Sermons Volume 2, 2 Corinthians 5 · Sermon 8
SERMON VIII.
2 Cor. 5.6.
Therefore we are always Confident, knowing that while we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord.
IN the words observe Two things;
1. The Effect of God's giving the Earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident.
2. The State of a Believer in this World. Knowing that while we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord.
In the first Branch take notice,
1. Of the Effect its self; [We are confident.]
2. The constancy or continuance of this Confidence. [Always.] To be confident at times, when not tempted or assaulted, is easie, but in all conditions to keep up an equal tenour of Confidence, is the Christian heighth which we should aspire unto; for the strength of this Confidence is discovered by manifold Tryals and Difficulties.
3. The illative Particle; [Therefore.] Why? Because God hath wrought us for this very thing, and given us the Earnest of the Spirit.
For the Effect itself. There is a twofold Confidence; 1. Of the thing; 2. Of the Person; for both are requisite, for the latter presupposeth the former; there can be no certainty to a person of a thing which is not certain in itself: An Immortal state of Bliss is to be had, and enjoyed after this life, we are Confident of that before we can be Confident of our Interest and actual injoyment of it. We are Confident of the thing because God hath promised it, and set it forth in the Gospel. But because the promise requireth a Qualification; and performance of duty in the person to whom the promise is made: Therefore before twe can be certain of our own Interest and future injoyment we must not only perform he duty, and have the Qualification, but we must certainly know that we have done that which the promise requireth, and are duly Qualified. Now the Serious performance of our duty Evidenceth its self to the Conscience. And as our diligence increaseth so doth our Confidence. But so far as a man neglecteth his duty and abateth his Qualification, so far his confidence may abate also.
The Illative Particle. [Therefore.] The earnest of the Spirit hath influence both upon the Confidence of the thing, and of our own interest.
1. Of the thing. If God never meant to bestow Eternal life upon his people, he would not give Earnest.
2. Of our Interest and future injoyment. For the Spirit of God convincing, Comforting and changing the heart doth assure us that he hath appointed us to Everlasting glory.
Well then, the full meaning of this clause is; That we certainly know that we shall be Crowned in Glory, and being assured by the Earnest of the Spirit, that we shall not fail of it, therefore we lift up the Head in the midst of pressures and afflictions; knowing that if they should arise as high as death, they will bring us the sooner to the Lord, that we may live with him for ever.
Doct. They who have the Earnest of the Spirit, are and may be Confident of their future, and glorious Estate.
Let me shew you,
1. What is this Confidence?
2. What is the Earnest of the Spirit?
3. How this Confidence ariseth from having the Earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
1. What is this Confidence,
1. The Nature of it.
2. The Opposites of it.
3. The Effects of it.
4. The Properties of it.
1. The nature. 'Tis a Well grounded perswasion of our Eternal Happiness. But I must distinguish again as before. There is a twofold Confidence; one which is proper to faith; another which may be called assurance, or a sense of our own interest.
1. There is a Confidence included in the very nature of Faith, usually called Affiance. We have often considered Faith as it implyeth a firm assent, and again as it Implyeth a thankful acceptance of Christ. Now as it Implyeth Affiance or a resting, relying, and reposing our hearts with quietness and peace upon Gods Promises; and so Confidence is Nothing but a firm and comfortable dependance upon God through Jesus Christ for the gift of Eternal life, while we patiently Continue in well-doing. Assent to the truth of the promise breedeth this Confidence, but 'tis not it, for faith is not a bare Assent, but a fiducial Assent, or a trust and dependance upon the Lord in the Appointed way of obtaining the Effects of the promise. Faith is often described by the Act of Trust, both in the Old Testament and in the New. That there can be no doubt of this, no notion is more frequently insisted on in the Old Testament, Psal. 112.7. He shall not be afraid of evil Tidings, his Heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His adherence to God and dependance upon him is the great preservative against worldly fears, and apprehensions of danger and Misery: So that he is fortifyed not only for a patient, but cheerful entertainment of all that shall come, or may come. So Isa. 26.3. Thou keepest him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee. A man securely rests upon the promise of God, that all will end well, while he keepeth to his duty. The New Testament also useth the same notion, 2 Cor. 13.4. Such trust we have through Christ to Godward. Confidence, 1 Tim. 4 10. For therefore we both labour, and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God. So Eph. 1.12, 13. Who trusted first in Christ: In whom also ye trusted. When we are Confident that God will save his faithful Servants, and are incouraged thereby to go on with our duty. Our miscarriages, fainting, and Apostacy, and discomforts, are made to arise from the want of this Confidence. The miscarriages of the people in the Wilderness, a figure of our estate in the World, came from hence, Psal. 78.22. They believed not in God, and trusted not in his Salvation. They were not Confident of his conduct, that he would bring them into the land of rest. A man that doth not trust God cannot be long true to him; they who do not depend upon God for Salvation, and for whatever is necessary to them for Salvation, and to bring them out of every streight in a way most conducing to their welfare and his own Honour, have not that true believing, or sound faith, which God requireth of them. Well then, this trust or Confidence must be in all▪ and this is more than Assent, or a bare perswasion of the mind, that the promises are true; this noteth the repose of the Heart, or the motion of the will, towards them as good and Satisfactory.
2. There is a confidence of our own good estate, for the present, and so by consequence of our future Blessedness, Phil. 1.6. Being confident of this very thing, that he that hath begun a good work in you, will perfect it to the day of Christ. When we make no doubt but that God who hath wrought faith and other Christian graces in us, will also consummate all in everlasting Glory. This dependeth upon a sight of our Qualification. This Confidence is Comfortable, the other absolutely necessary; this Confidence is mainly built upon the Earnest of the Spirit, in our hearts, the other upon the promise of the Gospel; by the one there is a Crown of Righteousness for the Faithful, by the other 'tis laid up for them. The Spirit and life of Faith lyeth more in the former, but the joy of Faith, and our Comfort dependeth upon this. A Christian that is Confident that God will be as good as his word is mightily incouraged to wait upon God till that word be accomplished, and that, breedeth Courage and Resolution, and Boldness. But a Christian that knoweth his own interest, is more cheered and pleased with it. By this latter Confidence a Christian hath a double ground of rejoycing: The certainty of Gods promise: And the evidence of his own Sincerity, or the truth of grace in his own heart, 1 Joh. 3.19 Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. A Christian is said to be before God three ways; either in his Ordinary conversation, Gen. 17.1. So our hearts are assured before him when we walk in Holy peace & Security. 2dly. We come before him in Prayer and other Duties. Now a Christian may assure his heart before him; our legal fears are revived by the presence of God, but a Christian can look God in the face. 3dly. We come before him at the day of Judgment. We stand before his Tribunal, that we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming, 1 John 4.17. That we may have boldness at the day of Judgment. Death is your summons, 2 Kings 21.3. Lord thou knowest that I have walked before thee with a true and perfect Heart.
2. The opposites of it are disquieting doubts and fears.
1. Doubts are often opposed to Faith, not only as 'tis a strong assent, but as 'tis a quiet dependance upon Gods Nature and word, as Jam. 1.6. Let him ask in Faith, nothing wavering, for he that wavereth is like a Wave of the Sea, driven with every wind, and tossed, 1 Tim. 2.8. Lift up Holy hands without wrath and doubting, Rom. 4.20. He staggered not at the promise through unbelief, but hoped against hope, Matth. 14.31. O thou of little Faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Because he could not rest upon Christs word.
2. So fears are opposite to this quiet and steady dependance, Matth. 8.26 Why are ye so fearful, O ye of little Faith? In Luke 'tis, Where is your Faith? In Mark 'tis, How is it that you have no Faith? Luke 8.50. Fear not, believe only. Now the opposites of any grace do shew the Nature of it. If doubts and fears be so directly opposite to Faith, therefore Faith is a confidence as well as an assent. Now, these doubts and fainting fears are every where opposed to Faith, Psa. 27.13. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Gods Children are very obnoxious to Temptations of fainting fears, and diffidence, when sharp troubles do assault them, and therefore they ought to strengthen their confidence. Strength of assent may remove Speculative doubts, or errours of the mind; but strength of confidence, or quiet dependance, doth only remove practical doubts; which arise from the fears and terrours of sense, which may sometimes sorely shake us.
3. The immediate effects are such as are comprized in the very Nature of it, as an Holy boldness and courage, which is the very notion, and the same importance, of the Word in the Text, We are confident, or of good cheer and courage. This is seen in four things.
1. In our continuing faithful with Christ, and professing his truth and waies, notwithstanding opposition, in a bold profession, without any fears of persecutions and sufferings, as Heb. 3.6. Whose House we are, if we hold fast the confidence, and the rejoycing of hope firm to the end. And in the 14. verse. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end. And again, Heb. 10.35. Cast not away your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. In all which places confidence, noteth a bold owning, and avowing of Christ, or fearlesness and courage in our Christian profession, arising from our certain perswasion of, and dependance on Christ rewards in another World. The great use of Faith is to fortify us against all Temptations, and difficulties, and inconveniences, that we meet with in our passage to Heaven, even against Death it self. Then are we confident, when born up against all dangers and sufferings. There is a like word used, John 16.33. Be of good cheer, I have overcome the World. Gods Children may be bold or of good cheer, in the midst▪ of all their afflictions, for Faith assureth them, the end shall be Glorious. Therefore we are bold, perform our duty and pass on in our pilgrimage, with a couragious and quiet mind. This couragious, confident encountering with trouble, is the immediate fruit of Faith. Because Faith inableth us to look to the end of trouble, and our Salvation as sure and near.
2. 'Tis seen also in a generous contempt, of all the baits, and pleasures of sense; and the delightful things in this World, and cheerfully carrying on our duty, though the flesh would tempt us to the contrary, Faith is an obediential confidence, and the strength of it is seen in checking of Temptations: Or an affiance on God, as it draweth our hearts after better things than that the world offereth. We can more easily want and miss the contentments of the flesh, and the pomp, and ease, and gratification of the present Life. So that to be confident, is to be prepared, and resolved to do those things which God commandeth, though with denial of those sensual good things, which the flesh craveth; as to endure what happeneth in the way to Heaven, so to refuse and reject what hindreth us from it. For we are exercised with tryals, both on the right hand, and on the left; and we need the Armour of Righteousness, both on the right hand, and on the left, 2 Cor. 6, 7. Our way to Heaven lyeth per blanda & aspera. As the terrours of sense are a discouragement to us, so the delights of sense are a snare to us; confidence hath an influence upon both, it breedeth a weanedness from the baits of the flesh, and a rejection of what would divert us from the pursuit of Eternal Life, and is much seen in mortification, 1 Cor. 9.26.27. I run not as one that is uncertain, therefore I keep under my Body. As if he had said▪ I am confident, therefore I am mortified, contemn the allurements of sense: As they dyeted themselves for the Isthmick games. Hope to get a Crown of Laurel made them look to their bodies, that they were in fit plight for the race. There's much more confidence of an Eternal Crown.
3. There is another branch of this boldness, that carryeth the name of this confidence also: And that is, Child-like Freedom with God in prayer, Eph. 3.12. We have access with confidence, and boldness, through the Faith of him. And 1 John 3.21. If our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God. And 1 John 5.14. And this is our confidence, that whatsoever we ask of him he heareth us. And Heb. 10.19. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the Holyest, by the Blood of Jesus. An Holy boldness with God in Prayer, or a filial, Child-like access to God in Prayer, for obtaining what he hath promised. There is a shyness of God. His presence reviveth our guilty fears: As David, when he had sinned, hung off from the Throne of Grace, Psa. 32.3. Or as Adam run to the Bushes, when he heard the voice of God in the Garden. Now this is done away by Faith in the promises. This Holy, comfortable addressing our selves to God by Christ, is a great branch of this confidence; it imboldeneth us to go to him in Prayer; and to trust in him, and expect Salvation from him. In the hour of his extremity, he is not to seek of a God to pray to, or a Mediator, to interceed for him, or a Spirit of Adoption, to inable him to fly for help, as a Child to his reconciled Father, having been frequently intertained, and accepted by him.
4. The last, and greatest of all, is confidence at his coming, 1 John 2.28. When he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him, at his coming. We feel the comfort of it, when we seriously think of Death, or when God summoneth us into his presence, 2 Kings 20.3. I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart. We know, that we shall receive a Crown of Righteousness at his appearing. Before they look for it, and wait for it with confidence. A Christian should cherish no other Confidence but what will be approved then, what will hold out then: If our Confidence cannot bear the thoughts of it, and supposition of it, how will it bear the day its self?
4. The Properties of this Confidence.
1. 'Tis an Obediential Confidence or Affiance; for he that hopeth for mercy, is thereby bound to Duty and Obedience; for mercy must be had in God's way, and we cannot depend upon his Rewards, unless we regard his Precepts, 1 Pet. 4.19. Commit the keeping of your Souls to him in well doing. We come to the one by the other; yea the one breedeth the other, Psal. 119.166. Lord, I have hoped for thy Salvation, and have done thy Commandments. Dependance certainly begets observance; and if we look for all from God, certainly we will be faithful to him, and keep close to his ways. 'Tis a lazy Presumption, not a Christian Confidence, that consisteth with disobedience; both the Promises and the Precepts are the Object of Faith, Psal. 119.166. I have believed thy Commandments. Our believing the one, breedeth Confidence in the other; our believing the other breedeth Obedience, but they must both go together; if there be any difference in believing these by a right Faith, 'tis weaker in the Promises than in the Precepts; because the Precepts commend themselves to our Consciences by their own Light and Evidence; the Promises contain meer matter of Faith, and lye farther out of the view of Sense and Reason. Well then, if we believe these Laws to be God's Laws, and these Promises to be God's Promises, our sense of duty will be at least equal with our hope of mercy. Certainly Confidence, and relying upon the Mercy of God for Salvation, may be less than our care to walk in Obedience; ordinarily greater it cannot be.
2. This Confidence must be well rooted, that fear of Persecution may not scorch it, nor the cares and pleasures of the World choak it, Col. 1.23. Continue in the Faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel. We must be thoroughly persuaded that it is the very Truth of God, and venture our Souls, and all our concernments and interests, upon this Bottom, when we seriously consider what we do. There is a slight and superficial Confidence which soon vanisheth away, as the seed that fell upon the stony ground soon sprung up, for it had not much depth of earth, but as soon withered, because it had no root, Matth. 13.5, 6. Some may readily receive the Offers of Eternal Life, but the Word is not ingrafted in their hearts: No, the Confidence of Faith must be sound and permanent, such as is not easily shaken with the Winds of Temptation.
3. It must be predominant, and in some degree of Soveraignty in the Soul, not only over our doubts and fears, but over our lusts and carnal affections subduing the heart to God, and vanquishing the Devil, the World, and the Flesh. The World, 1 John 5.4. For whosoever is born of God overcometh the World; and this is the Victory that overcometh the World, even our Faith. And Taming the Flesh, Acts 15.9. purifying their hearts by Faith, and mastering our carnal desires and affections. Resisting the Devil, 1 Pet. 5.9. It sheweth us better things with which our minds are wholly taken up. Every mans heart cleaveth most strongly to those things which he judgeth best. Now Faith shewing us the things of the other World, present things are lessened in our eyes, and our desires to them abated. A …light and superficial Confidence soon vanisheth away; they are not able by it to vanquish Temptations, John 12.42, 43. Nevertheless among the Chief rulers also many believed on him, but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the Synagogue. For they loved the praise of men, more then the praise of God. 'Tis such a dependance upon the mercy of God, in Jesus Christ, as to count it better than life, Psal. 63.3. Such a value of the blessing promised as will Counterballance the Temporal good or evil, which the Devil, the World, and the Flesh opposeth to their good or Evil. Men may have some beginnings or dispositions to true Faith, but they are weak and feeble, and so are soon over mastered by worldly and carnal respects, and cannot prefer the Service of Christ before the glory of the World, John 5.44. How can ye believe which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
4. 'Tis growing. As our assent to the Word of Truth is more full and strong, so our Adherence, Confidence and Dependance increaseth also, and we cleave faster to the Promises of Christ, and are better established in the practice of godliness, and have a more setled boldness against fears, and doubts, and temptations; so that they can bear better repulses from God, Matth. 15.28. Great is thy Faith; Grow more couragious in dangers and difficulties, Rom. 8.18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. ver. 37. Nay, in all these things we are more than Conquerours; And are the less shaken and troubled with cares and fears, Mat. 6.20. Shall he not much more cloath you, O ye of little Faith! And believe in hope against hope, Rom. 4.20. The highest degree of Confidence is not gotten at once, nor at first ordinarily, but by degrees, after some continuance of waiting upon God, after many Tryals and Conflicts, and Experiences of his Love and Favour; therefore still we are to labour after this, that we may with greater quietness wait on God in the midst of pressures, overcome the World, contemn the pleasures of Sin, curb our unruly Passions, Come to the Throne of Grace with more boldness and confidence.
2. What is the Earnest of the Spirit? See the Sermon on the former verse.
3. How this Confidence ariseth from having the Earnest of the Spirit in our hearts? Three ways.
1. As an Argument.
2. By way of Effectual Influence.
3. By way of gracious Improvement.
1. As a confirming Argument, against all our doubts and fears, which are apt to assault and hurt us, till we be in full possession, especially in great Tryals. The Spirit, 'tis an argument strong and full, to confirm us in the truth and worth of the promised Glory. The truth is plain, so the worth, as before. 'Tis an Argument in our own bosoms; other things are without us, but this is within: That which before was written in books or spoken by men is now transcribed upon our hearts, and so nearer at hand for our use, 1 John 5.10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself. When I go to my Bible there I find promises of eternal life which are the ground of my Confidence. I go to my heart, and there I find the beginnings of eternal life, and so my Confidence is much increased; a believer hath that within which assureth him of better a state to come; he hath a tast of it in his Soul, a spiritual sense.
That which is within us and lyeth as near as our own hearts is more sensible and affecting, and more likely to work upon us effectually than that which is without us.
'Tis a very ingaging Argument to bind us not to depart from these Hopes; shall we turn the back upon God after experience? 'Tis their great aggravation, Heb. 6.4, 5. 'Tis impossible for those that have been once inlightned, and have tasted of the Heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, & have tasted of the good word, & the Powers of the World to come, if they should fall away, to renew them again unto Repentance. There may be some kind of tast and preparation towards this Earnest, from whence men may fall away, 2 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again intangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning; for it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness, than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment, delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. Some knowledge, and some experience, some Common work of the Spirit. This Argument doth increase our confidence, because it doth evidence our right and interest as well as the truth of the thing its self, that there is an Immortal Blessed Estate, and that it is ours. An earnest is given to secure the party that hath it. This earnest is the Spirit, convincing, comforting, changing the heart, 1. Cor. 2.12. But we have not received the Spirit of the World, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God If I have this I am safe; the carnal cannot say so, they have no earnest.
2. By way of effectual influence. The Spirit is given as an earnest of Blessedness to come, and causeth all the motions and inclinations of the Soul to tend that way in the heart, he is as a Spirit that came from Heaven. exciting the Soul to look and long for, and prepare, for that Happy Estate. The Life of grace, begun and maintained by the Spirit in our hearts, wholly tendeth to this, to carry up our hearts thither. The Spirit mortifieth the earthly and sensual disposition, Rom. 8.13. But raiseth in us hopes, desires, and endeavours, after the other World, Phil. 3.20. But our Conversation is in Heaven. Inclineth us, to drive on a trade for another Countrey, and another World; yea our very confidence is wrought by him, and increased by his influence. The Devil ▪ the World and the Flesh do continually assault it, but the Spirit maintaineth it. Therefore the more of his Spirit, the more confident. 'Tis his work within us to promote it, and to maintain it. This cometh of the Spirit of God, He causes us to live in Peace, and Hope, and Joy, and die in Hope, and Peace, and Joy.
3dly. By way of gracious improvement on our part. For if God giveth the Spirit as an earnest, we must make use of him as an earnest. The Spirit and grace of Christ is not only given us to subdue corruption, to carry us on delightfully to converse with God, but as an earnest that we may live in hope; but we may reason within our selves, God hath not only offered me this happiness when I had no thought of it, but followed me with incessant importunity, till my anxious Soul was troubled, began to make a business of it. By the secret drawings of his Spirit, he inclined my heart to choose him for my portion, since given me the comfort of the pardon of my sins, bound up my broken heart, visited me in Ordinances, supported me in troubles, helped me in Temptations; his Spirit still liveth, dwelleth and worketh in you, therefore I am confident and wait on him, 2 Cor. 1.20, 21. For all the promises of God are yea, and Amen, in Christ Jesus, to the Glory of God by us. Now he that hath established us with you, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
1. Use is to shew us that true confidence is not a devout sloath, or idle expectation, but breedeth in us a noble, choice, excellent Spirit, maketh us vigorous in our duty, watchful against sin, patient under the cross, longing and breathing after more of God, and hastening our preparation, for the injoyment of him.
2. Vse to put us upon Self-reflection.
2. Have we the earnest of the Spirit? His comforts, are not so sure an evidence as his sanctifying influence. Are our hearts changed? God giveth earnest before he giveth Heaven.
2. Do we improve it to an Holy confidence, such as sheweth it self in diligence? 1 Cor. 15.58. Wherefore, my Beloved Brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. And courage? 1 Phil. 28. And in nothing terrifyed by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of Salvation, and that of God. A Spirit of courage under sufferings, which is the same with confidence here, so as not to be driven from our duty, or to take any sinful course for our safety.
3. Use to press us to seek after this confidence with diligence; it may be kept up, Heb. 6.11. And that you do shew forth the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.