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A. D. 57. Apostles had once a Notion of Chrift as of a temporal Monarch, a Meffiah born and circumcifed a † Jew, to reign for the Glory and Splendor of our particular Nation. But we have now quite other Apprehenfions of him and his Religion.

17. Therefore if any man be in Chrift, he is a new creature: old things are paft away, behold all things

are become new.

is not the Cafe, but
18. And all things
are of God, who hath
reconciled us to him-

felf by Jefus Chrift,
and hath given to us

ciliation;

the miniftry of recon-
19. To wit, that
God was in Chrift,
reconciling the world
unto himself, not im-
puting their trefpaffes

17. The main Thing therefore that makes a true Chriftian, is the Reformation of his Mind and Practices according to the Rules of the Gospel. The old Notion of being the Seed of Abraham, a new Faith, and a new Life.

18 & 19. This is the Condition God has now appointed for our obtaining the Benefits of his Sufferings for the Sins of the whole World, Gentiles as well as Jews. Thus extensive is the Gofpel Covenant, and God has ordained us his Apostles thus to declare and preach it to all Mankind.

unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

us:

20. All that we pretend to therefore is, to be Chrift's Ambaffadors and Representatives, to exhort and perfuade Men in the Name of God, and of Jefus Chrift, to come in and embrace these gracious Terms of Pardon and

20. Now then we
are ambaffadors for
Chrift, as though God
did befeech you by
we pray you in
Chrifts ftead, be ye
reconciled to God *.
Reconciliation to him.
21. For he hath

made him to be fin for
us, who knew no fin;
that we might be made
the righteousness of

God in him.
Capacity of eternal

21. Gracious indeed beyond all Expreffion! Since God has given up the innocent and unspotted Son of his Bofom to be a Sacrifice for our Sins; by the Atonement whereof we are put into a perfect Pardon and Salvation. CHAP.

Ver. 20. Be ye reconciled to God. Kararλáyn]$7ã Osw— Make your Peace with God. See Matth. v. 28.

CHAP. VI.

The CONTENTS.

By the Warnings given in the 14th Verfe, &c. the Apoftle plainly feems to addrefs himself to the Gentile Converts of the Corinthian Church in this Chapter. Wherein (having before own'd and proved them to be true Members of the Chriftian Church as well as the Jewish ones, Chap. v.) he now exhorts them to live worthy of their Profeffion; propofing to them the Example of his own Purity, Conftancy, and Patience. Expreffes his Love and Regard toward their whole Church. Warns them to forbear the Freedoms they took in partaking of idolatrous Entertainments, from the Danger and In confiftency of fuch Practices with the Chriftian Faith and Worship: And from fome Passages of the Öld Testament, WE then

1.

as I.
workers to-

gether with bim, be-
feech you also, that ye
receive not the grace
of God in vain.
Care to live worthy
2. (For he faith, I
have heard thee in a
time accepted, and in
the day of falvation
have I fuccoured thee;
behold, now is the
accepted time; be-
hold, now is the day
of falvation.)
ceptance with him.)

3. Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be

not blamed.

be prejudiced against

A

S an Apoftle of Chrift, and A. D. 57.

a Minifter under him, In earneftly exhort you Gentile Converts, fince you have obtain❜d the Favour of being the true Members of his Church, to take all of fo holy a Profession.

2. (Remember thofe Words of the Prophet (Ifai. xlix. 8.) Wherein God the Father declares his Acceptance of the Gentile World, as his Church, in Chrift the Meffiah; and that this Promife is now fulfill'd by our preaching and converting you to the Chriftian Faith. Now is the Time for your Ac

3. Which Office I endeavour
to perform with the utmost Care
and Caution, fo as not to give the
leaft Occafion to any Perfons to
it, or lofe the good Effects of it.
4 & 5.

Ff3

A. D. 57. 4. But in all things
approving our felves
as the minifters of

God, in much pati-
ence, in afflictions, in
neceffities, in diftref

fes,

5. In ftripes, in

4 & 5. But ftriving to recommend myself and my Doctrine, as a worthy Minifter of God, by patiently fuffering the worst Calamities that can befal me, and with the Exercise of the feverest Mortification and Self-Denial.

imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in

faftings,

6. By pureness, by knowledge, by longfuffering, by kindnefs, by the holy Ghost, by love unfeigned.

6. By Purity of Conversation, by the due Improvement of my Knowledge of divine Myfteries, by Long-fuffering and Forgivenefs of all Provocations; by the diligent and proper Ufe of the various Gifts of the Holy Spirit, for the real Good and Benefit of Mankind.

7. By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteoufnefs on the right hand and

7. By preaching the pure Word of God, and confirming it with Miracles; arming myself, like a true Soldier, with Innocence and Righteoufnefs, as a fure Guard on the left, from Affaults on either whether of Profperity or Adverfity.

8. By honour and difhonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet

true :

Side,

8. By bearing, with an equal Mind, the vile Reproaches of defigning and prophane, as well as the Commendations of fober and confiderate Men. Patient to be

efteemed a Deceiver by fome, while I conscientiously difpenfe the Word of Truth to all.

9. As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chaftened,

and not killed;

9.

Contented to be called a mean obfcure Perfon by the unthinking Pretenders to Wisdom, while I perform thofe Works that

prove

Ver. 7. On the Right hand and on the Left: Alluding perhaps to that Perfection of Soldiery which confifted in a manag ing the Sword equally with right and left Hand. Such a one was called audio and weidio among the Greeks. + Ver. 9. Yet well known. Exigirwonoussos, celebrated,

reinarkable.

Επιγινωσκόμενοι,
2

prove me to be divinely inspired. Being daily in the A. D. 57. very Sight of Death by my Sufferings and Perfecutions,

and yet as often miraculously or providentially deliver'd from it.

10. As forrowful, yet alway rejoycing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet pof feffing all things.

10. By living a Condition fad and forrowful to outward Appearance, but full of the Comforts of a good Confcience, and the joyous Hope of a future Happiness. Being poor and ftreight as to the Goods of the prefent Life, while I bestow upon others the trueft Riches. Seeming, to the Lovers of this World, to have nothing, while I am in a fure Way of poffeffing all that is durable and eternally valuable.

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

11. I exprefs myself thus freely and largely, to encourage you to imitate my Example. Nor do I fpeak thus well of my felf only; but, my dear Corinthian Brethren, I think and fpeak well of you too, with a Heart full of good and kind Affections toward you.

12. Ye are not straitned in us, but ye are ftraitned in your own bowels.

13. Now for a recompence in the fame (Ifpeak as unto my children) be ye alfo enlarged.

14. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteoufnefs? and what communion hath light with darkness?

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13. Now I intreat you with the Tenderness of a spiritual Father, be just in your Returns to me, and treat me with filial Respect and Love.

14. Particularly let the Gentile Converts teftify this Respect by complying with the Advices I have given them, not to frequent the idolatrous Feafts* of the Heathens, nor do any Thing that has the leaft Shadow of a Participation in their fuperftitious Rites ;

nor intermarry with any Infidels. For what Confif

Ff4

tency

* Ver. 14. See I Cor. viii. and x. and 1 Cor. vii. 39.

A. D. 57. tency can there be between a holy and pure Religion, and an impious and idolatrous Worship?

15. The Kingdom of Chrift and that of the Devil are directly oppofite and deftructive of each other; and therefore there can be no religious Communion be

15. And what con-
cord hath Chrift with
Belial? or what part
hath he that believ-
eth, with an infidel?
tween a Chriftian and a Heathen.

16. And what a

greement hath the
temple of God with
idols for ye are the
temple of the living
faid, I will dwell in
them, and walk in
them, and I will be
their God, and they
fhall be my people.

God; as God hath

17. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, faith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you:

16. The Chriftian Church is the Temple of God, in the moft eminent and proper Acceptation. And thofe Promises of God, of his living and dwelling among his People, hearing their Prayers, and giving his Bleffing upon their Services, are now applicable to you as Chriftians.

17 & 18. And thofe Promifes of God to his Church, wherein he calls himself the Father * and Governor of his People, and them his peculiar Children * and Servants, tho' immediately fpoken to the Jewish Church, are yet much more compleatly and truly intended to you the Church of Chrift the Meffiah. Wherefore as this Privilege obliged the Jews to preferve themfelves from all Heathea Converfation, and from the Pollution of every unclean Thing; much more highly muft it now oblige Chriftian People to feparate from all impure and falfe Worship, and cleave to him only as the fole Object of their Adoration and Happiness.

18. And will be a Father unto you, and ye fhall be my fons, and daughters, faith the Lord Almighty.

С НА Р.

Ver. 17 and 18. See Exod. xxix. 45, 46. Lev. xxvi. 11, 13. Ezek. xi. 20. xxxvi. 28. xxxvii. 27, Ifai. lii. 11.

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