426 2 Cor. vi. 6 By the power of God, and the armour of righteousness ; SECT. humble dependence on the sanctifying influ- Ghost, by love un X. ences of the holy Spirit; who dwells in our feigned, hearts, as a continued principle of that undissembled love which we exercise without limita tion, not only to friends and benefactors, but enemies and persecutors. 7 Still we are faith7 By the word of ful in asserting, and zealous in propagating, the truth, by the power sacred gospel, that word of uncorrupted and in- of God, by the ar fallible truth; and we persist in it, supported by ness on the right mour of righteousthe almighty power of that God by whom it is hand and on the left, revealed, and by whom we know it shall be rendered finally victorious; and in the mean time, while our enemies assault us on every side, it is our care still to be clothed and girded about with the armour of righteousness, both on the right hand, and on the left, well knowing that g armour to be impenetrable. And in this con- 8 By honour and sciousness we pass unhurt, and in a great measure dishonour, by evil unmoved,through honour and dishonour,through port: as deceivers, report and good reevil report and good report, neither elated with and yet true; the one, nor depressed and dejected with the other. We are treated by many, as if we were a set of artful deceivers, that scruple no fraud and falsehood, by which we might carry our cause; and yet we know in our own conscience, and God can witness for us, that we are true and faithful, and would not deviate from the strictest rules of integrity, to carry any point, how important soever it might seem to ourselves, or 9 the religion we propagate. We are treated by 9 As unknown, men, as inconsiderable creatures, in the lowest and yet well known; rank of life, obscure and unknown, as undeserv- as dying, and behold ing any public notice and regard; and [yet] we are really well known to multitudes, by the happiest tokens, as the men by whom they have not only received that bodily healing, which they could never have expected from natural means, but by the yet more valuable memorials of having enlightened their eyes with Divine knowledge, and brought back their wandering souls to God. We are regarded by others, as • Armour of righteousness, on the right hand, and on the left.] Some unnaturally think this alludes to the soldiers who were taught to wield their swords with the left hand, as well as the right; and others, that it refers to the Christians being arm ed against the temptations of prosperity and adversity. That may well be included; but the armour spoken of, seems of the defensive kind, on the arms, or breasts, or both. as poor, yet making many rich. 427 X. 2 Cor. we live; as chasten- dying men, and we seem ourselves to be in daily SECT. ed, and not killed; danger of being sacrificed to the rage of our enemies; and yet behold hitherto, through the guardian and astonishing care of that Redeemer vi. 9 whom we preach, we continue in life, and live to the most important purposes. Our afflic tions are many, and we consider ourselves under them, as chastened by our heavenly father; yet, blessed be his name, we are not killed; and far from intending our destruction, we know that he will overrule these chastisements to the 10 As sorrowful, advancement of our salvation. If our exter- 10 yet alway rejoicing; nal circumstances alone be regarded, we must as poor, yet making indeed appear as sorrowful, and the world will ing nothing, and yet naturally conclude, that we have cause for conpossessing all things. tinual lamentation; and yet when the inward many rich: as hav dispositions of our minds are known, and the IMPROVEMENT. WHOSE Soul can remain untouched, while he reads this eloquent period in which the apostle's mouth is (as he afterwards expresses it) thus opened, in consequence of his heart's being enlarged! In how lively, yet unaffected a manner, does this sacred writer paint his own character and circumstances: and how much profound and important sense is there in those paradoxes which he so naturally introduces on this occasion! Let the ministers of the gospel herein behold, at once, their model and their Possessing all things.] This is certainly writ. Compare Phil. iv. 18; 1 Tim. vi. 17; ❤ne of the sublimest passages that was ever Eph. i. 3; Rev. xxi. 7; 1 Cor. iii. 21-23 428 3 Reflections on the character and labours of the apostles. SECT. Support. Let them cultivate this inoffensive behaviour, not only X. out of regard to themselves, but that their office may not be censured; and still approve themselves the servants of God, by verse patience amidst all their tribulations, their necessities, and their 4 pressures; and, so far as their circumstances require it, by labours, by watchings, and fastings; especially when by an indulgent 5 Providence they are not called to do it in stripes, in imprison6 ments, and in tumults. Still let them cultivate purity and knowl7 edge, long suffering and gentleness, with unfeigned love in the Holy Ghost. Aided by him, let them arm themselves with the word of truth, and in the strength of God, gird on the armour of right8 eousness on the right hand and on the left. Thus fortified, they may boldly break their way through honour and infamy, through praise and reproach; as we plainly see that infamy and reproach may be the portion of the best of men, and the most useful members of society. Who are we, that we should refuse a cup, of which the apostles and our Lord drank so deep? But let us be 8 superior to human censures. If any call us deceivers, let us show that we are invariably true to the interests of God and of good9 ness. If they affect to overlook us, as unknown, and beneath their notice, let us endeavour to render ourselves well known, by the benefits which, by Divine grace, we are the instruments of 10 conferring on men's souls. So shall we be always rejoicing in the midst of those sorrows of which nature cannot be entirely insensible; whilst amidst our poverty we are enriching many, yea then, though we have nothing that we can call our own, we shall possess all things; shall appear in the eyes of God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ, the richest and the happiest of mankind, even though we were in other respects, of all men the most miserable. While we consider this as the character of the first preachers of Christianity, which, with so noble a plainness and simplicity they profess, let us adore the Divine grace by which such a spirit was raised in the world, and by which it hath in some measure been maintained, even to this day. And let it encourage our most earnest and affectionate prayers, that God would raise up in every age (and especially in our own, in which they seem so ready to fail) a generation of evangelical ministers; who, fired with such generous principles of action, and emulating so noble a character, may commend themselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God, and roll away that reproach which unworthy men have brought on the most excellent of all offices. Thus armed, may they extend their happy conquests; thus animated, may they see of the travail of their soul, to their abundant, their ever. lasting satisfaction and delight, St. Paul reminds the Corinthians of his peculiar affection. 429 SECT. XI. The apostle urges the Corinthians to avoid those alliances with idol- 2 COR. VI. 11. Ο YE Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our YOU 2 CORINTHIANS VI. 11. OU see, O ye Corinthians, my dear breth- SECT. ren, my beloved children, with how much xi. 2 Cor. vi. 11 heart is enlarged. freedom of address our mouth is opened to you; but words flow freely on an occasion, on which our heart is so much enlarged, in a tenderness, which neither words nor tears can sufficiently 12 Ye are not express. Sure I am, that ye are not straiten- 12 straitened in us, but ed in us; all that we can do for your comfort ye are straitened in and happiness, you may securely promise your own bowels. yourselves but I fear, ye are straitened in your own bowels, and have not all of you, that affection for us, nor readiness to receive our communications, which the relation between us might challenge, and my tenderness for you 13 Now for a ought to excite. And therefore, for that very 13 recompense in the recompense, which we most of all desire, which same, (I speak as is so just and reasonable, and which indeed, unto my children,) be in its consequences, would be yet more beneficial to you, than delightful to us, I speak to you as to [my] own children, with all the genuine overflowings of paternal love; be ye also thus enlarged a towards me, and let this confidence with which I am pouring forth, as it were, all my heart into your bosom, strike strongly on your minds, to raise some correspondent emotion. ye also enlarged. 14 Be ye not une And how shall that love be expressed? Truly 14 qually yoked togeth- by no method can it more effectually be manifested, than by taking all the care you possibly can, for your own security and happiness. In Be ye also enlarged.] Perhaps the apos tle's meaning may be this, "Give me that pleasure which my paternal tenderness towards you will find, in having it in my power to do you abundance of good, through your readiness to receive what we are so ready to impart, and to fall in with my attempts of usefulness among you." 430 And exhorts them not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers, xi. 2 Cor. any SECT. which view, I must particularly urge it, that er with unbelievers ye be not unequally yoked either in marriage, or for what fellowship other intimate friendship, with unbelievers; with unrighteoushath righteousness vi 14 for what participation hath that strict righteousness? and what com. ness, to the practice of which the gospel calls munion hath light you, its sincere votaries, with that unrighteous- with darkness ? ness, in which they are so generally plunged? Or what communion hath the light, into which you by the Divine mercy are brought, with that deplorable darkness of ignorance and vice 15 in which they continue to be lost? Or what 15 And what con Christ concord [is there,] or can there be, between cord hath 16 And what a Christ, to whom ye are united, and Belial, who part hath he that bereigneth in the children of disobedience? Or lieveth with an infiwhat part hath a believer with an infidel; or an del? infidel, with a believer? The union is surely, at the first view of it, too unnatural to be ei 16 ther easy, safe, or lasting. And indeed I may say, what consistence has the temple of Godb greement hath the with those detestable idols, which would by temple of God with this means be, as it were, erected in it: or at temple of the living idols for ye are the least placed so near, that it must be polluted God; as God hath by them? It is a proper question, and a just said, I will dwell in view in which to state the point; for ye are them; and I will be them, and walk in the temple of the living God, as God himself hath their God, and they said; I will, in the most intimate manner, shall be my people. dwell in them, and walk among [them] and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Lev. xxvi. 12.) Now though this immedi ately refers to God's extraordinary presence among the Jews, yet, when we consider the constitution of the Christian church, we cannot possibly imagine, that God is less favourably present with it, than he was with the Jew17 ish. We may therefore consider the exhorta17 Wherefore, tion so naturally grounded on such a promise, come out from a and may, as it were, hear God calling to us, mong them, and be and saying, as to Israel, with respect to idolaters of old, (Isa. lii. 11,) Come out from among Temple of God.] There seems a peculiar strength in this interrogation. If God would not endure idols in any part of the land in which he dwelt, how much less would he endure them under his own roof? In the most intimate manner dwell in them.] No words I know in our lan guage, can equal the force of the original, svorneo ev aulois, I will take up my indwelling in them. This was a promise made to the Jews on their being converted; and consequently refers to their privileges, as members of the Christian church; which shews the propriety of the application, Jer. xxxi. 33, chap. xxxii. 37, 38. |