The Apoftle blesses GOD for the Zeal of Titus in this Affair :

The Apostle expresses his Foy for the Readiness of Titus to
affift in finishing the Collection; and Speaks of the bo-
nourable Character of other Chriftian Brethren, whom he
bad joined with him in the fame Commiffion.
VIII. 16, to the End.

2 CORINTHIANS VIII. 16.

BUT Thanks be to GOD which put the fame

earnest Care into the Heart of Titus for you.

17 For indeed he accepted the Exhortation, but being

more forward, of his own Accord he went unto you.

18 And we have fent with him the Brother, whose

Praife is in the Gospel, throughout all the Churches:

2 CORINTHIANS VIII. 16.

2 Cor.

491

2 Cor. VIII.

16.

BUT while I fpeak of this Collection, which Sec. 14.
I am defirous of promoting, [1] would [re-
turn] my humble Thanks to GOD, who
gave that
fame diligent Care for you in the Heart of Titus,
and formed him to these generous and Christian
Sentiments. For indeed be not only chearfully 17
accepted, and complied with the Exhortation I
gave him; but being more forward than I thought
to have found him, he went to you freely of his
own Accord, tho' he must see that fome preffing
and peculiar Difficulties would attend the Under-
taking.

And we have alfo fent together with him, that 18
excellent Chriftian Brother (a) and Friend, Luke,
whofe Praile in the Gofpel [is] in all the Churches,

on Account of the various and eminent Services
that he has done for the Interests of Chriftianity,
wherever his Influence has extended, both by
his

(a) That Brother, &c.] Some fuppofe this anonymous, tho excellent Perfon, to have been Mark, or Silas, or Barnabas; but I rather with moft Commentators, fuppofe it to have been Luke, who certainly attended St. Paul in this Journey to Jerufalem. Some object, that the Brother here fpoken of, was fent by St. Paul to Corinth, in Company with Titus; whereas Luke went with St. Paul to Troas, and from thence to Corinth, Acts xx. 4, 6. But Dr. Whitby replies, I think with some confiderable Weight, that it is poffible St. Paul might go from Philippi to Corinth, and from thence to Troas, and fo Perfons fent before to prepare his Way, might come, and bring Word to St. Paul that the Collection was ready, and go back with him to receive it. See Whitby on Chap. ii. 12. Many ancient Chriftians thought that Expreffion, whofe Praife in the Gospel is in all the Churches, refers to the universal Applaufe, with which St. Luke's Gofpel was every where received; and I have paraphrafed it, as to include that, tho' I think the Apostle's Meaning more extenfive. See Gurdon at Boyle's Lect. pag. 482.

૦૧ ૬ 2

(b) And

492

Sect. 14.

19.

With whom he fent alfo Luke and Apollos

his Writing and Exhortations. And not only is he fo (6) much efteemed on these Accounts, 2 Cor. VIII. but he was alfo ordained and appointed by the Stretching forth of the Hand, in Token of the Common Confent of the Churches, whom we confulted on this Occafion, particularly in Macedonia, to be our Fellow-traveller, with this Grace which is now adminiftered, and undertaken by us, purely for the Glory of the fame Lord, and for [the Declaration of your ready Mind, in which I was defirous to let you know how heartily I

20

concur.

19 (And not that only,
but was alfo chofen of the

Churches to travel with us
with this Grace, which is
adminiftred by us to the
and Declaration of your rea-
Glory of the fame Lord,
dy Mind)

20 Avoiding this, that no Man fhould blame us in administered by us:

this Abundance which is

21 Providing for honeft Things, not only in the Sight of the Lord, but alfo in the Sight of Men.

And we now fend him to you, and I have determined to join a Man of his excellent Character with me; carefully avoiding this, that any one fhould blame, or throw any Reflection upon us, for the Part we may take in the Management of this Abundance of your Bounty, which is admistered by us; left any fhould be fa unjust and cruel as to infinuate, that I have appropriated any Part of it to my own Ufe, or to any Purpose whatsoever, different from that, for which it was 21 originally given: Therein providing Things decent, honeft, and honourable, not only before the Lord, to whom it is our firft, and chief Care to approve ourselves, but also before Men; that we may guard as much as poffible, against any Sufpicion of our Character, which might hinder 22 our Usefulness. And we have fent with them, that is, with Luke and Titus, our other Friend, and well-beloved Brother, Apollos, whom we have often proved in many other Affairs, to be in a very extraordinary Degree diligent; but who will now, I doubt not, approve himfelf much great. Confidence which I more diligent, and exert himfelf to the utmoft in carrying on this Collection, on Account of the aud great Confidence [I have] in you, as to your Goodnefs and Liberality: On which Confideration he

has changed his Refolution against making you a.

Vifit;

22 And we have fent

whom we have oftentimes

much

with them our Brother,
proved diligent in many
Things, but now
more diligent, upon the
have in you.

(b) And not only fo.] This 19th Verfe is to be included in a Parenthefis, and the continued Senfe of Verfes 18 and 20 will be, we have fent that Brother-to avoid Blame,

(c) The

Who were deputed by the Churches on this Occafion.

493
Vifit; which, while he had any Apprehenfion Sect. 14.
you might make him an Occafion of quarrelling
and contending, he would by no means be 2 Cor. VIII.
per- 22.
fuaded to do.

And if [there be any Question] concerning Titus, 23
[be is] my Partner and my Fellow-labourer with
Refpect to you; one, who fincerely shares my
Care for you, and is always ready to act in Con-
cert with me, in any Attempt to correct what is
amifs among you, and to promote your Improve-
ment in real Chriftianity. Or if the Question be
[concerning] any other of our Brethren, whom I
have mentioned above, [they are] the Meffengers
of the Churches (c), whom feveral Chriftian So-
cieties have chofen to send about this Bufinefs;
and they are Person of fo valuable a Character,
[and] do fo great a Credit to their Profeffion, that
I may not improperly call them the Glory of
Chrift in the World. Shew therefore to them,
I intreat you, even in the Sight of all the Churches,
to which they are related, and to whom they
will undoubtedly make their Report concerning
you, the Demonftration of your Love, and the
Reasonableness of our Boafting over you; that it
may appear to be as well founded, as I affuredly
believe that it is.

(c) The Meffengers of the Churches.] I can think of nothing more unreasonable, than to tranflate this Word, Apoftles; as the English Word Apofiles, is now by long Ufe appropriated to what is only a Part of the Signification of the Original. As an Apoftle of Jefus Chrift is, one fent forth by him, so an Apoftle of any Church muft furely fignify, one fent forth by that Society. And if I believed that there was fo early as this Time a Minifter in every Church, fuperior to a common Paftor, which the most able Advocates for Diocefan Epifcopacy feem not generally to think, I could not imagine it confiftent with the Dignity and Importance of their Office, that they fhould be parted with on fuch an Errand, which any common Deacon might with fufficient Propriety have performed. It is indeed true, that St. Paul was charged with this Truft; but then it seems to have been after he had determined on this Journey to Jerufalem, and not to have been the Occafion of that Journey.

24

494

Sect. 14.

Ver. 16.

Ver. 17.

Ver. 20.

Ver. 21.

Ver. 23.

Reflections on St. Paul's Caution in managing the Collection.

TH

IMPROVEMENT.

HE Tendernefs of Minifters, in all Points, where the Comfort and Edification of the Church is concerned, is indeed Matter of the highest Moment; and where it is remarkable in its Degree, it affords just Caufe of Thanksgivings to GOD: For it is be, who puts into their Hearts that earnest Care, who excites and maintains every Sentiment of Benevolence, when they offer themfelves willingly to any generous and charitable Service. It is Grace, that is communicated whatever Good is done; and it ought to be afcribed to the Glory of the fame Lord from whom it comes; and it lofes much of its Value, if it be not directed to this ultimate, this fupreme End.

When the Corinthians defired to depofit their Alms in the Hands of St. Paul, they certainly acted a very wife Part, as no Man living could have rendered them more fecure, as to the Fidelity or the Difcretion of the Distribution. Yet we fee, that high as the Apostle's Character stood, and though he had fo often given, and was daily renewing, fuch ftriking Demonftrations both of his Wifdom and Integrity; yet he would not undertake the Truft alone, but ufed all proper Methods to approve his Exactness in the Management thereof, even to Strangers; providing Things boneft and laudable, not only in the Sight of GOD, but of all Men.

May Minifters be often thus employed, as the Almoners of Perfons richer than themfelves, (as their Readiness to help the Poor in their temporal Affairs, may greatly promote their Ufefulness in Spirituals;) and may they be found to manage their Truft with the like confcious and delicate Honour. May they fhew a Difpofition, like that of St. Paul, to affift in establishing and advancing the Characters of their younger Brethren, and introducing them into Efteem and Confidence. Thus will they indeed most effectually strengthen their own Hands, and edify and comfort the Churches; will prove the Glory of Chrift themselves in the prefent Age, and be the Means of raifing up others, who may eminently deferve that illuftrious Title, in fucceeding Generations.

SECT.

The Apoftle profeffes his Confidence in their Readiness ;

SECT.

XV.

The Apoftle goes on, with admirable Address, farther to urge
their liberal Contribution; and in the full Expectation
of it, affectionately recommends them to the divine Bief-
fing.
2 Cor. IX. 1,
1, throughout.

2 CORINTHIANS IX. I.

OR as touching the

FOR

2 CORINTHIANS IX. I.

495

miniftring to the Saints, NOW concerning the Ministration intended to Sec. 1

it is fuperfluous for me to write to you.

I.

15.

relieve the Neceffities of the Saints, or believing Brethren in Judea, it is fuperflucus that I 2 Cor. IX. fhould write largely to you, in order to perfuade you to the Thing itfelf: It is fufficient, that F give you a tranfient Hint, concerning the Time and Manner of doing what is necessary or proper on this Occafion. For 1 have known in for- 2 mer Inftances, and have now again learnt from Titus, your extraordinary Readiness on this Head; which I indeed boaft concerning you to the Macedonians, that all the Region of Achaia, and particularly your Church in its capital City, has been prepared a Year ago; and your Zeal in this Ref pect bath quickened many others to imitate your Example, and do more generously, than perhaps they might otherwise have done. Nevertheless 3: I have jent unto you the Brethren I mentioned before; left our Boafting of you on this Head, that, as I faid, ye were prepared before, having made up your Sum, should, by any Accident which might have prevented your accomplishing the whole of your Defign, in any Degree be made vain, and appear ill-grounded : Left if any 4 of the Macedonians happen to come with me, and after all find you unprepared, the Money which has been fubscribed not being actually collected, we may be ashamed, not to fay you allo, in this confident Boafting we have used concerning you, and which may recoil in a very unhappy Manner, if it

be