A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Part 2 · Chapter 18
CHAP XVIII. Paul's Preaching at Corinth.
NOW come we to Paul's fifth Station which was at Corinth, Acts 18. v. 1. The Metropolis of Achaia a Sea-Town ſituated between the Aegean and the Jonian Seas in the very Iſl…hmus or narrow neck of Land that joyns Peloponeſus unto Achaia, a very rich City, made a Roman Colony, where Paul gathered a famous Church.
If we take a diſtinct proſpect of Paul's Station in Corinth, there be three Circumſtances do offer themſelves principally to our obſervation. The firſt is, His Entertainment. The ſecond is, His Actions. The third is, His Paſſions or Sufferings there. Theſe three are but Circumſtances (ſo called in the largeſt ſenſe) in reſpect of his Station in that Populous City, under which the place, time, manner and other Circumstances in the ſtricteſt notion are Comprehended.
(Firſt,) His Entertainment in this place was twofold. 1. In the houſe of Aquila, verſe 2, 3. where Paul's hoſt is deſcribed not only by his Name, but by his Nation and Countrey, by the occaſion of his coming to Corinth and his Imploy or Occupation there. His 2. was in the Houſe of Justus, verſe 7. who lived nearer to the Synagogue.
(Secondly,) His Actions or Doings here are deſcribed, verſe 4, 5. He was preſſed in Spirit by an extraordinary and Divine Inſpiration to diſpute in the Synagogue every Sabbath-day, perſuading (as far as he could) both the Jews and the Greeks that JESƲS was the CHRIST, who was promiſed by the Prophets, exceeding all other Anointed ones.
(Thirdly,) His Paſſion or Suffering was twofold. 1. While he Sojourn'd with his first hoſt, namely, in Aquila's houſe, and ſtudiouſly took all opportunities to preach the Doctrine of the Goſpel, and to convince the gain-ſayers, yet the obſtinate Jews would not be convinced, but did [oppoſe themſelves and blaſphemed] verſe 6. not only miſ-calling Paul (while they pertinaciouſly bad him battle as the word foreign ſignifies, which we read oppoſing) but even Paul's Maſter alſo the bleſſed Meſſiah, whoſe Diſhonour grieved him moſt, and thereupon he ſhook his raiment, that none of the duſt of that place (where ſuch blaſphemy was ſpoken) might ſtick to him, and uttered that Hebrew phraiſe [Damo beroſho, Joſh. 2.19.] your blood be upon your own heads, with much vehemency, as 2 Sam. 1.16. and Matth. 27.25. intimating, you are ſelf deſtroyers, 'tis none of my fault if ye periſh: he had blown the Trumpet and warned them, ſhewing the way of life to them, therefore was he free from their blood and loſs of their Souls, Ezekiel 33.4.
N. B. However this oppoſition moved Paul to change his quarters and to betake himſelf to a new Lodging, verſe 7. being put in ſome ſmall pang of fear, which the Lord relieved him off by incouraging him with two Arguments.
Firſt, That Chriſt's preſence ſhould continually keep him from being harmed.
And Secondly, That he had much choſen Wheat in that great heap of Chaff to call out by his Miniſtry, ſo no need of doubting the ſucceſs of his Miniſtry, nor his perſonal ſafety, verſe 9, 10.
(Laſtly,) Paul in his new Lodgings (whether he was conſtrained to go by the Jews pertinacy) at the houſe of Juſtus, there he made an hard ſhift to hold a longer abode, tarrying in that Lodging with Silas & Timotheus teaching the people for a whole year & an half, verſe 11. This Lodging is commended three ways, (1.) From the honeſty and holineſs of his hoſt Juſtus both in name and nature, a worſhipper of God, whom ſome ſuppoſe to be the ſame with Titus (call'd Juſtus Titus) one who had caſt off the Polutheiſm (or many Gods) of the Gentiles. (2.) Form the Commodious Situation of this Hoſt's Houſe, [it was nigh to the Synagogue] verſe 7. And (3.) From the Suceeſs of Paul's Teaching there [many of the Corinthians believed] verſe 8. N. B. When Criſpus, the chief Ruler of the Synagogue believed, then many of the people believed alſo. Great men are Looking-Glaſſes of the places where they live, according to which moſt men dreſs themſelves.
Though Paul had ſaid (upon the Jews diſcovering their firſt obſtinacy againſt the Goſpel [from henceforth I turn to the Gentiles, verſe 6.) yet loth he was ſo eaſily to let go his hold of his own Country-men, therefore made he this houſe his fixed place of reſidency becauſe it was ſo nigh to their Synagogue and even Contiguous to it, here Paul Preached much and oft, yea long, for 18. Months, leaſt he ſhould ſeem to withdraw, the Grace of the Goſpel altogether from thoſe of his own Nation, ſtill hoping that his threatning, to depart from the Jews, and preach to the Gentiles, might awaken them, and the Aemulation of the Gentiles might provoke them to believe. But their obſtinate and obdurate hearts Received no impreſſion by any thing, but made an evil uſe of every thing, ſo they rendred themſelves incurable as they had done before, Acts 13.46.
Hereupon they Unanimouſly accord to raiſe a new Perſeution againſt Paul, verſe 12 accuſing him to the Governour of breaking the Roman Law, verſe 13. or the Law of Moſes, not of Murder, Theft, or any ſuch injury, wherefore when Paul was about making an Apology for himſelf, the Governour Gallio himſelf undertook his defence againſt his accuſers, telling them, That none of their Articles againſt Paul did belong to the Cognizance of his Court, ſo drove them out of the place of Iudicature, verſe 14, 15, and 16. N. B. And becauſe they haſtned not out faſt enough, from troubling the Court the Gentile-Greeks (that attended Gallio in his Judgment-ſeat) laid hands upon Soſthenes (a chief Ruler of ſome other Synagogue, and probably one of Paul's principal Accuſers) and beat him out of the Croud withall his Fellow-Jews▪ that their bawling againſt Paul might give no farther diſturbance to the proceedings of the Judge in more neceſſary cauſes, verſe 17.
N. B. The Cataſtrophe of this new-perſecution was wonderful through the over-powering hand of Chriſt who had promiſed Paul his preſerving preſence, verſe 9.10. for hereby though the matter came to hand-blows yet theſe fall upon the Accuſers, but Paul the Accuſed (againſt whom they all conſpired) comes off untouched, and without any harm at all, verſe 17.
The Remarks do follow the foregoing Analyſis or Reſolution of the whole into its diſtinct parts of this Hiſtory.
The firſt Remark is; That ſuch Cities as are very rich, are uſually very looſe and very Luxurious, ſo was this Corinth which Paul here came to. This City being accommodated with two havens near to it on either ſide of it, the one Jochaeum at which they took Shipping for Italy and thoſe weſtern parts, and the other at Cenchrea (mentioned Acts ch. 18. ver. 18, &c.) at which they took ſhipping for Aſia: Much Merchandiſe, Arriving at thoſe two Ports from thoſe ſeveral parts of the world, were all brought to Corinth▪ which lay in the middle betwixt them, and by this extraordinary advantage this City became the great Exchange for thoſe parts of the world: The compaſs of Corinth was five Miles about, being ſtrongly walled round. So that thoſe Citizens might ſay with David [our lines are allotted us in a pleaſant place, and we have a godly heritage] Pſal. 16.6.
Yet did not this wealthy Mart-Town make any good improvement of theſe Manifold mercies of God, but abuſed all with their Idolatry and notorious licentiouſneſs, for they had within their City the Temple of Iſis, or Jo (an Aegyptian Goddeſs) to whom they Sacrificed a Gooſe and were ſilly Geeſe themſelves in their Solemnities; but without the City they had the Temple of Venus to whom there were well nigh a thouſand Curtizans (ſuch Nuns as Venus had) conſecrated for their laſciuious and wanton worſhip. This Idol-Temple muſt needs have a very Ample Foundation and be a moſt prodigious Structure that could contain covents or convenient Lodgings for above (as ſome ſay) a thouſand of thoſe Wanton Dames: Thoſe Corinthians were generally ſo leavened with Licentious notions, N. B. That they held Fornication to be no ſin, for this cauſe Paul in his Epiſtle to the believing Corinthians is ſo earneſt againſt that ſin, 1 Cor. 5. and many other places: The Luxury and wealth of this City is a plain Comment upon that old adage [Magna Cognatio, ut rei, it a nominis, Vitijs et Divitijs.] Vices and Riches as they have (in the Latin tongue) an harmony in name, ſo they differ not much in their Nature, when wealth is abuſed to wickedneſs. N. B. Notwithſtanding all this, Paul, Leaving Athens, comes to Corinth (which was the other eye of Greece, being (full of Orators and Philoſophers) where he expected an Harveſt of Converts whereof God aſſured him after he ſhould reap in great plenty, Acts 18.9, 10. yet Paul himſelf came poor enough to this wealthy City, altogether, a ſtranger, and without Money in his Pocket, he is conſtrained to betake himſelf to work with his hands for his preſent ſubſiſtency, in the work of Tent making but neglects not to frequent the Synagogue every Sabbath to gain Converts.
The ſecond Remark is; A wicked world is ſoon ſick of the Saints, and long to worm them out of their Cities and Societies, tho' their own preſervation from utter ruine be for the Saints ſake. God ſaith to Abraham [I will not deſtroy wicked Sodom and her Siſters if ten Righteous Souls may be found in all thoſe five Cities.] Gen. 18.32. and he ſaith alſo [If there be but one Cluſter of Grapes (one Church of Sanctified Souls) that hath a bleſſing in it, I will not destroy the Vine for their ſakes.] Iſa. 65.8. Nay yet lower are divine condeſcenſions toward pardoning mercy [find out but one man that is Righteous in Jeruſalem and I will pardon it] Jerem. 5.1. Notwithſtanding all this, as the Emperor Claudius did, Acts 18.2. ſo all the the Potentates of the world do baniſh the true Servants of God from their Socities. Claudius commanded all the Jews to depart out of Rome and from Italy.] and with the Jews the Chriſtians were likewiſe baniſhed, for the Pagan-Romans did not care to diſtinguiſh betwixt them, becauſe they both worſhipped but one God, and both agreed to oppoſe their Idolatry.
Beſide, the ſame quarrel was got to Rome with the Goſpel, which did attend it in all parts of the World where it came among the Jews, who every where oppoſed it, and the Conteſting alſo at Rome againſt it, thereby ſuch Tumults were bred by the Jews againſt the Chriſtians, as occaſioned this Decree of the Emperor (which Suetonius mentioneth) for the baniſhment of them both.
Thus fooliſh are the powers of the Earth, that they are reſolved to be rid of the Saints who torment thoſe that dwell upon the Earth, Revel. 11.10. never conſidering that thoſe Saints in the Earth, Pſalms 16.3. do bear up the Pillars of the Earth, Pſalms 75.3. and that God gratifies his own Servants with the preſervation of their perſecutors, as he did Paul with the live; of all thoſe Infidels who were in the Ship with him, Acts 27.24, 37, 42. Thus the Stagg in the Emblem by biting off the boughs under which he lay hid from the Hunters) bewrays and betrays himſelf into their hands, &c.
The third Remark is; Paul chuſed to labour with his hands, rather than he would diſadvantage the Goſpel, or become burdenſome to thoſe poor people who had here received the Goſpel. 'Tis ſaid, [He wrought with Aquila in Tent-making] Acts 18.3. This Trade Paul learnt, before he was called to the Miniſtry. N. B. The moſt Learned among the Jews did alway learn ſome Handy-craft-Trade, holding themſelves obliged by their Traditional Law, that every Father muſt teach his Child ſome Trade; and their Rabbi Judah ſaith, that whoſoever doth not teach his Child a Trade, doth as bad, as if he bad him go play the Thief. Paul therefore, having learnt this Trade of a Tent-maker, did work with his hands here for his own ſubſiſtency, as he did in other places upon the ſame exigent, 1 Cor. 4.12. 1 Theſ. 2.9. and 2 Theſ. 3.8. Paul had power enough and warrant to challenge Maintenance for his Preaching-work (as he intimateth many times over in his Epiſtles). N. B. But (1.) There was not yet any Church at Corinth to maintain him (2.) When there was a Church there; he would take nothing of the Gentiles for the greater honour and promotion of the Goſpel among them. (3.) The perſons that embraced the Goſpel and believed, were moſtly the moſt mean perſons, as appears moſt probably from 1 Corinth. 1.26. [Not many wiſe men after the fleſh, not many mighty, not many Noble are called] Therefore ſpared he thoſe poor Proſelytes, and would not be burdenſome to them. (4) It was to ſhew that he ſought them more than theirs, their perſons to be ſaved by him, more than their purſes for him to be ſuſtained by them. N.B. Yet did he aſſert his own Right, and the Right of Miniſters by Divine Appointment, 1 Cor. 9.6, 11, 12, 14, &c. But becauſe of the preſent Neceſſity and Emergency of Affairs, he denied himſelf here, as Acts 20.34. 2 Cor. 11.7, 8. and 2 Theſ. 3.9. &c. working with his hands in ſowing Skins together, whereon to make Tents, uſed much by the Souldiers in thoſe hot Countreys, and by others alſo, to keep off the violence of the Weather, &c. N.B. Hereupon one ſaith of him, [That he was no leſs buſie in his Shop among his Tents, than in his Study among his Books and Parchments, which he mentions 2 Tim. 4.13. yet was it no work of ſupererogation (as the Romaniſts ſay) for in this caſe it was a duty (ſaving the honour of the Miniſtry) but no general Rule. So thus Muſculus, when driven out of his place by Perſecution, was forced to pick up a poor living by Digging and Weaving. And a late Martyr (as great a Scholar as Europe had) being baniſhed, ſerved a Maſon for his livelihood.
The fourth Remark is; That painful Preachers muſt not be blamed for the blood of their periſhing People. N.B. Paul ſaith here, [I am clean, your blood be upon your own heads] ver. 6. foreign that is, I am not in the fault if ye periſh. The Kill-Chriſt Jews cryed [His blood be upon our heads] Matth. 27.25. that is, the guilt and puniſhment thereof: Accordingly Paul propoſeth his ſpeech to his oppoſers [your blood be upon your own heads] anſwerable to that aforeſaid wiſh in their wretched Imprecation; and according to the Jews Cuſtom of the Witneſſes laying their hands upon the head of the guilty perſon, as devoting him thereby to death, Deut. 17.7. And as the Sacrificers laid their hands upon the head of the Beaſt to be ſacrificed, whereby they tranſmitted their own ſin upon the Sacrifice, Exod. 29.10, 15. and Levit. 1.4. and 3.2, &c. N.B. But they had another manner of the High Prieſt's laying his hands upon the Scape-Goat's head alſo, Levit. 16.10, 21. that this Live-Goat might carry away all their ſins from them along with him into the Land of everlaſting forgetfulneſs (never to be remembred againſt them any more, as Iſa, 43.25.) which was a Type of our Dear Redeemer, upon whom God hath laid all our Iniquities, Iſa. 53.6, 7. and whom thoſe Oppoſers rejected when tendered to them by Paul's Preaching Chriſt, and therefore Paul tells them, they were ſo many Felo's de ſe, Self-deſtroyers, and were guilty of their own Death and Damnation; for ſeeing they refuſed that Chriſt ſhould redeem them, and ſave them from their ſins, they muſt bear their own burdens, which (without Repentance) would bear them down into the bottomleſs Pit. N.B. Nor could Paul be charged with the loſs of their Souls, for he was free from their blood, becauſe he had warned them of their Damnable State, and ſhewn the way of Life and Salvation to them [He had blown the Trumpet, &c.] Ezek. 3.17, 18, 19, 20, 21. and 33.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. The Watch-man muſt give warning of Danger, if his warning be effectual for Reformation, then both the Warner and the Warned do deliver and ſave their own Souls. If the Watch-man's Warning be not heeded by the Hearers, they ſhall die in their ſins, but there is no danger to the Watch-man, for he did his duty as Paul did here. But if the Watch-man give no Warning, not only the Sinner dies by his unrepented-of-ſins, but alſo the Miniſter, by his not admoniſhing the Sinner, becomes involved in that guilt, death and damnation: God will puniſh him as a Dumb Dog, Iſa. 56.10. for not barking according to his duty; to ſound an Alarm of his People's danger, Iſa. 58.1. All theſe paſſages in this Prophet Iſaiah (as one ſaith) ſeem [non Verba, ſed Tonitrua] not Aery words, but frightful Thunder-bolts: What then will become of Idol-or Idle-Miniſters? But Paul was a better Pattern, being a painful Preacher, he doth his part here, and would not have to anſwer for the blood of them that periſhed through any neglect in him, but leaves it at their own door, and upon their own heads, as here, and Acts c. 20. v. 26.
The fifth Remark is; The Lord's promiſe of his preſence is a ſweet incouragment to his Servants for their Abiding in a place, and among a people notwithanding their fears from angry men and from inraged Devils. Thus here, the Lord Chriſt ſpake again to his Servant Paul, ſaying [be not afraid, but ſpeak, and hold not thy peace for I am with thee, and no man ſhall ſet on thee to hurt thee, &c.] Acts 18. verſe 9.10. N.B. We may well wonder what was the cauſe of any new fear in Paul, that Chriſt ſhould now ſay to him [fear not] ſeeing the coming of Silas and Timothy to him (according to his order, Acts 17.15.) had made him ſo brisk in his work, verſe 5, 6.) his Spirit was then warmed with the company of theſe two good men, as two flints, tho' both be cold yet yield fire when ſmitten together. Now ſome ſudden pang of fear came upon him (as he confeſſeth, that in Macedonia his fleſh had no reſt, but was troubled on every ſide, without were fightings and within were fears, 2 Cor. 7.5.) here Chriſt came to comfort him, uſing two Arguments to perſuade his continuance in Corinth.
The firſt is; The Promiſe of Christ's preſence to protect him from harm, &c.
And the ſecond is; That Chriſt had a great Harveſt a Ripening in that City to be reaped by Paul's Miniſtry, and he, thus incouraged, by this double Motive, commits himſelf to his faithful Creator (Chriſt) for a year and ſix Months, verſe 11.
Thus God promiſed his protecting preſence to his Prophet Jeremy, Jer. 1.17, 18. and no leſs hath Chriſt promiſed to all his faithful Miniſters, Matth. 28.20. and tho' ſome of them be killed, yet are they not hurt. Rom. 8.36, 38. N.B. From whence we Learn 2 Leſſons. 1. That though the Ingratitude and perverſneſs of Hearers do oft diſcourage their Miniſters, yet God Animates them to their duty that for the invincible malice of ſome, the Salvation of others may not be neglected. And 2. Tho' God permit that his Miniſters be Murdered by their perſecutors (tho' Paul was promiſed here a more peculiar protection from the killing Plots of his oppoſers) notwithſtanding God is with his Servants both in life and death and then moſt of all, 2 Tim. 4.16, 17, 18. So their fury muſt make us more fervent, that the Servants of the Lord may not be out-vyed by the Slaves of the Devil, who cannot dare to do more evil than God's Servants are made able to bear both with patience and joyfulneſs, &c.
The ſixth Remark is; Prophane Perſons have a moſt prodigious prejudice againſt the power of Godlineſs, exceeding low thoughts of the purity of Chriſtianity. Thus Gallio (tho' brother in Law to that deſervedly famous Seneca) eſteemed no better of Divine Doctrine than a Cento of Empty Words and Aery-Notions or Vain Diſcourſe… ſaying [If it be a Queſtion of names or words, &c.] verſe 15. N.B. Yea his Brother Seneca (who being Tutor to Nero, Claudius the Emperor's Adopted Son, procured the Conſulſhip over all conquered Greece for his brother Gallio) notwithſtanding all his vaſt depth of humane Learning, and his Exact knowledge in moral Philoſophy, yet did this Seneca but Jear the Jews for caſting away a Seventh part of their precious time upon a Weekly Sabbath.
N.B. No wonder then, if Gallio, tho' a great man in the Roman Government, and a good man too according to the extent of Moral Goodneſs (for Hiſtorians give him this Character, That he was a man of a moſt Candid Diſpoſition, an hater of flattery and addicted to no manner of exorbitant Vices, &c.) yet being but an Heathen and acting by the Dins Light of Nature in the fallen Eſtate, made ſo mean an account of the Myſteries of the Goſpel. N.B. However God made uſe of this Gallio and his Moral Goodneſs to preſerve Paul from the bloody hands of the Jews, who, being Animated to attempt evil againſt Paul, hoping that this new Judge would favour them againſt the Chriſtians; but he being a prudent Governour, Supercedes the Jews Cavilling and Quarrelling Cauſe, tells them he would meddle only with Civil Government and not with Religious matters, wherein he had (as he accknowledged) no skilful knowledge. So he made thoſe Cavillers to be driven by force out of the Court that they might not any longer trouble the Bench with their (as he thought) unneceſſary Controverſies, then the Greeks (which the Syriack reads, the Prophane) beat Soſthenes an enemy (as Auſtin ſaith) to Paul, hereby Chriſt performed his promiſe to Paul, verſe 10. Suffering no Man to hurt him. verſe 16, 17.
The ſeventh Remark is; While Paul tarryed a Twelve-Month and an half at Corinth, Acts 18.11, 18. As Chriſt bleſt him by his preſence with many Converts (ſuch as Criſpus and Gaius and the Houſe of Stephanas, yea and Soſthenes alſo, tho' ſuppoſed before to be Paul's adverſary, verſe 17. 1 Cor. 1.14. and Epenetus, Rom. 16.5. and 1 Cor. 16.15. called his firſt Fruits there, becauſe Converted at his firſt coming to Corinth) ſo in the time of his abode in this City he wrote his firſt Epiſtle to the Theſſalonians (which was the firſt of all Paul's Epiſtles that he wrote.)
N.B. Tho' the Poſtſcript of that Epiſtle dateth it from Athens, which as it is not Canonical, ſo nor conſonant to truth, becauſe this Epiſtle was ſent by Silas (the contract of Silvanus) and Timothy, as well as in Paul's name, 1 Theſſ. 1.1. and thoſe two came to Paul when he was at Corinth, Acts 18.5. nor was there any Church in Achaia while Paul was at Athens, for from thence he went to Achaia and planted a Church at Corinth, Acts 18. verſe 1. but there was a Church in Achaia when he wrote that Epiſtle, 1 Theſſ. 1.7. However, the occaſion of it was, the New-planted Church at Theſſalonica was much diſcouraged to behold the Jews perſecute the Chriſtians, and to loſe by death ſome of their uſeful and Eminent Members, the Apoſtle having notice thereof, and the Devil (either by diſputes, or by Tumults, or by Layings in wait for his life) hindered him from giving them a perſonal viſit, 1 Theſſ. 2.18. Thereupon he wrote this Epiſtle to incourage and comfort them in the ways of the Goſpel. N.B. And the Apoſtle, being informed of ſome miſtakes put upon ſome paſſages in the firſt Epiſtle about the coming of Chriſt, and ſtill being hindered to go thither himſelf, he writeth alſo a ſecond Epiſtle, wherein he taketh up the ſame argument and diſcourſe again for thir further and fuller Eſtabliſhment.
The eighth and laſt Remark; At Paul's parting from Corinth, he is ſhaven as a Nazarite in the Haven of Cenchrea belonging to Corinth according to the Law, Numb. 6.18. This he did, verſe 18. becauſe [He muſt needs go up to the Paſſover-feaſt at Jeruſalem.] verſe 21. That he might wait an occaſion, and take the opportunity of that prodigious concourſe of people there, and that he might be the more acceptable to the weak believing Jews, who yet were Zealous of the Law, Acts 21.20, 21, 23, 24. and that by gratifying them in this condeſcention to the praeſcription of the Law, he gained many to the Faith by becoming a Jew to the Jews, 1 Cor. 9.20. in Circumciſing Timothy, Acts 16.3.
N.B. Tho' theſe Ceremonial Rites dyed with Chriſt, Eph. 2.15, 16. yet were not buryed, therefore were the Jews indulged in the obſervance of them, till they came to a clearer ſight of their Chriſtian liberty and freedom from them: ſo that Paul did not do this, as any part of God's Worſhip, nor was there any Diſſimulation in the caſe: for the Matter of purifying himſelf, he did that heartily (ſaith Calvin) but for the Ceremonious and External Rites of the Nazarites Vow; He only yielded thereto as yet indifferent: Nor is it any other than Ridiculous for the Romaniſts to make this the Ground of their Religious Vows and for their ſhaven Crowns, which is now ſo bald a Ceremony in France, that ſome be aſhamed of the Mark.