(3) Giving no offense in anything, that the ministry be not blamed: (4) But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, (5) In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; (6) By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, (7) By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, (8) By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; (9) As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; (10) As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
What a lovely Portrait the Apostle hath here drawn, of a Minister of Jesus! How totally dissimilar in every feature, from the rank, and opulence, of modern Prelacy? Who should have thought, when Paul wrote this Epistle to the Church at Corinth, that a time would come, when state and grandeur would be considered suitable appendages to the Sacred Order! Great part of what the Apostle hath here said, concerning the all things, in which he recommends the Lord's servants to approve themselves, as ministers of God, is done away. How is it possible for such as the present hour furnisheth, to manifest whose servants they are, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, labors, watchings, fastings, and the like. There was a time indeed, even in our own land, when the eminent servants of the Lord were eminent also for suffering. And never did the truths of the Gospel appear to greater advantage than in that period.
There are some of the characters of the ministry, which the Apostle hath sketched in this picture, still to be found. By honor; and dishonor; by evil report, and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known. There are some, in every age of the world, which will be found to treat the distinguishing truths of the Gospel with hatred and contempt; and to dishonor the preachers of those truths, with evil report, and reproach. While the highly taught few, whom God the Holy Ghost teacheth, will honor his messengers; and while such faithful men are unknown to the world, yea, not unfrequently unknown to each other; they are well known, by all the Persons of the Godhead. God the Father, hath known them, loved them, chosen them; given them in Covenant to his dear Son, and had his eye upon them, from all eternity, to redeem them by Christ, in this time-state of their being, from all the corruptions of the Adam-nature of the fall. God the Son hath known them; having loved their persons with an everlasting love, betrothed them to himself before all worlds, and redeemed them in the time-state from sin, and all the dreadful consequences of sin, by his blood; and takes up their persons and their causes now, since his return to glory; and never ceaseth his affection for them, but sheweth how unalterable his love is, until he hath brought them home to his kingdom of glory, that where he is, there they shall be also. God the Holy Ghost hath known them, and loved them with an everlasting love, having knit them to Christ, and anointed them with Him, as the members of his body, before all time; and in every individual instance, regenerates, and sanctifies the whole body of Christ, as one with him, in all the communicable graces, from the Head to the members. So that, however unknown to men, the whole Church of Christ is known of God; graciously blessed, preserved, and made everlastingly happy: and however poor in worldly accommodation, yet rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom; and though seemingly having nothing, yet in reality Christ being their Portion, they possess all things. Reader! learn from this portrait of the Apostle's and drawn under God the Spirit's direction, to form an estimate of the Lord's ministers: not by outward shew, but by the inward illumination of the heart; and the blessing of God on their labors, both in word and doctrine.