An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 9
SERM. IX.
Paul's mentioning of Timothy, ſhews, That the Godly, though exalted above others in Office and Gifts, yet are humble towards them.
2 COR. 1. 1.
And Timothy our brother, &c.
THis is the ſecond part of the Inſcription, wherein we have the perſon conjoyned in this Salutation, and he is deſcribed by his name Timothy, and by his relation, our brother.
The Apoſtle doth in ſeveral Inſcriptions in his Epiſtles likewiſe name this Timothy, not that he helped Paul in compoſing of them, but partly for Timothies encouragement, to ſhew the good eſteem he had of him. As Nazianzen (if my memory fail not) in his Funeral Oration upon Baſil, declaring the excellency that was in him, ſaid, If Baſil had lived in Paul's time, he would have prefixed his name in his ſalutatory Prefaces, as he did Timothy and Sylvanus, &c. And partly becauſe Timothy, as to the Corinthians had a peculiar relation. For 1 Cor. 4. 17. Paul had ſent him to them, to put them in remembrance of their duty; and it ſeemeth, being now returned again unto Paul, he informed him of the Churches eſtate there. So that Timothy might well be mentioned, as having ſome peculiar relation to their Church-affairs. In ſome other Epiſtles, he joyneth other perſons, is Soſthenes, &c. Yea, Gal. 1. he conjoyneth all the brethren that were with him.
So that we may attribute this to that great humility which was in Paul, that though ſo eminent and tranſcendent in Office and grace above all others, yet is pleaſed to make others ſit (as it were) upon the Throne with him, and not to arrogate all things preſumptuouſly to himſelf. Indeed the Popiſh Commentators, they inſtance in the Pope, that he calleth other Biſhops Brethren; but all know, that what title ſoever he may uſe, yet he claimeth an univerſal Juriſdiction over them. But in Paul it was otherwiſe. From whence obſerve,
That the truly godly, though eminent in Office and Graces, yet are exceeding The truly godly, though eminent in office and grace, yet are humble in themſelves and condeſcending to others.humble, and condeſcending to thoſe that are farre inferiour to them.
Paul, though an Apoſtle, eſteemeth of Timothy as a brother, though in other reſpects, he was his ſonne, begotten by his Miniſtry. The truly godly, and the wicked, they are diſcovered by their ſpirits. The ſpirit of pride and ambition is in all corrupt teachers; And therefore when Austin the Monk was ſent over by the Pope for the converſion of England, as they call it, the Monks that were then in the Land oppoſed him, concluding he had not the Spirit of Chriſt in him, becauſe he was ſo full of pride and lordlineſs; but all the true Officers of Chriſt, they are endowed with that Spirit which Chriſt himſelf had. Now the holy Ghoſt deſcended in the form of a Dove upon him. And he bids all learn of him, for he was lowly and meek. Hence he tels his Diſciples, That he will not any more call them ſervants but friends. Yea after his reſurrection he ſaith, Go tell my brethren. The Apoſtle aggravateth this great condeſcenſion of Chriſt, Heb. 2. 11. That though he was the only Sonne of God, yet he humbled himſelf to become man, and ſo was not aſhamed to call believers brethren. Therefore there cannot be a clearer inſtance of this humility and condeſcenſion then was in Chriſt himſelf. Now all the godly they are followers of Chriſt in this, as well as in other reſpects; inſo much that it is a certain qualification in all the godly, that though God hath never ſo much above others, yet they become condeſcending to the loweſt Chriſtian: Even as Chriſt himſelf diſdained not the leaſt that came to him. Hence you have that command, Mind not high things; but condeſcend to men of low eſtate, Rom. 12. 16. Even the pooreſt and meaneſt that are godly, are to be cheriſhed and nouriſhed by thoſe that are more eminent. The head muſt not deſpiſe the foot, becauſe both are in the ſame body. Hence alſo at the tenth verſe in that Chapter, you have a paradoxal exhortation, In honour to preferre one another; How can that be? Even becauſe there is no godly man, though never ſo excellent, but a weaker and meaner Chriſtian may exceed him in ſome things. Thou haſt more gifts, more abilities, but it may be another hath more ſincerity than thee. Beſides, every godly man, though in the higheſt form, is acquainted with thoſe infirmities and corruptions that are in his own heart, which he thinketh ſuch, though far inferiour to him, are not guilty of; and hence ariſeth that duty of preferring one another amongſt the godly.
But let us conſider, Wherein this humility in godly ſuperiours doth diſcover it Wherein the humility of the godly diſcovers it ſelf to their inferiours.ſelf to inferiours. And
Firſt, It is evident in that they dare not take that honor to themſelves, which others looking upon them as far above them are apt to give them, when it's not convenient or proper for them. This certainly is a great diſcovery of an humble ſpirit, when they do even tremble at thoſe praiſes and reverence, yea reject and refuſe it, when it is immoderate. How often are inferiour Chriſtians ſo dazelled with the luſtre of thoſe admirable gifts and graces which are in ſome ſuperiours, that with John to the Angel, they are ready to make a god of ſuch, and ſet them up too much, ſo as to worſhip them? But the more godly any ſuch ſuperiours are, the more they refuſe it. We ſee this notably in Peter, Act. 10. 25, 26. when Cornelius fell down at Peters feet, and worſhipped him; Peter took him up, ſaying, Stand up, I my ſelf alſo am a man; and at another time when the Barbarians would have ſacrificed to Paul and Barnabas, accounting them as gods, with what fear and trembling, rending their cloaths at ſuch blaſphemy did they come and forbid them? Act. 14. 15. Thus you ſee, let the godly be never ſo admirable in gifts and graces, yet they will not take more than is due to them. Certainly, if the Angel forbad John, deſirous to worſhip him, ſaying, I am thy fellow ſervant, worſhip thou God; how much rather may every man, though the chiefeſt of thouſands ſay, I am your fellow ſervant, I am ſubject to ſinne and infirmities as well as you; praiſe God therefore, and give glory to God. As the Apoſtles when they had cured a lame man, ſaid, Why do ye look upon us, as if we had done it by our own power? So the godly when inabled to preach wonderfully, to pray admirably, or perform any gracious acts above others, they ſay, Look not upon us, but upon God. What an admirable expreſſion of humility is that in Paul? 2 Cor. 12. 16. where he is afraid any ſhould think of him above that he ſeeth, or heareth to be in him.
Secondly, The humble condeſcenſion of the godly to others, is ſeen, In their bearing with their infirmities, and weakneſſes in their underſtanding. Though they have not ſuch quick abilities, ſuch inlarged capacities, as others have, yet they do not reject them or deſpiſe them. This counſel Paul, Rom. 4. giveth to the ſtrong Chriſtian, That he ſhould not judge, or deſpiſe the weak: Was not this admirable in Chriſt himſelf? How weak and ſlow of underſtanding were his Diſciples, though they had been ſo long under his Doctrine? yet for all that he diſdaineth them not, but he is ready upon all occaſions to give them further inſtruction. And Paul, though indeed he doth ſharply reprove ſuch, as having great opportunities of knowledge, yet were carnal and babes ſtill, as he ſpeaks to the Corinthians and the Hebrews; yet for all that he doth not caſt them off, but uſeth all means to promote them to further perfection. The eminenteſt men are condeſcending to the loweſt capacities, where they ſind godlineſs and an humble deſire to learn.
Thirdly, Their humble condeſcenſion is ſeen, In the acknowledging and rejoycing at the graces and gifts which they ſee God beſtoweth upon others. Thus Paul, how often doth he profeſs his praiſes unto God, and continual thankſgivings in the behalf of them he writeth unto for this particular? Yea they heartily deſire ſuch growth in grace, and ſuch plenty of abilities and gifts, though it ſhould be to the overſhadowing and eclipſing of them: Even as John ſaid about Chriſt with joy, He muſt increaſe, but I muſt decreaſe, John 3. 3. And as Moſes, Would all the people of God might propheſie, Num. 11. 23. So can they ſay and delight in ſuch gifts that God ſhall give to others, though inferiour. It's a great ſinne, and high pride in Superiours, to envy, and to look with an ill eye, upon the gifts which God may beſtow upon thoſe that are not of their rank. Not that ſuch who have no gifts, ſhould preſume as if they had; or thoſe that have gifts, ſhould intrude upon publick preaching, before the examination and approbation of others. To diſlike this, is not to envy the gifts and graces that are in others.
Fourthly, Their humble condeſcenſion is ſeen, In deſiring the prayers, and the communion even of thoſe, who are farre below them. Doth not Paul often deſire the prayers of thoſe he wrote unto, though he was an Apoſtle; yea he deſireth to be with them, that he may be comforted by them. There is no godly man, let him have never ſuch extraordinary gifts, and great enjoyments of God, yet he needeth the prayers of the meaneſt of Gods children; yea and by their communion may obtain a great deal of good. They may learn the practice of ſeveral graces, and be much quickned up by them.
Laſtly, Their humble condeſcenſion is ſeen, In the compaſſionate restoring and reclaiming of ſuch who have gone aſtray. There is a weakneſs of parts, and a weakneſs of graces. Now when ſome through this latter weakneſs, have been overcome by temptations, they do not ſuperciliouſly and ſcornfully reject ſuch, but labour in a spirit of meekneſs to recover them. Christ himſelf is a preſident for this, when he compareth himſelf to the Shepherd that went and fetched the loſt ſheep home upon his own ſhoulders. As alſo to that good Samaritan, who poured oyl into the wounds of that wounded paſſenger to Jericho. This counſel the Apoſtle gives ſuch as are ſpiritual, Gal. 6. 1. To reſtore ſuch as are fallen in the ſpirit of meekneſs. And Paul himſelf, with what tears and ſorrow did he bewail ſome Corinthians that had defiled themſelves?
If you ask, What grounds there are, why the godly, though thus exalted by God, Why thoſe who are ſo exalted above others, are yet ſo humble towards them.are yet humble to others? The Reaſons are,
Firſt, Becauſe they are humbled towards God, and ſuch muſt needs be humble towards men. They have theſe grounds to humble them Godwards.
1. The ſenſe of all that iniquity which formerly they have committed, or for the preſent they do commit. Thus Paul from the conſciouſneſs of his former impieties did till his death go halting with the apprehenſion of his former miſcarriages. They are eaſily kept low to others, whom God keepeth low to himſelf. This leproſie upon them will make them aſhamed. Though God hath ſet them on the Pinacle of the Temple, yet they have corruptions as others; they feel infirmities in themſelves, as well as there are in others. Yea in the general, they are condeſcending to the meaneſt acts of ſervice, that may promote the ſpiritual welfare of others. The Diſciples wondered to ſee Chriſt talk with a woman, John 4. thought it below his greatneſs, as a Prophet to do ſo; but he ſaid, It was his meat and drink to his Fathers will, even in that particular. Thus at another time, He waſhed his Diſciples feet, to teach them humility.
2. They are humble towards God, and ſo towards men, Becauſe all they have is from the gift of God, it is he alone that maketh the difference. The Apoſtle 1 Cor. 4. 7. ſpeaketh enough to keep the beſt man in the world, though he had the gifts and graces of Angels, low and humble in himſelf. Who maketh thee to differ from another? And what haſt thou that that thou haſt not received? 1 Cor. 4. 7. If then all they have cometh ſolely from Gods gift, he calleth to an office, he alſo giveth abilities, then they cannot glory in themſelves, but walk humbly with God in all things.
3. They are humble under Gods hand, Becauſe they do not adde at all to God. He doth not need any mans parts, or gifts, and therefore he paſſeth by many, and will never make uſe of them, who yet if God had pleaſed might have been far more ſerviceable than thou art. For did not God reject the Angels, who by their intellectual natures and agility thereof, might have done God more ſervice than thou canſt do? Yea the ableſt man may look upon all the ſubtil Hereticks, all the learned men, that have in all ages been promoters of the Devils Kingdom, and then ſay, Who hath made me to differ from theſe?
Laſtly, They are humble towards God, Becauſe by how much the more God hath lifted them up, the more talents he hath beſtowed on them, the greater muſt their account be. So that there is more cauſe of trembling and humiliation under all eminencies and gifts, then any tumor or puffing up. For they are more liable to a ſevere account, and if they miſcarry their condemnation will be greater. Thus you ſee what cauſe ſuch have to be humbled towards God, and where that is, there will be an humble condeſcenſion to others.
In the ſecond place, A godly man, though exceeding eminent is humble towards others, Becauſe the meaneſt godly man, is heir of the ſame glory, and partaker of the ſame ſalvation with him. So that if you conſider them alike in Chriſt there is no difference, God reſpecteth them alike. In Chriſt (ſaith the Apoſtle) there is no bond, or free, but all are one in Chriſt, Gal. 3. 21. And upon this account it is, that Maſters are exhorted, To do that which was equal to ſervants, that were believers, becauſe they had the ſame Lord. Only you muſt know, that there is a true humility and a counterfeit one; Grace doth not put upon the latter, but the former. For a counterfeit humility makes a man puſillanimous, not keeping up the due authority of his place and office. The Apoſtle, though ſo humble, that he judged himſelf leſs than the leaſt of the Apoſtles, yet ſaith, He would magnifie his Office, and he pleadeth for it againſt all oppoſers whatſoever.
Uſe. To diſcover our ſpirits, how we are when exalted to any Office, or enlarged Uſe.by any gifts: Are not we who are apt to charge pride in others, guilty of a great deal our ſelves? We look upon thoſe that are higher with a cenſorious eye, not conſidering that there are many under us, who meaſure out the ſame judgment to us Take then the Apoſtles adviſe, Be cloathed with humility; the Greek word is rarely, 1 Pet. 3. 5. uſed. This ought to be a garment all over us; nothing but the ſpirit of humility ſhould breath and live in us. And indeed this is the way to be made higher ſtill. For God giveth grace to the humble; and the humble he will teach his way.