Thine in the Lord Jesus,
A. Jackson, f
London, Woodstreet, April 18, 1G3S.
* This, -witli the other two, will duly appear in their respective places.— G. t Cf. Vol. II. p. 442.— G.
THE CHURCH'S RICHES BY CHRIST'S POVERTY.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet he became poor for your sakes, tliat ye through his poverty might he rich. —
2 CoE. vni. 9.
The nature of man is very backward to do good ; our hearts being like to green wood tliat hath but a Httle fire under it, that must be continually blown up : so those sparks of grace that are in us must be stirred up. Therefore the apostle being to stir up these Corinthians to beneficence, and bounty towards the poor, he labours to enforce it by many reasons, in this and the next chapter. Man being an understanding creature, God would have what we do in matters of religion to proceed from principles, becoming men and Christians. Therefore he sets us upon duties from reasons. And because examples together with reasons are very forcible, therefore the apostle, after many forcible reasons to be liberal to the saints, he joins examples : first, of the Macedonians that were a poorer people, 2 Cor. viii. 2 ; then the Corinthians, to whom the apostle now wrote. But because people are not so comfortably led by the example of equals and inferiors (they think it a kind of upbraiding of them, accounting themselves as good or better than they) ; therefore the apostle leaves exhorting them from the example of the Macedonians that were poorer, and propounds an example beyond all exception, the example of Christ himself. He stirs them up to bounty and goodness, by the example of him who is goodness itself. ' You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, though he were rich, he became poor,' &c. As if he should have said, if the example of the poor Macedonians will not move you to give bountifully, yet let the example of our Saviour ; he was rich, yet he became poor to enrich you ; therefore you must not think much to bestow somewhat on his poor members.
Examples have a very great force in moving, especially if they be examples of great persons, and those that love us, and we them, and that are near us. The example of Christ, it is the example of a great person, and one that loves us, and whom we ought to love again ; therefore the apostle propounds that.
He might have alleged the precept of Christ. There are many com- mands that Christ gives of bounty and liberality to the poor : * Be merci- ful, as your heavenly Father is merciful,' Luke vi. 36 ; and ' give freely, looking for nothing again,' vi. 85 ; and ' the poor ye shall have always
496 THE church's RI3HES.
with you,' Mat. xxvi. 11. But because example hath a more alluring power, it moves more freely (precepts have a more compelling* force) ; therefore herein ho follows the stream of our disposition, which rather desires to be easily drawn than to be forced and pressed ; he brings not the precept but the example of Christ : ' For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,' &c.
The points considerable in the words are, first of all, that
])oct. 1. Christ, was rick.
There is no question to be made of this truth, ' Christ was rich,' because he was the second person in Trinity, the Son of God, the heir of heaven and earth, rich every way. Whou he was poor, he was God then. Though he covered his Godhead with the veil of humanity, with our base and beg- garly nature that he took upon him, he was alway rich. But especially this hath reference to what he was before he took our nature : he was rich, because he was God ; and indeed God only is rich to purpose, independ- ently and eternally rich. Kiches imply, among other things, plenty ; and plenty of precious and good things, and propriety. f They must be good things that are our own. Christ had plenty of excellent things, and they wore his own. He was not only rich in treasure, as he saith, ' Gold is mine, and silver is mine,' Hag. ii. 8, but heaven and earth, that contains all treasures, are his. ' The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof,' Ps. xxiv. 1 ; and it is he that made the heavens. He that made heaven and earth must needs be rich ; nay, if there were need, he can make a thousand heavens and earths. He is not only mighty, but almighty ; not only sufficient, but all-sufficient. He can do what may be done ; he can do what he hath done, and more than he hath done, and more than we can conceive ; he can remove all difficulties that hinder him ; he is rich in power and wisdom every waj'. The point is very large, but it is not so pertinent to the text to shew what he was in himself, but what he was for our sakes ; therefore I will be shorter in it.
Hence then you see that Christ was, before he was exhibited. % He did good before he appeared. He was rich before he took our nature upon him. He was God before he was man. [I say this] against the cursed heresy of Arius (rt), which I will not now rake up again. But undoubtedly you see here a good ground of that grand article of our faith — Christ was God before he took our nature. He came ; therefore he was before he came. He was sent ; therefore he was before he was sent. He was God, before he was God ' manifest in the flesh.' In Philip, ii. 6, it is largely and excel- lently set down : ' Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus : who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God ; but he was made of no reputation ; he took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man : he was found in the fashion of man ; he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even to the death of the cross ; therefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above all names.' It is a large comment and explica- tion upon this text, ' he was God ; he thought it no robbery to be equal with God.'