Vers. 11-21.-Paul's state of mind concerm'111/ ma p~t and prospective connectz'on with the Church at Corinth. "I am become a fool in glorying," etc., These verses tb row light upon Paul's state of mind, both in relation to, ,lus pa.at and prouiective oon- nection with the Corinthian Church. • , , I. HIS STATE OF MIND OONCERNING ms l'AST OONNECTION WITH THE ·coRD.'TBIAiJ CauRca 1. He remembers the ill tl'eatment wh~forced.him to speak with apparent 'boasifulnw; of himself. "l e.m become a fool [I am become•fooUsh] in'glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing e.m I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I '\le nothing." Dean Plumptre's remar)!s tend to illustrate Paul's state of mind. "The verse opens with a so~ewhat thrillii:ig abruptness, • I am become insane-it was you who compelle\l, me.' The words. a.re partly ironical, part1y spea.k of an impatient consciousness, that what heh~ been ~ay.- ing would seem to give colour to the opprobrious epithets that had been flung at,bim. The passage on which we now enter, and of which we may think as begUD, ,after a pause, is remarkable for the production in a compressed form of most of'the. top~QS, each with its characteristic phrase, on which he had before dwelt. The.)iolence. of, the storm is over, but the sky is not yet clear, and we still hear the mutterings of the reqeding thunder. He remembers once more that he has been called insane, that he ha,s,.}>eei;t taunted with commending himself, that be has been treated,_11s '.no~biI!g'in co;mpa,rison with those apostles extraordinary, who were setting themselves up as his rivals. 'I/ he says, with an emphatic stress on the pronoun, 'ought. to h11-ve. had .no ,need, for ,this painful self-assertion. You ought to have acknowledged my Jabour and m,y .love ,for you."' 2. He remembers the work which he had done amongst them, anti, which rai,ed him above all the apostles. "Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you iq all patience, in signs, and wonders, e.nd mighty deeds." Paul poss_essed supernatural power and wrought supernatural results in their midst. Of this they must have, beep, aware and conld not deny. Referring to his ministry. there he says e~sewhere,." My. speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demon- stration of the Spirit and of power" (1 Cor. ii. 4). In this respect he was, therefore, not only not behind "the very chiefest apostles," such as Peter, ,rames, and _John, ,but immeasurably superior to the false teachers, his tra,dncers. Can ,a man w)lp wa~ con~ scious of such power as this be charged with egotism in proclaiming it in the presenc~ of his detractors? Does he become "a fool in glorying ' 1 ? Nay, nay, a wise me.n., 3. He remembers that for his labours amongst them.he had not BO'U,fll,t any temporal assistance. " For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other Churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.", ,Proha~ly it had been insinuated by his traducers that Paul cared less for the Churches at Corrnth_ than for those at Macedonia, because he had maintained his independence e.nd so11gbt n~ gifts. He seems to intimate that this was some disadvantage to tl}em, and he asks their forgiveness. And, indeed, it seems to me it is a spir~tual disadvautage to any Church not to contribute to the support of its minister; for there is more good in giving than in receiving. 11 H.rs STATE OF MTh'D CONOERNING ms PROSPECTIVE CONNECTION WITH THE CoRINTHIAN CHURCH. 1. Here are loving resolves. "Behold, the third time I am' ready to come to you ; and I will not be burdensome to you : for I seek not yours, but you." We have no record of a second visit, but this does not disprov<J its existence; for :DO doubt there ii more omitted of Paul's history than recorded. He resolvea that ou. xn.1-21.J THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 295
in thle third visit he would not be burdensome to them, but pursue the same conduct of independenoy towards them as be bad done all along, taking notbin" from them . but giving to them. "I seek not yours, but you." Act as a faLber generally acts towards his "children," "lay up" for them, not they for him, and gladly spend and be spent for them. And all this, whether they· love him or not. What noble generosity breathes in nil these resolves I 2. Here are painful memories. " I did not burden you: never- theless, being crafty, I caught you with guile," This, again, is ironical. You say that, although I made no demand on your purses for myself, I want a collection for the " saints," and that out of that collection I will craftily take what I want. He seems to fling back upon them their accusation of bis being crafty and catching them "with ~uile." "Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I se!lt unto you? I desired 'l'itus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain.of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?" Nay, neither they nor he had ever sponged on them, but had maintained their high independency. In saying this be deprecates ·the idea that he was amenable to them for his conduct, but to God only. "Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you?· we ·speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying." 'l'hus, in the prospect of vi•siting Corinth once more, most painful memories of his traducers arose. 3. Here are a11xW'US apprehensions. "For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you sacb as ye would not." His tender nature seenied·to shrink at the supposition of the old evils still rampant there. "Lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes,. backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults." He was too brave e. man to dread perils, or toils, or death. "None of these things moved" him;· but from such evils as "strifes," "envyings," "wraths," "backbitings, n "whisperings'"" swellin"S "" tumults " "uncleanness"" fomication " "lasciviousness " his pure and· 'pious natur~ 'shrank with horror. 'l'he 'great thing t~ be dreaded is s~. It is the "abominable thing," the soul-destroying devil of humanity. CoNCLUSION; 1. ·Do not fudge any minister by the opinions of Ms 'brethren. Paul was the best and the most useful of men, but the opinion of his brethren was that be was the worst and the most pernicious. 2. Do not cease in yO'll,r endeavours to 'ber.eflt men because they calumniate yoo . . The worst men require your services most, the "whole need no physician." 3. Do not sponge up()'ll, your congregation. Do not seek theirs, but them. Do not study how to increase your pew-rents, swell your collections and offertories, but how to iii.crease the spiritual intelligence, freedom, and true blessedness of the people. 4. Do not cower· 'before anything but sin. Sin is the Apollyon of the universe.