0 The beſt of God's People have in them a root of Pride, or a diſpofition to be exalred above meaſure, upon their receit of ravours from God not common to others (of which nature extraordinary Revelations are none of tie meanelt, eſpecially, when they are multiplyed, as it ſeems they were here to Paul.) .*. lo prevent the breaking out of which, the Apoſtle here tells us, thar he had thorn in the fleſh given him. It is varioutly guetſed what this was: He called it @ thorn in the fleſh; but whether (ſuppoting fl-ſÞ to be here ftrialy taken) he meaneth ſome Dileaſe-affecting his Pody with pain and ſmart; and if ſo, what that ſpecial Dileaſe was, 15 no where revealed, and very uncertainly conjectured ; Or whether (taking ff in a large ſenſe for his ſtate in the fleſh) he meaneth {ome motions ro fm made to him from the Devil; the importunity of which, made them very grievous and atHlictive. to him, being, in the fleſh: Or (as others think) morons 19 fin from his own Tufts; which God ſuffered to ſticr'in him, with-holding fuch influence of his Grace, by which he ordinarily kept them under, and in ſubje&ion ; is very uncertain. The laft mentioned ſem to be leaft probable. For altho' p the Devil hath an influence upon our Lufts, to ex- Lite and educe them into Ads, yet it ſeems not according to the Languagz of holy Writ, to call theſe Meſſengers of Satan z neither is it probable, that St. Paul would have reckoned theſe amongſt the gifts of God unto him : Nor was this an 7nfirmity which he would have
gloried in, or which would have commended him ; nor doth the term buffet ſo well agree to this ſenſe. It ſeems theretore more pro- perly to be interpreted, either of ſome great bodily Affiition, or {ome Diobolical importunate Temptation, with which God after theſe abundant Revelations, ſuffered this great Apoſtle to be infeſted that he might be kept hamble, and not 1ifred up upon this great favour which God hath ſhewed him ; which, confidering the danger of Pride, might well be reckon2d among the Gifts of God to this
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great Aggſtle. And fo he here gives another reaſon why he would not gloMin the abundance of his Revelations, becauſe God by this Providence hath let him know, that his Will was, that he
ſhould walk kumbly notwithſtanding them ; And it had been very improper for him, being immediately upon this favour humbled by ſuch a Providence, to have lifted up himſelf by reaſon 0: If,
$ For this thing I beſought the Lord thrice, that ir might depart from me 4.
q For the removal of this Afidtion (of what nature ſoever it was) for the taking, of this thorn our of my fleſh, T prayed oftznv. It is lawful for us to pray for the removal of bodily Evils;z tho' ſuch Praver muſt be always attended with a due ſubmiſſion to the wildom and will of God; they being not Evils in themſelves, but ſuch Tryals'as God intended for our gocd (as it was here in Paul's Cate) and which iffue in our ſpiritual advantage.
9 And he faid unto me, My grace 1s ſufficient for thee r : for my ſtrength 1s made pertect in weak- nes 5s. . Moſt gladly therefore will I rather glory un my infirmities, That the power of Chriſt may reſt up- ON INec ft.
# Paul prayed, and God anſwered ; not 7» fpecie (doing the very thing for him which he asked) but iz wvalore, giving him what was every whit as valuable. His Anſwer was, My pre (my love and favour, not that which the Apoſtle had already rec2ived, but which God was reſolved further to ſhew him, ftrengthening and ſupporting him under his 'Tryals, as alſo comforting and refrething him ;) ſhall be enough for thee to uphold thee under the preſent Tryal which is ſo burthenſome to thee. » For my divine power, in vpholding and ſupporting my People, 1s never ſo glorious, as when they are under weakneſſes in themſeives. When they are {en{tble of the greateſt impotency in themſelves, then IT delight
noft to exert and put forth my power in them and for them, my power then is moſt evident and conſpicuous, and will be beſt
, acknowledged by my People. r Therefore (laith the Apoſtle) 1 a will chuſe x9 glory in my infirmities, that the Power of Chriſt may reſt : & «7%, Thoſe diſpenſations of Providence, in which the Souls of
f 2 . ”
wo Men have the greareft experiences of the power and firength of —_— Chriſt, are moſt to be gloricd in; but ſuch are frates of 7:-f-mities, __ his Text confirmeth Chriſt to be God bleſſed for ever; for by his = power it is that we arc ſupported under tryals, his /trezpth it is which 4? iS made ped in the weikiicſs of poor Creatures.
il 19 Therefore I take pleaſure. 11 inhrmites, 1 5) reproaches, 1a neceilities, 1n Periccurions, 1n dl-
WV. CORITMEES itreſios 31M I {trons x.
u Among other reaſons why ſuffer for Chriſt (Which is what he hore calleth i fi;
the melienger of
tor Chritts fake: for when I am weak, then
rather cinfc to lory in. what 1
further openeth by Reprozches, Neceſſities, Perſ.curions and Dittret]s
tor Chrits ſake) 15 15 042; that 1 never find my felt more 17s
in the Habits and Acts of the Grace that is in mo; than when 1 am
thus made weat. Whar the Apoſtle here faith of bimſ-if, tho Peo-
ple of Gnd have ever tince his time ordinarily experienced : then
IC iS, that tney are made fron, in the exercit2s of firh; and n.;-
tience, and love to God. A Child of God f:1dom walks fo much
in the view of God as his God, and in the view of his own nnccrity,
as when, as to his outward Condition and Circumſtances in the
World, he walks in the dark and (ceth no 1izh.,
compeiied me v. For I ougitto have been commended
oz yon y- for in * nothing am 3 behind the very chiet- *Ch.11.%
elt Apoſtles, though * I be nothing =. : * 1 Cor. w 1 may among ſome of you.(who interpret all things, I ſay into +* 97
the worlt ſenſe) gain nothing bur the reputation of a weak Man, & 15 5,9n
wanting Underſtanding, for ipeaking ſo much in my own Common. EPP+ 3» 3*
dation; (contrary to the Rules of Modeſty in ordinary Caſ-s.)
x But 1t 1s not matter of choice, but of necefity ro me ; the ill will
which ſome among you have ro my honour and reputation, and
continual detaming me as a vile and contemptible Perſon, hath
conſtrained me, for the honour of Chriſt (whoſe Apoſtle 1 am)
and the vindication of my own Reputation, to boaſt in this manner :;
At leaſt to relate what God hath done for, and in, and by me.
5 Cl
Ii»
.Y It was your Duty to have vindicated me from the Aſpertions caft