2 Corinthians 7

2 Corinthians 7:2

Receive us] Let us have some place a mongst you, that we may teach you or, give way to my just defence; or, alluding to what he spake before, Chap. 6. 13. Be ylinlarge: he now desireth, that having made a room for him in their hearts and assections, they would admit and receive him there-into.

we have woringed no man, &c] In clearing himself and his fellow-ministers from the particular imputations following, he layeth an aspersion upon the false Apostles, who offended in all those kindes, wronging the corinthians in their reputation, coorrupting them in their judgements, and fefrauding them in their estates; the first proceeding from detraction, the second, from flattery or hereticall perswasions, the third, from covetousnesse.

2 Corinthians 7:4

my glorying of you] Gr. my rejoycing for you.

2 Corinthians 7:5

troubled] Gr. pressed or, afflicted.

Without were fightings, whthin were fears] Persecutions from without, from Insidels, who made havock of the Church; and fears from within, lest any of the members of the church should be drawn from the body by the violence of torments and persecutions. Or, outward fightings with open and professed enemies, and fears within from false brethren. Or fightings without, by the continuall assaults of outward temptations; and terrous within, by spirituall derelictions and conflicts with despair; for even to these the dearest the dearest Children of God are subject in this life.

2 Corinthians 7:6

those that are cast down] Gr. humble. The word in the Originall is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, quasi〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, cast upon the ground; either overthrown by vioence, or dejeted in our mindes, our very hearts being cast down. The word signifieth also humble or lowly. but because it is against humilitie to professe it in our selves, the word here rather signifieth lownesse in condition, then in affection, and the meaning of the Apostle is, that God comforteth us when we are very farre spent with grief, and raiseth us when we are destitte of all other help or comfort.

by] Gr. in.

2 Corinthians 7:7

by the coming] Gr. in.

in you] Or, of you.

fervent minde toward me] Gr. zeal for me.

2 Corinthians 7:8

with] Gr. in.

2 Corinthians 7:9

not that ye were made sorry] As a good Physician rejoyceth no in that he hath ministred to his patient a bitter potion, but that thereby he hath procured him much ease; neither is the Chirurgeon glad that by launcing the soar he hath put the parts ill-affected to paine, but that by this paine hath healed them; in like manner, the Apostle doth not rejoyce simply, that he had made the Corinthinas sorrowfull, but that by this their sorrow they gained health of their souls, and many spirituall graces, mentioned in the eleventh verse.

after a godly manner] Or, according to God.

2 Corinthians 7:10

For godly sorrow] In the Originall, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a sorrow according unto God, a sorrow coming from God pleasing to God, and bring the sinner unto God, when his heart is truly rent for having offended God by his sinnes; and withall confident of the forgivenesse of the same by Jesus Christ, and fully and stedfastly resolved, as far as God shall inable him, to shun and avoid all sinne for the future: for as S. Ambrose hath it, I lle were plangit commissa, qui non committit plangenda; he truly be wayleth that which he hath done, who never doth that afterward which he hath bewailed.

but the sorrow of the world worketh death] By sorrow of the world he understandeth that which is proper to men of the world, such as are not regenerated by the Spirit of God, whose grief and sorrow is nothing but the bitter smart of their misery, without any seriious and sincer repentance, or else a remorse and pricking of their consciences for their sins indeed; but without faith, and without purpose of amendment, and without conversion unto God: wherefore also all this grieving and sorrowing of theirs is nothing else but a prepration to eternall death, and a kinde of begimning of the same; such as Nero felt after he had put both the Apostles Peter and Paul to death, it is faid of him, that he felt the torments of hell in his conscience, and ranne about crying, Have I no friend or enemy that will kill me, and ridd me of my pain? Or, by sorrow of the world, is menat a sorrow onely for the losse of worldly things, for which is onely caused from the fear of Gods judgements in unbeleevers, whereupon the rfolloweth commonly hardnesse of heart, and a reprobate sense and after, despair anddammnation it self, (as we see in cain, Saul, Achitophel, Juds, and the like) which waich wasteth the body, and hasteneth death.

2 Corinthians 7:11

after a godly fort] Gr. according to God.

what caresulnesse] Or, diigence. Study and dlligence readily and carefully to put in practise what I commanded you, to correct your errour, and neglect in not inflicting the censure of the Church upon the incestuous person.

clearing of your selves] That is, declaration of your innocence that you wilfully offrended not; which you maded good upon the sight of your errour, by your severe proceeding against the guilty offendour.

what indignatiou] Distaste and offence which you took, both at the sinne and sinner.

what fear] That is, holy dread of the proveked judgement of God upon the whole Church, by such an abominable sin committed, and not punished.

vehement desire] Great affection to the glory of God, and my own person and ministery, and unfained willgnesse to amend what was amisse

WHAT Zeal] In executing that with great fervour and severitie that the Apostle gave them in charge, for removing and avoiding the scandall.

what revcnge] Either taken upon the incestuous person, by the censure of excommunication pronounced against him, or against your selves, by the great grief you exprest for having been so negligent before, punishing your selves for not punishing him.

clear in this matter] Not indeed of all fault, for neglect of exercising ecclesiasticall discipline in them was a fault; but clear from any taking part with that foul person, or giving any liking or approbation of that incestuous contract.

2 Corinthians 7:12

I did it not for his cause that had done the worng, &c.] That which moved me to write unto you so sharply, was not the injury either offered by the sonne, or suffered by the father, but the publike scandeall of the Church; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as Saint Chrysostome well observeth; though the sinne were in the incestuous person onely, and the particular wrong done to his father, yet in regard that this incestuous contract was tolerated among the Corinthians, and no censure inflicted upon the delinquent, the whole Church received a wound in it, and the enemies of the truth took occasion to blaspheme the holy name and profession of Christians, as if such foul facts as this was, were fruit, of christian libertie, or practise allowed by the doctrine of the Gospel.

2 Corinthians 7:14

before Titus] Or, concerning Titus.

2 Corinthians 7:15

inward affection] Gr. bowels.