8. Summary of all his exhortations as to relative duties, whether as
children or parents, husbands or wives, friends, neighbors, men in the
intercourse of the world, &c.
true--sincere, in words.
honest--Old English for "seemly," namely, in
action; literally, grave, dignified.
just--towards others.
pure--"chaste," in relation to ourselves.
lovely--lovable (compare
Mr 10:21;
Lu 7:4, 5).
of good report--referring to the absent
(Php 1:27);
as "lovely" refers to what is lovable face to face.
if there be any virtue--"whatever virtue there is" [ALFORD]. "Virtue," the standing word in heathen ethics,
is found once only in Paul's Epistles, and once in Peter's
(2Pe 1:5);
and this in uses different from those in heathen authors. It is a term
rather earthly and human, as compared with the names of the spiritual
graces which Christianity imparts; hence the rarity of its occurrence
in the New Testament. Piety and true morality are inseparable. Piety is
love with its face towards God; morality is love with its face towards
man. Despise not anything that is good in itself; only let it keep its
due place.
praise--whatever is praiseworthy; not that Christians
should make man's praise their aim (compare
Joh 12:43);
but they should live so as to deserve men's praise.
think on--have a continual regard to, so as to "do" these things
(Php 4:9)
whenever the occasion arises.
JFB.
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