A. D. 57. me, left I should be Emissaries of Satan, lay hold of

exalted above mea- as Occasions (though very unjust surel

ones) to reproach and despise me, and render my Ministry contemptible. A Thing fufficient to humble and keep me within due Thoughts of myself.

8. For this thing I 8. And from whence I have belought the Lord found such Inconveniences, in thrice, that it might the Course of my Ministry, that depart from me. in three solemn Prayers, I begged of Jesus Christ to deliver me from them, for the Benefit and freer Progress of his Gospel.

9. And he said unto 9. But his Answer was, That me, My * grace is suf- the miraculous * Powers and Aficient for chee: for bilities of the Holy Spirit he had iny strength is made conferred on me, were the most perfect in weakness. Molt gladly therefore proper and fufficient Arguments will I rather glory in to convince Men of the Truth my infirmities, that and Excellency of my Doctrine the power of Christ and Ministry; and that the more may reft upon me.

infirm and weak the Instrument

was, the more plain and illustrious was his divine Power that wrought by it. Upon which Confideration I am, for the future, so far from being ashamed of these Infirmities, that I glory in them, as more conspicuous Demonstrations of those divine Endowments Christ has conferred on me.

10. Therefore I take 10. Wherefore I patiently enpleasure in infirmities, dure all the Scoffs and Reproaches in reproaches, in ne of my obstinate Opposers, all the cellities, in perfecuti Diftrefles and Perfecutions raised ons, in distresses for against me for Christ's Sake, lookChrists sake: for when I am weak, then am Providence that supports me in,

ing upon that divine Power and I strong

and carries me through them, as the most absolute Argument of the Truth and Excellency of my Cause.

II. What.

Ver. 9. My Grace, &c. vi xázis Ms. My Gift, i. e. the Gift of the Spirit, for demonstrating the Truth of his Doctrine by Miracles.

my own Com

ed

11. I am become a 11. Whatever Lengths there- A. D. 57: fool in glorying, ye fore I have run in have compelled me: mendation and Defence, they are for 1 ought to have owing to you ; to stop the Mouths been commended of of your false Boasters, and preyou: for in nothing serve you from being seduced by am I behind the very chiefeft apostles, tho'

them. It was your Part indeed
I be nothing

to have vindicated and commend-
me,

and taken that Work out
of my Hands; who, though I attribute nothing to
my self, am yet, by the miraculous Gifts and Fa-
vours of God, upon the Level with any other Apostle
whatever.

12. Truly the signs 12. For the Truth whereof, I
of an apostle were need only appeal to that Patience
wrought among you, and Constancy with which I
in all patience, in preached to your Church, and
figns and wonders, those miraculous and successful
and mighty deeds.

Performances by which I wrought
your Conversion to the Gospel.
13. For what is it

13. What spiritual Endow-
wherein ye were infe- ments that any other Churches
rior to other churches, have, were denied to you; or
except it be that I my wherein was I wanting to you?
felf was burdensome I used you in all Respects, as I
to you? forgive me did the best of them, excepting
'

that indeed I had Maintenance
from them, but none from you. And I hope I am to
be pardoned for doing you a Favour.
14. Behold, the

14. I took none of you the first
third time I am ready Time I was personally preaching
to come to you; and among you, nor intended it at
I will not be burden-

my

second Coming; which your fome to you: for I

continued Disorders * kept me
seek not yours, but

from; and I shall hold the same
you : for the children
ought not to lay up

Resolution.

I look upon you as
for the parents, but my spiritual Children, and thall
the parents for the provide for you, without expect-
children.

ing any Thing from you.
H h 2

15. And,

this wrong

* Ver. 14. See Chap. i. 23, to the End.

i,

472 A. D. 57. 15. And I will ve- 15. And, as such a Father to

ry gladly spend and you all, am I free to bestow all be spent for you, thomy Instructions on you, nay to the more abundantly lay out all my Strength in Labours I love you, the less I

for

your Good ; tho' the Returns be loved.

I have from some of you be only to be slighted and undervalued for my Pains.

16. But be it so, I 16. Some of your designing did not burden you: Teachers indeed, maliciously sugnevertheless being gest, that tho' I did not take any crafty, I caught you Thing of you myself, 'twas only with guile.

a cunning Fetch to draw the more from you by other People. 17. Did I make a

17. Now, who do those maligain of you by any of cious People mean? Did any one chem whom I sent Person I employ'd in your Church unto you?

take a Farthing of any one of you? 18. I desired Titus, 18. I sent Titus, for Instance, and with him I sent a and another Christian Brother brother : did Titus with him ; did either of them make a gain of you? do it? Did they not exactly folwalked we not in the low my Example, and maintain fame spirit ? walked themselves without the least PreWe not in the same

sent or Contribution from your steps ?

Church? 19. Again, think you 19. And let no Insinuations that we excuse our make

you

think I am not fincere selves unto you? we in what I now say, or that I fent Speak before God in them, because * I would shift off Chrift: but we do all things, dearly belov: my own Journey to you. As God

is true, and as I am an Apostle of ed, for your edilying.

Christ and his Gospel, there is no such Thing. I did that, as I do every Thing else, to win most upon you, and do you the most good. 20. For I fear, left

20. I deferred my coming in when I come, I Mail Hopes of the Reformation of not find you such as I

your notorious Offenders, by my would, and obar I Mall Clemency toward them: For I be

dreaded,

• Ver, 19. Chap. i. 23, 24. ii. 1:

.

be found unto you dreaded, that if I came at that such as ye would not: Time, I should be obliged to be left there be debates, very severe upon several of those envyings, wraths , proud, quarrelsome, and factious Arifes, back-bitings, Persons. An Extremity I am loth whisperings, swel.

to come to, and that would renlings, tumults:

der our Meeting but very unpleafant to one another.

21. And left when I 21. I justly feared, that God, come again, my God for their Obstinacy, had still left will humble me a- those unclean * People in their * 1 Cor.v. mong you, and that I unrepented Uncleanness;

and 1, 2. shall bewail many that I should have the Sorrow and which have finned Mortification of reducing them already, and have not repented of the un: by Methods of Sharpness and Secleanness, and forni- verity. cation, and lasciviousness which they have committed.

I.

4. D. 57;

CHAP. XIII.

The CONTENT S.
He threatens to punish his obftinate Opposers, at his next

coming among them. In the mean Time, exhorts them
earnestly to a Reformation, and professes he pould be
right glad to find no Occasion to show the Power he has
to vindicate himself and punish them. The Saluta-
tions, and Conclusion.

*HIS is the third
"THIS
time I am com-

you a third Promise to ing to you : in the come and visit you at Corinth ; mouth of two or three and my thus repeating my Enwitnesses shall every gagements, ought as fully to faword be established.

tisfy you of the Certainty of my Performance, as the Testimony of two or three Witnefles carries a Cause in any Court.

2. I told you before, 2. And let your unreformed and and foretel you as if I scandalous Transgressors know, were present the se. That having thus repeated my cond

Threats

a

3. Since

A. D. 57. cond time, and being Threats upon them; if I should

absent, now I write to come and find them in no better them which hereto- Mind, I shall certainly be as good fore have finned, and

as my Word, and be hard upon to all other, that if I them, be they as many as they

, come again I will not

will. spare.

ye

seek a 3. And since some of your false proof of Christ speak. Teachers have been so arrogant, ing in me, which to

as to challenge me to give fuffiyou ward is not weak, cient Evidences and Characters of but is mighty in you. my Apoftolical Commission, they shall find, to their Coit, what Power and Authority Christ has invested me with.

4. For tho' he was 4. For as Chrif himself, by the

crucified thro' weak Infirmities of his human Nature, * 1 Pet.ij. ness *, yet he liveth

was liable to Sufferings, and ac18. by the power of God. tually suffered upon the Cross ;

For we also are weak but by the divine Power dwelling
in him, but we shall in him, was raised to an endless
live with him by the
power of God toward and immortal Glory; so I that

am his true Apostle, as weak and you.

afflicted as I am at present, have yet those divine Powers conferred upon me that are abundantly sufficient to vindicate me, and convince them. 5. Examine your

5. Let those busy and factious felves, whether ye be Examiners of me and my Miniin the faith; prove ftry, look into, and try themselves your selves : first, whether they be true Chrifknow ye not your tians themselves. They know the own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, and their Doctrine ; or else they

Rule whereby to try themselves t except ye reprobates ? are but bad Chriftians indeed.

6. As

own

be

+ Ver. 5. Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you ? He Speaks either to the false Teachers, as in the Paraphrase; or else to the Corinthian Christians in general; and then the Sense is, That if they were not convinced, be bad preached the true Christian Dietrine among them, they must be very ignogant Chriflians indeed, and could give but a bad Account of Their Religion.

2