An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 101
SERM. CI.
Of the mutability and changeableneſſe there is in the Affections of the beſt Churches, to their ſpiritual Guides and Officers.
2 COR. 1. 14.
As alſo you have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoycing, even as ye alſo are ours, in the day of the Lord Jeſus.
THe former part of this verſe containeth a reaſon, why his hope is ſo ſtedfaſt concerning their perſeverance in acknowledgement of him, viz. from what hath been paſt, what they have done already, they had acknowledged him, and therefore hopeth they will. Hence Chryſoſtome readeth this paſſage, before the laſt clauſe in the former verſe: He maketh thoſe words [I truſt you ſhall acknowledge even to the end] to follow theſe words. But why doth the Apoſtle ſay, You have acknowledged us in part? Chryſoſtom attributeth it to his modeſty and humility. For being to ſay, That they did acknowledg him to be their rejoycing: Leſt this ſhould ſeem pride and arrogancy, he addeth, in part. Others as Grotius relateth it to the perſons acknowledging, in this ſenſe, that part of them, ſome of them did ſo. They were not all carried away with the deluſions of talſe Apoſtles: Some did keep their integrity and ſound judgement. And thus it is uſed, Rom. 11. 18. Hardneſſe of heart is happened in part to Iſrael, which is not to be underſtood of the hardneſſe of heart, for the Jews were wholly delivered up to that; but of part of them, yea the farre greater part; yet ſomes Jews were converted, and did believe in Chriſt; but it is far more probable to interpret it of the acknowledgement it ſelf. Though they did not ſo fully as at firſt acknowledge him, yet ſince his former Epiſtle to them, and diligent information of them, they began in ſome meaſure to recover out of their errour, and ſo in part entertained better thoughts of him, than before. So that it is like that expreſſion, I know but in part, 1 Cor. 13. 12. though there it be foreign, or rather like that, 2 Cor. 2. 5. where Paul ſaith, He hath not grieved me, but in part; and Rom. 15. 15. I have written more boldly to you in part; and Rom. 15. 24. That I may in part be filled with you; in which places it is foreign. This expreſſion then doth not relate to the firſt time of the Corinthians acknowledgement of Paul, which was in their converſion from their Heatheniſm, for then they did wholly and univerſally receive him; but to the time of their repentance and recovery out of thoſe decayes in their affections towards him, which by the falſe Apoſtles had been procured, they began to be ſomething awakened, they ſaw they had fooliſhly given ear to other teachers; and now being thus in their recovery, Paul to encourage them that they may acknowledge him, foreign, both to the end, and fully and perfectly, not in part only, doth take notice of this acknowledgement. We ſee then here the inconſtancy and unſetledneſs of theſe Corinthians; at firſt none but Paul; he was their father, afterwards through the eloquence and humane perſwaſions of falſe teachers, they began to deſpiſe Paul, to leave him, to admire others. But when Paul by his Epiſtle had ſeverely and throughly dealt with them, informing them of ſeveral errours and vices that were amongſt them, then they begin to apply themſelves to him again; and this indeed was the good hand of God, that they did not wholly apoſtatize, but their withering love to Paul did begin to flouriſh again. From whence obſerve,
That the beſt Churches are full of mutability and changeableneſſes, of affections The beſt Churches are full of changes in their affections to their ſpiritual guides, though never ſo faithfull.to their ſpiritual guides and officers, though never ſo faithfull.
What fault could theſe Corinthians find with Paul? Was he not the firſt inſtrument uſed by God to bring them out of that miſerable darkneſs they ſat in? Did not they find the mighty power of God going along with his miniſterial labours? Did not their own experience inform them of the great good they had got by him? Yet we ſee that afterwards the plauſible eloquence and ſubtil crafty inſinuations of falſe teachers had brought Paul wholly out of requeſt, he was contemprible. They began to queſtion his Apoſtleſhip, and to argue againſt his office. Thus you ſee what levity and fickleneſs may be even in good men. This was Paul's caſe with other Churches likewiſe, which maketh him ſo apologetical in commending his office and call, becauſe they compelled him thereunto, he was forced thereunto; it was not his own credit and glory that he ſtood upon; he could be contented to be deſpiſed by them; but his Office he was bound to vindicate. For this was for their own good, their own ſouls might periſh, if they miſcarried herein. Let us inſtance onelyonly in the Church of the Galatians, Paul is put to an amazement about them, Galatians 1. 4. I marvaile you are ſo ſoone removed from him that called you, unto another Gospel. So ſoon removed.] How quickly may falſe teachers demoliſh that which the faithfull Officers of Chriſt have been many years with much zeal and diligence building up? Tares ſown by envious perſons will quickly come and overgrow the wheat. Hereupon Chap. 3. he ſheweth their folly by many convincing and piercing arguments in falling off thus from him; and Chap. 4. 15. puts them in mind, that they had other thoughts of him once. Paul was once a bleſſed man, and his preaching bleſſed preaching; Where is the bleſſedneſs you once ſpake of? Yea he ſaith, their affections were ſo vehement and hyperbolical, That they would have pluckt out their eyes (their deareſt and tendereſt part) and have given them him, if this could have done him good: yet how quickly did theſe boiling affections turn into ice? They will receive other mens doctrines rather than his. And if we ſee the Apoſtles of Chriſt that had their call immediately from him, that were furniſhed with a large meaſure of the Spirit, and inabled to do ſuch wonderfull miracles before their eyes, may come to be contemned and vilified, and that by their own people, who had once ſo highly honoured them: No wonder if ordinary Paſtors and Officers do often meet with ſuch entertainment in the world. Yea, was it not thus with Chriſt himſelf? Did not he find the groſſe mutability of the people, when one while they honour him, crying Hoſanna, and at another time, Crucifie him? If they do thus to the green tree, will they not much rather to the dry? And ſhall the ſervant be above his maſter?
To inlarge this, Conſider,1. It is an imbred corruption for all inferiours to be mutable to their inferiours
Firſt, That it is an imbred corruption in all inferiours, to be mutable and changeable to their Superiours. Wiſe men do obſerve this mobility in the people, even to their beſt Governours, ſo unthankfull and ingratefull are people by nature. Is not this plain in Moſes? What a faithfull Governour had he been to the people of Iſrael; like a tender father, he even carried them in his arms; God had honoured him exceedingly before their eyes, working many miraculous mercies for them by his means; yet how often did they murmure againſt him? which was a great ſinne, becauſe as Moſes telleth them, Exod. 16. 8. Your murmurings are not againſt us, but the Lord. Yea they are ready to fall off from Moſes, and to make themſelves a Captain, that they may go again into Aegypt. Thus the people alſo dealt with David, when they were in bitterneſs of ſpirit for the loſſe of their wives, they ſpake of ſtoning David. Among the Heathens there are plentifull examples of this unthankfull mutability; Camillus and Themiſtocles, with others; which made the latter ſay, when they had caſt him off, after all the good ſervice he had none for them, That they did with him, as beaſts doe, in a ſtorm runne to a tree to ſhelter themſelves, and when that is over, they fall a browzing on it, and breaking the boughs thereof. How many of their famous Worthies have the Heathens baniſhed moſt ingratefully, and then in their neceſſities intreated them to come again? Which made one wiſe Roman ſay, when perſwaded to enter upon ſome publick deſign for the common good, but dangerous, deny, ſaying, Why ſhould wiſe men venture themſelves for fools? The Athenians were impetuous to put Socrates to death, and after he was dead, then they were grieved and impatient, till they had deſtroyed thoſe that were the Authors of it. Now if it be thus in civil affairs, no wonder if there be more changeableneſs, and more ingratitude in Church-matters. For in the faithfull diſcharge of our ſpiritual office, there we directly oppoſe the natural inclination and love of men to their ſinfull pleaſures; we deal chiefly with the inward man, and the matter we propound for the Doctrine of it to be believed, is wholly tranſcendent to their humane apprehenſions, and the goodneſs of it is altogether ſupernatural; Yea contra-natural, take man in his ſinfull naturals. Hence it is that ſpiritual governing is far more difficult than civil; men being more willing to receive what maketh for their bodily good and welfare, then for their ſouls and ſpiritual eſtate.
Secondly, This inclination to changeableneſſe and mutability in matters of 2. This inclination to this changeablenes hath more temptations in great than ſmall places.Religion, hath greater temptations in rich and famous Cities, than in villages and ſmall parochial places. Now Corinth (as you heard) was a famous and rich City, eminent for trading, yea and for earning and gifts. Hence Paul doth in none of his Epiſtles, ſo much debaſe the wiſdome of the world, indeavouring to exalt Chriſt above all things, as in his Epiſtles to theſe Corinthians; and it ſeemeth they did a bound with many excellent gifts and abilities, as the Apoſtle many times witneſſeth. Now this was their ſnare and temptation; this made them proud of their knowledge; this made them admire gifts more than grace; this cauſed them to make parties and factions; ſome cried up one teacher, ſome another: So that their wealth and gifts did prove a great temptation to them; and by this means Paul came to be undervalued. Thus it falleth out many times in great and populous places, where are variety of Miniſters, and of gifts, and a people raiſed up in knowledge and wealth; it is very hard for them to keep in a conſtant, real eſteem of ſound and ſoul-ſaving truths; but with the people of Iſrael, to be weary of Manna, to deſire even garlick and onyons above it. The Goſpel was at firſt preached and planted in Cities, and their Churches were firſt conſtituted, it being a long time ere the little villages in the Countrey did receive the Chriſtian faith. Hence to this day (ſay ſome) we call Heathens Pagans, à pagis, from villages, becauſe they did laſt of all receive the Chriſtian faith. But then they have this advantage, that they are freed from thoſe many temptations that are in the Churches of Cities; for they having not many Officers, nor hearing variety of gifts, are not ſo tempted to be alwayes luſting after ſome new thing, as in the fore-mentioned places; yet for all this they have the ſame corrupt inclination; and if they have not the temptation brought to them, they will ſeek out for the temptations: and hence many villages are quickly poiſoned with corrupt and erroneous wayes. For the Devil he goeth up and down roaring, to ſeek whom he may devour, whether in Cities or villages.
Now let us conſider of the Cauſes which make ſuch a change and alteration, What are the cauſes of this changeablenesand that many times in thoſe who are very good, or at leaſt apparently ſo. And
1. This ariſeth from the fickleneſſe and inconſtancy that is in many men. There are few that profeſs Religion, that do obtain to a ſound mind, that are well 1. Inconſtancy and fickleneſs.rooted in the firſt principles of Religion; They content themſelves with general and confuſed apprehenſions, and therefore can ſpeak of thoſe things, which yet they have no clear underſtanding about. Now how can ſuch ſtraws and feathers as theſe, but be blown away with every wind of doctrine? It is the Apoſtles expreſſion, Epheſ. 4. 14. implying, that it is childiſhneſs, levity, want of a ſerious, weighty and ſolid judgement, that maketh us leave the faithfull Miniſters of God, and greedily run after falſe teachers.
2. An overhaſty and unadviſed receiving of the Miniſters of the Gospel, before we well conſider what we do. For thou who receiveſt a man to be the Paſtor 2. An overhaſty receiving of the Miniſters.of thy ſoul, thou muſt not look that he ſhould come down to thee, but thou to him: I mean, you muſt not expect that he ſhould comply with you in your luſts, in your ſinnes, in your ſuperſtitions. But on the contrary, that you will readily ſubmit to whatſoever he ſhall from the word of God make known to you. It is unreaſonable to look that a Miniſter ſhould go from his Commiſſion; he hath not a magiſterial, but miniſterial Authority; he cannot make virtue, vice; or vice, virtue; he cannot make the way to Heaven broader than it is; he may not diſpenſe Ordinances, otherwiſe than according to the order of Chriſt: and if ſo, judge whether is more reaſonable, that you yeild your ſelves to Chriſts commands, or we comply with your unlawfull wayes? Certainly we cannot come off to your principles; we ſhall be damned, if we do. If I pleaſe men (viz. in ſinfull things) I ſhould not be the ſervant of Chriſt, Gal. 1. 10. ſaid Paul. And we muſt with Elihu profeſs, Job 32. 21, 22. We know not to give flattering titles, in ſo doing God our maker would ſoon take us away. If it be thus with us, that we are bound up; and you on the contrary are commanded to come out of all evil wayes, and receive the good word of God from out hands, then it ought not to be any offence or ſtaggering unto you, if you find us out of Gods word, enjoyning thoſe things which the corrupt nature of man is againſt. But this many times maketh a great change in a people; they expected that the Miniſters of God ſhould comply with their ends, their luſts, and then they would never alter their affections from them; but when it proveth otherwiſe, then they did never ſo much advance and exalt, as they will afterwards condemn and vilifie. This was plain in John's hearers; his ſtrict life and unuſual converſation made them come into the wilderneſs to ſee him; they rejoyced to ſee ſuch a Prophet that was of their own, and therefore they flocked after him, John 5. 35. They did for a while rejoyce in his light; but when they ſaw he gave teſtimony to Chriſt, and would not be a Prophet to ſerve their ends, then they railed on him, and ſaid, He had a Devil.
3. Curioſity, and an itching affection after new things, doth make us very changeable. An ill ſtomack muſt have variety of ſauces; and what we are uſed 3. Curioſity.to, is apt to breed contempt. It is a brand upon the Athenians, Act. 17. 21. That they ſpent their time in nothing elſe, but to tell or hear, foreign, ſome new thing. This is a dangerous diſeaſe in a mans ſoul, not to love and delight in ſound and known truths, but to affect things that were never heard of before; ſome new Religion, ſome new expreſſion, ſome new notion. Oh pray to God againſt ſuch a ſinfull diſtemper … it hath been the undoing of many ſouls. Do you lik the Sunne the worſe, becauſe every day it riſeth upon you? It is the ſame Sunne, and yet you are not weary of it: no more ought ye to be of divine and holy truths.
4. Sometimes miſtakes about the Doctrine they deliver, maketh them change 4. Miſtakes about the Doctrine delivered.their affections. Some ſpeeches are hard ſpeeches, they take offence at ſome expreſſions; and this hath altered many, when the fault was in their underſtandings, not in the Doctrine delivered. Thus it was with Chriſt himſelf, Joh. 6. 34, 35. when he ſaid, My fleſh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. Many of his Diſciples ſaid, This was an hard ſaying, who can bear it? and from that time many went back from him, and walked no more with him.
5. A faithfull and conſcionable diſcharge of their duties, in reproving, admoniſhing 5. A faithfull diſcharge of the Miniſters office.or ſetting up the pure wayes of Chriſt, do many times cauſe men to flie off, and from friends ſometimes to become enemies and oppoſers. This did in part ſo enrage the Galatians, which made Paul ſay, Am I become your enemy, becauſe I tell you the truth? Gal. 4. 16. What made the Iſraelites of old oppoſe and perſecute the holy Prophets of God? Was it not becauſe they reproved them for their ſinnes and falſe worſhip, and endeavoured the reſtoring of his Ordinances accorning to his own primitive and pure inſtitution? This maketh men acknowledge their Miniſters but in part; ſome things they will praiſe, but other things as much diſpraiſe; and all is, becauſe we are unwilling the Officers of Chriſt ſhould faithfully and ſincerely diſcharge their duty.
Laſtly, Many times the members of Chriſts Church are alienated from their Paſtors, 6. The importunity of deceivers.by the importunity of ſuch men, who lie in wait to deceive. All the miſchief that was done to Paul in this point, it was by falſe teachers: Nothing hindered ſo much the comfortable progreſs of his Miniſtry, as the ſubtil ſtratagems of ſuch wolves in ſheeps cloathing, they hod a more pleaſing taking way with them; they had their foreign, Rom. 16. 18. their ſweet fair ſpeeches; their inſinuating orations, and by this means theſe gliſtering ſerpents crept into them. Again, they pretend much love and compaſſion to them, it grieveth them to ſee how Paul ſeduceth them, how ſelf-ſeeking and ſevere he is; as for them they have tender bowels towards them; and thus by this loving pretence they catch them in their ſnares. Thus Paul, Gal. 4. 17. They zealouſly affect you, but not well; yea they would exclude us, that ye might affect them. Thus you ſee what their deſign was, to take them off wholly from Paul, to exclude him, that ſo they might have all the love and honour. Thus you ſee cauſes that may make people abate or decay in their affections to their ſpiritual guides.
Let the Uſe be, 1. Of Inſtruction to the Miniſters of God, To expect ſuch ingratitude in the world, to look for ſuch ebbings and flowings of mens affections in the faithfull diſcharge of their Miniſtry, every man is a liar, every man is a reed ſhaken with the wind, if they be not throughly conſolidated by grace: Only do thou look thou giveſt no juſt occaſion of ſuch a change, either by thy negligence in the Miniſtry, or indiſcreet raſh actions; and then if they will leave thee, thou haſt no more to ſay, than Chriſt himſelf, Will ye alſo go away? John 6. 67.
Uſe 2. Of Exhortation, To you that are people, Is there ſuch a mutable diſpoſition in your nature, ſo much inconſtancy, curioſity and love to your ſelves, as to make you hate what you once loved? Then take heed to your ſelves, watch againſt ſuch a diſpoſition. It is an excellent ſign to love and delight in old known truths, and not to be weary of them; yea the more thou heareſt, the longer thou liveſt under a Miniſtry, the more thy heart is affected with it.