A. D. 57. pare our felves with that admire themselves, because fome that commend they confider No-body's Accomthemselves: but they plishments but their own. meafuring themfelves by themfelves, and comparing themselves amongst themselves, are not wife. 13. But we will not God hath diftributed 14. For we stretch 13. Nor fhall I infift upon the Authority and large Extent of my Apoftolical Commiffion; all I fay is, that I am commiffioned to be the Apostle of the Gentiles; and according to it, have come grathe feveral Countries, till I reachdually preaching the Gospel to 14. For it is not my Method to run abruptly from one Church to another, without finishing my Work in any, as your new Teachers do, but to take them gradualas far as to 'you alfoy in my Travels, and perfect their in preaching the gofConverfion as I go along. pel of Christ; 15. Not boafting of enlarged by you ac- 16. To preach the 15 & 16. And not like them, to come into Churches that other Men have planted, and then brag and boaft upon other People's Labours. I only hope, that as I converted you at first, your Progrefs in Chriftianity will be fo good as to enable me to keep my Course on beyond your Country, and convert ftill more People to the Gospel, to boaft in another mans line of things made ready to our hand, 17. But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 17. If your new Teachers there fore are for boafting, let them, if they can, boaft in a regular Performance of the Gofpel Miniftry, and in the Succeffes wherewith God has bleffed them in Mens Converfion to the Chriftian Faith. 18. For not he that 18. For it is not the vain Apcommendeth himself plaufes that Men give themselves, is approved, but whom that fignify any Thing; 'tis God the Lord commendeth. alone that can duly recommend a Chriftian Apoftle, by the Gifts of his Holy Spirit, and his Bleffing upon the Work of their Ministry. **** СНАР. XI. The CONTENTS. To preferve the Corinthians in a good Opinion of himself, and a just Senfe of his Apoftolical Authority, against the Suggestions of the falfe Teachers; the Apostle enlarges upon one of their chief Infinuations, viz. That of not taking Maintenance of their Church. Expofes their Pride and Subtilty, particularly of the Judaizing Part of them. Compares himself with, and justly prefers himself to them, on all Accounts; on his innumerable Sufferings for Chrift's Religion, his unwearied Labours in the Church, his conftant Cares and Fears for, and his compaffionate Tenderness to, all its Members. 1. Would uld to God you could bear with me a little in my folly and in deed bear with me. own Commendation, 3. But I fear, left by any means as the ferpent beguiled Eve through I. "I Request therefore of your A. D. 57. boafting Teachers, and of all that ftill adhere to them, in my Difparagement, to bear with what I am thus forced to say in my and not interpret it as Vanity 2. I do it purely from the pious Care I have of your Welfare, that as I have made you a Chrif tian Church, the Spouse of Christ, I may keep you chafte and uncorrupted in the Love of him, and his true Religion. 3. For the bufy and defigning Temper of thofe Men, makes me dread you fhould be feduced from • Chap. x. it, * Ver. 7. See 1 Cor. ix. Ibid. Would feem to take. For as angry as you are on one Side, Ει ἢ ἐλάμβανον, ἐσκανδαλίπηκε αν. Yet bad I aliually been maintained by you, you would more likely have taken it ill on the other Side, fays Oecumenius. A. Church; I hope it was no Injury to teach you your 4. D. 57. you. 8. I robbed other churches, taking wages of them to do you fervice. 9. And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lack 8 & 9. On the contrary, it ing to me, the brethren which came from Macedonia fuppli- 10. As the truth of Chrift is in me, no 11. Wherefore? be- from them which de * Ver. 10. See 1 Cor. ix. from 15th to 19th Verse. A. D. 57. into the apoftles of the Outfide and Appearance of that facred Function. Chrift. 14. And no marvel; formed as the mini- 16. I fay again, Let 17. That which I it were foolishly in call it perhaps may 14 & 15. And fince the Devil, their grand Mafter, is wont to affume the Shape of an Angel of Light, when he intends the most dangerous Deceits; no Wonder his Scholars fhould venture their Errors and Delufions, under Cover of the truly apoftolical and Gospel Miniftry; but they fhall one Day receive the due Recompence of fuch Wickedness. 16. While therefore fuch Hypocrites as thefe can have the Face to magnify themselves, you must fuffer me to fpeak more of my felf as a true Apostle, than otherwise I would do. 17. Indeed I have no pofitive Command from Chrift to infift thus far upon my own Character; I do it from prudential Confiderations of the juft and neceffary Occafion given for it; tho' fome Vanity and Öftentation. 18. And whereas your Judaizing Teachers do fo much exalt themselves upon the outward Privileges of their Birth, and Extraction from Abraham and the Patriarchs, and being Members of the antient Church of God by Circumcifion; I can fet myself upon the Level with them in those Points too. 19. For ye fuffer fools gladly, feeing ye your felves are wife. 19. And I hope thofe Profelytes they have gained over to them, will pardon my Folly in fo doing, fince, as wife as they are, they can bear a great deal more from thofe falfe and foolish Pretenders. 20. For ye fuffer 20. For 'tis plain they fuffer fa man bring you them to impofe upon their Under into standings |