426 X. 2 Cor. vi. 6 7 By the power of God, and the armour of righteousness ; SECT. humble dependence on the sanctifying influ- Ghost, by love un- 8 armour to be impenetrable. And in this con- 8 By honour and 9 the religion we propagate. We are treated by 9 As unknown, 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 includ ed; but the armour spoken of, seems of the defensive kind, on the arms, or breasts, or both. as poor, yet making many rich. 427 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 X. enemies; and yet behold hitherto, through the 2 Cor. 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; one of the sublimest passages that was ever Eph. i. 3; Rev. xxi. 7; 1 Cor. iii. 21–23. 428 yerse 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 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 knowl. 7 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 goodg'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 S E C T. XI The apostle urges the Corinthians to avoid those alliances with idolaters, which might tend to insnare them; and pleads the gra cious promises God had made to his people, as an engagement to them to be upon their guard in this respect; and, in general, to aim at the sublimest attainments in religion. 2 Cor. VI. 11, to the end. Chap. VII. 1. 2 COR. VI. 11. OYE Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. YOU SECT. 2 Cor. vi. 11 2 CORINTHIANS VI. 11. OU see, O ye Corinthians, my dear brethren, my beloved children, with how much xi. 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 ye also enlarged. in its consequences, would be yet more bene. ficial 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 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. 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 a Be ye also enlarged.] Perhaps the apostle'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, 2 Cor. 15 And what con 16 And what a SECT. which view, I must particularly urge it, that er with unbelievers ; xi. ye be not unequally yoked either in marriage, or for what fellowship hath righteousness any other intimate friendship, with unbelievers; with unrighteous. vi. 14 for what participation hath that strict righteousness? and what comness, 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 concord [is there,] or can there be, between cord hath Christ Christ, to whom ye are united, and Belial, who with Belial? or what part hath he that bereigneth in the children of disobedience? Or lieveth with an infi what 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 ei16 ther easy, safe, or lasting. And indeed I may say, what consistence has the temple of God 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 iny 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 immediately 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 favoura bly present with it, than he was with the Jew17 ish. We may therefore consider the exhortation so naturally grounded on such a promise, come and may, as it were, hear God calling to us, 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 17 Wherefore, out from among them, and be guage, can equal the force of the original, voer 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, 29 members of the Christian church; which shews the propriety of the application, Jer. xxxi. 33, chap. xxxii. 37, 38. |