An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 98
SERM. XCVIII.
Of Gods Preſence with the Miniſtry, how it renders the People inexcuſable.
2 COR. 1. 12.
And more abundantly to you-wards.
WE are now arrived at the cloſe and laſt particular of this verſe, wherein is contained the ground of Paul's comfort, from the teſtimony of his conſcience. As the former particulars did declare his converſation, with the manner of it, univerſally without reſtriction or limitation to times, perſons, or places, ſo this laſt clauſe is added to affect the Corinthians the more, who liſtened too much to falſe Apoſtles, from his peculiar converſation to them, it was more abundantly towards them, then to any other in the world. Not that Paul was leſſe ſincere, or leſſe faithfull in other places; but only there were more outward effects and demonſtrations of it towards them, then to others. So that the Greek word foreign, doth denote the abundance and overflowing evidences of the power of God in his Miniſtry towards them. And this comparative may be taken both intenſively, his carriage towards them was fuller of love and compaſſion, fuller of care and diligence to them then others, becauſe they were in greater danger, and under more temptations. As alſo extenſively, there he had laboured more, continued longer, and the power of God had been more ſucceſſefull in his Miniſtry amongſt them. In the Greek it is foreign, which ſome render amongst you; for foreign, as Beza ſheweth the phraſe uſed ſo out of Demoſthenes. Others render it towards you, for foreign, and ſo the Apoſtle hath this expreſſion, 2 Cor. 2. 4. That ye might know the love which I have more abundantly towards you. The like is alſo applied to Titus, in reference to them, his inward affection was more abundantly towards them, 2 Cor. 7. 15. If you ask, Wherein this greater abundance of Paul's ſincere converſation was ſeen to the Corinthians, more than to others? Expoſitors give in ſeveral particulars. Chryſoſtome, and others following him, make it to be in this, that he preached the Goſpel freely to them. Here ſaith he, foreign, He went beyond his bounds, condeſcending to their infirmity. Now concerning this fact of Paul's receiving no maintenance from theſe Corinthians, though he did from others; and pleadeth he might alſo by right take off them, alledging the plain Ordinance and Inſtitution of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 9. 13. Even ſo hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Gospel, ſhould live of the Gospel. There is a two-fold controverſie, the former is ſtarted by the Papiſts, who from hence held the Doctrine of Counſels, as alſo of ſupererogation, that a man may do more than he is commanded, as they ſay Paul did in this caſe. The later is from others, who from hence decry the maintenance of Miniſters, and that they are with Paul to continue in ſome vocation, to maintain themſelves and family with; but becauſe here it is ſuppoſed only, and afterwards in the Epiſtle it is profeſſedly owned by the Apoſtle, and inſiſted upon, we ſhall referre it, till God give opportunity to conſider it in its proper place. 2 Cor. 11. 7, 8, 9. Others they underſtand this greater abundance in reſpect of the length of that time, he continued amongſt them. For ye may read that Act. 18. 10, 11. Paul continued there a year and an half at Corinth, which was a great ſpace of time, conſidering how his Apoſtolical Office required of him the viſiting of other Churches, and planting alſo the Goſpel, where yet it was not received. They had therefore time enough to ſee his whole deportment, to obſerve that he was no fraudulent impoſtor, that he did all things for their own good, not ſeeking himſelf. 3. Some referre it to the great ſucceſſe and wonderfull power, that God did put forth in, and with his Miniſtry; for ſo God telleth him that viſion he had there, Act. 18. 9, 10, Be not afraid Paul, for I am with thee, no man ſhall hurt thee, for I have much people in this City. So that this was a great conviction that Pauls Miniſtry ſhould work ſuch a mighty change among a people ſo proud, ſo rich, ſo glorying in parts and humane learning, as they did: This was the hand of God. Laſtly, It may referre to his love towards them, which he ſeemeth to expreſſe to them more than others, and therefore ſpeaketh of it, 2 Cor. 2. 4. yea he reproveth them for their ingratitude herein, 2 Cor. 12. 15. I will very gladly be ſpent for you, though the more abundantly I love you, the leſſe I be loved. Now the reaſon why Paul was thus affectionately carried out towards them more than others, was becauſe of the dangerous temptations they were in by falſe Apoſtles; theſe came with enticing words, pretending much love, and alſo obſerved ſtrictly every paſſage of Paul's life; ſo that it behoved him, as to walk with more circumſpection, ſo alſo to expreſſe his hearty love towards them, ſeeing they were in ſuch a weak and uncertain condition. Even as Ariſtotle obſerveth, The affections of parents are moſt carried to thoſe who are the weakeſt, and moſt infirme. And thus much for explication. From the words we obſerve,
That the more evidences and demonſtrations a people have had of Gods preſence The more evidently Gods preſence hath been with the Miniſtry, the more inexcuſable is the unprofitableneſs of the people under it.with the Ministry, the more inexcuſable will they be, if they do not profit thereby.
The longer you have enjoyed the meanes of grace, and the more powerfully God hath manifeſted his preſence therein: If ſtill thou perſiſt in thy rebellion and oppoſition to God, the greater will thy condemnation be. The Apoſtle doth much preſſe this upon the Corinthians, as a ſpecial means to preſerve them from revolting, 2 Corinth. 13. Since ye ſeeke a proofe of Chriſt ſpeaking in me, which to you-ward is not weake, but mighty in you; and thereupon biddeth them, Examine themſelves, whether they be in the faith, or whether Chriſt be in them, or not. And if ſo, they muſt needs acknowledge this to be the fruit of his Miniſtry. Oh it is an high aggravation of a mans wilfulneſſe to ſinne, when he cannot but be convinced, that the Miniſter doth his duty, he diſchargeth his Office, he hath informed me fully of my dangerous eſtate, yet for all that he will go on in diſobedience! We read of the Apoſtles preſſing this likewiſe, 1 Corinth. 4. 15. with much earneſtneſſe, Though you have ten thouſand inſtructors in Chriſt, yet have ye not many fathers. He was the firſt that through the grace of God, begot them a new from their former impieties. So that the more good a people have received by a Miniſter, the more they ſtand obliged ſtill to follow his Doctrine. Our Apoſtle dealeth in this Argument alſo with the Galatians, Chap. 3. 2, 3, 4. This would I learne of you, received ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law, or by the hearing of faith? He appealeth to what they had found experimentally by the preaching of the Goſpel upon their owne ſoules: and would they who had thus begunne in the ſpirit, end in the fleſh? Our Saviour alſo telleth the Iewes concerning John, They did once rejoyce in his light for a ſeaſon, John 5. 35. At the firſt, while his preaching and life was new, before he came throughly to convince them of their hypocriſie and wickedneſſe; and then when they ſaw his preaching was againſt them, and that he was not a man for their carnal intereſt; they who once rejoyced in him afterwards reproached him, and ſaid, He had a Devil.
But let us amplifie this point in ſeveral particulars.
Firſt, The longer time a people have enjoyed a faithfull Ministry, the 1. The longer time a people have enjoyed the means of grace, they'll be more inexcuſable, if they anſwer not Gods expectations.more inexcuſable will they be, if they anſwer not Gods expectation. A great part of the world ſitteth in darkneſſe, and have nothing of this ſpiritual light ariſing upon them; They have had no Prophet amongſt them, to warne and admoniſh every man to forſake his evil way. If therefore God hath fixed Paſtours and Teachers amongſt us, who continually informe us of our duties: How great will our condemnation be, if we ſhut our eyes againſt light? Though thou doeſt not account the yeares, yet God doth; he taketh notice of the preciſe time, that he hath been calling and inviting of thee, to come in, and ſubmit unto him. We ſee this notably in that Parable, Luke 13. 7. Then ſaid the Maſter to his Vine-dreſſer, Behold theſe three yeares I come ſeeking fruit on this fig-tree, and finde none. It is but three yeares, and yet this is accounted a great matter; their unprofitableneſſe, though they had but three yeares trial was ſo hainous, that there is a command to cut down the tree, as that which cumbreth the ground. What cauſe then haſt thou to fear leſt ſuch a ſentence paſſe upon thee, who haſt not onelyonly for three yeares, but many threes been dreſſed and pruned, and yet continueſt barren? How ſhould you number every Lords-day? How ſhould you account and ſet downe every Sermon? For though you let them paſſe, yet God will not. Thus we have God complaining concerning the people of Iſrael, mentioning the exact time, they had been froward and rebellious againſt him under his gracious diſpenſations, Pſal. 95. 10. which is alſo alſo alledged by the Apoſtle, Hebr. 3. 9, 17. They ſaw Gods workes fourty years in the wilderneſſe. What a long time was here to convince them, to humble them under all theſe wonderfull workes which God did before their eyes, yet God complaineth, that theſe fourty yeares, they did only grieve God by their ſinnes and provocations? And is not this the ſad caſe of too many? May not God ſay fourty, yea fifty and threeſcore years; Ye have grieved him every Sabbath-day, becauſe not reformed or changed by the Word? Remember this therefore, the longer that the Miniſters of God have continued with you, the more is all excuſe taken off from you, if ye repent not.
Secondly, The more faithfull and diligent the Miniſters of God have been 2. The more faithfull the Miniſter is, the more in excuſable will the people be.by publick preaching and otherwayes, to convert you from all your evil doings, the greater will your account be, if ye be negligent about your ſoules. Indeed people may have a Miniſtry, but becauſe a lazy corrupt one, becauſe a ſuperſtitious or prophane one; men are encouraged more thereby in their wickedneſſe. And although this will not free a people, they ſhall not think to eſcape by laying the fault upon their blinde guides; for rather than their bodies ſhould ſtarve, they would break thorow ſtony walls, and goe farre before they would be famiſhed: So if people were ſenſible of their ſoules undoing by ſuch a Miniſtry; if they lived where the famine of the Word is, they would wander from ſea to ſea; and from the North even to the Eaſt, to look the word of God, as you have it, Amos, Chap. 8. 12. Though I ſay, the people will not be acquitted, they ſhall die and be damned in their ſinnes; yet God will require their blood of ſuch Idol-ſhepherds, Ezek. 33. 8, 9. But as it followeth there, If they be faithfull ſhepherds, if they doe warne every wicked man, and yet they will goe on in their evil way, then ſuch faithfull Miniſters have delivered their owne ſoules, and the peoples blood will lie upon their owne head. The more paines then, and the greater labour that the Miniſters of God have taken to reduce men from their evil wayes, and yet thou continueſt unreformed, the greater will thy confuſion be: Their ſtudy, their Sermons, their prayers, their ſweat, their wearineſſe, will all witneſſe againſt thee at that day. We may ſee this notably fulfilled in Chriſt himſelf, that great ſhepherd of our ſouls, Matth. 11. 20. It is there ſaid, Then began he to upbraid thoſe Cities, wherein moſt of his mighty workes were done, becauſe they repented not. Woe to thee Corazin, woe to thee Bethſaida, &c. And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto Heaven.—By this we ſee, the more abundantly Chriſt had diſcovered his willingneſſe for their ſalvation, and they refuſed him, the greater woe did belong to them; yea it would be worſe with them at the Day of Judgement, than the Sodomites, the vileſt of men, whom God deſtroyed with ſuch a ſudden and terrible deſtruction.
Thirdly, The more ſucceſſe that the Miniſtry hath had, where thou liveſt, the 3. Where the Miniſtry is more ſucceſfull, the impenitent are more inexcuſable.greater change and converſion it hath made, and yet thou continue the ſame prophane perſon thou waſt, the greater is thy guilt. When it ſhall be a converting Word to others, but not to thee; an enlightning Word to others, but not to thee: Oh do thou tremble under thy condition, leſt God hath given thee up to a ſpiritual judgment, that no preaching, no Miniſtry, no, if Angels ſhould come from Heaven, or men raiſed from the dead, yet they ſhould do no good upon thee. If there be but one man, or woman in a Pariſh, that can bleſſe God for the good their ſoules have got by the hearing of the Word; this perſon will ariſe at the Day of Judgement againſt thee, then God will ſay, Why was it not a converting Word to thee, as well as him? Why did thy neighbours heare and tremble, reforme and tremble, but thou didſt not?
Now the ſucceſſe of a faithfull Miniſtery may be ſeen in theſe particulars.Wherein the ſucceſs of a faithfull Miniſtry is ſeen.
1. To enlighten thee, to inſtruct and teach thee in the wayes of God. For this end they are called Lights and Teachers. Obſerve then, if there be not many that have got knowledge in the truths of God, when thou art ignorant how many by thee do know the principles of Religion; the Miniſtry hath been inſtrumental to awaken them: ſo that thoſe who were ignorant do now underſtand: this will condemn thee, who liveſt in thy ſottiſh ignorance.
2. The ſucceſſe of the Miniſtry is ſeen, In the converſion and reforming of men from their evil wayes. To turn ſwine into ſheep, weeds into flowers, as we read of three thouſand converted by one Sermon that Peter made. If then, God hath bleſſed our labours in this kind, though it ſhould be but to one man in the Congregation, this will be a teſtimony againſt you. Was not he once prophane, as thou art? Did not he follow all exceſſe of riot, as thou doeſt? Did not he deride and ſcorn at the power of godlineſs, as thou doeſt? but now he is wholly altered, now he dare not do the things he once did: Now he crieth out, Oh ſuch a Sermon ſtruck to my very heart, ſuch a paſſage was like a thunderbolt! Why then is it that thou doeſt not follow ſuch a man, and do as he doth? He would not be the ſame worldling, the ſame prophane perſon he was once for a world. Oh remember this mans converſion, this mans change will be a teſtimony againſt thee!
3. The ſucceſſe of the Miniſtry is not only to give ſpiritual life at first, but to quicken up, to edifie and to cauſe to grow up more and more in godlineſſe; that you may not be a people alwayes in low principles, that you may not be babes alwayes, but be more ſpiritual, and greater proficients in godlineſs than formerly. Thus our Saviour prayed, Joh. 17. for the Diſciples already converted, that they might be more ſanctified. And here again is condemning matter to thoſe who ſtand at a ſtay; yea it may be go back, and fall off from their firſt love. Oh lay this to heart? Seeſt thou not how ſuch and ſuch, that did but lately look towards Heaven, have overgone thee? they have more knowledge, more grace, more life and vigour than thou haſt. Certainly this maketh thy caſe the ſadder; they are planted by the ſame waters thou art, hear the ſame Sermons, receive the ſame Ordinances, and yet are farre more fruitfull than thou art.
4. Another particular wherein the ſucceſſefull efficacy of the Miniſtry doth appear, is, To antidote againſt errours, to preſerve from giddineſſe and wantonneſſe in matters of Religion. This great effect of the Miniſtry the Apoſtle taketh notice of, Epheſ. 4. 14. where it is ſaid, God gave gifts to men, Apoſtles and Paſtors to his Church, that henceforth we be no more children, toſſed up and down with every wind of dóctrine. This implieth, that before the Miniſtry came, they were toſſed up and down; but now it muſt be no more ſo. This alſo will ſpeak terrible guilt to ſome; who are fallen off from the wholſom truths of God, who have left their own ſtedfaſtneſs, being carried away with the errour of the wicked. For thoſe who have been preſerved and confirmed by the Miniſtry, will be a teſtimony againſt ſuch Apoſtates.
Laſtly, The word of God preached, though it may not throughly reforme, yet it doth ſometimes reſtrain men from ſinne. Sometimes it maketh them with Felix tremble; at other times with Agrippa, almoſt to become a Chriſtian. Oh let ſuch remember thoſe times. You have felt the word of God like fire in your bowels; you have found it to be like a two-edged ſword within. Know that all thoſe relentings and troubled agonies of ſoul, will be a condemnation one day. The Word preached hath more abundantly worked upon you than others, though it hath not yet obtained a full and perfect change upon thee. Thus you ſee, whereſoever the word of God hath appeared more abundantly in any one particular in that reſpect, the greater is the aggravation of thoſe mens ſins, who have not thereby been reformed.
Let us proceed to the Uſes. And
1. This may aggravate the ſinne of all thoſe who are now departed from the Miniſtry and the Ordinances, who are ſo arrogantly puffed up with a ſuppoſed perfection, that they think they need not either hear or pray, as if all fulneſs did dwell in them. Now to theſe men we propound this Queſtion, How came you at firſt to that light, to that knowledge you have? How came you at firſt out of your prophaneneſſe? Whence was it that your conſciences were awakened once? Was not all this at firſt by the Ministry! If there be any good in you, did you not receive it from theſe ſtreams of God? Why then is it that you depart from us? Why is it that you despiſe what once you imbraced? Certainly our Miniſtry hath had more of Gods power and preſence to you-wards, then to many ignorant prophane perſons: but this maketh your ſin greater.
Use 2. To inſtruct us, how inexcuſable all they are, who live now under Gospel-light, and yet are not reclaimed from their evil wayes. For though one particular Miniſtry may have more of life and power than another, yet whereſoever Chriſt is faithfully preached, there is the ſtrongeſt argument that can be uſed to bring you to God. All that do now refuſe us preaching, refuſe Chriſt ſpeaking from Heaven, as the Apoſtle argueth, Heb. 12. 25. This is more than to refuſe Moſes, or the Prophets, yea then Angels, as Heb. 2. 3. And therefore the Apoſtle propoundeth this Queſtion, How ſhall we eſcape, if we neglect ſo great ſalvation, which at firſt began to be ſpoken by the Lord, and afterwards was confirmed by others, God bearing them witneſſe by ſignes and many wonders? So that now the things of Religion cannot be more abundantly confirmed to you than they are; you are not to expect more powerfull means to convert you, than have been uſed; and this will make Hell ſeven times hotter for all ungodly and prophane perſons, who are ſo under theſe Goſpel-diſpenſations.