An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

Church-Officers are appointed by Christ, and all Church-power radically seated in him as King. What Duties follow thence to be practised by Church-Officers and People. Some things are highly esteemed in the Church, which are much despised by the world.

2 COR. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, &c.

The Author and Fountain of Paul's Apostleship hath been considered absolutely, under those two names Jesus Christ. We shall now take notice of them relatively. For herein doth the name of the Apostle breed reverence and esteem with believers, because Jesus Christ himself doth appoint them. So that the Apostle doth not make himself the ultimate object, into which their faith and obedience, is to be resolved, but the Lord Christ. Insinuating hereby, that if they reject him, they also refuse Christ himself. It is not in his own name that he cometh, neither doth he intrude himself into this Office, but he is sent by Christ, and comes in his Name. Now although, when he is said to be the Apostle of Jesus Christ, we may understand it finaliter, because his whole work and office was to advance Christ, to exalt him, to study and preach nothing but him, yet it is chiefly to be understood efficienter; For his meaning is, he had his Office, and his Power from Christ. Observe,

THe Author and Fountain of Paul's Apostleship hath been considered absolutely, under those two names Jesus Christ. We shall now take notice of them relatively. For herein doth the name of the Apostle breed reverence and esteem with believers, because Jesus Christ himself doth appoint them. So that the Apostle doth not make himself the ultimate object, into which their faith and obedience, is to be resolved, but the Lord Christ. Insinuting hereby, that if they reject him, they also refuse Christ himself. It is not in his own name that he cometh, neither doth he intrude himself into this Office, but he is sent by Christ, and comes in his Name. Now although, when he is said to be the Apostle of Jesus Christ, we may understand it finaliter, because his whole work and office was to advance Christ, to exalt him, to study and preach nothing but him, yet it is chiefly to be understood efficienter; For his meaning is, he had his Office, and his Power from Christ. Observe,