and were placed in very poor and dependant circumstances, (TX), but they enriched (hovor) thousands with the knowledge of that Gospel which is more precious than gold. They had nothing but what bare necessity required (s pender exortes); yet, in the enjoyment of the divine favour, in the forgiveness of sins, in the gift of a Saviour, and in the great and precious promises of the word of God, they had all things necessary for life and godliness: "the world, and life, and death, and things present, and things to come-all were theirs," (chap. i. 3—5. 1 Epis. iii. 21-23.) The liveliness, beauty, and sublimity of this passage have been much admired.

REFLECTIONS.

1. The grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared to us. We are exalted to heaven in point of privilege. Let us beware lest, by our abuse of the divine goodness, we be thrust down to hell. What will it avail us to say, Lord, Lord, have we not eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets? If we have not turned from our evil ways, we must have our place with the workers of iniquity. The day of salvation is fast drawing to a close; the Spirit of God will not always strive with men. Let us attend to the things that belong to our peace, ere they be hid from our eyes. "Behold, now is the acceptable time, behold now is the day of salvation !" Beyond the grave, our state is fixed for ever; and when once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, then in vain shall we stand without, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us: he shall answer and say unto us, "I know you not whence ye are,” (Luke xiii. 25.)

2. What a fine example is here set before the preachers of the Gospel! How careful should they be to give no offence in any thing which might bring reproach on the ministry. It is the cause of religion that suffers by the misconduct of its ministers; for men will not give themselves the trouble to distinguish between the true nature of the sacred office, and the abuse of it by ambitious and worldly men. Blessed be God, we are not called to prove our sincerity by stripes or imprisonments, by tumults or by labours. But it is the more necessary that we establish our character by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kind

ness, by love unfeigned. We must hold fast the word of truth; we must rely on the power of God; we must gird on the armour of righteousness; we must conscientiously discharge our duty through honour and dishonour, through evil report and good report, whatever estimate may be made of our character or motives.

3. The christian's life is full of paradoxes. He is treated as a deceiver, when he seeks to bring others to the knowledge of the truth; he is often unknown to the world, and makes no figure in the annals of ambition or fame; he keeps aloof from the din of politics, from the scenes of gaiety and fashion, from the keen pursuit of gain; and he seeks communion with God in the retirement of the closet, and in the ordinances of His house; but he is well known to his heavenly Father, and shall be acknowledged by his approving Judge before an assembled world; he is dead to sin and to the world, but he lives to God; he is not exempt from the calamities of life, but he is "chastened by the Lord, that he may not be condemned with the wicked." He mourns under a sense of sin, and under the hidings of his Father's face; but he rejoices in the grace of the Lord Jesus, whose love and pity are ever the same. He is often poor in this world, but he is rich in faith, and enriches others by his holy and edifying conversation; he has nothing of his own in which to glory, but he has learned in every state therewith to be content; and he possesses every thing in Christ, who is made unto him, of God, wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption.

SECTION SECOND.-VERSES 11-18.

THE DUTY OF SEPARATING FROM UNBELIEVERS.,

THE Apostle had alluded to the various trials and discouragements which he met with in the discharge of his ministry, and had proved his character, as an ambassador of Christ, by a reference to the holy principles by which he was actuated. In doing so, he had given free utterance to the feelings of his affectionate mind, and had unbosomed all his joys and sorrows to his

beloved friends at Corinth. 11. "O Corinthians, our mouth is opened (wys, perf.) unto you; our heart is enlarged, (##λæturral, has been enlarged)." Out of the abundance of his heart his mouth had spoken; and they might easily be convinced, not only from what he had said, but from the whole tenor of his conduct, of his unfeigned regard towards them: they had no reason to doubt of his readiness to afford them every proof of christian love which they could desire; he was willing to impart, not only the Gospel, but also his own life, because they were dear to him. Therefore, if they complained of any apparent severity in his manners, of any want of affection on his part;-if they did not experience the same enlargement of soul in meditating on the truths which he had taught them, the fault was in themselves, and not in him. 12. "Ye are not straitened (rxwęurdi) in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels." Pride, prejudice, the love of the world, and a spirit of strife had shut up their hearts, had marred their comfort, and prevented their enjoying the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ. These unhappy dispositions likewise hindered, in their minds, the natural flow of affectionate sympathy towards him and his fellow-labourers. He asked no remuneration for his services. The only reward which he desired was, a return of the same love, on their part, which he was conscious he entertained towards them; and in saying this he addressed them with all the tenderness of a parent consulting the best interests of his family. Let them, therefore, lay aside their ungenerous suspicions, and not suffer the insinuations of designing men to warp their judgment. 13. "Now for a recompense of the same kind (Thy do auter arripidir,), I speak as unto children, be ye also enlarged."

One great cause of their present disorders was, their improper conformity to the world; and therefore he would affectionately warn them to flee from every scene of temptation and danger: he would particularly caution them against forming unsuitable connections with persons. destitute of true piety. 14—16. “Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers (ετεροζυγουντες απισίοις); for what fellowship hath righteousness with wickedness (avoia), and what communion (movie) hath light with darkness? and what concord (oopparnovs, symphony) hath Christ with Belial (or Satan)? or what part (gs, lot or portion) hath he that believeth with an unbeliever (avlov)? and what agreement hath the temple of God

with (that of) idols (μeta udaλay)? for ye are the temple of the living God," &c. In the former part of this passage, there is an allusion to that precept of the Mosaic law which forbids animals of different kinds to be yoked together in the same plough, and which is here shewn to have a moral meaning, Deut. xxii. 10. “Thou shalt not plough with an ox and an ass together." Various are the views which have been given of the words in the text; and it becomes us seriously to enquire into the design of the Apostle, and to consider how far the exhortation is applicable to us, in the present day. In the first place, it is readily admitted, that the word azidos, unbeliever, signifies an idolatrous Gentile, and is so used, 1 Epistle, chap. x. 27., and in other places; and in this sense the passage may be considered as containing a recapitulation of those directions respecting the eating of idol sacrifices, and feasting in a heathen temple, which the Apostle had given at greater length in his first letter (chaps. viii. and x.) It was their duty to have no fellowship with these unfruitful works of darkness. Yet it does not seem probable that he should again revert to a subject which he had before so fully discussed. By others, therefore, the passage has been viewed, 2dly, As a prohibition against forming marriages with unbelievers; and according to this sentiment, the word as is used in a more extensive sense, as applying to all who are destitute of true faith. This is certainly a most important subject, and one which is undeniably referred to, 1 Epis. vii. 39. It is also a precept which is very frequently disregarded, or overlooked, by young persons professing christianity. Nay, some who argue strongly for purity of communion in the church, seem to make an exception here, on the ground that the marriage relation is entirely a civil compact! It is not difficult to assign the causes of this neglect. Sordid views of self interest, lead some into such marriages, for the sake of wealth. The force of passion influences others, who do not reflect that in this, and in all other things inconsistent with his Lord's will, a christian is bound to deny himself. The hope of being useful to the unbeliever, is the reason assigned by others, -an expectation which is seldom or never realized. Mere inattention to the scriptural rule, we may charitably hope, induces others to form such connections, who have never examined the subject; but such inattention is inexcusable, with relation to a

point which is so intimately connected with their temporal and spiritual welfare. How many evils arise from this practice! We naturally and insensibly imbibe the spirit, and copy the manners, of those with whom we associate, and are ever disposed to palliate the faults of those we love. Such connections involve the christian in many powerful temptations. He must necessarily mingle in the society of those whose views and pursuits are of a character entirely opposite to his own. His plans of benevolence are paralyzed-his opportunities of religious improvement are lessened. Family-worship can hardly be maintained. His religious sentiments are derided as enthusiastic. His endeavours to train up his children in the fear of God, are counteracted by the example and instructions of his unbelieving partner. The fear of being separated for ever from the object of his affection, must awaken the most painful anxiety in his mind. He deliberately places his regard on one who is in a state of alienation from God, and forms the closest intimacy with one of those from whom he is commanded to withdraw. Instead of a help meet for him in his christian warfare, an unbelieving woman will prove a snare to his soul. Many have apostatized from the faith, from this cause. Others, who have maintained their integrity, have pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Neither wealth, nor beauty, nor even mental accomplishments, should decide the christian's choice, but undoubted evidence of genuine piety. The word of God is full of warnings against such unequal marriages; and the severest judgments there recorded, have been inflicted on that account. These remarks refer, of course, only to marriages deliberately formed with unbelievers. Where the parties are already united, the converted partner may expect the aid of divine grace to overcome the dangers of his situation. It has been observed, however, that some expressions in this passage are hardly applicable to the marriage relation. The exhortation in the 17th ver. "Come out from among them, and be separate," if applied to this connection, is not reconcilable with the apostolic advice in 1 Cor. vii. 12, 13. where the believing husband or wife is required to continue, if possible, with the unbeliever. The subject of marriage is not mentioned in the context, and there is nothing in the Apostle's language that can restrict the prohibition to this point. This is well illustrated by the late Dr Dwight, in a sermon on this passage. (Theology, Ser. 149.)

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