» the reaſon of which he ſheweth Chap. 1, was not Levi-
bles he met with in Aſia, and hts deſire to hear they had firſt reformed the abuſes he had taxed them 2 As an imperious man, becauſe of the inceftous perſon againſt whom he had wrote z which Charge he
avoids, by ſhewing the neceſſity of bu writing in that manner, and giving new Orders for the reſtoring him, upon the
repent ance be had ſhewed. a he expreſſeth it.
3. As a proud ard vain-glorious man. The further Occaſions of his wruing were, To commend them for their kind reception of, and
4. As acontempt.ble perſon baſe in his perſon,
con vliance with the Precepts and Admonitions of his former Fpiſtle, and their kind x:ception of Titus: As alſo to exl,urt. them fo a liberal Contribution eo the neceſſities of the Saints in Judea, 10 which they had ſhewed ther torwardneſs a year before and his hearing that there was yet a Party amongſt them bad enough, that
went 9N In vilitying him aud his Authority, as well
as 11 Other ſinful courſes, againit whom he wvindicaterth
bimſelf, 1 -gnifying hu Office, aſſuring them he was about to come to Corinth; mher they (hould find him preſent
frch, as being abſent he had by bis Letters declared himſelf,
if they were not reformed. The ſubſtance therefere of this
Epiſtle 15 partly Apologetical or Excuſatory, where he excuſeth hynſelf for his not coming to Corinth ſo ſon s he thucht, and for his ſo ſevere writing as to the inceſtows perſmm : Partly Hortatory, where he perſwadeth them mure generally to walk worthy of the Goſpel, more ſpecially, Chap. 8.9, to a liberal Contribution to the Saints. | Partly Minatory or Threatniug, where he threatneth Severity againſt thoſe whom, when he came amoneft them, he ſhould fnd contumacious and impenuent Offenders, He concludes the Epiſtle ( as uſually) with a Szlutation of them, pious
Exhortations to them, and a Prayer for them.
” 4 *
CHAP, The uſual Superſcription, 1, — 3. The Apoſtle encourages them againſt tro:bles, by the © omfo' ts and deliverances God had given him, asin all
his Affiitions, ſo par ticularly in his | .te danger in Aſia, through ther |
P: ayers, 4 11. His boaſting towwds them, 12, - 14. Aid ſin- cer? intentions to come to th:m: Our obligations to Truth in our Words, I;.—-—20. Ard if he delayed his coning it was that he might ſpare WF 12, — 24
Aul an apoſtle of Jeſus Chriſt by the will of God a, and Timothy oexr brother, unto the church of God, which is at Corinth, with all the Saints which are tn all Achata b.
a The Will of God here doth nor fignifie the bare permiſſion, but the Calling and P:ecepr of God he was called ro be an A- poſtle, Rom. r 1. 1 Epilt. 1. 1, ) making him a Miniſter and a Witneſs, As 26 16. b His joyning of Timothy with him... ſhew- eh both the great humiitty ot the Apoſtle, and his defire ro give him a repur.tion in the Churches, though he was a very young Man. The Epiltle 1+ not direed only ro the Church of God, which was at Corinth the Mitropol's of Pelopo: neſus ) but allo to all thoſe Chriſtians which lived in Achaia : by which name probably he doch nor underſtand all Grecis, (though char anclently had that name from one Achens thar was King there, from whom the Grecians had the name of Acivi) bur char Re-
gon of P:{oporneſus, which lay in a neck of Land berween the |
Fein and Tonizn Sea, which obtaincd that name in a more Ipectal and reſtrained ſenſe. 2 * Grace be to ycu and peace from God our Fa-
ther, and from the Lord Jeſas Chritt, c. © This was the Apoſtles common Salucation, Rom. 1. 79. See te Notes on the former Epiſtle, Chap. 1. 3- where it is obſerva- 1, Thar nor the Father only, bur the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, is in- "Gxed, and made the Author of Grace (which is the free Love N Cod) and of Peace, which fignifiech either reconciliation with VI upon the free pardon of cur fin, or union with men, and uCherly love amongſt themſelves. The Heachens uſed to begin wKIr Epiſtles with wiſhing one another health and proſperity: "ur the Apoſtle hath ſhewn us a more Chriſtian way, and more td to the Faith of Chriſtians, who believe the love and Favour Ul God, the preatcſt and moſt deſirable bleſlings. L 3 * Biuicd be God, even the Father of our Lord L Jeſus Ctriſt, the Father of mercies, and the God of * a] comforts d, 1 It,is ari uſual Form of Thankſgiving, Rom. t. 24. &9. 5. 8 Mm uſe with a;, fig:itying our fincere and hearty defire thac = we our telves might be inavled, and others by our Exam: PI'S, mighr he quickened ro ſpeik wel of God, and to priſe 5 Blame, This God ts called the Fat'? of 047 Lord Felus Chrilt; Yol, Il, | |
| ,
It
+» a
77 Ti.'-P 44k>
that 15, by Eterzal Genezyation; He is alſo called the Fat'er of ' Mercies, becauſe he is the Fountain of all thir good wiiich tlow- eth to poor Creatures, And upon the ſame accounc he 1s alio called the God of all Comforts,
4 Who comtorteth us in all our tribulation e, that we may be able to comiort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we our ſelves are
comforted of God f.
e Us, who are the Miniſters of the Goſpel, (as ir may ap- pear by what falloweth) tor the Apoſtle fairh, That God dorh Ir, that Miniſters mighr, from che Comforts vherew'th God hid comforted them, te able ro comfort his people when they are under any trouble, either of body or mind, by the fime Me- thods and Arguments, which che holy Spirtrc had wed and brought to their minds under trouble to relieve any «ft them, Two things are obſervable from this verſe: 1. Thar the Apo= ſtle artribureth all the ſupport, relief, aud com'orr, which he had under ary tribulation, to God, as the Fourtain and Author of all Mercy 3 for though poſſibly our comfor:s may be cauſed from the application of iome promiſes in ko!y Wrir, cirher c1l- led ro our minds by the a& of our own minds, or brought to our remembrance by ſome dthers, yer it 15 God who mutt make thoſe Plaiſters to ſtick, and to become healing and fſanacive to our Souls : So that he is che principal cthcienc Cauſe, though rhe Scriptures, or men, may be inftrumental Cauſes, 2. Thar the Gitcs, Graces, and Mercies that God beftowerh upon his Mt- ; Niſters, are beſtowed upon them, nor meerly for their own ule, ' bur for che uſe and goo. of othes; to Inavle rhiem to be (er- viceable in doing good co others Souls,
2, ſo our conſolation alſo abonndeth by Chritt b,