Sermons, Sermon 4
THE FOVRTH SERMON.
II. COR. CHAP. V.
verse 12 For wee praiſe not our ſelues againe vntounto you, but giuegive you an occaſion to rejoyce of vsus, that yee may hauehave to anſwere against them, who rejoyce in the face, and not in the heart.
verse 13 For whether wee bee out of our wit, wee are it to GOD, or whether wee bee in our right minde, we are it vntounto you.
verse 14 For that louelove of CHRIST conſtraineth vsus.
verse 15 Becauſe wee thus judge, that if one bee dead for all, then were all dead, and Hee died for all, that they that liue, ſhoulde not hence foorth liue vntounto themſelues, but vntounto Him who died for them, and roſe againe.
TO repeat ſhortlie that which we hauehave heard in this Chapter, We hearde firſt of that aſſurance of glorie and life euerlaſting, which is the only remedy againſt death and the diſſolution of this body. Wee hearde ſecondly of the three warrandes of this aſſurance of life & glorie: The firſt, the earneſt deſire which the heart had of that glorie and life▪ The ſecond, Regeneration and renewing: The thirde, the Holie Spirite, who is the worker of all grace in our heartes, and who neuer leaueth vsus, but abideth in vsus, as an aſſured earneſt-pennie of the full accompliſhment of all that glorie promiſed to vsus in the word of GOD. And yet for all this wee heard that the Apoſtle had not that contentation nor full ſatisfaction of his heart▪ becauſe he is yet a pilgrime, liuing heere by confidence, and hath not gotten the full preſence of his LORD, hee chooſeth to leaue all the thinges in this life, and therefore, hee taketh reſolution what hee will doe in life and death, to the ende, that when hee commeth to his LORD in the Heauens, hee may bee welcome. The thing hee reſolueth to doe is this, hee endeuoureth himſelfe in his calling to be acceptable to Him in life and death: and hee will conſecrate all the actions and ſufferinges of both to Him. Beſide that glory to come, which moueth him to ſtudie to bee acceptable to his LORD, he ſetteth downe another motiue, a terrible Tribunall which abideth him and all men and women, who ſtudie not to bee acceptable to the LORD. The ſoule ſhall not ſo ſoone depart out of the bodie, but it ſhall alſo as ſoone bee preſented before that Tribunall, and ſhall receiue that dolorous ſentence, if they hauehave not ſtudied to bee acceptable to Him. Therefore, the Apoſtle concludeth, Knowing, therefore, that terrour of the LORDm we trauell in our calling to preach Chriſt, and to bring men to faith, and that not for the faſhion, but in ſinceritie of heart: ſo that wee take God (who ſeeth the heart) to be witneſſe to vsus of our ſinceritie. And as to you, Corinthians, vponupon whom we hauehave beſtowed our labour, wee appeale to your conſciences, and wee take you to be witneſſe of that ſame ſinceritie of our calling. This is the ſumme of all which ye hauehave heard hitherto in this Chapter.
Now to come to this Text which we hauehave read: In the firſt verſe, the Apoſtle hauing ſpoken of his ſinceritie in preaching, the Corinthians, who had not that liking of him which they ſhoulde hauehave had, might hauehave objected, Well Paule, yet vaunteſt thou of thy ſelfe? thou haſt once vaunted of thy ſelfe (as appeareth in the ſecond and third Chapters preceeding) and yet art thou commending thy ſelfe? He anſwereth, no, I commend not my ſelfe againe, I vaunted not of my ſelfe before, nor now neither: but when I ſaid, We are made manifest to GOD, and I trust alſo that wee are made manifest in your conſciences: in theſe words I giuegive you occaſion to glorie of me, and not ſo much for my cauſe as for the cauſe of falſe flattering Apoſtles, who glorie in their outward doings, without ſinceritie of the heart: the repreſſing of theſe mens vaine glorying, is the cauſe of this my ſpeaking. This is the meaning of this verſe.
Then, this Text beeing plaine, learne theſe leſſons: I marke firſt in the perſon of the Corinthians, who objecteth this vaunting to the Apoſtle, miſtaking his words. Scarſe may a godly man ſpeake a worde or two of the grace which the Lord hath giuen him, and that not to his owne praiſe, but to the praiſe of his God, when he is miſtaken by euill men, who ſet thēſelues to wryth eueryevery word that is ſpoken: And if euer there was an age in ye which this vice reigned, I am aſſured (& experience proueth it) none age may bee compared, in that caſe, to this age: Yea, a godly man can do nothing, but incontinent he is miſtaken: he can ſpeake nothing but he is miſconſtrued, and eſpecially the Miniſters in their callings, among all men their words are moſt miſcōſtrued▪ the day riſeth not, but there is an euident experience of this point, and euerie one ſeeth it. Therfore, what remedy? but patience: all this judging is but for a time, tary a litle while, and keepe a good conſcience in the meane time, and we ſhall ſee another judgemēt, when He ſhall come who judgeth rightly.
Then ſecondly, learne in the perſon of Paul: he will not hauehave it ſo much as once ſeeming, that he pra…ſeth himſelfe: eueryevery good man, and eſpecially a Miniſter ſhould flee all occaſion of vaine glorie: Yea, Chriſtian modeſtie, and ſoberneſſe require, that eueryevery man though they were indued with the greateſt graces in the world, yet they ſhould ſpeak and thinke of themſelues ſoberly: the more they hauehave, the greater graces that God hath giuen thē, the leſſe they ſhould account of themſelues: yea, ſuppoſe they be ſomthing in the ſight of God▪ yet looking to the naughtineſſe that abideth in this cankred nature▪ they ſhold ſay of themſelues (I am nothing) for th'Apoſtle ſaith, 1. Cor. 8. 2 & Gal. 6. 3. He that thinketh himſelfe ſomething, he is nothing & Phil. 2. 3. Let eueryevery man account another man better than himſelfe. If a man will meditate on his owne eſtate, either by night or by day, let him thinke of his infirmities, his ſins and naughtines: will hee rejoyce of himſelfe in his owne mind? looke to Paul what he ſaith. 2. Corin. 12. 9. I will rejoyce in mine infirmities, that the power of Ieſus may dwell in mee. The power of God neuer dwelt in a proud nor ambitious heart, but in an humble heart: God reſiſteth the proud, & giueth grace to the humble▪ 1. Pet. 5. 5. So Paul, when hee was muſing of himſelfe, albeit hee had ſeene great viſions, 2. Cor. 12. he complaineth of his infirmitie to the Lord: the Lord anſwereth, My grace is ſufficient for thee, my power is made perfect through weaknes. Then thou that wouldſt be ſtrong in God▪ be weake in thy ſelfe: thinke night and day of thine infirmity & miſery by ſin. I mark againe in the words of the Apoſtle: A godly man may rejoyce and glory in the grace of God: Why ſhould not the grace of God bee gloried in? The Apoſtle, 2. Cor. chap. 18. verſ. 5. whē he hath ſpoken of that Heauenly reuelation, Of ſuch a man I will rejoyce, ſaith he, of my ſelfe will I not rejoyce, except it bee of mine infirmity. Then may not a godly man ſpeake of him ſelfe? Yes, he may ſpeake of himſelfe, as the inſtrumēt of God, as the diſpenſer of the grace of God, as Paul did here. To what ende? That they, vntounto whome the Lord hath made him a good inſtrument, vponupon whom hee hath beſtowed his trauels, may glorifie God, and render vntounto him the honour of a Miniſter. Paule ſaieth, 1. Cor. 4. 1. Let a man count of vsus, as of the Ministers of Christ, and diſpoſers of the ſecretes of God. And ſo a Miniſter ſhould hauehave honour, and they vponupon whome hee hath beſtowed his trauels, and the grace which God hath giuē him, ſhould honour him, & they are as greatlie indebted to giuegive it him, as anie debt that euer they ought to pay. Therefore, the Apoſtle ſaieth, 2. Cor. 12. 11. I hauehave beene fooliſh in glorying, but ye hauehave compelled me, becauſe I ſhould hauehave beene commended by you. It is a point of ſacriledge to take anie honour from them that God hath giuē them. Now wherefore is this, that th'Apoſtle would hauehave them glorying of him? Not ſo much for his owne cauſe as for the cauſe of falſe Teachers, who rejoyced in the face, & not in the heart, that is, not in inwarde ſincerity, but in outward things, hauing a faire ſhow of eloquence and faire words. Then learne, ambition muſt not be borne with: it is pernicious both to the man in whome it is, and to other men who hauehave adoe with him. This vaine glorying is a kind of blaſphemie, for that which thou takeſt to thy ſelfe in thy vaine glorying, thou reaueſt God of it▪ in what calling ſoeuer thou bee. Therefore, th… vaine vaunting of our ſelues is a vice, which among all vices ſhould bee moſt repreſſed. Alace that ſtinking fleſh ſhould ſtand vp and reaue God of his glorie! Now, wouldeſt thou hauehave a meane to repreſſe this v…unting in the mouth of an ambitious man? When hee is vaunting of theſe outward graces and benefites, as an emptie veſſell, ſounding without ſinceritie in his heart, caſt thou vp in his teeth the ſincerity of the heart: ſay, vaine man▪ all thy ſpeach is in thy face, and not in thine heart. Set vp the heart againſt the face, and it ſhall ſhame it. It auaileth not to ſpeake of anie thing that thou canſt doe, except thou hauehave inward ſinceritie in the heart: For theſe outward things ſhall euaniſh, and dare not appeare before God in that great day: but ſinceritie remaineth for euer.
To come to the next verſe: Yet they will not let him bee: yet they will object vntounto him his fooliſhneſſe. Who will vaunt of himſelfe but a foole? Paule, thou art a foole, thou braggeſt of thy ſelfe. The Apoſtle anſwereth with modeſtie, Whether we bee out of our wit, wee are it to GOD, or whether wee bee in our right minde, wee are it vntounto you. There is the Apoſtles anſwere.
Then, Brethren that which God counteth wiſdome, the world counteth it fooliſhneſſe, and that which the worlde counteth wiſdome, God counteth it fooliſhneſſe. Was there anie fooliſh talking here, when the Apoſtle ſaith, We are manifest to God, and I doubt not but we are manifeſt alſo to your cōſciences? Was there any bragging here? So the wiſdome of God is fooliſhnes to the world, & ſhal be, as long as corrupt nature is within vsus: And the Apoſtle ſaith, 1. Cor. 3. 19. The wiſdome of the world is fooliſhnes with God. But the queſtion cannot now be decided what the true wiſdome is, and what falſe wiſdome i…: the end will proue. True wiſdome is juſtified of her owne children, Matt. 11. 19. Well, the end will ſhew, and eſpec…ally that day when all things ſhall be reuealed. Fooliſhneſſe ſhall ſtand vp, and all the world ſhall ſee it to be fooliſhnes: Wiſedome ſhall ſtand vp, and all the world ſhall ſee it to bee Wiſdome, & then it ſhal hauehave the owne approbation. So that theſe mē, that will be counted wiſe in this world, will bee compelled to vtter theſe wordes of them, whom they eſteemed fooles in this worlde, Are theſe the men, whoſe liues wee counted fooliſhnes? And I beſeech God to opē our eyes to ſee this true wiſedome & eſpecially in things concerning religiō, which wiſdom only wil abide approbation. Secondly learne, Paule here yeeldeth to them, & ſaith, Let me bee mad, I am mad to God: my God is before mine e…es, and I care not to bee mad to this worlde: And as for you, if I bee in my right mind, it is to you: Ye Corinthiās▪ hauehave nothing to laye to my charge, for I hauehave done my duetie faithfully to you. Brethren, ſee ye not heere the care which we ſhould ha…e of the glory of God & of the Church of God and her ſaluation? It ſhould cauſe a man of this calling that Paul was of, to be rauiſhed in ſpirit, and to be content to be counted a foole in this world, that God may bee glorified, and men helped forwarde to Heauen. If God bee glorified in my madnes, what regard I to be mad? what reſpect is to be made of a mā in this world? and what if men goe to ruine and decay, ſo that God bee glorified? But alas! there is ſuch a ſelfeloue ingraffed in the heart of eueryevery man, that wee wil not ſuffer God to be honoured, except it may ſtand with our honour. & we will ſay, I will not be eſteemed a foole, I will not be diſgraced: if it may ſtand with mine honour and profite I will glorifie Him: but if His honour and mine ſtand not together, I will chiefely hauehave reſpect to mine own honour. So it will neuer be well▪ till wee get this cankred ſelfe-louelove ſubmitting it ſelfe to the glorie of God. And it ſhould be the greateſt endeuour that euer we ſhould hauehave in this world, to caſt out this ſelfe-louelove, that we may be content, that God may bee glorified, although it were to our diſhonour▪ yea▪ though it were with our deſtruction. It is not ſelfe-louelove that bringeth honour and glory, onelie honour is of God▪ & thou ſhalt neuer get honour except thou caſt away ſelfe-louelove, that God may bee glorified.
Then to go forward: Paul muſt hauehave ſomthing for him, why he will bee mad for Gods cauſe: hee will not bee mad without ſome reaſon: therefore, in the next verſe he ſaith, For the louelove of God conſtraineth vsus: as if he would ſay, I am conſtrained to this fooliſhneſſe, and a charge is laide on me to doe ſo. I am bound and obliged ſo to doe: that is, to be a mad man for the glorie of my GOD. And from whence commeth this neceſſitie? It is the louelove of God, ſaieth hee, that conſtraineth mee: this bande that bindeth me is the louelove of Chriſt not the louelove which I beare to Him (that is too weake) but the louelove which H…e beareth to mee, it bindoth all my ſenſes, and vrgeth me to honour my God with my whole bodie. Theſe are the words. Then the verie neceſſitie which lieth on thee to bee a mad man for GODS cauſe, it is not a thing whereof thou canſt free thy ſelfe: there is a neceſſity aid on thee to bee counted mad for Chriſtes cauſe. Then, if there be a neceſſitie laid on vsus to doe this (albeit it bee to our owne diſhonour) what if wee doe it not, but will ſhake off this yoke? Then I tell thee, in place of it, another neceſſitie muſt come in, a neceſsitie of woe. Paule ſaieth, 1. Cor. 9. 16. Woe to me if I preach not the Gospell. God hath laid this neceſsity on me to preach, and if I caſt it off, another neceſsitie of woe ſhall be laide on mee Alas! this world thinketh all this worſhipping of God to be voluntarie, that men may ſerue GOD as they pleaſe, and that men may preach as they pleaſe, this way, or that way, and ſpeake heere, and holde their tongue there, as they will. But I ſay to thee, Wilt thou free me of that neceſsitie that lieth on mee? Art thou able to take it off my backe? If thou bee not able, then for GODS ſake let mee preach the Goſpell with freedome and ſinceritie of heart. I tell thee, There is ſuch a neceſsitie laide vponupon the ſhoulders of the Miniſters to vtter eueryevery thing which the Lord putteth into their mouthes, that if thou ſhake off this neceſsity another neceſſitie of woe ſhall be laid vponupon them. And this ſhall be their crie on their dead-bed, Woe to mee, that I preached not the Goſpell truelie.
Yet to goe forward. From whence commeth this neceſsitie? Hee ſaieth▪ It is the louelove of GOD that conſtraineth mee It is the louelove of Chriſt which Hee ſhewed in His ſuffering for me, that bindeth mee. So, it was the louelove of Chriſt towardes Paule that moued him patiently to be called mad for Chriſts cauſe. Chriſt, for the louelove which He did beare to vsus, ſuffered Himſelf not only to be called mad, but to be called a Deuill, Matt. 12. 24. He ſuffered the extremitie of paine and ignominie for our ſakes: and all the reuilinges and reproches that ſhoulde hauehave lighted vponupon vsus, Hee tooke them vponupon Him. Such was His louelove towardes vsus. Then, wilt not thou ſuffer to be called a mad man for His cauſe? If thou wouldeſt hauehave a part of ye inheritāce which Chriſt conquered, thou muſt bee bound, a neceſſitie muſt be laide vponupon thee, and if thou bee looſed, thou art looſed from the louelove of IESVS, and then woe and euerlaſting deſtruction ſhall come vponupon thee. I ſee then, all our ſeruice of Chriſt▪ is of neceſsitie. Then what pleaſure can bee in the ſeruice of CHRIST, if it bee conſtrained ſeruice? The thing I am compelled to doe, I will hauehave little pleaſure in the doing of it: In deed it is true, thou art not looſe, but bound: From the time that thou entereſt into the Church of Chriſt, thou entereſt into bonds: but there is a great difference betwixt band and band: one band will binde thee & force thee to do a thing, whether thou wilt, or wilt not: Another band will only leade thee the right way, which thou art to goe.
Brethren, this band that Paule ſpeaketh of in this place, it is a ſweete band the band of the louelove of Chriſt, and it bindeth thee ſweetly and louingly to diſcharge thy duety towards God: and all thy duety by this band is voluntary: and hee who is bound with this bād, will rejoyce more to be called a foole for Chriſts ſake, than to be eſteemed a king vpō the earth. But thou muſt take heed where this band is that bindeth thee, that it may leade thee to doe thy duetie willinglie: If the louelove of Chriſt, which is the band, be outwith thee onelie ſounding in thine eare (as when it is tolde thee, Chriſt loueth thee) I tell thee it wil not bind thee. All the preaching in the world will not bind thee, if it be without thee: Paul ſaith, therefore, Rom▪ 5. 5. The louelove of God is ſpread abroad in our hearts, thorow the holy Spirit that is giuen vsus. Then, that that louelove may binde thine heart it muſt bee powred in thee, and when it entereth into the heart, it looſeth ye heart with ſuch a ſweetneſſe to doe Gods will as is vnſpeakeable: it bindeth the heart with an exceeding joye. Would to God wee had a taſte of this louelove! All is but words. There cā be no ſuch ſweetneſſe as that is, from once the Spirit hath powred the louelove of Chriſt in thine heart, then let all our trauels be▪ when we heare of theſe things, to get a ſenſe of the louelove of Chriſt in our hearts. Al the powers in the world will not mooue thee to doe thy duety ſo much as the feeling of this louelove of Chriſt towardes thee. And nothing will bee able to ſtay thee from Chriſt, and honouring Him (and it were with thine owne ignominie) if once thou hauehave a ſenſe of it.
In the next verſe hee giueth two reaſons why the louelove of Chriſt conſtrained him: The firſt reaſon is taken from that miſery that Chriſt founde him in, when he ſuffered for him: The ſecond is taken from the ende of the death of Ieſus. As to the firſt, this was our miſerable eſtate before Chriſt loued vsus, we were all dead: how proueth he that? If one be dead for all, then were all dead: if thou hadſt not bene dead, in vaine Chriſt died for thee: if thou hadſt bene but halfe dead (as the Papiſts ſay, who vaunt of their free will) the Sonne of God had neuer died for thee: if Paul had had this free will, and ſo bene halfe dead, Chriſt had neuer died for him: and if there were none other argument but this, To import that there is not a free wil, nor ſponke of godlines in mē by nature, it is ſufficient to ſay, Chriſt hath died for all: we were without all ſponk of free will to good, when Chriſt came.
Marke the force of the argument. It is from that miſerable eſtate and ſpirituall death wherein CHRIST found vsus, when Hee beganne to beſtow His louelove vponupon vsus. Wee were dead ſpirituallie in ſinne, dead in treſpaſſes. What is this corporall death to bee reſpected, if thou bee dead in ſinne, thou art worſe than a carion.
This ſpirituall death ſhould moue vsus to thinke that the louelove of Chriſt was wonderfull towardes vsus: it ſhould euer make vsus aggrege that louelove wherwith He hath loued vsus: Hee died for thee, who was dead in ſinne and treſpaſſes, and ſo an enemie to Him. Who is hee, ſaieth the Apoſtle, that will die for his enemies? Roman. 5. 7. Thou being dead in ſinne, thou liuedſt in ſinne▪ and ſo liuedſt an enemie to the life of CHRIST. And therefore, thine heart can neuer ſufficientlie aggrege the benefites of His death. Men are miſerable, but alas! they feele it not: thou haſt no want nor ſcant of miſerie, but thou wanteſt ſenſe: and the leſſe feeling thou haſt of thy deadnes, the greater is thy deadneſſe: for the ſenſe of death is the beginning of life: the more thou wanteſt the ſenſe of death, thou art euer the deader: the liuelier the ſinner is, leaping and playing in his wantonneſſe, the deader is hee in ſoule: For hee hath a burthen vponupon his backe, that will preſſe him thorowe the earth, and make him ſinke to Hell one day: and in the meane time, he is running to his miſchiefe and villanie, and knoweth not that hee hath death euerlaſting vponupon his backe. O wo be to that miſerable catiue, although he be a king! Alas! men are dead in ſinne, and halfe in Hell, and will not conſider it. It is a pitifull thing to conſider howe there is no ſenſe of this infernall miſerie, that followeth vponupon this death: When it is tolde them, The LORD hath died for them, they will make none account of it. The word of the Croſſe of Chriſt hath beene to the multitude of this Land but▪ a vaine ſounde, and they hauehave neuer eſteemed of ſuch a merciemercy. And therefore what wonder is it to ſee theſe vexations! O SCOTLAND! thou ſhalt get another wakening, thou haſt ſo long contemned grace, which is ye moſt precious thing that euer was. The Lord cānot be Lord, if He ſuffer ſo long contempt and lightlying of Chriſt and His louelove vnpuniſhed.
The ſeconde argument is taken from the ende and purpoſe that Chriſt had in dying: looked Hee to this end, that thou ſhouldeſt play thee, and follow thine own luſt? that thou ſhouldeſt abuſe that life, which He had bought ſo deare with His precious blood? No, his purpoſe was, that not only in his death & ſatisfaction thou ſhouldeſt be juſtified & coūted juſt but alſo that thou ſhouldeſt be ſanctified, that thou ſholdeſt caſt off the works of vncleannes, & dedicate thy life in holines to him: it is ſaid, Rom. 14. 9. that he roſe again, that he might be Lord ouer thy life: For there was neuer man, that had ſuch a right to an earthlie thing, as Chriſt hath to thy life▪ then doe what euer may pleaſnte him, if it were to die a thouſand times, if it were to bee a foole for His cauſe, what euer may pleaſure Him ſet thee to doe it, or of neceſſitie thou ſhalt loſe that life of thine: But here is the miſery: Mē know not wherefore Chriſt died: Will yee aske men and women, when they are bathing themſelues in wickedneſſe, if they will goe to Heauen? they will anſwere, yes, they will goe to Heauen before their feet be colde. But, vaine lowne, thou neuer knewſt Chriſtes purpoſe in dying for thee, His purpoſe was, that thou ſhouldeſt be a new man, and thou ſhouldeſt not liue to thine owne ſelfe, but to Him. And the end ſhall proue (if thou proceed ſo▪ liuing to thy ſelfe, & not to Him who died for thee) that the death of Chriſt had neuer force in thee. Therefore, looke if thou liue to Chriſt: and if thou doeſt ſo, then aſſure thy ſelfe Chriſt died for thee. Looke if in the morning thou canſt ſay, Lord, thou died for me, I will giuegive thee my life, and conſecrate to Thee this day, all mine actions, and all that I hauehave. Well is the ſoule that can ſaye this way. Then all turneth to this, Seeing Chriſt died for me, I will take this reſolutiō, I will liue to Him al my dayes. The Lord grant vsus this reſolutiō, that we may liue to Him in this life, that herafter we may liue with Him in Heauen for euer: To whome, with the FATHER, and the Holie GHOST, be all Honour, Praiſe, and Glorie, both now and euermore, So bee it.