2 Cor. X. 15, 16. Having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you accordi?ig to our rule abun- dantly, to preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you.
THE Apostle Paul was a man of an enlarged heart: he panted for the salvation of the whole world, and to the utmost of his power laboured to promote it. But, in his labours, he was under the direction of his Divine Master, who assigned to him the path in which he was to run. To the course that was pre- scribed to him he carefully adhered ; neither going beside it, to interfere with others ; nor going beyond it, as obtruding himself any where without an express
commission. In these respects, he differed widely from some who sought to estabhsh themselves on the foundation which he had laid at Corinth, and to subvert his influence in the Church which he had planted. To remedy the evils which had been intro- duced by them, he meditated another visit to that city; and hoped, after rectifying all abuses there, to proceed to other regions beyond them, for the purpose of diffusing more widely, than he had yet done, the Gospel of Christ. This intention, which he specifies in the words of our text, will lead me to set before you,
I. The desires of a faithful minister, in reference to
any Church which he may have planted —
He will desire their growth in every grace —
[However numerous his converts may be, no faithful
minister will be satisfied, unless they make their profiting to
appear. Every believer is enjoined to " grow in grace and in
the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ^ :" and it
is in that way alone that he can either promote the honour of
God, or advance his own happiness Like persons
engaged in a race, he must " forget what is behind, and reach forward to that which is before ; and press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus ^. A mother, however rejoicing over her infant child, would soon cease to rejoice, if she saw no advancement in his stature: and so can no faithful minister find pleasure in his converts, if he see them not gradually advancing in the divine life, and "grow- ing up towards the measure of the full stature of Christ."]
He will desire their growth in faith more particu- larly—
[Faith is the root of every grace ; and according to its vital operations in us, will be our growth in all that is good. When our Lord inculcated on his Apostles the exercise of a forgiving spirit, they replied, "Lord, increase our faith'^/" One would have supposed that they should rather have said, " Increase our love." But they judged well ; because their love was sure to be augmented in proportion to their faith. It is precisely in the same view that St. Paul speaks to the Corinthians, when he refers to an expected " increase of their faith." It is by increasing discoveries of the great mystery of redemption, and of the glory of God as displayed in it, that
« 2 Pet. iii. 18. " Phil. iii. 13, 14. « Luke xvii. 3—5.