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Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, Analytically Expounded-David Dickson · Israel: A Prince with God

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Speaker 1: The contents of the epistle of the Second Epistle of
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Speaker 1: Paul to the Corinthians analytically expounded. This is a LIBRIVANX
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Speaker 1: recording or librivanx recordings are in the public domain. For
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Speaker 1: more information or to volunteer, please visit librivanx dot org.
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Speaker 1: The Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians analytically expounded
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Speaker 1: by David Dixon, translated by William Ratchford. The contents of
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Speaker 1: the epistle. The first epistle did not want its effect
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Speaker 1: amongst many of the Corinthians. Yet there were some, especially
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Speaker 1: vain talking teachers who persevered in their contumacy. And not
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Speaker 1: only they themselves set nor to the apostles authority, but
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Speaker 1: also dared publicly to compare themselves with him, and to
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Speaker 1: prefer themselves before him, and to diminish the authority of
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Speaker 1: the Apostle amongst the people, with no small detriment and
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Speaker 1: prejudice to the Gospel. That He might restrain these and
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Speaker 1: find all things that is coming better ordered in the
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Speaker 1: Church of corinth he writ this second epistle, which is
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Speaker 1: wholly apologetical. Besides an exordium and conclusion, there are three
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Speaker 1: parts of the epistle. In the first, having removed the
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Speaker 1: scandal of the cross which was laid upon him and
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Speaker 1: the suspicion of his alienated mind from the Corinthians chapters
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Speaker 1: one and two. He defends his ministries chapters two and three,
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Speaker 1: and proves his constancy and fidelity therein chapters four and five,
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Speaker 1: exhorting them to bring forth the fruits of his ministry
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Speaker 1: chapter six, and that they would persuade themselves of his
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Speaker 1: good will towards them Chapter seven. In the second part
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Speaker 1: of the epistle, he exhorts them to make a collection
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Speaker 1: for the poor brethren, the afflicted Jews chapters eight and nine.
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Speaker 1: In the third part, he vindicates his authority from contempt
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Speaker 1: and the exposions of false teachers who labored to render
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Speaker 1: the apostle vile amongst the Corinthians Chapter ten, and holy
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Speaker 1: boasts himself against them chapters eleven and twelve, endeavoring to
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Speaker 1: render his authority formidable and also amicable to the Corinthians.
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Speaker 1: Chapter thirteen, and of the contents of the epistle. Chapter
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Speaker 1: one of the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians
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Speaker 1: analytically expounded by David Dixon, translated by William Ratchford. This
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Speaker 1: LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter one. There
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Speaker 1: are two parts of the chapter besides the inscription of
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Speaker 1: the epistle. In the former, he removes the scandal of
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Speaker 1: the cross and afflictions, wherewith he was not long since
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Speaker 1: oppressed to verse twelve. In the second part, he removes
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Speaker 1: the suspicion of an alienated mind from the Corinthians. To
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Speaker 1: the end, the inscription of the epistle, which is instead
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Speaker 1: of an exordium Verses one and two, serves to prepare
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Speaker 1: the minds of the Corinthians for receiving the things which
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Speaker 1: he wrote, intimating five reasons to that inn Verse one,
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Speaker 1: Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God,
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Speaker 1: and Timothy our brother under the Church of God, which
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Speaker 1: is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in
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Speaker 1: a care The first reason because Paul, the author of
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Speaker 1: the epistle, was an apostle of Jesus Christ and of
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Speaker 1: chiefest authority in the Church. Reason two, because he did
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Speaker 1: not assume to himself this honor, as certain false brethren
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Speaker 1: feigned themselves servants of Christ, when they were not sent
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Speaker 1: of God, but obtained it by the special will of God.
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Speaker 1: Reason three, because he had brought in Timothy with himself
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Speaker 1: to witness against them if they should not admit of
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Speaker 1: this truth of God written by him. Reason four, because
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Speaker 1: what he was about to write appertained not only to
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Speaker 1: the Church of Corinth, but to all these saints and
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Speaker 1: churches in all our care to wit to know this
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Speaker 1: asserted truth which he was about to write. Verse two,
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Speaker 1: Grace be unto you, and peace from God, our Father,
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Speaker 1: and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Reason five comprehended in
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Speaker 1: the salutation or apostolical benediction, because Paul, the author of
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Speaker 1: this epistle, would not that the dignity of the Church
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Speaker 1: of Corinth should any ways be eclipsed, although he knew
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Speaker 1: there were most corrupt persons among them, not only which
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Speaker 1: lay hid but openly showed themselves enemy to the apostle,
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Speaker 1: but constantly accounted the Church at Corinth a true to
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Speaker 1: which by his authority he applied the benediction of the Gospel,
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Speaker 1: and doubted not to wish them all good things. Therefore
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Speaker 1: they were obliged to receive the things which he wrote,
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Speaker 1: with that submission and readiness of mind that was fitting
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Speaker 1: the first part. Verse three. Blessed be God, even the
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Speaker 1: Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies
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Speaker 1: and the God of all comforts. In the first part
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Speaker 1: of the chapter, the apostle proves that the Corinthians ought
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Speaker 1: not to despise him by reason of the cross or afflictions,
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Speaker 1: and that by twelve arguments. Argument one, in the midst
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Speaker 1: of afflictions, I find God, the Father, most merciful and
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Speaker 1: abundant in all consolation, so that I have caused rather
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Speaker 1: to bless God than to complain of my calamities scent
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Speaker 1: of God. Therefore ought you not to contemn me or
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Speaker 1: to be offended because of my afflictions. Verse four. Who
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Speaker 1: comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be
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Speaker 1: able to comfort them which I in any trouble, by
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Speaker 1: the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. Argument two.
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Speaker 1: By the experience which I have in afflictions, I am
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Speaker 1: made more fit to manifest comfort unto others that are afflicted.
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Speaker 1: Therefore ought you not to be offended in me et cetera.
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Speaker 1: Verse five. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us,
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Speaker 1: so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. Argument three. Afflictions
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Speaker 1: are a part of martyrdom, and for the Gospel or
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Speaker 1: for Christ, are inflicted upon me with honor, that they
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Speaker 1: may be called the afflictions of Christ by way of participation.
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Speaker 1: For what things are inflicted upon the martyrs, Christ takes
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Speaker 1: upon himself as acts nine Saul, Saul, why dost thou
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Speaker 1: persecute me? Therefore et cetera. In us Argument four, Christ
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Speaker 1: gave testimony from his superabundant and seasonable consolations towards me
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Speaker 1: in the midst of my afflictions, that the miseries which
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Speaker 1: I suffer are afflicted upon me for the defense of
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Speaker 1: the Gospel. Therefore, et cetera, Verse six. And whether we
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Speaker 1: be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which
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Speaker 1: is effectual in enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer.
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Speaker 1: Or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation
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Speaker 1: and salvation. Argument five. Those afflictions, as also these comforts,
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Speaker 1: tended to the benefit of the Corinthians, who might be
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Speaker 1: strengthened in the faith and build up diverse ways to
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Speaker 1: salvation and to take comfort from the apostle's experience. Therefore,
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Speaker 1: ought they not to be offended in the apostle's sufferings,
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Speaker 1: which effectually produceth argument six, because the salvation of the
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Speaker 1: Corinthians was effectually to be promoted by his suffering such
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Speaker 1: kind of afflictions, by which as by the way to
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Speaker 1: salvation freely given, they were earnestly to strive. Therefore, et cetera.
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Speaker 1: And the hope argument seven, I have certain hope of
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Speaker 1: you that you will not despise us nor take ill
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Speaker 1: the afflictions which ye shall suffer. Therefore ye are bound
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Speaker 1: not to frustrate our hope concerning you verse seven. And
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Speaker 1: our hope of you is steadfast, knowing that as to
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Speaker 1: our partagers of the sufferings, so shall you be also
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Speaker 1: Of the consolation argument eight, I know that you are
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Speaker 1: made both partakers of our sufferings by your sympathy, and
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Speaker 1: shall partake of our consolations. Therefore you are bound not
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Speaker 1: to despise us because of the afflictions which we suffer
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Speaker 1: Verse eight. For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant
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Speaker 1: of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that
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Speaker 1: we were pressed out of measure above strength, insomuch that
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Speaker 1: we despaired even of life verse nine. But we have
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Speaker 1: the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not
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Speaker 1: trust in ourselves but in God which raiseth the dead
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Speaker 1: Verse ten, who delivered us from so great a death,
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Speaker 1: and doth deliver in whom we trust that He will
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Speaker 1: yet deliver us Argument nine. From his special example and
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Speaker 1: late sufferings in Asia. So far am I from being
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Speaker 1: ashamed of my afflictions, that I am desirous all should
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Speaker 1: understand how great they are, and also my infirmity, that
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Speaker 1: God may be glorified them more. Therefore ought you not
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Speaker 1: to despise me for my afflictions. He shows the greatness
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Speaker 1: of his effort, flictions and his own infirmities in this
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Speaker 1: that in the tumult at Ephesus, whereof he speaks acts
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Speaker 1: nineteen vers. Twenty three, or some such like danger, he
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Speaker 1: knew not which way to turn himself to escape the
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Speaker 1: danger of his life, expecting in himself nothing but certain death,
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Speaker 1: that we should not trust. Argument ten. I have learnt
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Speaker 1: by this experience and the like not to confide in
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Speaker 1: myself but in God alone, who can deliver from imminent
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Speaker 1: death those that are ready to die, and raise up them,
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Speaker 1: which I did, to which end God was pleased to
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Speaker 1: bring me into danger. Therefore he ought not to despise
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Speaker 1: my affliction. We hope Argument eleven. By this late experience,
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Speaker 1: and such like God hath stirred up in me a
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Speaker 1: firm hope of my deliverance for the future, though I
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Speaker 1: fall into new calamities. Therefore ought you not to despise
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Speaker 1: my affliction Verse eleven. You also helping together by prayer
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Speaker 1: for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by
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Speaker 1: the means of many persons, thanks may be given by
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Speaker 1: many on your behalf Argument twelve. Because the knowledge of
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Speaker 1: his sufferings and his deliverance should stir up the Corinthians
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Speaker 1: among others, to pray for him, and so to obtain
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Speaker 1: his deliverance for the future, and by consequence also to
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Speaker 1: thanksgiving by many unto God, which argument being considered, the
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Speaker 1: Corinthians could not despise Paul for the afflictions which he suffered.
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Speaker 1: At least they ought not to be offended in him.
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Speaker 1: The second part verse twelve. For our rejoicing is this
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Speaker 1: the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity,
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Speaker 1: not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God,
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Speaker 1: we have had our conversation in the world, and more
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Speaker 1: abundantly to youwards. The second part of the chapter follows,
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Speaker 1: wherein he removes their suspicion of his estranged mind from them,
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Speaker 1: which the false apostles his adversaries seemed to foment with
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Speaker 1: frivolous arguments, and proves that they ought not to summise
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Speaker 1: any change of his carriage towards them, or that his
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Speaker 1: mind was alienated from them, by six arguments, after which
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Speaker 1: he answers two or three objections which were brought to
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Speaker 1: the contrary by his adversaries. Argument one, wherein he gives
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Speaker 1: an account why his safety ought to be commended to
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Speaker 1: them all, and also proves that he continued the same
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Speaker 1: as the Corinthians had found him in so many months trial,
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Speaker 1: that he had stayed amongst them in simplicity and godly sincerity.
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Speaker 1: I have always behaved myself so as to approve myself
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Speaker 1: to God, my own and other men's consciences. Therefore, there
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Speaker 1: is no reason that you should suspect any change either
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Speaker 1: of my carriage or affection towards you. Not with argument two,
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Speaker 1: hereby he confirms the former. The fountain of my conversation
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Speaker 1: was the grace of God, which is like itself and
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Speaker 1: always constant. Not that subtle wisdom, whereby colonel men, for
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Speaker 1: their prophet's sake, counterfeit respect to others, which indeed they
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Speaker 1: have not. Therefore, let no suspicion be amongst you about
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Speaker 1: the change of my carriage and affection towards you Verse thirteen.
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Speaker 1: For we write none other things unto you than what
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Speaker 1: you read or acknowledge, and I trust you shall acknowledge
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Speaker 1: even to the end. He confirms that he had said before,
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Speaker 1: adding a third argument, because his deeds and his writings
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Speaker 1: were unswerable to each other. Wherein he seems to tax
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Speaker 1: his adversaries, who carried themselves otherwise as in the former argument,
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Speaker 1: which he proves by the testimony of the Corinthians themselves, who,
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Speaker 1: although they were somewhat disturbed by the whisperings of adversaries,
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Speaker 1: yet they acknowledged his sincerity and constancy, and he hoped
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Speaker 1: they would afterwards do the like. Therefore, et cetera. Verse fourteen,
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Speaker 1: as also you have acknowledged us in part that we
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Speaker 1: are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in
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Speaker 1: the day of our Lord Jesus. Argument four Because in
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Speaker 1: some measure, although not with that confidence as became them
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Speaker 1: against the false apostles, the Corinthians boasted of their convulsion
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Speaker 1: by the Apostle, and the Apostle boasted of them as
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Speaker 1: the fruit of his apostleship. And further he hoped to
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Speaker 1: glory in the day of judgment. Therefore, et cetera, verse fifteen.
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Speaker 1: And in this confidence, I was minded to come unto you,
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Speaker 1: afore that you might have a second benefit verse sixteen,
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Speaker 1: to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again
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Speaker 1: out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be
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Speaker 1: brought onward my way to Judea. Argument five. Because he
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Speaker 1: had a purpose to go to the Corinthians in confidence
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Speaker 1: of mutual good will, that he might complete the first
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Speaker 1: benefit of their conversion by confirming their faith as a
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Speaker 1: second benefit, and that he might receive expressions of their
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Speaker 1: good will towards him in the duties which he reckons
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Speaker 1: up to the increase of their mutual love. Therefore, et cetera,
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Speaker 1: verse seventeen. When I therefore was thus minded, did I
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Speaker 1: use lightness or the things that I purpose? Do I
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Speaker 1: purpose according to the flesh that with me there should
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Speaker 1: be yea, yea, and nay nay. Argument six. By answering
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Speaker 1: the objection proposed, I have deferred my coming unto you
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Speaker 1: longer than I would not, out of levity of a
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Speaker 1: mind changed, But as afterwards at Chalapea, out of love
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Speaker 1: to you, that I might spare you, who ought to
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Speaker 1: be chastised with the censures of the church, had I
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Speaker 1: come to you before, therefore ought you not to suspect
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Speaker 1: the alienation of my mind from you. The objection is
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Speaker 1: propounded in the same terms in which his adversaries did
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Speaker 1: reproach him as vain and light, speaking like chiral and
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Speaker 1: unregenerate men, and promising what he intended not to perform,
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Speaker 1: as those that slightly promise and easily change their mind,
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Speaker 1: neither whose words, and by consequence, nor doctrine carried any
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Speaker 1: certainty to whom therefore no credit was to be given
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Speaker 1: Verse eighteen. But as God is true, our word towards
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Speaker 1: you was not yea and nay, he answers the objection.
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Speaker 1: And because he is more careful that nothing should be
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Speaker 1: imputed to his doctrine, as also to his credit, he
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Speaker 1: answers first for his doctrine and confirms the truth thereof
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Speaker 1: by five reasons. Reason one, because his doctrine was the
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Speaker 1: word of God, it must of necessity be true, because
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Speaker 1: God is faithful and true, whose dictates and precepts only
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Speaker 1: he taught among them, not sometimes affirming, sometimes denying, as
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Speaker 1: those that are not constant to themselves used to do.
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Speaker 1: Therefore they were to make no doubt of the truth
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Speaker 1: of his doctrine Verse nineteen. For the son of God,
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Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, who is preached among you by us, even
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Speaker 1: by me and Sylvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay,
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Speaker 1: But in him was heyea. Reason too, my doctrine and
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Speaker 1: the doctrine of my companions contained nothing but Jesus Christ only,
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Speaker 1: who is the unchangeable son of God and the eternal verity,
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Speaker 1: always constant to himself. Therefore you are not to make
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Speaker 1: any doubt of my doctrine Verse twenty. For all the
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Speaker 1: promises of God in Him are yea, and in him
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Speaker 1: our men unto the glory of God by us reason three,
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Speaker 1: confirming the former, all the promises of God in and
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Speaker 1: through Christ our firm, unchangeable and complete, partly inasmuch as
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Speaker 1: he is the son of God, by whom all things
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Speaker 1: are made, partly inasmuch as he is mediator God Man,
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Speaker 1: who completed for us our redemption and procured it by
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Speaker 1: his merit, that the good things promised might be performed
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Speaker 1: to us, and really He applies them to us. Therefore
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Speaker 1: our preaching, which contains nothing else, is necessarily certain, and
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Speaker 1: no doubt to be made of it, to the glory
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Speaker 1: of God. Reason four. As the promises of God are
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Speaker 1: yea and our men in Christ ay that is really
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Speaker 1: and indeed ratified and complete, and so they are acknowledged
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Speaker 1: and preached by us. It makes to the glory of God,
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Speaker 1: who will not have his promises fulfilled, but in Christ.
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Speaker 1: Therefore our preaching is so sure and firm as the
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Speaker 1: purpose of God is in glorifying Himself in his son.
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Speaker 1: Neither must you doubt anything in the matter verse twenty one.
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Speaker 1: Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ, and
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Speaker 1: hath anointed us is God verse twenty two, who hath
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Speaker 1: also sealed us and given the earnest of the spirit
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Speaker 1: in our hearts. Reason five. God is the author of
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Speaker 1: this our faith in Christ, confirming both the preaching of
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Speaker 1: us Apostles and the faith of you Corinthians, as many
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Speaker 1: of you as are sincere, partly by communicating the several
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Speaker 1: gifts of the spirit, as it were, an unction from Christ.
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Speaker 1: Partly by setting to his seal to our faith, may
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Speaker 1: he us certain of the truth of the Gospel and
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Speaker 1: stirs up ineffable and glorious joy in us, which is,
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Speaker 1: as it were, the earnest of our future happiness. Therefore
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Speaker 1: our preaching is sure, nor ought you to make any
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Speaker 1: doubt of it. All these arguments being weighed upon no
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Speaker 1: ground could the Corinthians suspect that in the preaching of
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Speaker 1: the Apostles, so many ways divinely confirmed, there could be
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Speaker 1: any uncertainty or falsehood. And so he prevents an objection,
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Speaker 1: as it tended to destroy the truth of the Gospel
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Speaker 1: Verse twenty three. Moreover, I call God for a record
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Speaker 1: upon my soul, that to spare you I came not
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Speaker 1: as yet unto corinth He here answers the objection so
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Speaker 1: far as concerned his credit and carriage, by showing the
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Speaker 1: reason of his not coming unto them, viz. That time
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Speaker 1: of repentance being granted to the Corinthians, he might spare them.
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Speaker 1: I restrain himself from a severe course with them, which
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Speaker 1: at present he was forced to use. That he confirms
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Speaker 1: his word with an oath, because so the gravity of
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Speaker 1: the matter required. Therefore, not out of any levity did
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Speaker 1: he to fill his coming unto them. Verse twenty four,
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Speaker 1: no art for that we have dominion over your faith,
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Speaker 1: but a helpers of your joy. For by faith ye stand.
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Speaker 1: Hence arises another objection. Therefore thou makest thyself lord of
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Speaker 1: our faith, as if thou couldst punish when thou wouldst.
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Speaker 1: He answers by denying any mastery, affirming the power of
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Speaker 1: His ministry, and that to be employed in the benefit
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Speaker 1: of the Church, that timely censures according to the will
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Speaker 1: of Christ, being used, those that repented might at length rejoice.
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Speaker 1: He gives an account why he denied any dominion over
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Speaker 1: their faith, because faith is the bond of conjunction with Christ,
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Speaker 1: by which faith we stand fast in the grace of God,
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Speaker 1: in right and title under Christ, in the possession of
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Speaker 1: things present, and in hopes of future good things. Therefore,
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Speaker 1: faith admits no lord besides God. It admits of men
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Speaker 1: only as ministers and helpers. End of Chapter one Chapter
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Speaker 1: two of the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians.
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Speaker 1: Analytically expounded by David Dixon, translated by William Ratchford. This
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Speaker 1: LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter two. There
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Speaker 1: are two parts of this chapter. In the first, he
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Speaker 1: proceeds in his apology for his constant good will towards
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Speaker 1: the Corinthians to verse fourteen. In the other, he begins
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Speaker 1: his apology for his ministry to the end in the
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Speaker 1: first to the former arguments, whereby he proved that his
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Speaker 1: mind was not alienated from the Corinthians. He adds eight
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Speaker 1: signs of his good will towards them. Verse one. But
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Speaker 1: I determined this with myself, that I would not come
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Speaker 1: again to you in heaviness. Sign one that the cause
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Speaker 1: why he changed his purpose concerning his coming to them
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Speaker 1: was lest he should bring sadness to the Corinthians at
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Speaker 1: his coming, being compelled more severely to correct their manners,
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Speaker 1: which he did desire might be amended before his coming.
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Speaker 1: Verse two. For if I make you sorry, who is
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Speaker 1: he then that maketh me glad? But the same which
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Speaker 1: is made sorry by me? Sign two that his sympathy
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Speaker 1: was so much with the Corinthians that he could not,
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Speaker 1: unless they were glad, rejoice, neither moderate himself from sorrow,
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Speaker 1: so long as anyone amongst them by reason of him
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Speaker 1: remained sad. Verse three, And I wrote this same unto you,
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Speaker 1: lest when I came I should have sorrow of them
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Speaker 1: whom I ought to rejoice, Having confidence in you all
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Speaker 1: that my joy is the joy of you all. Sign
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Speaker 1: three that the writing not only of the former epistle,
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Speaker 1: but also of this second, was undertaken for this end,
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Speaker 1: Lest if he had come to those and had found
19:32
Speaker 1: them impenitent, besides his sorrow for their sin, he might
19:35
Speaker 1: have been forced to a new sorrow, which necessary severity
19:38
Speaker 1: would create both to them and himself. Having confidence, signed
19:43
Speaker 1: four that he was persuaded that his joy was matter
19:46
Speaker 1: of joy to the Corinthians themselves, and their joys were
19:49
Speaker 1: both to him and them in common. Thus four, for
19:53
Speaker 1: out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote
19:56
Speaker 1: unto you with many tears, not that you should be
19:58
Speaker 1: grieved about that, that he might know the love that
20:01
Speaker 1: I have more abundantly unto you. Sign five that the
20:05
Speaker 1: former epistle, which necessarily was more sharp, was not writ
20:08
Speaker 1: by him without tears, and truly for that end, that
20:12
Speaker 1: he might testify his ready mind towards them, not that
20:14
Speaker 1: he might make them sorry. Verse five. But if any
20:18
Speaker 1: have caused grief he hath not grieved me, but in
20:21
Speaker 1: part that I may not overcharge you all. Sign six
20:26
Speaker 1: his friendly mind towards the Corinthians, that the apostle did
20:29
Speaker 1: esteem as nothing that heaviness which the incestuous person had
20:32
Speaker 1: created to him, in comparison with that sadness which he
20:36
Speaker 1: had caused to all the Corinthians. He addeth in part
20:39
Speaker 1: because his grief was now turned into joy through the
20:42
Speaker 1: incestuous person's repentance. Therefore, by way of mitigation, he said
20:47
Speaker 1: that he added in part for the incestuous person's sake,
20:50
Speaker 1: now a penitent, lest he should cast a burden on him,
20:53
Speaker 1: or ready burdened in himself, if he should too much
20:55
Speaker 1: aggravate his sin. For six sufficient to such a man
21:00
Speaker 1: is this punishment which was inflicted of many. Sign seven
21:05
Speaker 1: that now he was ready to receive the penitent incestuous
21:08
Speaker 1: person into favor, and so to give a proof of
21:10
Speaker 1: his lenity and meekness, that it might appear that the
21:13
Speaker 1: former severity came not but from love and his desire
21:16
Speaker 1: of advantage to the Church of corinth. To each end,
21:19
Speaker 1: he declareth that the chastisement of this incestuous person inflicted
21:23
Speaker 1: by the authority of many, i e. The governors of
21:25
Speaker 1: the church, the church itself consenting after his repentance appeared,
21:29
Speaker 1: was sufficient. Thus seven, so that contrariwise, he ought rather
21:35
Speaker 1: to forgive him and comfort him, lest perhaps such an
21:37
Speaker 1: one should be swallowed up with over much sorrow, that
21:40
Speaker 1: he might show his meekness towards the penitent incestuous person,
21:43
Speaker 1: he adviseth that he may by the Corinthian Church be
21:46
Speaker 1: again received into favor for these six reasons annexed. Reason one,
21:51
Speaker 1: because they are bound to forgive thee penitent and to
21:53
Speaker 1: comfort him, no less than they were bound to excommunicate him,
21:56
Speaker 1: being impenitent. Lest perhaps reason too, because otherwise it was
22:01
Speaker 1: dangerous lest he should be swallowed up with over much sorrow,
22:05
Speaker 1: except they should now receive thee penitent into favor again
22:09
Speaker 1: Verse eight. Wherefore I beseech you that you would confirm
22:12
Speaker 1: your love towards him. Reason three, because especially they were
22:15
Speaker 1: so desired by the apostle, they are bound to testify
22:18
Speaker 1: their love towards him, to wit by showing themselves to
22:21
Speaker 1: have excommunicated that man, not that they might destroy him,
22:24
Speaker 1: but that by repentance they might save him. Thus nine,
22:29
Speaker 1: for to this end. Also did I write that I
22:31
Speaker 1: might know the proof of you whether you be obedient
22:34
Speaker 1: in all things. Reason four, because by this means they
22:38
Speaker 1: were abound to show themselves obedient to the command of
22:40
Speaker 1: the Apostle in all things, as before in excommunicating, so
22:44
Speaker 1: now also by absolving him from the bond of excommunication,
22:47
Speaker 1: wherein the Apostle did prove their obedience. Verse ten, to
22:51
Speaker 1: whom you forgive anything, I forgive. Also for if I
22:54
Speaker 1: forgave anything to whom I forgave it for your sakes,
22:57
Speaker 1: forgave I it in the person of Christ. Eleven. Lest
23:00
Speaker 1: Satan should get an advantage of us, for we are
23:03
Speaker 1: not ignorant of his devices. Reason five, because the Apostle,
23:07
Speaker 1: for the sake of the Corinthians, had granted him pardon
23:10
Speaker 1: and was about to forgive him. Therefore it was meet
23:12
Speaker 1: that they, for the Apostle's sake, should forgive this man
23:15
Speaker 1: also get an advantage. Reason six, Lest through the craftiness
23:20
Speaker 1: of Satan, the Church should suffer harm, except now they
23:23
Speaker 1: should forgive him repenting. For by ever much severity sinners
23:27
Speaker 1: may be brought into desperation or a departing from the
23:30
Speaker 1: Church because of Satan, whose arts and deceits to do
23:32
Speaker 1: harm are not unknown to the church verse twelve. Furthermore,
23:37
Speaker 1: when I came to try us to preach Christ's gospel,
23:40
Speaker 1: and a door was opened unto me of the Lord
23:43
Speaker 1: verse thirteen, I had no rest in my spirit, because
23:46
Speaker 1: I found not tight as my brother. But taking my
23:48
Speaker 1: leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia, sign
23:53
Speaker 1: eight his constant good will towards the Corinthians, that he
23:57
Speaker 1: could not anywhere rest, also that great hope promoting the
24:00
Speaker 1: gospel being offered as in trous until he had known
24:03
Speaker 1: of Titus, whom he had sent to corinth concerning their affairs,
24:07
Speaker 1: for the cause of meeting him, he went into Macedonia,
24:10
Speaker 1: that by him he might be made more certain concerning
24:12
Speaker 1: the affairs of the Corinthians, and that he might learn
24:15
Speaker 1: whether as yet it was a convenient time to come
24:17
Speaker 1: to the Corinthians. All which signs of his ready mind
24:20
Speaker 1: towards the Corinthians being considered the apostle persuaded himself that
24:24
Speaker 1: the suspicion that his mind was alienated from them was
24:26
Speaker 1: removed the second part verse fourteen. Now thanks be unto God,
24:32
Speaker 1: which always causeth Us to triumph in Christ, and maketh
24:35
Speaker 1: manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place.
24:39
Speaker 1: The second part of the chapter follows, in which he
24:41
Speaker 1: defendeth his ministry and proveth it to be commendable by
24:44
Speaker 1: five arguments, intimating by the way that he, whilst he
24:48
Speaker 1: was absent from them, was not idle, but was busied
24:50
Speaker 1: in the work of the Lord with success. Argument one,
24:54
Speaker 1: because Christ in his ministry, and he himself in Christ,
24:57
Speaker 1: did triumph concerning his enemies by snatching any out of
25:00
Speaker 1: the power of Satan, and by bringing them to the
25:02
Speaker 1: faith of the Gospel. The savor argument two, because by
25:07
Speaker 1: his ministry, whatsoever the success were the sweetness of the Gospel,
25:10
Speaker 1: and its efficacy was manifested in every place, whilst the
25:14
Speaker 1: knowledge of Christ did breathe a quickening in life, by
25:16
Speaker 1: which sinners are quickened and converted unto God Verse fifteen.
25:20
Speaker 1: For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ,
25:23
Speaker 1: in them that are saved and in them that perish.
25:26
Speaker 1: Thus sixteen to the one we are the savor of
25:28
Speaker 1: death unto death, and to the other a savor of
25:30
Speaker 1: life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things
25:34
Speaker 1: by preventing an objection that the apostles and their preaching
25:37
Speaker 1: would give an ill savor to many he answereth and
25:40
Speaker 1: adds argument three that notwithstanding, the apostles themselves with their ministry,
25:45
Speaker 1: were acceptable unto God, and through Christ brought an acceptable
25:48
Speaker 1: savor to God, no less in the conviction and petition
25:51
Speaker 1: of the reprobates to which the Gospel, by accident was
25:54
Speaker 1: a saver of death, than in the faith and salvation
25:57
Speaker 1: of those that believe and are saved, to whom the Gospel,
26:00
Speaker 1: both in its own nature and proper effect, was a
26:02
Speaker 1: quickening savor to life and salvation. Who is sufficient Argument four,
26:08
Speaker 1: because seeing that few are fit and sufficient ministers, the
26:11
Speaker 1: interrogation shows whose ministry God might prosper and accept that
26:15
Speaker 1: He was in the number of those that are made
26:17
Speaker 1: fit for these things which are spoken of, Secretly checking
26:20
Speaker 1: the false apostles, which were not fit ministers for the
26:23
Speaker 1: convulsion of sinners, although they did prefer themselves before the
26:26
Speaker 1: apostles use seventeen. For we are not as many which
26:31
Speaker 1: corrupt the word of God, but as of sincerity, but
26:35
Speaker 1: as of God in the sight of God we speak
26:37
Speaker 1: in Christ. He confirms the next argument more openly noting
26:42
Speaker 1: his enemies and those that envy him, and also adds
26:45
Speaker 1: argument five from the unlikeness betwixt himself and many preachers.
26:49
Speaker 1: If they did not mix false doctrine, yet they did
26:52
Speaker 1: mingle their own passions with true doctrine, serving their ambition
26:55
Speaker 1: and covetousness, and bending the doctrine to the favor of men.
26:59
Speaker 1: The apostle one in sincerity, i e. Neither mixing false
27:03
Speaker 1: doctrine nor corrupt affections. Two of God II with confidence
27:08
Speaker 1: and authority, knowing from whence it came. Three in the
27:12
Speaker 1: sight of God, I calling God to witness and looking
27:14
Speaker 1: at his glory. For in Christ I e. He did
27:18
Speaker 1: speak in the virtue of Christ and acknowledgment of His strength,
27:22
Speaker 1: from which it follows that his ministry was commendable and
27:25
Speaker 1: not to be condemned in any wise. End of chapter two.
27:34
Speaker 1: Chapter three of the Second Epistle of poll to the
27:36
Speaker 1: Corinthians analytically expounded by David Dixon, translated by William Ratchford.
27:42
Speaker 1: This the PROVENX recording, is in the public domain. Chapter
27:47
Speaker 1: three he proceeds to defend his ministry against slanderers. There
27:51
Speaker 1: are two parts of this chapter. In the first, he
27:53
Speaker 1: proveth his ministry to be commendable by five arguments to
27:57
Speaker 1: verse six. In the second he illustrateth and informeth the
28:00
Speaker 1: last argument by comparing the legal ministry or the covenant
28:04
Speaker 1: of works with the Gospel or the covenant of grace.
28:07
Speaker 1: Verse one. Do we begin again to commend ourselves, or
28:10
Speaker 1: need we, as some others epistles of commendation to you
28:13
Speaker 1: or letters of commendation from you. Argument one of the
28:17
Speaker 1: commendation of his ministry, containing also his clearing himself from
28:21
Speaker 1: the desire of vain glory. The efficacy of my ministry
28:25
Speaker 1: is so apparent to all the churches that I need
28:28
Speaker 1: not any commendatory letters from any particular person, or from
28:31
Speaker 1: you or from others. Neither do I say these things
28:34
Speaker 1: because I care for vain glory, but that I may
28:37
Speaker 1: defend my ministry against my enemies for your good. Therefore,
28:40
Speaker 1: my ministry is commendable. Thus, two, ye are our epistle
28:45
Speaker 1: written in our hearts, known and read of all men.
28:48
Speaker 1: Argument too, because your convulsion are Corinthians to the profession
28:52
Speaker 1: of the faith by my ministry. Sufficeth in my conscience
28:55
Speaker 1: and yours for a commendatory epistle which is understood and
28:58
Speaker 1: acknowledged amongst all Verse three, forasmuch as ye are manifestly
29:03
Speaker 1: declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by Us,
29:06
Speaker 1: written not with ink, but with the spirit of the
29:08
Speaker 1: Living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshly
29:12
Speaker 1: tables of the heart. Argument three. By confirmation of the former,
29:17
Speaker 1: because my ministry was effectual not only in bringing you
29:20
Speaker 1: to the profession of the faith, but also to your
29:22
Speaker 1: saving regeneration by the special operation of Christ's spirit. This
29:27
Speaker 1: is that which he saith that they worth the epistle
29:29
Speaker 1: which Christ himself, by his ministry, hath written by writing
29:32
Speaker 1: His will in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, after
29:35
Speaker 1: a more excellent manner than anything was wont to be
29:38
Speaker 1: writ with ink upon paper or tables of stone. Verse four.
29:43
Speaker 1: And such trust have we through Christ to God would
29:46
Speaker 1: verse five. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to
29:49
Speaker 1: think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.
29:53
Speaker 1: Argument four. Because He himself, as it becomes, a faithful servant,
29:57
Speaker 1: doth not ascribe the whole confidence of glory wrying to himself,
30:01
Speaker 1: but to his Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God,
30:04
Speaker 1: which argument he illustrates pardly by confessing his natural impotency
30:08
Speaker 1: to think that which is good, or to the least
30:11
Speaker 1: beginnings of a good work, much less to the converting
30:14
Speaker 1: the Corinthians partly by acknowledging the grace of God as
30:17
Speaker 1: the fountain of his sufficiency, in that he is fitted
30:20
Speaker 1: to communicate so much grace to others verse six, who
30:24
Speaker 1: also have made us able ministers of the New Testament,
30:27
Speaker 1: not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the
30:30
Speaker 1: letter kelleth about the Spirit giveth life Argument five. Because
30:34
Speaker 1: his ministry is the ministry of the New Covenant, not
30:37
Speaker 1: of the Law and Covenant of Works. He confirms this
30:40
Speaker 1: argument with a sevenfold comparison of the ministry of both covenants,
30:45
Speaker 1: the second part not of the letter. Comparison one. The
30:50
Speaker 1: ministry of the Law or the Covenant of Works is
30:52
Speaker 1: only the Letter written or spoken, without efficacy, without all
30:56
Speaker 1: spiritual virtue to perform that which it commands. But the
30:59
Speaker 1: minute ministry of the Gospel or the Covenant of Grace
31:02
Speaker 1: through Christ, is the ministry of the Spirit, because according
31:06
Speaker 1: to and by that, the Holy Ghost is administered, whereby
31:09
Speaker 1: the hearer is quickened and strengthened to embrace that which
31:12
Speaker 1: is propounded killeth. Comparison two, confirming the former, the ministry
31:18
Speaker 1: of the Law of Works or the written letter only
31:21
Speaker 1: convinceth of sin, and killeth the sinner by pronouncing to
31:25
Speaker 1: him the sentence of death. By the ministry of the
31:27
Speaker 1: Gospel or grace in the New Covenant showeth liberty from sin,
31:31
Speaker 1: absolves the sinner, and so brings him life. Thus seven,
31:35
Speaker 1: but if the administration of death written and engraven on
31:38
Speaker 1: stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could
31:41
Speaker 1: not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory
31:44
Speaker 1: of his countenance, which glory was to be done away
31:47
Speaker 1: Verse eight, how shall not the ministration of the spirit
31:50
Speaker 1: rather be glorious in stones. Comparison three, The Law of Works,
31:56
Speaker 1: which only administers death. For according to this Covenant, no
31:59
Speaker 1: man off aptain in righteousness or life, was engraven in
32:02
Speaker 1: stones to signify that the heart, by it cannot be
32:05
Speaker 1: mollified or renewed, but remaineth dead. But the Gospel of
32:09
Speaker 1: Grace is writ in the fleshly tables of the heart,
32:12
Speaker 1: i e. In hearts by the power of the Holy Ghost,
32:15
Speaker 1: quickened and mollified. It is so imprinted that the virtue
32:18
Speaker 1: of divine grace may be discerned in all the expressions
32:21
Speaker 1: of the heart glorious. Comparison four, The ministry of the
32:26
Speaker 1: Covenant of Works, which is the ministry of death to
32:28
Speaker 1: all that of sinned, was truly glorious as it appeared
32:31
Speaker 1: in Moses. For justice is glorious in punishing of sin.
32:35
Speaker 1: But the ministry of the New Covenant, which is the
32:38
Speaker 1: ministry of the spirit quickening, is more glorious. For as
32:41
Speaker 1: in Moses, pronouncing the curse of the Law against sinners
32:44
Speaker 1: is bodily glory to shine. But oh how much spiritual
32:48
Speaker 1: gloried doth shine in the face of Christ, setting sinners
32:51
Speaker 1: at liberty by His grace Verse nine. For if the
32:55
Speaker 1: administration of condemnation, being glory much moored, doth the administration
32:59
Speaker 1: of righteousness exceed in glory. Comparison four, The ministry of
33:04
Speaker 1: the Law or the Old Covenant of Works, is a
33:06
Speaker 1: ministry of condemnation for sin, therefore indeed glorious. But the
33:10
Speaker 1: ministry of the Gospel or the New Covenant, is the
33:13
Speaker 1: ministry of the righteousness of Christ, an absolution from sin,
33:16
Speaker 1: and therefore so much the more glorious. By how much
33:19
Speaker 1: absolution and justification to excel condemnation and sin. Because by
33:24
Speaker 1: the Covenant of Works we are all accused of sin,
33:27
Speaker 1: we are all condemned and made obnoxious to death. Therefore
33:30
Speaker 1: its ministry is called the ministry of sin, condemnation and
33:33
Speaker 1: death Verse ten. For even that which was made glorious
33:38
Speaker 1: had no glory in this respect, by reason of the
33:40
Speaker 1: glory that excelleth. Comparison five, the ministry of the Law,
33:44
Speaker 1: although it was glorious, was exceedingly excelled by the glory
33:48
Speaker 1: of the ministry of the Gospel, or of grace, that
33:51
Speaker 1: it not deserves to be called glorious, but let it vanish.
33:54
Speaker 1: Rather in comparison, as the glory of the stars when
33:57
Speaker 1: the sun appears, is obscured. But the ministry of the
34:00
Speaker 1: Gospel is simply and by way of excellency, glorious Verse eleven.
34:05
Speaker 1: For if that which was done away was glorious, much
34:08
Speaker 1: more that which remaineth his glorious. Comparison six, the ministry
34:12
Speaker 1: of the Covenant of Works, in respect to the annexed ceremonies,
34:16
Speaker 1: hath only the glory of temporal dispensation, because so long
34:19
Speaker 1: it was to endure whilst men in the infancy of
34:22
Speaker 1: the Church, convicted of sins and of their own impotency
34:25
Speaker 1: to deliver themselves, were taught to fly into Christ, and,
34:28
Speaker 1: as it were, by the hand of a schoolmaster might
34:30
Speaker 1: be led to him. Which manner of instructing the church,
34:33
Speaker 1: being now at its full growth and continuing under the
34:36
Speaker 1: brightness of the revealed Gospel, is abolished as unprofitable. But
34:40
Speaker 1: the ministry of the New Covenant hath permanent glory until
34:43
Speaker 1: the glorious coming of Christ verse twelve. Seeing then that
34:48
Speaker 1: we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech
34:52
Speaker 1: verse thirteen, and not as Moses, which put a veil
34:54
Speaker 1: over his face, that the children of Israel could not
34:57
Speaker 1: steadfastly look to the end of that which is a body.
35:01
Speaker 1: Comparison seven. The ministry of the New Covenant is plain
35:04
Speaker 1: and perspicuous, so that the ministers thereof can plainly and
35:07
Speaker 1: confidently preach the way of salvation, having Christ now revealed
35:11
Speaker 1: who in times past being to come was hoped for.
35:14
Speaker 1: But the ministry of the Law, as it did appear
35:17
Speaker 1: in the type of the mosaical ministration, was obscure, wrapped
35:20
Speaker 1: up in types. Put. He follows this comparison to the
35:24
Speaker 1: end of the chapter, illustrating the latter part thereof to
35:27
Speaker 1: the last verse. In this sense, Moses, the minister of
35:30
Speaker 1: the Law, turned from the Tabernacle, from the Older, from
35:33
Speaker 1: the Ark, and the propitiatory, speaking with his face veiled,
35:37
Speaker 1: signified to the people and typically related the nature of
35:40
Speaker 1: the legal covenant of works and of its ministry divided
35:43
Speaker 1: from Christ, and did also figure out the blindness of
35:46
Speaker 1: the people under the legal Covenant, because they did not
35:49
Speaker 1: perceive Christ to be the end of the law and
35:51
Speaker 1: temporal ceremonies now abolished verse fourteen. But their minds were
35:56
Speaker 1: blinded for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken
35:59
Speaker 1: away in the reading of the Old Testament, which veil
36:02
Speaker 1: is done away in Christ verse fifteen. But even unto
36:05
Speaker 1: this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon
36:08
Speaker 1: their heart. The Apostle observes that now blindness also may
36:11
Speaker 1: be perceived in the Jews, who while they read the
36:14
Speaker 1: Old Testament, they see nothing besides the veil of ceremonies,
36:17
Speaker 1: because the veil of ignorance and infidelity remaineth upon their minds,
36:21
Speaker 1: which veil represented by the type of the external veil
36:24
Speaker 1: covering Moses's face by Christ is taken away from all
36:28
Speaker 1: the faithful, for righteousness, life, virtue, and lastly, all grace
36:32
Speaker 1: and glory is published and communicated to the faithful in Christ.
36:36
Speaker 1: But hitherto this veil doth remain upon the hearts of
36:38
Speaker 1: the unbelieving Jews verse sixteen. Nevertheless, when it shall turn
36:43
Speaker 1: to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. He
36:47
Speaker 1: hath hope of the Jews conversion. When, by the grace
36:49
Speaker 1: of God, the heart of the Israelites, or the doctrine
36:52
Speaker 1: of Moses, now veiled, should be turned by them to God,
36:55
Speaker 1: i e. Should be brought according to this typical signification,
36:58
Speaker 1: to Christ, who is the end of the law. Then
37:01
Speaker 1: the veil of ignorance and of the darkness of ceremonies
37:04
Speaker 1: should be taken from them, as the veil was taken
37:07
Speaker 1: from the face of Moses when he entered in unto God,
37:09
Speaker 1: sitting betwixt the Cherabims, chiefly that they might see God,
37:13
Speaker 1: their Lord and their Savior, Christ, and might acknowledge Him
37:16
Speaker 1: to be the true end of the whole law Verse seventeen.
37:21
Speaker 1: Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit
37:23
Speaker 1: of the Lord is there is liberty The reason of
37:27
Speaker 1: this is given because one Christ is the spirit or
37:30
Speaker 1: the soul of all ceremonies, that a spirital thing is
37:33
Speaker 1: signified by them. Two Christ is also the spirit or
37:36
Speaker 1: the soul of the moral Law, because He fulfilled the law,
37:39
Speaker 1: in whom alone the perfect righteousness of the law is
37:42
Speaker 1: to be found. Three Christ is the Spirit because he
37:45
Speaker 1: quickens those that believe to new obedience and life everlasting,
37:49
Speaker 1: and he delivereth those from sin and misery. For when
37:52
Speaker 1: it is said, where the Spirit of Christ the Lord is,
37:55
Speaker 1: or where Christ is, there is liberty. The liberty is
37:58
Speaker 1: to be understood not from the obedience of the commandments,
38:01
Speaker 1: but from the ceremonial yoke, from the bondage of sin,
38:04
Speaker 1: and yoke of the legal Covenant, and all evils which
38:07
Speaker 1: do follow from its violation. Liberty I say, was given
38:10
Speaker 1: to the faithful by the Spirit of the Gospel, at
38:12
Speaker 1: leastwise that which belongs to them of right, although not
38:16
Speaker 1: always according to sins, nor ever before the end of life,
38:19
Speaker 1: as to a full possession. For although the Spirit with
38:22
Speaker 1: a loud voice proclaimeth that there is a gate opened
38:25
Speaker 1: unto us, that we may go out of prison, yet
38:27
Speaker 1: we by reason of the weakness of faith to go
38:30
Speaker 1: slowly forth. And this is the explication of the first
38:33
Speaker 1: part of the comparison concerning the ministry of the Law
38:37
Speaker 1: verse eighteen. But we all with open face beholding as
38:41
Speaker 1: in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed
38:43
Speaker 1: into the same image, from glory to glory, even as
38:46
Speaker 1: by the spirit of the Lord. Here followeth another branch
38:50
Speaker 1: of the comparison concerning the ministry of the Gospel in
38:53
Speaker 1: those that believe, which is propounded in this sense. But
38:56
Speaker 1: we that by the ministry of the Gospel believe in Christ,
38:59
Speaker 1: the the veil of ceremonies and ignorance, the veil of
39:02
Speaker 1: infidelity and hardness of heart, also being removed, are freely
39:06
Speaker 1: admitted to the clear beholding of Christ and the glory
39:09
Speaker 1: of the grace of God shining in the Gospel as
39:11
Speaker 1: in a glass. And beholding Christ by faith, we are
39:14
Speaker 1: sanctified and more and more made happy in conformity with Christ,
39:17
Speaker 1: increased daily by degrees from one measure of glory and
39:20
Speaker 1: sanctity to another. And that by the powerful working of
39:23
Speaker 1: the Holy Ghost. Sanctification is called glory because sanctification is
39:28
Speaker 1: the beginning of glorification. For by that the image of
39:31
Speaker 1: God is repeared in us, which is our glory. End
39:35
Speaker 1: of chapter three. Chapter four of the Second Epistle of
39:45
Speaker 1: Paul to the Corinthians analytically expounded by David Dixon, translated
39:49
Speaker 1: by William Ratchford. This LIBRIVANX recording is in the public domain.
39:55
Speaker 1: Chapter four he goes on to defend his ministry. There
39:58
Speaker 1: are two parts of this chapter. In the first, he
40:00
Speaker 1: proveth his faithfulness or sincerity in the ministry by seven
40:04
Speaker 1: arguments to the sixth verse. In the second, he confirms
40:08
Speaker 1: the seventh argument by answering the objections concerning the scandal
40:11
Speaker 1: of the cross lying upon him to the end. Thus one, therefore,
40:15
Speaker 1: seeing we have this ministry as we have received mercy,
40:19
Speaker 1: we feigned not Argument one. The inward testimony of so
40:22
Speaker 1: glorious a ministry committed unto me by the mercy of
40:25
Speaker 1: God is effectual to sustain me, lest I be overcome
40:28
Speaker 1: in the doing of my duty with the burden of evils,
40:31
Speaker 1: and that by the mirror of grace given to me
40:34
Speaker 1: I go forward valiantly. From Hence therefore it appereth that
40:37
Speaker 1: I am sincere and faithful for Modesty's sake. He joineth others,
40:42
Speaker 1: but he himself in the conflict, was especially aimed at
40:45
Speaker 1: by his adversaries. Thus two, but having renounced the hidden
40:49
Speaker 1: things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the
40:53
Speaker 1: word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth,
40:56
Speaker 1: commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
41:00
Speaker 1: Argument two. I have renounced ambition, covetousness, and the other
41:04
Speaker 1: shameful lusts which some secretly indulging do cover this their
41:08
Speaker 1: disgrace in corners under other or the like veils and pretenses.
41:13
Speaker 1: Therefore am faithful. Not with argument three, I have not
41:18
Speaker 1: walked in craftiness, deceitfully handling the word of God, or
41:21
Speaker 1: bending and fitting that to the dispositions of men, as
41:24
Speaker 1: the false apostles do. Therefore am faithful by manifestation. Argument four,
41:30
Speaker 1: I have carried myself so mildly in the clear preaching
41:33
Speaker 1: of the Word of God, that the consciences of all
41:36
Speaker 1: men are compelled to acknowledge my integrity, of which thing
41:39
Speaker 1: also I have guard to my witness. Therefore I am
41:42
Speaker 1: faithful Verse three. But if our gospel be hid, it
41:45
Speaker 1: is hid to them that are lost. Verse four. In
41:47
Speaker 1: whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds
41:50
Speaker 1: of them that believe, not, lest the light of the
41:52
Speaker 1: glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the Image of God
41:54
Speaker 1: should shine unto them. Objection, But how comes it to
41:58
Speaker 1: pass that Thy doctrine is not understood by so many
42:01
Speaker 1: wise and potent men? If it be so clearly taught?
42:04
Speaker 1: He answers that the ignorance of the Gospel, so plainly
42:07
Speaker 1: unfolded to them, was no argument of the obscurity of
42:10
Speaker 1: the doctrine, but of the incredulity of the hero and
42:13
Speaker 1: his future perdition from the blindness of unbelievers, blinded by
42:16
Speaker 1: the devil, whom the world serves. For the devil further
42:19
Speaker 1: blindeth the blind infidels, lest they should see God offering
42:23
Speaker 1: himself in Christ, lest they should behold Christ to their salvation,
42:27
Speaker 1: shining in the Gospel. Who hath brought forth the invisible
42:29
Speaker 1: God as to our view by his doctrine and power
42:32
Speaker 1: manifested in the flesh, that we may behold God in Christ,
42:36
Speaker 1: the true image of God, the Father. Verse five. For
42:40
Speaker 1: we preach not ourselves, but Christ, Jesus the Lord, and
42:43
Speaker 1: ourselves your servants. For Jesus sake. Argument five of the
42:47
Speaker 1: Apostle's fidelity. I sayth he seek the glory of Christ alone,
42:52
Speaker 1: and acknowledge Christ only Lord in the Church. Truly, I
42:55
Speaker 1: declare myself and other teachers, not only ministers of Christ,
42:58
Speaker 1: but also of His people, that Christ alone may be exalted.
43:02
Speaker 1: Therefore I show myself faithful Verse six. For God, who
43:08
Speaker 1: commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined
43:10
Speaker 1: in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge
43:12
Speaker 1: of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
43:16
Speaker 1: Argument six, confirming the former, wherein he compares his convulsion
43:21
Speaker 1: to Pharaseeism to the creation of light out of darkness,
43:24
Speaker 1: God who, by his omnipotent word hath produced light out
43:27
Speaker 1: of darkness by no less efficacy, hath he brought me
43:30
Speaker 1: lost sinner out of the darkness of Phariseeism and sin,
43:34
Speaker 1: and hath so powerfully enlarged my heart illuminated by the
43:38
Speaker 1: light of Christ, his glorious Sun, that I cannot but
43:41
Speaker 1: communicate to others this glorious knowledge of the grace of
43:43
Speaker 1: God given to me manifestly shining in Christ. Therefore it
43:47
Speaker 1: behooveth me to be faithful. Use seven. But we have
43:51
Speaker 1: these treasures in othen vessels, that the excellency of the
43:54
Speaker 1: power may be of God and not of us. Argument seven. God,
43:58
Speaker 1: by showing my infirmity he in all exercises, and also
44:01
Speaker 1: by maintaining His strength in me under frequent afflictions, and
44:04
Speaker 1: by keeping me constant, hitherto hath rendered my faithfulness commendable
44:08
Speaker 1: with all men. Therefore I can affirm myself faithful. The
44:13
Speaker 1: second part he so handles this argument that in the
44:16
Speaker 1: meanwhile he solves two objections that he might take away
44:19
Speaker 1: the scandal of the cross, often objection one. In the meanwhile,
44:25
Speaker 1: thy condition of life is miserable and contemptible, as a
44:28
Speaker 1: certain oath and vessel. He answers four manner of ways.
44:32
Speaker 1: One that it is true that he is an oarth
44:34
Speaker 1: and vessel, frail and contemptible, But notwithstanding he contains the
44:38
Speaker 1: treasure of grace and the knowledge of the Gospel may
44:42
Speaker 1: be of God. For the more, he answers that that
44:45
Speaker 1: happened by the wisdom of God, lest the glory of
44:47
Speaker 1: the convulsion and salvation of so many men should be
44:50
Speaker 1: ascribed to the virtue of the apostle. That it should
44:52
Speaker 1: be wholly ascribed unto God. For by so much the
44:55
Speaker 1: more the power of God is conspicuous in great works,
44:58
Speaker 1: by how much the weakness of the instrument more evidently
45:01
Speaker 1: Appeareth Verse eight. We are troubled on every side, yet
45:06
Speaker 1: not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in despair. Verse nine,
45:10
Speaker 1: persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed. He
45:15
Speaker 1: answers three that all his afflictions are moderated, and he
45:19
Speaker 1: himself is upheld by God in all things, that he
45:22
Speaker 1: is not destitute of the help of God, doth not
45:25
Speaker 1: sink under his burden, that he doth not forsake God,
45:28
Speaker 1: nor despair, is not forsaken of God, not left or lost.
45:32
Speaker 1: Therefore it matters nothing how weak he is in himself.
45:36
Speaker 1: We are afflicted, He saith yet not distressed. I He
45:39
Speaker 1: on every side we are troubled with adversity, but we
45:42
Speaker 1: are not brought into such straits as to be overwhelmed.
45:45
Speaker 1: But we are preserved by the help of God. In
45:47
Speaker 1: the midst of afflictions. We are perplexed, but not in despair.
45:51
Speaker 1: I He we doubt sometimes what may be done in
45:54
Speaker 1: the dangers of this life, but we are not so
45:56
Speaker 1: destitute that we are void of all counsel. We are persecuted,
46:00
Speaker 1: but not forsaken. I hear God permits us to be
46:03
Speaker 1: vexed and evil entreated by the enemies of the Gospel.
46:06
Speaker 1: But He neither permits us to be slain before the
46:08
Speaker 1: time by him determined. Neither doth he withdraw his consolations
46:12
Speaker 1: from us. We are cast down but not destroyed. That is,
46:16
Speaker 1: we sometimes seem presently ready to perish, but God helping us,
46:20
Speaker 1: we are kept from perishing. Verse ten. Always bearing about
46:25
Speaker 1: in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that
46:27
Speaker 1: the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in
46:29
Speaker 1: our body. He answers four that his afflictions make for
46:34
Speaker 1: the glory of Christ, because the image of Christ suffering
46:36
Speaker 1: and dying may be seen in them, and that the
46:39
Speaker 1: virtue and strength of Christ's living may appear in supporting
46:42
Speaker 1: him under so many afflictions. Therefore, it matters not how
46:45
Speaker 1: weak he may be in himself Verse eleven, for we
46:50
Speaker 1: which live, are always delive it unto death for jesus sake,
46:53
Speaker 1: that the life also of Jesus might be manifest in
46:56
Speaker 1: our mortal flesh. He confirms this. From thence that the Apostles,
47:00
Speaker 1: who lived in the midst of troubles, by the strength
47:02
Speaker 1: of Christ's spirit for the cause of Christ, daily undergo danger,
47:06
Speaker 1: that the quickening virtue of Christ may more and more
47:09
Speaker 1: appear in sustaining their fleshly infirmities obnoxious to that miserable condition.
47:15
Speaker 1: Verse twelve. So then death worketh in us, but life
47:18
Speaker 1: in you Objection two. But not necessarily, because thou art
47:23
Speaker 1: the servant of Christ. Therefore thou shouldst be also miserable
47:26
Speaker 1: and contempt For wea Corinthians, are Christians, and yet we
47:29
Speaker 1: live more prosperously. He answers four manner of ways, one
47:33
Speaker 1: by granting it to be so. Yet by the wisdom
47:35
Speaker 1: of God, it comes to pass that in some stronger Christians,
47:38
Speaker 1: as the Apostles, the image of Christ dying might rather
47:42
Speaker 1: appear at least to the world. But in others, the
47:45
Speaker 1: weaker Corinthians, the efficacy of Christ's life supporting them under
47:49
Speaker 1: extreme afflictions might be more apparent to the world. Verse thirteen.
47:54
Speaker 1: We having the same spirit of faith, according as it
47:57
Speaker 1: is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken, We
48:00
Speaker 1: also believe and therefore speak Verse fourteen knowing that he
48:03
Speaker 1: which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us
48:06
Speaker 1: also by Jesus and present us with you. He answers two.
48:11
Speaker 1: Although the Apostles may be afflicted more than the Corinthians,
48:14
Speaker 1: yet there is the same spirit of faith both in
48:16
Speaker 1: them and in the Corinthians, by which faith, believing with
48:19
Speaker 1: David some one hundred and sixteen Verse ten, the Apostle
48:22
Speaker 1: dare promise to himself, together with the Corinthians, a glorious resurrection,
48:26
Speaker 1: although now he is more pressed under the cross than
48:29
Speaker 1: they Verse fifteen. For all things are for your sake,
48:33
Speaker 1: that the abundant grace might, through the thanksgiving of many,
48:36
Speaker 1: redound to the glory of God. He answers three. That
48:41
Speaker 1: he was afflicted for their consolation and confirmation, as also
48:44
Speaker 1: that from his afflictions and deliverances, occasion of praying and
48:48
Speaker 1: suffering together with the Apostles might not only be given
48:51
Speaker 1: to the Corinthians, but also occasion of thanksgiving with them
48:54
Speaker 1: for their eminent deliverances from trouble, which God forthwith granted
48:58
Speaker 1: to him with the rest of thers Apostles, and was
49:01
Speaker 1: about to grant verse sixteen, for which cause we feigned
49:05
Speaker 1: not but though our outward man perish, yet the inward
49:08
Speaker 1: man is renewed day by day. He answers four that
49:12
Speaker 1: he was not tired nor wearied by his afflictions, whereof
49:16
Speaker 1: he subjoins three reasons. Reason one, because as much as
49:20
Speaker 1: was diminished of those goods that made for the maintaining
49:23
Speaker 1: the state of this present life, so much was added
49:25
Speaker 1: to his holiness for the increasing of his spiritual life
49:29
Speaker 1: verse seventeen. For our light affliction, which is but for
49:31
Speaker 1: a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and
49:34
Speaker 1: eternal weight of glory. Reason two, because it did procure
49:38
Speaker 1: an unspeakable weight of glory to the promoting of which
49:41
Speaker 1: afflictions help as instruments and means both of mortification and glorification,
49:47
Speaker 1: so that no afflictions are to be accounted of yea, truly,
49:50
Speaker 1: the lightness of afflictions, which is but for a moment,
49:53
Speaker 1: clearly vanisheth and becomes as nothing in comparison with future
49:56
Speaker 1: glory verse eighteen. While we look not at the things
50:01
Speaker 1: which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.
50:03
Speaker 1: For the things which are seen are temporal, but the
50:06
Speaker 1: things which are not seen are eternal. Reason three, why
50:11
Speaker 1: he doth not wax faint is because sayth he, by faith,
50:14
Speaker 1: I look at things eternal and invisible, by reason of
50:17
Speaker 1: which I despise all temporal and visible I e. Both riches, honors,
50:21
Speaker 1: and prophets, et cetera. I do not look at because
50:25
Speaker 1: those are only durable for a time. But I have
50:28
Speaker 1: my mind intent upon those good and eternal things which
50:31
Speaker 1: God hath promised. Therefore I do not weigh the loss
50:34
Speaker 1: of temporal things by all which the Apostle confirmeth the Corinthians,
50:38
Speaker 1: lest they should be offended at his afflictions. End of
50:42
Speaker 1: chapter four. Chapter five of the Second Epistle of Pull
50:51
Speaker 1: to the Corinthians, analytically expounded by David Dixon, translated by
50:56
Speaker 1: William Ratchford. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
51:01
Speaker 1: Chapter five. He goes on to show more fully his
51:04
Speaker 1: faithfulness in the ministry by mentioning seven impellent causes, whereby
51:08
Speaker 1: he was moved to faithfulness in the discharge of his duty.
51:11
Speaker 1: Verse one. For we know that if our earthly house
51:14
Speaker 1: of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of
51:17
Speaker 1: God and house not made with hands eternal in the heavens.
51:20
Speaker 1: The first impellent cause to faithfulness in the ministry is
51:24
Speaker 1: his certain confidence of a blessed immortality, which after death
51:27
Speaker 1: remains for him and all the rest of the faithful
51:30
Speaker 1: ministers of Christ, of which felicity also the body shall
51:33
Speaker 1: be partaken in the resurrection. I am persuaded, saith he,
51:37
Speaker 1: that after the dissolution of this my frail body, I
51:40
Speaker 1: shall continually enjoy felicity of soul and the glorious immortality
51:44
Speaker 1: of a raised body. Why should not I therefore be
51:47
Speaker 1: faithful so long as I dwell in this mortal body?
51:51
Speaker 1: Verse two? For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to
51:54
Speaker 1: be clothed upon with our house, which is from the heaven.
51:57
Speaker 1: The solidity of this his confidence was equation, is confirmed
52:01
Speaker 1: by seven signs, all which did stir up his mind
52:04
Speaker 1: to faithfulness. Sign one is a desire of departing out
52:08
Speaker 1: of this life, that he might obtain immortality or be
52:11
Speaker 1: endued instead of a corruptible body with immortal glory, an
52:15
Speaker 1: argument certainly of a mind conscious of its sincerity and
52:19
Speaker 1: certified a future happiness. Thus three, if so be that
52:23
Speaker 1: being clothed we shall not be found naked, He limits
52:27
Speaker 1: this sign and privilege of being endued with future glory,
52:30
Speaker 1: that it may belong to those only who, departing out
52:33
Speaker 1: of this life to an immortal and immutable state, are
52:36
Speaker 1: not found naked. I not destitute of that true covering
52:39
Speaker 1: whereby our filthy nakedness is covered. Which covering is Christ,
52:43
Speaker 1: or Christ's righteousness, which can alone cover our sins, wherein
52:48
Speaker 1: our nakedness consists. This therefore is the second sign of
52:52
Speaker 1: his solid desire of going out of this life, and
52:55
Speaker 1: of a mind very conscious of the faithful administration of
52:57
Speaker 1: his office, that he knew himself to be in the
53:00
Speaker 1: number of those to whom alone the certainty of being
53:03
Speaker 1: closed upon with glory belonged to wit of those who
53:06
Speaker 1: are clothed already with that covering whereby the foul nakedness
53:10
Speaker 1: of sinners is covered, i e. The righteousness of Christ,
53:13
Speaker 1: with which except a man be clothed in this life,
53:16
Speaker 1: he shall be found naked in the other, and shall
53:18
Speaker 1: remain naked forever. Verse four. For we that are in
53:22
Speaker 1: this tabernacle do grown being burdened, not for that we
53:26
Speaker 1: would be unclothed, but closed upon, that mortality might be
53:29
Speaker 1: swallowed up of life. Sign three that the desire of
53:34
Speaker 1: his departing this life, arising from this confidence, was wholly
53:37
Speaker 1: i e. It was derived not so much from the
53:39
Speaker 1: weariness of natural life, but from the hope of a
53:42
Speaker 1: better This is that which he saith. Although he grown
53:46
Speaker 1: and be sorrowful in his body, Yet he would not
53:49
Speaker 1: be unclothed of this body, but that this body might
53:52
Speaker 1: be closed upon with immortality, and that mortality might be
53:55
Speaker 1: swallowed up of immortality. Verse five. Now he that hath
54:00
Speaker 1: wrought us for the self same thing is God, who
54:02
Speaker 1: also hath given unto us the earnest of his spirit.
54:06
Speaker 1: Sign four that this desire is not natural, about the
54:09
Speaker 1: supernatural work of God, stirred up and formed in the
54:12
Speaker 1: hearts of his own by the special work of God.
54:15
Speaker 1: It is God that hath wrought, formed, and created us
54:18
Speaker 1: for this thing. His confidence therefore is solid, who also
54:23
Speaker 1: sign five that this confidence of a better life is
54:26
Speaker 1: sealed by the earnest of the Spirit, Having, as it were,
54:28
Speaker 1: a taste and experience of that life. In the peace
54:31
Speaker 1: and joy of the spirit are he in the first
54:33
Speaker 1: fruits of that happiness which is to come. Verse six.
54:37
Speaker 1: Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are
54:40
Speaker 1: at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.
54:43
Speaker 1: Sign six. That this confidence is firmly grounded in the
54:46
Speaker 1: certain persuasion of his nigher access to the Lord, which
54:50
Speaker 1: should be vouchsafe to him after death, when doubtless, even
54:53
Speaker 1: as in one house, he should dwell with God, who
54:56
Speaker 1: now in the body is absent from the Lord. Thus seven,
55:00
Speaker 1: for we walk by faith, not by sight. Verse eight,
55:03
Speaker 1: we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be
55:06
Speaker 1: absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
55:09
Speaker 1: Signs seven, confirming the former that he knoweth himself to
55:13
Speaker 1: walk by faith in this life, and not by sight
55:15
Speaker 1: of the beatifical vision which abideth for us in the
55:17
Speaker 1: life to come, who in our sense are absent from
55:21
Speaker 1: the Lord while we are present in the body. Therefore,
55:23
Speaker 1: more vehemently and confidently, he did both desire and choose
55:27
Speaker 1: to go to the Lord rather than to remain in
55:29
Speaker 1: the body verse nine. Wherefore we labor that, whether present
55:34
Speaker 1: or absent, we may be accepted of Him. That this confidence,
55:38
Speaker 1: confirmed by so many signs of sincerity, was the impellent
55:41
Speaker 1: cause to his faithfulness in the ministry. He now expressly declares,
55:45
Speaker 1: because whatsoever change towards life or death did happen to him.
55:49
Speaker 1: Out of this confidence, he did endeavor to please God
55:52
Speaker 1: with no less diligence than those which contain for honor.
55:55
Speaker 1: That both in this life or pilgrimage, and in his
55:58
Speaker 1: death are approaching to God, he might be made acceptable
56:01
Speaker 1: to him Verse ten. For we must all appear before
56:05
Speaker 1: the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive
56:08
Speaker 1: the things done in his body according to that he
56:10
Speaker 1: hath done, whether it be good or evil. His second
56:14
Speaker 1: impellent cause to faithfulness in his ministry is the consideration
56:17
Speaker 1: of punishments and rewards which abide every one according to
56:20
Speaker 1: their works. At the last judgment, in which God will
56:23
Speaker 1: inflict punishments upon the wicked, but to the godly, whose
56:26
Speaker 1: good works, after their sins are pardoned, only remain, he
56:29
Speaker 1: shall render rewards Verse eleven. Knowing therefore the terror of
56:34
Speaker 1: the Lord we persuade men. But we are made manifest
56:37
Speaker 1: unto God, and I trust also we are manifest in
56:40
Speaker 1: your consciences. He shows, by calling God and the consciences
56:44
Speaker 1: of the Corinthians to be his witnesses, that this argument
56:47
Speaker 1: Hath urged him to faithfulness in the ministry for the
56:50
Speaker 1: apprehension of that future terrible judgment hath affected this that
56:54
Speaker 1: he exhorted all to reconciliation with God by faith. Verse twelve.
56:59
Speaker 1: For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give
57:02
Speaker 1: you occasion to glory on our behalf, that you may
57:04
Speaker 1: have somewhat to answer them, which glory in appearance and
57:07
Speaker 1: not in heart. He solves two objections which his adversaries
57:12
Speaker 1: may object against him, so earnestly glorying of his faithfulness.
57:16
Speaker 1: Objection one, thou o Paul glorioust some one may say,
57:20
Speaker 1: whilst thou commendest thyself. He answers that he did not
57:24
Speaker 1: say these things for that end, but that the Corinthians
57:27
Speaker 1: may have that for his defense, whereby to repress their
57:29
Speaker 1: vain and boasting teachers, who did diminish the authority of
57:33
Speaker 1: the Apostle amongst them, and did glory in the presence
57:35
Speaker 1: of men otherwise than their conscience and the truth of
57:38
Speaker 1: the matter did permit. For they, being destitute of piety
57:42
Speaker 1: or matter of glorying in heart, they gloried in their
57:45
Speaker 1: adulterated eloquence. Verse thirteen. For whether we be besides ourselves,
57:50
Speaker 1: it is to God or whether we be sober, it
57:53
Speaker 1: is for your cause objection two. But to a Paul,
57:57
Speaker 1: thou art besides thyself, who doest so openly confused such teachers,
58:01
Speaker 1: he answers that he did not dispute, but give a
58:04
Speaker 1: reason of the fact, as it did become a wise
58:06
Speaker 1: man to it, that he uttered those things for the
58:08
Speaker 1: glory of God and their salvation. For says he, if
58:11
Speaker 1: I praise my ministry, which seems to be the part
58:13
Speaker 1: of one besides himself, I do it for the glory
58:16
Speaker 1: of God, lest my gospel should be undervalued. If I
58:19
Speaker 1: speak humbly of myself, as sober men used to do,
58:22
Speaker 1: I do it for your good. Verse fourteen. For the
58:25
Speaker 1: love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge that
58:29
Speaker 1: if one died for all, then were all dead. The
58:33
Speaker 1: third impellent cause to faithfulness, containing a reason of the
58:36
Speaker 1: former saying, is his love. Wherewith he loved Christ, which
58:39
Speaker 1: did cast upon him as it were bonds, and constraineth
58:42
Speaker 1: him that he, being unmindful of himself, did both speak
58:45
Speaker 1: and do those things only which might promote the glory
58:48
Speaker 1: of Christ and the good of the Church. Thus fifteen,
58:52
Speaker 1: and that he died for all, that they which live
58:55
Speaker 1: should not henceforth live to themselves, but unto Him which
58:58
Speaker 1: died for them and rose again. He giveth a reason
59:02
Speaker 1: of his love, and adds the fourth impalent cause to
59:05
Speaker 1: wit the love of Christ to us. Christ, says he,
59:09
Speaker 1: when we were all dead, in respect of our desert
59:11
Speaker 1: and the justice of God, alone died in the room
59:14
Speaker 1: of all of us that believe in Him, that we,
59:16
Speaker 1: being delivered from deserved perdition, should not serve ourselves, but Christ,
59:20
Speaker 1: our redeemer. Why therefore should not I be faithful in
59:23
Speaker 1: the business of Christ Verse sixteen. Wherefore henceforth know we
59:28
Speaker 1: no man after the flesh. YEA, though we have known
59:31
Speaker 1: Christ after the flesh, Yet now henceforth know we him
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Speaker 1: no more. He prevents an objection to this end, that
59:39
Speaker 1: he might give account why he checked those glorious Corinthian doctors,
59:42
Speaker 1: not regarding his esteem with the ignorant, so that he
59:46
Speaker 1: might promote the glory of Christ and the Church's safety.
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Speaker 1: Some one might say, but it behooved him to regard
59:52
Speaker 1: the dignity of so many worthy teachers amongst the Corinthians,
59:55
Speaker 1: who shined with eloquence, learning riches, honors, and nobility of parentage,
1:00:00
Speaker 1: for some of these were of the Jews, and perhaps
1:00:02
Speaker 1: did boast that they were of the tribe of Judah,
1:00:05
Speaker 1: and did arrive to Christ's kindred, as it is credible
1:00:08
Speaker 1: from what follows. He answers three ways, drawing every one
1:00:12
Speaker 1: of his answers as conclusions from verse twelve. Answer one
1:00:17
Speaker 1: that he doth not look at riches, honors, parentage, eloquence,
1:00:20
Speaker 1: and the rest. Neither did he esteem any man from
1:00:22
Speaker 1: outward things by which the esteem of men is increased
1:00:25
Speaker 1: or diminished with worldlings and those that are carnal yea.
1:00:30
Speaker 1: Answer two, that he did not judge any more of
1:00:32
Speaker 1: Christ himself according to his external condition, or detract from
1:00:36
Speaker 1: his estimation by reason of his poverty and ignominy in
1:00:38
Speaker 1: the world, as in times past he esteemed being in
1:00:41
Speaker 1: a mistake, and therefore he did not esteem any one
1:00:44
Speaker 1: more valuable because of his riches, honors, and parentage, et cetera.
1:00:49
Speaker 1: Thus seventeen, Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he
1:00:52
Speaker 1: is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
1:00:56
Speaker 1: all things are become new. Answer three, showing need the
1:01:00
Speaker 1: beauty of the faithful engrafted into Christ to be this
1:01:03
Speaker 1: that as new creatures, they should labor for the newness
1:01:05
Speaker 1: of a right judgment and an holy life, and that
1:01:09
Speaker 1: these worldly things should not be so highly esteemed. He
1:01:12
Speaker 1: proves from Isaiah sixty five or seventeen, where God promiseth
1:01:16
Speaker 1: an abolition of old things, and that he will make
1:01:19
Speaker 1: a new heaven and new oath. I e. All things
1:01:22
Speaker 1: new under the Kingdom of Christ. Whence it follows that
1:01:25
Speaker 1: those things only are to be had in estimation amongst
1:01:27
Speaker 1: Christians which reach to a new creature or regeneration. For
1:01:32
Speaker 1: all things are made new to those that are renewed
1:01:34
Speaker 1: when they are reconciled to God. That have all creatures
1:01:37
Speaker 1: as it were reconciled to them, and now they use
1:01:40
Speaker 1: them after a new manner for the glory of God
1:01:42
Speaker 1: and their own salvation. Setting a price upon everything according
1:01:46
Speaker 1: as it makes or not makes for the promoting of
1:01:48
Speaker 1: the Kingdom of God in themselves and others. Thus eighteen
1:01:53
Speaker 1: and all things are of God, who hath reconciled us
1:01:55
Speaker 1: to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given unto us
1:01:58
Speaker 1: the ministry of reconciliation. The fifth impellent cause to faithfulness
1:02:03
Speaker 1: in his ministry is the grace and goodness of God
1:02:05
Speaker 1: towards him, which cause, returning to his purpose and looking
1:02:09
Speaker 1: up to God, he asserts the author of the new creature,
1:02:12
Speaker 1: whereof he had even now spoken, and of all graces,
1:02:16
Speaker 1: because the grace of God towards him had brought to
1:02:18
Speaker 1: him a double privilege to wit, reconciliation by Christ, and
1:02:22
Speaker 1: a ministerial office for the reconciliation of others. From hence
1:02:27
Speaker 1: he acknowledges a twofold obligation for his faithfulness in the ministry.
1:02:31
Speaker 1: Why therefore should not he approve himself faithful Verse nineteen
1:02:35
Speaker 1: to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world
1:02:38
Speaker 1: unto himself, not imputing their trespassers unto them, and hath
1:02:42
Speaker 1: committed unto us the word of reconciliation. The sixth impellent
1:02:47
Speaker 1: cause is the excellency of preaching, of which he propounds
1:02:49
Speaker 1: a short collection, wherein one, the Father, who by reason
1:02:53
Speaker 1: of sin was removed far from us, declares himself to
1:02:55
Speaker 1: come nearer unto us in Christ, who is the true
1:02:58
Speaker 1: Immanuel God with us. Two, the Father, reconciled, as for
1:03:02
Speaker 1: his part, declares himself to do that in Christ for
1:03:05
Speaker 1: the elect world, that they beholding their enmities betwixt themselves
1:03:09
Speaker 1: and God, as for their part may come again into
1:03:12
Speaker 1: favor and be reconciled with God through Christ. Three, The
1:03:16
Speaker 1: means is shown by which men may be reconciled to God, viz.
1:03:19
Speaker 1: By remission or a not imputing of sins, which God
1:03:22
Speaker 1: most graciously doth offer for the instrument of applying the
1:03:26
Speaker 1: grace of reconciliation obtained by Christ is shown viz. The
1:03:30
Speaker 1: Word of reconciliation committed to the apostles and to the
1:03:33
Speaker 1: other ministers, in which so excellent and so necessary a ministry,
1:03:38
Speaker 1: he could not be but faithful when he said those
1:03:40
Speaker 1: things before him Verse twenty. Now, then we are ambassadors
1:03:45
Speaker 1: for Christ. As though God did beseech you by us,
1:03:48
Speaker 1: we pray you, in Christ's stead, be reconciled to God.
1:03:53
Speaker 1: The seventh impellent cause to faithfulness is the excellency of
1:03:56
Speaker 1: the person which he represents, which cause he propounds, and
1:03:59
Speaker 1: together with the whule precedent doctrine he makes use of,
1:04:02
Speaker 1: by which very thing, showing the endeavour of his faithfulness.
1:04:06
Speaker 1: To this end he importunes all and diligently ourges all
1:04:09
Speaker 1: with his authority as an ambassador and also submissively and lovingly,
1:04:13
Speaker 1: as bearing the image of God, that everyone would more
1:04:16
Speaker 1: heartily accept the reconciliation offered of God, that the remainders
1:04:19
Speaker 1: of enmity, being taken away, which unbelief cherisheth within all,
1:04:24
Speaker 1: may become the same spirit with God Verse twenty one.
1:04:28
Speaker 1: For He hath made him to be sin for us,
1:04:30
Speaker 1: who knew no sin, that we might be made the
1:04:32
Speaker 1: righteousness of God in him. Lastly, that he may persuade
1:04:37
Speaker 1: to the obedience of faith and to the receiving of
1:04:39
Speaker 1: a fuller measure of reconciliation. He showeth that an open
1:04:43
Speaker 1: and expedient way to reconciliation is because Christ, the innocent
1:04:47
Speaker 1: mediator and pure from sin, by his consent and agreement
1:04:50
Speaker 1: with the Father in a judicial manner, is accounted guilty
1:04:53
Speaker 1: of our sin. YEA, Truly, he was made an expiatory
1:04:56
Speaker 1: sacrifice for our sin, expressly for that end. We believing
1:05:00
Speaker 1: in Christ, may be made partakers of Christ's righteousness judicially
1:05:04
Speaker 1: by imputation, and so may be made perfectly righteous, and
1:05:08
Speaker 1: as it were, by that righteousness which chiefly pleases God.
1:05:11
Speaker 1: Through this excellent and divine way of reconciliation, which the
1:05:14
Speaker 1: wisdom of God hath invented, and grace hath made ours.
1:05:19
Speaker 1: But he adds this in him that we might necessarily
1:05:22
Speaker 1: understand that we are engrafted into Christ by faith, by
1:05:26
Speaker 1: which this righteousness may be ours, Because from our conjunction
1:05:29
Speaker 1: with Christ by faith follows our judicial union with Christ.
1:05:33
Speaker 1: From this union, imputation is made of the obedience and
1:05:35
Speaker 1: righteousness of Christ to us, and at length the application
1:05:39
Speaker 1: of all His gifts, even to perfect felicity, which, being considered,
1:05:43
Speaker 1: what can be said more efficaciously to stir all of
1:05:46
Speaker 1: us up, that our enmities being acknowledged, and our necessities,
1:05:50
Speaker 1: we may embrace reconciliation offered in Christ. The sum therefore
1:05:54
Speaker 1: of these three verses is that the Apostle, when he
1:05:57
Speaker 1: had weighed the dispensation of man's redemption and the reason
1:06:00
Speaker 1: of bringing the elect to reconciliation and salvation, he could
1:06:03
Speaker 1: not but employ himself strongly and faithfully in his ministry.
1:06:07
Speaker 1: For when he knew by the covenant concerning the redemption
1:06:10
Speaker 1: of the elect between God and his Son, the second
1:06:13
Speaker 1: person of the Trinity invested with the office of a
1:06:15
Speaker 1: mediator and a surety. God being so abundantly satisfied, He
1:06:19
Speaker 1: now becomes gracious to the world of the redeemed or elect,
1:06:23
Speaker 1: concurring with Christ, the mediator for the applying of reconciliation
1:06:26
Speaker 1: obtained for all the redeemed, and he importunes them by
1:06:29
Speaker 1: Christ and by the servants of Christ, the ministers of
1:06:32
Speaker 1: the Gospel, no less seriously than the Redeemer himself, and
1:06:36
Speaker 1: praise them that now he himself being reconciled, they would
1:06:39
Speaker 1: be reconciled. When I say, the apostle knew these things,
1:06:42
Speaker 1: and that there was a charge committed to him that
1:06:45
Speaker 1: he should promote this reconciliation. What wonder then, if he
1:06:48
Speaker 1: earnestly strived that men might be turned to God, and
1:06:51
Speaker 1: when he knew that by covenant Christ had took upon
1:06:55
Speaker 1: himself all the sins of all the redeemed, it was
1:06:57
Speaker 1: made a propitiatory sacrifice for the expiating of their sins
1:07:00
Speaker 1: imputed to him. Under this condition that he redeemed, such
1:07:04
Speaker 1: all the faithful show themselves to be clothed with the
1:07:07
Speaker 1: righteousness of God, or the righteousness of Christ should be
1:07:10
Speaker 1: accounted most righteous in the mind of God, and at
1:07:12
Speaker 1: length should be fully renewed by the Holy Spirit. What
1:07:15
Speaker 1: wonder then if he confidently and constantly prosecuted the business
1:07:19
Speaker 1: of reconciliation and showed himself faithful in executing his ministry.
1:07:25
Speaker 1: End of Chapter five. Chapter six of the Second Epistle
1:07:33
Speaker 1: of Paul to the Corinthians, analytically expounded by David Dixon,
1:07:37
Speaker 1: translated by William Ratchford. This LibriVox recording is in the
1:07:41
Speaker 1: public domain. Chapter six that as yet further, he may
1:07:46
Speaker 1: commend the exercise of his ministry more fully to the
1:07:49
Speaker 1: consciences of the Corinthians, putting before their eyes a minister
1:07:52
Speaker 1: faithful in work and example. He draws a threefold exhortation
1:07:56
Speaker 1: from the premises that they may bring forth the fruit
1:07:59
Speaker 1: of his ministry. There are three parts of the chapter,
1:08:03
Speaker 1: of which the first is an exhortation seriously to receive
1:08:06
Speaker 1: the grace offered by him di verse eleven. The second
1:08:09
Speaker 1: is an exhortation to receive him for the apostle of
1:08:11
Speaker 1: Christ to verse fourteen, and the third is in exhortation
1:08:15
Speaker 1: to shun the contagion of idolatry to the end verse one. We, then,
1:08:19
Speaker 1: as workers together with him, beseech you also that he
1:08:22
Speaker 1: received not the grace of God in vain. The first
1:08:25
Speaker 1: exhortation is that they would receive the grace of reconciliation
1:08:29
Speaker 1: more seriously and with fruit, and suffer not the grace
1:08:32
Speaker 1: of God offered in the Gospel by their fault to
1:08:35
Speaker 1: want its full fruit in them, that they may obtain righteousness, peace, life,
1:08:39
Speaker 1: and all things which Christ hath obtained for them. The
1:08:42
Speaker 1: proposition he urges is this he ought not to receive
1:08:46
Speaker 1: the grace of God in vain, i e. In outward profession,
1:08:49
Speaker 1: only without its internal virtue. This he proves by three arguments.
1:08:54
Speaker 1: Argument I, we ministers of God, being co workers, that
1:08:58
Speaker 1: His work may be promoted in you, granted from Him
1:09:01
Speaker 1: to you by free gift, promising our endeavor for the
1:09:04
Speaker 1: promoting of your salvation earnestly desired that of you. Therefore,
1:09:08
Speaker 1: he ought not to receive the grace of God in vain.
1:09:11
Speaker 1: Verse two. For he saith, I have heard THEE in
1:09:14
Speaker 1: a time accepted, and in a day of salvation, have
1:09:17
Speaker 1: I succored THEE. Behold now is the accepted time. Behold
1:09:20
Speaker 1: now is the day of salvation. Argument two in a parenthesis,
1:09:25
Speaker 1: because now the time is acceptable, in which, by the
1:09:28
Speaker 1: intercession of Christ, the grace of God is efficacious to thee,
1:09:31
Speaker 1: producing a fruit in all those that receive the Gospel
1:09:34
Speaker 1: with serious affection of heart and desire to bring forth fruit,
1:09:37
Speaker 1: which he proves out of Isaiah forty nine, verse eight,
1:09:40
Speaker 1: where the Father speaketh to the Mediator, interceding for them,
1:09:43
Speaker 1: and by his spirit breathing in them. Therefore he must
1:09:46
Speaker 1: beware lest this opportunity of grace be in vain offered
1:09:49
Speaker 1: to you. Use three, giving no offense in any thing,
1:09:53
Speaker 1: that the ministry be not blamed. Argument three joined with
1:09:57
Speaker 1: the first verse, We ministers, which exuls you and I
1:10:01
Speaker 1: by name Paul. We are approved by all manner of ways,
1:10:04
Speaker 1: and we are found faithful in the ministry of the Gospel,
1:10:07
Speaker 1: not hindering you, but that ye may profit by our ministry.
1:10:11
Speaker 1: That so ye may pretend nothing, but that ye may
1:10:14
Speaker 1: persevere in the grace of the Gospel. Therefore ye ought
1:10:17
Speaker 1: not to receive the grace of the Gospel in vain,
1:10:19
Speaker 1: but to contend for the receiving of and expressing the
1:10:22
Speaker 1: virtue of the Gospel. He confirms the antecedent by an
1:10:26
Speaker 1: induction of the virtues which prove ministers faithful, with which
1:10:29
Speaker 1: he was first of all by the grace of God adorned.
1:10:32
Speaker 1: There are five parts of the induction. In the first
1:10:35
Speaker 1: party removes from himself those vices whereby idle teachers were
1:10:39
Speaker 1: wont to create offenses to the Gospel, demolishing more by
1:10:42
Speaker 1: their manners in the edifice of God than by their doctrine,
1:10:45
Speaker 1: they edify, and yielding occasion to the wicked of speaking,
1:10:49
Speaker 1: ill of his ministry or of the office of ministers
1:10:53
Speaker 1: verse four. But in all things, approving ourselves as the
1:10:56
Speaker 1: ministers of God, in much patience, in affliction, in the necessities,
1:11:00
Speaker 1: in distresses verse five, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults,
1:11:04
Speaker 1: in labors, in watchings, in fastings. In the second part
1:11:09
Speaker 1: he recites diverse kinds of virtues with which his ministry
1:11:12
Speaker 1: is adorned, But namely he mentions his patience exercised in
1:11:16
Speaker 1: nine kinds of evils, in all which, without murmuring, he
1:11:20
Speaker 1: patiently executed the officers of his ministry. For he strongly
1:11:24
Speaker 1: endured the troubles of his journeys with want and dangers,
1:11:27
Speaker 1: the snares of his persecutors, prison and tumults stirred up
1:11:30
Speaker 1: against him, And in preaching his labor, watchings, fastings, neither
1:11:35
Speaker 1: did he wax faint in the work of the Lord
1:11:38
Speaker 1: verse six, by puereness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness,
1:11:41
Speaker 1: by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned. In the third
1:11:45
Speaker 1: part he adds other six virtues of his patients, of
1:11:49
Speaker 1: which the first is his freedom from the pollutions of
1:11:51
Speaker 1: the world, whilst he convulsed amongst those of the world. Two,
1:11:56
Speaker 1: his discretion in handling his auditors, three orbearans in provocations,
1:12:01
Speaker 1: for his gentleness in his commerce with more difficult things.
1:12:05
Speaker 1: Five his spiritual disposition in all things. Six his sincere
1:12:09
Speaker 1: love towards all verse seven, by the word of Truth,
1:12:13
Speaker 1: by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness
1:12:16
Speaker 1: on the right hand and on the left. In the
1:12:18
Speaker 1: fourth part, he reckons the virtues which did belong to
1:12:21
Speaker 1: the discharge of his duty. One he preached nothing besides
1:12:25
Speaker 1: the truth of God. Two he demonstrated the power of
1:12:28
Speaker 1: their spirit in his speech. Three he contended against all
1:12:32
Speaker 1: his enemies with spiritual weapons are ye with lawful means
1:12:35
Speaker 1: on the right hand, in prosperity, on the left hand
1:12:38
Speaker 1: in adversity, And in every change and vicissitude of things.
1:12:41
Speaker 1: He did remain constant, lest he should either by enticements,
1:12:44
Speaker 1: or by terrors, turn out of the right way Verse eight,
1:12:48
Speaker 1: by honor and dishonor by evil report and good report,
1:12:51
Speaker 1: as deceivers and yet true Verse nine, as unknown and
1:12:55
Speaker 1: yet well known, as dying, and behold we live as
1:12:59
Speaker 1: chastened and not killed. Those ten as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing,
1:13:03
Speaker 1: as poor, yet making many rich, as having nothing, yet
1:13:06
Speaker 1: possessing all things. In the first part he boasts that
1:13:10
Speaker 1: he hath always continued in a right way, whether ignominy
1:13:14
Speaker 1: or infamy, whether glory or fame followed. For when he
1:13:18
Speaker 1: was counted as an impostor, he declared himself one that
1:13:20
Speaker 1: spake truth. When he was accounted as ignoble and contemptible,
1:13:24
Speaker 1: he did manifest himself by his deeds, that they who
1:13:28
Speaker 1: had eyes might acknowledge him to be the servant of
1:13:30
Speaker 1: the most high guard. He seemed even as dead, and
1:13:33
Speaker 1: in the midst of death he triumphed, notwithstanding that he
1:13:36
Speaker 1: performed his duty, as being alive, yet chastened with many stripes.
1:13:41
Speaker 1: Even to death. He was kept by God lest he
1:13:43
Speaker 1: should die by reason of those evils which pressed him.
1:13:46
Speaker 1: Sometimes under a pretense he was sad, but by the
1:13:49
Speaker 1: spirit in God, he did always rejoice. He was counted poor,
1:13:53
Speaker 1: but through the Gospel, by the manifold love of God,
1:13:56
Speaker 1: he did enrich many, not only by showing the manner
1:13:58
Speaker 1: of contemptation in the Gosps, but also instructing men to
1:14:01
Speaker 1: virtue and piety, which is profitable for all things. He
1:14:05
Speaker 1: wanted possessions and revenues, and yet contented with his lot.
1:14:08
Speaker 1: He did rejoice as much as was fitting in the
1:14:10
Speaker 1: use of all things. The second part verse eleven, Oh
1:14:15
Speaker 1: ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart
1:14:18
Speaker 1: is enlarged. The second part of the chapter follows, in
1:14:21
Speaker 1: which the second exhortation of Pull to the Corinthians is
1:14:24
Speaker 1: that they would love again that apostle viz. Of Christ,
1:14:27
Speaker 1: who had undergone so many labours in the ministry for
1:14:30
Speaker 1: their good. To this exhortation he promises five arguments. Argument
1:14:35
Speaker 1: one plainly and ingenuously, that I may use liberty of
1:14:38
Speaker 1: speech with friends most freely, with an heart enlarged, and
1:14:41
Speaker 1: with an open mouth, publishing what good will inwardly I
1:14:44
Speaker 1: have towards you. Why therefore do ye not require me
1:14:47
Speaker 1: in like manner? Verse twelve, Ye are not straightened in us,
1:14:52
Speaker 1: but ye are straightened in your own bowels. Verse thirteen.
1:14:56
Speaker 1: Now for a recompense and the same I speak as
1:14:58
Speaker 1: unto my children, be ye also enlarged. Argument two. There
1:15:03
Speaker 1: is nothing in me why you should not apprehend my love.
1:15:06
Speaker 1: But through the straitness of your own hearts, who do
1:15:08
Speaker 1: not believe that thy good will is so great towards you,
1:15:12
Speaker 1: ye are not straitened. Argument three. Ye are bound to
1:15:15
Speaker 1: love me again, who so exceedingly love you. Therefore, as
1:15:19
Speaker 1: out of equity, requite me by loving me and persuading
1:15:21
Speaker 1: yourselves that ye are beloved of me as unto dear children.
1:15:26
Speaker 1: Argument four. I am your father, and you my sons. Therefore,
1:15:29
Speaker 1: as my sons, love me as your father. For a recompense,
1:15:33
Speaker 1: Argument five, Now I require a debt from you. Therefore
1:15:37
Speaker 1: be ye enlarged. I ye admit ye with an enlarged heart,
1:15:40
Speaker 1: the persuasion of my lovingness and my parental admonitions, proceeding
1:15:44
Speaker 1: out of lovingness, and likewise love ye me again the
1:15:49
Speaker 1: third part Verse fourteen, be ye not unequally yoked together
1:15:53
Speaker 1: with unbelievers, For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, and
1:15:57
Speaker 1: what communion hath light with darkness? Thus fifteen, and what
1:16:01
Speaker 1: concord hath Christ with belial or what part hath he
1:16:04
Speaker 1: that believeth with an infidel? The third exhortation that they
1:16:09
Speaker 1: abstain from all unlawful society with unbelievers, by whom they
1:16:12
Speaker 1: may be hindered, lest they should serve God or be
1:16:15
Speaker 1: alienated from the true religion, or any ways polluted of
1:16:19
Speaker 1: this kind of society is matrimony by which men easily
1:16:22
Speaker 1: or women may be wrapped in a consent to wickedness
1:16:25
Speaker 1: by idolators. Because of all kinds of society, this is
1:16:28
Speaker 1: nearest that which he seems to attacks. First of all
1:16:32
Speaker 1: is the society or communion of the faithful Corinthians with
1:16:35
Speaker 1: their unbelieving companions in external idolatry, wherewith they polluted themselves
1:16:40
Speaker 1: eating together with those idolatrious sacrifices in the Idol's temple,
1:16:44
Speaker 1: as it appears in the Former Epistle chapter eight, in
1:16:46
Speaker 1: which idolatry or in any other sin he forbids to
1:16:51
Speaker 1: draw with them in the same yoke of impiety. The
1:16:54
Speaker 1: arguments of the exhortation are four. For what argument one
1:16:59
Speaker 1: your condition and profession of Christians on the one part,
1:17:01
Speaker 1: and the sins of idolatry, which are openly professed. On
1:17:04
Speaker 1: the other part, they are no less opposed by one
1:17:06
Speaker 1: another than righteousness and iniquity, light and darkness, Christ and
1:17:10
Speaker 1: the devil, Faith and infidelity, the Temple of God and idols,
1:17:15
Speaker 1: amongst which there can be no communion. Therefore no communion
1:17:18
Speaker 1: with you Christians, or to be with unbelievers in idolatry,
1:17:22
Speaker 1: or in any other sins which unbelievers openly profess, or
1:17:25
Speaker 1: in any other necessity out of which may arise an
1:17:27
Speaker 1: insuperable danger of communicating with their sins. He did not
1:17:31
Speaker 1: forbid them to inhabit in the same city with them,
1:17:34
Speaker 1: neither to negotiate or eat meat if they should be
1:17:37
Speaker 1: invited to dinner or supper Verse sixteen. And what agreement
1:17:42
Speaker 1: hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are
1:17:45
Speaker 1: the temple of the Living God, as God hath said,
1:17:47
Speaker 1: I will dwell in them and walk in them, and
1:17:50
Speaker 1: I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
1:17:53
Speaker 1: Argument too, ye are the holy Temple of God, which
1:17:56
Speaker 1: he proveth by the testimony of Moses Leftigus twenty six Versts.
1:18:00
Speaker 1: Twelve and Ezekiel thirty seven. Verse twenty seven. Therefore, it
1:18:03
Speaker 1: is not lawful for you to pollude yourselves by society
1:18:06
Speaker 1: with unbelievers, chiefly in that in which are the temple
1:18:09
Speaker 1: of idols professedly verse seventeen. Wherefore, come out from among them,
1:18:13
Speaker 1: and be ye separate, Saith the Lord, and touch not
1:18:16
Speaker 1: the unclean thing. And I will receive you use eighteen,
1:18:20
Speaker 1: and will be a father unto you, and ye shall
1:18:22
Speaker 1: be my sons and daughters, Saith the Lord almighty. Argument three.
1:18:27
Speaker 1: God commandeth you to separate from idolators at the pollutions
1:18:30
Speaker 1: of the world, and not to touch them. Therefore you
1:18:32
Speaker 1: ought to beware of them. I will receive argument four
1:18:36
Speaker 1: from the promises which God hath made to those who
1:18:39
Speaker 1: keep themselves pure from the defilements of the world, nor
1:18:42
Speaker 1: participate with other men's sins. God will be a father
1:18:45
Speaker 1: to them. I ye, in a recompense of all hurt
1:18:47
Speaker 1: and full consolation against all evils which they, looking to themselves,
1:18:52
Speaker 1: may suffer from other men's sins. God will communicate himself
1:18:55
Speaker 1: to them, and will manifest his paternal affection towards them.
1:18:58
Speaker 1: Really end of chapter six Chapter seven of the Second
1:19:08
Speaker 1: Epistle of pulled to the Corinthians analytically expounded by David Dixon.
1:19:12
Speaker 1: This LIBRIVANX recording is in the public domain. Chapter seven,
1:19:17
Speaker 1: verse one, having therefore these promises, Dearly beloved, let us
1:19:21
Speaker 1: cleanse ourselves from all fildiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting
1:19:24
Speaker 1: holiness in the fear of God. The first verse of
1:19:28
Speaker 1: this chapter belongs to the precedent chapter, wherein from the
1:19:31
Speaker 1: former promises he draws an exhortation that they do not
1:19:34
Speaker 1: only beware of idolatry and its outward appearance, but also
1:19:37
Speaker 1: from all defilements of spirit and body. I y from
1:19:41
Speaker 1: sins which either pollute the soul within or defile the
1:19:43
Speaker 1: soul and the body also and endeavors the perfecting of
1:19:47
Speaker 1: holiness going forward and proceeding in the fear of God,
1:19:50
Speaker 1: using one argument for all the promises forespoken of made
1:19:54
Speaker 1: to you by God to justly require that from you.
1:19:57
Speaker 1: Therefore apply yourselves diligently to these duties. Thus two receive us.
1:20:03
Speaker 1: We have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man,
1:20:05
Speaker 1: We have defrauded no man. In the rest of the chapter,
1:20:08
Speaker 1: he endeavors to oblige the hearts of the Corinthians to him.
1:20:11
Speaker 1: The signs of his love towards them being produced in
1:20:14
Speaker 1: the unfolding of which he insists to the end. The
1:20:17
Speaker 1: proposition is clearly propounded, which is to be confirmed. O Corinthians,
1:20:22
Speaker 1: ye ought to receive us, Are ye to be persuaded
1:20:25
Speaker 1: of my love towards you? Ye ought to love me again,
1:20:27
Speaker 1: and to lay up my exhortations in your enlarged hearts.
1:20:31
Speaker 1: Three arguments are taken from the three signs of the
1:20:33
Speaker 1: apostles good will towards them no man argument one that
1:20:38
Speaker 1: they should receive the apostle and the first sign of
1:20:41
Speaker 1: his little ill towards them, because I do not ill
1:20:44
Speaker 1: deserve of any one, either by bringing reproach, or corrupting
1:20:47
Speaker 1: by perverse doctrine, or defrauding any one by any means.
1:20:51
Speaker 1: Verse three. I speak not this to condemn you, for
1:20:54
Speaker 1: I have said before that you are in our hearts
1:20:57
Speaker 1: to die and live with you arment and two sign two.
1:21:02
Speaker 1: Because when I speak of the things foregoing, it was
1:21:04
Speaker 1: only for the clearing of myself. I am so far
1:21:07
Speaker 1: from condemning the Church of the believing Corinthians, that out
1:21:10
Speaker 1: of love I have determined the contrary to cleave to
1:21:13
Speaker 1: you in prosperity and adversity in life and death, that
1:21:16
Speaker 1: no change at any time may draw my affection from you.
1:21:20
Speaker 1: Verse four. Great is my boldness of speech towards you.
1:21:23
Speaker 1: Great is my glorying of you. I am filled with comfort.
1:21:26
Speaker 1: I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. Argument three.
1:21:30
Speaker 1: Sign three. Because news being received concerning your repentance, my
1:21:33
Speaker 1: heart so rejoiceth in the midst of afflictions, that I
1:21:37
Speaker 1: dare safely speak the confidence of my mind towards you
1:21:40
Speaker 1: concerning your perseverance and glory of you, amongst others. Verse five.
1:21:46
Speaker 1: For when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had
1:21:48
Speaker 1: no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Without
1:21:51
Speaker 1: were fightings, within were fears. Verse six. Nevertheless, God that
1:21:55
Speaker 1: comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the
1:21:58
Speaker 1: coming of Titus. He being about to explain the experiment
1:22:02
Speaker 1: of his good will towards them, propounds his afflictions. Wherewith
1:22:06
Speaker 1: he was pressed in Macedonia, whilst he expected news from them.
1:22:09
Speaker 1: He was oppressed partly by persecution of the enemies, partly
1:22:12
Speaker 1: by the intestine evils of the church, partly by the
1:22:15
Speaker 1: anxiety of his mind, and also with the troubles of
1:22:18
Speaker 1: his body, that there was no rest to his outward
1:22:21
Speaker 1: man against all which troubles. By mercy of God, consolation
1:22:25
Speaker 1: was sufficiently administered to him by the coming of Titus,
1:22:28
Speaker 1: who had now returned from the Corinthians and brought joyful
1:22:31
Speaker 1: news concerning their state. Thus seven, and not by his
1:22:35
Speaker 1: coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted
1:22:38
Speaker 1: in you when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning,
1:22:41
Speaker 1: your fervent mind towards me, so that I rejoiced them
1:22:44
Speaker 1: more the apostle reckoneth eight causes of his joyfulness, whereof
1:22:49
Speaker 1: many were signs of his good will towards them. One
1:22:52
Speaker 1: because Titus was returned safe. Two because Titus had received
1:22:56
Speaker 1: consolation from you Corinthians. Three because I had heard by
1:23:00
Speaker 1: Titus concerning your pass affection towards me and desire of
1:23:03
Speaker 1: seeing me, concerning your weeping for the wickedness committed amongst you,
1:23:07
Speaker 1: concerning your zeal against the incestuous person and against my backbiters.
1:23:11
Speaker 1: From whence hath abounded joy to me, much surpassing all
1:23:14
Speaker 1: that grief which I have taken for that matter. Verse eight.
1:23:17
Speaker 1: For though I made you sorry, with a letter, I
1:23:20
Speaker 1: do not repent, though I did repent, for I perceive
1:23:23
Speaker 1: that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it
1:23:25
Speaker 1: were but for a season. Before he propounds the fourth
1:23:28
Speaker 1: cause of his consolation, he solves an objection, which solution
1:23:32
Speaker 1: did make much to the purpose. They might say, thou
1:23:35
Speaker 1: hast made a sorrowful in the former epistle. The answer
1:23:38
Speaker 1: is fourfold. Answer one, I was compelled, and not without grief.
1:23:42
Speaker 1: Have I made you sad? But this grief, through your
1:23:45
Speaker 1: repentance hath ceased. For when the apostle writ the epistle,
1:23:48
Speaker 1: being uncertain concerning the event, he was sad. I E
1:23:51
Speaker 1: that he saith that he himself repented, But when he
1:23:55
Speaker 1: saw the event, he was freed from grief. I E.
1:23:57
Speaker 1: Now he says he did not repent. Answer two, that sadness,
1:24:02
Speaker 1: which was moved by my epistle was short. Verse nine.
1:24:06
Speaker 1: Now I rejoice not that you were made sorry, but
1:24:09
Speaker 1: that ye sorrowed to repentance, For ye were made sorry
1:24:12
Speaker 1: after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by
1:24:15
Speaker 1: us in nothing. Verse ten. For godly sorrow worketh repentance
1:24:18
Speaker 1: to salvation, not to be repented of, but the sorrow
1:24:21
Speaker 1: of the world worketh death. He answers three, that sadness
1:24:26
Speaker 1: is turned into joy, both to you and me, because
1:24:29
Speaker 1: it is found now good and profitable to repentance, which
1:24:32
Speaker 1: he proves because it brought forth repentance, not to be
1:24:34
Speaker 1: repented of. Otherwise than worldly sorrow is want, which only
1:24:38
Speaker 1: increaseth sin and misery, and bringeth death as well to
1:24:41
Speaker 1: the soul as to the body. Verse eleven. For behold
1:24:45
Speaker 1: this self, same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort.
1:24:48
Speaker 1: What carefulness it wrought in you? Yea? What clearing of
1:24:52
Speaker 1: yourselves yea? What indignation yea? What fear yea? What vehement
1:24:56
Speaker 1: desire yea? What zeal yea? What revenge? In all things
1:24:59
Speaker 1: ye have a proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
1:25:03
Speaker 1: He proveth that their sadness was after God or pious,
1:25:06
Speaker 1: because it produced seven effects in them, even so many
1:25:09
Speaker 1: signs of their repentance, whereof the first was the shaking
1:25:12
Speaker 1: of security with a carefulness to mend what was amiss.
1:25:16
Speaker 1: Two is an apology that now by no means they
1:25:19
Speaker 1: approve either the fact of the incestuous person or their
1:25:21
Speaker 1: own negligence. Three is an indignation against the sin, both
1:25:25
Speaker 1: of the incestuous person and their own in suffering him.
1:25:28
Speaker 1: Four is a fear lest they should be compassed with
1:25:31
Speaker 1: divine justice or a new sin. Five is a desire
1:25:34
Speaker 1: taking off the scandal and satisfying all good men. Six
1:25:38
Speaker 1: his zeal and fervent desire in prosecuting all means for
1:25:41
Speaker 1: the removing of evil and repairing of their damage. Seven
1:25:45
Speaker 1: is his revenge in chastising the incestuous person and all
1:25:48
Speaker 1: their dullness, in all which the Corinthians had declared their
1:25:51
Speaker 1: repentance and had showed themselves no ways delighted with wickedness,
1:25:55
Speaker 1: but that they were clear verse twelve. Wherefore, though I
1:25:59
Speaker 1: wrote under you, I did it not for his cause
1:26:02
Speaker 1: that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that
1:26:04
Speaker 1: suffered wrong, but that I'll care for you in the
1:26:07
Speaker 1: sight of God might appear unto you. The fourth answer
1:26:11
Speaker 1: to the objection is I have not written that epistle
1:26:14
Speaker 1: either only or chiefly, that in chastising of the incestuous person,
1:26:17
Speaker 1: satisfaction might be given to the father with whose wife
1:26:21
Speaker 1: the son had committed adultery, or that the incestuous person
1:26:24
Speaker 1: might be corrected, which truly was not to be neglected.
1:26:27
Speaker 1: But especially for this end, that my fatherly care towards you,
1:26:30
Speaker 1: our Corinthians, might appear to all sincere and approved in
1:26:33
Speaker 1: the sight of God verse thirteen. Therefore we were comforted
1:26:37
Speaker 1: in your comfort, yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we
1:26:40
Speaker 1: for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed
1:26:42
Speaker 1: by you, all the objection being solved. He adds the
1:26:46
Speaker 1: fourth cause of his consolation. I understand, says he, that
1:26:50
Speaker 1: ye have taken in good part my reproof, and now
1:26:52
Speaker 1: have received consolation of Titus. The fifth cause of his consolation,
1:26:58
Speaker 1: because all ye have endeavored to refresh the spirit of
1:27:00
Speaker 1: Titus verse fourteen. For if I have boasted anything to
1:27:04
Speaker 1: him of you, I am not ashamed. But as we
1:27:07
Speaker 1: speak all things to you in truth. Even so our
1:27:09
Speaker 1: boasting which I made before Titus is found a truth.
1:27:13
Speaker 1: The sixth cause that you would prove in very deed
1:27:16
Speaker 1: that which I boasting of you confidently foretold the Titus.
1:27:20
Speaker 1: Thus fifteen, and his inward affection is more abundantly towards you,
1:27:23
Speaker 1: whilst he remembereth the obedience of you. All how with
1:27:26
Speaker 1: fear and trembling ye received him. The seventh cause, because
1:27:31
Speaker 1: you have engaged to you by your respects and goodness
1:27:35
Speaker 1: the mind of Titus, which you may esteem as great gain.
1:27:38
Speaker 1: For they reverenced Titus as an evangelist and a servant
1:27:42
Speaker 1: of God sent to them extraordinarily, and so they had
1:27:45
Speaker 1: reconciled the mind of Titus to themselves. For sixteen. I
1:27:49
Speaker 1: rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.
1:27:53
Speaker 1: The eighth cause of consolation that I, being encouraged by
1:27:56
Speaker 1: this experience for the future, I may dare to promise
1:27:59
Speaker 1: the best things whatsoever of you, all, both to myself
1:28:02
Speaker 1: and others. End of Chapter seven. Chapter eight of the
1:28:13
Speaker 1: Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, analytically expounded by
1:28:16
Speaker 1: David Dixon, translated by William Ratchford. This LIBRIVANX recording is
1:28:22
Speaker 1: in the public domain. Chapter eight, the second part of
1:28:26
Speaker 1: the epistle, wherein the Corinthians, being confirmed touching his love
1:28:29
Speaker 1: towards them, doth exhort them to the giving of alms
1:28:32
Speaker 1: with a cheerful mind, to the use of the poor Jews.
1:28:36
Speaker 1: For this end, there are thirteen arguments used in this chapter,
1:28:39
Speaker 1: to which he adds more in the chapter following verse one. Moreover, brethren,
1:28:45
Speaker 1: we do you to wit of the grace of God
1:28:47
Speaker 1: bestowed on the churches of Macedonia. Argument one, from the
1:28:52
Speaker 1: example of the Macedonians. The churches of Macedonia have contributed,
1:28:56
Speaker 1: and therefore do ye the same thing, whose liberality he
1:28:59
Speaker 1: can mens by nine reasons grace. The first reason because
1:29:05
Speaker 1: it was the gift of God's grace that they contributed
1:29:07
Speaker 1: anything for the use of the poor Jews. Verse two,
1:29:11
Speaker 1: how that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance
1:29:14
Speaker 1: of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the
1:29:16
Speaker 1: riches of liberality. Reason two because alms was given by
1:29:20
Speaker 1: them in that time when they were tried with heavy
1:29:22
Speaker 1: afflictions joy. Reason three because they contributed with joy deep.
1:29:29
Speaker 1: Reason four because in poverty they were liberal. Verse three
1:29:33
Speaker 1: four to their power I bear record yea. And beyond
1:29:36
Speaker 1: their power they were willing of themselves. Reason five because
1:29:40
Speaker 1: they were willing to give more bountifully than they were
1:29:42
Speaker 1: able us four, praying us with much entreaty, that we
1:29:48
Speaker 1: would receive the gift and take upon us the fellowship
1:29:50
Speaker 1: of the ministering to the saints. Reason six because they
1:29:54
Speaker 1: offered freely, not provoked by others examples, but rather were
1:29:58
Speaker 1: leaders to others, lest they should be wanting in this
1:30:01
Speaker 1: duty of charity with entreaty. Reason seven, because they were
1:30:06
Speaker 1: instant in prayers that what they gave might be received fellowship.
1:30:10
Speaker 1: Reason eight. Because they did entreat the Apostle, that he,
1:30:13
Speaker 1: together with others, would take upon them the charge of
1:30:16
Speaker 1: gathering and dispensing that which they and others were about
1:30:19
Speaker 1: to give verse five. And this they did not, as
1:30:23
Speaker 1: we hoped. But first they gave their own selves to
1:30:26
Speaker 1: the Lord and unto us, by the will of God.
1:30:30
Speaker 1: Reason nine, because beyond the apostles expectation, they consecrated themselves
1:30:35
Speaker 1: and all theirs to God, and did commit themselves to
1:30:38
Speaker 1: the Apostle, that they might be ruled by him in
1:30:41
Speaker 1: all things according to the will of God. For six,
1:30:44
Speaker 1: in so much that we desired Titus that as he
1:30:47
Speaker 1: had begun, so he would also finish in you the
1:30:49
Speaker 1: same grace. Also argument two to a liberal contribution, because
1:30:55
Speaker 1: the entreaty of the Macedonians. I have desired Titus that
1:30:58
Speaker 1: he would take care to a umplish or alms, which
1:31:01
Speaker 1: thing he hath undertaken already. Therefore, take ye care lest
1:31:05
Speaker 1: this our labor be in vain. Verse seven. Therefore, as
1:31:09
Speaker 1: he abound in everything, in faith and utterance, and knowledge,
1:31:12
Speaker 1: and in all diligence, and in your love, to us
1:31:15
Speaker 1: see that he abound in disgrace. Also Argument three, because
1:31:19
Speaker 1: seeing that you excel others in many virtues, it becometh
1:31:22
Speaker 1: you to do your endeavor, lest in this ye fail.
1:31:25
Speaker 1: Or seeing that the gifts of the Spirit abound in you,
1:31:27
Speaker 1: the faith of miracles, the gifts of knowledge and eloquence,
1:31:31
Speaker 1: endeavor concerning the salvation of the brethren, and charity towards me,
1:31:35
Speaker 1: ye must have a care lest this gift be found.
1:31:37
Speaker 1: Wanting to you use eight. I speak not by commandment,
1:31:42
Speaker 1: but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to
1:31:45
Speaker 1: prove the sincerity of your love. Argument four. Because now
1:31:49
Speaker 1: the sincerity of your Christian love is to be proved
1:31:52
Speaker 1: in the distribution of this alms, for which thing's sake,
1:31:55
Speaker 1: I exhort you diligently at the desire of the Macedonians,
1:31:58
Speaker 1: commanding nothing imperiously. Therefore show a proof of your liberality.
1:32:04
Speaker 1: Verse nine. For ye know the grace of our Lord
1:32:06
Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your
1:32:08
Speaker 1: sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might
1:32:11
Speaker 1: become rich. Argument five. Christ hath made himself poor that
1:32:17
Speaker 1: you might be rich. Therefore it is meet that for
1:32:19
Speaker 1: his sake ye give alms when it is required of
1:32:22
Speaker 1: you verse ten. And herein I give my advice, for
1:32:26
Speaker 1: it is expedient for you, who have begun before, not
1:32:28
Speaker 1: only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
1:32:32
Speaker 1: Argument six. Because I know it is profitable for you,
1:32:35
Speaker 1: both in respect of your praise and in respect of
1:32:37
Speaker 1: the blessing that will follow that in this business. In
1:32:40
Speaker 1: no wise ye be wanting. But at length he accomplished
1:32:43
Speaker 1: this collection already begun verse eleven. Now therefore perform the
1:32:48
Speaker 1: doing of it. That as there was a readiness to will,
1:32:51
Speaker 1: so there may be a performance also out of that
1:32:53
Speaker 1: which you have Verse twelve. For if there be first
1:32:57
Speaker 1: a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a
1:32:59
Speaker 1: man hath, and not according to that he hath not
1:33:03
Speaker 1: verse thirteen. For I mean not that other men be
1:33:05
Speaker 1: eased and you burdened. Argument seven. Because it is meet
1:33:10
Speaker 1: and comely that your ready will, which she showed the
1:33:12
Speaker 1: last year, might be actually completed. And it will be
1:33:16
Speaker 1: uncomely if it otherwise fall out which she have. Argument eight,
1:33:22
Speaker 1: because nothing is required but that which your souls may
1:33:25
Speaker 1: see to be equal. For it is desired that you give,
1:33:28
Speaker 1: according to your abilities, out of equity, without your prejudice.
1:33:31
Speaker 1: A little from the poor sort, if they give with
1:33:33
Speaker 1: a willing mind, shall be accepted of God, although they
1:33:36
Speaker 1: have not given much, which have it not? For if
1:33:39
Speaker 1: a willing mind be not present, nothing is respected by God.
1:33:43
Speaker 1: How much soever is given. Therefore be not here wanting
1:33:47
Speaker 1: verse fourteen. But by an equality, that now, at this
1:33:51
Speaker 1: time your abundance may be a supply for their want.
1:33:53
Speaker 1: That their abundance also may be a supply for your want.
1:33:56
Speaker 1: That there may be an equality. Argument because you may
1:34:01
Speaker 1: expect that if there be need, some retribution may be made,
1:34:04
Speaker 1: and out of the plenty of the churches in Judea,
1:34:07
Speaker 1: your want may be supplied. That so that which is
1:34:10
Speaker 1: equal may be done Verse fifteen. As it is written,
1:34:14
Speaker 1: he that had gathered much had nothing over, and he
1:34:17
Speaker 1: that had gathered little had no lack. Argument ten. Because
1:34:21
Speaker 1: it appears in the example of Manner that no man
1:34:24
Speaker 1: ought to suppress his abundance with others wants. But so
1:34:27
Speaker 1: far equality is to be observed, that so much as
1:34:30
Speaker 1: is necessary may be wanting to none. For as it
1:34:34
Speaker 1: was done in the gathering of manner, every one did
1:34:36
Speaker 1: measure to himself, and omer the rest was given to
1:34:39
Speaker 1: those who had gathered little, except as sixteen Verses eighteen
1:34:42
Speaker 1: and nineteen. So in gathering of riches, that which remain
1:34:46
Speaker 1: us after your own uses ought to be given for
1:34:48
Speaker 1: the use of the poor verse sixteen. But thanks be
1:34:52
Speaker 1: to guard which put the same earnest care into the
1:34:55
Speaker 1: heart of Titus for you verse seventeen. For indeed he
1:34:58
Speaker 1: accepted the exhortation, but being more forward of his own accord,
1:35:01
Speaker 1: he went unto you argument eleven. Because the faithful, the strong,
1:35:05
Speaker 1: and some brethren of best fame was stirred up by
1:35:07
Speaker 1: God compare Verses eighteen and twenty two, and sent by
1:35:11
Speaker 1: Me to promote this whole business, not only in gathering
1:35:14
Speaker 1: of alms, but also in bringing them to the hands
1:35:16
Speaker 1: of the poor Jews. The first of these brethren was Titus,
1:35:20
Speaker 1: for whose care and willingness of mind for the perfecting
1:35:22
Speaker 1: of this business he praises God verse eighteen. And we
1:35:26
Speaker 1: have sent with him the brother whose praise is in
1:35:29
Speaker 1: the Gospel throughout all the churches verse nineteen. And not
1:35:34
Speaker 1: that only, but who was also chosen of the churches
1:35:37
Speaker 1: to travel with us with this grace which is administered
1:35:39
Speaker 1: by us, to the glory of the same God and
1:35:42
Speaker 1: declaration of your ready mind. His second messenger is described
1:35:46
Speaker 1: that he labored diligently for the promoting of the Gospel.
1:35:49
Speaker 1: Whether it was Barnabas or any other, it matters not,
1:35:52
Speaker 1: for whosoever he was, He is designed of the churches,
1:35:55
Speaker 1: called together, as it seems, in a synodical way, as
1:35:58
Speaker 1: a person worthy of trust to whom this business might
1:36:00
Speaker 1: be committed Glory argument twelve. Because this alms is taken
1:36:06
Speaker 1: into my care and administered by me and others to
1:36:09
Speaker 1: the glory of God and demonstration of the willingness of
1:36:11
Speaker 1: your mind Verse twenty avoiding this that no man should
1:36:17
Speaker 1: blame us in this abundance which is administered by us.
1:36:20
Speaker 1: Verse twenty one, Providing for honest things not only in
1:36:22
Speaker 1: the sight of the Lord, but in the sight of men,
1:36:26
Speaker 1: he gives the reason why he had joined to himself
1:36:28
Speaker 1: those companions such approved fidelity in this administration of beneficence
1:36:33
Speaker 1: collected for the use of the Church of Jerusalem, viz.
1:36:36
Speaker 1: That he might take away the occasion of ill report
1:36:38
Speaker 1: from his adversaries, who might otherwise calumniate him, as if
1:36:42
Speaker 1: he had diminished somewhat of the money collected, and that
1:36:46
Speaker 1: he might consult his reputation with all men as he
1:36:49
Speaker 1: had looked to his conscience before God, that he might
1:36:51
Speaker 1: be kept in the holy purpose of his integrity in
1:36:54
Speaker 1: this business Verse twenty two. And we have sent with
1:36:58
Speaker 1: them our brother, whom we have offer some times proved
1:37:00
Speaker 1: diligent in many things, but now much more diligent upon
1:37:04
Speaker 1: the great confidence which I have in you. He commends
1:37:07
Speaker 1: his third messenger. Whether he were Luke or any other,
1:37:10
Speaker 1: it matters not. But from hence the force of the
1:37:12
Speaker 1: eleventh argument appears. Whilst he says that he hath sent
1:37:16
Speaker 1: them out of his confidence of the Corinthians liberality, such
1:37:19
Speaker 1: famous men, that he doth not fear that their expectation
1:37:22
Speaker 1: will be frustrated. From whence it follows that he ought
1:37:25
Speaker 1: to contribute liberally Verse twenty three. Whether any do inquire
1:37:30
Speaker 1: of Titus, he is my partner and fellow helper concerning
1:37:33
Speaker 1: you or our brethren be inquired of. They are the
1:37:36
Speaker 1: messengers of the churches and the glory of Christ. After
1:37:40
Speaker 1: he hath set forth each of these messengers with his
1:37:42
Speaker 1: own commendation. He commends them altogether, and especially Titus, because
1:37:46
Speaker 1: they are the apostles of the churches, i e. Assigned
1:37:49
Speaker 1: by the churches for the gathering of his alms. And secondly,
1:37:52
Speaker 1: because they are the glory of Christ, so called because
1:37:55
Speaker 1: His grace did gloriously shine in them, and by them
1:37:58
Speaker 1: his glory was illustrated Verse twenty four. Wherefore, show ye
1:38:03
Speaker 1: to them and before the churches, the proof of your
1:38:05
Speaker 1: love and of our boasting on your behalf. The exhortation
1:38:09
Speaker 1: being repeated, he adds argument thirteen. This liberality, as it
1:38:13
Speaker 1: shall be a proof of our charity, so also it
1:38:16
Speaker 1: shall be the confirmation of My glorying of you, no
1:38:19
Speaker 1: wise vainly in the sight of those that were assigned, who,
1:38:22
Speaker 1: in the name of the churches being present, will behold
1:38:24
Speaker 1: your liberality in this business. Therefore ye ought to contribute liberally.
1:38:30
Speaker 1: End of chapter eight. Chapter nine of the Second Epistle
1:38:40
Speaker 1: of Poll to the Corinthians, analytically expounded by David Dixon,
1:38:43
Speaker 1: translated by William Ratchford. This LibriVox recording is in the
1:38:47
Speaker 1: public domain. Chapter nine he goes forward to speak concerning
1:38:52
Speaker 1: the collection there are two parts of the chapter. In
1:38:55
Speaker 1: the first, he giveth the reasons why he sent to
1:38:57
Speaker 1: them three brethren assigned, where he interpose of some arguments
1:39:01
Speaker 1: to persuade them to hasten the collection to verse six.
1:39:04
Speaker 1: In the other he adds more arguments to move them
1:39:07
Speaker 1: to give liberally as it becomes saints. Verse one. For
1:39:11
Speaker 1: as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous
1:39:14
Speaker 1: for me to write to you that which belongeth to
1:39:17
Speaker 1: the first part, lest they should ill interpret his sending
1:39:20
Speaker 1: of those messengers, as if he should cherish a suspicion
1:39:24
Speaker 1: of their willingness in this business. He showeth that the
1:39:26
Speaker 1: cause of sending his brethren was not that they should
1:39:29
Speaker 1: be instructed, neither that they should be made willing to
1:39:32
Speaker 1: make a collection, because for that it would have been
1:39:34
Speaker 1: needless to have written, at leastwise to have sent his
1:39:37
Speaker 1: brethren to them. Verse two. For I know the forwardness
1:39:41
Speaker 1: of your mind, for which I boast of you to
1:39:43
Speaker 1: them of Macedonia, that our care was ready a year ago,
1:39:46
Speaker 1: and your zeal hath provoked very many He confirms his
1:39:50
Speaker 1: words with three reasons. I know reason one because he
1:39:54
Speaker 1: had very well known their willingness of mind before I boast.
1:39:58
Speaker 1: Reason too, because he boasted of them readiness zeal. Reason three,
1:40:02
Speaker 1: because their endeavor in this business had provoked many to
1:40:04
Speaker 1: the like alacrity and zeal. Those three. Yet have I
1:40:08
Speaker 1: sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be
1:40:11
Speaker 1: in vain in this behalf, that as I said, you
1:40:13
Speaker 1: may be ready. He propounds five true reasons why he
1:40:18
Speaker 1: sent the brethren. Reason one, that they would prepare for
1:40:22
Speaker 1: the more speedy conveying of their beneficence, and that now
1:40:26
Speaker 1: the money gathered might be found by the messengers, as
1:40:28
Speaker 1: the Apostle had promised in their name, lest our rejoicing.
1:40:32
Speaker 1: Reason two, lest the boasting of the Apostle concerning them
1:40:35
Speaker 1: should be found in vain. Thus four, lest haply if
1:40:39
Speaker 1: they of Macedonia come with me and find you unprepared,
1:40:42
Speaker 1: we that we say not you should be ashamed in
1:40:45
Speaker 1: this same confident boasting. Reason three following from the former,
1:40:50
Speaker 1: lest both you and I should be ashamed if you
1:40:53
Speaker 1: should be found unprepared when I, together with the Macedonians
1:40:57
Speaker 1: who have heard me glorying in your behalf, should come
1:41:00
Speaker 1: unto you. Verse five. Therefore I thought it necessary to
1:41:03
Speaker 1: exalt the brethren, that they would go before unto you
1:41:07
Speaker 1: and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof he had noticed
1:41:09
Speaker 1: before that the same might be ready as a matter
1:41:12
Speaker 1: of bounty, not of covetousness. Reason four, I have sent
1:41:17
Speaker 1: unto you the brethren, that you may be assisted in
1:41:19
Speaker 1: your gathering the money by the brethren, whereby all things
1:41:22
Speaker 1: may be more ready, not as of covetousness. Reason five.
1:41:27
Speaker 1: They have sent unto you the brethren, who have taken
1:41:30
Speaker 1: care lest any one in gathering should be urged to
1:41:33
Speaker 1: contribute more than he was willing, and lest covetousness in
1:41:36
Speaker 1: those that collect, or parsimony in those that contribute, should appear,
1:41:40
Speaker 1: but that they which give, may give liberally and freely.
1:41:44
Speaker 1: And so the whole collection, being liberal, may appear at
1:41:47
Speaker 1: my coming as a blessing. The second part verse six.
1:41:52
Speaker 1: But this I say, he which soeth sparingly shall reap sparingly,
1:41:56
Speaker 1: and he which soeth bountifully shall reap bountifully. The second
1:42:00
Speaker 1: part of the chapter follows, wherein he adds ten arguments
1:42:03
Speaker 1: that they would give their alms liberally, and as it
1:42:06
Speaker 1: becomes saints argument one, because whosoever shall give either nothing
1:42:11
Speaker 1: or not according to his ability, or not out of
1:42:14
Speaker 1: the purpose of his heart, which is to sow sparingly,
1:42:17
Speaker 1: they shall reap also sparingly. I e. Shall get either
1:42:21
Speaker 1: nothing or only a temporal reward. Therefore, give ye liberally
1:42:26
Speaker 1: liberally Argument two. Because they which will give liberally and
1:42:29
Speaker 1: out of love, which is to so liberally, shall have
1:42:32
Speaker 1: a liberal harvest. Therefore give ye liberally. For seven. Every man,
1:42:36
Speaker 1: according as he purposeth in his heart, So let him give,
1:42:39
Speaker 1: not grudgingly or of necessity. For God loveth a cheerful giver.
1:42:44
Speaker 1: After he hath expounded what it is to give liberally
1:42:47
Speaker 1: or to sow in blessings, to it to give out
1:42:50
Speaker 1: of purpose of heart, not out of sadness or out
1:42:53
Speaker 1: of necessity. For he whichso giveth, giveth sparingly whatsoever he giveth,
1:42:58
Speaker 1: and would give nothing if he might fallow the purpose
1:43:00
Speaker 1: of his mind, he adds Argument three. God loves a
1:43:04
Speaker 1: cheerful giver, and consequently a sad and unwilling giver. He
1:43:08
Speaker 1: neither loveth, nor approveth of, nor blesseth. Therefore, give ye
1:43:11
Speaker 1: liberally and cheerfully. Verse eight. And God is able to
1:43:16
Speaker 1: make all grace abound towards you, that ye, always having
1:43:19
Speaker 1: all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.
1:43:23
Speaker 1: Argument four is tacitly propounded in the solution of an objection.
1:43:28
Speaker 1: So far be it from you, says he, that you
1:43:30
Speaker 1: fear want if you contribute more plentively, that on the
1:43:33
Speaker 1: other side, ye may rather expect that God will give
1:43:36
Speaker 1: you of his grace and power enough of temporal things,
1:43:38
Speaker 1: that not only you may be contented with your condition,
1:43:41
Speaker 1: but also that He might abound in every good work
1:43:44
Speaker 1: for the helping of others. Therefore, give liberally verse nine,
1:43:48
Speaker 1: as it is written, he hath dispersed abroad, he hath
1:43:51
Speaker 1: given to the poor, His righteousness remains forever. He confirms
1:43:55
Speaker 1: this argument out of Psalm one hundred and twelve, verse nine,
1:43:58
Speaker 1: where it is spoken that righteous distributeth his goods and
1:44:02
Speaker 1: giveth to the poor, and his righteousness remaineth forever, where
1:44:05
Speaker 1: argument five is insinuated that it is the property of
1:44:08
Speaker 1: the righteous man to distribute his goods and to give
1:44:11
Speaker 1: to the poor, and that the ordinary blessing of God
1:44:14
Speaker 1: is upon them, that He may have further to bestow. Therefore,
1:44:17
Speaker 1: show yourselves righteous by giving liberally. Use ten. Now He
1:44:22
Speaker 1: that ministreth seed to the sower, both minister bread for
1:44:25
Speaker 1: your food, and multiply your seeds sown and increase the
1:44:28
Speaker 1: fruit of your righteousness. Argument six included in a wish
1:44:33
Speaker 1: and a similitude, as God both ministreth seed to the
1:44:36
Speaker 1: husbandman after sowing and bread after harvest. So he shall
1:44:40
Speaker 1: both minister fruit out of your sowing. I wish that
1:44:43
Speaker 1: He might both increase your abilities for doing good and
1:44:45
Speaker 1: for the bringing forth fruits of righteousness and mercy. Therefore,
1:44:49
Speaker 1: do ar you doubt to sow in the giving of
1:44:51
Speaker 1: this alms. Thus eleven being enriched in everything to all bountifulness,
1:44:55
Speaker 1: which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. Argument seven. Ye,
1:45:00
Speaker 1: being enriched by the grace of God and abounding in
1:45:03
Speaker 1: all liberality, may cause that through us, who observe your charity,
1:45:06
Speaker 1: thanks may be given to God. Therefore, upon this account
1:45:09
Speaker 1: give ye liberally use twelve for the administration of this
1:45:13
Speaker 1: service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but
1:45:16
Speaker 1: is abundant also by thanksgiving unto God. He confirms this
1:45:20
Speaker 1: argument from this that the office of this undertaken ministry
1:45:23
Speaker 1: concerning the gathering and contributing this alms, will not only
1:45:27
Speaker 1: supply the necessities of the saints in Judea, but will
1:45:30
Speaker 1: also cause by many saints that thanks be given unto God.
1:45:34
Speaker 1: Thus thirteen, whilst by the experiment of this ministration they
1:45:38
Speaker 1: glorify God for your professed subjection unto the Gospel of Christ,
1:45:42
Speaker 1: and for your liberal distribution unto them and unto all men.
1:45:46
Speaker 1: Argument eight. This your liberality will be a sign of
1:45:49
Speaker 1: your faith and subjection of your obedient mind unto Christ
1:45:52
Speaker 1: and his Gospel, as also a matter of glorifying God,
1:45:56
Speaker 1: and lastly a sign of your liberality towards all that
1:45:58
Speaker 1: are poor, when occasion is given. Therefore, give ye liberally
1:46:03
Speaker 1: verse fourteen. And by their prayer for you, which long
1:46:06
Speaker 1: after you, for the exceeding grace of God in you.
1:46:09
Speaker 1: Argument nine, the saints in Judea, cherished by your liberality,
1:46:13
Speaker 1: will pray to God for you. Therefore ye ought to
1:46:15
Speaker 1: give liberally long after you. Argument ten. This your liberality
1:46:20
Speaker 1: will stir up in the Holy Jews love towards you,
1:46:23
Speaker 1: and will cherish a desire of seeing you, and will
1:46:25
Speaker 1: enkindle in them no small esteem of you. By reason
1:46:27
Speaker 1: of that eminent grace of God in you, be ye
1:46:30
Speaker 1: not wanting. Therefore, in this verse fifteen, thanks be unto
1:46:35
Speaker 1: God for his unspeakable gift, as now having his desire
1:46:38
Speaker 1: and beholding the manifold fruit of their liberality, which, by
1:46:42
Speaker 1: the grace of God it would produce upon their refreshing
1:46:44
Speaker 1: the brethren in Judea. He thanks God for his gift
1:46:47
Speaker 1: in the liberality of the Corinthians, which he could not
1:46:50
Speaker 1: sufficiently in words, declare as it deserved. End of chapter nine.
1:47:01
Speaker 1: Chapter ten of the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians,
1:47:04
Speaker 1: analytically expounded by David Dixon, translated by William Ratchford. This
1:47:08
Speaker 1: librivanx recording is in the public domain. Chapter ten the
1:47:13
Speaker 1: third part of the epistle, in which the apostle vindicates
1:47:15
Speaker 1: his authority from the exposions of the false apostles, whereby
1:47:19
Speaker 1: they labored to lessen his authority with the Corinthians in
1:47:22
Speaker 1: this chapter because they blamed Paul that, being present among
1:47:25
Speaker 1: the Corinthians, he carried himself humbly, but being absent, he
1:47:29
Speaker 1: had boasted of the weightiness of his authority in his letters.
1:47:32
Speaker 1: He removes this calumny by defending the fact. There are
1:47:36
Speaker 1: two parts of the chapter. In the first, he proves
1:47:38
Speaker 1: by eight arguments that he is not to be condemned
1:47:41
Speaker 1: to verse twelve. In a second, he modestly compares himself
1:47:45
Speaker 1: with those that were his emulators to the end Verse one.
1:47:49
Speaker 1: Now I pall myself beseech you by the meekness and
1:47:52
Speaker 1: gentleness of Christ, who in presence a base among you,
1:47:56
Speaker 1: but being absent and bold towards you. Argument one is
1:47:59
Speaker 1: contained in his obstination by the meekness and gentleness of Christ,
1:48:03
Speaker 1: that they would not interpret his carriage otherwise than was
1:48:06
Speaker 1: meet as if he had said, my humility was the
1:48:09
Speaker 1: self same gentleness, and the very imitation of the meekness
1:48:12
Speaker 1: of Christ, which I remember of you, that ye, acknowledging
1:48:15
Speaker 1: the imitation of our Lord in me, may judge rightly
1:48:18
Speaker 1: concerning me. Therefore am not to be despised by you
1:48:21
Speaker 1: those two. But I beseech you that I may not
1:48:24
Speaker 1: be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith
1:48:27
Speaker 1: I think to be bold against some which think of
1:48:29
Speaker 1: us as if we walked according to the flesh He
1:48:33
Speaker 1: ought to beware. Lest by your fault I am compelled
1:48:36
Speaker 1: to exercise my power more boldly towards some of you.
1:48:38
Speaker 1: When I come as I have determined to exercise against
1:48:41
Speaker 1: those who, being led by fear or hope, think of
1:48:44
Speaker 1: us as if we would change our carriage like calonal
1:48:47
Speaker 1: and irregenerate men. Therefore am not to be despised. Verse three,
1:48:51
Speaker 1: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not
1:48:53
Speaker 1: war after the flesh. Argument too, although I do not
1:48:57
Speaker 1: live free from human infirmity in this frail flesh, Yet
1:49:00
Speaker 1: in the execution of my office and my ministerial warfare,
1:49:03
Speaker 1: I have not followed carnal lusts, being led by fear
1:49:06
Speaker 1: or affection, as they falsely laid to my charge. When
1:49:09
Speaker 1: sometimes I carried myself humbly, sometimes according to the dignity
1:49:13
Speaker 1: of my office and authority. Therefore I am not to
1:49:15
Speaker 1: be condemned. Thus four, for the weapons of our warfare
1:49:19
Speaker 1: are not carnal, but mighty through God. To the pulling
1:49:22
Speaker 1: down of strongholds. Argument for confirming the former, I have
1:49:26
Speaker 1: no need to use carnal weapons in the subtle changing
1:49:29
Speaker 1: of my carriage, sometimes flattering, sometimes boasting, or using any
1:49:33
Speaker 1: other such like evil arts. But my spiritual weapons, such
1:49:37
Speaker 1: as they are, or sufficient in the truth, boldness in
1:49:40
Speaker 1: the exercising of ecclesiastical discipline. Zeal patience, Christian fortitude, and
1:49:44
Speaker 1: other virtues, wherewith being armed, I do manage my warfare.
1:49:48
Speaker 1: Therefore am not to be contemned. He shows a threefold
1:49:52
Speaker 1: virtue of these weapons. First virtue is that by divine
1:49:55
Speaker 1: power they are sufficient for the throwing down of all
1:49:58
Speaker 1: the strongholds of human wisdom, and the demolishing of subtle pretenses,
1:50:01
Speaker 1: and all councils with which carnal men striving against the
1:50:04
Speaker 1: Gospel for their errors and vices, use to defend themselves.
1:50:09
Speaker 1: Thus five casting down imaginations and every high thing that
1:50:12
Speaker 1: exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into
1:50:16
Speaker 1: captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. The second virtue,
1:50:20
Speaker 1: he also reaches that these weapons are mighty as to
1:50:23
Speaker 1: the throwing down the pride of man's mind and the
1:50:25
Speaker 1: highness of worldly knowledge, so also to the converting or
1:50:28
Speaker 1: subduing high wits to the obedience and humble submission of
1:50:31
Speaker 1: themselves as captives to Christ by faith, understand at concerning
1:50:35
Speaker 1: the elect and those who are ordained to salvation verse six,
1:50:40
Speaker 1: and having a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your
1:50:43
Speaker 1: obedience is fulfilled. The third virtue those weapons of the
1:50:47
Speaker 1: Word of God and ecclesiastical censures are sufficient, et cetera,
1:50:51
Speaker 1: to revenge those that rebel and are disobedient, as doing
1:50:54
Speaker 1: ready execution, partly in this life, partly in that which
1:50:57
Speaker 1: is to come, which weapons the Apostle is making reris
1:51:00
Speaker 1: lady against his adversaries, after he had recalled the flock
1:51:03
Speaker 1: of the Corinthians seduced from him into order and obedience,
1:51:06
Speaker 1: for he intended prudently to exercise the ecclesiastical censures. Verse seven,
1:51:12
Speaker 1: do ye look on things after the outward appearance. If
1:51:15
Speaker 1: any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let
1:51:18
Speaker 1: him of himself think this again, that as he is Christ's,
1:51:21
Speaker 1: even so are we Christ's argument five, whereby he proveth
1:51:26
Speaker 1: that he ought not to be condemned because judgment ought
1:51:29
Speaker 1: not to be made concerning the Apostle's dignity by the
1:51:31
Speaker 1: external appearance of humility. For the interrogation hath the force
1:51:34
Speaker 1: of a negative duty, and is as much as ye
1:51:37
Speaker 1: ought not. If any man argument six, my humility nothing
1:51:42
Speaker 1: detracteth from the dignity of my ministry. But I am
1:51:45
Speaker 1: to be equalled with any one of those emulators, and
1:51:48
Speaker 1: am as near to Christ in as many respects as
1:51:51
Speaker 1: any of them. Therefore I am not to be despised
1:51:54
Speaker 1: Verse eight. For though I should boast somewhat more of
1:51:57
Speaker 1: our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edific caretion,
1:52:00
Speaker 1: and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed
1:52:04
Speaker 1: Arguments seven. Because however, sometimes humbly, sometimes according to my authority,
1:52:08
Speaker 1: I shall carry myself. Yet I can glory of my
1:52:11
Speaker 1: apostolical authority without vanity. In the meanwhile, lest the remembrance
1:52:16
Speaker 1: of his power should be troublesome, he says that this
1:52:19
Speaker 1: authority was given to him that he might be advantageous
1:52:21
Speaker 1: for their salvation, but not that by any means he
1:52:25
Speaker 1: should hinder their salvation Verse nine. That I may not
1:52:29
Speaker 1: seem as if I would terrify you by letters Verse ten.
1:52:32
Speaker 1: For his letters say they are weighty and powerful, but
1:52:35
Speaker 1: his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible Verse eleven.
1:52:39
Speaker 1: At such onethink this, that such as we are in
1:52:42
Speaker 1: word by letters, when we are absent, such will we
1:52:44
Speaker 1: be also indeed when we are present. Argument eight. Lest
1:52:49
Speaker 1: I should seem to affect by my epistles that authority
1:52:52
Speaker 1: which I have not Verse nine, as my accusers are
1:52:55
Speaker 1: diligent to intimate by their reproaches. Verse ten. I shall
1:52:59
Speaker 1: demonstrate that my authority is the same indeed when I
1:53:01
Speaker 1: come to them, which I used to show in my letters. Therefore,
1:53:05
Speaker 1: do not ye contemn me the second part verse twelve.
1:53:09
Speaker 1: For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or
1:53:11
Speaker 1: compare ourselves with some that commend themselves. But they measuring
1:53:15
Speaker 1: themselves and comparing themselves amongst themselves are not wise. The
1:53:19
Speaker 1: second part of the chapter follows, wherein he discovereth the
1:53:22
Speaker 1: vanity of those that praise themselves, who did so exalt themselves,
1:53:26
Speaker 1: as if the apostle does not equal himself with them.
1:53:29
Speaker 1: The apostle compares himself with these in a fivefold dissimilitude. First,
1:53:34
Speaker 1: we humbly and modestly carrying ourselves. Surely we are not
1:53:37
Speaker 1: like them who ambitiously and boastingly insult over us, as
1:53:41
Speaker 1: if we were not to be compared with them, commending
1:53:44
Speaker 1: themselves above that which the thing itself doth admit them
1:53:47
Speaker 1: to be commended. Are not. Second, they show their own foolishness,
1:53:52
Speaker 1: measuring themselves by their own esteem, making themselves great in
1:53:55
Speaker 1: their own judgment, and of some like unto themselves. We
1:53:58
Speaker 1: avoid this vanity verse thirteen. But we will not boast
1:54:02
Speaker 1: of things without measure, but according to the measure of
1:54:05
Speaker 1: the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure
1:54:08
Speaker 1: to reach even unto you Verse fourteen. For we stretch
1:54:11
Speaker 1: not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not
1:54:14
Speaker 1: unto you, for we are come as far as to you.
1:54:17
Speaker 1: Also in preaching the Gospel of Christ. Third, we do
1:54:20
Speaker 1: not boast beyond the measure and rule of our gifts
1:54:23
Speaker 1: and calling, as if we were sent to preach to
1:54:25
Speaker 1: those whom we are not sent to. But we keep
1:54:28
Speaker 1: ourselves within the measure of our apostolical calling assigned to
1:54:31
Speaker 1: us by God, which allows our preaching to you, Corinthians,
1:54:35
Speaker 1: who by our means were converted to the faith our emulators.
1:54:39
Speaker 1: Do not so contain themselves, but run to those to
1:54:42
Speaker 1: whom they are not sent, and to boast above the
1:54:44
Speaker 1: measure of gifts and divine benediction upon their labors Verse fifteen,
1:54:49
Speaker 1: not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of
1:54:52
Speaker 1: other men's labors, but having a hope, when your faith
1:54:54
Speaker 1: is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according
1:54:57
Speaker 1: to our rule abundantly to preach the Gospel in the
1:55:01
Speaker 1: regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's
1:55:04
Speaker 1: line of things made ready to our hand. Fourth, we
1:55:08
Speaker 1: do not boast in the labors of others, as if
1:55:10
Speaker 1: we had converted to the faith, those which we had
1:55:13
Speaker 1: not converted, as our emulators who boast in you Corinthians,
1:55:16
Speaker 1: which they have not converted. But we hope that after
1:55:20
Speaker 1: you are further established in the faith, that ye may
1:55:23
Speaker 1: be confident and also endeavor to propagate our gospel and
1:55:26
Speaker 1: deal with your neighbors, that they may hear my preaching.
1:55:29
Speaker 1: For Verily, I hope that the borders of our ministry
1:55:31
Speaker 1: through you will be more abundantly enlarged, and that according
1:55:35
Speaker 1: to the rule of my calling, to whom the apostleship
1:55:37
Speaker 1: to the Gentiles is committed, I hope, I say, it
1:55:40
Speaker 1: will come to pass that we may preach the Gospel
1:55:42
Speaker 1: also in those regions which are beyond us, that I
1:55:45
Speaker 1: shall not need to boast in another man's harvest prepared
1:55:48
Speaker 1: by the labors of other men, as the false apostles
1:55:51
Speaker 1: now do, boasting in you, whom I have converted to salvation.
1:55:54
Speaker 1: Not they use seventeen, but he that glorious, let him
1:55:59
Speaker 1: glory in the Lord. Fifth, this he propoundeth by way
1:56:03
Speaker 1: of precept I. An apostle will boast only in the Lord,
1:56:07
Speaker 1: not in evil things, not in feigned or false, nor
1:56:09
Speaker 1: in the gifts of God as mine, not in myself,
1:56:12
Speaker 1: as my emulators do boast in themselves, but as the
1:56:15
Speaker 1: Lord will allow me in God alone. Verse eighteen. For
1:56:20
Speaker 1: not he that commendeth himself is approved about whom the
1:56:22
Speaker 1: Lord commendeth. He gives the reason of this, because no
1:56:26
Speaker 1: man is approved that commends himself out of his own opinion,
1:56:29
Speaker 1: but he that is approved of God, and receiveth testimony
1:56:33
Speaker 1: from him. The trial of this rule the emulators of
1:56:35
Speaker 1: the apostle could not abide. End of Chapter ten. Chapter
1:56:46
Speaker 1: eleven of the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians,
1:56:50
Speaker 1: analytically expounded by David Dixon, translated by William Ratchford. This
1:56:55
Speaker 1: LIBRIVANX recording is in the public domain. Chapter eleven proceeds
1:57:00
Speaker 1: in his holy boasting against the false apostles. There are
1:57:03
Speaker 1: two parts of the chapter. In the first, he gives
1:57:05
Speaker 1: an account of his boasting, reprehending the Corinthians way being
1:57:09
Speaker 1: made for his future boasting by the way drawing off
1:57:12
Speaker 1: the vizard from the false apostles, to verse twenty one.
1:57:16
Speaker 1: In the other he openeth the large matter of his
1:57:18
Speaker 1: boasting against those his emulators. To the end. Thus one
1:57:23
Speaker 1: would to God, he could bear with me a little
1:57:24
Speaker 1: in my folly, and indeed bear with me that which
1:57:28
Speaker 1: belongs to the First, although he had not determined to
1:57:31
Speaker 1: boast unless holy and purely in the Lord. Yet because
1:57:34
Speaker 1: at the first sight the praising of himself had the
1:57:36
Speaker 1: appearance of folly, therefore he wisheth and asketh that they
1:57:40
Speaker 1: would a little bear with him, as foolish, speaking by
1:57:43
Speaker 1: way of concession. Otherwise, in very deed, the Holy Ghost
1:57:46
Speaker 1: did speak in the apostle, that he might better discover
1:57:48
Speaker 1: to them in this the reasons of his prudence. For
1:57:51
Speaker 1: because he saw them deceived by some vain and subtle men,
1:57:54
Speaker 1: not without the subtlety of Satan, he was compelled for
1:57:57
Speaker 1: their good to this boasting. Verse two. For I am
1:58:01
Speaker 1: jealous over you, with godly jealousy, for I have espoused
1:58:04
Speaker 1: you to one husband, that I may present to you
1:58:06
Speaker 1: a chaste virgin to Christ. He produceth ten reasons, whereby
1:58:10
Speaker 1: he demonstrates the necessity of his boasting. Reason one, because
1:58:14
Speaker 1: I am driven with a holy zeal in the cause
1:58:17
Speaker 1: of Christ. In this boasting. Therefore boasting is necessary. He
1:58:21
Speaker 1: clears this reason because as a paranymph, he did endeavor
1:58:25
Speaker 1: to marry the Corinthians, not to himself, but to Christ
1:58:27
Speaker 1: as a chaste of virgin, and to retain them in
1:58:30
Speaker 1: his society. Verse three. But I fear lest by any means,
1:58:34
Speaker 1: as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your
1:58:38
Speaker 1: minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
1:58:42
Speaker 1: Reason two. I fear lest as Eve was seduced by
1:58:45
Speaker 1: the subtlety of the devil, so you, being corrupted by
1:58:48
Speaker 1: the false apostles, should be moved from that virgin like
1:58:50
Speaker 1: simplicity of the Gospel of Christ, or the wisdom of God,
1:58:54
Speaker 1: embracing human wisdom and admitting the leaven of legal ceremonies
1:58:57
Speaker 1: to the corrupting the doctrine of the Gospel of gracemas you. Therefore,
1:59:01
Speaker 1: this my boasting is necessary. Verse four. For if he
1:59:05
Speaker 1: that cometh preaching another Jesus whom we have not preached,
1:59:08
Speaker 1: or if ye receive another spirit which ye have not received,
1:59:12
Speaker 1: or another gospel which ye have not accepted, Ye might
1:59:14
Speaker 1: well bear with him. Reason three, Ye might deservedly bear
1:59:18
Speaker 1: with another thrasonical preacher if he could impart unto you
1:59:22
Speaker 1: another Christ which is impossible or more excellent gifts of
1:59:25
Speaker 1: the Spirit are a better gospel than you have accepted
1:59:27
Speaker 1: and received by our ministry. Truly, seeing that is impossible,
1:59:32
Speaker 1: he ought deservedly to bear with me an apostle, boasting
1:59:35
Speaker 1: by whose preaching ye are made partakers both of the
1:59:37
Speaker 1: gifts of Christ and his Spirit. Verse five. For I
1:59:42
Speaker 1: suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
1:59:45
Speaker 1: Reason four. Confirming the former, I suppose they will not
1:59:49
Speaker 1: deny me to be inferior to Peter, James, and John,
1:59:52
Speaker 1: those apostles who are chiefly esteemed, because the gospel being
1:59:55
Speaker 1: communicated with them Galatians two, they have contributed nothing to me.
2:00:00
Speaker 1: Therefore my boasting against the false apostles is necessary and just.
2:00:05
Speaker 1: Verse six. But though I be rude in speech, yet
2:00:08
Speaker 1: not in knowledge, but we have been thoroughly made manifest
2:00:11
Speaker 1: among you in all things. Reason five, because I will
2:00:15
Speaker 1: not contend with those that commend themselves for their excellency
2:00:18
Speaker 1: of speech or eloquence, but I will give place to
2:00:21
Speaker 1: none in the knowledge of the mysteries of salvation, which
2:00:24
Speaker 1: things he calls the Corinthians themselves to witness, who have
2:00:27
Speaker 1: very well understood his knowledge. Verse seven. Have I committed
2:00:31
Speaker 1: an offense in abasing myself that you might be exalted?
2:00:34
Speaker 1: Because I have preached to you the Gospel of God freely?
2:00:37
Speaker 1: Reason six. Wherein he meets with an objection, some would say,
2:00:42
Speaker 1: whilst thou are present at Corinth, thou didst live by
2:00:44
Speaker 1: thy handicraft labor. Answer, My humility is so far from
2:00:48
Speaker 1: being blameworthy that it is rather worthy of praise, because
2:00:51
Speaker 1: it conduceth to your prophet, whose salvation I did so
2:00:54
Speaker 1: much esteem that, not regarding my prophet, I preach the
2:00:57
Speaker 1: Gospel to you of good will. Therefore, even for them
2:01:00
Speaker 1: this course, it is lawful for me to boast Verse eight.
2:01:03
Speaker 1: I robbed other churches, taking wages of them to do
2:01:06
Speaker 1: you service Verse nine. And when I was present with
2:01:09
Speaker 1: you and wanted, I was chargeable to no man for
2:01:12
Speaker 1: that which was lacking to me. The brethren which came
2:01:14
Speaker 1: to Macedonia supplied, And in all things I have kept
2:01:17
Speaker 1: myself from being burdensome to you, and so will keep myself.
2:01:22
Speaker 1: He more clearly explains his practice by a pleasant metaphor,
2:01:25
Speaker 1: showing that he did take wages even as spoils from
2:01:28
Speaker 1: the other poorer churches conquered by the Gospel, to support himself,
2:01:32
Speaker 1: that he might better do service to the Corinthians freely
2:01:35
Speaker 1: verse eight, by name from the Macedonian Philippians, lest he
2:01:39
Speaker 1: should be chargeable to the Corinthians verse ten. As the
2:01:43
Speaker 1: truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop
2:01:45
Speaker 1: me of this boasting in the regions of Archaea verse eleven. Wherefore,
2:01:49
Speaker 1: because I love you, not God knoweth verse twelve. But
2:01:52
Speaker 1: what I do that I will do, that I will
2:01:54
Speaker 1: do that I may cut off occasion from them which
2:01:56
Speaker 1: desire occasion, that wherein they glory, they may be found
2:01:59
Speaker 1: evil as we lest he should seem to repent of
2:02:03
Speaker 1: what he had done, he determined that he will not
2:02:05
Speaker 1: afterwards be chargeable to them, or will not receive wages,
2:02:09
Speaker 1: which he confirms with an oath verse ten. And lest
2:02:12
Speaker 1: they should take it ill as if it was for
2:02:14
Speaker 1: want of love, that he would not receive wages of them.
2:02:17
Speaker 1: He professes that he had thus determined out of special
2:02:19
Speaker 1: love to them calling God to witness concerning the truth
2:02:22
Speaker 1: of his words verse eleven. And that for this end,
2:02:25
Speaker 1: lest the false apostles should seem to exceed him in
2:02:28
Speaker 1: his boasting, from whom he would have the occasion of
2:02:30
Speaker 1: reproaching him so taken away. Who otherwise would say that
2:02:34
Speaker 1: Paul preached to the Corinthians for the increasing his substance.
2:02:38
Speaker 1: Thus thirteen, For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming
2:02:43
Speaker 1: themselves into the apostles of Christ verse fourteen, and no marvel,
2:02:46
Speaker 1: for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light
2:02:50
Speaker 1: verse fifteen. Therefore, it is no great thing if his
2:02:52
Speaker 1: ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose
2:02:56
Speaker 1: end shall be according to their works. Reason seven, showing
2:03:00
Speaker 1: the necessity of his boasting, because the wickedness of his
2:03:03
Speaker 1: emulators did compel him to this boasting. For they did
2:03:05
Speaker 1: feign themselves the apostles of Christ and workers in the
2:03:08
Speaker 1: vineyard of God, when in the meanwhile they only cared
2:03:11
Speaker 1: for their own business, not Gods. They preached the gospel
2:03:14
Speaker 1: for Prophet's sake and their own honor. They feigned themselves
2:03:17
Speaker 1: ministers of Christ when they did only personate a stage
2:03:20
Speaker 1: players Verse thirteen. Neither is it to be wondered at
2:03:24
Speaker 1: seeing these deceivers were the apostles of Satan, imitating the devil,
2:03:28
Speaker 1: who sometimes puts on the form of some celestial angel,
2:03:31
Speaker 1: that under the pretense of zeal and piety, he might
2:03:34
Speaker 1: beguile men whose manners his emulators did follow, pretending the
2:03:38
Speaker 1: glory of Christ, when in the meanwhile they sacrificed all
2:03:40
Speaker 1: their labor, to the belly, to their purse, to their honor,
2:03:43
Speaker 1: nothing solicitous. What became of the apostles, what of the churches,
2:03:47
Speaker 1: so that they might obtain their desires to whom therefore
2:03:50
Speaker 1: the apostle threatens eternal death according to their deserts Verse sixteen.
2:03:55
Speaker 1: I say again, let no man think me a fool,
2:03:57
Speaker 1: if otherwise, yet as a fool, receive me that I
2:04:00
Speaker 1: may boast myself a little Verse seventeen. That which I speak,
2:04:04
Speaker 1: I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were,
2:04:06
Speaker 1: foolishly in this confidence of boasting. Reason eight, because they
2:04:12
Speaker 1: should find that it was wisely done, that he was
2:04:14
Speaker 1: necessitated to this boasting, which he desires them to take
2:04:17
Speaker 1: notice of. But if as yet for the present they
2:04:20
Speaker 1: could not perceive the just necessity and prudence of his boasting.
2:04:23
Speaker 1: At least. Wise, he desires that they would bear with
2:04:26
Speaker 1: him patiently a little as foolishly boasting, until he could
2:04:29
Speaker 1: finish his speech and apology for sixteen, yielding only but
2:04:34
Speaker 1: not affirming that he foolishly boasted, or that it was
2:04:37
Speaker 1: unboseeming him to God would for otherwise the apostle, if
2:04:40
Speaker 1: the greatest wisdom of the spirit did most justly boast
2:04:43
Speaker 1: to the glory of God and the benefit of the
2:04:45
Speaker 1: church in this whole business Verse eighteen, Seeing that many
2:04:49
Speaker 1: glory after the flesh, I will glory also reason nine,
2:04:53
Speaker 1: because the false apostles did falsely glory against him. Therefore,
2:04:56
Speaker 1: he contends that it is an equal thing that he
2:04:59
Speaker 1: himself should truly boast in his own defense those nineteen.
2:05:03
Speaker 1: For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
2:05:08
Speaker 1: Reason ten. Wise men were wont to bear with those
2:05:11
Speaker 1: that seemed more foolish, as you know by experience. Why
2:05:15
Speaker 1: should ye not therefore suffer me of necessity to boast,
2:05:18
Speaker 1: although hearin, I may seem foolish to sum amongst you.
2:05:21
Speaker 1: Verse twenty, For ye suffer if a man bring you
2:05:24
Speaker 1: into bondage. If a man devour you, if a man
2:05:26
Speaker 1: take of you, if a man exult himself, if a
2:05:28
Speaker 1: man smitey on the face. Reason eleven, because ye suffer
2:05:33
Speaker 1: more harsh things, as it appears, than this foolishness of
2:05:36
Speaker 1: my glorying. For one, ye suffer those importunate men who
2:05:40
Speaker 1: bring you into bondage. Such were the false apostles, who
2:05:43
Speaker 1: exercise their power over them, dividing the Church of corinth
2:05:46
Speaker 1: into factions, and set up themselves captains and lords of
2:05:49
Speaker 1: their followers amongst the Corinthians, as of soldiers and servants. Two,
2:05:54
Speaker 1: Ye suffer those which devour you. Such were the false apostles,
2:05:57
Speaker 1: affecting stately banquets and eating up the substance of the Corinthians.
2:06:02
Speaker 1: Three He suffers spoilers. Such also were the false apostles,
2:06:06
Speaker 1: who would not indeed take wages, but in the meantime
2:06:08
Speaker 1: they covet at gifts and did collogue and receive them
2:06:11
Speaker 1: from the Corinthians. Four He suffer those that contem you.
2:06:16
Speaker 1: Such were the false apostles, who, because of the stock
2:06:18
Speaker 1: and Hebrew nation which they were of, and some gifts
2:06:22
Speaker 1: of the spirit given to them above the Church of
2:06:24
Speaker 1: corinth gathered out of the illiterate and ignoble gentiles, did
2:06:27
Speaker 1: above measure exalt themselves. Five he suffer those that smite
2:06:32
Speaker 1: you on the face, or those that use you reproachfully,
2:06:35
Speaker 1: Why therefore should he not suffer this my just boasting
2:06:39
Speaker 1: Verse twenty one. I speak as concerning reproach, as though
2:06:43
Speaker 1: we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, I
2:06:46
Speaker 1: speak foolishly, I am bold. Also he expounds what it
2:06:50
Speaker 1: is to smite on the face, That it is not
2:06:52
Speaker 1: to be understood of external violence, but in respect of reproach,
2:06:55
Speaker 1: which in some measure he found amongst the Corinthians from
2:06:58
Speaker 1: those false teachers. When the false apposcis hit the Corinthians
2:07:01
Speaker 1: in the teeth with the lowness of their minds, in
2:07:04
Speaker 1: that they subjected themselves to paul and handicraftsmen. For what
2:07:08
Speaker 1: else was this about? To smite the Corinthians in the
2:07:10
Speaker 1: face and insult over the Holy Apostle. The second part,
2:07:16
Speaker 1: albeit whereinsoever the second part of the chapter follows, in
2:07:20
Speaker 1: which the way already being prepared for him to a
2:07:23
Speaker 1: just glorying, and the necessity of its being demonstrated, He
2:07:26
Speaker 1: compares himself with those glorious doctors, proving himself not inferior
2:07:30
Speaker 1: to them in four characters of his dignity, but to
2:07:33
Speaker 1: be preferred before upon many accounts. Sign one of his
2:07:37
Speaker 1: dignity propounded in general that he was inferior to them
2:07:40
Speaker 1: in nothing whatsoever they looked upon in their glorying. In
2:07:44
Speaker 1: the meanwhile, he modestly grants a show of folly in
2:07:47
Speaker 1: this his glorying, which yet he wisely prosecutes those twenty
2:07:51
Speaker 1: two are they Hebrews, so am I? Are they Israelites?
2:07:53
Speaker 1: So am I? The second sign of his dignity more
2:07:57
Speaker 1: specially laid down that he is worthy to be compared
2:07:59
Speaker 1: to them in the nobility of his lineage. For if
2:08:02
Speaker 1: he had sought glory from a holy nation, he sprung
2:08:05
Speaker 1: from that family which had not mixed themselves with their gentiles.
2:08:08
Speaker 1: He was an Hebrew from Hebrew parents. If he would
2:08:11
Speaker 1: glory in the nobility of his race, he sprung from
2:08:14
Speaker 1: the more noble Israelites, because from the tribe of Benjamin.
2:08:17
Speaker 1: Benjamin was the son of Rachel, a woman freeborn. But
2:08:20
Speaker 1: some tribes had their original from bond maids. If they
2:08:23
Speaker 1: strived for the antiquity of religion, that they remained in
2:08:26
Speaker 1: the covenant as true Abrahamites. Here also he was equal
2:08:29
Speaker 1: to any one of them. Thus twenty three are a
2:08:33
Speaker 1: ministers of Christ. I speak as a fool. I am
2:08:35
Speaker 1: more in labors, more abundant in stripes above measure in prisons,
2:08:39
Speaker 1: more frequent in deaths oft sign three, if they had
2:08:43
Speaker 1: striven for the dignity of office. Herein modestly as one compelled,
2:08:48
Speaker 1: he prefers himself before them in respect of his apostleship,
2:08:50
Speaker 1: and offers grunted to him extraordinarily. I am greater, says he,
2:08:54
Speaker 1: because I am an apostle in labors. The fourth sign
2:08:58
Speaker 1: of his dignity is sincerity in the administration of his office.
2:09:02
Speaker 1: Of this his sincerity, he produces nine testimonies, First his
2:09:07
Speaker 1: labors or his diligence. Secondly his sufferings in general, which
2:09:10
Speaker 1: belonged to his health and bodily, liberty, and the dangers
2:09:13
Speaker 1: of his life Verse twenty four. Of the Jews five
2:09:17
Speaker 1: times received I forty stripes save one. Thirdly, he produces
2:09:21
Speaker 1: his special sufferings for the Jews, that he was whipped
2:09:24
Speaker 1: by them five times, according to the number of stripes
2:09:26
Speaker 1: inflicted upon malefactors. By the law for the Jews, although
2:09:29
Speaker 1: they are cruel, yet they would seem to contain themselves
2:09:32
Speaker 1: within the law. Deuter On Me twenty five vers. Three,
2:09:35
Speaker 1: Verse twenty five. Thrice I was beaten with rods, once
2:09:38
Speaker 1: I was stoned. Thrice I suffered shipwreck, and night and
2:09:41
Speaker 1: a day I have been in the deep. Fourthly, his
2:09:45
Speaker 1: sufferings from the Gentiles bear testimony that by their lictors
2:09:48
Speaker 1: or sergeants, he was beaten thrice with clumps and whips,
2:09:51
Speaker 1: and once stone. Fifthly, that he thrice suffered shipwreck in
2:09:56
Speaker 1: one whereof after he was twenty four hours tossed by
2:09:58
Speaker 1: the waters in the deep sea, he was freed by
2:10:00
Speaker 1: the powerful hand of God verse twenty six. In journeying,
2:10:05
Speaker 1: often in perils of water, in perils of robbers, in
2:10:07
Speaker 1: perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen,
2:10:11
Speaker 1: in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness,
2:10:14
Speaker 1: in perils in the sea, in perils amongst false brethren.
2:10:18
Speaker 1: The sixth testimony of his sincerity comprehends the labors of
2:10:21
Speaker 1: his journeying, and eight kinds of dangers which he found
2:10:24
Speaker 1: in sundry places, and from diverse kinds of men verse
2:10:28
Speaker 1: twenty seven, in weariness and painfulness, in watchings, often in
2:10:32
Speaker 1: hunger and thirst, in fastings, often in cold and nakedness.
2:10:37
Speaker 1: The seventh hath five sorts of troubles with which, while
2:10:40
Speaker 1: he fulfilled the work of the ministry, he was very
2:10:42
Speaker 1: often exercised, wherein being wearied, he was, instead of rest,
2:10:47
Speaker 1: forced to take in hand new labors verse twenty eight.
2:10:51
Speaker 1: Besides those things which are without, that which cometh upon
2:10:54
Speaker 1: me daily, the care of all the churches. Eighthly, his
2:10:58
Speaker 1: unconquerable patience in daily public businesses, a solicitous mind for
2:11:02
Speaker 1: all the churches of Christ verse twenty nine. Who is weak?
2:11:06
Speaker 1: And am I not weak? Who is offended? And I
2:11:09
Speaker 1: burn not? The ninth testimony of his sincerity is his
2:11:13
Speaker 1: sympathy with all that are afflicted and offended by any
2:11:16
Speaker 1: scandal verse thirty. If I must needs glory, I will
2:11:20
Speaker 1: glory of the things which concern my infirmities. He retorts
2:11:25
Speaker 1: the objection of his adversaries. But all these things have
2:11:28
Speaker 1: made thee a contemptible and miserable man. He answers that
2:11:31
Speaker 1: he purposely determined a glory in these as the things
2:11:34
Speaker 1: which did more commend his sincerity than the prosperous affairs
2:11:38
Speaker 1: of the false apostle adorned them. Verse thirty one. The
2:11:41
Speaker 1: God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, which is
2:11:44
Speaker 1: blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not thus thirty two.
2:11:48
Speaker 1: In Damascus, the governor and Aretus the king kept the
2:11:51
Speaker 1: city with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me verse thirty three,
2:11:55
Speaker 1: and through a window in a basket was I let
2:11:57
Speaker 1: down by the wall and escaped his hands. Lastly, because
2:12:02
Speaker 1: these things which he had mentioned may seem incredible, viz.
2:12:05
Speaker 1: That one should be able to bear so many afflictions
2:12:08
Speaker 1: premising an oath touching the truth, as well of those
2:12:11
Speaker 1: things that was said already as of those that were
2:12:14
Speaker 1: to be spoken, he mentions the especial danger of his life,
2:12:17
Speaker 1: out of which there was no apparent escape unless God
2:12:20
Speaker 1: had kept him safe for the good of the church
2:12:22
Speaker 1: and opened away by his special providence for his escape.
2:12:25
Speaker 1: Concerning which acts nine verse twenty three, end of chapter eleven,
2:12:36
Speaker 1: Chapter twelve of the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians.
2:12:39
Speaker 1: Analytically expounded by David Dixon, translated by William Ratchford. This
2:12:44
Speaker 1: LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter twelve, he
2:12:50
Speaker 1: proceeds in his holy glorying. There are three parts of
2:12:53
Speaker 1: the chapter. In the first, he explains the heavenly vision
2:12:56
Speaker 1: presented to him, together with the events of the same
2:12:58
Speaker 1: to verse eleven. In the second, he proves that the
2:13:01
Speaker 1: Corinthians ought to have freed him from this necessity of
2:13:04
Speaker 1: glory or defending him, to verse nineteen. In the third,
2:13:08
Speaker 1: he produces the causes of his troubles Us one, it
2:13:12
Speaker 1: is not expedient for me, doubtless to glory. I will
2:13:14
Speaker 1: come to visions and revelations of the Lord, the preface
2:13:18
Speaker 1: being premised that he doth not glory for his own sake,
2:13:21
Speaker 1: because that was not expedient for him. For this is
2:13:24
Speaker 1: here somewhat emphatical for me, but for the Corinthians and
2:13:27
Speaker 1: the Church's sake, whom it concerned. To preserve the authority
2:13:31
Speaker 1: of the apostle entire he cometh to extraordinary revelations, one
2:13:34
Speaker 1: of which he begins historically to declare, those two I
2:13:38
Speaker 1: knew a man in Christ about fourteen years ago. Whether
2:13:41
Speaker 1: in the body I cannot tell, or whether out of
2:13:43
Speaker 1: the body I cannot tell. God knoweth such an one
2:13:46
Speaker 1: caught up to the third Heaven. I knew a man.
2:13:49
Speaker 1: He discovers the excellency of this revelation and his modesty
2:13:52
Speaker 1: by nine arguments. Argument one that he scarcely dare publish
2:13:57
Speaker 1: his name in this business. But lest he may seem
2:13:59
Speaker 1: to arrogate me much to himself, he is compelled to
2:14:01
Speaker 1: speak of himself in a third person in Christ. Argument
2:14:05
Speaker 1: two that although this revelation may seem to extol him
2:14:09
Speaker 1: above the common condition of men, yet he doth not
2:14:11
Speaker 1: affect any other excellence than to be in Christ, or
2:14:15
Speaker 1: in the number of believers who have renounced themselves, that
2:14:18
Speaker 1: they may glory in Christ alone fourteen. Argument three that
2:14:23
Speaker 1: silently with himself, he had suppressed the mention of this
2:14:26
Speaker 1: glorious revelation whole fourteen years, never intending to recite it
2:14:30
Speaker 1: unless he was compelled by the importunity of his emulators,
2:14:33
Speaker 1: who endeavored to diminish his apostolical authority to the damage
2:14:36
Speaker 1: of the Gospel and the church caught up. Argument four
2:14:41
Speaker 1: that he was caught up to the upper heaven above
2:14:43
Speaker 1: all the stars, to the place of the blessed spirits,
2:14:46
Speaker 1: where God chiefly manifests his glory. Whether in the body
2:14:50
Speaker 1: argument five, that he is ignorant whether he was caught
2:14:53
Speaker 1: up by the local translation of his body into heaven,
2:14:56
Speaker 1: or whether his soul extraordinarily was separated for that time
2:15:00
Speaker 1: lifted up into heaven. Concerning the other, notwithstanding, I am
2:15:03
Speaker 1: certain verse three, and I knew such a man, whether
2:15:07
Speaker 1: in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell.
2:15:09
Speaker 1: God knoweth Verse four, he was caught up into paradise
2:15:13
Speaker 1: and heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful for
2:15:15
Speaker 1: a man to utter into paradise. Argument six, that he
2:15:20
Speaker 1: certainly knew the matter done, and that he was caught
2:15:23
Speaker 1: up into paradise or into that blessed seat of the
2:15:25
Speaker 1: glory of God. Whereupon he repeats the second time, I
2:15:28
Speaker 1: know a man, and there heard ineffable words, which it
2:15:32
Speaker 1: is not lawful for a manduutter, I e of whom
2:15:34
Speaker 1: something could not be expressed. Other things it was not
2:15:37
Speaker 1: lawful for him to utter, which otherwise, had he not
2:15:40
Speaker 1: been prohibited, might have been outed. For those things which
2:15:43
Speaker 1: were revealed, he is certain did belong to his private
2:15:45
Speaker 1: confirmation and preparations for those conflicts he was about to undergo.
2:15:50
Speaker 1: Verse five. Of such an one will I glory yet
2:15:53
Speaker 1: of myself, I will not glory about of my infirmities.
2:15:56
Speaker 1: Argument seven that indeed he was ready to boast to
2:16:00
Speaker 1: the glory of God of such a man I e
2:16:02
Speaker 1: of himself as the servant of God exalted after this manner,
2:16:05
Speaker 1: but not concerning himself considered in himself, for that he
2:16:08
Speaker 1: had nothing in himself in which he might glory except
2:16:11
Speaker 1: his infirmities. For six, For though I would desire to glory,
2:16:16
Speaker 1: I shall not be a fool. For I will say
2:16:18
Speaker 1: the truth. But now I forbear lest any man should
2:16:21
Speaker 1: think of me above that which he seeth me to be,
2:16:24
Speaker 1: or that he heareth of me. Argument eight that although
2:16:28
Speaker 1: he had sufficient matter of glorying offered upon this revelation,
2:16:31
Speaker 1: that truly and solidly without vanity, he might much more glory,
2:16:35
Speaker 1: but he determined as yet sparingly to speak of this matter,
2:16:38
Speaker 1: lest he should stir up too much esteem of himself.
2:16:42
Speaker 1: For seven, and lest I should be exalted above measure
2:16:45
Speaker 1: through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to
2:16:48
Speaker 1: me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan
2:16:50
Speaker 1: to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
2:16:53
Speaker 1: Argument nine that the excellence of the revelation was so
2:16:57
Speaker 1: great as that he might beware of pride. The Angel
2:16:59
Speaker 1: of Satan sent for the apostle's humiliation a thorn. He
2:17:03
Speaker 1: describes the reason of his humbling soul that he intimates
2:17:06
Speaker 1: three reasons of it. Reason one, that the matter of
2:17:10
Speaker 1: this humiliation was something of the relics of sin in
2:17:13
Speaker 1: his flesh, or his corrupt nature, as yet not quite abolished, viz.
2:17:17
Speaker 1: Some motion of concupiscence tending to his further sinning, which
2:17:21
Speaker 1: motion he compares to a thorn left in a locked wood,
2:17:24
Speaker 1: because it was no less troublesome to him than a
2:17:27
Speaker 1: thorn was one to be fastened in the foot of
2:17:28
Speaker 1: a traveler the messenger. Reason two of his humiliation, that
2:17:34
Speaker 1: this motion carried along with it a special temptation opening
2:17:37
Speaker 1: away to the devil, making way to sin to buffet.
2:17:41
Speaker 1: Reason three, this temptation send from the devil doth so
2:17:44
Speaker 1: much the more violently solicit him to sin, that he
2:17:47
Speaker 1: was compelled to implore divine assistance lest he should be
2:17:50
Speaker 1: overcome with the temptation. Which exercise as it is not
2:17:54
Speaker 1: to be wondered at by him, that reads Chapter seven
2:17:56
Speaker 1: of Romans, so it is to be acknowledged the most
2:17:59
Speaker 1: efficational means for the humbling of the Apostle. For he
2:18:02
Speaker 1: that was wont to bear all troubles and fights both
2:18:05
Speaker 1: with his bodily and spiritual enemies courageously, he has heard
2:18:09
Speaker 1: to howl and cry out in his combat with the flesh,
2:18:11
Speaker 1: O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me
2:18:14
Speaker 1: et cetera. Fors eight. For this thing I besought the
2:18:18
Speaker 1: Lord thrice that it might depart from me. The humiliation
2:18:22
Speaker 1: of the Apostle itself follows, of which he brings four signs.
2:18:26
Speaker 1: Sign one that he had very often prayed unto God
2:18:29
Speaker 1: that he would deliver him from the tempter. Verse nine
2:18:33
Speaker 1: that he said, unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee,
2:18:36
Speaker 1: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly.
2:18:39
Speaker 1: Therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the
2:18:42
Speaker 1: power of Christ may rest upon me. Sign too, that
2:18:46
Speaker 1: he rested in the answer of God, in which he
2:18:48
Speaker 1: certified him partly of the sufficiency of his grace for
2:18:51
Speaker 1: the sustaining of his combating servant, lest he should be
2:18:54
Speaker 1: overcome by the tempter. For the washing away of all
2:18:57
Speaker 1: pollution which he had contracted in his combat partly concerning
2:19:01
Speaker 1: the end of His purpose in the exercise of his servants,
2:19:03
Speaker 1: which is that by how much any servant of God
2:19:06
Speaker 1: is found more weak in any combat, by so much
2:19:09
Speaker 1: the strength of God sustaining him might more clearly and
2:19:11
Speaker 1: perfectly demonstrate itself most gladly. Sign three that a more
2:19:17
Speaker 1: constant frame of humility would ensue upon this combat of
2:19:20
Speaker 1: his wherein he determined to acknowledge his infirmities and weaknesses
2:19:24
Speaker 1: in all things to this very end, that he might
2:19:26
Speaker 1: experience the power of Christ dwelling in him, and so
2:19:29
Speaker 1: much the more apparently manifested Verse ten. Therefore, I take
2:19:34
Speaker 1: pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses,
2:19:38
Speaker 1: for Christ's sake, For when I am weak, then I
2:19:41
Speaker 1: am strong. Sign four that he had now learned not
2:19:45
Speaker 1: only to bear all afflictions courageously for the Gospel, which
2:19:48
Speaker 1: might make him more humble, but out of them to
2:19:50
Speaker 1: take much pleasure, because when he perceived himself most weak
2:19:54
Speaker 1: flying to Christ, he had experience of his more powerful
2:19:57
Speaker 1: presence for the sustaining and comforting him, and life likewise
2:20:00
Speaker 1: making him victorious. The second part verse eleven, I am
2:20:06
Speaker 1: becoming a fool in glorying ye have compelled me, for
2:20:09
Speaker 1: I ought to have been commended of you, For in
2:20:11
Speaker 1: nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I
2:20:14
Speaker 1: be nothing. The second part of the chapter contains his
2:20:18
Speaker 1: glorying in the manifestation of his apostleship powerfully and sincerely
2:20:22
Speaker 1: administered among the Corinthians. He clears this glorying from that
2:20:26
Speaker 1: folly which some might object, laying the fold upon the Corinthians,
2:20:29
Speaker 1: from whose neglect the necessity of the apostle glorying did arise,
2:20:33
Speaker 1: for they ought to assert his dignity against the false apostles.
2:20:36
Speaker 1: He says, I ought to be commended by you, or
2:20:39
Speaker 1: it was your part to defend me. He brings nine
2:20:41
Speaker 1: reasons of this proposition, and also of his glorying, for
2:20:46
Speaker 1: in nothing. Reason one because although the apostle was nothing
2:20:50
Speaker 1: in himself, yet by the grace of God, he was
2:20:52
Speaker 1: not inferior to the chief apostles, the Corinthians being his witnesses.
2:20:56
Speaker 1: Therefore he ought to be defended and commended by them. Verse.
2:21:00
Speaker 1: Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you
2:21:03
Speaker 1: in all patients, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.
2:21:07
Speaker 1: Reason two, confirming the former, because amongst you the signs
2:21:10
Speaker 1: of my apostleship appear partly in my patient enduring of labors, troubles,
2:21:14
Speaker 1: and injuries, partly in the effects and signs of my
2:21:17
Speaker 1: apostleship in miracles and powerful works. Therefore I ought to
2:21:21
Speaker 1: be commended by you. Verse thirteen. For what is that
2:21:24
Speaker 1: wherein you are inferior to other churches, Except it be
2:21:27
Speaker 1: that I myself was not burdensome to you, forgive me
2:21:30
Speaker 1: this wrong. Reason three, because the Corinthian Church is endowed
2:21:34
Speaker 1: with such illustrious gifts of the Holy Ghost by my
2:21:37
Speaker 1: ministry as any other church founded, either by other apostles
2:21:41
Speaker 1: or by myself. Therefore my ministry ought to be defended
2:21:44
Speaker 1: by you, except it be that. Reason four, because his
2:21:49
Speaker 1: zeal in propagating the Gospel amongst them was so great
2:21:52
Speaker 1: that he preached the Gospel to the Corinthians freely, wherein
2:21:55
Speaker 1: if there was any wrong by a civil irony, he
2:21:58
Speaker 1: asks pardon, intimating the better, which was vouchsafe to them.
2:22:01
Speaker 1: Therefore he ought to be defended by them. Verse fourteen.
2:22:06
Speaker 1: Behold the third time, I am ready to come to you,
2:22:08
Speaker 1: and I will not be burdensome to you, for I
2:22:11
Speaker 1: seek not yours, but you for the children ought not
2:22:13
Speaker 1: to lay up for the parents, but the parents for
2:22:15
Speaker 1: the children. Reason five, confirming the former, because the Apostle
2:22:20
Speaker 1: was still of the same mind towards them, not to
2:22:22
Speaker 1: take any wages of them for the future when he
2:22:25
Speaker 1: shall come to them. For now he prepared himself for
2:22:27
Speaker 1: coming the third time, although his second intention to come
2:22:31
Speaker 1: was hindered, as it is to Corinthians, one yours. Reason
2:22:36
Speaker 1: six confirming the former, because he sought the salvation of
2:22:39
Speaker 1: the Corinthians, and not to convert their goods to his
2:22:42
Speaker 1: own proper use. Therefore they ought to defend him, for
2:22:46
Speaker 1: I seek not Reason seven, because although he be their
2:22:49
Speaker 1: spiritual father, who ought to be nourished by his folk
2:22:52
Speaker 1: or his children, yet he endeavored to intimate natural parents,
2:22:55
Speaker 1: who ordinarily lay up for their children. Otherwise, if the
2:22:58
Speaker 1: parents be in want, it is not to be doubted,
2:23:01
Speaker 1: but children or to do their mutual duties to their
2:23:03
Speaker 1: parents and to honor them by nourishing them. Verse fifteen.
2:23:07
Speaker 1: And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you,
2:23:10
Speaker 1: though the more abundantly I love you the less I
2:23:12
Speaker 1: be beloved Reason eight, because he was ready to spend
2:23:16
Speaker 1: his goods and life itself for their salvation, which vehement
2:23:19
Speaker 1: love he amplifies from the ingratitude of the Corinthians, who,
2:23:22
Speaker 1: in the meanwhile did not make return of his love,
2:23:25
Speaker 1: but received the false apostles his emulators, and made more
2:23:28
Speaker 1: of them than the apostle himself their father Verse sixteen.
2:23:33
Speaker 1: But be it so, I did not burden you. Nevertheless,
2:23:36
Speaker 1: being crafty, I caught you with guile Verse seventeen. Did
2:23:39
Speaker 1: I make a gain of you by any of them
2:23:41
Speaker 1: whom I sent unto you? Verse eighteen? I desired Titus,
2:23:44
Speaker 1: and with him I sent a brother? Did Titus make
2:23:47
Speaker 1: a gain of you? Walked we not in the same spirit?
2:23:50
Speaker 1: Walked we not in the same steps? Reason nine, in
2:23:54
Speaker 1: which he prevents an objection. Some might say, although thou
2:23:57
Speaker 1: thyself hast not received of them wages, yet perhaps thou
2:24:00
Speaker 1: hast drawn much from them by those whom thou hast sent.
2:24:04
Speaker 1: He answers that his companions and ambassadors, which he had
2:24:07
Speaker 1: sent to the Corinthians, have taken the same care lest
2:24:10
Speaker 1: they should burden the Corinthians. But by the way he
2:24:13
Speaker 1: checks his adversaries, whilst he clears himself from those arts
2:24:16
Speaker 1: which those crafty workmen did use, who, when they would
2:24:19
Speaker 1: seem to receive nothing themselves, did suborn others who should
2:24:23
Speaker 1: receive for their use whatsoever they could squeeze from the Corinthians. Therefore,
2:24:26
Speaker 1: the Corinthians ought to defend Paul and stop the mouths
2:24:29
Speaker 1: of his accusers in his absence. The third part verse nineteen, again,
2:24:35
Speaker 1: think you that we excuse ourselves unto you we speak
2:24:38
Speaker 1: before God in Christ. But we do all things Dearly
2:24:41
Speaker 1: Beloved for your edifying. The third part of the chapter follows,
2:24:45
Speaker 1: wherein by preventing an objection, he gives thee reasons of
2:24:48
Speaker 1: his defense. Some might say, wherefore dost thou write these things?
2:24:52
Speaker 1: Wherefore is that defense? Whether art thou conscious of some evil,
2:24:56
Speaker 1: or dost thou desire to be extolled by us? He
2:24:58
Speaker 1: answers by giving five reasons why he was so solicitous
2:25:01
Speaker 1: in that kind. One. I have not writ these to
2:25:04
Speaker 1: this intent that as guilty of some evil, or that
2:25:07
Speaker 1: I desired glory, I may clear myself amongst you, or
2:25:10
Speaker 1: excuse myself, but out of my love to you, that
2:25:13
Speaker 1: I might promote your edification and salvation, lest you, viz.
2:25:17
Speaker 1: Thinking meanly of my apostleship, should by the false apostles
2:25:20
Speaker 1: be moved from the simplicity of the Gospel. For the
2:25:22
Speaker 1: testimony of this my assertion, I call God, who hath
2:25:25
Speaker 1: known my mind, and Christ whose business I do, to
2:25:28
Speaker 1: be my witnesses Verse twenty. For I fear lest when
2:25:32
Speaker 1: I come, I shall not find you such as I would,
2:25:34
Speaker 1: and that I shall be found unto you such as
2:25:37
Speaker 1: YE would not, lest there be debates, envyings, wrath, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults.
2:25:44
Speaker 1: Reason too, I fear lest my authority and doctrine being
2:25:48
Speaker 1: diminished amongst you through the false apostles. When I come,
2:25:51
Speaker 1: I shall find you such as I would not. I
2:25:53
Speaker 1: e infected with those evils which follow upon schisms, such
2:25:57
Speaker 1: are strifes or contenients, emulations or envy concerning the gifts
2:26:00
Speaker 1: of God, wraths or angers from mutual injuries, brawlings or
2:26:04
Speaker 1: mutual provocations, back bitings, and whisperings by which openly and
2:26:09
Speaker 1: privily men are wont to defame one another, swellings and
2:26:13
Speaker 1: as it were, puffings up of the mind out of pride,
2:26:16
Speaker 1: and lastly tumultuous seditions, and that I Reason three, I
2:26:22
Speaker 1: fear lest ye should find me more severe than you would,
2:26:24
Speaker 1: and there s ye timely mend by admonitions and submit
2:26:28
Speaker 1: to my doctrine and authority in the Lord plus twenty one,
2:26:31
Speaker 1: unless when I come again my God will humble me
2:26:34
Speaker 1: amongst you, that I shall bewail many which have sinned
2:26:37
Speaker 1: already and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication
2:26:40
Speaker 1: and laciviousness which they have committed. Reason four, I fear
2:26:45
Speaker 1: lest if my authority be despised amongst you, many amongst
2:26:48
Speaker 1: you will impenitently continue in their defilement, fornications and such
2:26:52
Speaker 1: like sins which I have in the former epistle reproved,
2:26:57
Speaker 1: will humble me. Reason five, I fear less the Lord
2:27:00
Speaker 1: should afflict me when I come to you, fearz lest
2:27:02
Speaker 1: your sins should create shame, sadness and mourning to me,
2:27:06
Speaker 1: and offenses amongst you, who are my glory and joy.
2:27:10
Speaker 1: If you behave yourselves as it becometh children, but you
2:27:13
Speaker 1: will cause shame and sadness to me if you do otherwise,
2:27:17
Speaker 1: that He might prevent these evils and take away scandals
2:27:20
Speaker 1: arising amongst them, it was necessary that the authority of
2:27:23
Speaker 1: the apostle and apostolical doctrine should be maintained amongst them.
2:27:26
Speaker 1: For this end, this the Apostle's apology was necessary. End
2:27:31
Speaker 1: of chapter twelve, Chapter fifteen of the Second Epistle of
2:27:40
Speaker 1: Paul to the Corinthians, analytically expounded by David Dixon, translated
2:27:45
Speaker 1: by William Ratchford. This LIBRIVANX recording is in the public domain.
2:27:49
Speaker 1: Chapter thirteen. In this last chapter he proceeds to vindicate
2:27:54
Speaker 1: his apostolical authority from contempt and to make it awful
2:27:58
Speaker 1: and amiable amongst them. The proposition to be confirmed is
2:28:01
Speaker 1: this my authority ought to be reverenced by you. The
2:28:04
Speaker 1: arguments which confirm this thesis are ten. Thus one, this
2:28:09
Speaker 1: is the third time I am coming to you in
2:28:11
Speaker 1: the mouth of two or three witnesses. Shall every word
2:28:13
Speaker 1: be established? Argument one, I forewarn you by that authority
2:28:18
Speaker 1: committed unto me of the purpose of my coming unto you.
2:28:20
Speaker 1: Now the third time, that you, being twice or thrice
2:28:23
Speaker 1: forewarned concerning my coming, it might be instead of two
2:28:26
Speaker 1: or three witnesses to certify you of my firm purpose
2:28:29
Speaker 1: to exercise ecclesiastical censure amongst you. Therefore my authority is
2:28:33
Speaker 1: to be feared by you. Verse two, I told you before,
2:28:36
Speaker 1: and foretell you as if I was present the second time,
2:28:39
Speaker 1: and being absent now, I write to them which heretofore
2:28:42
Speaker 1: have sinned, and to all other that if I come again,
2:28:44
Speaker 1: I will not spare Argument two from the combination of
2:28:48
Speaker 1: exercising severity. When he came upon the impenitent who had
2:28:51
Speaker 1: first sinned and not repented, be persuaded that I will
2:28:54
Speaker 1: severely punish the impenitent when I come. Therefore, fear ye
2:28:58
Speaker 1: and repent. Over three, since he seek a proof of
2:29:02
Speaker 1: Christ speaking in me, which to you it is not weak,
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Speaker 1: but is mighty in you. He gives the reasons of
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Speaker 1: this his severe combination, because they tempered Christ and the Apostle,
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Speaker 1: doubting whether Christ spake in the Apostle or the Apostle
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Speaker 1: from the authority of Christ. And also he adds argument
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Speaker 1: three for the vindicating of his authority. Christ hath powerfully
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Speaker 1: manifested himself amongst you by my ministry, partly by grace
2:29:24
Speaker 1: given to sinners, partly by the gifts of the spirit
2:29:26
Speaker 1: conferred upon the presbyters and others, partly by miracles down
2:29:29
Speaker 1: amongst you, partly by the correcting of stubborn sinners. Fear therefore,
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Speaker 1: verse four, For though He was crucified through weakness, yet
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Speaker 1: he lived by the power of God. For we also
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Speaker 1: are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him
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Speaker 1: by the power of God. Towards you. Argument four that
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Speaker 1: as Christ was crucified in the infirmity of the flesh,
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Speaker 1: but is found alive by the spirit and power of
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Speaker 1: His deity, so I am weak in appearance and have
2:29:54
Speaker 1: carried myself humbly for Christ's sake, that I might be
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Speaker 1: conformable to Christ. But by the power of God God,
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Speaker 1: I have been able, and shall be also powerful in
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Speaker 1: my ministry when the matter requires it. Therefore, my authority
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Speaker 1: is to be feared. Verse five. Examine yourselves whether ye
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Speaker 1: be in the faith. Prove your own selves, know ye
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Speaker 1: not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you,
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Speaker 1: Except ye be reprobates Argument five. All you, after your
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Speaker 1: examination shall know that Christ dwells in you through My ministry,
2:30:24
Speaker 1: unless some of you are castaways and unworthy of the
2:30:26
Speaker 1: name of believers, or at least as yet unregenerate. Therefore,
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Speaker 1: the authority of my apostleship ought to be reverenced by
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Speaker 1: you verse six. But I trust that ye shall know
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Speaker 1: that we are not reprobates argument six. For whatsoever ye
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Speaker 1: now are, I hope it will come to pass that
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Speaker 1: at length, Ye, being overcome by the truth and convicted
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Speaker 1: by the signs of my apostleship, may acknowledge me to
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Speaker 1: be the true servant of Christ, and not a false
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Speaker 1: or a reprobate apostle. Therefore, my authority ought to be
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Speaker 1: reverenced by you verse seven. Now I pray to God
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Speaker 1: that YE do know evil, not that we should appear approved,
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Speaker 1: but that YE should do that which is honest, though
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Speaker 1: we be as reprobates argument seven, by which he doth
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Speaker 1: not only vindicate his authority from contempt, but by the
2:31:13
Speaker 1: moderation of his mind, maketh it lovely. I honestly desire
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Speaker 1: you to abstain from all evil and do good, lest
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Speaker 1: I should need to exercise my authority amongst you. And
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Speaker 1: to this end I pray God that I may not
2:31:24
Speaker 1: regard my reputation, whether approved or disapproved, by the judgment
2:31:28
Speaker 1: of men. I am indifferent, so that it may be
2:31:30
Speaker 1: well with you. Therefore my authority ought to be reverenced
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Speaker 1: by you verse eight. For we can do nothing against
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Speaker 1: the truth but for the truth. Argument eight, confirming the former.
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Speaker 1: My authority doth not prevail against truth or righteousness, that
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Speaker 1: they may be destroyed, but for preserving the truth. And therefore,
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Speaker 1: if you do no evil, my authority amongst you will cease.
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Speaker 1: Therefore that ought to be beloved by you. Verse nine.
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Speaker 1: For we are glad when we are weak, and ye
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Speaker 1: are strong. And this also we wish even your perfection.
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Speaker 1: Argument nine, confirming the seventh. I rejoice when there is
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Speaker 1: no occasion for the exercise of my authority, as if
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Speaker 1: I had none. Do not show my power, Having nothing
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Speaker 1: more in my desires than your integrity. That all things
2:32:13
Speaker 1: being duly composed, and the members of the church, which
2:32:16
Speaker 1: are now disjointed, being restored, I may never have need
2:32:19
Speaker 1: to extol myself to your terror. Therefore my authority ought
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Speaker 1: both to be reverenced and loved by you. Verse ten.
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Speaker 1: Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present,
2:32:29
Speaker 1: I should use sharpness according to the power which the
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Speaker 1: Lord hath given me, to edification and not to destruction.
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Speaker 1: Argument ten. Now I deal with you more severely by letters,
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Speaker 1: that you may repent lest being present, I be compelled
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Speaker 1: more severely to punish the impenitent, according to my power
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Speaker 1: given me for your good, but not for your hurt.
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Speaker 1: Therefore my authority ought to be reverenced by you. Verse eleven. Finely, brethren, farewell,
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Speaker 1: be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind,
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Speaker 1: live in peace, and the God of love and peace
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Speaker 1: shall be with you. Verse twelve. Greet one another with
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Speaker 1: an holy kiss. Verse thirteen, all the saints salute you.
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Speaker 1: Verse fourteen. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
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Speaker 1: the love of God and the communion of the Holy
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Speaker 1: Ghost be with you. All amen. He concludes the epistle
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Speaker 1: with a very fit exhortation, which is sixfold exhortation. One
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Speaker 1: that they may rejoice in obeying my admonitions with real joy.
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Speaker 1: Two that they may be perfect or sound, and schism,
2:33:28
Speaker 1: being laid aside, may be joined together amongst themselves. Three
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Speaker 1: that they may have comfort by obeying him. Four that
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Speaker 1: in opinions they may agree amongst themselves. Five that joined
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Speaker 1: in affections, they follow peace. Which exhortations he confirms by
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Speaker 1: promising the divine presence in the fuller gifts of His grace,
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Speaker 1: which God, who delights in peace and love, is wont
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Speaker 1: to give to those that endeavor after peace and love.
2:33:53
Speaker 1: Greet six, he exhorts that they would show towards one
2:33:56
Speaker 1: another the signs of mutual love without dissimulation, as it
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Speaker 1: becomes saints, the grace of our Lord after his salutation
2:34:04
Speaker 1: in the name of the Saints. In the end, he
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Speaker 1: applies himself to them by an apostolical benediction, and wishes
2:34:10
Speaker 1: furthermore that there might not only be granted a right
2:34:13
Speaker 1: to all the comfortable benefits of Christ, but also an acknowledgment,
2:34:17
Speaker 1: a sense and more full fruition, first of the grace
2:34:20
Speaker 1: of reconciliation made by Christ, further of his divine love,
2:34:24
Speaker 1: which by Christ descends upon us. And thirdly all sorts
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Speaker 1: of gifts of the Holy Ghost, sealing, even as with
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Speaker 1: his seal his desire and hope Amen. End of Chapter thirteen.
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Speaker 1: End of the Second Epistle of poll to the Corinthians.
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Speaker 1: Analytically expounded by David Dixon