II.  Let  us  consider  the  impressions  of  the
love  of  Jesus  Christ  in  regard  to  the  different
receivers  of  it.  "  The  love  of  Christ  constrain
eth  us,"  us,  that  is  to  say  us  believers,  what
ever  rank  we  occupy  in  the  church:  but  in  a
particular  manner  us  apostles  of  the  Lord.  I
have  already  intimated,  that  my  text  may  be
considered  as  an  explication  of  what  related
to  the  apostles  in  the  foregoing  verse.  What
idea  had  St.  Paul  given  of  apostleship  in
the  preceding  verses?  He  had  represented
these  holy  men  as  all  taken  up  with  the  duties
of  their  office;  as  surmounting  the  greatest
obstacles;  as  triumphing  over  the  most  violent
conflicts  in  the  discharge  of  their  function;  as
acquitting  themselves  with  a  rectitude  of  con
science  capable  of  sustaining  the  strictest  scru
tiny  of  men,  yea,  of  God  himself;  as  deeply
sensible  of  the  honour  that  God  had  put  upon
them,  by  calling  them  to  such  a  work;  as  de
voting  all  their  labours,  all  their  diligence,  and
all  their  time,  to  the  salvation  of  the  souls  of
men.  We  must  repeat  all  the  foregoing  chap
ters,  were  we  to  confirm  these  observations  by
the  apostle's  own  words.  In  these  chapters
we  meet  with  the  following  expressions. —
"Our  rejoicing  is  this,  the  testimony  of  our
conscience,"  2  Cor.  i.  12.  "  Thanks  be  unto
God,  which  always  causeth  us  to  triumph  in
Christ,  and  maketh  manifest  the  savour  of  his
knowledge  by  us  in  every  place,"  chap.  ii.  14.
"  We  are  not  as  many,  which  corrupt  the  word
of  God:  but  as  of  sincerity,  but  as  bf  God,  in
the  sight  of  God  speak  we  in  Christ,"  ver.  17.
