An Exposition of Pauls Epistles, Letter 3 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
HEE goes on to defend his Ministery. There are two parts of this Chapter, in the first hee proveth his faithfulness, or sincerity in the Ministery, by seven Arguments, to the sixth verse. In the second hee confirms the seventh Argument, by answering the objections concerning the scandal of the Cross lying upon him, to the end.
Vers. 1. Therefore se…ing wee have this Ministery, as wee have received mercy, wee faint not.
Argum. 1. The inward testimony of so glorious a Ministery committed unto mee by the mercy of God, is effectual to sustain mee, lest I bee overcome in the doing of my duty, with the hurthen of evils, and that by the measure of grace given to mee, I go forward valiantly▪ From hence therefore it appeareth, that I am sincere and faithful: For modesty sake hee joyneth others, but hee himself in the conflict was especially aimed at by his Adversaries.
Vers. 2. But having renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth, commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God.
Argum. 2. I have renounced ambition, covetousness, and the other shameful lusts, which some secretly indulging, do cover this their disgrace in corners, under other, or the like veils and pretences: Therefore I am faithful.
Not with] Argum. 3. I have not walked in craftiness, deceitfully handling the Word of God, or bending and fitting that to the dispositions of men, as the false Apostles do: Therefore I am faithful.
By manifestation] Argum. 4. I have carried my self so mildly in the clea… preaching of the Word of God, that the consciences of all men are compelled to acknowledge my integrity, of which thing also I have God to my witness: Therefore I am faithful.
Vers. 3. But if our Gospel bee hid, it is hid to them that are lost.
4. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, le…t the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the Image of God, should shine unto them.
Object. But how comes it to pass that thy Doctrine is not understood by so many wise and potent men, if it bee so clearly taught? Hee answers, that the ignorance of the Gospel so plainly unfolded to them, was no argument of the obscurity of the Doctrine, but of the incredulity of the hearer, and his future perdition from the blindness of unbelievers, blinded by the Devil, whom the world serves. For the Devil further blindeth the blind Infidels, lest they should see God offering himself in Christ, lest they should behold Christ to their Salvation, shining in the Gospel, who hath brought forth the invisible God as to our view by his Doctrine and Power manifested in the flesh, that wee may behold God in Christ, the true Image of God the Father.
Vers. 5. For wee preach not our selves, but Christ Iesus the Lord, and our selves, your servants for Iesus sake.
Argum. 5. Of the Apostles fidelity, I (saith hee) seek the glory of Christ alone, and acknowledge Christ only, Lord in the Church. Truly I declare my self, and other Teachers, not only Ministers of Christ, but also of his people, that Christ alone may bee exalted: Therefore I shew my self faithful.
Vers. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Iesus Christ.
Argum. 6. Confirming the former, wherein hee compares his Conversion from Pharisaism, to the creation of light out of darkness; God, who by his Omnipotent Word hath produced light out of darkness, by no less efficacy hath hee brought mee lost sinner out of the darkness of Pharisaism, and sin, and hath so powerfully enlarged my heart, illuminated by the light of Christ his glorious Son, that I cannot but communicate to others this glorious knowledge of the grace of God given to mee, manifestly shining in Christ: Therefore it behoveth mee to bee faithful.
Vers. 7. But wee have these treasures in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may bee of God, and not of us.
Argum. 7. God, by shewing my infirmity in all exercises, and also by maintaining his strength in mee under frequent afflictions, and by keeping mee constant hitherto, hath rendred my faithfulness commendable with all men: Therefore I can affirm my self faithful.
The Second Part.
Hee so handles this argument, that in the mean while hee solves two objections, that hee might take away the scandal of the Cross.
Earthen] Object. 1. In the mean while, thy condition of life is miserable and contemptible, as a certain earthen vessel. Hee answers four manner of wayes.
1. That it is true, that hee is an earthen vessel, frail and contemptible, but not withstanding hee contains the Treasure of Grace, and the knowledge of the Gospel.
May bee of God] Furthermore hee answers, that that happened by the Wisdome of God, lest the glory of the Conversion and Salvation of so many men should bee ascribed to the virtue of the Apostle, that it should bee wholly ascribed unto God, for by so much the more the Power of God is conspicuous in great works, by how much the weakness of the Instrument more evidently appeareth.
Vers. 8. Wee are troubled …n every side, yet not distressed: wee are perplexed, but not in dispair:
9. Persecuted, but not forsaken: cast down, but not destroyed.
Hee answers: 3. That all his afflictions are moderated, and hee himself is upheld by God in all things, that hee is not destitute of the help of God, doth not sink under his burthen, that hee doth not forsake God, nor dispair, is not forsaken of God, not left, or lost: Therefore it matters nothing how weak he is in himself. Wee are afflicted (hee saith) yet not distressed; i. e. on every side wee are troubled with adversity, but wee are not brought into such streights, as to bee over-whelmed, but wee are preserved by the help of God in the midst of afflictions. Wee are perplexed, but not in despair; i. e. wee doubt sometimes what may bee done in the dangers of this life, but wee are not so destitute, that wee are void of all counsel. Wee are persecuted, but not forsaken; i. e. God permits us to bee vexed and evil intreated by the enemies of the Gospel, but hee neither permits us to bee slain, before the time by him determined, neither doth hee withdraw his consolations from us. Wee are cast down, but not destroyed; that is, wee sometimes seem presently ready to perish, but God helping us, wee are kept from perishing.
Vers. 10. Alwayes bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Iesus, that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our body.
Hee answers: 4. That his afflictions make for the glory of Christ, because the Image of Christ suffering and dying may bee seen in them, and that the virtue and strength of Christ living, may appear in supporting him under so many afflictions: Therefore it matters not how weak hee may bee in himself.
Vers. 11. For wee which live are alway delivered unto death for Iesus sake, that the Life also of Iesus might bee manifest in our mortal flesh.
Hee confirms this from hence, that the Apostles who lived in the midst of troubles by the strength of Christs Spirit, for the cause of Christ, daily undergo danger, that the quickning Virtue of Christ may more and more appear in sustaining their fleshly infirmities, obnoxious to that miserable condition.
Vers. 12. So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
Object. 2. But not necessarily, because thou art the Servant of Christ, therefore thou shouldest bee also miserable and contemned: For wee Corinthians are Christians, and yet wee live more prosperously. Hee answers four manner of wayes.
1. By granting it to bee so; yet by the Wisdome of God it comes to pass, that in some stronger Christians, as the Apostles, the Image of Christ dying, might rather appear at least to the world. But in others, as the weaker Corinthians, the efficacy of Christs Life supporting them under extreme afflictions, might bee more apparent to the world.
Vers. 13. Wee having the same spirit of Faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken: wee also believe, and therefore speak.
14. Knowing that hee which raised up the Lord Iesus, shall raise up us also by Iesus, and present us with you.
Hee answers 2. Although the Apostles may bee afflicted more than the Corinthians, yet there is the same Spirit of Faith both in them and in the Corinthians, by which Faith, believing with David, Psalm. 116. ver. 10. The Apostle dare promise to himself, together with the Corinthians, a glorious Resurrection, although now hee is more pressed under the Cross than they.
Vers. 15. For all things are for your sake, that the abundant grace might, through the thanksgiving of many, redound to the glory of God.
Hee answers 3. That hee was afflicted for their consolation and confirmation, as also that from his afflictions and deliverances; occasion of praying and suffering together with the Apostles, might not onelyonly bee given to the Corinthians; But also occasion of thanksgiving with them, for their eminent deliverances from trouble, which God forthwith granted to him with the rest of the Apostles, and was about to grant.
Vers. 16. For which cause wee faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
Hee answers 4. That hee was not tyred nor wearied by his afflictions, whereof hee subjoyns three Reasons.
Reason 1. Because as much as was diminished of those goods, that made for the maintaining the State of this present life, so much was added to his holiness for the increasing of his spiritual life.
Vers. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
Reason 2. Because it did procure an unspeakable weight of glory (to the promoting of which, afflictions help, as instruments and means both of mortification and glorification) so that no afflictions are to bee accounted of, yea truly the lightness of afflictions, which is but for a moment, clearly vanisheth and becomes as nothing in comparison with future glory.
Vers. 18. While wee look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Reason 3. Why hee doth not wax faint, is, Because (saith hee) by Faith I look at things eternal and invisible, by reason of which, I despise all temporal and visible, i. e. both Riches, Honours, and Profits, &c. I do not look at, because those are onelyonly durable for a time, but I have my mind intent upon those good and eternal things which God hath promised: Therefore I do not weigh the loss of temporal things; by all which the Apostle confirmeth the Corinthians, lest they should bee offended at his afflictions.