed naturally to every man unregenerate they draw out corruption and ſinne, and Phyſick to an incurable diſeaſe, doth but haſten Death, and fire to wood, and ſuch like Combuſtibles, doth not refine but conſume; The more a muddied Pool is ſtirred, the more noiſome it is, and thus it would work even in a godly man, did not grace live within him as well as ſinne: Yet even to a godly man it's a very difficult thing not to have the waves of his heart riſe high when theſe windes and tempeſts have blown upon them, and for this reaſon it is, that the more troubles are upon us, the greater aſſiſtance and diſcoveries of grace we need, and therefore there is more comfort in this praier of Chriſt then the heart can conceive; Here is a proviſion made for thee in that which thou doſt moſt want, for if the leaſt temptation, the leaſt Evil fall on thee, if that fall upon thy heart it will preſſe thee to hell, ſhould not God ſupport and ſanctifie it, a gnat will choak thee as well as a Camel, God only moveth on theſe deeps, and makes them fruitful.
In the next place Let us conſider the Grounds and Reaſons, why it's more bleſſed to have preſervation from ſin the evil of an affliction, then from the affliction.
And Firſt, Becauſe an Affliction is but a particular temporall Evil, but Sinne is an infinite, univerſall Evil: Sickneſſe depriveth of Health, Poverty of Wealth, and thus every Streight doth but oppoſe ſome temporall particular Good, that is the Creatures Good; But Sinne is an Univerſall Evil, it depriveth of God, and it diveſteth of all Glory and Happineſſe, ſo that as Anſelme ſaid, It ought to be our Reſolution, That if Hell were on one ſide, and Sinne on the other, we ought rather to chooſe Hell-Torments then Sinne, and the Reaſon is becauſe Sinne is an Offence and a Diſhonour againſt God; God is infinitely more then the Creature, and his Glory and Honour is more worthy then all we are: It's better the whole World ſhould be annihilated, and deſtroyed, and come to nothing in all its Comforts then that the leaſt glimpſe of the Glory of God ſhould be Eclipſed: Oh then whoſoever had rather ſinne then be afflicted, he preferreth himſelf above God, he preferreth himſelf above Chriſt, and he ſets up his own particular Safety and Security above Gods Glory: Oh then that we could be more afraid of Sinne then we are of Troubles; This is but the deprivation of ſome limited comfort or particular advantage, but ſinne depriveth of God the Fountain of all comfort.
Secondly, It's made an Argument of an Hypocrite and an inſincere heart, to chooſe Sinne rather then Affliction; To be affected with thy miſeries and Troubles, earneſtly deſiring the removing of them rather then the ſanctifying of them, Job 36.21, Elihu though he erred in the Application, yet in the generall urgeth this as a Signe of one not rightly conſtituted towards God, when he bids him Take heed, becauſe he had choſen Iniquity rather then affliction; We ſee the ordinary diſcovery of Hypocrites is to commit any ſinne that they may avoid trouble; Thus Matth. 15. The temporary Beleever he withereth when the Sunne ariſeth to ſcorch: This hath been the great Cauſe of the Apoſtacy of ſo many Thouſands when the Evil Day hath come upon them, They have not been able to be vilified and reproached and abhorred for Chriſt, and therefore are there ſo many Exhortations to preſevere, and to overcome, to hold out to the laſt, ſo that thou canſt not diſcover the rottenneſſe, and the guile and deceit of thy Heart more then by being willing to commit any ſinne, to avoid thy immanent Dangers, and therefore what … mercy is it when God ſhall ſo ſanctifie thy heart that in theſe waters of Afflictions thou canſt ſee a full manifeſtation of thy Graces; In them thou doſt perceive how upright and ſincere thy Soul is to God, That all thy fear is, thou maiſt not offend or diſpleaſe God, Thou doſt not ſo much think of thy own grief and pain as that thou ſhouldſt do any thing to grieve the Spirit of God.
Thirdly, It's a bleſſed thing to be kept from the evil of Affliction though not from the affliction, Becauſe then we may have the Preſence of God, and the comfortable enjoyment of him; Whereas if we ſinne in them, we are every waies miſerable, we have no comfort within, and God will give no Comfort without; The Scripture ſpeaks of many precious promiſes to the godly in their Troubles, that He will be with them, that he will never forſake them, inſomuch that as their Tribulations abound, ſo the Conſolations of God abound much more, 2 Cor. 1.3 Now all this is while we are holy and heavenly in afflictions; The beſt part of our life may be that which was in outward exerciſes, David never had more of God, neither did his Faith and Holineſſe more abound then when toſſed up and down with Troubles: But oh how ſad is it when thou ſhalt by thy Unbelief, diſtruſt, and other ſinful waies offend God, that now thou haſt no Comfort within, nor any from God, who is the God of all Conſolation! It's ſinne only is the ſting of an affliction, God and ſinne will not be together, but God and Afflictions are often together: No marvell then if thou art thus to fear ſinne more then any trouble, becauſe trouble is not trouble, if ſinne be abſent, a gracious heart in afflictions hath an Heaven within, though it may have an hell without.
Fourthly. It's happy to be kept from ſinne in Affliction, becauſe Afflictions are for this End to remove ſinne, to ſubdue corruption, and to mortifie luſts; Thus they are ſaid to work the bleſſed fruit of Righteouſneſſe, Heb. 12.11. though for a time they ſeem grievous; And God ſaith, It's the fruit of Jacobs Trouble to purge away his ſinne, Iſa. 27.9. Now then, If Afflictions and Chaſtiſements be for this end to conquer ſinne, to make thee more holy, Wo be unto thee if they encreaſe and multiply ſinne in thee; Think with thy ſelf, God layeth theſe loads upon me to kill my pride, my worldly-mindedneſſe, to quicken me up againſt deadneſſe and dulneſſe: Now how ſhall I ever behold God if the clean contrary be found in me, If Unbelief and Frowardneſſe do overcome me: Do not then ſo much matter Affliction as Sinne, for Afflictions may be ſanctified to thee; They may be made happy Inſtruments of Grace and Holineſſe to thy Soul, but if ſinne be drawn out, then the end of afflictions is loſt, and how ſhalt thou be helped when that which is to cure thee ſhall augment thy diſeaſe.
Fifthly, It's happy to be kept from the Evil of an affliction, becauſe of the proneneſſe of our hearts to be tempted when we are in ſuch provocations: Our Saviour ſuppoſeth by this Praier that it was a very hard thing to be in the world that doth ſo annoy and oppoſe thoſe that are godly, and not to be moved one way or other to wickedneſſe: It's not an eaſie thing under Tribulations, eſpecially if they be long and tedious, not to pollute the Soul one way or other: You ſee Job though his Patience be ſo greatly celebrated, and he at the firſt did ſo graciouſly reſigne himſelf into Gods hand, yet when his Troubles were continued, and ſorely oppreſſing of him, then he breaks out into much Impatience and bitter Rebellion againſt God; Hence the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks notably, Pſalm 125.3. The Rod of the Wicked ſhall not alwaies reſt on the back of the Righteous, leſt they put forth their hands to Iniquity: Here you ſee, there is a very great danger that even a Godly man under conſtraint and ſore Afflictions may be tempted to iniquity may do that which he never thought poſſible to do, yea, which will be a continual hell unto him; Oh then how comfortable and ſweet a thing will it be to come out of thy Afflictions, thy Heart not condemning thee for impatience or any ſinnefull diſtemper.
Sixthly, It's better to be kept from Sinne then from Afflictions, Becauſe the latter of theſe are made to the Godly the Effects of Gods Love: Whom I love I chaſten, ſaith God, Revel 3. And Hebr. 12. If ye he without Chaſtiſement ye are not Sonnes but Baſtards; But to be left to Sinne, and to have thy Strength taken from thee to reſiſt Temptations, argueth Gods great anger; It's that way of Diſpleaſure which he uſeth to Wicked men, To give them up to ſtrong Luſts to beleeve a Lye, and to have hardened Hearts leſt they underſtand; Although we ſee God may for a while being incenſed and provoked leave even the Godly themſelves unto the evil of a Temptation: Thus Peter was, David and Hezechiah were: Know then that God frowneth on thee, his Anger is gone out againſt thee, when thy afflictions encreaſe thy ſinne, God doth not ordinarily do thus to his people, but Troubles and Afflictions they are but the Effects of his Love, and by them he fitteth and prepareth them to be poliſhed Stones in that Heavenly Jeruſalem.
Ʋſe 1. of Inſtruction, To ſhew the Vanity of the Spirits even of thoſe who are moſt holy, for who is not taken up with the leſſe neglecting the greater? In Afflictions is not thy whole Soul ſpent how to remove them, how to be freed from them, and how few are thy Thoughts for the Sanctification and Preſervation from the Evil of them? Thou thinkeſt with thy ſelf, Oh when will the hand of the Lord be over? Oh that this burthen were taken off, and in the mean time praieſt not, watcheſt not, leſt this ſhould any waies diſtemper thee, and make thee ſinful.
Ʋſe 2. How fooliſh they are that wil run into any ſinne ſo they may avoid danger, That will bow their knees to Baal, worſhip the golden Image ere they will venture any miſery; What ſaith our Saviour to ſuch, They that will thus ſave their lives ſhall loſe them, God fruſtrates their earthly Expectations, and then Oh the wofull horrour ſinne will leave upon them, They will finde a wounded Spirit worſe then any calamity in the world; They will wiſh, O that they had been wracked and tormented in their bodies, ſo that they had never committed ſuch ſinnes as wrack and torment their Souls: David when he had loſt all heavenly joy, and all his deſirable things did periſh, could then tell you that ſins guilt upon the Soul was worſe then all the miſeries and troubles that ever he did undergo.