An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 1
SERM. I.
Why our Saviour is called Jeſus Chriſt, and Saul, Paul, who of a cruel Perſecutor becomes a faithfull Preacher of the Goſpel of Chriſt. Why God of great ſinners often maketh moſt eminent Saints.
2 COR. 1. 1.
Paul an Apoſtle of Jeſus Chriſt by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the Church of God, which is at Corinth, with all the Saints which are in all Achaia.
IN this Chapter is conſiderable, the Preface, and the main The Diviſion of the Chapter, and of the Verſe.Subſtantial Matter treated of.
In the Preface we may take notice of the Inſcription, and the Salutation.
In the Inſcription are theſe parts:
1. The Efficient inſtrumental Cauſe of the Epiſtle, deſcribed by his Name, and by his Office. His name Paul: His Office an Apoſtle.
This is further amplified:Why our Saviour called Jeſus Chriſt.
1. From the Authour of his Office, Jeſus Chriſt, Jeſus, becauſe of the Beneficium conveyed to us by him; Chriſt, becauſe of the Officium undertaken by him.
2. From the Manner how, or impulſive Cauſe; By the will of God.
In the Inſcription there is alſo mention of a Companion or Perſon, conjoyned with Paul, not to dictate this Epiſtle, but as an approver of it, who is deſcribed from his name, Timothy; and from his relation, a Brother.
In the next place, we have the Subject to whom this Epiſtle is directed, and that is either more ſpecial, the Church of God, deſcribed by its local ſituation (at Corinth.) Or elſe more generally, with the place where they live, All the Saints which are in all Achaia.
The Verſe divided into theſe parts, will afford ſeveral Obſervations. And
1. Let us conſider the Author inſtrumental (for the Spirit of God is the principal) deſcribed by his name Paul; and in that briefly conſider his Name, and his Perſon Why this Apoſtle called Paul, who ſometimes was called Saul.what he was. His name is Paul, ſo conſtantly in his Epiſtles, but in the Hiſtory of his life in the Acts of the Apoſtles, he was conſtantly called Saul, till Chap. 13. In the Greek foreign and ſometimes foreign. Now concerning his name, the conjectures of learned men are divers. Beza thinketh Saul and Paul to be the ſame name with a different dialect. Others ſay, he had two names, and they are different. Chryſoſtom thinketh Chriſt did in an immediate manner give him this name, thereby making Paul his ſervant in a peculiar manner; Impoſition of names being a demonſtration of dominion. Thus he altered Abrahams and Jacobs names. Others they ſay, it was in an humane way he was named Paul, either becauſe of the converſion of Sergius Paulus, mentioned Acts 13. the Proconſul, who out of indeared affection to Paul, would have him called by his name; or as Auſtin thinketh, Paul aſſumed it himſelf, as ſignifying one that is little, to ſhew his modeſty, he calling himſelf the leaſt of all the Apoſtles. But Sc…ligers conjecture ſeemeth moſt probable, That when the Jews were brought in ſubjection to the Romans, they had commonly two names, one of their own Nation, and another Roman, to ingratiate themſelves, and alſo for more familiar converſe; and therefore Saul is not called Paul, till upon the ſetting him apart to preach unto the Gentiles. But this is not ſo great a matter, as the conſideration of his perſon, and his life what he was, and by the hiſtory of his life, which he himſelf alſo makes often mention of; he was a cruel and bloudy perſecutor of the Church Pauls perſecution of the Church of Chriſt. His converſion to it.of Chriſt, being mad againſt the Saints, and haling them before the high Prieſt, never ſatisfying his wolviſh diſpoſition againſt the ſheep of Chriſt: At laſt he is converted in a miraculous and wonderfull way, and of a perſecutor made an eminent Apoſtle of Jeſus Chriſt. So that we may with greater wonder ſay, Is Paul amongſt the Apoſtles? then they did once, Is Saul amongſt the Prophets? Here is a wolf made a lamb, a vulture become a dove, a Bramble made a Mirtle-tree. This work of Gods grace in making ſuch a change upon Paul, may juſtly be eſteemed as wonderfull a work, as thoſe miracles that were wrought upon mens bodies, though it were the reſurrection from the dead. Obſerve,
That God may and doth ſometimes take of the greatest ſinners, and make them God of great ſinners often maketh moſt eminent Saints …eminent inſtruments of his glory.
The worſt of men ſometimes his grace maketh to be the beſt of men; we need go no further than theſe very Corinthians to whom Paul writeth, Acts 18. God tells Paul, He had much people in that City, and yet of all the places in the world, you would think the preaching of the Goſpel would never have done good there; but God even in this wilderneſs, did make to himſelf a pleaſant garden. Paul might have wrote this, Paul once the greatest of ſinners, to the Corinthians the greateſt of ſinners.
To open this, let us take notice of Paul his ſinnes, his work of grace, and his ſerviceableneſs after his converſion.
For his ſins, how great they were he himſelf doth aggravate them ſufficiently; Pauls ſins great.inſomuch that he ſaith, he was the chiefest of all ſinners, 1 Tim. 1. 15. In what ſenſe Paul could ſay this truly is diſputed; for it's plain, he was not a greater ſinner, than ſuch who ſinned the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt. Some therefore reſtrain it to converted ſinners, as if Paul meant, he was the greateſt ſinner that ever How the chiefeſt of ſinners.was converted. Others underſtand it thus, that he was in the number of the greateſt one of the chiefeſt, and that ſeemeth moſt genuine. He was a blasphemer, a perſecuter; the blood, ſighes and groans of many Chriſtians would witneſs againſt him. And although he ſaith, he did this in ignorance, yet that did not excuſe him; for he confeſſeth himſelf a blasphemer, and a perſecuter for all that: for this ignorance was vincible, it was affected and wilfull, he had means to the contrary. Behold then here a worſe ſinner than Mary Magdalen, out of whom ſeven Devils were caſt, for her ſinnes were carnal and bodily, but Paul's ſinnes were ſpiritual, and ſeated principally in his ſoul, ſo that as the Devils are spiritual wickedneſſes, thus was Paul; and becauſe he was thus corrupted in his ſpirit, his diſeaſe was the more incurable. For, If the eye be dark, how great is that darkneſs? The prophane groſs ſinner, he is eaſily convinced, he is preſently apprehenſive of his evil; but where ſinfullneſs hath poſſeſſed the vital parts of the ſoul, the mind and the heart, what hope can remain for ſuch an one? This made our Saviour ſay, The Publicans and Harlots entered the Kingdom of Heaven above the Phariſees. Now Paul he was a Phariſee, and moſt zealous above others for the tradition of his fathers, and therefore thought his wilde zeal to be true love to God. A man then ſo great a ſinner, and yet ſo ſelf-confident, that he had all the diſadvantages in the world, yet is converted, and that when he had for ſome while lived in ſuch a way, being habituated and rooted in it. For, as ſome think, he was converted about the thirtieth year of his age.
2. The work of grace was admirable and wonderfull. Twice the Apoſtle himſelf The work of Gods grace wonderfull.relateth it, while he was in the way, breathing out threatnings to the Church of God, even in this his wicked poſture, He was ſtriken to the ground, and a glorious light ſhone round about him. That as they ſay of ſome lightning, it melteth the ſword; while it doth not hurt the ſcabbard at all: Thus Paul's body not being any way hurt in this miraculous Viſion, his ſoul was wonderfully melted and changed, inſomuch that he crieth out, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? This inſtance of Paul's converſion is an hammer to beat down the Arminian Doctrine: here they labour and ſweat to give a clear anſwer. Some of them confeſs, that Paul was peremptorily elected, and that we are not to judge of mens ordinary converſion, by that which was extraordinary. Indeed we grant, that many things were wonderfull and extraordinary in Paul's converſion. It is not for men now to expect ſuch a Viſion and voice from Heaven immediately ſpeaking to them; but this we urge, That if God could do thus on Paul's heart, inſuperably and irreſiſtibly working on it, making it of unwilling, willing, and yet not the natural liberty of Paul's will deſtroyed, then God may ſtill demonſtrate the ſame efficacy of grace, and yet man in converſion not be turned into a ſtock or ſtone, as they charge the Orthodox. As Paul then had been a ſinner above meaſure, ſo he had alſo grace exceeding gracious in an overflowing manner to him. Therefore how frequently and joyfully doth Paul ſpeak of the riches of grace, and Gods unſpeakable grace to him, alwayes debaſing himſelf, as the greateſt of ſinners, and the leaſt of all Saints, not worthy to be called an Apoſtle, and magnifying grace alwayes running out like the Sea, when he comes to ſpeak of Chriſt and grace.
In the third place, His ſerviceableneſs, that was as wonderfull, I laboured Pauls ſerviceableneſs admirable.more than they. The Heathens Hercules is not comparable to him. To read how much he did, and how much he ſuffered for Chriſt, may make us ſtand amazed, yet ſtill he ſaith, Not I, but the grace of God, 1 Cor. 15. 10. Chryſoſtome doth infinitely expatiate upon all occaſions in the praiſe of Paul, but Paul himſelf was like Moſes, whoſe face ſhined gloriouſly, but he did not know it. And thus Paul, though above all others in doing and ſuffering for Chriſt, yet accounts of himſelf as nothing, and gives all to the grace of God; as none preached more than he did, ſo none wrote more Epiſtles than he did; he took care of all the Churches. Thus he, who formerly did his utmoſt to root out the Church of God, is now as zealous and active to eſtabliſh and propagate it. So that you ſee three wonderfull things in Paul, his ſinne, his converſion, and his godly life afterwards.
In the next place, let us conſider what Reaſons there may be, why God will chooſe ſuch great ſinners out of their high impieties, eſpecially to be Apoſtles and Officers in the Church of God, ſeeing that the Scripture in thoſe qualifications for an Elder, requireth, That he be without blame, and one of a good report, 1 Tim. 3. 5. Therefore in the Apoſtles, who were the chief Officers, called by the Ancient, Otuli Dei, Sedes Chriſti, and Oculi Eccleſiae, this was much more to be expected. But there are theſe Reaſons may be given.Reaſons why God of great ſinners often maketh ſuch eminent Saints. 1. On Gods part. 1. Hereby the power of God is manifeſted.
Firſt, Hereby the power and ſtrength of God is made evident. If men of civility only, and of ingenuous principles were brought home to Chriſt, it might be thought ſomething of men did promote our ſalvation; but when there is a direct and violent oppoſition in a mans wayes, yet to become converted and obedient, this may make us acknowledge with Paul, The exceeding greatneſs of his power to us who believe, Epheſ. 1. 19. And if (ſetting aſide ſome extraordinary circumſtances) there is the ſame kind of power ſeen in every mans converſion, that was in Pauls; then it's plain, that God doth not onelyonly uſe moral ſuaſions, as Arminians would have it, but alſo efficacious operations. So that we may bleſs God for this preſident of Paul's converſion; we may all by that ſee, what is done in the heart of every man, when turned to God. We do juſtly admire the power of God in Creation, and in all the wonderfull deliverances the Church hath; but the power of God upon mens hearts, making them to love and delight in thoſe things, which formerly they hated; This may make us to ſing Pſalms in the admiration of Gods great power about the new creation, as well as the old creation of the world.
Secondly, As Gods Power is hereby evidenced, ſo alſo his Wiſdom; and that in a two-fold reſpect:2. Hereby the Wiſdom of God is clearly evidenced. 1. In converting Paul when in the height of his impieties.
1. Converting Paul at that very time, when he was in the height of his ſpirit, acting with the greateſt violence against Christ. This ſeaſon was moſt admirable; for hereby it did plainly appear, That it was not of Paul that willed, or runned, but of Gods good pleaſure. Hence Epheſ. 1. Paul ſpeaking of Gods predeſtination, doth over and over again reſolve all into his good pleaſure, and that he doth all things according to the goodneſſe of his will. What then will become of that vocatio congrua, ſo much boaſted of by ſome, as if men were converted, becauſe God did fore-ſee, that if they were put into ſuch a condition with ſuch circumſtances, then they would readily conſent to Gods Call? But was Paul's converſion accompanied with a vocatio congrua? Did God ſtay till he had a fit bait or ſnare to catch Paul in? Now all was here the clean contrary, Paul was never in higher oppoſition againſt God; never were the doors of his heart more faſtened up with iron-barres than at this time; and then, and never till then doth God convert him. That as it is with Gods Church, he never helps till all things be deſperate; therefore he is called, The God that raiſeth the dead, 2 Cor. 1. and he that calleth things that are not, as if they were. Thus many times it falleth out, when men are more treaſuring up their ſin, and adding higher degree of oppoſition, even then God takes off their hearts, and thereby the Wiſdome of God is the more ſeen, of ſuch crooked timber to make ſo excellent a building. To raiſe up Lazarus, when he is not only dead, but buried and rot…ing in the grave; this makes us aſtoniſhed at Gods Wiſdome.
And then in a ſecond reſpect, Gods Wiſdome is ſeen, Becauſe ſuch fire-brands 2. Becauſe ſuch fire-brands plucked out of the fire, are the fitteſt to enkindle a fire in the hearts of others.pluckt out of the fire, are fitteſt to kindle a fire in the hearts of others: When we ſhall be able to ſay, Lo, here is a man as prophane, as bitter and cruel a ſcoffer, and enemy of all godlineſs, as ever you were: He was one of your company; you took wicked counſel together, you were often drunk or unclean together; and now behold what a change is made upon him? He prayeth, he humbleth himſelf, he cryeth out of his former converſation; if he had the whole world given him, he would not be ſuch an one as once! Certainly, when God doth thus, it doth wonderfully ſhame and confound all wicked men. What a conviction was this to all other Phariſees, when it could be ſaid, Behold here Paul a Phariſee, one of your own Sect, as deſperately cruel and malicious, as any of you! Oh, but behold how he is changed, he builds up that way he once deſtroyed! Now he counts all thoſe things you dote on ſo much, but dung and droſs in compariſon of the knowledge of Jeſus Christ.
3. In converting of ſuch, above all God ſheweth the freeneſs and meer riches 3. Hereby he ſhews the freeneſs of his grace.of his grace. For what can Paul ſay to juſtifie himſelf with? Where were merits, and diſpoſitions in Paul? At this very time Paul might have had a thunderbolt from Heaven fallen upon him, which might have ſhaken him into Hell: And behold a gracious arm ſtretched out to ſave him from thence! And for this cauſe it is, that none like Paul doth ſo amplifie the grace of God, and is ſo frequently naming of Jeſus Christ; and therefore it's Paul's whole deſign in his Epiſtles, to take off all from works, and any thing in our ſelves, and to give all to the grace of God. And thus Auſtin, a ſecond Paul in ſome reſpect, he in his former times had been a great ſinner, involved in unclean luſts, and a curſed Ma…e, but when converted, what Ancient did ſo clearly, fully and pregnantly maintain the true Doctrine of Grace, as he did? He had not only read Books, but his own heart and experience to confirm this truth. Therefore thoſe opinions, that Paul was predestinated, becauſe God fore-ſaw the good works he would do; or that God by a Scientia media knew Paul would conſent to Grace, calling of him, if put into ſuch a condition, and that thereupon God did ordain him to eternal happineſs, all theſe Doctrines, and the like, are meer Antipodes to Paul's diſcourſe and expreſſions in his Epiſtles.
Thus you have the Reaſons on Gods part; now on mans part, God may therefore 2. On mans part. 1. That hereby they may be more humble in themſelves.take ſuch, rather than others, Becauſe hereby they may be alwayes kept humble in themſelves. Thus Paul findeth theſe old wounds now and then bleeding afreſh; he remembers what he hath been to his great ſorrow and humiliation; yea hereby a man is preſerved from any dangerous fall afterward. Peter and David after they had been converted unto God, we read of their fals again, breaking their bones, and recovering with bitterneſs and much difficulty. But concerning Paul after his converſion, we never read of any ſcandal he fell into; yea, he ſaith, He knew nothing by himſelf, 1 Cor. 4. viz. in any groſs miſcarriage, for the old bitterneſs would never out of his mind.
Laſtly, God may do this to provoke all Formalists and civil Justiciaries to Laſtly, that all Formaliſts and Juſticiaries might be provoked to an holy jealousie.an holy jealouſie. What ſhall ſuch as lay wallowing in their mire, that were like the impure Swine, become Sheep to Christ, ſhall get Crowns of Glory upon their heads, and we who were never like any of ſuch Publicans, with our gliſtering goodneſs be thrown into hell?