2 Corinthians 7

2 Corinthians 7:1-11

This chapter begins with an exhortation to progressive holiness, and a due regard to the ministers of the gospel, ver. 1-4. Thus the apostle returns from a long digression, to speak further of the officer concerning the uncleanest people, and talk them when comfort be re-executed in his defense about that matter upon his meeting with Titus, ver. 5, 6, 7, and have he rejoiced to their reputation, with the evidences thereof, ver. 8-11. And lastly, he concludes with endeavouring to comfort the Corinthians, upon whom his admonitions had had to send an offult, ver. 12-16.

1. HAVING therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2. Receive us: we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. 3. I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that you are in our hearts to die and live with you. 4. Great is my holiness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. 5. For when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no salt, but we were troubled on every side; without were fights, without were fears. 6. Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are soft down, comforted us by the coming of Titus: 7. And not by his coming only, but by the confolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more. 8. For though I made you sorry with a letter; I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though it were but for a season. 9. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye borrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry; after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10. For godly foreworketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world wrecketh death. 11. For behold, this self-same thing that ye borrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness is wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

Having mentioned the amazingly rich and gracious promises of God, he makes here,

1. An inference from them. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, avoiding every kind of intemperance or uncleanness, which would pollute our bodies, and138; and by the inward abominations of pride, malice, falsehood, &c. which defile the soul, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, growing in grace, and going on till ultimately our course shall be compleated in sinless perfection.

2. He returns from the digression he had made, to vindicate himself and his fellow-labourers from the slanders of the false teachers. Receive us with cordial regard: we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man; our principles have been according to God’s word, and our practice upright and unblameable. I speak not this to condemn you, reflecting on you as a body, as having treasured us: for I have said before, that you are in our hearts to die and live with you; such confidence have we in you, and such warm affection towards you. Great is my holiness of speech towards you, in confining the disorders among you; great is my glorying of you, as, in general, obedient children, and ornaments to your profession. I am filled with comfort in you; I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation, to hear the late gracious accounts from you. For when we were come into Macedonia, in search of Titus, our flesh had no salt, but we were troubled on every side, not only with the opposition of our enemies, but with the anxiety of our minds on your account; without were fights from our facts, within were fears for you, left you should be removed from the simplicity which is in Christ.

Nevertheless,

Nevertheless, God that comforteth these that are soft down, comforted us by the coming of Titus, whose arrival revived our drooping hearts: and not by his coming only, but by the confidante unhermitis he was comforted in you, by the affectionate and respectful reception he met with at Corinth, when he told us your earnest desire to obey our injunctions, your assurance for the officers which had been committed, your fervent mind towards me, vindicating with and my character against the false teachers, and longing for my coming, so that I rejoiced the more, and his report exceedingly heightened the pleasure of his arrival. For though I made you forty wish a letter, wherein I was confronted to the thirty rebukes, I do not repent, though I did repent, and grieved exceedingly, even at the time, that I should be receded to the such severity: for I perceive the same epistle made you forty, though it were but for a feather, and engaged you immediately to correct what was amiss. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made forty, in that I could have no satisfaction, and sympathized tenderly with you; but that ye foreword to repentance: for ye were made forty after a godly manner, mourning over your unfaithfulness, and returning in deep humility to God, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing, but contrariwise be abundantly prudent. For godly foreword with repentance unto salvation, not in be repeated of, and what hath such a gracious effect cannot but in the office prove matter of the most bold satisfaction: but the foreword of the world, which men of earthly minds feel, on account of the losers and conflict here below, warless death, driving them to defiant, impairing their health, and sometimes even causing them to lay violent hands on themselves. For behold, this self-fame thing that ye foreword after a godly sort, what a blessed influence it had upon you: what carefulness it wrought in you to remove the cause of offences, you, what sharing of yourselves from any connivance of iniquity, you, what indignation against what was evil in yourselves, or in the notorious delinquent; you, what fear of God, and jealously for yourselves; you, what vehement desire to make a thorough reformation of all disorders; you, what need for God’s glory, and the honour of your holy profession; you, what revenge, punishing with due severity the criminal. In all things you have expressed yourselves to be clear in this matter, by your ready amendment. Note, (1.) Godly foreword is the most probable physic for the soul. (2.) Whatever blemens us may have tailed, we shall never at last repent of that which wrotheth repentance unto salvation.

1 Ch. 2.

2 Corinthians 7:11-18

11. O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. 12. Ye are not strained in us, but ye are strained in your own bowels. 13. Now for a recompense in the same, (1) I speak as unto my children) be ye also enlarged. 14. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with thalands? 15. And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth, with an infidel? 16. And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18. And I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

The apostle’s heart glowed with warm affection, and he cannot but unholden himself. O ye Corinthians, our mouth is opened unto you, our heart is enlarged; we speak with the greatest freedom, and long for your salvation. Ye are not strained in us; we love you ardently; we would keep back nothing from you that could promote your spiritual and eternal interests; but ye are strained in your own bowels, and fail to make the suitable returns of gratitude, nor are open to receive the blessing we communicate. Now for a recompense in the same, (I speak as unto my children, from whom I may justly expect the thought) Shall regard; be ye also enlarged, in mutual love towards us your faithful ministers, and in your cordial reception of that blessed gospel, shall all its precious doctrines and inestimable privileges which we declare unto you. As a father then I admonish you, for the credit of your profession, and for the good of your own souls, Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, intermarrying with the unconverted heathen; or otherwise entering into our and other connections with them, particularly not having in any of their religious services: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? What holy friendship can fulfill between a renewed and an unsanctified soul? And what communion, in society and converse, hath the enlightened Christian with the unawakened sinner, any more than light with darthest? And what reward hath Christ with Belial? What harmony can fulfill between the members of Christ and the children of the wicked one? Or what part or lot hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? How can the worshippers of the true Jehovah, and who are themselves his living temple, join with heathens in their idolatrons worship? How attend is it, and incongruous? for ye are the temple of the living God, where his divine Spirit is pleased to take up his abode; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; in a noble circle that he ever was in his temple of old, blessing them with his pretence and abiding communion; and I will be their God in an everlasting covenant, in which all my perfections are engaged to make them happy, and they shall be my people, effectually engaged to yield themselves up to my service, and, by my power and grace, made such as I would have them be. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate from all unsecuritely intercourse and familiarity with the surrounding heathen, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; keep at

the greatest possible distance from idolatry, and every abomination, and I will receive you as my peculiar people, and will be a Father unto you, showing you the most endeared affection, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty, admitted to that high dignity and most inestimable privilege. Note, (1.) A child of God must separate himself from the ways and manners of a world that laeth in wickedness. (2.) God cannot bear a rival in our hearts; no idols must be harboured there. (3.) The covenant of grace saith, I will, and you shall; for it is entirely God’s work, that we are conformed to his will.