is he that cheereth me, but he that is grieved by me? 3 And I wrote thus to you, that I might not when I come have grief from those for whom I ought to rejoice; being persuaded concerning you all, that my joy is the joy of 4 you all. For from much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that ye might be grieved, but that ye might know the abundant love which have toward you.

5

And if any have caused grief, he hath grieved me but 6 in part, that I may not over-burden you all. Sufficient 7 for such an one is this punishment inflicted by many. So that on the contrary ye should rather forgive and comfort him, lest such an one should be swallowed up with over8 much sorrow. I beseech you therefore to confirm your 9 love toward him. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye were obedient 10 in all things. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive

also; and what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven any 11 thing, it is for your sakes, in the person of Christ : Lest Satan get an advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

12

Now when I came to Troas, to preach the gospel of 13 Christ, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my

V. 3. And I wrote thus to you-I wrote to you before in this determination, not to come to you in grief

V.4. From much anguish I wrote to you, not so much that ye might be grieved, as that ye might know by my faithful admonition, my abundant love toward you. V. 5. He hath grieved me but in part-Who still rejoice over the greater part of you. Otherwise I might burden you all.

V. 6. Sufficient for such an one-With what a remarkable tenderness does St. Paul treat this offender ! He never once mentions his name. Nor does he here so much as mention his crime. By many-Not only by the rulers of the church the whole congregation acquiesced in the sentence.

V. 10. To whom ye forgive-He makes no question of their complying with his direction, any thing-So mildly does he speak even of that heinous sin, after it was repented of. In the person of Christ-By the authority wherewith he has invested me.

V. 11. Lest Satan-To whom he had been delivered, and who sought to destroy not only his flesh, but his soul also, get an advantage over us—For the loss of one soul is a common loss.

V. 12. Now when I came to Troas-It seems in that passage from Asia to Macedonia, of which a short account is given, Acts xx. 1, 2. Even though a door was opened to me-That is, there was free liberty to speak, and many were willing to hear: Yet,

V. 13. I had no rest in my spirit—From an earnest desire to know how my letter had been received: Because I did not find Titus-In his return from you, so I went forth into Macedonia-Where being much nearer, I might more easily be informed concerning you. The apostle resumes the thread of his discourse, ch. vii. 2, interposing an admirable digression, concerning what he had done and suffered elsewhere, the profit of which he by this means derives

14

brother; so taking leave of them I went forth into Macedonia.

Now thanks be to God, who causeth us always to triumph through Christ, and manifesteth by us in every 15 place the odour of his knowledge. For we are to God a sweet odour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in 16 them that perish: To these an odour of death unto death,

but to those an odour of life unto life. And who is suf17 ficient for these things? For we are not as many, who adulterate the word of God, but as of sincerity, but as from God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.

CHAP. III. 1. Do we again begin to recommend ourselves? Unless we need, as some do, recommendatory letters to you, or recommendatory letters from you? 2 Ye are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read 3 by all men: Manifestly declared to be the letter of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in the

to the Corinthians also: and this as a prelude to his apology against the false apostles.

V. 14. To triumph implies not only victory, but an open manifestation of it. And as in triumphal processions, especially in the East, incense and perfumes were burnt near the conqueror, the apostle beautifully alludes to the circumstances in the following verse: as likewise to the different effects which strong perfumes have upon different persons; some of whom they revive, while they threw others into the most violent disorders.

V. 15. For we-The preachers of the gospel are to God a sweet odour of Christ-God is well pleased with this perfume diffused by us both in them that believe and are saved, (treated of ch. iii. 1, ch. iv. 2,) and in them that obstinately disbelieve, and consequently perish, (treated of ch. iv. 3-6.)

V. 16. And who is sufficient for these things-No man living, but by the power of God's Spirit.

V 17. For we are not as many who adulterate the word of God-Like those vintners (so the Greek word implies) who mix their wines with baser liquors: but as of sincerity-Without any mixture; but as from God-This rises higher still; transmitting his pure word, not our own, in the sight of God-Whom we regard as always present, and noting every word of our tongue, speak weThe tongue is ours, but the power is God's, in Christ-Words which he gives, approves, and blesses.

CHAP. III. Ver. 1. Do we begin again to recommend ourselves-Is it needful? Have I nothing but my own word to recommend me? St. Paul chiefly here intends himself; though not excluding Timotheus, Titus, and Silvanus. Unless we need-As if he had said, Do I indeed want such recommendation ? V. 2. Ye are our recommendatory letter-More convincing than bare words could be, written on our hearts-Deeply engraven there, and plainly legible to all around us.

V. 3. Manifestly declared to be the letter of Christ-Which he has formed and published to the world; ministered by us-Whom he has used herein as his instruments; therefore yc are our letter also: Written not in tables of stone-Like the ten commandments, but in the tender, living tables of their

4 fleshly tables of the heart. Such trust have we in God 5 through Christ. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves,

to think any thing as from ourselves; but our sufficiency 6 is from God: Who also hath made us able ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; 7 for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. And if the ministration of death engraven in letters of stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses, because of the glory of 8 his face, which is abolished: Shall not rather the minis9 tration of the Spirit be glorious? For if the ministration

of condemnation was glory, much more doth the minis10 tration of righteousness abound in glory: For even that

which was made glorious, had no glory in this respect, 11 because of the glory that excelleth. For if that which

is abolished was glorious, much more that which remain12 eth is glorious. Having therefore such hope, we use

hearts; God having taken away the hearts of stone, and given them hearts of flesh.

V. 4. Such trust have we in God-That is, we trust in God that this is so. V. 5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves—So much as to think one good thought; much less, to convert sinners.

V. 6. Who also hath made us able ministers of the new covenant-Of the new evangelical dispensation. Not of the law, fitly called the letter, from God's literally writing it on the two tables, but of the Spirit-Of the gospel dispensation, which is written on the tables of our hearts by the Spirit. For the letter-The law, the Mosaic dispensation, killeth-Seals in death those who still cleave to it; but the Spirit-The gospel, conveying the Spirit to those who receive it, giveth life-Both spiritual and eternal. Yea, if we adhere to the literal sense even of the moral law, if we regard only the precept and the sanction as they stand in themselves, not as they lead us to Christ, they are doubtless a killing ordinance, and bind us down under the sentence of death.

V. 7. And if the ministration of death-That is, the Mosaic dispensation, which proves such to those who prefer it to the gospel, the most considerable part of which was engraven on those two stones, was attended with so great glory.

V. 8. The ministration of the Spirit-That is, the Christian dispensation.

V. 9. The ministration of condemnation-Such the Mosaic dispensation proved to all the Jews who rejected the gospel. Whereas through the gospel (hence called the ministration of righteousness) God both imputed and imparted righteousness to all believers. But how can the moral law (which alone was engraven on stone) be the ministration of condemnation, if it requires no more than a sincere obedience, such as is proportioned to our infirm state? If this is sufficient to justify us, then the law ceases to be a ministration of condemnation. It becomes (flatly contrary to the apostle's doctrine) the ministration of righteousness.

V. 10. It hath no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excelleth— That is, none in comparison of this more excellent glory. The greater light swallows up the less.

V. 11. That which remaineth-That dispensation which remains to the end of the world; that Spirit and life which remain for ever.

V. 12. Having therefore this hope-Being fully persuaded of this.

13 great plainness of speech. And not as Moses, who put a veil over his face, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly to the end of that which is abolished. 14 But their understandings were blinded; and until this day the same veil remaineth unremoved on the reading of the Old Testament, which is taken away in Christ. 15 But the veil lieth on their heart when Moses is read until 16 this day. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, 17 the veil shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that

Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is 18 liberty. And we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.

CHAP. IV. 1. Therefore having this ministry, as we 2 have received mercy, we faint not: But have renounced

V. 13. And we do not act as Moses did, who put a veil over his face-Which is to be understood with regard to his writings also: So that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly to the end of that dispensation, which is now abolished. The end of this was Christ. The whole Mosaic dispensation tended to, and terminated in him. But the Israelites had only a dim, wavering sight of him; of whom Moses spake in an obscure, covert manner.

V. 14. The same veil remaineth on their understanding, unremoved-Not so much as folded back (so the word implies) so as to admit a little glimmering light, on the public reading of the Old Testament-The veil is not now on the face of Moses or of his writings, but on the reading of them, and on the heart of them that believe not, which is taken away in Christ-That is, from the heart of them that truly believe on him.

V. 16. When it-Their heart, shall turn to the Lord-To Christ, by living faith, the veil is taken away-That very moment, and they see, with the utmost clearness, how all the types and prophecies of the law are fully accomplished in him.

V. 17. Now the Lord-Christ, is that Spirit of the law whereof I speak, to which the letter was intended to lead: and where the Spirit of the Lord-Christ, is, there is liberty-Not the veil, the emblem of slavery. There is liberty from servile fear, liberty from the guilt and from the power of sin, liberty to behold with open face the glory of the Lord.

V. 18. And accordingly all we that believe in him, beholding as in a glassIn the mirror of the gospel, the glory of the Lord-His glorious love, are transformed into the same image-Into the same love, from one degree of this glory to another, in a manner worthy of his almighty Spirit.

What a beautiful contrast is here! Moses saw the glory of the Lord, and it rendered his face so bright, that he covered it with a veil, Israel not being able to bear the reflected light. We behold his glory in the glass of his word, and our faces shine too. Yet we veil them not, but diffuse the lustre which is continually increasing, as we fix the eye of our mind more and more steadfastly on his glory displayed in the gospel.

CHAP. IV. Ver. 1. Therefore having this ministry-Spoken of ch. iii. 6, as we have received mercy-Have been mercifully supported in all our trials, we faint not- We desist not in any degree from our glorious enterprise,

V. 2. But have renounced-Set at open defiance, the hidden things of shame

the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor deceitfully corrupting the word of God, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's 3 conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel also 4 is veiled, it is veiled to them that perish: Whose unbelieving minds the god of this world hath blinded, lest the illumination of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the 5 image of God, should shine upon them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves 6 your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to enlighten us with the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ.

7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the

excellence of the power may be of God, and not of us. 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not crushed; per9 plexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken;

-All things which men need to hide or to be ashamed of; not walking in craftiness-Using no disguise, subtilty, guile; nor privily corrupting the pure Word of God, by any additions or alterations, or by attempting to accommo date it to the taste of the hearers.

V. 3. But if our gospel also-As well as the law of Moses.

V. 4. The god of this world-What a sublime and horrible description of Satan! He is indeed the god of all that believe not, and works in them with juconceivable energy, hath blinded-Not only veiled, the eye of their understanding. Illumination is properly the reflection or propagation of light, from those who are already enlightened, to others, Who is the image of God-Hence also we may understand, how great is the glory of Christ. He that sees the Son, sees the Father in the face of Christ. The Son exactly exhibits the Father

to us.

V. 5. For the fault is not in us, neither in the doctrine they hear from us. We preach not ourselves-As able either to enlighten, or pardon, or sanctify you, but Jesus Christ-As your only Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification: And ourselves your servants-Ready to do the meanest offices, for Jesus' sakeNot for honour, interest, or pleasure.

V. 6. For God-hath shined in our hearts-The hearts of all those whom the god of this world no longer blinds: God who is himself our light, not only the Author of light, but also the Fountain of it; to enlighten us with the knowledge of the glory of God-Of his glorious love, and of his glorious image; in the face of Jesus Christ-Which reflects his glory in another manner than the face of Moses did.

V. 7. But we-Not only the apostles, but all true believers, have this treasure -Of divine light, love, glory, in earthen vessels-In frail, feeble, perishing bodies. He proceeds to shew, that afflictions, yea, death itself, are so far from hindering the ministration of the Spirit, that they even further it, sharpen the ministers, and increase the fruit; that the excellence of the power which works these in us, may undeniably appear to be of God.

V. 8. We are troubled, &c. The four articles in this verse respect inward, the four in the next, outward afflictions. In each clause the former part shews the earthen vessels; the latter the excellence of the power. Not crushed -Not swallowed up in care and anxiety: Perplexed-What course to take, but never despairing of his power and love to carry us through.