A Practical and Polemical Commentary Upon 2 Timothy 3-4, Part 2 · Subpart 16
VERS. 18: And the Lord will deliver me from every evil worke, and will preserve me to his Heavenly Kingdome; to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.
q. d. THat God which hath been with me hitherto, will not now forsake me, but will keep me by his assisting grace, so that I shall not for fear of suffering run into sin, nor do any thing unworthy of my holy Profession. He will preserve me from all sinful revolts till he have wrought me to his heavenly Kingdome.
2. Others give this sense of the words, The Lord will deliver me from the Violent practises of evil men, and will not suffer them to hurt me. But the Text saith not, The Lord will deliver me from every evil worker, but which is more comfortable and fully. He will deliver me from every evil work. So that the former sense is most genuine and agreeable to the Context. God will keep me pure from all wickedness and so preserve me to his heavenly Kingdome. As he hath delivered me from the jawes of Metaphorical Lions, so I am assured that he will deliver me from Spiritual Lions (i.) from the Tyranny of sin and Satan,foreign servo, à foreign sanus. till he hath brought me safe and sound unto his heavenly Kingdome.
To whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.
B…ing assured by Gods Spirit of his Divine manu-tenency till he came to glory, he concludes with a sweet Doxology and Thankesgiving to the Lord Christ his Saviour and Preserver, where we have,
1. The person to whom praise is given, it is to him (id est,) to the Lord Jesus, V. 17.
2. What the praise is that is given to him, viz. the praise of his Glory. To him be Glory, (i.) let him onelyonly have Honour, Worship, Praise. foreign here signifieth Praise increased and abundantly published. So Luke 2.14. Glory be to God on High, (i.) Let the praise of his Wisedome, Power, and goodnesse be abundantly spread abroad, who of his Transcendent love hath redeemed the sonnes of men. Hence the Geneva Translation renders it praise: To him be praise for ever. This Doxology was frequently used by the Apostle, as you may see, Romans 11.36. and 16.26. Philippians 4.20. 1 Timothy 1.16. Heb. 13.21. 1 Peter 5.11. Iude 25.
3. Here is the duration of this praise, it must not be for a day or two, but for ever and ever.foreign. (i.) in secula seculorum. By which phrase the Scripture setteth forth Eternitie. The doubling of the word hath an Emphasis and alwayes signifieth an everlastiug continuance without any date or end at all.
4. Here is the fervour of Pauls affection in this duty of glorifying Christ, testified by the word Amen, (id est,) So be it, or so it shall be, q. d. I heartily wish it may be so.
I find a threefold Amen in Scripture
1. Assevering.
2. Assenting.
3. Assuring.
Sometimes it is prefixt, sometimes it is affixt; when it is prefixed, it is an Amen of Vehement Asseveration, Iohn 6.26. But the Amen in the Text is both Assenting and Assuriug,Amen deducitur ab Hebraico vocabulo, Aman, quod in Hiphil significat credere, in Niphal significat firmam & fidelem esse. Est itáque confirmantis & certificantis particula. Davenant in Colos. 4.18. and is usually affixt and added at the end of Prayer, as Matth. 6.13. Rom. 15.33. Gal. ult. ult.
Observations.
1. The Experience of Gods …ormer deliverances must make us rest upon him for future. He hath delivered me formerly (saith the Apostle) and therefore I am confident that he will still deliver me till he have brought me safe to his Kingdom. This is Scripture Logick, and God loves to have us argue thus, Psal. 4.1. and 86.13, 16. and 77.10. When David was delivered from the Lion and the Bear, he thence concludes that God w…uld also deliver him from that Vncircumcised Philistine, 1 Sam. 17.36, 37. So Paul argued, 2 Cor. 1.10. Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver, in whom we trust that he will yet deliver. He hath delivered us that we know, he doth deliver that we experimentally see, and therefore we confidently conclude that he will still deliver. So Isay 51.2, 3. One V. D. Tayler on Psal. 32. p. 255 Mr, Strong 31 Ser. p. 375, 376 and Mr …urroughs his Gospel Reconciliation. pag. 378. &c.Blessing is a pledge of another, he that hath subdued such a lust for me, will do it still; he that helped me in such a strait will do so still he that hath been with us in six troubles in the seventh he will not leave us, Job 5.19, 20. We should therefore treasure up our deliverances and record and file up our former experiences that they may be as Mannah for us to seed upon when we come into the Wilderness of New troubles, Psal. 74.14. He smote the head of the Leviathan, (.i.) He broke the power and policy of Pharaoh and his army and drowned them in the Sea; and why so? That he might be meat for his people in the Wilderness. (.i.) That he might be food for their Faith to feed upon, they were to pass through many difficulties in the Wilderness, but God gave them this mercy as a pledge to assure them that he would also cast out the Canaanite and bring them to the possession of that good Land. How quietly and comfortably might we live did we but take this course. The Victories of old Souldiers encourageth them for a new conquest. By this resting on God we ingage him to help us still; if a man will not …ceive his trust much less will the God of Heaven; hence David useth this as an Argument to move the Lord, Our fathers trusted in thee, and th…u didst deliver them, we also trust in thee and therefore deliver us also, Psal. 22.4, 5. hereby we bring much honour to God, then indeed we make him our God when we make him our onelyonly stay and trust. God knowes and acknowledgeth such for his, Nahum 1.7.
From every evil work. 2. Observation.
2. Though God doth not save his people from suffering, yet he will save them from sin; and though he leave in them infirmities, yet he will free them from enormities, and from total Apostasy. He will keep them from evil, from every evil work that may any way be scandalous or a reproach to their profession. He convinceth them of the Vileness of sin, and discovers to them the snares of Satan, he plants his fear in their hearts that they may not sin against him, and inclines their hearts to an Holy Observation of all his Precepts.
And he will preserve me to his heavenly Kingdom. 3. Observation.
3. God is the Preserver of his people. He doth not onelyonly preserve their lives and estates with a general preservation and so is stiled the Preserver of men, Job 7.20. But especially he keeps their Souls in an Holy Frame till he bring them to glory. All Beleevers are preserved and kept as in a Garrison by the mighty power of God through faith unto Salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5. And this is called special preservation, peculiar to the Godly, 1 Sam. 2.9. Psal. 41.12. Iude 1. It is not sufficient that we light a Lamp, but there must be a continual supply of Oil else the light will go out: So it is not sufficient that we have Preventing, Preparing, Renewing grace, but we must also have Subsequent, Conserving, Perfecting, Persevering grace daily given in to preserve us from Apostasy. We have alwaies need of a Divine manu-tenency till we have finisht our course, Psal. 73.23. As he calls us out of sin, so he must keep us from sin and confirm us to the end. 1 Cor. 1.8. And this he will do in despite of all our enemies; if any thing destroy us it is sin, and for that we have Gods hand here that he will deliver us from every evil work that might any way ruine us, and so preserve us till he have brought us to Heaven.See this point more ful…y cleared by M. Ant. Burgess on Iohn 17.11. Lect. 55. Mr. Caryll on Iob 29.2. pag. 430. &c. He keeps Heaven for the Saints, and the Saints for Heaven.
4. Observation.
Gods Goodness to his people is wholly free. All his dispensations to his are free-grace and pure mercy.
1. By his Preventing Grace he keeps us from evil works.
2. By his subsequent grace he preserves us to his Kingdom. Where then is our Merit if all be grace? But of this before on V. 8.
4. Observation.
5. God is a good and bountiful Master to his people. None like him, for 1. He delivers them from sin which is the greatest evil. 2. He preserves them (maugre the malice of all their enemies) till he have brought them home to himself who is the chiefest good. Who would not serve such a Master who first enables us to do our work and then payes us for it. Can the son of Iesse give you Olive-yards and Vine-yard? (said Sa…l to the followers of David) So say I, can the World, the Devil and Sin give you grace and glory? They cannot do it, they can bewitch you and deceive you in promising pleasure and giving pain, in promising liberty and bringing you into bondage, in promising you life, yet bringing you to death. Come away then from the Garlick and Onions of this Egypt, ascend out of the wilderness of this world, and like spiritual Aquila non capit muscas.Eagles soare aloft in your Meditations and desires after things above (.i.) Grace and glory, Colos. 3.2.
6. Observation.
6. In our deepest distress we should have an eye to this Heavenly Kingdom. Our glory to come is so glorious that the worst we can suffer here …s but as a flea-biting in comparison of it.So doth Paul here. What ever thy sorrows or sufferings be here, yet remember there is a Heavenly Kingdom will pay for all. This will raise our spirit and uphold our heart in the midst of the greatest troubles,Quid sentit crus in nervo quando animus in coelo? Tertul. Rom. 8.18. 2 Cor. 4.17. Heb. 10.34. and 11.35. But of this see more on V. 8. Obs. 3.
7. Observation.
7. God will bring his people to a Kingdom, to an Heavenly Kingdom. It is not a Against the Millena…. See my Homesius enervatus.Millenarian earthly kingdom (that fancy was not heard of in St. Pauls time) yet Paul was an eminent Martyr, and Piscator and Alsteed make this Millenarian raign most proper (if not peculiar) to the Martyrs. But the Scripture generally makes the Reward of the Saints and Martyrs to be in It is not foreign but foreign, non terrestre, sed supercoeleste regnum.Heaven and not on earth, Psal. 73.24. Matth. 5.12. Philip. 3.20. 1 Pet. 1.4. The Godly long to be with Christ in Heaven, 2 Cor. 5.1. Philip. 1.23. In this heavenly Kingdom we shall enjoy everlasting Communion with God, and shall be for ever with the Lord, which is the heaven of Heaven, 1 Thes. 4.17. God himself will there be all in all, 1 Cor. 15.28. Rev. 21.3. There we shall keep an Everlasting Sabbath, Heb. 4.9. and shall be for ever free from sin and from the very possibility of sinning. There we shall have light without darkness, health without sickness, peace without war, joy without sorrow, strength without weakness, and life without death. This should set our Souls a longing to be there. As S. Austins Mother said when she heard of the Joyes of Heaven; What then make … here? OnelyOnly we should labour to be fitted and Non est via ad regnum sine primitiis regni, nec sperare potest coeleste regnum, cui neque super propriam regnare concupiscentiam adhuc datur. Bernard. See more Burroughs Moses Choice, c. 44. to 53. Baxter Saints Rest. Nortons Orthodox Evangelist.qualified for this heavenly Kingdom. Heaven is a Pure place and none but pure ones can come there, all unclean dogs are shut out, 1 Cor. 6.9. Rev. 21. ult. there is no room for the workers of iniquity, Matth. 25.41. He must walk in the way of Holiness who desires happiness. Without it there is no seeing God to our comfort, Heb. 12.24. Grace is the suburbs of glory, 2 Pet. 1.10. We must begin our heaven here before we come to Heaven, Phil. 3.20. he that hopes to come there must purify himself here, 1 Iohn 3.2, 3. We must deny our selves Universally and sell all for this heavenly Inheritance, you may buy gold too dear, but you cannot buy Heaven too dear, what ever you part withal for it, you have made a good bargain, and with the wise Marchant you may go away Rejoicing, Matth. 13.44.
To whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen. 8. Observation.
8. Christ is God. He to whom Divine Glory, Worship and Praise is due, he is God. But to Christ Divine Glory, Worship and Praise is due, as appears by this and other places, To whom be Glory. But of this largely before on V. 1.
9. Observation.
9. The praise and glory of all our mercies must be given to God whether the blessings be corporal or spritual, temporal or eternal, Paul had all these, and here he ascribes the praise of them only to Christ. As Christ had assur'd him of an heavenly Kingdom, so now he begins his heavenly Imployment. This Sacrifice of praise coming from a gracious heart is more pleasing to God then any legal sacrifice, Psal. 50.14, 15. ult. It is not thousands of Rams nor rivers of Oil that he delights in, but the praise of an Holy heart is that which he requires, Psal. 33.1. Colos. 4.2. Philip. 4.7. 1 Thes. 5.18. Heb. 13.15. As all we have comes from him, so there is all the Reason in the world that all the praise should be given to him, Rom. 11. ult. It is God in Christ that doth all, of him as the Efficient Cause; through him as the Administring Cause, and to him as the Final Cause are all things. His glory must be the Terminus reductivus to which all our actions are to be reduced, 1 Cor. 10 31.
Do not then rob God of that which is so neer and dear to him. His grace and mercy he lets others share it, but his glory he will not give to another, Isay 42.8. Say therefore as Ioseph did in another case, God hath kept nothing from me but this, how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against him?See more in Dr. Gouge on the Lords Prayer. …ect. 215. pag. 295. &c. Herod paid dear for assuming Gods glory to himself, Acts 12. We never loose our selves more then we seek our selves most in this kind, which hath made the Saints and Angels so sharply to rebuke those that have gone about to give Gods honour to them, Acts 3.12. Rev. 19.10. and 22.9.
For Ever and Ever. 10. Observation.
10. Gracious men desire that God may have glory from generation to generation, even to Eternity. They thinke it not sufficient that they praise him themselves, but they desire he may be praised in the Churches throughout all ages for ever, Ephes. 3.21. Iude 25. Grace enlargeth the heart towards God, as his thoughts are thoughts of love to his people, and his purpose is to do them good for ever; so they desire that God may have glory for ever, not onelyonly whilest this world stands, but after this world is ended even to Eternity for ever and for ever, Psal. 106.18. Let us then be careful to glorify God in our generations, and do what in us lyeth to Eternize his praise. Let us teach our childrens children his wayes, promote his Gospel with all our might, and like living coals set all on a flame about us. If we be thus careful to glorifie God here, it is a good Evidence that he intends to glorifie us with himself for ever.
Amen. 11. Observation.
11. We should earnestly desire and heartily consent to what we pray for. When we pray we should not be like those that draw nigh to God with their lips when their hearts are far from him, Isay 29.13. Our hearts and our tongues must agree in Prayer. Many in our dayes have got a gift of Prayer and beg an hundred things which their hearts never affect, as appears by the looseness and Unrighteousness of their lives. Oh! that such would get the Grace and Affections of Prayer. That their hearts, words and works might be once harmonious. If we pray for Gods glory, let us study how we may actually advance it. If we pray for his Church, let us study the good of it every way; that when we say, Let thy Name be sanctified, See this word Amen, Largely opened by Doctor Gouge on the Lords Prayer. S S. 245. Page 330. and Acutely by Master Ienkins, on Iude 25.and thy Kingdome be enlarged, we may cordially and sincerely say, Amen, Amen.