---

I.  ITS PRIVILEGE — "allowed of God."

II.  ITS SUBLIME RESPONSIBILITY — "put in trust."

III.  ITS FAITHFUL ADMINISTRATION — "even so we speak."

IV.  ITS AWFUL SCRUTINY — "God which trieth the hearts."

(W. Bengo Collyer, D. D.)

I. THE APOSTLE'S REASONS FOR PREACHING THE GOSPEL.

1. He was a steward, "put in trust with the gospel." It was therefore not the Gospel of Paul, but the Gospel of God. All ministers of it have a great honour put upon them and trust committed to them. They must not dare to corrupt the pure Word of God, but diligently make use of what is intrusted with them, knowing they will he called to give an account of it.

2. His design was to please God and not man. God is a God of truth, and requireth truth in the inward parts. The gospel is not accommodated to the vain fancies and lusts of men; but, on the contrary, it was designed for the mortifying their corrupt affections, and delivering them from the power of fancy, that they might be brought under the power of faith.

3. He acted under the consideration of God's omniscience. This is indeed the great motive to sincerity — to consider God not only seeth all that we do, but knoweth our thoughts afar off, and searcheth the heart; and it is from God that we must receive our reward.

II. THE EVIDENCES OF THE APOSTLE'S SINCERITY.

1. He avoided flattery. He and his fellow labourers preached Christ and Him crucified, and did not aim to gain an interest in men's affections for themselves, by glorying, and fawning, and wheedling them: they were far from that. Nor did they flatter men in their sins, or tell them that if they would be of their party, they might live as they listed. They did not build them up with vain hopes, nor indulge them in any evil work or way, promising them life, and so daubing with untempered mortar.

2. He avoided covetousness. He did not make the ministry a cloak or covering for this carnal desire, as God was witness. He would not enrich himself by preaching the gospel; so far from that, he did not burden them for bread. He did out in anywise like the false apostles, who "through covetousness with vain words made merchandise" of the people.

3. He avoided ambition and vain glory. He neither expected people's purses nor their caps, neither to be caressed or adored by them, and called rabbi. He might have used greater authority as an apostle, and expected greater esteem, and demanded maintenance; but some might perhaps have thought all this too great a burden for them to bear, and hence he avoided all mention of such things. He thought ever of his Divine Lord, and seldom of him. self.

(R. Fergusson.)

---

---

KJV: For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:

WEB: For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception.