it proves that there may be the assurance of eternal life; or such evidence of acceptance with God, as to leave no doubt of a final admission into heaven. This language was often used by the Saviour in reference to the truths which he taught, (John iii. 11; iv. 22;) and it is used by the sacred writers in regard to the truths which they recorded, and in regard to their own personal piety. (John xxi. 24. 1 John ii. 3, 5, 18; iii. 2, 14, 19, 24; iv. 6, 13; v. 2, 15, 19, 20.) That if our earthly house. The word "earthly" here (iyoç) stands opposed to "heavenly," or to the "house eternal” (¿v roïç oúpavoiç) “in the heavens." The word properly means, "upon earth, terrestrial, belonging to the earth, or on the earth," and is applied to bodies, (1 Cor. xv. 40;) to earthly things, (John iii. 12;) to earthly, or worldly wisdom, (James iii. 15.) The word "house" here refers, doubtless, to the body, as the habitation, or the dwelling-place of the mind or soul. The soul dwells in it, as we dwell in a house or tent. Of this tabernacle.-This word means a booth, or tent-a movable dwelling. | The use of the word here is not a mere redundancy, but the idea which Paul designs to convey is, doubtless, that the body-the house of the soul-was not a permanent dwelling-place, but was of the same nature as a booth or tent, that was set up for a temporary purpose, or that was easily taken down, in migrating from one place to another. It refers here to the body, as the frail and temporary abode of the soul. It is not a permanent dwelling; a fixed habitation, but is liable to be taken down at any moment, and was fitted up with that view. Tindal renders it, "if our earthly mansion wherein we now dwell." The Syriac renders it, "for we know that if our house on earth, which is our body, were dissolved." The idea is a beautiful one, that the body is a mere unfixed, movable dwelling-place; liable to be taken down at any moment, and not designed, any more than a tent is, to be a permanent habitation. Were dissolved, (karaλv‡ŷ.) | -This word means properly to disunite the parts of any thing; and is applied to the act of throwing down, or destroying a building. It is applied here to the body, regarded as a temporary dwelling that might be taken down, and it refers, doubtless, to the dissolution of the body in the grave. The idea is, that if this body should moulder back to dust, and be resolved into its original elements; or if by great zeal and labour it should be exhausted and worn out. Language like this is used by Eliphaz, the Temanite, in describing the body of man: "How much less in those that dwell in houses of clay," &c. (Job iv. 19. Comp. 2 Pet. i. 13, 14.) We have a building of God.—Robinson (Lexicon) supposes that it refers to "the future spiritual body as the abode of the soul." Some have supposed that it refers to some "celestial vehicle," with which God invests the soul during the intermediate state. But the Scripture is silent about any such celestial vehicle. It is not easy to tell what was the precise idea which Paul here designed to convey. Perhaps a few remarks may enable us to arrive at the meaning. (1.) It was not to be temporary; not a tent or tabernacle that could be taken down. (2.) It was to be eternal in the

heavens. (3.) It was to be such as to constitute a dwelling; a clothing, or such a protection as should keep the soul from being "naked." (4.) It was to be such as should constitute "life," in contradistinction from "mortality." These things will better agree with the supposition of its referring to the future body of the saints than any thing else; and probably the idea of Paul is, that the body there will be incorruptible and immortal. When he says it is a "building of God," (ix Ocov,) he evidently means that it is made by God; that he is the architect of that future and eternal dwelling. Macknight and some others, however, understood this of the mansions which God has fitted up for his people in heaven, and which the Lord Jesus has gone to prepare for them. Comp. John xiv. 2. But see Note on ver. 3. An house.-A dwelling; an abode; that is, according to the interpretation above, a celestial, pure, immortal body; a body that shall have God for its immediate author, and that shall be fitted to dwell in heaven for ever. Not made with hands.--Not constructed by man; a habitation not like those which are made by human skill, and which are therefore easily taken down or removed, but one that is made by God himself. This does not imply that the "earthly house," which is to be superseded by that in heaven, is made with hands, but the idea is, that the earthly dwelling has things about it which resemble that which is made by man, or as if it were made with hands; i. e. it is temporary, frail, easily taken down or removed. But that which is in heaven is permanent, fixed, eternal, as if made by God. Eternal in the heavens.-Immortal; to live for ever. The future body shall never be taken down or dissolved by death. It is eternal, of course, only in respect to the future, and not in respect to the past. And it is not only eternal, but it is to abide for ever in the| heavens-in the world of glory. It is never to be subjected to a dwelling on the earth; never to be in a world of sin, suffering, and death.

VER. 2. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

c Rom. viii. 23.

For in this.-In this tent, tabernacle, or dwelling. In our body here. We groan.-Comp. Note Rom. viii. 22. The sense is, that we are subjected to so many trials and afflictions in the present body; that the body is subjected to so many pains and to so much suffering, as to make us earnestly desire to be invested with that body which shall be free from all susceptibility to suffering. Earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house, &c.-There is evidently here a change of the metaphor, which gives an apparent harshness to the construction. One idea of the apostle is, that the body here, and the spiritual body hereafter, is a house or a dwelling. Here be speaks of it as a garment which may be put on or laid off; and of himself as earnestly desiring to put on the immortal clothing or vestment which was in heaven. Both these figures are common in ancient writings, and a change in

this manner in the popular style is not unusual. The Pythagoreans compared the body to a tent, or hut for the soul; the Platonists liken it to a vestment.-Bloomfield. The Jews speak of a vestment to the soul in this world and the next. They affirm that the soul had a covering when it was under the throne of God, and before it was clothed with the body. This vestment, they say, was "the image of God," which was lost by Adam. After the fall, they say, Adam and all his posterity were regarded as naked. In the future world they say the good will be clothed with a vestment for the soul, which they speak of as lucid and radiant, and such as no one on earth can attain.-Schoettgen. But there is no reason to think that Paul referred to any such trifles as the Jews have believed on this subject. He evidently regarded man as composed of body and soul. The soul was the more important part, and the body constituted its mere habitation or dwelling. Yet a body was essential to the idea of the complete man; and, since this was frail and dying, he looked forward to a union with the body that should be eternal in the heavens, as a more desirable and perfect habitation of the soul. Mr. Locke has given an interpretation of this, in which he is, probably akne; but which has so much appearance of plausibility. that it is not improper to refer to it. He supposes that this whole passage has reference to the fact, that, at the coming of the Redeemer, the body will be changed without experiencing death, (comp. 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52;) that Paul expected that this might soon occur; and that he earnestly desired to undergo this transformation without experiencing the pains of dying. He therefore paraphrases it, For in this tabernacle I groan, earnestly desiring, without putting off this mortal, earthly body by death, to have that celestial body superinduced, if so be the coming of Christ shall overtake me in this life, before I put off this body." With our house.-The phrase "to be clothed upon with our house," seems to be harsh and unusual. The sense is plain, however, that Paul desired to be invested with that pure, spiritual, and undecaying body, which was to be the eternal abode of his soul in heaven. That he speaks of as a house, (oiknrotov,) a more permanent and substantial dwelling than a tent, or tabernacle. VER. 3. If so be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked."

d Rev. iii. 18; xvi. 15.

If so be that being clothed.-This passage has been interpreted in a great many different ways. The view of Locke is given above. Rosenmüller renders it, be wholly destitute of a body, but we shall have a body." Tindal renders it, "If it happen that we be found clothed, and not naked." Doddridge supposes it to mean, "since being so clothed upon, we shall not be found naked, and exposed to any evil and inconvenience, how entirely soever we may be stripped of every thing we can call our own here below." Hammond explains it to mean, "If, indeed, we shall, happily, be among the number of those faithful Christians, who will be found clothed upon, not naked." Va

66 For in the other life we shall not

:

rious other expositions may be seen in the larger commentaries. The meaning is probably this (1.) The word "clothed" refers to the future spiritual body of believers; the eternal habitation in which they shall reside. (2.) The expression implies an earnest desire of Paul to be thus invested with that body. (3.) It is the language of humility and of deep solicitude, as if it were possible that they might fail, and as if it demanded their utmost care and anxiety that they might thus be clothed with the spiritual body in heaven. (4.) It means that in that future state, the soul will not be naked; i. e. destitute of any body, or covering. The present body will be laid aside. It will return to corruption, and the disembodied Spirit will ascend to God and to heaven. It will be disencumbered of the body with which it has been so long clothed. But we are not thence to infer that it will be destitute of a body; that it will remain a naked soul. It will be clothed there in its appropriate glorified body; and will have an appropriate habitation there. This does not imply, as Bloomfield supposes, that the bodies of the wicked will be destitute of any such habitation as the glorified body of the saints; which may be true-but it means simply that the soul shall not be destitute of an appropriate body in heaven, but that the union of body and soul there shall be known as well as on earth.

VER. 4. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

e 1 Cor. xv. 53.

All Chris

For we.-We who are Christians. tians. That are in this tabernacle.-This frail and dying body. Note, ver. 1. Do groan.-See ver. 2. This is a further explanation of what is said in ver. 2. It implies an ardent and earnest desire to leave a world of toil and pain, and to enter into a world of rest and glory. Being burdened.-Being borne down by the toils, and trials, and calamities of this life. See Note, ch. iii. 7-10. Not for that we would be unclothed.Not that we are impatient, and unwilling to bear these burdens as long as God shall appoint. Not that we merely wish to lay aside this mortal body. We do not desire to die and depart merely because we suffer much, and because the body here is subjected to great trials. This is not the ground of our wish to depart. We are willing to bear trials. We are not impatient under afflictions. The sentiment here is, that the mere fact that we may be afflicted much and long, should not be the principal reason why we should desire to depart. We should be willing to bear all this as long as God shall choose to appoint. The anxiety of Paul to enter the eternal world was from a higher motive than a mere desire to get away from trouble. But clothed upon.-To be invested with our spiritual body. We desire to be clothed with that body. We desire to be in heaven, and to be clothed with immortality. We wish to have a body that shall be pure, undecaying, ever glorious. It was not, therefore, a mere desire to be released from sufferings; it was an

earnest wish to be admitted to the glories of the future world, and partake of the happiness which he would enjoy there. This is one of the reasons why Paul wished to be in heaven. Other reasons he has stated elsewhere. Thus, in Phil. i. 23, he says he had "a desire to depart and to be with Christ." So in ver. 8 of this chapter he says he was "willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord." In 2 Tim. iv. 6-8, he speaks of the "crown of righteousness" laid up for him as a reason why he was willing to die. That mortality might be swallowed up of life.-On the meaning of the word rendered "swallowed up," (Kатаπо≈y,) see Note on 1 Cor. xv. 54. The meaning here is, that it might be completely absorbed; that it might cease to be; that there might be no more mortality, but that he might pass to the immortal state to the condition of eternal life in the heavens. The body here is mortal; the body there will be immortal; and Paul desired to pass away from the mortal state to one that shall be immortal, a world where there shall be no more death. Comp. 1 Cor. xv. 53.

VER. 5. Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing, is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

ƒ Isa. xxix. 23. Eph. ii. 10.

g Eph. i. 14. Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing. The phrase "self-same thing" here means this very thing, i. e. the thing to which he had referred-the preparation for heaven, or the heavenly dwelling. The word " wrought" here (KATEрYασáμEvoC) means that God had formed, or made them for this; that is, he had by the influences of the Spirit, and by his agency on the heart, created them, as it were, for this, and adapted them to it. God has destined us to this change from corruption to incorruption; he has adapted us to it; he has formed us for it. It does not refer to the original creation of the body and the soul for this end, but it means that God, by his own renewing, and sanctifying, and sustaining agency, had formed them for this, and had adapted them to it. The object of Paul in stating that it was done by God is to keep this truth prominently before the mind. It was not by any native inclination, or strength, or power which they had, but it was all to be traced to God. Comp. Eph. ii. 10. Who also hath given.—In addition to the fitting for eternal glory he has given us the earnest of the Spirit to sustain us here. We are not only prepared to enter into heaven, but we have here also the support produced by the earnest of the Spirit. The earnest of the Spirit.On the meaning of this, see Note on chap. i. 22. He has given to us the Holy Spirit as the pledge

or assurance of the eternal inheritance.

VER. 6. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord;

Therefore we are always confident. The word here used (@appouvτeç) means to be of good cheer. To have good courage, to be full of hope.

The idea is, that Paul was not dejected, cast down, disheartened, discouraged. He was cheerful and happy. He was patient in his trials, and diligent in his calling. He was full of hope, and of the confident expectation of heaven; and this filled him with cheerfulness and with joy. Tinda! renders it, "we are always of goud cheere." And this was not occasional and transitory, it was constant, it was uniform, it always (arTOTE) existed. This is an instance of the uniform cheerfulness which will be produced by the assured prospect of heaven. It is an instance too when the hope of heaven will enable a man to face danger with courage, to endure toil with patience, and to submit to trials in any form with cheerfulness. Knowing. See ver. 1. This is another instance in which the apostle expresses undoubted assurance. Whilst we are at home in the body.The word here used (¿vònμovvṬeç) means literally to be among one's own people, to be at home; to be present in any place. It is here equivalent to saying, "while we dwell in the body." See ver. 1. Doddridge renders it, "sojourning in the body;" and remarks that it is improper to render it, "at home in the body," since it is the apostle's design to intimate that this is not our home. But Bloomfield says that the word is never used in the sense of "sojourning." The idea is not that of being "at home," for this is an idea which is the very opposite of that which the apostle wishes to convey. His purpose is not at all to represent the body here as our home, and the original word does not imply that. It means here simply to be in the body; to be present in the body; that is, while we are in the body. We are absent from the Lord.-The Lord Jesus.

See Notes, Acts i. 24. Comp. Phil. i. 23. Here he was in a strange world, and among strangers. His great desire and purpose was to be with the Lord; and hence he cared little how soon the frail tabernacle of the body was taken down, and was cheerful amidst all the labours and sufferings that tended to bring it to the grave, and to release him to go to his eternal home, where he would be present for ever with the Lord.

h

VER. 7. (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) h Rom. viii. 24, 25.

denotes to live, to act, to conduct in a certain way. For we walk. To walk, in the Scriptures, often See Notes on Rom. iv. 12; vi. 4. It has reference to the fact, that life is a journey, or a pilgrimage, and that the Christian is travelling to another country. The sense here is, that we conduct ourselves in our course of life with reference to the things which are unseen, and not with reference to the things which are seen. By faith.-In the belief of those things which we do not see. We believe in the existence of objects which are invisible, and we are influenced by them. To walk by faith, is to live in the confident expectation of things that are to come; in the belief of the existence of unseen realities; and suffering them to influence us as if they were seen. The people of this world are influenced by the things that are seen. They live for wealth, honour, splendour, praise, for the objects which

this world can furnish, and as if there were nothing which is unseen, or as if they ought not to be influenced by the things which are unseen. The Christian, on the contrary, has a firm conviction of the reality of the glories of heaven; of the fact that the Redeemer is there; of the fact that there is a crown of glory; and he lives and acts as if that were all real, and as if he saw it all. The simple account of faith, and of living by faith, is, that we live and act as if these things were true, and suffer them to make an impression on our mind according to their real nature. See Note on Mark xvi. 16. It is contradistinguished from living simply under the influence of things that are seen. God is unseen-but the Christian lives, and thinks, and acts as if there were a God, and as if he saw him. Christ is unseen now by the bodily eye; but the Christian lives and acts as if he were seen, i. e. as if his eye were known to be upon us, and as if he was now exalted to heaven, and was the only Saviour. The Holy Spirit is unseen; but he lives and acts as if there were such a Spirit, and as if his influences were needful to renew and purify the soul. Heaven is unseen; but the Christian lives, and thinks, and acts as if there were a heaven, and as if he now saw its glories. He has confidence in these, and in kindred truths, and he acts as if they were real. Could man see all these; were they visible to the naked eye, as they are to the eye of faith, no one would doubt the propriety of living and acting with reference to them. But if they exist, there is no more impropriety in acting with reference to them, than if they were seen. Our seeing or not seeing them does not alter their nature or importance, and the fact that they are not seen does not make it improper to act with reference to them.-There are many ways of being convinced of the existence and reality of objects, besides seeing them; and it may be as rational to be influenced by the reason, the judgment, or by strong confidence, as it is to be influenced by sight. Besides, all men are influenced by things which they have not seen. They hope for objects that are future. They aspire to happiness which they have not yet beheld. They strive for honour and wealth which are unseen, and which are in the distant future. They live, aud act-influenced by strong faith and hopeas if these things were attainable; and they deny themselves, and labour, and cross oceans and deserts, and breathe in pestilential air, to obtain those things which they have not seen, and which to them are in the distant future. And why should not the Christian endure like labour, and be willing to suffer in like manner, to gain the unseen crown which is incorruptible, and to acquire the unseen wealth which the moth does not corrupt?-And, further still, the men of this world strive for those objects which they have not beheld, without any promise or any assurance that they shall obtain them. No being able to grant them has promised them; no one has assured them that their lives shall be lengthened out to obtain them. In a moment they may be cut off, and all their plans frustrated; or they may be utterly disappointed, and all their plans fail; or, if they gain the object, it may be unsatisfactory, and may furnish no pleasure such as

they had anticipated. But not so the Christian. He has, (1.) The promise of life. (2.) He has the assurance that sudden death cannot deprive him of it. It at once removes him to the object of pursuit, not from it. (3.) He has the assurance that, when obtained, it shall not disgust or satiate, or decay, but that it shall meet all the expectations of the soul, and shall be eternal. Not by sight.-This may mean either that we are not influenced by a sight of these future glories, or that we are not influenced by the things which we see. The main idea is, that we are not influenced and governed by the sight. We are not governed and controlled by the things which we see, and we do not see those things which actually influence and control us. In both it is faith that controls us, and not sight.

VER. 8. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

i Phil. i. 23.

We are confident.-(Ver. 6.) We are cheerful, and courageous, and ready to bear our trial. Tindal renders it, "we are of good comfort." And willing rather to be absent from the body.We would prefer to die. The same idea occurs in Phil. i. 23. "Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ; which is far better." The sense is, that Paul would have preferred to die, and to go to heaven, rather than to remain in a world of sin and trial. To be present with the Lord. The Lord Jesus. See Note on Acts i. 24. Comp. Phil. i. 23: The idea of Paul is, that the Lord Jesus would constitute the main glory of heaven, and that to be with him was equivalent to being in a place of perfect bliss. He had no idea of any heaven where the Lord Jesus was not; and to be with him was to be in heaven. That world where the Redeemer is, is heaven. This also proves that the spirits of the saints, when they depart, are with the Redeemer, i. e. are at once taken to heaven. It demonstrates, (1.) That they are not annihilated. (2.) That they do not sleep, and remain in an unconscious state, as Dr. Priestley supposes. (3.) That they are not in some intermediate state, either in a state of purgatory, as the Papists suppose, or a state where all the souls of the just and the unjust are assembled in a common abode, as many Protestants have supposed; but, (4.) That they dwell with Christ; they are with the Lord, (poc ro Kvotov.) They abide in his presence; they partake of his joy and his glory; they are permitted to sit with him in his throne. (Rev. iii. 21.) The same idea the Saviour expressed to the dying thief, when he said, "To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Luke xxiii. 43.)

VER. 9. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

k endeavour.

Wherefore, (Aiò.)-In view of the facts stated above. Since we have the prospect of a resurrection and of future glory; since we have the assurance that there is a house not made with

We

hands, eternal in the heavens; and since God has given to us this hope, and has granted to us the earnest of the Spirit, we make it our great object so to live as to be accepted by him. labour. The word here used (piλoripovμɛza,) from pilog and run, loving honour,) means properly to love honour; to be ambitious. This is its usual classical signification. In the New Testament, it means to be ambitious to do any thing; to exert one's self; to strive, as if from a love or sense of honour. As in English, "to make it a point of honour" to do so and so.-Robinson, (Lex.) See Rom. xv. 20. 1 Thess. iv. 11. It means here, that Paul made it a point of constant effort; it was his leading and constant aim to live so as to be acceptable to God, and to meet his approbation wherever he was. Whether present or absent.-Whether present with the Lord, (ver. 8,) or absent from him, (ver. 6;) that is, whether in this world or the next; whether we are here, or removed to heaven. Wherever we are, or may be, it is and will be our main purpose and object so to live as to secure his favour. Paul did not wish to live on earth regardless of his favour, or without evidence that he would be accepted by him. He did not make the fact that he was absent from him, and that he did not see him with the bodily eye, an excuse for walking in the ways of ambition, or seeking his own purposes and ends. The idea is, that so far as this point was concerned, it made no difference with him whether he lived or died; whether he was on earth or in heaven; whether in the body or out of the body; it was the great fixed principle of his nature so to live as to secure the approbation of the Lord. And this is the true principle on which the Christian should act, and will act. The fact that he is now absent from the Lord, will be to him no reason why he should lead a life of sin and self-indulgence, any more than he would if he were in heaven; and the fact that he is soon to be with him is not the main reason why he seeks to live so as to please him. It is because this has become the fixed principle of the soul, the very purpose of the life; and this principle and this purpose will adhere to him, and control him wherever he may be placed, or in whatever world he may dwell. We may be accepted of him.-The phrase here used, (vápeσTo tivai,) means to be well-pleasing; and then to be acceptable, or approved. (Rom. xii. 1; xiv. 8. Eph. v. 10. Phil. iv. 18. Tit. ii. 9.) The sense here is, that Paul was earnestly desirous of so living as to please God, and to receive from him the tokens and marks of his favour. And the truth taught in this verse is, that this will be the great purpose of the Christian's life, and that it makes no difference as to the existence and operation of this principle, whether a man is on earth or in heaven. He will equally desire it, and strive for it; and this is one of the ways in which religion makes a man conscientious and holy, and is a better guard and security for virtue than all human laws, and all the restraints which can be imposed by man.

VER. 10. For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may

For we must, (deî.)—It is proper, fit, necessary that we should all appear there. This fact, to which Paul now refers, is another reason why it was necessary to lead a holy life, and why Paul gave himself with so much diligence and self-denial to the arduous duties of his office. There is a necessity or a fitness that we should appear there to give up our account, for we are here on trial; we are responsible moral agents; we are placed here to form characters for eternity. Before we receive our eternal allotment, it is proper that we should render our account of the manner in which we have lived, and of the manner in which we have improved our talents and privileges. In the nature of things, it is proper that we should undergo a trial before we receive our reward, or before we are punished; and God has made it necessary and certain, by his direct and positive appointment, that we should stand at the bar of the final Judge. See! Rom. xiv. 10. All-Both Jews and Gentiles; old and young; bond and free; rich and poor; all of every class, and every age, and every nation. None shall escape by being unknown; none by virtue of their rank or wealth; none because they have a character too pure to be judged. All shall be arraigned in one vast assemblage, and with reference to their eternal doom. See Rev. xx. 12. Rosenmüller supposes that the apostle here alludes to an opinion that was common among the Jews, that the Gentiles only would be exposed to severe judgments in the future world, and that the Jews would be saved as a matter of course. But the idea seems rather to be, that as the trial of the great day was the most important that man could undergo, and as all must give account there, Paul and his fellow-labourers devoted themselves to untiring diligence and fidelity, that they might be accepted in that great day. Appear, (sareownval.)-This word properly means, to make apparent, manifest, known; to show openly, &c. Here it means that we must be manifest, or openly shown; i. e. we must be seen there, and be publicly tried. We must not only stand there, but our character will be seen, our desert will be known, our trial will be public. All will be brought from their graves, and from their places of concealment, and will be seen at the judgment seat. The secret things of the heart and the life will all be made manifest and known. The judg ment seat of Christ.-The tribunal of Christ, who is appointed to be the Judge of quick and dead. See Note on John v. 25. Acts x. 42; xvii. 31. Christ is appointed to judge the world; and for this purpose he will assemble it before him, and assign to all their eternal allotments. See Matt. XXV. That every one may receive.-The word rendered "may receive," (kopionrai,) means properly to take care of, to provide for; and in the New Testament, to bear, to bring, (Luke vii. 37;) to acquire, to obtain, to receive. This is the sense here. Every individual shall take, receive, or bear away the appropriate reward for