_THE APOSTLE DECLARES THAT HE HATH APPROVED HIMSELF A FAITHFUL MINISTER OF CHRIST, BOTH BY HIS EXHORTATIONS, AND BY INTEGRITY OF LIFE, AND BY PATIENTLY ENDURING ALL KINDS OF AFFLICTION AND DISGRACES FOR THE GOSPEL; OF WHICH HE SPEAKETH THE MORE BOLDLY AMONG THEM, BECAUSE HIS HEART IS OPEN TO THEM; A... [ Continue Reading ]
WE THEN, AS WORKERS TOGETHER WITH HIM— _As the joint-labourers of God._ Doddridge. _As instruments employed by God._ Heylin. See 1 Corinthians 3:9. _Receiving the grace of God in vain,_ is the same with _believing in vain,_ 1 Corinthians 15:2. That is, receiving the doctrine of the gospel for truth,... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE SAITH— See on Isaiah 49:8. The Apostle's reasoning is, God, addressing himself in the passage produced from Isaiah to the Messiah, speaks of a limited time, in which the Messiah's petition, speaking _more humano,_ after the manner of men, was welcome to him, and in which he was ready to grant... [ Continue Reading ]
IN AFFLICTION, &C.— Dr. Whitby thinks that the first word Θλιψις, signifies _affliction_ in general; the second, 'Αναγκη, more grievous and unavoidable troubles; and the third, στενοχωρια, such pressures as reduce us to the greatest straits. See on ch. 2 Corinthians 4:8. The compound sense, therefor... [ Continue Reading ]
BY PURENESS, BY KNOWLEDGE, &C.— _By purity,_ or _chastity._ Heylin. "By _knowledge_ of those divine truths which it is our great business to teach others; and by the due exercise of that knowledge, through the power of grace, in a constant command over our passions." Dr. Scott by _knowledge_ underst... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE ARMOUR OF RIGHTEOUSNESS— "While our enemies assault 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 armour to be impenetrable." _On the right hand, and on the left,_ means on every s... [ Continue Reading ]
O YE CORINTHIANS,— Another argument made use of by St. Paul, to justify and excuse his plainness of speech to the Corinthians, is the great affection that he has for them; into an expression whereof he here breaks out in a very pathetic manner. This, with an exhortation to separate themselves from i... [ Continue Reading ]
YE ARE NOT STRAITENED, &C.— "There is no want of kindness in our souls toward you; but, alas! there is reason to fear, concerning some of you at least, that yourown hearts are too much shut up, through the workings of unbelief, carnality, and coolness of affection, against us, and against the consol... [ Continue Reading ]
BE YE NOT UNEQUALLY YOKED, &C.— "Be not associates in marriage, in worship, or in any thing with infidels; for what union can there be," &c. See on 2 Corinthians 6:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
HATH HE THAT BELIEVETH, &C.— Or, _hath a believer,_ &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE 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?" No words in our language can equal the force of the Greek, which we render, _I will dwell in th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BE YE SEPARATE, SAITH THE LORD,— As God's promises of dwelling in a peculiar manner among the _Jews_ obliged them to separate themselves from the converse of their heathen neighbours, that they might not be ensnared with their superstitions; much more are _Christians_ obliged, by that peculiar g... [ Continue Reading ]