a ministerial power, yet they have not thereby any dominion over the faith of believers: Not that we have dominion over your faith; he adds, But are helpers of your joy. He doth not say, We are helpers of your grace, helpers of your faith, helpers of your holiness, though this is necessarily implied; but helpers of your joy and comfort. Note thence, That a special part of the minister's work consists in administering to the comfort and consolation of such as stand in need of it, and are qualified for it. Our first work is to help the graces, our next to help the comforts, of our people. The Spirit of God is a sanctifier, and then a comforter: joy is not the first stone in God's building; grace and holiness is first, comfort and consolation next. For by faith ye stand; ye have stood, and do stand, stedfast in the faith; that is, the generality and body of you; though some among you deny the resurrection, yet the best and greatest part of you are sound in the faith, and stedfast in the faith. Our apostle doth not unchurch them, because of some disorders among them, nor because of some heretical doctrines found with them, but endeavours to reform their disorders, that so when he came unto them he might not come with his rod, but in the spirit of meekness. CHAP. II. Our apostle having in the former chapter vindicated himself from the imputation of levity and inconstancy charged upon him by the false apostles, because he resolved to come to this church at Corinth, and promised so to do; but contrary to his intention, was providentially obstructed in the performance of his promise: he comes in this chapter to vindicate himself from the aspersion of too much rigour and too great severity towards the incestuous person: assuring them, that it was no pleasure to him to make them sorrowful; and that no manner of severity should be exercised by him any farther than was absolutely needful, in order to the reforming of evil manners that were found amongst them: accordingly he thus bespeaks them, ver. 1. BUT I determined this with my self, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. 2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? The occasion of St. Paul's writing again to the Corinthians, and deferring for the present to come unto them, is here intimated. There was an incestuous person in the church of Corinth, who had married his father's wife; if she were his own natural mother, the sin was most prodigious and unnatural, that the child of her womb should be the husband of her bed; if she were his mother-in-law, it was against the law of reverence, and an heinous sin for the son to uncover the father's nakedness. And it was an aggravation of the sin, that the person committing it was a christian, a member, and, as some think, a minister of the church of Corinth. St. Paul, in his former epistle, chap. v. commands them to excommunicate this incestuous person, which accordingly they did; and this spiritual physic, applied to the offender, had a good effect upon him; for being punished by the church, he punisheth himself; and being cast out of the church, he casts away his sin. Happy is it, when the church's censures are so executed as to bring of fenders to a sight and sense of their sins, in order to a deep humiliation and thorough reformation. Now, says the apostle, I determined not to come to you in heaviness; that is, one great reason why I put off my journey to you was this, that my coming amongst you might neither occasion sorrow, nor create heaviness, either to you or myself; for I delight not in censuring and chiding, when I can otherwise avoid it : For if I make you sorry, and myself with you, who is it that can make me glad, but he that is made sorry by me? that is, nothing can make me glad but the reformation of the fallen person. Where note, That nothing adds so much to the joy and comfort of the ministers of Christ, as their recovery of revolted souls from under the empire and dominion of sin and Satan. We joy with them, and rejoice in God for them; we live as we see any of you stand fast in the Lord, we die as we see others stick fast in their sins. 3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I come, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought all, that my joy is the joy of you all. to rejoice; having confidence in you As if the apostle had said, I gave you a sharp reproof in my former epistle, but it was in much love, and upon a good design; namely, to procure such a reformation of life and manners among you, as might prevent my sorrow when I came unto you; for as your grief is my grief, so my joy is the joy of you all. As the ministers of Christ and their beloved people are one, so their griefs are one, and their joys one; they rejoice together, and mourn together; their griefs and sorrows are mutual, and their joys and comforts are reciprocal. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. Here our compassionate apostle tells them, That what he had wrote in his former epistle with some severity and sharpness, concerning the incestuous person, was so far from being written with any intention to grieve them, that it was a real affliction to him, a very heavy pressure upon his heart, which fetched abundance of tears from his eyes, and consequently was an effect of the greatest love imaginable. Hence note, That when the ministers of Christ do execute church.censures, if they do not dis. pense them with tenderness and compassion, so as to let the offenders see that what is done is out of abundant love unto them, they will never be the better for them, nor be bettered or reclaimed by them. Doth a civil judge weep when he passes sentence upon a malefactor? much more should an ecclesiastical judge mourn, when he pronounceth the censures of the church upon notorious offenders. Behold the apostle here declaring with what anguish of spirit and grief of heart he wrote to have the sentence of excommunication executed and inflicted on the incestuous Corinthian : Out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote unto you with many tears. 5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. As if the apostle had said, This incestuous person, who hath caused so much grief to me by his sin, hath caused no little grief to you also, to the sounder part of you, even to all, but those who were partakers with him in his sin: he hath grieved me, but in part only; you, as well as myself, have been grieved by him, and afflicted for him. Not only the ministers, but members of the church, are affected with, and afflicted for, the scandal of professors' sins. St. Paul grieved but in part for the incestuous person's sin, the sounder part of the church mourned with him. Or, secondly, He hath grieved me, but in part, that I may not overcharge you. It is as much as if he had said, "The grief and sorrow which I have had for the sin and scandal of this notorious offender, I am far, very far, from charging upon the whole church; I dare not load you all with that imputation, as if you were involved in the guilt of it." Tis not only injurious, but very the face of their profession, or to charge the unjust, to cast the dirt of professors' sin upon guilt of a particular person's miscarriages to which he doth belong. As religion jusupon the whole church or christian society tifies no man's faults, so no man's faults should condemn religion. 6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. Observe here, 1. The nature of that punishment which the holy apostle thought and adjudged, to be sufficient for the guilty person's sin; and that was excision, not destruction; excommunication, not death. The rejection of such a sinner from the communion of the church, by church-censure and discipline, was the punishment pronounced. Observe, 2. By whom, and before, this punishment of excommunication was executed and inflicted, namely, by the officers and governors of the church, (who had and have the power of the keys,) in the presence and with the consent of the whole church. In the primitive church, we have reason to believe, when any offender was to be excommunicated, the people were acquainted with the crime; the guilty person pleaded in their presence, they judged as your jurymen do of the matter of fact, they consented to the condemnation; but the sentence was not pronounced by them, but by the governors and officers of the church, before them and in their presence. And as the church or body of the people consented to the offenders' rejection, so likewise to his re-admission to the communion of the church; but their actual admission was by the pastor and governor of the church, and not by the people. mitive practice, is the modern practice of Contrary to this prithose who have snatched the keys out of the hands of the pastors, (where Christ placed them,) and put them into the hands of the people. 7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. Observe, 1. The great duty which the apostle directs the Corinthians to the performance of, towards this sorrowful offend ing the will of God; in a word, that sorrow for sin which keeps the soul from looking towards the mercy-seat, that keeps Christ and the soul asunder, and renders a person unfit for the service of God and for the communion of saints, is a sinful sorrow. 9 For this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; 11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices. er: to forgive him, to comfort him, to confirm him; that is, to absolve him from the sentence and censure of the church; no longer to continue their aversion to him, but to restore him to the church's communion, to re-admit him to their fellowship and society, to comfort him with the notices of God's pardoning mercy; and to confirm their love to him, by showing that their excommunicating of him was with design to reform, not to ruin him; to Observe here, 1. Our apostle declares recover him by repentance, and not to what was his in writing his former epistle drive him to despair. This is the import to them, namely, this amongst others, to exance of the three several words which are ercise their obedience, and to make trial used here, Forgive him, comfort him, con- what regard they would show to his firm him. From whence note, That in apostolical authority; whether they would notorious crimes which give great cause of be as obedient to his directions in absolving scandal to the church, the comfort of the of penitents, as they were before in inoffender depends not only upon his peace flicting church-censures upon bold offendand reconciliation with God, but also upon ers: For this end did I write, that I the relaxation of the censures of the church, might have a proof of you. Observe, 2. and his re-admission to the church's fellow- The apostle declares his own forwardness to ship and communion: forgive him, and forgive penitent offenders himself, as well confirm your love towards him. Observe, as makes known his desires that they should 2. The reason offered by our apostle why do it: Whom ye forgive, I forgive also, this penitent offender should be forgiven in the person of Christ; that is, as you and comforted, namely, Lest he should be forgive him, so do I: and I absolve him swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. by Christ's authority, as I excommunicated Learn hence, 1. That sorrow even for sin him in Christ's name, 1 Cor. v. 4. In itself may be excessive and overmuch. 2. the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. That excessive and overmuch sorrow swal. As he delivered the incestuous person to loweth up a person; it may swallow him Satan in the name of Christ, so in the name up in the gulph of despair, and, as a conse- and person of Christ he releases him, and quent of it, in the gulph of death. As relaxes the sentence against him. The worldly sorrow causeth death, so may reli- power of excommunication and absolution, gious sorrow also, even sorrow for sin. We of binding and loosing, of casting out, may dishonour God by an excessive mourn- and receiving into the church, is by Christ ing, even for God's dishonour. Sorrow is committed to church-governors, who are not of any worth in itself, but only as it to execute this power in the person of serves to a spiritual end and purpose; and Christ; that is, in the name and by the when it is excessive, not only the comforts, authority of Christ. Observe, 3. The arbut the gifts and usefulness, of the person guments with which, and the motive by sorrowing, are in danger to be swallowed which, he presses the church at Corinth to up by it. Quest. But when is sorrow for forgive the incestuous person, and to resin excessive and overmuch? Ans. When admit him into their society: lest Satan it obstructs the exercise of our graces, when get an advantage of us. What advanit hinders the performance of our duties, tage? Ans. An advantage to lead them when it hurts our health, and overwhelmeth into sin thus, by their abusing that power nature, when it perverts reason, swalloweth which God had given them for edification, up faith hindereth our hope, prejudiceth our to the destruction of a person, by making joy, and unfits us both for doing and suffer them guilty of spiritual murder by their VOL. II. R over rigorous proceeding against him, by driving him to despair, by tempting him to apostasy. Satan sometimes, by too great slackness of discipline, seeks to lull sinners asleep in the bosom of the church; and sometimes, by too great severity, endeavours to drive them to despair. The force of the apostle's words lies thus: I advise you to continue the severity of discipline no longer towards this penitent offender, but receive him again into your communion with all tenderness and speed, lest Satan should circumvent you, and overreach you, and make use of your rigour to your own ruin, by rendering your doctrine hateful, and your discipline detestable; for we are not ignorant of his devices, his contrivances, plots, and stratagems laid against us. Learn hence, 1. That Satan is a master in the art of deceiving souls: he is full, very full, of cunning methods and devices to circumvent persons, and catch them in the net of his deceits. Learn, 2. That it concerns all persons, but especially the ministers of the gospel, to be well acquainted with, and not ignorant of, any devices or plots of Satan. Satan has a multitude of devices, by which he undoes, entangles, and deceives souls; and no christian ought to be ignorant of them, lest he be circumvented and undone by them. Many are his devices for drawing us into sin, for drawing us off from duty, for drawing us into temptation, for drowning us in despair: our wisdom will be not to dispute, but to resist; for by resisting, our temptations will be fewer, and our strength greater, James iv. 7. Resist the devil, and he will fly. Where note, That the promise of conquest is made to resisting, not disputing with Satan to parley with him, is the way to be overcome by him. 12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, 13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but, taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia. 14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. Observe here, 1. The unwearied diligence of this great apostle in travelling from place to place, and carrying the gospel with him from one city and nation to another: 1 came to Troas, and from thence to Macedonia. Observe, 2. The success which the holy apostle had in preaching the gospel with unwearied dili. gence in those places: A door was opened unto him of the Lord. This either signifies, 1. The free liberty which he had to preach the gospel in those places; the door of his mouth was not shut by persecutors, the enemies and opposers of the gospel, but the word of the Lord had a free course in the labours of its ministers. Or, 2. This opened door may signify and import the great and gracious success which God gave the apostle in his work; as God by his providence opened the apostle's mouth, to preach and publish the glad tidings of the gospel, so by his holy Spirit he opened the people's hearts to receive and entertain the glad tidings of salvation which the gospel brought. Acts xvi. 14. The Lord opened Lydia's heart, that she attended to the words which were spoken of Paul. Observe, 3. How careful the apostle is to ascribe the entire praise, and to return the whole thanks, to Almighty God, for all the gracious assistance and success which he had received in his ministerial service: Thanks be to God, which causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. As if the apostle had said, "Blessed be God, although our enemies have been many, and our difficulties great, yet God has given me, and my fellow-apostles, such resolution of mind, that we have not only encountered with them, but triumphed over them, in a powerful conversion of so many from heathenism to christianity; and has enabled us to spread the sweet odour of the gospel far and near, by our laborious preaching of it from place to place." Then is the word, and God in the word, glorified, when the sword of the Spirit is taken into the hand of the Spirit; when he girds this sword upon his thigh, as most mighty, and rides on triumphantly, conquering and to has consummated his victories in a glorious conquer, in the hearts of his people, till he triumph over all the powers of hell and darkness: Thanks be to God that causeth us to triumph in Christ. 15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. Observe here, 1. The title given to the gospel, and to the preachers and dispensers of it; they are a savour, an allusion, probably, to the ointment of sweet perfume, which the high-priests under the law were anointed with. The breath of the gospel is a sweet odour or smell, and God's faithful ministers are they that carry it, and blow it abroad to perfume sinners that lie stinking in their sins. Observe, 2. The contrary effects which the preaching of the gospel has upon those that sit under it; it is the savour of life unto some, of death unto others. Here it was so the apostle's ministry was a savour of life to the believing Gentiles, of death to the unbelieving Jews; all men are to be reckoned in a state of life or death, of perishing or being saved, according as they do or do not receive the savour, and relish the doctrine, of the gospel. But how comes the preaching of the gospel to be the savour of death unto some? Ans. Partly through pride, in not enduring to be reproved by the gospel; partly through prejudice against the ministers of the gospel; partly through slothfulness, neglecting to come under the sound of the gospel; and partly through cursed infidelity, in not believing the message which the gospel brings. Thus is the gospel, which was ordained for life, the savour of death unto death. Observe, 3. The sweet support which God gives his faithful ministers in the discharge of their duty, though their doctrine fails of desired success; they are a sweet savour unto God, as well in them that perish, as in them that are saved. Lord! how would thy ministers be of all men miserable, shouldst thou require the success of their labours at their hands; shouldst thou say, "Either reconcile my people unto me, or I will never be recon. ciled unto you" but we shall be rewarded by thee according to our faithfulness, not according to our people's fruitfulness. The faithful ministers of Christ are a sweetsmelling savour in the nostrils of God, as well in them that perish as in them that are saved. Though Israel (their people) be not gathered, yet shall they be glorious: God will reward them, secundum laborem, non fructum; the nurse shall be paid for her care and pains, though the child dies at the breast. As if the apostle had said, "So great and weighty is the work of preaching the everlasting gospel to a lost world, that neither myself, nor any of my fellow-apostles, sufficient? That is, none are sufficient, are sufficient for it of ourselves. Who is without proportionable strength and help the gospel, as it ought, is a mighty work, a from God, neither man nor angel; to preach weighty work. If any thing otherwise, it is makes them think so. either their ignorance or inadvertency that What is it an easy the great mysteries of the gospel, which matter to search into the deep things of God, have an unfathomable depth? Is it easy to instruct the ignorant, to convince the obstinate, to resolve the doubting, to reduce the wandering, to know the state of our flock, to visit the sick as we ought, to speak to them, and pray for them, as peris all this, and much more, a trivial work, sons upon the confines of eternity! What! and common performance? No, verily, as there is no service more honourable than arduous and laborious; and therefore the that of the ministry, so there is none more greatest men that ever God employed in and about this work, have been ready to sink under the apprehension of the insuperable difficulties that do attend it. If we consider how a gospel minister ought to excel in knowledge, in utterance, in prudence and conduct, in exemplary piety, in patient contending with a people's frowardness and perverseness, we need not wonder at our apostle's exclamation or expostulatory question in the words before us: Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ. Observe here, 1. The character which the apostle gives the false apostles who were crept in amongst the Corinthians: they were corrupters of the word of God; they did sophisticate and adulterate the sincere word of God, by intermixing their own pride and passions, their own inventions and imaginations, with the doctrine which they delivered. False teachers deal their wines; they imbase them in their nawith the word, as some vintners deal with ture, that they may advance them in their price, and thereby increase their own pro-And who is sufficient for these subtilty, but not in sincerity. Observe, 2. fit; they deliver the word of God in things? The declaration which the apostle makes 1 |