The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 185

desperation, and arming the soul in rleadlier hostility to goodness. The proof of all this wns at hand, Carefulne8s; activity and diligence in ferretin"' out evils anr\ extirpating them. Olearin_q of themselves; anxiety to get rid of th; stain on their Church character, and stand fair with the apostle. Indignation; not only aaainst0 the incestuous me.n, but the.t feeling of self-vexation which arises when we see the folly and evil of our conduct. Pear; lest a heavier punishment should come from God than thlit already experienced. Longin,g; fervent desire to do better. Zeal. indus- trious effort in discharging their duties, and especially such duties as concerned' Church discipline. .Avenging the wrong done by punishment so as to evince their sincerity of amendment. Yea; repeated in every item, specified that each element of the sentence might. maintain its proper degree of force. Finally, his hearty commendation • in every respect, approving themselves to be right-minded in this matter. A word of justification for himself follows. Not for the sake of him who had done the wron"' nor for his se.ke who had suffered the wrong, had he written, but that their earne~t care in his behalf might be manifested and his apostleship honoured. In the name of God he had called them to repentance, and they had promptly'hearkened to the Divine message. Once more the power of the gospel had been vindicated, and " therefore we have bee11, comforted." Throughout the affair he had been intensely personal, but had he been actuated by selfishness, or had any element of selfishness mixeJ with his motives, this personal intensity could not have assumed the form presented in his conduct. Yet in that hour of gladness there was an uppermost joy. A bea11tiful to'uch of nature it is when he says that he "joyed the more exceedingly " on account of his young associate Titus, " because his spirit was refreshed by you alL" The long- continued trouble seems over now. The unrest, the fightings without and the fears within, ;Ephesus il,nd Troas and Macedonia, pass out of presence, and the only spectacle left in the horizon. of vision is Paul the apostle standing firmly on the historic soil he has won for Christ, with Titus at his side, in whose blooming spring-time his eye reads the harvest not far off. "0 ye Corinthians, onr heart is enlarged." Can he express his gratification too often, too freely? Once again, "I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things."-L. • Ver. 1.-Holi'ness... It is too customary for religions of human origin and authority to Jay stress upon merely external and ceremonial purity. Many such religions pay not the slightest attention to the higher claims of morality. Now, Judaism used all its ceremonial cleansings as means for developing the idea of true morality. And Christianity is emphatically a religion of holiness. This appears from considering the unique and sinless character of Christ, the spirituality of his teaching ; and further, from the atonement he has made for sin, and the provision for true purity made in the dispensation of the Holy Spirit. I. THE NEGATIVE VIEW OF HOLTh'ESS. The text assumes that man's state is natur:i.lly impure, that his heart is defiled and polluted by sin, that his life is stained and dyed with its moral blackness. Hence the admonition to cleanse: 1. From all filthiness of the flesh. There was a special reason why this should be made prominent in address- ing. the .Corinthians, inasmuch as not only was their city celebrated for its licentious- ness, but the Church itself had tolerated a flagrant case of immorality. The sins of the fle~h are indeed the especial fault of those who have lately been rescued from the corruptions of paganism; yet we shall mislead ourselves if we suppose that, in any state of civilization or Christ.ian privilege, men are free from temptations to offences of this kind. 2. From all filthiness of the spirit. Our Lord h::nself has been careful and faithful to warn against these; the heart may sin as well as the body. In fact, it. is the heart that needs to be the first and chief seat of purification. II. THE POSITIVE VIEW OF HOLINESS. The expression is noticeable, "perfecting holiness." Such language implies : 1. That there are degrees of moral purity, allll that it is expected of the Christian that he should go forward, from one st:ige to another, conquering sin, achieving new degrees of virtue, and leaving 1~6.rmities beLinc!. 2. It is implied also that this is to be the result of effort. ~~ sanct10n can be fouwl here for that quietism which represents holiness as acquired w1tnout effor~, struggle! and conqncst. 3. Yet it is to bo understood that in this process we stand m need ot the gracious influences of the Holy Sririt, whose dis'incth·c work is a "·ork of sancti6c:1t "L',  182 THE SEOOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. [oa. vn. l'-16.