An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 99
SERM. XCIX.
Of the convincing Nature of Godlineſs in Miniſters, and private Chriſtians.
2 COR. 1. 13.
For we write no other things unto you, then what you read or acknowledge, and I truſt that you ſhall acknowledge even to the end.
THe Apoſtle having formerly aſſerted the ſincerity and holy ſimplicity of his converſation, and that more abundantly to the Corinthians; leſt this ſhould be a vain, boaſting of himſelf, and that in giving teſtimony of himſelf, that would not be valid, or ſufficient: He doth in this verſe appeal to the very conſciences of the Corinthians likewiſe. So that not only the teſtimony of his own conſcience, but of their conſciences alſo, muſt needs juſtifie him. And indeed this is a good demonſtration of that uprightneſs which is within us, when we can appeal to the conſciences of others. For although men, eſpecially ſuch as are prejudiced and alienated from us, may ſuffocate and ſmother as much as lie in them, that they have any ſuch convictions of our integrity, yet ſecretly their conſciences cannot but bear witneſs to us. The matter then wherein he doth appeal, as it were, to their own conſciences, is ſet down in the beginning of the verſe, For we write no other things unto you, &c. There is one expreſſion in this paſſage, that hath much perplexed Interpreters, and made them go different wayes; it is, that we write no other things unto you, then what you do, foreign, read; ſo we tranſlate it, and likewiſe many others. Now this is wondered at by ſome, yea by Calvin accounted, Nimis fligidum, ne dicam ineptum, ſaith he, in loc. It is too frigid and abſurd, to make this the ſenſe, I write to you no other things, then what you read, &c. For who doubted of that? And how could any man read otherwiſe than he wrote, ſaith Muſculus? Eſtius alſo doth confeſs, that the rendring the word foreign, Ye read, did cauſe great perplexity to Expoſitors; and therefore ſheweth, that Theophylact, when he could not ſatisfie himſelf about that ſenſe of the word, did runne to another. Yet there are learned men, that endeavour to make a good ſenſe of it, though it be tranſlated [Ye read:] For Beza, though he taketh notice of what Calvin ſaith againſt it, yet followeth this tranſlation, and would make this Paul's meaning, That he did not write cunningly, artificially what they did read in the plain letter of the words that he did write, he had no equivocations, nor intended any deluſions by his words. Cajetan in loc. he maketh this expreſſion to referre to the former Epiſtle, and alſo to this part of the ſecond which we are now upon, We write no more now, then what ye have read formerly. Therefore ſome render it in the preterperfect tenſe. Others they make the general ſenſe to be this, Our words, and our actions do agree, we write no more than what may be read, and acknowledged by all. Though theſe interpretations may paſſe very well; yet becauſe the expreſſion is not ſo full and proper to ſay, We write no other things, then what you read, I ſhall rather go with thoſe, who ſay, the word foreign, though it many times ſignifieth to read, yet it doth alſo, to take notice of, to know, to remember, &c. Indeed I find it not in this ſenſe uſed in the New Teſtament, but conſtantly for to read; yet Varinus, he maketh it to ſignifie as well foreign, To know, to call to mind, to remember, to be convinced of a thing. So that the meaning is, We write to you no other things, then what you know, what you remember, yea what ye are experimentally convinced of. And thus it differeth from the word foreign, which followeth, and ſignifieth more. For a man may know, and remember, yea and be convinced of many things, which yet through ſome corruption within, he will not acknowledge: for that is, when we do with a ready and willing conſent approve and own ſuch a thing. The Phariſees were often convinced about Chriſts Doctrine, yet they would not acknowledge it. But the Apoſtle attributeth both theſe to the Corinthians: for the foreign, rendered [Or] Eraſmus ſuſpects it crept in for foreign, which things. Vorſtius preferreth that reading, which is foreign, and ſo paraphraſeth, If ſo be you do acknowledge; but there is no neceſſity of this.
From the words thus explained, we obſerve,
That a godly convincing life in a Chriſtian, especially in a Miniſter, is A godly convincing life is of great advantage, ſpecially in a Miniſter.of ſpecial advantage for many excellent effects.
Every Chriſtian, and much more every Miniſter, are by their lives and examples ſo to convince, that others may acknowledge, verily God is with them, verily the Spirit of Chriſt dwelleth in them. This is no more, then what our Saviour expreſſeth, Let your light ſo ſhine before men, Mat. 5. 16. that they may ſee your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven. Some make this exhortation given to Chriſtians in the general: Others to the Miniſters of the Goſpel in particular. However by this we ſee, that God cannot bear meer titles, names and opinions, unleſſe there be an holy life accompanying of them; he ſaith, That they may ſee your good works, not titles, not profeſſions, not your ceremonious, and inſtituted worſhip, but good works; good works then are neceſſary; but ſuch as flow from men enlightned by the Goſpel-truth. Many miſtake about good works, not knowing what the nature of them is; and then Chriſt ſheweth the end of theſe good works, That they may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven; not that they may glorifie you, and honour you. We are not to do good things for applauſe and eſteem; neither doth he ſay, that ye may merit a reward in Heaven. Vain-glory and merit, with ſelf-confidence, are the end why phariſaical men cauſe their light to ſhine before others; but the Evangelical Chriſtian, he doth it, That God may be glorified.
But let us cauſe the light of this Doctrine alſo to ſhine before you. And
Firſt, We are to know, That godlineſſe and exact holineſſe hath a convincing 1. Godlineſſe hath a convincing and converting effect with it.and converting effect with it. The ſincere practice of it doth awe and conquer the conſcience, even of the vileſt men. Godlineſs is the image of God. Now when God created man, in that he gave him dominion over all the beaſts of the field, they ſtood in awe of him: And thus where the image of God is repaired, there it hath a convincing work upon the conſcience of the moſt beaſtly men. Thus it is ſaid of Herod, though a King, who had command over John Baptiſts life, as the event ſhewed, yet he feared John, becauſe he was a juſt man, Mark 6. 20. As the luſtre of the Sunne-beams do dazle the Owls and the Bats eyes: Thus doth the lively expreſſion of holineſs even amaze the moſt profligate ſinners; neither is this the leſſe true, though wicked men rage, blaſpheme and raiſe all manner of calumnies againſt ſuch who walk uprightly, for in the midſt of this madneſs their conſcience is ſtill awed and convinced. So that this doth diſcover the excellency of a godly life, that it breedeth a reverential awe, it maketh the conſciences of men ſecretly to own ſuch, and to wiſh that they were as ſuch, and that their latter end might be like theirs.
Secondly, Although a godly life be thus neceſſary in every Chriſtian, and especially 2. The efficacy of the Miniſtry depends not upon the piety of the Miniſter.in a Miniſter, yet the efficacy of the Miniſtry, and ſacramental adminiſtrations, doth not depend upon the holy life of a Miniſter, no more than the Papiſts ſay, it doth upon a Miniſters intention. This was a Donatiſtical errour of old, ſo much oppoſed by Auſtin, that the wickedneſs of a Miniſters life, did fruſtrate the work of the Sacraments. Certainly Chriſts promiſe is made to the Office, and to the right adminiſtration of the Ordinances; neither can the evil life of the Miniſter make void Gods promiſe of preſence to his own Ordinances, where people come in a prepared and holy manner. This our Saviour ſeemeth fully to confirm, Mat. 23. 23. where he directed his hearers, To hear the Phariſees and Scribes, becauſe ſitting in Moſes his chair, and to obſerve what thoſe teachers ſhould bid them obſerve and do; but (ſaith he) do not after their works, for they ſay, and do not. This Text doth confute two ſorts of men; firſt, Thoſe of the Romane party, who make uſe of this againſt the Proteſtants, as if it were their ſinne to depart from their Biſhops and Paſtors, though it be granted they ſuperadded many ſuperſtitious and corrupt doctrines, which we would eaſily yeeld unto: if as the Phariſees ſate in Moſes his chair; ſo they did in Chriſts chair. For this phraſe denoteth two things: 1. A lawfull Call and Office. 2. True and ſound Doctrine; our Saviour did not mean they were to do every thing the Phariſees ſaid. For at another time he bid them, Beware of the leaven of the Phariſees, which was their doctrine, Mat. 16. 6. But his univerſal expreſſion is to be limited to the ſubject matter, while they did teach what Moſes commanded. But we deny that the Roman Biſhops have Chriſts chair, either in reſpect of their Office, or their doctrine. Again the ſecond errour which this Text doth confute, is the extremity of thoſe, who becauſe of ſome corruption in the Miniſters, do wholly cry down the Miniſtry it ſelf, or out of their oppoſition to what is bad, will not receive that which is wholſome and good. Our Saviour being to reprove the Phariſees in a moſt ſharp way, as hypocrites and blind guides, knowing how apt people are to runne from one extremity to another; doth therefore adviſe them, that ſo farre as they keep to Moſes his doctrine, ſo farre they are to be attended unto, though by their ill lives they deſtroy all. Thus hungry men will eat the meat provided for them at the feaſt, not conſidering whether the Maſters of the feaſt do eat or no: Yea though they do not, yet they will not forbear; or as Chryſoſtom, Men that dig for gold, will gladly take their fulneſs of that, although the ground that yeeldeth it, be barren and unfruitfull in reſpect of graſs and flowers: But I cannot ſay all that is to be ſaid on this point. Therefore
In the third place, Though the efficacy of Ordinences dependeth not upon the godlineſſe of him that doth adminiſter, yet all ſuch dispenſers can have no comfort from 3. Yet ſuch Miniſters as are not godly, cannot expect comfort from God, nor acceptance with him.God; neither may they expect acceptance from him, while they live in their iniquities. Mat. 7. 22. Many will ſay to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not propheſied in thy Name, and in thy Name caſt out Devils? Yet you read of that terrible denunciation towards them, Depart from me, I know ye not. It is a very ſad thing to conſider how much Chriſtians will reſt on titles and names, vponupon Ordinances and external duties, thinking theſe will carry them to Heaven, though otherwiſe full of impiety. The Apoſtle James argueth againſt this poſition that faith without a holy converſation will ſave, as if it were a Doctrine plauſibly received. Certainly in Auſtin's time it was ſo univerſally entertained, that a right faith would ſave, though ſeparated from a godly life, that he doth warily, though ſincerely ſit himſelf againſt it. As it is thus with Chriſtians, ſo alſo with Miniſters and Officers of the Church, how apt are they to be confident, and to be puſſed up, becauſe if they have a true Call, Church-government and Order according to Chriſts Inſtitution? not ſo diligently attending to the ſtrict and holy practice of godlineſs, as they ought to do. The Apoſtle ſpeaketh notably to this point, 1 Cor. 5. 6, 7. where he taxeth them for their boaſting in many Church-priviledges, when impiety was not cenſured amongſt them, Your glorifying is not good; They gloried in their teachers, they magnified their abilities and gifts; but ſaith the Apoſtle, This is not good: All this is vanity as long as wicked men are ſuffered amongſt you. So that you ſee, neither parts or gifts, nor divine Inſtitutions and Officers in the Church of God, without godly and holy lives are matter of any true and ſolid comfort. Therefore we cannot paſſe by that ſerious and holy obſervation which Muſculus hath upon this paſſage of Paul's encouraging himſelf, not from his Apoſtolical office, not from his miraculous and extraordinary gifts, but his ſincere converſation. The Catholical corruption of the Church came in, when this peſtilence had infected the Officers of the Church, that they did not think it ſo much material, how they had their converſation in the world, ſo that they kept faithfull to the Roman Sea. And would to God (as he goeth on) theſe vanities did not prevail in thoſe Churches, which are freed from Antichriſtianiſm; and this poiſonous root (ſaith he) is not a little watered of thoſe, who cannot ſpeak of the dispenſation of the myſteries of God, unleſſe they often inculcate, that it is not ſo material how the Miniſter liveth, ſo that Chriſts Inſtitutions are exactly obſerved. Thus he, adding more alſo to this point. This is enough to ſhew, That the Reformed Churches are not to reſt upon their Reformed Doctrine, Reformed Diſcipline, unleſs alſo the lives of all in their reſpective places be commenſurated to the rule of God.
In the fourth place, When we ſpeak of a convincing holy life, that may be underſtood two wayes, either, 1. Potentially, ſuch as is apt to convince, and of its 4. A godly life is convincing, either potentially or actually.own nature tendeth thereunto. Or, 2. Actually and eventually, which doth ſo convince, as that it draweth out an acknowledgement, when they do foreign and foreign. This diſtinction is to be obſerved; for the former many times is without the later. Even as the Sun is in it ſelf moſt viſible, and yet to a blind man it doth not enlighten him: ſo it many times falleth out, that godly Miniſters and godly Chriſtians do live convincing lives; ſo that they will be a teſtimony at the day of judgement againſt all impenitent ſinners, and yet the world will not acknowledge this. It is plain in Chriſt; whoſe life could be every way way more convincing than his? What ſinne could they charge upon him? He was not even as the beſt Miniſters of God are, ſo ſubject to infirmities, to raſhnes, to paſſions, to worldlineſs, or any other evil; and yet for all that his Miniſtry and life did not ſo actually convince many of his hearers, as that they did acknowledge him to be the Sonne of God, the true Meſſias, and Saviour of the world. Some indeed did acknowledge him, but the Phariſees and Sadduces, theſe ſaid, He was an impoſtor, a blasphemer, and therefore they put him to death, as judging him a falſe Prophet. Thus you ſee that there may be a convincing life, and yet for all that men will be obſtinate and malicious, hardening themſelves againſt the duties required of them.What are the cauſes that make godly lives oft not convincing.
Now it is good to take notice of ſome of thoſe cauſes that keep men from being convinced that ſuch Miniſters, or ſuch people walk in the wayes of the Lord, and therefore we are to walk in their ſteps: As
1. Prejudice and prepoſſeſſed principles already received, whereby we ſtop the ear like the Adder, and will not hear the voice of the beſt charmer and wiſeſt. Thus 1. Prejudice.it was with many of the Jews, they had a tradition that no good, no Prophet could ariſe out of Galilee; They expected a Meſſias that in a temporal pompous manner ſhould deliver them from all external bondage, and therefore they would not be convinced by any thing that Chriſt did, or ſaid.
2. Corrupt and earthly affections, when our hearts are ſet upon any worldly or 2. Corrupt affections.ſelf-intereſt; This will keep us from being convinced, though Angels ſhould come and preach to us. Thus the Phariſees they were moved by ſelf-reſpects, if they ſhould yeeld to Chriſt, their applauſe, their gain would quickly periſh. And no doubt ſuch clay as this lieth upon the eyes of many men, that ſeeing, they do not ſee; knowing, they will not be convinced.
3. Mistake about the nature and way of godlineſſe, may keep many off from being 3. Miſtake about the way and nature of godlineſs.convinced. I ſhall inſtance only in two principles.
1. When men do judge nothing Godlineſſe, but what is exactly perfect: And therefore if they ſee Miniſters or Chriſtians ſubject to any infirmities, this hardens them in their impieties, they ſee ſuch men have failings. If this were a good principle, no godly man in the world (except Chriſt, in whom all fulneſſe did dwell) had a convincing life. Was there any Prophet, or an Apoſtle that had not ſome failings, that did not pray for the pardon of ſinne; If we ſay we have no ſinne (ſaith John in the name of the moſt holy) we deceive our ſelves, and have no truth in us, 1 Joh. 1. 8.
2. Another falſe principle that keepeth from convincing, is, When we thinke godlineſs lieth in the actual abdication and renouncing of all earthly, worldly things. It is true, in our afflictions we are to have theſe things, as if we had them not. There is to be an habitual preparation of heart, to leave all, when Chriſt ſhall command. It is true, We cannot ſerve God and Mammon; the love of the Father, and the love of the world cannot conſiſt together; but the love of God, and the uſe and poſſeſſion of theſe things may. Now by this errour many Papiſts are not convinced of the holineſs that is in reformed Churches. Why ſo? Oh, ſay they, you have no Monaſteries; you have no publick places for religious perſons; you have no votaries, that part with their earthly ſubſtance, and vow a life of poverty, your Miniſters marry, and have children. Thus the Papiſt is not convinced, becauſe he miſtaketh about godlineſs; and not only they, but many deluded perſons amongſt us, are offended, becauſe Miniſters take maintenance, provide for their families; as if this were againſt godlineſs, whereas the neglect of this would be to offend to God.
Uſe of Exhortation, to all Miniſters and private Christians, to ſtudy for convincing lives. The more power and conviction is therein, the greater is Religion honoured, the more is God glorified; the eaſier is the converſion of others, and the more is the mouth of prophane men ſtopped. Conſider not only what is lawfull, but what is convincing; eſpecially take heed of ſuch actions, or a life that is the contrary; ſcandalizing, offending, and cauſing Religion to be the worſe thought of by thy means.