The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 85

name of t.~e ~rm. So it is _found of practical value that ~lergymen and ministers going to other d1stncts or countries should have such attestation as will win for them the confidence of those to whom they may happen-to minister, Several questions of interest arise in connection with this subject. 1. From what central bodies, or from what indi- viduals, should such letters of commendation come? 2. What should they properly concern? And can they ever wisely go beyond the attestation of personal character and ministerial efficiency? Men must be judged by their works rather than by the opinion which others may have formed concerning them, Still, in every age Churches have needed to be guarded against plausible but unworthy men, who force themselves into positions of influence unawares. And this has been the special trouble of all smaller Churches, and those existing apart from Christian organizations. Every ordinary man should depend for his acceptance upon his letters of recommenrlatiou. II. TEE LIMITATION OF THE DEMAND FOR SUCH LETTERS. Sometimes they are merely vexations. The demand for them is a mere piece of officialism. Some men so stand before the world that no letters about them can be necessary. And the letters may only concern (1) character, (2) efficiency. They should not deal with disputable opinions. A full and fair estimate of character is sufficient to give confidence that a man's work will be honest and faithful, Commendations of so-called "orthorloxy" or "heterodoxy" can never be anything but mischievous. We may commend the man • we had better take care not to co=end hie opinions. Of these let those to whom h; ministers be the judges. 111. GoD's WAYS OF MAKING BUCH LETTERS WHOLLY UNNECIESBARY. From the case or St. Paul we learn that God may so manifestly show his acceptance of e. man and a man's work that no other credential can possibly be necessary. A man's labours and successes may sufficiently declare that he is a man of God, e. messenger of God. Illustrate by such case.s as Luther, Whitefield, Brainerd, etc. We must well arprehend that, because a thing is unusual, it is not therefore untrue. And in Cl'ery age men have been raised up whose strongly marked individuality leads them to take fresh lines of thought and of work. Men may hesitate to give such men. their c1·edenlials; it is enough if God manifestly accepts them.-R. T. Vers. 4-6.-77ie power, and the agency it uses. The o.postle here dwells upon the confidence he has in the Corinthian Church as the oll-sufficient commendation of his ministry and apostleship. But he will take no honour to himself over his successes at Corinth. He had but been the agent, and the power and sufficieucy were altogether of God. St. Paul was always before men firm, confident, bold; but olways before God humble and dependent. The expression," through Ch,fot to God-ward," probably means "that our eyes are directed towards God, the Sourco of our confidence, and that it is through Jesus Christ alone that we possess the right thus to lean on him.P lllustrnte, from Old Teslament Scriptures, the Jewish habit of mind which referred all events to God's direct working, confounding the cause with the agoncy. For instance, God ia Hid to harden Pharaoh's heart, ond to send a lying spirit among the prophet~. Such direct reference of all things to God is characteristic of the jmaginative, uncultured, superstitious ages; but, in intelligent form, it is found in Christianity. 'l'here is no confusion of power aud agent, but behind agency the "power" is fully and humbly recognized. This we further unfold, noting the following points:- I. JN Cu1usTIANITY THE MAN STILL WORKS. God proposes to save t.he world by man. He does not use miracle, but deals with men as moral beinl(s, subject to various morn) iufluences arising from their relations one to nnother. Every man is a forco upon his fellow-man. Some, by reason or particular positions ond endowments, exert great iulluence on other men. It is at once truo that man must be saved by man, ar.d that man cannot be saved by man. 'l'he paradox is not a difficult one to oxplaiu from the CLrislian point of view. Christianity asks, therefore, from every mo.u threo things. 1. The consecration of his talents and trusts. 2. The sanctifying of his relationships. 3. And the faithful use of his opportunities. Truo of man in his ordinary lifc-sphcros, this ie more especially true of man as occupied in the Christian ministry. JI. IN CHRISTIANl'l'Y TIIE KAN IB ONLY A0ENT. Ho hns no sort of iuilepcndcut authority. He is 1>.1>t fittingly likened to the plenipotentiary, who hns o. matter wholly Collltllitted to his judgment and dociHioµ. 'fhc Christi~n miQistcr or w9rker is i:ievcr CH, ur. 1-le.J THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 80