Matthew Poole and continuators on 2 Corinthians 1:18

18 But as God is true, our word toward you was not Yea, and Nay .

As God is true to his Promises, so he hath taught me to be true to mine. Some make these words not to be meerly declarative of the Truth of God, but a kind of an Oath, or calling the God of Truth to witness, that his Word towards them; by which some understand the Gospel, or the Word which he had preached amongst them, (and of that indeed lie speaketh in the next verse) but to me it seemeth much less strained, to interpret Pauls word in this verse of that word of promise, of which he had before spoken; the promise which he owned before that he had made them of his coming to them. That word, he saith, was not yea, and nay, that is, he did not make it with a quite contrary intention; but when he promised, he faithfully intended to have justified his word, and indeed to have come; but the Providence of God, to which all men are subjected, had otherwise ordered him and disposed of him; which was the cause why he had not yet been as good as his word. It is very observable, how careful this great Apostle was to clear himself from any imputatio[illegible: 2 letters] of levity and falshood; and it should teach us to be careful to maintain our reputation in the world, for truth and steadiness.

Marginal references: Or, our preaching.