A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the…

And indeed this usually is the first thing which affects the minds of any of the Saints of God in any relief that God is pleased to hand out unto them by the means of others. They admire and bless God in and for his Grace towards them by whose Kindness and Compassion they are relieved. So is God glorified by these Fruits. And the second ground of their Praises was, the liberal Distribution unto themselves, as they found by Experience, and unto all men, as they were informed and believed. The Ministration its self testified their Faith and Obedience unto the Gospel, but the Nature of it, that it was liberal and bountiful, evidenced the sincerity and fruitfulness of their Faith, or the exceeding Grace of God in them, v. 14. they saw hereby that there was not an ordinary or common work only of Grace on these Corinthians engaging them into a Common Profession, and the Duties of it, which yet was a matter of great thankfulness unto God; but that indeed the Grace of God exceedingly abounded in them, which produced these Fruits of it in so plentiful a manner. And with respect hereunto also was Praise peculiarly rendered unto God. Hereunto also the Apostle adds a double way whereby God was glorified distinct from the direct Attribution of Praises unto him. And by their prayer for you, which long after you, for the exceeding Grace of God in you; That is, by both these ways they glorify God, both in their prayers for a supply of Divine Grace and Bounty to them by whom they were relieved, and in their inflamed love towards them, and longing after them, which was occasioned only by their Relief; but the real Cause, Motive, and Object of it, was the exceeding Grace of God in them, which was evidenced thereby. And by both these Duties, God is greatly Glorified. Hence the Apostle concludes the whole with that [Greek or Hebrew] of triumphant Praises to God, ⟨p. 70⟩Thanks be to God for his unspeakable Gift. This, saith he, is a Gift that cannot be sufficiently declared amongst men, and therefore God is more to be admired in it. And the Apostle presseth the occasion of their joint thankfulness in a word that may include both the Grace of God given unto the Corinthians enabling them to their Duty, and the Fruit of that Grace in the Bounty conferred on the poor Saints; both of them were the Gift of God, and in both of them was he glorified.

And indeed this usually is the first thing which affects the minds of any of the Saints of God in any relief that God is pleased to hand out unto them by the means of others. They admire and bless God in and for his Grace towards them by whose Kindness and Compassion they are relieved. So is God glorified by these Fruits. And the second ground of their Praises was, the liberal Distribution unto themselves, as they found by Experience, and unto all men, as they were informed and believed. The Ministration its self testified their Faith and Obedience unto the Gospel, but the Nature of it, that it was liberal and bountiful, evidenced the sincerity and fruitfulness of their Faith, or the exceeding Grace of God in them, v. 14. they saw hereby that there was not an ordinary or common work only of Grace on these Corinthians engaging them into a Common Profession, and the Duties of it, which yet was a matter of great thankfulness unto God; but that indeed the Grace of God exceedingly abounded in them, which produced these Fruits of it in so plentiful a manner. And with respect hereunto also was Praise peculiarly rendred unto God. Hereunto also the Apostle adds a double way whereby God was glorified distinct from the direct Attribution of Praises unto him. And by their prayer for you, which long after you, for the exceeding Grace of God in you; That is, by both these ways they glorifie God, both in their prayers for a supply of Divine Grace and Bounty to them by whom they were relieved, and in their enflamed love towards them, and longing after them, which was occasioned only by their Relief; but the real Cause, Motive, and Object of it, was the exceeding Grace of God in them, which was evidenced thereby. And by both these Duties, God is greatly Glorified. Hence the Apostle concludes the whole with that of triumphant Praises to God,