2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 11. 191
want a blessing. Therefore if we have faith, we will pray; the more faith the more prayer; the greater faith the greater prayer. Christ had the gi-eatest faith, and he prayed whole nights together. St Paul was mighty in faith ; he was mighty in prayer. Where there is little faitli, there will be little prayer ; and where there is no faith, there will be no prayer. ' You also helping together by prayer for us.'
Mark the heavenly art of the apostle. He doth here insinuate and en- wrap an exhortation by taking it for granted that they would pray for him. It is the most cunning way to convey an exhortation, by way of taking it for gi-anted, and by way of encouragement. ' The Lord will deliver me.' He doth not say, therefore I pray help me by your prayers ; but the Lord will deliver me if you help me, and I know I shall not want your prayers. He takes it for gi-anted that they would pray for him ; and granted truths ai'e the strongest truths. It is the best way to encourage any man, if we know any good in him, to take it for granted that he will do so ; and so ' I shall be delivered, you helping together by your prayers.'
* That, for the gift hestoiced iipou ns hij the means of main/ persons, thanks may he f/iren hy many on our hehaJf.' After he had set down the means that God would convey the blessing by, which was prayer, then he shews the end, why God would dehver him by prayer. For the gift of health and deliverance bestowed upon me, by the means of many prayers of many persons, 'likewise thanks shall be given by many on our behalf;' that is, on my behalf. Yea, as many shall be ready to thank God for my deliver- ance and health, as before many prayed to God for it. So that in this regard, God in love to his own praise and glory will deliver me by your prayers, because he shall gain praise, and praise of many.
' That for the gift bestowed,' &c. And first for the words somewhat. ' For the gift bestowed on us.' Deliverance and health is a gift, charisma,--- a free gift. If health be a gift, what are gi'eater things '? They are much more a free gift. If daily bread be a gift, certainly eternal life is much more a gift. ' The gift of God is eternal life,' Eom. vi. 23.
Away with conceit of merit ! If we merit not daily bread, if we merit not outward deliverance, if we merit not health, what can we do for eternal hfe ? It is a doting conceit, a mere foolish conceit then, to think that the beggar merits his alms by begging, prayer being the chief work we do. What doth the beggar merit by begging ? Begging, it is a disavowing of merit. Health, you see here, it is a gift bestowed by praj-er, that ' for the gift bestowed upon us,' &c.
Things come to be ours either by contract or by gift. If it be by con- tract, then we know what we have to do. If it be by gift, the only way to get a thing by gift is prayer. So that which is gotten here by prayer, it is called a gift, not only a gift for the fi'eeness of it, but because health, and deliverance out of trouble, is a great and special gift. For, as it seems, St Paul here was desperately sick (I rather incline to that than any other deliverance), * I received the sentence of death,' &c.
Is not health a gift ? Is it not the foundation of all the comforts of this life ? What would riches comfort us ? W^hat would friends comfort us ? Bring all to a sick man, alas ! he hath no relish in anything, because he wants the ground of all earthly comforts, he wants health. Therefore you know the Grecians accounted that a chief blessing. If they had health, they were contented with any estate {(^'). A poor man in a mean estate, * That is, ' y^d^iG/xa.' — G.
192 COMMENTARY ON
witli II little competoncy, is more hivppy than the greatest monarch in the world that is under sickness and pain of body.
Health ! it is comfort itself, and it sweetens all other comforts.
Therefore it is a matter that es|)ecially we should bless God for, both for preventing* health (God keeps us out of sickness), and likewise for delivcr- inff us out of it, for both are like favours. And they that have a constant enjoyment of their health should as well praise God, as they that are de- livei'ed out of sickness. It is God's {goodness that they do not fall into sickness. There is the <,'round of sickness in every man. Th<ju;^h he had no outward enemy in the world, yet God can distemper the humours; and when there is a jar and disproportion in the humours, then lollows a hurt- ing of the powers, and a hindering of the actions, &c. We should bless God for the continuance of health. It is a special gift. ' For the gift bestowed.'