The Saints Temptations, Sermons · Sermon 13
SERMON XIII.
2 Cor. 12.9.
And he ſaid unto me, My grace is ſufficient for thee: for my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs.
I Am now come to the laſt part of this Text. I did in the laſt exerciſe finiſh that clauſe, My grace ſhall be ſufficient for thee, where I took occaſion to handle the Doctrine of Grace. I come now to ſpeak to the laſt clauſe, which is in theſe words, For my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs. Theſe words, as likewiſe the former, My grace ſhall be ſufficient for thee, are the Lords own words to Paul, they were ſpoken immediately by the Lord himſelf to Paul, and therefore ought to bear ſo much the more weight with us. The perſon who ſpake theſe words was Chriſt, and that appears from the end of the verſe. Moſt gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmity that the power of Chriſt may reſt upon me. Paul had made his prayer to Chriſt, For this thing, ſaith he, I beſought the Lord thrice, that is, the Lord Chriſt. I beſought the Lord Chriſt, I made my prayer unto Chriſt. Where we may obſerve by the way, that it is lawful for us to direct our prayers to Chriſt, we may direct our prayers to either of the perſons in the Trinity, and we may direct our prayers to Chriſt, as Paul did here, I beſought the Lord, that is, the Lord Chriſt, ſo Stephen did Acts 7. Lord Jeſus receive my ſpirit. Now as Paul had directed his prayer to Chriſt, ſo he receives an anſwer from Chriſt, and he ſaid, My grace is ſufficient for thee, for my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs. And he ſaid, who was this that ſaid this? It was he that Paul had directed his prayer to, to wit, the Lord Chriſt. As we may lawfully pray to Chriſt, ſo Chriſt is able to hear and anſwer our prayers, John 14.13, 14. Whatſoever you ask the Father in my name, I will do it, he doth not ſay the father will do it, but I will do it. Now the anſwer Chriſt gives to Paul is this, My grace is ſufficient for thee, for my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs. My grace is ſufficient for thee, of that I have already ſpoken, that which I have now to ſpeak of is the latter clauſe, For my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs. Now this latter clauſe, For my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs, is a reaſon and explication of the former clauſe, My grace ſhall be ſufficient for thee. Paul had prayed that the thorn in the fleſh, the meſſenger of Satan might depart from him, Chriſt doth not give this anſwer to Paul, that this ſhall be done for him, that he prayes for, Chriſt doth not tell him, that the temptation ſhall be removed and taken away, but he gives in this anſwer, that his grace ſhall be ſufficient for him. The temptation was ſtill to continue upon Paul, but Paul was to have a ſufficiency of grace to help him under the temptation. Now in the Text, Chriſt gives the reaſon, why it is that he takes this courſe, that temptation ſhall continue upon Paul, and not be removed preſently, but he ſhall have grace to aſſiſt him under his temptation. The reaſon why Chriſt takes this courſe with Paul is, that ſo by this means Chriſts power, Chriſts vertue, Chriſts ſtrength, may be illuſtrated, and made known ſo much the more. Such was Pauls infirmity, that Paul of himſelf would certainly ſuccumb, and faint under his temptations, he would certainly be ovecome by them, if he were left to himſelf. Now the Lord had two ends in continuing Pauls temptation upon him.
1. To ſhew to Paul his own infirmity, to diſcover to him his own impotency and inability to ſtand under his temptation if left to himſelf.
And then, 2. Another end of Chriſt was to make known his power and grace, that when Pauls infirmity would certainly have ſuffered him to fall, yet the power and grace of Chriſt ſhould make him ſtand. This I take to be the proper ſcope and deſign of theſe words, For my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs. Chriſt would have Pauls temptation to continue upon him, that by this means his power and grace might be ſo much the more illuſtrated in ſupporting Paul under his infirmity. The words are plain, and are eaſily reſolved into this propoſition.
Doct. That chriſts ſtrength is perfected in our infirmity, Doct.or elſe Chriſts ſtrength is perfected in mans infirmity, foreign.For my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs.
A point though it may ſeem plain, yet it is of great uſe unto exerciſed ſouls, and none will underſtand the ſweetneſs of this point, but thoſe that have been under exerciſes.
For the unfolding of this propoſition we muſt conſider,
1. What we are to underſtand by infirmity, that is one term in the Text, My ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs, or infirmity; what are we to underſtand by infirmity?
2. What is meant by the power of Chriſt, My power or my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs.
3. How the power of Chriſt is made perfect in infirmity.
4. What that power or ſtrength of Chriſt is, that is made perfect in the Saints infirmities.
And then we ſhall come to the reaſons of it.
1. What are we to underſtand by infirmity, My ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs or infirmity; there are infirmities of ſeveral ſorts and kinds: but there are three ſorts of infirmities that are principally intended in this Text.
1. There are natural infirmites.
2. Moral infirmities.
3. There are the accidents or occurrences that fall out in humane life; all theſe may be well taken in here.
1. There are natural infirmities. Now natural infirmities, are either infirmities of the body or of the mind.
1. There are infirmities of the body. Infirmities of the body are ſuch as theſe, weakneſs, ſicklineſs, Craſineſs of the natural temper, all manner of diſeaſes and diſtempers that are incident to the bodies of men, theſe come under the name of natural infirmites.
2. There are infirmities of the mind, as namely meanneſs and lowneſs of parts, dulneſs of apprehenſion, ſhallowneſs and weakneſs in the judgement, unretentiveneſs in the memory, and the like, theſe are infirmities appertaining to the ſoul, and theſe are the firſt ſort of infirmities, namely, thoſe that we call natural infirmities, belonging to the body or mind.
2. There are moral infirmites, now by moral infirmites we are to underſtand two things.
1. Weakneſs and imperfection of grace.
2. The reliques and remainders of ſin and corruption in the Saints, and the Saints of God labour under theſe infirmities.
1. There is weakneſs and imperfection of grace in the Saints. Though they have truth and ſincerity of grace, yet there is a great imperfection of grace in them, imperfection in their knowledge, we know but in part, 1 Cor. 13.9.as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, imperfection in their faith, and love, and other graces.
2. The Saints, they have the reliques and remainders of ſin in them. Thus Paul complains, In me, that is in my fleſh, there dwells no good thing, Rom. 7.18. and in the laſt verſe of that Chapter, with the fleſh he ſerved the law of ſin. Now theſe reliques and remainders of ſin that are in the Saints may properly be called infirmities, becauſe though the Saints have theſe infirmities, theſe reliques and remainders of ſin in them, yet theſe do not reign in them, they feel the bent of their will ſet againſt ſin; though ſin hath a being in them, and though they find the motions of it, ariſing from corruption and the unregenerate part in them, yet the bent of their will is ſet againſt it. Therefore Paul ſaith in that Text before, With my mind I ſerve the Law of God, but with my fleſh the law of ſin; with my mind I ſerve the law of God, the deliberate purpoſe of his will, the bent of his will was ſet againſt it, though by reaſon of the remainders of ſin in his fleſh, he was many times ſurprized, overtaken, carried often contrary to that which was the deliberate purpoſe of his will.
3. By infirmities, we are to underſtand the accidents and occurrences that do belong to humane life, as croſſes, loſſes, hardſhips, difficulties, diſtreſſes, and the like, whatever may fall out in the courſe of providence that may tend to debaſe us, or depreſs us and lay us low, all theſe things come under the name of infirmity. Tam naturae noſtrae imbecillitas, quam omnia abjectionis argumenta. Calvin.Calvin obſerves that infirmity in this place is a general name and under it is comprehended, as well the imbecillity of our nature, as all thoſe things that fall out in providence that may tend to humble us. Whatever falls out in providence that tends to humble us, this comes under the name of the Saints infirmities. The Apoſtle himſelf in the words after the Text teaches us what he underſtands by infirmities in verſ. 10. Therefore I take pleaſure in infirmitie, in reproach, in neceſſity, in perſecution, in diſtreſs, for Chriſt's ſake, for when I am weak then am I ſtrong. Here we ſee the Apoſtle joyns infirmity with reproaches, neceſſities, perſecutions and diſtreſs, ſo that whatever was matter of abaſement and humiliation to Paul, theſe he reckoned a part of his infirmities.
The ſecond thing we are to ſpeak to in the Text is, what we are to underſtand by the power of Chriſt, my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs, or infirmity, what are we to underſtand by this ſtrength or power of Chriſt?
To open this, we muſt know, that Chriſts power may be conſidered in the root, or in the effect. The power of Chriſt conſidered in the Root, is that vertue, that ſtrength, that is in Chriſt himſelf. Chriſts power is infinite. Chriſts power conſidered in it ſelf is the ſame with the Fathers power, I and the Father are one, John 10.30. I and my Father are one, that is, one in eſſence, and one in power. And here it is well obſerved by a learned man, that in this Text we have a proof of Chriſts divinity. For if it be Chriſts power that carries the Saints through their difficulties and temptations, then certainly Chriſt muſt needs be God. Now the Apoſtle tells us it was the power of Chriſt that reſted upon him, that carried him through all his temptations.
Moſt gladly therefore will I rather glory in mine infirmities, that the power of Chriſt may reſt upon me. If it was the power of Chriſt that carried Paul through all his temptations and trials, and which carries the Saints through all their trials and temptations, therefore Chriſt muſt needs be God, for nothing but infinite and an almighty power can carry the Saints through all thoſe difficulties and temptations they are exerciſed with.
2. The power of Chriſt may be conſidered in the effect, and ſo the power of Chriſt is nothing elſe but the effect of his power put forth in us, Eph. 3.20. According to the power that works in us. There is a power put forth in us, and that is the power that is here meant, My power is made perfect in infirmity, that is, the energy, efficacy and operation of my power, is ſeen in mens infirmity. This I take to be the plain meaning, mans infirmity makes way for the putting forth of the effects of my power in him. Now there is a twofold power of Chriſt that we may diſtinguiſh of.
1. There is the power of his providence.
2. The power of his grace.
1. There is the power of his providence, God hath ſpoken once, yea twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God, Pſal. 62.11. power belongeth unto God, that is, power to adminiſter and order all things in his providence as he pleaſeth. So in Heb. 1.3. Upholding all things by the word of his power. Now the power of Chriſts providence is ſeen in mans infirmity, that is, the greater mans weakneſs and infirmity is, the more is the power of Divine providence ſeen in upholding of him.
2. There is the power of Chriſts grace, obſerve how the words lie, My grace ſhall be ſufficient for thee, for my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs, here grace and power ſeem to be ſynonymous, they ſeem to be put one for another; Chriſts grace is his power; Chriſts grace is that Divine help and aſſiſtance he gives to us, and his power it is his grace, that aſſiſtance of grace which he gives to his. So that the plain meaning is, My power is made perfect in weakneſs, that is, the power of my providence and of my grace is made perfect in mans infirmity.
The 3. term to be explained in the Text is this, How is it that Chriſts power is perfected in infirmity,foreign. my ſtrength is perfected or conſummated: the plain meaning is, it is illuſtrated, it is diſplayed, it is made viſible, and conſpicuous. Two things, I conceive, are carried in this expreſſion, My ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs, or infirmity.
1. That mans infirmity gives occaſion to Chriſt to put forth his power; My ſtrength is perfected in infirmity, as much as if it had been ſaid, My power hath occaſion, or matter of exerting it ſelf when mans infirmity is diſcovered. God is not wont to manifeſt, and put forth his power, till our infirmity appears; and when our infirmity doth appear, then is the time and ſeaſon Chriſt is wont to put forth his power. There are many great Scriptures ſpeak to this, For the Lord ſhall judge his people, and repent himſelf for his ſervants; when he ſeeth that their power is gone, and there is none ſhut up or left, Deut. 32.36. So in Iſa. 40.29. He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might, he increaſeth ſtrength: and it is a great expreſſion that, Hoſ. 14.3. In him the Fatherleſs findeth mercy. It is an expreſſion I have read of Luthers upon that Text, It is a thing defined and determined, that if thou wilt find mercy, thou muſt be fatherleſs. God ſhews mercy to none but thoſe that are fatherleſs. Thou muſt firſt be fatherleſs, thou muſt be helpleſs, thou muſt have no ſtrength before God ſhew thee mercy. The creature muſt be reduced to nothing in it ſelf, before God put forth his ſtrength to help us. And it is another expreſſion of Luther, God in his proper form and nature is ſuch a God who loves afflicted perſons, and who hath compaſſion upon them who are in diſtreſs, who are depreſt and brought low. I was brought low and he helped me, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. God puts forth his power then when man is brought loweſt.
The 2. thing implied is this, That Chriſts power it is made viſible and conſpicuous to us by our infirmities. We ſhould never have ſo clear a ſight of Divine grace, had not we firſt a ſight and ſenſe of our own infirmitie. This expreſſion of being perfected, My ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs, it hath relation to our ſenſe, the ſenſe and feeling of our own infirmity is that which gives us experience of Gods power ſo much the more. Had we no ſenſe of our own infirmity, we ſhould be apt to think we had a ſufficiency in our ſelves, but when we ſee and perceive our own infirmity, then we ſee it is by anothers ſtrength and not by our own, that we are inabled to do and ſuffer what we do and ſuffer. If we had not ſome ſenſe and experience of our own infirmity, we ſhould think the ſtrength and ſufficiency were in our ſelves. O but God leaves us under infirmitie, that we may ſee the ſtrength and ability God affords us under infirmity, is anothers, and not our own. This I take to be the meaning of the words, My ſtrength is made perfect in infirmity.
The 4. thing which we are to inquire into, and that which is of great moment in this matter, is this,
What is that power and grace of Chriſt that is put forth and made known in our infirmity?
1. Supporting grace is made known by our infirmity. Our infirmity is a means whereby the grace of Chriſt in ſupporting us is ſeen more clearly. When our burdens are many, and our preſſures great upon us, it is a wonder we do not ſink and faint under them, and therefore when we are under great trials, preſſures and temptations, it is infinite power that doth ſupport us, and the power of Chriſt is then made known in infirmity when we are ſupported under ſuch burdens and temptations, which were enough to ſink fleſh and blood, and to cruſh ſuch poor frail creatures as we are. I ſay, ſupporting grace is made viſible by the Saints infirmities. Iſa. 41.10. It is the promiſe of God to the Church, and though it is ſpoken to the Church in general, yet it is applicable to the particular members of the Church, I will ſtrengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteouſneſs. Here is ſupporting grace. Pſal. 145.7. The Lord upholdeth them that fall, that is, God upholdeth them that are ready to fall. The Saints of God are ſometimes near overwhelming, ſo great are the burdens and preſſures that they lie under, that they are almoſt ſunk under them, then doth God put under his everlaſting arms, and upholds them. It is a pregnant Text, Pſal. 94.17, 18. Unleſs the Lord had been my help, my ſoul had almoſt dwelt in ſilence, that is, I had been a loſt man, I had given my ſelf for loſt, My ſoul had almoſt dwelt in ſilence, that is, I had gone down to the grave, the place of ſilence. My afflictions and preſſures were ſo great, that they would have brought me down to the grave, the place of ſilence, compare this with Pſal. 115.17. The dead praiſe not the Lord, neither any that go down into ſilence, that is, the grave the place of ſilence. So that the meaning is, unleſs the Lord had been my help, my ſoul had almoſt dwelt in ſilence, that is, my afflictions had ſunk me, and ſwallowed me up, brought me down to the grave. And then mark what follows in the next verſe, When I ſaid my foot ſlippeth, thy mercy O Lord held me up, here is upholding grace, and this was ſeen in the infirmity of this Holy man, which before he mentions, the infirmity of this Holy man made way for the diſcovery of this grace of God towards him.
2. Aſſiſting grace is made perfect by our infirmity; the experience we have of the riſings of our own corruptions, and the inſinuation of Satans temptations, and alſo the experience we have of our own inability to deal either with the one or the other, ſhews us how much we are beholding to aſſiſting grace to inable us to withſtand or overcome them. And this ſeems to be the caſe in the Text, Paul ſaw an inability in himſelf to deal with the thorn in the fleſh, that is, to grapple with thoſe motions of corruption that Satans temptations did extimulate and ſtir up in him. Now the Lord promiſeth him his aſſiſting grace, My grace ſhall be ſufficient for thee. Now the power of God helping him to overcome theſe motions and temptations which he was infeſted with, was the more illuſtrated by this means, the power of aſſiſting grace to inable Paul to overcome his temptation was more ſeen, than if Paul had no temptation at all.
3. Recovering or reſtoring grace is made perfect by our infirmitie, Pſal. 23.3. Thou reſtoreſt my ſoul. Thus the grace of Chriſt recovered and reſtored Peter after his fall. When Peter denied his Maſter, and our Saviour looked upon him, and conveyed his grace by that look, this begat repentance in Peter, Matth. 26.75.he went out, and wept bitterly. Our infirmities make way for the illuſtrating the glory of reſtoring and renewing grace. For as we are unable to preſerve and keep our ſelves from falling, ſo we are as unable to recover our ſelves when we are fallen. It is the grace of Chriſt which brings our hearts into frame, after they have been out of frame, Pſal. 51.10. Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right ſpirit within me. David needed a work of creation to paſs upon him, after his fall. His heart was ſo diſordered by ſin, that it had need be ſet right again, and therefore he prays, Renew in me a right ſpirit. Sin had diſtempered him, and therefore he needed the grace of God to rectifie, and ſet things right in him. We cannot bring our own hearts into frame when they are out of frame. We ſhould pine and languiſh away under our relapſes did not Divine grace ſet us right. Now this is that which illuſtrates the Grace of Chriſt, that when we cannot recover or reſtore our ſelves, after our falls, he recovers and reſtores us.
Laſtly, Reviving and comforting grace is made known by the Saints infirmities. The Children of God have their fainting fits, holy and experienced ſouls know what belong to them. When their preſſures are great, when their temptations and trials have been long and ſore upon them, this brings them even to fainting, they are ready to ſay with Daniel, they retain no more ſtrength, neither have they any ſpirit in them. David complains, Pſal. 119.25. My ſoul cleaveth to the very duſt. And a verſe or two after he ſaith, My ſoul droppeth or melteth away for heavineſs. And Jonah ſaith, My ſoul fainted within me, Jonah 2.7. Secure perſons, who live at eaſe, and have no experience of temptation, and ſpiritual conflicts, know not the meaning of theſe things, but holy experienced ſouls know the meaning of them. The Saints of God are ſometimes brought to ſuch extremities, by their afflictions and temptations, that they are even in a manner overwhelmed by them. The title of Pſal. 102. is remarkable to evidence this, A prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. The Saints then are ſometimes overwhelmed by their ſorrows and temptations. Now theſe fainting fits the Saints are caſt into, make way for reviving or comforting grace, 2 Cor. 7.6. God who comforts them that are caſt down. It is one of the titles given to God, God that comforts them that are caſt down, and it is a great Text which was hinted before, Iſa. 40.29. He gives power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaſeth ſtrength. Were not the Saints brought to theſe faintings ſometimes, were they not brought to this, to think, they had no ſtrength, no might, they would not ſee the power of God which revives them, when they are brought to the very brink of the grave, to the very brink of deſtruction.
This ſhould teach us cheerfully to ſubmit to thoſe afflictions, trials, temptations, and all manner of exerciſes that God is pleaſed to exerciſe us with. Under the name of infirmitie, all manner of afflictions and trials are comprehended. Now if Chriſts power be perfected in our infirmity, that is, by our trials, temptations, exerciſes, we ſhould cheerfully ſubmit to this diſcipline, James 1.2. Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations, that is, when you fall into divers afflictions and trials, count it all joy; a ſtrange Doctrine to fleſh and blood! what is it a matter of joy to be afflicted? Is it a ground for all joy for a man to be afflicted? Truly, it is ſo in reſpect of the conſequents, it is not ſo in reſpect of it ſelf. Look upon affliction in it ſelf, and no affliction is for the preſent joyous but grievous, ſo the Apoſtle tells us, Heb. 12.11. But it is a matter of joy to fall into afflictions in reſpect of the conſequents, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. Why ſo? The following words tell us, knowing that the trial of your faith worketh patience. The Saints afflictions ſo far as they are ſanctified, are a means to increaſe their faith and patience, and the gain of a little grace by our afflictions makes amends for all our afflictions. If we gain faith or patience, or any grace whatſoever by our afflictions, the gain of a little grace is a greater good than there is evil in our afflictions. Beſides, if Gods ſtrength, and power, be manifeſted in our weakneſs and infirmity, we ought willingly to ſubmit to thoſe trials, and afflictions, and temptations that he laies upon us. We are bound (though it be a hard leſſon to fleſh and blood) to love the glory of God above our own eaſe and quiet. If therefore the power and grace of Chriſt, be illuſtrated in our afflictions and exerciſes, it becomes us the more cheerfully to ſubmit to them, becauſe God will have a revenue of glory this way. I remember it is an expreſſion of Luther, Chriſtianus ſine afflictionibus nil …al…t. Luther.A Chriſtian without affliction is worth nothing. We would fain take up with an eaſie Chriſtianity, we would fain carry on a ſmooth eaſie profeſſion without rubs or difficulties, or any conſiderable exerciſes and trials. We would have no temptations, we would meet with no troubles or afflictions in our way; but alas it will not be. Therefore let us remember this Text, My ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs. God will find out ſomething or other to exerciſe us with all our days, and if we ſhould be without exerciſes, God would loſe his glory and we ſhould loſe the grace and experience that is gotten by theſe trials. Let us pray much that ſin may be kept out of our afflictions; if ſin be kept out of our trials and afflictions, none of our afflictions will do us hurt.
The end of the Thirteenth Sermon.