TEXT.

7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself, that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's. 8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, (which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction) I should not be ashamed:

g That I may not seem, as if I would terrify you by letters. 10" For his letters," says they, "are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible."

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11 Let such an one think this, that such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed, when we are present.

12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some, that commend themselves: but they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves amongst themselves, are not wise.

PARAPHRASE.

7 Do ye judge of men, by the outward appearance of things? Is it by such measures you take an estimate of me and my adversaries? If he has confidence in himself, that he is Christ's, i. e. assumes to himself the authority of one employed and commissioned by Christ”, let him, on the other side, count thus with himself, that, $ as he is Christ's, so I also am Christ's. Nay, if I should boastingly say something more', of the authority and power, which the Lord has given me for your edification, and not for your destruction*, I should not be put 9 to shame: But that I may not seem to terrify you by 10 letters, as is objected to me by some, Who say that my

letters are weighty and powerful, but my bodily presence 11 weak, and my discourse contemptible. Let him, that says so, reckon upon this, that such as I am in word, by letters, when I am absent, such shall I be also in deed, 12 when present. For I dare not be so bold, as to rank or compare myself with some, who yaunt themselves: but

7 a Vid. chap. xi. 23.

8b" More," vid. chap. xi. 23.

NOTES.

• Another reason insinuated by the apostle for his forbearing severity to them.

"I should not be put to shame," i.e. the truth would justify me in it.

TEXT.

13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule, which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also, in preaching the gospel of Christ:

15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other

PARAPHRASE.

they measuring themselves within themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, do not understand. 13 But I, for my part, will not boast of myself in what has not been measured out, or allotted to me; i. e. I will not go out of my own province, to seek matter of commendation; but proceeding orderly, in the province, which God hath measured out, and allotted to me, I have reached even unto you; i.e. I preached the gospel in every country, as I went, till I came as far as you. 14 For I do not extend myself farther than I should, as if I had skipped over other countries in my way, without proceeding gradually to you; no, for I have reached even unto you, in preaching of the gospel in all coun15 tries, as I passed alongs: Not extending my boasting",

NOTES.

12 This is spoken ironically: v autois, " amongst themselves," rather "within themselves." For, in all likelihood, the faction and opposition against St. Paul was made by one person, as we before observed. For though he speaks here in the plural number, which is the softer and decenter way in such cases; yet we see, in the foregoing verse, he speaks directly and expressly, as of one person; and therefore i avros may, most consonantly to the apostle's meaning here, be understood to signify, "within themselves," i.e. with what they find in themselves. The whole place showing, that this person made an esti mate of himself, only by what he found in himself; and thereupon preferred himself to St. Paul, without considering what St. Paul was, or had done.

"Do not understand," that they ought not to intrude themselves into a church, planted by another man, and there vaunt themselves, and set themselves above him that planted it; which is the meaning of the four next verses.

13 f "Aparça, here, and in ver. 15, doth not signify immense or immoderate, but something that hath not been measured out, and allotted to him, something that is not committed to him, nor within his province.

148 This seems to charge the false, pretended apostle, who had caused all this disturbance in the church of Corinth, that, without being appointed to it, without preaching the gospel, in his way thither, as became an apostle, he had crept into the church at Corinth.

15h Boasting," i. e. intermeddling, or assuming to myself authority 'to meddle, or honour for meddling.

TEXT.

men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you, according to our rule, abundantly:

16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast, in another man's line, of things made ready to our hand.

17 But he, that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

18 For not he, that commendeth himself, is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

PARAPHRASE.

beyond my own bounds, into provinces not allotted to me, nor vaunting myself of any thing, I have done, in another's labour', i. e. in a church planted by another man's pains: but having hope, that, your faith increasing, my province will be enlarged by you yet farther: 16 So that I may preach the gospel to the yet unconverted countries beyond you, and not take glory to myself, from another man's province, where all things are made ready 17 to my hand'. But he that will glory, let him glory, or seek praise, from that which is committed to him by the 18 Lord, or in that which is acceptable to the Lord. For not he, who commends himself, does thereby give a proof of his authority, or mission; but he, whom the Lord commends by the gifts of the Holy Ghỏst*.

NOTES.

15, 16 i Here St. Paul visibly taxes the false apostle, for coming into a church, converted and gathered by another, and there pretending to be some body, and to rule all. This is another thing, that makes it probable, that the opposition made to St. Paul, was but by one man, that had made himself the . head of an opposite faction. For it is plain, it was a stranger, who came thither, after St. Paul had planted this church, who pretending to be more an apostle than St. Paul, with greater illumination, and more power, set up against him, to govern that church, and withdraw the corinthians from following St. Paul's rules and doctrine. Now this can never be supposed to be a combination of men, who came to Corinth with that design, nor that they were different men, that came thither separately, each setting up for himself; for then they would have fallen out, one with another, as well as with St. Paul. And, in both cases, St. Paul must have spoken of them, in a different way from what he does now. The same character and carriage is given to them all throughout both these epistles; and 1 Cor. iii. 10, ke plainly speaks of one man; and that setting up thus to be a preacher of the gospel, amongst those, that were already christians, was looked upon, by St. Paul, to be a fault, we may see, Rom. xv. 20.

18 k It is of these weapons of his warfare, that St. Paul speaks, in this chapter: and it is by them, that he intends to try, which is the true apostle, when he comes to them.

SECT. IV. N°. 3.

CHAP. XI. 1-6.

CONTENTS.

HE shows that their pretended apostle, bringing to their no other Saviour or gospel, nor conferring greater power of miracles, than he [St. Paul] had done, was not to be preferred before him.

TEXT.

1 WOULD to God ye could bear with me a little, in my folly; and, indeed, bear with me.

2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

3 But I fear lest, by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve, through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

1

PARAPHRASE.

WOULD You could bear me a little, in my folly*; 2 and, indeed, to bear with me. For I am jealous over you, with a jealousy, that is for God: for I have fitted and prepared you for one alone, to be your husband, viz. that I might deliver you up a pure virgin, to Christ. 3 But, I fear, lest, some way or other, as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning; so your minds should be debauched from that singleness which is due to Christ.

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NOTES.

1 "Folly;" so he modestly calls his speaking in his own defence.

3 * Απλότης τῆς εἰς τὸν Χρισόν, "The simplicity that is in," rather "towards, Christ," answers to in drops Xposa, "to one husband, Christ," in the immediately foregoing verse. For i," one," is not put there for nothing, but makes the meaning plainly this: "I have formed and fitted you for one person alone, one husband, who is Christ: I am concerned, and in care, "that you may not be drawn aside from that submission and obedience, that "temper of mind, that is due singly to him; for I hope to put you into his "hands, possessed with pure virgin thoughts, wholly fixed on him, not divided, "nor roving after any other, that he may take you to wife, and marry you to "himself for ever." It is plain, their perverter, who opposed St. Paul, was a jew, as we have seen. It was from the jews, from whoin, of all, professing

TEXT.

4 For if he, that cometh, preacheth amrother Jesus, whom we have not preached; or if ye receive another Spirit, which ye have not received; or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

5 For, I suppose, I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. 6 But, though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest, among you, in all things.

PARAPHRASE.

4 For if this intruder, who has been a leader amongst you, can preach to you another Saviour, whom I have not preached; or if you receive from him other, or greater gifts of the Spirit, than those you received from me; or another gospel, than what you accepted from me; you might well bear with him, and allow his pretensions of 5 being a new and greater apostle. For, as to the apostles of Christ, I suppose I am not a whit behind the chiefest 6 of them. For though I am but a mean speaker, yet I am not without knowledge; but in every thing have been made manifest unto you, i. e. to be an apostle.

NOTE.

christianity, St. Paul had most trouble and opposition. For they having their hearts set upon their old religion, endeavoured to mix judaism and christianity together. We may suppose the case here to be much the same with that, which he more fully expresses, in the epistle to the galatians, particularly Gal. i. 6-12, and chap. iv. 9-11, and 16-21, and chap. v. 1-13. The meaning of this place here seems to be this: "I have taught you the gospel alone, in "its pure and unmixed simplicity, by which only you can be united to Christ: "but I fear, lest this, your new apostle, should draw you from it; and that your minds should not stick to that singly, but should be corrupted by a mixture of judaism." After the like manner, St. Paul expresses christians being delivered from the law, and their freedom from the ritual observances of the jews, by being married to Christ, Rom. vii. 4, which place may give some light to this.