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St. Paul having cleared himself and his ministry, in the foregoing verses, from the charge and imputation of those foul vices of flattery, fraud, and covetouseness, which the false teachers were guilty of; he next gives and account of his holy and humble, meek and gentle, courteous and affable behaviour amongst them, performing all duties towards them from a principle of tender love, even such as is found in a nurse to her babe, which makes her stoop to the meanest offices for it; We are gentle among you as a nurse, not a hired nurse, but a mother-nurse, who takes nothing for nursing, who bestows all her time and pains in nursing, who draws forth her breasts, and gives down her milk with pleasure to her nursling, lodging it in her bosom, carrying it in her arms, with all possible demonstrations of a tender affection towards it, especially bearing with it in its frowardness and manifold infirmities; intimating to us, with what tenderness of affection a minister should be devoted to his people, bearing with them, and forbearing of them, and exercising all that indulgence towards them, which may mutually endear them to each other.
Observe, farther, our apostle having resembled himself in general, to a nurse cherishing her children, next instances, in particular, wherein he stood ready to express, like a nurse, his indulgent care over them.
Thus, 1. As the nursing mother, if she be but a short time absent from her children, doth most vehemently long to see them, and draws forth her breast towards them with the utmost desire and delight; in like manner, was our now absent apostle most affectionately desirous of seeing and enjoying his beloved Thessalonians.
2. As the nursing mother, when she gets to the child, with unspeakable delight, feeds it with her own blood, concocted and turned into milk; so was the apostle desirous to impart, not the gospel only, but his own soul, that is, his life; implying, how ready he was to seal the gospel with his blood, and to confirm the Thessalonians in the faith of Christ.
3. As the moving, impelling, and impulsive cause of the nurse's indulgent care and indefatigable pains, is pure love, motherly affection, and no hope of gain; so was likewise the case of St. Paul here towards these Thessalonians: We were willing to impart unto you our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
Learn hence, that there is no stronger love, nor more endeared affection between any relations upon earth, than between those ministers of Christ, and their beloved people, whom they have been instrumental to convert to God.
St. Paul having cleared himself and his ministry, in the foregoing verses, from the charge and imputation of those foul vices of flattery, fraud, and covetouseness, which the false teachers were guilty of; he next gives and account of his holy and humble, meek and gentle, courteous and affable behaviour amongst them, performing all duties towards them from a principle of tender love, even such as is found in a nurse to her babe, which makes her stoop to the meanest offices for it; We are gentle among you as a nurse, not a hired nurse, but a mother-nurse, who takes nothing for nursing, who bestows all her time and pains in nursing, who draws forth her breasts, and gives down her milk with pleasure to her nursling, lodging it in her bosom, carrying it in her arms, with all possible demonstrations of a tender affection towards it, especially bearing with it in its frowardness and manifold infirmities; intimating to us, with what tenderness of affection a minister should be devoted to his people, bearing with them, and forbearing of them, and exercising all that indulgence towards them, which may mutually endear them to each other. Observe, farther, our apostle having resembled himself in general, to a nurse cherishing her children, next instances, in particular, wherein he stood ready to express, like a nurse, his indulgent care over them. Thus, 1. As the nursing mother, if she be but a short time absent from her children, doth most vehemently long to see them, and draws forth her breast towards them with the utmost desire and delight; in like manner, was our now absent apostle most affectionately desirous of seeing and enjoying his beloved Thessalonians. 2. As the nursing mother, when she gets to the child, with unspeakable delight, feeds it with her own blood, concocted and turned into milk; so was the apostle desirous to impart, not the gospel only, but his own soul, that is, his life; implying, how ready he was to seal the gospel with his blood, and to confirm the Thessalonians in the faith of Christ. 3. As the moving, impelling, and impulsive cause of the nurse's indulgent care and indefatigable pains, is pure love, motherly affection, and no hope of gain; so was likewise the case of St. Paul here towards these Thessalonians: We were willing to impart unto you our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. Learn hence, that there is no stronger love, nor more endeared affection between any relations upon earth, than between those ministers of Christ, and their beloved people, whom they have been instrumental to convert to God.
St. Paul having cleared himself and his ministry, in the foregoing verses, from the charge and imputation of those foul vices of flattery, fraud, and covetouseness, which the false teachers were guilty of; he next gives and account of his holy and humble, meek and gentle, courteous and affable behaviour amongst them, performing all duties towards them from a principle of tender love, even such as is found in a nurse to her babe, which makes her stoop to the meanest offices for it; We are gentle among you as a nurse, not a hired nurse, but a mother-nurse, who takes nothing for nursing, who bestows all her time and pains in nursing, who draws forth her breasts, and gives down her milk with pleasure to her nursling, lodging it in her bosom, carrying it in her arms, with all possible demonstrations of a tender affection towards it, especially bearing with it in its frowardness and manifold infirmities; intimating to us, with what tenderness of affection a minister should be devoted to his people, bearing with them, and forbearing of them, and exercising all that indulgence towards them, which may mutually endear them to each other. Observe, farther, our apostle having resembled himself in general, to a nurse cherishing her children, next instances, in particular, wherein he stood ready to express, like a nurse, his indulgent care over them. Thus, 1. As the nursing mother, if she be but a short time absent from her children, doth most vehemently long to see them, and draws forth her breast towards them with the utmost desire and delight; in like manner, was our now absent apostle most affectionately desirous of seeing and enjoying his beloved Thessalonians. 2. As the nursing mother, when she gets to the child, with unspeakable delight, feeds it with her own blood, concocted and turned into milk; so was the apostle desirous to impart, not the gospel only, but his own soul, that is, his life; implying, how ready he was to seal the gospel with his blood, and to confirm the Thessalonians in the faith of Christ. 3. As the moving, impelling, and impulsive cause of the nurse's indulgent care and indefatigable pains, is pure love, motherly affection, and no hope of gain; so was likewise the case of St. Paul here towards these Thessalonians: We were willing to impart unto you our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. Learn hence, that there is no stronger love, nor more endeared affection between any relations upon earth, than between those ministers of Christ, and their beloved people, whom they have been instrumental to convert to God.
St. Paul having cleared himself and his ministry, in the foregoing verses, from the charge and imputation of those foul vices of flattery, fraud, and covetouseness, which the false teachers were guilty of; he next gives and account of his holy and humble, meek and gentle, courteous and affable behaviour amongst them, performing all duties towards them from a principle of tender love, even such as is found in a nurse to her babe, which makes her stoop to the meanest offices for it; We are gentle among you as a nurse, not a hired nurse, but a mother-nurse, who takes nothing for nursing, who bestows all her time and pains in nursing, who draws forth her breasts, and gives down her milk with pleasure to her nursling, lodging it in her bosom, carrying it in her arms, with all possible demonstrations of a tender affection towards it, especially bearing with it in its frowardness and manifold infirmities; intimating to us, with what tenderness of affection a minister should be devoted to his people, bearing with them, and forbearing of them, and exercising all that indulgence towards them, which may mutually endear them to each other. Observe, farther, our apostle having resembled himself in general, to a nurse cherishing her children, next instances, in particular, wherein he stood ready to express, like a nurse, his indulgent care over them. Thus, 1. As the nursing mother, if she be but a short time absent from her children, doth most vehemently long to see them, and draws forth her breast towards them with the utmost desire and delight; in like manner, was our now absent apostle most affectionately desirous of seeing and enjoying his beloved Thessalonians. 2. As the nursing mother, when she gets to the child, with unspeakable delight, feeds it with her own blood, concocted and turned into milk; so was the apostle desirous to impart, not the gospel only, but his own soul, that is, his life; implying, how ready he was to seal the gospel with his blood, and to confirm the Thessalonians in the faith of Christ. 3. As the moving, impelling, and impulsive cause of the nurse's indulgent care and indefatigable pains, is pure love, motherly affection, and no hope of gain; so was likewise the case of St. Paul here towards these Thessalonians: We were willing to impart unto you our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. Learn hence, that there is no stronger love, nor more endeared affection between any relations upon earth, than between those ministers of Christ, and their beloved people, whom they have been instrumental to convert to God.