o Chriſt knew no ſin, as he was guilty of no fin 3 which of you (faith he Foh. 8. 46.) convinceth me of fn? 1 Per. 2. 21, 22, 24. H? ad ns fin, nor was guile ſoind in nis mouth, Bur God made him to be ſn for us 3 He was numbred amongſt the tranſereſſours, Iſa. 53, 6. 12, Our ſins were reckoned ro him; ſo as though perſonally he was no ſin- ner, yet by impurarion he waz, and God dealr with him as ſuch : Or he was mide a Sacrifice tor our fins, a Sin-offering ; ſo anſwering the Type. in the Law, Lev. 4 3+ 25. 29. & 5. 6. $7.2. fp Tharſo his righteouſneſs might be impured ro vs, and we might be made righteous with ſuch a righteouſneſs as thoſe Souls muſt have whom God will accept, As Chriſt was not made fin by any fin inherent in him, ſo neither are we made righteous by any righteouſneſs inhe- rent in us, bur by the righteouſneſs of Chriſt impured to us, as he was a Sinner by the fins of his people reckoned and impured unto
him, CHAR VE
An Exhortation not to Receive in vain the Grace miniſtred by the 4m- baſſadors of Chriſt and himſelf as ſnch : This urged by his Integrity of Life, ſufferings, 1 —10. Hts great Inclination to them, requiring the Jame of them towards him, 11———13, He admoniſheth them not to ve yohed with unbelievers, nor hate Communion with Idols, being them- (tlves God's Temple 3 and God their Father, and they his Children, Ij ——- 18,
YV youallo *, that ye receive not the grace of ' Godin vain b. : Miniſters of che Goſpel are fellow-workers rogerher with Chriſt 3 though bur as Inſtruments, ſerving him as che Principal Agent, and efficient cauſe : He trod the Wine-preſs of his Fathers wrath 40ne, and had no Partner in the Purchaſe of mans ſalvation z bur che application of the purchaſed ſalvation, he admits of Fellow- Workers, Though the internal work be his alone, and the eftefs of his SPirit upon che Souls of thoſe whoſe hearts are changed ; yer mere is a Miniſtecial part, which lyeth in Exvortation and Argument, } the Ear conveyed to the Soul ; thus Minitters work together | Wh Chriſt, And withouc him they can do nothing : They are Workers, but they muſt have Chrift work with them, or chey will nd thzr they labour in vain, 6 Grace fgnifieth any free Gift 3 and "tis in che New Teſtament variouſly applicd ; bur here ir fhg- Niftet, the Doftrin of the Goſpel held forth in the Preaching of ic
"hich theſe Corinthizzns had received with the Ears of their Bodies, ys {me thiok) the habic or exerciſe of any particu ar virtue,
Vot..- It
occaſion of ſpirirual ſtumbling unto others, 7. e. ro makechem to ſin againſt God, or eftrange rheir hearts from Chriſt and the own- ing and profeſſion of his Goſpel, Theſe words may be underſtood as a general Precepr givca to all Chriſtians ; So ir agreeth with, I Cor. 10. 3o, 32. or (which the following Verſes ſeem moſt to fa- vour) as referring to himſelf and Timothy, and other Miniſters of the Goſpel ; like rrue Paſtors of the Church of Chriſt, going our before the Flock, and ſhewing in their example what chey oughr to be. f The Miniſtry here may either ſignifie the Office of the Mi- niſiry, or the Subject of ir, the Goſpel, which Ch. g. 18. is called the Miniſtry of Reconciliation ; not only che Office of che Miniſtry, bur the Goſpel ir ſelf, ſuffereth by the ſcandalous converſation of Mini- ſters and private Chriſtians 3 ignorant Perſons being noc able, or not willing co diſtinguiſh berwixt che faulrs of perſons, and the faulrs of a Docrin or Office,
4 But in all things Þ approving our ſelves * as the + ;,, com.
Miniſters of God g, in much patience h, in afflictions 2. mending,
in neceſſities k, in diſtreſles /. |
Chap. 4. 2.
Zz Minifters of the Goſpel are in the firſt p!ace to be conſidered * 1Cor, as the Minfters of God z ſecondarily as Minifters and Servants of 4+ 1+
the Church; which rhey ought to ſerve fo far, as in ſerving it they do obey Chriſt, None can approve, or. commend chemſelves for Miniſters of God that live a ſcandalous life : them to lay ſtumbling blocks in, bur to remove them our of the way of men. h Patzince ſignifies an enduring of Evils, quierly and cheerfully at the command of God ; or when wwe (ee it 1s the will of God, we ſhould pariently ſubmir to pur our necks into che hea- vieſt Yokes, The Apoſtles goes on reckoning up ſeveral Species of thoſe Evils: 3 Afflidion is a general term fignitying any Evils that wear our our Bodies. & Neceſſities ſignifie any body wants of tood, or raiment, or whatever 1s for the uſe of mans lite. Diſheſſes ſignifie properly a man's being ſtrairned or thruſt up in a place, (o as that-he knoweth nor how to ſteer himſelf; and, Meraphorically, a _ of counſel, not knowing what to do, or which way to turn himſelf,
God hath not ſent -
5 la ſtripes mm, in impriſonments», in ;| camults 0, 9, i,
in labours p, in watchings q, in faſtings r.
and ter. 24. that of the Fews he five times recerved forty ſtripes ſave oxe: Weread of his many ſtripes, 25. nOt che impriſonment of him, and Silas As 16.(which was not the only time before the wriring of this Eviſtle, as appeareth by this Verſe. ). 0 T:ults, or Seditions raiſed by the Jews and the Heathens 3 we have a Record of one at Epheſus, Afts 19. cauſed by Demetri::s: Orhers,by Tumulcs here,under- ſtand unfixed and uncertain habirations, coffings ro and fro, (o, as they could be quier inno place ; bur the former ſcemerh rather the ſenſe of the Word, as Lyb? 21. 9. 1 Cor. 14. 33.. p Labogrs, he ei- ther means labours with his hands, (which Paul was ſomerimes pur tO, as As 18. 1,2, 3 & 20. 34-) cr rravels, and journies. The word is a general word, ſignificative of any pains thac men take, q Religious watching, Chap. 11. 27., 7 In faſtings, as aQts of Dilcipline, by which he kept under his body, and brought it under ſubjetiion; (as he old us, 1 Cor, g. 27.)
6 By pureneſs, 5 by knowledg t, by long ſuffering 4, by kindneſs w, by the holy Ghoſt x, by love unterg- ned y. E
s As the Apoſtle in the former words had declared rhe patience of his converſation in the enduring of the affiitions of the Goſpel, ſo in this Verſe he declares the more internal Holineſs of ict, undet the general Notion of purenzſs ſhewed in his knowledge, faith, gentle- neſs, kindneſs or goodne!s towards all men. The word tranſlaced parene(s ſignifterh racher the univerſal reficude of his heart and ways, than
CFrfff 2 } t 1,
roflir gs m1 The Apoſtle Chap. 11.23. tells us he was in ſtripes abov2 meaſure, to and fro,