The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 95

yi&orous in intellect is wea.k, the most lofty in. genius is feeble, the moat enlightened' 1s ignorant. III. As DEVELOPING A DIVINE PORl'OSE, '' That the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." 'l'he grand reason why frail men are employed to preach the gospel is that the glorious renovating and soul-saving effects may evidently appear as the work of God, and not of man. When sermons prove effective in convertiu" souls it is n?t becaus,e of the origi~ality of thei~· thought, the force of their logic, the splendoU: of their rhetoric, or the maiesty of their eloquence, but because of the Divine power that accompanie.s them, "Not by might, nor by power," etc., Vers. 8-12.-Tl'ials in the cause of Ghrist. "We are troubled on every side 11 etc. 'l'hree remarks are suggested. ' I. That TRE TRIALS E:-.COllNTERED IN TRE CAUSE OF CHRIBT ARE SOMETIMES VERY GREAT. Hear what Paul says about his trials:" We are troubled on every side." He speaks of him~elf as hemmed in by enemies, pursued by enemies, stricken down by enemies, and dragging about with him, as it were, a living corpse. It may be laid down as a principle, that the man who is earnestly engaged in any righteous cause in this world will have to encounter trials. The old prophets had their trial~, somo of them were insulted, so~e incarcerated, some martyred. So with John the Baptist, and so with the apostles, so with the confessors, reformers, and genuine revivalists. II. That, HOWEVER GREAT THE TRIALS ENCOUNTERED, TREY ARE NOT BEYOND BEAR• ING. The apostle says that although "troubled on every side, yet not distressed," or straitened; though "perplexed," or bewildered, yet not benighted; though "persecuted," or pursued, yet not "forsaken," or abandoned; though " cast down," or stricken down with a. blow, yet not perishing. The idea. is that he had support under bis trials; they did not entirely crush him. The true labourer in tbe cause of Christ, however great his trials, is always supported: 1. By the approbation of his own conscience. 2. By the encouraging results of his own labom·s, 3. By the sustaining strength of God. "As thy days, so thy strength shall be." Ill. 'fhat THE BIGHT BEADING OF THESE TRIALS BUJISERVES THE GOOD OF SOULS, 1, In the right bearing of these sufferings the sufferer reveals the life of Christ to others. "Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus." Rightly endurcll sufferings bring the sufferer so near to the sufferings of Christ that he is in a. sense a sharer of those sufferings, and hence in them the life of Jesus is made manifest. Who that has witnessed the true Christian languishing on the bed of suffering and dcnth has not seen the spirit of the life of Christ revealed? 2. In tbe right bearing of theso sufferin"s the sufferer promotes in himself and olhcrs the Christian lifo. " For wo which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus miaht be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life i11 yo~." " God," says Dean Alford, "exhibits death in the living, that he may llleo exhibit life in the dying." Ver. 13.-The speech of truefaieh, "We having the same spirit of fnith," etc. The world is full of speech. Human words load the atmosphere. All the speeches may be divided into three classes. 1. Speech without faith. Vapid and voln.tile talk. 2. 8peech with wron.~ faith. Wrong faith is of _two. de~cription~. (1) Fnith in wr~mg subjects. Men believe errors. (2) Improper faith m right subiccts. Weak wavcnng, etc. 3. Speech with true faith. Take the true faith as faith in Christ, In him, not in propositions concerning him, propositions either including doctrines or facts. I offer three remarks concerning the speech of this faith. I. IT IB INEVITABLE. '!'he man who truly believes in Christ feels that" necessity is laid upon him," that he 0 can~ot but speak the thi~gs seen_ and heard.". Such _is the influence of faith on man'11 social sympathies that his emot1011s beoome 1rrepress1ble. II. IT IB BATlONAL, How much speech there is in connection even with the religion of Obrist that clashes with the dictates of human reason, and ie, an insult to common sense! But he who really has faith in Christ can give reason11 for bis convictions in language clear as the day. It is the lock of true faith that makes our,serruons haiy. ill. IT lB STRONG. 'l'rue faith in Ghrist is tho stron"oet of all convictions, nod a ~trong couvicliou will always have a slrong utte• mco. 'lie words will be free and full, 011. Iv. 1-la] THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 95