2 Corinthians

[0:00] As the Lord should be pleased to help me, I shall call your attention to a subject you will find in the second epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 4, and the second half of the ninth verse.

[0:26] Cast down, but not destroyed. Second epistle to the Corinthians, and the second half of the ninth verse.

[0:49] I would like to feel that this subject might be as a word in season, a word of help to some of you desiring to get good for your souls.

[1:08] It may be some of you are here and saying as David did, oh my God, my soul is cast down within me.

[1:21] But this word before us should be a word to encourage you to hope in God, cast down but not destroyed.

[1:36] Although you may feel to be at a very low ebb in your soul's experience, and maybe you can hardly tell what you are or where you are in things divine, you cannot feel at the present time as you would like to feel that matters are right between your soul and God.

[2:02] But here is this word, but not destroyed. And that is that you are here before God in the attitude of worship, and let your consciences tell you if this is the truth of the matter.

[2:23] Your eyes have been up unto the majesty of heaven, that there might be some token for good, some help by the way, some intimation of the love of God made known toward you, and that in the worship of God you might be indeed helped with a little help.

[2:51] And now if that concern is wrought within you, then you are not destroyed. As I said at the outset, you may feel to be at a very low ebb in your soul's experience, but you can still say, as Job did, the root of the matter is found in me, and that root of the matter is functioning inasmuch as you are here before God, after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

[3:31] And now I want, as the Lord to help me, to look at this subject from just one or two viewpoints.

[3:43] And in viewing the setting of it, I must make it plain that the Apostle Paul is writing to these godly Corinthians and setting before them what the work of the ministry really is.

[4:04] And that is a subject nowadays that is not as well understood as it ought to be. And the Apostle Paul is making it plain that in his own labors in word and doctrine, he entered into this experience.

[4:27] In the context it says, we have this treasure in earthen vessels. The treasure is the gospel, the proclamation of it, by men ordained of God to preach.

[4:46] But men ordained of God to preach are earthen vessels. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.

[5:02] We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken.

[5:15] And then comes the consummation in our text. Cast down, but not destroyed.

[5:26] The Apostle Paul declared, Wherever I go, bonds and afflictions await me.

[5:39] He was a much tried man of God. And he was indeed cast down by the treatment he received in many places where God ordained that he should preach.

[5:58] But underneath it all, he had got this sweet blessed persuasion. Cast down, but not destroyed. He had a solemn awareness of what God had ordained him to be.

[6:16] The man of God that he was. The great Apostle. And he had this view of it.

[6:27] And it means that you and I. Although, while this primarily applies to the ministry, It is equally true about all people taught of God, Whoever they are, wherever they are.

[6:47] Cast down, but not destroyed. And now says the Apostle Paul, Always bearing about in the body, The dying of the Lord Jesus, That the life also of Jesus, Might be made manifest in our body.

[7:10] In other words, He puts it in another epistle, As dying, And behold we live. For we which live, Were always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, That the life also of Jesus, Might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

[7:36] And so the Apostle Paul, Held fast by that great truth, And because I live, Ye shall live also.

[7:48] And so, Although he was in many deaths, Oft, As he tells us in this same epistle to the Corinthians, And thereby he was cast down.

[8:03] Blessed be God, He could go on and declare, But not destroyed. And now, The word of God tells us, Whatsoever things were written aforetime, Were written for our learning, That we through patience and comfort, In the scriptures, Might have hope.

[8:29] And so, I would just look, A little, At some things, Whereby sinners born again, Mark the word in, Sinners born again, Are cast down.

[8:44] And yet, While they are indeed cast down, Deep down in their hearts, There is the reality of that religion, Still abiding, That God has wrought, In their hearts, Cast down, But not destroyed.

[9:11] And now, It may be, You are here in a cast down state. There are two viewpoints, Of being cast down.

[9:24] As soon as a sinner is born again, And he begins, As he will do, To follow on to know the Lord, He will get some help.

[9:36] He will be granted encouragement. And, Ere long, He will find, He has got something wrought, In his soul's experience, That will give him, Confidence in God.

[9:54] And as soon as he gets, That confidence in God, Satan, Will be on the stretch, If so be, He can gain, Some advantage, Over that sinner born again, To, Undermine his confidence, Or, To weaken it, And that means, That you and I, If God has granted us, Such a confidence, Oh do prize it, And do watch, And pray, Lest ye enter, Into temptation, For if you should do, And fall, Then Satan, Then Satan, Having gained that advantage, That advantage over you, Will turn round, To try and rend you, Regarding your confidence, As to whether it can be, That, Which God has wrought,

[10:55] Seeing you, Have fallen a prey, To some temptation, Within, Or, Without, And now, That is what, Satan, Is ever working, To bring about, With you and I, If we are indeed, Sinners born again, That what we hope, God has done for us, Satan will seek, To, Undermine it, And to, Rob us, Of the hope in God, That we possess, As we look back, To see, What we humbly hope, God has indeed, Done for us, And whereof, Many a time, We have been, Made, Glad, But, More often, Sinners born again, Are cast down, Not only,

[11:56] As regards, Their standing, In the things of God, But they are cast down, By things within, And that is to do, With our frames, And feelings, And now, There is that about us, We are very apt to judge, How we are before God, By what, Our frames and feelings, May be, I am going to tell you, That our frames and feelings, Are not the criterion, Not the standard, Whereby, We are to judge, How matters are, Between, Our souls, And God, What do we read, In Malachi, I am the Lord, I change not, Therefore, Ye sons of Jacob, Are not,

[12:58] Consumed, And if, The good work, Is indeed, Begun in us, God, As guarantee, To carry it on, And that, Do listen, Irrespective, Of what our frames, And feelings, May be, You see, A sinner born again, Is said in the word of God, To be a tree of righteousness, And now, That is a very simple, Yet a very apt, Illustration, The Holy Spirit, Uses that, Illustration, And there is a word, In Isaiah, I have been very glad of, Sometimes, As the days, Of a tree, So are the days, Of, My, People, And now you see, A tree, I mean a fruit,

[13:59] Bearing tree, In winter time, And there is no fruit, To be seen, There are no leaves either, Or buds, Of promise, Of fruit, But it stands, Stark and stiff, On the landscape, And the passerby, Not knowing what it really is, Could conclude it was dead, No, No, It is a fruit bearing tree, With a season wherein, To bear fruit, Though bleak wins, The boughs deface, The rooted stalk, Shall still remain, Leaves may languish, Fruit decrease, More shall grow again, It is still, A fruit bearing tree, In the orchard, And that is to say, A tree of righteousness, In the church of Christ, While it is a winter time,

[14:59] Season, Season it is passing through, There are other seasons, There are other days, Not only days, When you feel cast down, But there are good days, When the sun of righteousness, Arises, To shine upon you, With life, And light, And healing, To, There are good days, And now, Do remember that, It might help you, If you were here, Cast down, Do remember how, The apostle Paul argues, Cast down, But not, Destroyed, And now, I can only draw, A bow at a venture, And that is all, The preacher is, Ever able to do, And the pastor, Is always seeking,

[16:00] To do it, Week in, Week out, Concerning the people, Of his charge, Some of you, May be here, As I have said, In a cast down state, And now, What is it, That has made you, To be cast down, What is the question, Arising, In your breast, What is the concern, That, Is wearing you, It is to do, With your soul, And your soul's, Eternal welfare, Yes, You remember, That David said, Why art thou cast down, O my soul, Why art thou disquieted, Within me, Hope thou in, God, For I shall yet praise him, Who is the health, Of my countenance, And my,

[17:00] God, There is a why, Why art thou cast down, Why art thou disquieted, And the answer, To that why, Is, That such a sinner, Cast down, Is a sinner born again, Such an one, Has got some religion, That God, Is the author of, And his soul reacts, To whatever is, Circumstances, May be without, Or whatever, He may feel, Concern in his case, Within, And you may be, Cast down some of you, Because you would like, To be sure, You are numbered, With the people of God, But as yet, You have not got, That, Blessed confidence, That is given to,

[18:02] People taught, Of God, Sooner or later, What you want, Is this, The spirit itself, Beareth witness, With our spirit, That we are, The children, Of God, And until you know, You are, You will be cast down, For the want, Of that sure, Indubitable, Evidence, But then, Inasmuch as you were concerned, To get that evidence, You are not destroyed, God is at work, Within, It is the spirit of God, That enables you, To wait on God, Wait for God, You must not give place, To the devil, If he suggests, That there is no help, In God for you, No hope, For such a sinner, As you feel, To be, No, No,

[19:02] There is another way, To view it, A much better way, A sure way, I'll to the gracious, King approach, Who set to pardon, Gives, Perhaps he will, Command my touch, And then, The suppliant, Lives, How glad, Some of you, Dear people, Would be, You dear young people, Some of you, If you could, Only be sure, That, You were a sinner, Born again, Well, It is a sign, That God, Has mercy, Laid up in store, For you, If you were here, In the attitude, Of worship, Cast down, For the want of it, And remember that, Jesus, Will not, Your cry forget, You shall obtain, The blessing yet, Cast down, You may be, But you will,

[20:04] Never be cast off, No, No, No sinner, Was ever yet, Empty sent back, Who came, Seeking mercy, For Jesus, Save, And now, There may be, This that casts you down, And that is not only, To do with the young, But those in life's, Afternoon and evening time, You look within, And you, What matters, As you feel they are, Between your soul, And God, Which shall know, Every man, The plague, Of his own heart, And as you see, What you are, How sad our state, By nature is, And now as you journey, On through life, How much you seem to fail, In all that you would be,

[21:06] And would do, In living, The life of the righteous, You are cast down, And now do remember, What the hymn writer says, Pour not on thyself, Too long, It is essential, It is necessary, That you should know, What you are by nature, And your sinnership, Should be unfolded, And opened up, To you, But then, What does the hymn writer say, Again, Blessed are the men, Of broken heart, Who mourn for sin, With inward smile, Yes, The blood of Christ, Divinely flows, A healing balm, For all their woes, It is not against you,

[22:08] To be cast down, Because you feel, No sinner, Needed mercy more, That ever saw, God's face, No, It is a mercy, For you to be led, Into the truth, And to come to that, Viewpoint, Of it, And the word of God, Has much to encourage you, Poor sinner, In your cast down state, Here is one word, Christ Jesus, Came into the world, To save sinners, Of whom I am chief, And you may feel like that, In your cast down state, But then, Think of Jonah, And he, Of a truth, Was cast down, And remembered too, He was not destroyed, But what did he say, In his cast down state, Though I am cast, Out of thy sight,

[23:10] I will look again, Toward thy holy temple, And you and I, Have got to learn that, Deeper down as we journey on, The remedy, Lies before thee, Pray, Yes, Cast down, But not, Destroyed, And now, You might be, Cast down, Because you are in much heaviness, Through many fold temptations, And Satan is a cunning foe, And he knows the weaknesses, Of every sinner, Born again, And he sets his artillery, Whereby, He can, Make an entrance, Into that, Sinner's, Soul's experience, If so be, He can work, Havot with it, And sometimes, He seems to be permitted,

[24:11] To do so, So it was, With dear Job, The dear man, Had got a religion, That, God was the author of, And he was about, The most godly man, Of the age in which he lived, But when Satan, Began to work, On poor Job, What did he say then, Ask for my hope, Who shall see it, My hope hath he removed, Like a tree, Oh, That I knew, Where I might find him, That I might come, Even to, His, Seat, Job wanted to get, Matters made right, Again, Between, His soul, And God, And in the ultimate, Issue, God, Worked, Wonderfully for Job, So that he was, Brought forth, Yes,

[25:13] And matters indeed, Were as his soul, Desired them, To be, Cast down, But not destroyed, And I would say this, It is, No evidence, Against you, On the other hand, It can be argued, That it is for you, If Satan, Comes upon you, To suggest, That your religion, Is not that, Which is of God, And will not do, Either to live by, Or to, Die by, Oh, I have told you, Dear people, Many times, Satan is not, Omniscient, And I am sure, And the word of God, Will confirm it, That Satan, Can never know, How matters, Really are, Between your soul, And God, He may shoot, His fiery darts,

[26:14] And he may, Seek to undermine, Your hope, In God, And make you to be, Cast down, But even so, There is another viewpoint, In that experience, Trust in, Him, Even in him, Who is the sinner's friend, Ye tempted saints, Tell him all your sad complaints, He a present help, Will be, Give you strength, And victory, Yes, It is not against you, If Satan seeks to gain advantage over you, Regarding your religion, Whether it is of God, Or no, If it was not of God, He would leave you to go on your way, Just as you are, And still gain his end, But if it is of God,

[27:17] Then, He worries, Whom he can't devour, With a malicious, Joy, Not only so, You might be, Cast down, Because you are very much, In the dark, Nowadays, Regarding your soul's experience, There is this scripture, Who is among you, That feareth the Lord, That obeith the voice, Of his servant, That walketh in darkness, And hath no light, Dear friends, That is a very solemn, A very painful, Experience, And the word of God, Makes it plain, That it is, Often, A frequent experience, Of people, Taught of God, That they do find,

[28:19] This darkness, Of mind, Wherein, They look back, To see what God has done, And they cannot see it, Oh, They walk in obscurity, And darkness, For a while, And there is a need to be, For this, In that dark experience, They are indeed, Cast down, But, There are two things, I would say, Two comments, I would make, Upon that viewpoint, And that is, That, The flowers, Need, Night's, Cool darkness, The midnight, And the dew, So, Christ, From one, Who loved him, His shining, Off, With, Drew, Darkness of mind,

[29:24] Is very painful, And Satan, Can take, A great advantage, Of it, The word of God, Says thou makest, Darkness, And it is night, Wherein all the beasts, Of the forest, Do creep forth, And then, You were brought, Very low, And, Your hope in God, Is at its, Lowest head, But it is not, Destroyed, Because, It is not, Possible to do it, No, No, The other viewpoint, Of being in darkness, Of mind, Is this, I do wonder, If, Any of us, Preacher, Or people, Know very much, About it, But I am bound, To tell you, As the Lord shall help me, That it is a darkness, That is to be known,

[30:26] And now, In making that plan, I will remind you, What the apostle Peter says, Beloved, Think it not strange, Concerning the fiery trial, That is to try you, As though some strange thing, Happened unto you, But rejoice, Inasmuch as ye are partakers, Of Christ's sufferings, And now, There is one, Ingredient, In that cup, The dear saviour, Had to drink, Oh how bitter it was, No preacher, Can ever begin to tell, It was the essence, Of bitterness, That the sweetness, Of the gospel, Might be known, Tasted, By poor sinners, Born again, But the ingredient, I name is this, Jesus Christ said,

[31:27] My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me, Jesus Christ, Is verily man, When he bore sins, Tremendous load, It is written, The Lord hath laid upon him, The iniquity, Of us all, And when that was done, Then, Jesus Christ, Is verily man, Had to endure, The hiding of his father's face, And there, Is this to be known, In having, Fellowship with Christ, In his sufferings, From that viewpoint, Because, Go back a moment, To Job, And he said, He hath brought me, Into darkness, And not into light, But he says, Also later,

[32:29] By his light, I walk through darkness, And now, Job was the most, Godly man, I have said, In the age, In which he lived, God himself, Proclaimed, That he was, A perfect man, That is one, Ever honest, And sincere, Before the majesty, Of heaven, One that feareth God, And estueth evil, Yet, All those trials, Came upon him, And he was stripped, Of all, But that religion, That God had wrought, Deep down, In his soul, And, There is that darkness, Wherein you may be, Cast down, And yet, You can search, Your conscience, And it does not, Accuse you, Of any, Outstanding sin, Whereby, You have heard, And strayed, Like a lost sheep, And brought,

[33:30] That dealing of God, Upon you, But it is how, God sees fit, To deal, With you, That he might, Cause it to work, For good, In your soul's, Experience, And sometimes, It is necessary, That we should, Have these, Dark times, Otherwise, We might, Be left to, Settle down, Upon the lees, Of what we hope, Is our past experience, Of the goodness, Of God, In his dealing, With us, And go on, In our profession, Of Jesus name, And just take, Things for granted, No, No, You and I, Have got to learn, To live like this, Hold up my goings, In thy paths, That my footsteps, Slip not, And I have told you, This verse,

[34:30] This verse, Many times, You really, Should know it, Ever on thy captain, Calling, Make thy, Worst condition, Known, He shall hold thee up, When falling, Or shall lift thee up, When down, Cast down, But not, Destroy, You may be, Cast down, Because, Something has come, Into your life, That you little, Reckoned, Would come, And yet, It may be, If you had read, The word of God, A little more, Carefully, I say that, In all affection, I'm not fitting, Any caps on, But the word of God, Would have warned you, That this, Thing, Whatever it is, Might, Come, Into, Your everyday life, And it might be, Some affliction, God, Has laid,

[35:31] Upon you, And it is such, An affliction, That, Earthly physicians, Can do nothing, In regard to it, To bring about, Health and cure, And so, You are shut up, To God, In regard to what, He, As the sinner's, Wise physician, Will be pleased, To do, And in the midst of it, You are cast down, You wonder, What is the purpose, Of God, What is his will, Concerning you, You desire, To realize, What his purpose is, And behave accordingly, You want to know, The will of God, In it, And to do his will, Willingly, But underneath it all, You are cast down, But you are not destroyed,

[36:33] And now, What are you to do, You are to, Call to remembrance, The former days, Did ever trouble, Yet befall, And God refused, To hear, Thy call, And whatever it is, That makes you cast down, God, God, Is declared in his word, To be, God, That comforteth, Them, That are cast down, And do remember, That he is approachable, He is approachable, At any time, Anywhere, And a mercy, It will be, If you are helped, To do what his word says, In everything, By prayer, And supplication, With thanksgiving,

[37:35] Let your request, Be made known, Unto, God, Have you ever noticed, The beautiful, Homely, Simplicity, Of that, Let your request, Be made known, Unto God, It does not suggest, You need a, Multitude of words, To do it, But you can appeal, To God, O Lord, Thou knowest, Where I am, What I am, And I am cast down, And I need, Thy divine aid, And you will obtain it, Cast down, But not, Destroy, Much might be said, About those things, And I may not have touched upon, The thing that has made you, Cast down, So that you are here,

[38:36] Before God, It may be to do with you, Or yours, Or something in your business life, Wherein you as a godly man, Desire to behave, A right, But then, The word of God, Gives you, Instructions, Trust in the Lord, And do good, So shalt thou dwell in the land, And verily, Thou shalt be fair, Let us look at the other side, Of this, Great truth, Cast down, But not, Destroy, And now it means, What God has done for us, Is not destroyed, And that is a great mercy, It is of the Lord's mercies, We are not consumed, Because his compassions, Fail,

[39:37] Not, And if you can, Go back over life's journey, And search out, Some things along life's way, Whereby you can say, This is the finger of God, If you can search out, Where God, Came into your life, When trouble like a gloomy cloud, Gathered thick, And thundered loud, And when, Instead of you sinking to rise no more, He brought you forth, To offer unto him thanksgiving, For delivering mercy, And you have set up a way mark, Where that trouble came into your life, You have raised a high heat, And although you should walk in darkness, And have no light,

[40:38] And you look back and cannot see it, Oh it is still there, It is not destroyed, And when the Lord is pleased to appear for you, And when in his light, You look back again, And see light on his dealings, You will see, All these way marks, Standing out, Standing up, To encourage you, As you journey on, Cast down, But not, Destroyed, And now, Let us get right down to bed, Rot, As you are here, Before God, Say you are a cast down worshipper, You do desire to worship God aright, You have already waited on God, That you might not wait in vain, As you appeared before him,

[41:41] In the attitude of worship, In his earthly courts, You have indeed said, Amen, Compassion have on us, We pray, And empty send us, Not away, Then, That which enables you to appear before God, Has not been destroyed, It is still, Said concerning you, Behold he, Behold she, Pray it, And how would the powers of darkness boast, If but one praying soul, Were lost, What I am trying to, Make manifest is this, Living faith in you, Blessed be God, Is not destroyed, You are here before God, And your concern, And your concern is to get in touch with God,

[42:43] Like the woman in the gospel, When she said, If I may but touch the hem of his garment, I shall be made, Whole, Not only is faith not destroyed, Hope is not destroyed, Dear friends, It was hope, That brought you along, To worship God, Did you not have a feeling like this, I seek and hope, To find a portion, From my soul, Hope is not destroyed, And remember, What the word of God says about hope, It speaks about, One, Who against hope, Believed in hope, And sometimes, These people, Taught of God as they are, They are brought to hope, Against hope,

[43:45] And they get right down, In their cast down state, To where the hymn writer did, When he said, Though by my sins, Deserving hell, Are not despair, For who can tell, And in that who can tell, There is the evidence, That what God has wrought in your soul, Some religion, That he is the author of, Is not destroyed, And that hope, Ere long, Will be brightened, When he grants you a deliverance, Deliverance from your cast down state, Yes, Another thought is this, Love is not destroyed, Because you are here, Through that love, Which made your willing feet, In swift obedience move, To appear before God,

[44:46] Where you are, And you can say, We love the place, O God, Wherein thine honour dwells, The joy of thine abode, All earthly joy, Excels, And I might say this, You are here, At least I hope you are, The characters I am trying to reach, This sabbath morn, You are here, With a desire to be in subjection, To the, Sovereignty of God, And to be submissive, To his, Will, And yet, You are pleading like the leper, Lord, If thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean, And now all these things, Prove that the root of the matter,

[45:50] Is functioning, In your soul's exercises, And although you feel cast down, Much in the dark, As to the why and wherefore, Of the dealings of God with you, The good work begun in you, Is being carried on, And although you feel as you do, You are not to judge, By your frames and feelings, But you are to thank God, That while you are indeed, Cast down, Blessed be his name, You are not destroyed, And you never will be, What did Jesus say?

[46:34] I am the resurrection, And the life, Whosoever liveth, And believeth in me, Shall never die, Thy power and mercy first prevailed, From sin, From death to set me free, And often since my life had failed, Had it not been, In thee, Amen.