this judgment on you all, upon good grounds. q Not hawd 4s that he had them as it were ingraved upon his heart, 2 ny: "ut & 7. 3- For he could live and die with them, whom he a; tinually preſent unto God (as before.) +» But in thar [for = Wi they had gotten ſo much of his cordial affe&tion) they wers ( partners with him in the like precious faith, 2 7er. 1. 1, and h c brethren partakers of the heavenly calling, eb. 3. 1. as Chile; : of Light, 1 Thef. 5. 5. walking in faith and love, 2 The, = maintaining the Communion of Saints, in ſhewing the reality # the ſame Grace with him, in that as v. 29. It wx fivey _— 07 the behalf of Chrift, not only to believe on him, bur alſo to (y8'., 1. kisſik2. Which he reckon'd they did in compaſſionately anq fag jonably ſupporting and relieving of him , in his impriſunmer- whereby the Goſpel was detended, and what he had Preach ;;s-:, was confirmed, by his becoming a real patron of it, in holdiag 1; the profeſſion, and ratifying the confethon of his Faith , jr oe. rying that he was counted worthy to ſuffer. for the Name ,* Chrift, As 5. 41. 1 Pet. 4. 15, 16. wherein they did by aj hone means ſuccour him, and ſhew'd themſelves Companions with 1; Ph. 4. 14. Heb. 10. 33s is 8 For God is my record /, how greatly I long aftey, you all r, in the howels of Jeſus Chrilt z. F Confirming what he had before written, he appeals to God in
the Heavens, who ſearcheth the Heart, and trieth the Reins az in ſome other Epiſtles, Rom. 1. 9. 2 Core 1. 23. With 11, 31, Gy, | I. 29. 1 The. 2. 5,10. and as Fob 16. 19. by making a ſolemn | F roteſtation or Oath to put the matter out of doubt, Z#, 6, 15, ; and giving them aſſurance (as he lawfully might in this way fox God's Glory, and their good, Dent. 6. 13.) # Of the ſincerity and intenſneſs of his hearty affe&ions towards every one of then ch, 2. 26. and 4+ 1. with 2 Cor. 9. 14. # Not out of any carr}, ſelfiſh or worldly reſpe&s; but a really Chriſtian, ſpiritual and tender love, ſeated in the inward parts of this anAlified Apoſtle, Fer. 31.33. by the ſame Spirit that united him unto Chriſt, wig loves his Spouſe with no common love, but is the ſpring and pro- curer, and great exemplar of that afe@tionate Chriſtian tore, which like him they are to exert from the very root of their hearts, purely, unteignedly and ferveatly without diffimulation, Zn, 12, g. 1 Pet. 1. 22. imitating God and Chriſt, as Paul here ( Luk. 1.75,) in the higheſt degree of deareſt affetion, did love the 7hilip;izus, and elſewhere the Theſſalonians, 1 Theſſ. 2. 7, $, 11.
9 And this I pray w, that your love may abound x yet more and more in knowledge y, and in all+judg- 40,;
ment.
w Having praiſed God for their attainments, he returns (253. 4.) in token of his love to his great petition for them: x Viz. that their love both to God and Man ſhew'd in their bounty to him, might as a riſing ſtream from its ſpringing Fountain yet further flow out, and more abundantly communicate it ſelf in all Cliriſtian Offices, and not abate (as it ſeems it afterwards did among the Epheſians. Reva 2. 4.) as our Saviour foretold it would do in {ome, Mat. 24+ 12. 2 Time. 1. 13. & 4+ 10, but continue encreafing to the end, 1 Thefſ. 3. 12. » Being founded on a ſound and faring underſtanding of the things of God, and our ſelves, Fob. 17. 3. Rom. 3+ 20. Eph. 1.17. with 4. 13. 2 Pet. 2. 18. and an acknoy- ledgment of the truth which is after godlineſs, 7it. 1. 1. 7 Inthe practical judgment or internal ſenſe, and particular experience, taſte, and feeling the teſtimony of the Spirit in the Heart concern- ing the Grace of God and Adoption, Kom. 5. 1, 5. & 8. 15, 17- & 14. 17. when there is not only a right notion in thi. Head, but a true ſenſe and ſayour of ſpiritual things in the Heart, Hb. 5. 14. which 1s when knowledge is not only an empty cloud in the Air, but becomes effettual by falling down in a kindly ſhowre upon the Heart warmed with the love of God, and the virtue of Chriſt's Re- ſurreCtion, as he after gives his own experience, <>. 3. 10. (like David's, Tſal. 24. 8.) |
10 That ye a may Þ approve things that are Þ ex--%
cellent 6, that ye may be ſincere c, and without of-7% fence 4 till the day of Chriſt e;
7.e. To the ends he ſubjoins, namely. 6b That upon a due ex- pence of circumſtances in a judicious Trial, upon rightly diſcerning the differences of things not obvious to every eye, {o as to chule and approve thoſe things that are really to be preferred, being the beft, Rom. 2. 18. 1 Thefſ. 5. 21. ſurpaſhng all deſirable things be- ſides, Eph. 3. 19. as being moſt acceptable unto God, Kom- 12+ 2: c And be upright, Prov. 11. 20, * Tis an emphatical word 1n the original here, being borrowed either from ſuch things as are (ric by being held up at the beams of the Sun to ſee what faults Or taws are in them, whether without fraud, or elſe from ſuch as are clarified by the heat of the Sun ; and notes here, that Paul ow have them to be incorrupt and impartial in heart and life, 1 1ait't and manners; free from prevailing, corruptions of pure mind, 2 Pet. 3.1. purg'd from the old leaven, 1 Cor. 5+ 6, 7» 5+ 00: ſuffering the knowledge of Chriſt to be mix'd with traditions and humane inventions, but endow'd with evangelical {;mplifeity in _ ſight of God, 2 Cor. 1. 12. 1 Tim. 1. 5. & 5« 23, 4 Not ers from the main ſcope and defign of Chriſtianity, or ftumbling 'v as either Attively or Paſſvely to trouble and offend either them- ſelves or others in the heavenly courſe, but walking [0 prudeatsy as to give no juft occaſion of ſcandal, or laying a ſiare tor One O! other, Mar. 18. 7. A. 24. 16. 1 Cor. 10. 32. abiding blameies to the coming of Chriſt, 1 Theſſ. 5. 23. & See 0n v1). ue peated here to engage them unto ſerious thoughtfulneſs of £12:
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