An expositon of all St. Pauls epistles together with an explanation of those other epistles of the apostles St. James, Peter, John & Jude : wherein the sense of every chapter and verse is analytically unfolded and the text enlightened. / David Dickson ...

CHAP. VI.

THat as yet further hee may commend the exercise of his Ministery more fully to the consciences of the Corinthians, putting before their eyes a Minister faith∣ful in work and example, hee draws a three-fold ex∣hortation from the premises, that they may bring forth the fruit of his Ministery. There are three parts of the Chapter, of which the first is an exhortation seriously to receive the grace offered by him, to vers. 11. The se∣cond is an exhortation to receive him for the Apostle of Christ, to vers. 14. And the third is an exhortation to shun the contagion of Idolatry, to the end.

Vers. 1. Wee then as workers together with him beseech you also, that yee receive not the Grace of God in vain.

The first Exhortation is, that they would receive the Grace of Reconciliation more seriously, and with fruit, and suffer not the Grace of God offered in the Gospel (by their fault) to want its full fruit in them▪ that they may obtain Righteousness, Peace, Life, and all things which Christ hath obtained for them. The Proposition hee ur∣ges is this. Yee ought not to receive the Grace of God in vain, i. e. in outward profession onely, without its inter∣nal virtue; this hee proves by three Arguments.

Argum. 1. Wee Ministers of God being co-workers, (that his work may bee promoted in you) granted from him to you by free gift promising our endeavour for the promoting of your salvation, earnestly desired that of you; Therefore yee ought not to receive the Grace of God in vain.

Vers. 2. (For hee saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in a day of salvation have I succoured thee: Behold, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Argum. 2. In a Parenthesis. Because now the time is acceptable in which, by the intercession of Christ, the Grace of God is efficacious to the producing of fruit in all those that receive the Gospel with serious affection of heart, and desire to bring forth fruit, which hee proves out of Isa. 49.8. where the Father speaketh to the Me∣diatour interceding for them, and by his Spirit breathing in them: Therefore you must beware lest this opportu∣nity of Grace bee in vain offered to you.

Vers. 3. Giving no offence in any thing, that the Mi∣nistery bee not blamed.

Argum. 3. Ioyned with the first verse. Wee Mini∣sters which exhort you, and I by name Paul, wee are approved by all manner of waies, and wee are found faithful in the Ministery of the Gospel, not hindering you, but that you may profit by our Ministery, that so yee may pretend nothing, but that yee may persevere in the Grace of the Gospel: Therefore yee ought not to re∣ceive the Grace of the Gospel in vain, but to contend for the receiving of, and expressing the virtue of the Gos∣pel: Hee confirms the Antecedent by an induction of the virtues which prove Ministers faithful, with which hee was first of all, by the Grace of God, adorned: There are five parts of the induction; In the first part hee re∣moves from himself those vices, whereby idle Teachers were wont to create offences to the Gospel, demolishing more by their manners in the edifice of God, than by their Doctrine they edifie, and yeelding occasion to the wicked of speaking ill of his Ministery, or of the office of Ministers.

Vers. 4. But in all things approving our selves as the Ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,.

5. In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings,

In the second part hee recites divers kinds of virtues, with which his Ministery is adorned, but namely hee

mentions his patience exercised in nine kinds of evils, in all which without murmuring hee patiently executed the offices of his Ministery, for hee strongly endured the trou∣bles of his journies with want and dangers, the snares of his persecutors, prison, and ••umults stirred up against him, and in preaching, his labour, watchings, fastings, nei∣ther did hee wax faint in the work of the Lord.

Vers. 6. By pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeig∣ned,

In the third part hee adds other six virtues of his pa∣tience, of which the first is his freedome from the pollu∣tions of the world, whilst hee conversed amongst those of the world. 2 His discretion in handling his auditors. 3 His forbearance in provocations. 4 His gentleness in his commerce with more difficult things. 5. His spiritu∣al disposition in all things. 6. His sincere love towards all.

Vers. 7. By the word of truth, by the Power of God, by the Armour of Righteousness, on the right hand, and on the left.

In the fourth part hee reckons the virtues which did belong to the discharge of his duty. 1. Hee preached nothing besides the truth of God. 2. Hee demonstrated the power of the Spirit in his speech. 3. Hee contended against all his enemies with spiritual weapons, i. e. with lawful means, on the right hand in prosperity; on the left hand in adversity; and in every change and vicissi∣tude of things, hee did remain constant, lest hee should either by enticements, or by terrours, turn out of the right way.

Vers. 8. By honour, and dishonour, by evil report, and good report, as deceivers, and yet true:

9. As unknown, and yet well known: as dying, and be∣hold wee live: as chastened, and not killed:

10. As sorrowful, yet alway rejoycing: as poor, yet making many rich, as having nothing, yet possessing all things.

In the first part hee boasts, that hee hath alwayes con∣tinued in a right way, whether ignominy or infamy, whether glory or fame followed: For when hee was counted as an Impostor, hee declared himself one that spake truth.

When hee was accounted as ignoble and contemptible, hee did manifest himself by his deeds, that they who had eyes might acknowledge him to bee the Servant of the most High God: Hee seemed even as dead, and in the midst of death, hee triumphed notwithstanding, that hee performed his duty, as being alive: yea chastened with many stripes, even to death, hee was kept by God, lest hee should die: by reason of those evils which pressed him, sometimes under a pretence hee was sad, but by the Spirit in God, hee did alwayes rejoyce: Hee was count∣ed poor, but through the Gospel, by the manifold love of God, hee did enrich many, not only by shewing the man∣ner of contentation in the Gospel, but also instructing men to virtue and piety, which is profitable for all things. Hee wanted possessions and revenues, and yet contented with his lot, hee did rejoyce as much as was fitting, in the use of all things.

The Second Part.

Vers. 11. O yee Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.

The second part of the Chapter follows, in which the second exhortation of Paul to the Corinthians, is, that they would love again that Apostle, viz. of Christ, who had undergone so many labours in the Ministery for their good. To this Exhortation hee premises five Arguments.

Argum. 1. Plainly and ingenuously, that I may use liberty of speech with friends, most freely with an heart enlarged, and with an open mouth publishing, what good will inwardly I have towards you, why therefore do ye not require mee in like manner?

Vers. 12. Ye are not straightned in us, but ye are straight∣ned in your own bowels.

13. Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as un∣to my children) bee yee also enlarged.

Argum. 2. There is nothing in mee why you should no apprehend my love, but through the straightness of your own hearts, who do not believe that thy good will is so great towards you.

Yee are not straightned] Argu. 3. Yee are bound to love mee again, who so exceedingly love you: There∣fore as out of equity requite mee, by loving mee, and perswading your selves that you are beloved of mee.

As unto dear children] Argum. 4. I am your Father, and you my Sons: Therefore as my Sons, love mee as your Father.

For a recompence] Argum. 5. Now I require a debt from you: Therefore bee yee enlarged, i. e. admit yee with an enlarged heart the perswasion of my lovingness and my parental admonitions, proceeding out of loving∣ness, and likewise love yee mee again.

The Third Part.

Vers. 14. Bee yee not unequally yoaked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15. And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath hee that believeth with an infidel?

The third exhortation, that they abstain from all un∣lawful society with unbelievers, by whom they may bee hindered, lest they should serve God, or bee alienated from the true Religion, or any wayes polluted of this kind of society, is matrimony, by which men easily, or women, may bee wrapped in a consent to wickedness by I∣dolaters, because of all kind of society this is nearest. That which hee seems to tax first of all, is the society or communion of the faithful Corinthians, with their unbe∣lieving companions in external Idolatry, wherewith they polluted themselves, eating together with those, Idolatrous Sacrifices in the Idols Temple▪ as it appears in the for∣mer Epistle, Chap. 8. In which Idolatry, or in any other sin, hee forbids to draw with them in the same yoke of impiety. The arguments of the Exhortation are four:

For what] Argum. 1. Your condition and profession of Christians on the one part, and the sins of Idolatry, which are openly professed on the other part, They are no less opposed by one another, than righteousness and ini∣quity, Light and Darkness, Christ and the Devil, Faith and Infidelity, the Temple of God and Idols, a∣mongst which there can bee no communion: Therefore no communion with you Christians ought to bee with un∣believers in Idolatry, or in any other sins which unbe∣lievers openly profess, or in any other necessity (out of which may arise an unsuperable danger) of communi∣cating with their sins; Hee did not forbid them to in∣habit in the same City with them, neither to negotiate nor eat meat, if they should bee invited to dinner or sup∣per.

Vers. 16. And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? for yee are the Temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will bee their God, and they shall bee my people.

Argum. 2. Yee are the holy Temple of God, which hee proveth by the testimony of Moses, Lev. 26.12. and Ezek. 37.27. Therefore it is not lawful for you to pol∣lute your selves by society with unbelievers, chiefly in that, in which are the Temple of Idols professedly.

Vers. 17. Wherefore come out from among them, and bee yee separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.

18. And will bee a father unto you, and yee shall be my sons, and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Argum. 3. God commandeth you to separate from Ido∣laters,

and the pollutions of the World, and not to touch them: Therefore you ought to beware of them.

I will receive] Argum. 4. From the Promises which God hath made to those, who keep themselves pure from the defilements of the world, nor participate with other mens sins. God will bee a Father to them, i. e. in a recompence of all hurt, and full consolation against all evils, which they, looking to themselves, may suffer from other mens sins; God will communicate himself to them, and will manifest his paternal affection towards them really.