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3Blessed be God He begins (as has been observed) with this thanksgiving — partly for the purpose of extolling the goodness of God — partly, with the view of animating the Corinthians by his example to the resolute endurance of persecutions; and partly, that he may magnify himself in a strain of pious glorying, in opposition to the malignant slanderings of the false apostles. For such is the depravity of the world, that it treats with derision martyrdoms, (217) which it ought to have held in admiration, and endeavours to find matter of reproach in the splendid trophies of the pious. (218) Blessed be God, says he. On what account? who comforteth us (219) — the relative being used instead of the causal particle. (220) He had endured his tribulations with fortitude and alacrity: this fortitude he ascribes to God, because it was owing to support derived from his consolation that he had not fainted.
He calls him the Father of our Lord Jesus Christand not without good reason, where blessings are treated of; for where Christ is not, there the beneficence of God is not. On the other hand, where Christ intervenes,
by whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
(Eph_3:15,)
there are all mercies and all consolations of God — nay, more, there is fatherly love, the fountain from which everything else flows.
(217) “Des martyres et afflictions des fideles;” — “ martyrdoms and afflictions of believers.”
(218) “Cherche matiere de mespris et diffamation aux enseignes magnifiques de victoire, lesquelles Dieu dresse à ses enfans;” — “ matter of contempt and defamation in those splendid tokens of victory, which God furnishes to His children.”
(219) “ is comforting ( ὁ παρακαλῶν) — that doth never cease to do it, that never withdraweth his consolations. It is his nature to be always comforting — as the devil is called ὁ πειραζων, because he is always tempting. ” — Burgesse on 2 Corinthians p. 157 — Ed.
(220) “Ce mot, Qui, est mis pour Car, ou, Pource que ;” — “ word, Who, being used instead of For, or, Because. ”