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and I truft you fhall acknowledge even to the end. 14. As alfo you have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as "ye alfo are outs in the day of the Lord Jefus. 15. And in this confidence I was minded to come un-to you before, that you might have a fecond benefit [Or, grace]: 16. And to pafs by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judea. 17. When I therefore was thus minded, did I ufe lightnefs? or the things that I purpose, do I purpofe according to the flesh, that with me' there fhould be yea, yea, and nay, nay? 18. But as God is true, our word [Or, preaching] toward you, was not yea and nay. 19. For the Son of God, Jefus Chrift, who was preached among you by us, even by me, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. 20. For all; the promises of God in him are yea, and in him amen, unto the glory of God by us. 21. Now he which ftablisheth us with you in Chrift, and hatha anointed us, is God: 22. Who hath alfo fealed us,and given the (1) earneft of the Spirit in K 3

5

10

Phil. 2. 16, Holding forth the Word of Life; that I may reice in the Day of Chrift, that I to have not run in vain, neither laBoured in vain. +. Phil. 4. 1. My Brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my Foy, and Crown.

Thef. 2. 19, 20. What is our 15 hope, or joy, or Crown of Rejoicing? are not even ye in the Prefence of our Lord Jefus Christ, at his comng? For ye are our Glory and Joy. 3 Joh. ver. 4. I have no reater Foy than to hear that my Children walk in the Truth.

S

our

fee you, that I may impart unto you fome Spiritual Gift, to the end you may be established. Rom, 15. 29. I am fure that when I come unto you, I fhall come in the Fulness of the Bleffing of the Gospel of Chrift.

I

16. 1 Cor. 16. 5. See on I Cor. 4. 19.

21.1 Joh. 2. 20, 27. But ye have an Unction from the holy One, and ye know all things. The anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you: and ye need not that any Man teach you: But, as the fame anointing teacheth you of all things.

22.2 Tim. 2, 19. The Foun dation of God ftandeth fure, having this Seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. † Eph. 1. 13, 14, † Eph. 4. 30. t2 Cor. 5. 5. See on Rom. 8. 16.

15. Rom. 1. 11. I long to (1) The Word Earnest, fignifies fomething given in Part, in afsurance of baving the whole at the Time appointed. Now the holy Spirit is given by way of Pledge or Earnest to faithful Chriftians, by which they are affured, hat in due time, they fhall receive from God that Happiness in his

Kingdom

our hearts. 23. Moreover, I call God for a record upon my foul, that to fpare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. 24. Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye ftand.

23. See on Rom: 1, 9.

5

e

CHAP.

fhould use sharpness, according to the Power which the Lord hath giv en me to Edification, and not to deftruction.

t ! Cor. 4. 21. Shall I come unto you with a Rod, or in Love, and in the Spirit of Meeknefs? t2 Cor. 2. 3. I wrote this fame 24. Mat. 20. 25, 26. -Ye unto you, left when I came, I should know that the Princes of the Genhave forrow from them of whom tiles exercife Dominion over them, I ought to rejoice. 2 Cor. 10. and they that are great exercise 2, I befeech you, that I may not Authority upon them. But it be bald when I am prefent, with 1ofhaff not be fo among you: but that confidence wherewith I think whofoever will be great among to be bold against fome that think you, let him be your Minifter. of us, as if we walked according to Cor. 3. 5. Who then is Paul, t the Flesh. † 2 Cor. 12. 20. I fear left when I come, I shall not find 15 you fuch as I would, and that I fball be found unto you, fuch as ye would not † 2 Cor. 13.2, 10. I told you before, and foretel you as if I were prefent the fecond time, and 20 being ablent, now I write to them which heretofore have finned, and to all other, that if I come again, I will not Spare. I write thefe things being abfent, left being prefent 125

and who is Apollos, but Minifters by whom yẹ believed 7– 2 Cor. 4. 5. We preach not our felves, but Chrift Jefus the Lord; and our felves your Servants for Jefus fake. t Pet. 5. 3. Neither as being Lords over God's heritage, but be ing Enfamples to the Flock.

† Rom. 11. 20. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou ftandeft by Faith.

Kingdom and Prefence, and all thofe other good Things which he hath promifed. If it be asked, how fhall we be affured that we have received this Earnest, and that we are fealed by the holy Spirit? I anfwer, The only certain way to know this, is the bringing forth the Fruits of the Spirit in our Lives and Converfations. If this be wanting, all other Rules to judge hereof will be of no ufe. What these Fruits are, fee Gal. 5. 22, 23, and the References fet under, and the Places referr'd to. If we love God before and above all other things: if we are free from Envy, and Malice, and are ready to forgive and be reconciled to our Enemies; if we fincerely love our Neighbour, and are ready to do him all the Good we can; if we value the Favour of God more than all the Riches, Honours, and Pleasures of this World; if we feriously endeavour to become like unto God, and to refemble him in all his imitable Perfections, hungring and thirst. ing after Righteoufnefs; if we are refigned to, truft in, and depend on God, having recourfe to him in all our Difficulties, Straits, and Wants; by thefe and fuch like Fruits of the Spirit, we may conclude that we are fealed with the holy Spirit. See Bilhop Bull's English Works, p. 879. con cerning the Teflimony of the Spirit of Ged in the Faithful,

CHA P. II.

d

BUT I determined this with my felf, that I would not come again to you in heavinefs. 2. For if I make you forry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the fame which is made forry by me? 3. And I wrote this fame unto you, left when I came, I fhould have forrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice, having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. 4. For out of much affli&tion and anguifh of heart, I wrote unto you with many tears; not that you should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. 5. But if any have caufed grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part that I may not overcharge you all. 6. Sufficient to fuch a man is this punishment [Or, cenfure], which was inflicted of many. 7. So that contrariwife ye ought rather to f forgive him, and comfort him, left perhaps fuch a one fhould be swallowed up with overmuch forrow. 8. Wherefore I beseech you, that ye would confirm your love towards him. 9. For to this end alfo did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 10. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive alfo: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your fakes forgave I it, in the perfon [Or, in the fight] of Christ,

e

*

*

5

t2 Cor. 8. 22. -But now much more diligent, upon the 10 great Confidence I have in you. † Gal. 5. 10. I have confidence in you thro' the Lord.

5.1 Cor. 5. 1. It is reported commonly that there is Fornicati- 15

on among you.

4. 12. Ye have not

d: Gal. injured me at all.

6e..

I Cor. 3. 4. 5. In the

K

my Spirit, with the Power of our Lord Jefus Chrift, To deliver fuch an one unto Satan for the deftru&tion of the Flesh.Tim. 5.

20. Them that fin rebuke before all, that others may fear.

7. f Gal. 6. 1. Brethren, if a Man be overtaken in a Fault, ye which are fpiritual, restore fuch an one in the Spirit of Meekness; confidering thy felf, left thou also be tempted.

9. .. 2 Cor. 7. 15. His inward Affection is more abundant toward

you, whilft he remembreth the Obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him.

2 Cor. 10. 6. Having in a readinefs to revenge all Difobedience,

Name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, go when your Obedience is fulfilled,

when ye are gathered together, and

1

14.

11. Left Satan fhould get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 12. Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Chrift's gofpel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, 13. I had no reft in my fpirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia. Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Chrift, and maketh manifeft the " favour of his knowledge by us in every place. 15. For we are unto God a fweet favour of Chrift, in them that are faved, and in them that perish. 16. P To the one we are the favour of death unto death; and to the other the favour of life unto life and who is a fufficient for these things? 17. For we are not as many, which corrupt [Or, deal deceitfully with] the word of God: but as of fincerity, but as of God, in the fight of God fpeak we in [Or, of] Chrift.

ונג

14.27.

CHAP.

14. m See on Rom 8 37."Cant. 1. 3. Because of the Savour of thy good Ointments, thy Name is as Ointment poured 5 forth.

13.2 Cor. 7. 6, 13, 14. God that comforteth thofe that are caft down, comforted us by the coming 10 of Titus. Exceedingly the more joyed we for the Joy of Titus, becaufe his Spirit was refreshed by you all. Our boafting which I made before Titus is found a 15 Truth. 2 Cor. 8. 6, 16. Infomuch that we defired Titus, that as he had begun, fo he would alfo finilh in you the fame Grace alfo. Thanks be to God, which put the 20 fame earnest Care into the Heart of Titus for you. Gal. 2. 3. Neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcifed.

25

15. ° 1 Cor. 1. 18. The Preaching of the Crofs is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are faved, it is the Power of God. 2 Cor, 4. 3. If our Gofpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loft. 2 Thef. 2. 10. With all deceivablenefs of Unrighteousness, in them that perish; because they received not the Love of the Truth, that they might be faved. 16. Pt Joh. 9. 39. Jefus faid, For Judgment I am come into this World that they which fee not might fee; and that they which fee might be made blind. 1 Pet. 2. 7, 8. See on Luk. 2. 34. 92 Cor. 3.5, 6.

17.

† See on 2 Cor. 4. 2,

D

b

O we begin again to commend our felves? or need we, as fome others, epiftles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you. 2. Ye are our epiftle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3. For as much as ye are manifeftly declared to be the epiftle of Chrift, miniftred by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of ftone, but in f fleshly tables of the heart. 4. And fuch truft have we through Chrift to God-ward: 5. Not that we are h fufficient of our felves to think any thing as of our felves: but our fufficiency is of God. 6. Who alfo hath made us able * ministers

e

I. t2 Cor. 5. 12. We commend not our felves again unto you, but give you occafion to glory on our behalf† 2 Cor. 10. 8, 12. Though I should boaft fomewhat more of our Authority, I fhould not be afhamed.' We dare not make our felves of the Number, or compare our felves with fome that commend themselves.

b.

of

the Words which were in the first Tables which thou brakeft.

f

Pfal. 40. 8. I delight to do thy Will, O my God: yea, thy 5 Law is within my Heart. Jer 31.

Acts 18. 27. When he [4pollos] was difpofed to pafs into Achaia, the Brethren wrote, exhorting the Disciples to receive him.2. 1 Cor. 4. 15. с In Chrift 15 Jefus I have begotten you through the Gofpel. Cor. 9 1, 2. Are not you my Work in the Lord. If I be not an Apoftle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the 20 Seal of my Apoftleship are ye in the

Lord.

d

33. This fhall be my Covenant that I will make with the House of Ifrael, After thofe Days, faith the Lord, I will put my Law in 10 their inward Parts, and write it in their Hearts, and will be their God, and they fhall be my People. † Ezek. 11. 19. I will give them oneHeart,and I will put a new Spirit within you; and I will take away the ftony Heart out of their Flesh, and will give them an Heart of Elef † Ezek. 36 26. A new Heart alfo will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the tony Heart out of your Flefh, and I will give you an Heart of Flesh. + Heb. 8. 1o. This is the Covenant that I will make with the Houfe of Ifrael after thofe Days, faith the Lord, I will put my Laws into their Mind, and write them in their Hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they fhall be to me a People. 4. 2 Cor. 2. 14. h† 2 Cor. 2. 16. † Phil. 2. 13.

3.2 Cor. 8. 20. Avoiding this, that no Man fhould blame us in this Abundance which is admi-25 niftred by us.

e

† Exod. 24. 12. The Lord faid unto Mofes, Come up to me into the Mount, and be there, and I will give thee Tables of Stone, and 3° a Law and Commandments, which I' have written; that thou mayft teach them. Exod. 34. 1. The Lord faid unto Mofes, Hew thee wo Tables of Stone like unto the firft.35 and I will write upon these Tables

15. 10.

See on 1 Cor.

6. * 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the

Grace