Review of the Paraphrase of the New Testament, 2 Corinthians
On the ſecond EPISTLE to the CORINTHIANS.
Chap. I. verſ. 1.
[Timothy.]
Timotheus that was with you by my appointment, 1 Cor. 16.10. to ſee my directions obſerved among you.
Ibid. ver. 22.
[The earneſt of the Spirit.]
The gifts and graces of his ſpirit, a pledge of the full promiſe, which ſhall after be performed.
Ibid. ver. 23.
[To ſpare you I came not.]
(Beſides, or over and above that of the ſpirits diſpoſing me otherwiſe, contrary to my reſolution intimated, v. 17. ſee Theophylact) I had heard of ſuch enormities, &c.
Chap. II. ver. 5, 6.
[But if any have cauſed greef, he hath not greeved me, *But in part, that I may not lay weight upon him, all you.but in part, that I may not overcharge you all.
5, 6. But for the inceſtuous perſon, the author of all this ſadneſs, and ſeverity (ſadneſs not to me alone, but in ſome meaſure, that I ſay no worſe, to all you) It is now ſufficient, which he hath ſuffered by the delivering him up to Satan, 1 Cor. 5. and the ſad conſequents thereof.
Sufficient to ſuch a man is this puniſhment, which was inflicted of many.]
foreign.Ibid. Note a. The ſenſe affix'd to theſe words in this paraphraſe (very diſtant from that which the words, as they are ordinarily read, and rendred, ſound) is taken diſtinctly from the Scholion of Theophylact, who reſolving it the Apoſtles meaning, in both theſe verſes, to have his charity to the inceſtuous perſon expreſs'd, and to give order for his abſolution, thinks this way of rendering it moſt proper, that joyning them with himſelf, in the diſlike and ſorrow, and conſequently infliction of cenſures for the ſin, he might ingage them joyntly with himſelf, in the abſolving the tranſgreſſor; and this, ſaith he, moſt wiſely diſpoſed by him, that they who had ſo lately been commanded by the Apoſtle to avoid him, as a deteſtable perſon, ſhould not now upon his giving orders for his abſolution be ſcandalized at him, foreign as inconſtant, and mutable; This, ſaith he, is the reaſon, that he takes them in, as partakers with him of the ſorrow and cenſures, that he might have them his willing partners in the abſolution, and joy of that. And ſo this, ſaith he, is the ſenſe of the words, foreign— For he hath not, ſaith S. Paul, greeved me alone, but all you in part, foreign.i. e. a little, or in ſome degree, that I may not ſay, he hath altogether greeved you, leſt I ſhould lay overmuch weight upon him; or in plain words;foreign. The truth is, he hath greeved you in like manner as me, but yet that I may not overburthen him, that was guilty of that inceſt, or aggravate the matter againſt him, all that I ſay, is, that in part, or in ſome meaſure ye were greeved by him. This is a very commodious ſenſe, and neceſſarily requires ſome ſmall change of the punctation (though the printed text in Theophylact have not obſerved it) partly by including in a parentheſis the latter part of this 5 verſe, from foreign— to the end of it, partly by putting a comma after foreign, that ſo foreign] may connect with foreign, thus, 5. But if any have cauſed greef (he hath not greeved me, but in part, that I may not aggravate, or lay weight on him, you all) 6. Sufficient to ſuch a man — And this is a plain ſenſe, and agrees very well with all that followes of their joynt, and chearfull proceeding to the abſolution of the inceſtuous.
Ibid. ver. 17.
For we are not as many that *Deale as huckſters with thecorrupt the word of God, but as of ſincerity, but as of God, in the ſight of God, ſpeak we in Chriſt.
This we are ſure of, that we have not deſigned any ſecular advantage to our ſelves in preaching the Goſpel, as the Gnoſtick her…tical teachers are obſerved to do, 1 Tim. 6.5. But have ſincerely revealed to you, what we have been taught by Chriſt without any other aime, God knowes, than that we may performe faithfull ſervice to him.
Note b.foreign. That foreign the word of God] ſignifies the Goſpel here, as it was by S. Paul made known unto men, the Chriſtian Religion preached by him, there can be no doubt. All the difficulty is, what is meant by, foreign, not that there can be any queſtion of the native proper ſignification of that word, for it certainly ſignifies doing as foreign do, and thoſe are little pedling merchants, that buy and ſell to get gain, but becauſe it is poſſible it may referre to ſome practices, which ſuch Merchants are vulgarly guilty of, mixing, and daſhing their commodities, and ſo deceiving others, that they may inrich themſelves. But though the word may poſſibly by a figure ſignifie this, yet the genuine proper notion, being very agreeable to the context, is in all reaſon to be preferred. We are not, ſaith S. Paul foreign, as the many; This ſure referres to the falſe teachers of his time, and thoſe, we know, were the Gnoſtickes, who as they are ſaid to ſerve their belly, to love the world, and to love pleaſures, and ſo generally to deſigne themſelves advantages by their profeſſion, and of all things hated the croſs, renounced Chriſtianity, when it was perſecuted and brought any dangers or loſſes upon them, ſo they are particularly marked out, 1 Tim. 6.5. (that chapter, where the Gnoſtickes are named, v. 20. and their character particularly ſet down) to be ſuch as deem Godlyneſs gain, think the Chriſtian profeſſion brings men ſecular advantages of liberty, &c. and ſo cannot be ſo ſingle hearted, ſo wholly bent to approve themſelves to God, as S. Paul, here profeſſeth to be. To this interpretation of the place I am inclined by two paſſages in the Epiſtles of Ignatius, which though they are omitted in the Laurentian Copy, are yet conſtantly to be found in others, and if they were put in by any interpolator, they may yet be of good uſe to us in this matter, there being no reaſon to ſuſpect the hand that inſerted them, of any ill deſigne, not yet of ignorance either of the Gnoſtick hereſie, or of the uſe of the word. The former place is in the Epiſtle ad Magneſian. where ſpeaking of the Gnoſtick Judaizers, enemies of the croſs, whoſe God is their belly, minding earthly things, lovers of pleaſures, and not lovers of God; having a forme of godlineſs, but denying the power thereof, he addes, foreign, Merchants of Chriſt, huckſtering the word, ſelling Jeſus, going on to other parts of the character of the Gnoſtickes, corrupters of women, coveting what belongs to others, foreign greedy lovers of money. The ſecond place is agreeable in Ep. ad Trall. There are, ſaith he, ſome vain ſpeakers and impoſtors, foreign— not Chriſtians, but Merchants of Chriſt, carrying the name of Chriſt for deceit, huckſtering the word of the Goſpel, and who theſe are, he ſpecifies in the proceſs of that Epiſtle; Simon the firſtborn of Satan, Menander, Baſilides, the unclean Nicholaitans, foreign, thoſe that are falſely named, i. e. the Gnoſtickes, &c.
Chap. 3. ver. 7.
*Or veſſels of ſhell.Earthen veſſels.
Ibid. Note b.foreign. To the interpretation of foreign in reference to ſhells of fiſhes, Adde, 'Tis true, the word foreign teſta, ſignifies not onelyonly a ſhell (from whence thoſe kinds of fiſhes are called foreign, the ſhell to them ſupplying the place of skin, and ſome others foreign ſoft ſhelled, as foreign in *foreign. c. 1.Nemeſius) but alſo foreign baked earth, and veſſel of the potter, that hath paſt the fire, and is taken out of the kiln, and ſo Theophylact interprets it here, and ſo it frequently ſignifies in authors. The difference of ſuch foreign earthen ware from foreign the potters veſſels, or foreign veſſels of clay, before they are burnt, whileſt they remain in the potters hand, in moulding, is ſet down exactly by *Tom. 6. p. 855. l. 10.S. Chryſoſtome in his foreign. that the former if they be broken, foreign, are not capable of recovery, foreign, becauſe of the hardneſs once gotten by the fire, whereas the other, that are but of clay unbaked, and unhardened, if they be ſpoiled once, foreign, they may eaſily by the skill of the potter be returned to ſome ſecond forme. Whence, ſaith he, it is, that Jer. 19.1. when the prophet was to deſcribe an irreparable deſtruction, he is bid to figure it by foreign, ſuch a veſſell, or bottle of earth, broken to pieces, v. 10. But when he would put them in ſome hope of reſtauration, then God ſhewes foreign, an earthen veſſel fallen when it is in the hands of the artificer, c. 18.2, 3. which he takes up, and moulds anew, the matter being yet capable of it. And this ſenſe, and notion of foreign alſo the place will beare, and therefore I have now ſet them both down, and left the Reader to chooſe, which he ſhall think moſt probable.
Chap. V. ver. 10.
[*The things by the body, or the proper things of the body. The things done in his body.]
Body and ſoul together, according to his actions, which in his life time he hath committed on his body and ſoul together.
Ibid. ver. 11.
[We aa perſwade men.]
Note aa.foreign. What foreign to perſwade] and peculiarly foreign to perſwade men] ſignifies in theſe bookes, will be ſet down at large, Note on Gal. 1.6. (ſee alſo Note on 1 Joh. 3. e.) viz. to pacifie, to propitiate, to gain in upon men, and obtain their approbation either of the cauſe they plead, or of themſelves, whom they deſire to approve to them; And though it be a very obvious & commodious ſenſe of theſe words [knowing the terrors of the Lord we perſwade men] that the conſideration of the judgement to come, is a very proper, forcible ſuaſorie to amendment of life, &c. Yet the circumſtances of the context rather incline it to the other notion of foreign, knowing the judgement to come to be ſo exact, that it deſcends to every action that is done, whether good or bad, we Apoſtles, who have a weighty task of duty lying on us, to win ſoules to Chriſt, are obliged to purſue this work, to gain in upon men as much as we can, to approve our ſelves to them in all things, that they may not be ſcandalized by any thing done by us, but chearfully lead on with a good opinion of our preaching and our perſon, this being very uſefull toward the Apoſtolical deſigne of working good upon men. Agreeably to which it followes in this ſame verſe,foreign. we are made manifeſt to God, and I hope alſo to be manifeſted in, or, to your conſciences, where to be manifeſted to their, or in their, conſciences, is all one with this notion of perſwading them, i. e. approving himſelf to them. And to this matter that which followes, v. 12. pertains alſo, and therefore Theophylact interprets, foreign, we perſwade men, by foreign, we do all things that we may not ſcandalize men, and again by foreign, we cure or provide againſt ſcandals, ſuch as may hinder men in their proficiency in the Goſpel.
Chap. VIII. ver. 18.
[The brother, &c.
The Euangeliſt, probably S. Luke—
Ibid. ver. 18.
*Your forwardneſs of mind, or encouragement, foreignDeclaration of your ready mind.
Chap. 10. ver. 12.
[*Exalt, advance our ſelves.— Make bb our ſelves of the number.]
Aſſume any thing to my ſelf, plead any worth of mine, or ſeek praiſe, &c.
foreign.Ibid. Note bb. What foreign ſignifies properly, is ſet down by Budaeus, foreign, to chooſe, or admit any into any order, as in Ariſtides foreign, they admitted the forain Gods with the others, and in Demoſthenes foreign to be choſen, or admitted into the Senate. Thus foreign, and foreign are uſed, as in Plato de leg. 12. foreign rejecting ſome, and chooſing others. Hence Heſychius foreign, the participle ſignifies ſelect, or choſen, and ſo here foreign to give ſuffrage to himſelf, to take upon him, to be ſome eminent perſon.
Chap. XI. ver. 5.
[Cheef Apoſtles.]
Peter & John, the moſt eminent of the primary Apoſtles.
Ibid. ver. 9.
[*I asked. importuned no man. I aa was chargeable to no man.]
I made not my wants known, I troubled none &c.
Ibid. Note aa. foreign, ſaith S. Jerome *Q… 10.ad Algaſiam, is a Cilician word, the full meaning of it here will be judged by that which Aelian ſaith of the fiſh called foreign,foreign the torpedo, foreign, the torpedo fiſh whatſoever it toucheth it gives it its own name, makes it to be benumm'd. Now they which ask any thing of another, are proverbially ſaid to do that which the torpedo doth, to give a chillneſs, or numneſs, Moleſtum verbum eſt & oneroſum, Rogo, ſaith Seneca, asking, or begging is very troubleſome, and burthenſome, and therefore foreign which literally ſignifies to chill or benumme (and ſo in Theocritus Idyll. 7. foreign) doth in reſpect of this conſequent, ſignifie to ask, or intreat; and ſo here foreign, I begged, or asked of no man, I importuned no man.
Ibid. Note c. Of foreign Adde,foreign. Theophylact ſpeaks of ſome, that interpreted it of a well, called foreign, profundity, becauſe of the great depth of it, wherein after his danger at Lyſtra he hid himſelf.
Chap. XII. ver. 7.
[A thorn in the fleſh.]
A ſharp affliction, &c. inflicted on me by Satan and ſome inſtruments of his who dealt very roughly with me, beat me, impriſoned me, ſcourged me, &c. (ſee Chryſoſt. Epiſt. 15. to. 7. p. 101. li. 40.)
Ibid. ver. 9.
[My ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs.]
The greater thy preſſures are, the more viſible is the divine aſſiſtance; or, the more thy perſecutions are, the more is the Goſpel propagated by thee. (Theophylact.)
Ibid. ver. 10.
[When I am weak, then am I ſtrong.]
The heavier the preſſures, the greater my ſupports; or, the more I ſuffer for the Goſpel, the more Proſelytes I gain to it. (Theophylact.)
Ibid. ver. 13.
I *Did not importune you, ſee c. 11.9.was not burthenſome to you.]
All hath been done without my asking or receiving any thing from you.
Chap. XIII. ver. 7.
[Not that we ſhould appear approved.]
Not that I may have occaſion to approve my Apoſtolical power among you, by puniſhing offenders.
Ibid. ver. 8.
[We can do nothing againſt the truth, but for the truth.]
Though we have no ability, &c. or we have no power or authority to puniſh thoſe, who do not offend, or if we do, God cooperates not with us in that act. (Theophylact.)
Ibid. ver. 9.
[For we are glad when we are weak, and ye are ſtrong, and this alſo we wiſh, your *Knitting together, ſee Note c.perfection.]
And in this ſenſe the weaker we are, i. e. the leſs ſevere the leſs proofes we give of our Apoſtolical power, the better we are pleaſed, and the ſtronger, i. e. the more innocent and blameleſs ye keep your ſelvees; having no delight in inflicting cenſures on offenders, but much rejoiced to ſee your innocence, and return to the peace of the Church, no one of you being broken off by Excommunication.
Ibid. Note c.foreign. Of the notion of foreign for compacting in the 2d ſenſe by way of reſtoring, Adde, or recovering any that hath been broken off from the Church by any fault, or criminous commiſſion, eſpecially if he have been for that cauſe cut off by the Governours of the Church, i. e. caſt out by Eccleſiaſtical Cenſures.
To this 2d ſenſe belongs, Gal. 6.1. reſtore ſuch an one in the ſpirit of meekneſs, i. e. either by mild reprehenſion, and exhortation, recover him to a ſenſe, and reformation of his fault, without proceeding to any ſharper courſe, or elſe in caſe of greater ſeverity, be ſoon mollified again toward him.
Ibid. foreign.Of foreign for exhortation or friendly advice, and foreign, inſtruction, Adde, Thus Hippodamus the Pythagorean, in his book de Republ. preſcribing ſociety or meeting together of old and yong, in order to preſervation of peace, and moderating all ſorts of affections, he addes, foreign, becauſe yong men need to be taught ſobriety, or moderation, and to have their exceſſes corrected, and allayed, foreign, correctione, ſaith the interpreter in Stobaeus, p. 250.but that ſure not by way of puniſhment, for the foreign and foreign, the friendly meetings and feaſts were no places of judicature, nor inſtituted to any ſuch like deſigne, but by way of exhortation or friendly advice, the elder to the yonger, who might have ſuch an authority with them, foreign (which is all one with foreign) to ſettle, or accompliſh them, bring them to a ſtaidneſs and ſtability of temper.