2 Corinthians 13

When sin is mortifying, Satan is crucifying. 3. Self-examination (2 Corinthians 13:5): Examine yourselves, a metaphor from metal, that is pierced through, to see if it be gold within. Self-examination is a spiritual inquisition, set up in one's soul: a man must search his heart…

Secondly, by pronouncing a blessing upon them, according to God's holy word. A form of this blessing we have from the Apostle Saint Paul, who blessed the Corinthians after this sort; The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion (or fellowship) of th…

1 Thessalonians 3:2. Now God our father and our Lord Jesus Christ guide our journey to you. 2 Corinthians 13:13. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you. And men are baptized in the name of the father, the son, and th…

And he is so termed, 1. in respect of the Father: for as reason and speech has his beginning from the mind without any passion in the mind, so has he beginning from the Father. And as the speech is in the mind and the mind in the speech, so the Father is in the Son, and the Son…

Much water cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man should give all the substance of his house for love, they would greatly contemn it. Therefore (good reader) seeing there is such a similarity and affinity between the temporary professor of the Gospel, and…

The day comes when many of you, if God graciously prevents not, shall curse yourselves that ever you should have been such fools as to have trusted your own hearts, or to have taken up this opinion of your faith without ground. We would therefore seriously recommend to you the p…

1. To be believers, for without faith you are never over the borders of God's curse; which may lay a chase to you, and put you to the necessity of fleeing to Christ for refuge. 2. To take some pains to try whether you be in the faith, as the Apostle exhorts (2 Corinthians 13:5):…

3. When you have gotten your own righteousness cast away, and Christ's righteousness closed with, there is a necessity to cover and hide yourselves in it, that you may never so much as in the wandering conceit of your mind, be found out of it; It alludes to the city of refuge, w…

This is one of the great uses of all this doctrine. If there be no way but faith, and if, in studying this one way, many go wrong, then as you would make your calling and election sure, study to make this sure, by putting yourselves to the trial, if you be taking this way as the…

For though these who truly believe, ought not to doubt of their belief, yet these who have lamps of faith, and no oil, ought to question, whether there be oil in their lamps, or no, and true faith with their profession, else the foolish Virgins were not far out, who never questi…

(1 Corinthians 15:10) "The grace of God." (2 Corinthians 13:14) "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:15) "He called me by his grace."

It is true of the love of election and reconciliation, in the work of justification; but most false of the love of divine manifestation, in the work of sanctification; as is clear (John 14:21, 23). Nor are men by this taught to seek righteousness in themselves; because they are…

All the three in one deed of life open blind eyes and convert lost sinners (Matthew 11:25, 26, 27; Ephesians 1:17, 18; Matthew 16:17; John 12:32; 2 Corinthians 3:14, 15, 16, 17; John 14:23; John 16:7, 8, 9, 10; John 14:16; Ephesians 2:1, 2, 3, 4; 1 John 2:27; 1 John 5:6, 7). Gra…

And if so be, that God give him any great or eminent gifts of spiritual grace, it is strange to see how they are clad in him, with a garment of Christ crucified, overshadowed in self-denial. As they said of Paul, mean in outward view, and speech of little or no value (2 Corinthi…

Here, tempted by Satan; but ministered to, and attended upon, by a multitude of glorious angels (Matthew 4:11). Finally crucified through weakness, but living by the power of God (2 Corinthians 13:4). He hung dying on the cross; but then the rocks were rent, the graves opened, a…

And again, it must be remembered, that Paul speaks this not privately of himself, but generally in the name of all believers. For he says (2 Corinthians 13:5): "Do you not know that Christ is in you, except you be reprobates?" The use: hence it follows, that they which are true…

He purposed indeed to excommunicate the incestuous person, if he persisted in his sin, yet mark how; in the name, and by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 5:4), in which words the form of proceeding against him is limited, and that according to Christ's instituti…

Christ has subdued death, the world, and the devil, for us. In a word, the Prophet here extols this victory which Christ achieved by his sufferings, who though he died according to the infirmity of the flesh, yet he was raised again by the wonderful power of the Holy Spirit (2 C…

We read in the Gospel that Christ kissed his disciples, which was a custom then in those countries. Of this kiss Saint Paul also makes frequent mention (Acts 20; 1 Corinthians 16; 2 Corinthians 13; Romans 16). Peace be with you all, which are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

To which interpretation the phrase of the Apostle agrees very well: for he says he was declared in power, or mightily, because there appeared in him such power, as was proper to God, and proved him most certainly to be God. This power appeared in his resurrection: as in another…

It further appears that assurance is not only attainable in some very extraordinary cases, that all Christians are directed to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure, and are told how they may do it, 2 Peter 1:5-8. And it is spoken of as a thing very unbecomi…

The Holy Spirit under the name of the seven Spirits before the Throne of God, because of his various and perfect Operations in and towards the Church, is reckoned up in order before the Son Jesus Christ. And so in Paul's euctical conclusion to his Epistles, the Son is placed bef…

And the ignorance hereof, or negligence herein, with the want of an Experience of the Power of this Work in their own Souls, is one great cause of that lifeless and unprofitable Ministry which is among us. Sect. 27 Secondly; It is likewise the Duty of all to whom the Word is Pre…

We are therefore his, that is, united to him, by a Participation of his Spirit. And hereby Christ himself is in us, for Jesus Christ is in us, except we be Reprobates, 2 Cor. 13. 5. That is, he is in us by his Spirit that dwelles in us, Rom. 8. 9, 11. 1 Cor. 6. 19.

He is the God of Glory (Psalm 29:3), full of orient beauty: in comparison of whom both angels and men are but as the small dust of the balance. He is the God of love (2 Corinthians 13:11), who triumphs in acts of mercy. Well may this encourage our approaches to him who delights…

The Scripture plainly supposes gracious Dispositions and Acts to be Things properly under the Eye of Conscience. 2 Corinthians 13. 5. Know ye not your own selves? John 21. 15. Simon Son of Jonas, do you love me? and many other Places.

Sometimes the Spirit alone is mentioned. 2 Corinthians 13:14: the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. This distinct communion of the saints with the Father, Son, and Spirit is very plain in the scripture.

This love in itself is antecedent to the purchase of Christ, although the whole fruit thereof is made out alone thereby, Ephesians 1:4-6. Second, in that distribution made by the apostle in his solemn parting benediction, 2 Corinthians 13:13: the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,…

John 1:14, 16, 17. 2 Corinthians 13:14. 2 Thessalonians 3:17, 18.

This was David's work, when he communed with his own heart, and called to remembrance the former lovingkindness of the Lord (Psalm 77:6-9). This is the duty that Paul sets us to practice (2 Corinthians 13:5). But now, to do it for this end, to satisfy conscience, which cries and…

Now the promise of God is established when it is confirmed and made good. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established — that is, accounted valid and firm (2 Corinthians 13:1). And in 2 Samuel 7:25, when he speaks of God's promises he prays, "Establish…

Our baptism binds us to this profession, and to all practices consonant and agreeable with it (Romans 10:10), "With the heart man believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation": To own Christ as the Savior of the world, evidenced by his resurrecti…

Therefore this should be our great inquiry: for if we know not where we are, we cannot know what we are, and if we know not what we are, we cannot be what we should be, namely, altogether Christians (Ezekiel 36:26). Let me then, I beseech you, press this duty upon you that are p…

Why, do this then: make these sure, and keep these sure [illegible] your own comfort. First make sure your evidence for Christ and all saving good in him: (2 Corinthians 13:5). Examine yourselves, prove yourselves whether you be in the faith or no — know you not that Christ is i…

Now conscience is to be called in, who has received a supreme authority, to oversee both, to right all such disorders and to see that the mind have its free scope, for the exercise of Meditation in its times and turns. And that this is so, experience of all men in all ages will…

Faith and peace keep house together. Faith believes the Word of God; the Word says, 'Live in peace' (2 Corinthians 13:11). And as soon as faith sees the King of heaven's warrant, it obeys.

But that we may arrive at it, I shall demonstrate by these arguments. Why else does God bid us make our calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10), and to test ourselves whether we are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5), if assurance cannot be had? The Greek word for testing signif…

O my heart, what do you? Where are you going? See what work lies undone, what sin you have to bewail, what grace to strengthen. Search your evidences; examine your title to Christ (2 Corinthians 13:5). Traverse things narrowly in your soul; see if there be no sin countenanced; s…

Question: But how shall we know that we are Christ's? Answer: Those that are Christ's, Christ is in them (2 Corinthians 13:5): Know you not that Christ is in you? Question: But how shall we know that?

Saving grace is not in vain, but effectual (1 Corinthians 15:10; 1 Timothy 1:14). And we are saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 15:11), and no greater mercy can be wished to any, than the grace of our Lord Jesus (Romans 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Revelation 22:21…

Nor that he wills that they should believe either their eternal damnation, or their final and total falling away, which inevitably leads to that. For they, knowing that they are in Christ (2 Corinthians 13:5; Romans 8:16-17) and freed from condemnation (Romans 8:1), are to belie…

Thereupon they live in a general presumption that they shall be saved by Christ, though they do not know how. This makes the apostle so earnest in pressing the duty of self-examination on all Christians: "Examine yourselves whether you are in the faith; test yourselves — do you…

There is a twofold trial of grace, active, and passive. First, an active trial of it, in which we try it ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5): 'Examine yourselves, prove yourselves,' that is, measure your hearts, duties and graces by the rule of the word; see how they answer to that r…

First, this is but the single testimony of one man, and by the law of God, and of the land, a man must not die, but under the testimony of two or three witnesses, in the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 9 and 15: One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any…