the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago, and 3 your zeal hath provoked very many. Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you on this head should be 4 made vain, that, as I said, ye may be ready: Lest if any of the Macedonians come up with me, and find you unprepared, we (not to say, you,) be ashamed of this 5 confident boasting. Therefore I thought it necessary, to desire the brethren to go before to you, and complete this your bounty, which had been spoken of before, that it may be ready as a bounty, and not as a matter of 6 covetousness. And this I say, He that soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully, 7 shall reap also bountifully: Let every man do as he chooseth in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity: for 8* God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that having always all sufficiency in all things, ye may abound to every good 9 work: (As it is written, +He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness remaineth for 10 ever, And he who supplieth seed to the sower, and bread for your food, will supply and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness :) 11 Being inriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which 12 worketh by us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service doth not only supply the necessities

* Prov. xxii. 9. + Ps. cxii. 9. Isa. lv. 10.

V. 3. I have sent the above-mentioned brethren before me.

V. 5. Spoken of before-By me, to the Macedonians. Not as a matter of covetousness-As wrung by importunity from covetous persons.

V. 6. He that soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully, shall reap bountifully-A general rule. God will proportion the reward to the work, and the temper whence it proceeds.

V.7. Of necessity-Because he cannot tell how to refuse.

V. 8. How remarkable are these words! Each is loaded with matter, and increases all the way it goes. All grace-Every kind of blessing, that ye may abound to every good work-God gives us every thing, that we may do good therewith, and so receive more blessings. All things in this life, even rewards, are to the faithful, seeds in order to a future harvest.

V. 9. He hath scattered abroad (A generous word!) with a full hand, without any anxious thought, which way each grain falls. His righteousness -His beneficence, with the blessed effects of it, remaineth for ever-Unexhausted, God still renewing his store.

V. 10. And he who supplieth seed Opportunity and ability to help others, and bread-All things needful for your own souls and bodies, will continually supply you with that seed, yea, multiply it to you more and more, and increase the fruits of your righteousness-The happy effects of your love to God and

man.

V. 11. Which worketh by us thanksgiving to God-Both from us who distribute, and them who receive your bounty.

of the saints, but likewise aboundeth by many thanks13 givings to God: (Who, by experiment of this administration, glorify God, for your avowed subjection to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal communication to 14 them and to all men :) And by their prayer for you, who long after you, for the exceeding grace of God which is 15 in you. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

CHAP. X. 1. Now I Paul myself, who when present am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you, intreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ. 2 I beseech that I may not when I am present be bold with that confidence wherewith I think to be bold toward 3some, who think of us as walking after the flesh: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the 4 flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the throwing down of strong 5 holds; Destroying reasonings, and every high thing which exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of

V. 13. Your avowed subjection-Openly testified by your actions, to all -Who stand in need of it.

men

V. 15. His unspeakable gift-His outward and inward blessings, the number and excellence of which cannot be uttered.

CHAP. X. Ver. 1. Now I Paul myself—A strongly emphatical expression, who when present am base among you-So probably some of the false teachers affirmed; copying after the meekness and gentleness of Christ, intreat-Though I might command you.

V. 2. Do not constrain me when present to be bold-To exert my apostolical authority. Who think of us as walking after the flesh—As acting in a cowardly or crafty manner.

V. 3. Though we walk in the flesh-In mortal bodies, and consequently are not free from human weakness, yet we do not war- -Against the world and the devil, after the flesh-By any carnal or worldly methods. Though the apostle here, and in several other parts of this epistle, speaks in the plural number, for the sake of modesty and decency, yet he principally means. himself. On him were these reflections thrown, and it is his own authority which he is vindicating.

V. 4. For the weapons of our warfare-Those we use in this war, are not carnal-But spiritual, and therefore mighty to the throwing down of strong holds-Of all the difficulties which men or devils can raise in our way. Though faith and prayer belong also to the Christian armour, Eph. vi. 15, &c. yet the word of God seems to be here chiefly intended.

V. 5. Destroying all vain reasonings, and every high thing which exalteth itself As a wall or rampart, against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought-Or rather, faculty of the mind, into captivity to the obedience of Christ-Those evil reasonings are destroyed, the mind itself being overcome and taken captive, lays down all authority of its own, and entirely gives itself up to perform, for the time to come, to Christ its conquerer, the obedience of faith.

6 Christ, And being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

7

Do ye look at the outward appearance of things? If any man be confident that he is Christ's, let him again think this of himself, that as he is Christ's, so are we also. 8 Yea, if I should boast something more also of the autho rity which the Lord hath given us, for edification, and not 9 for your destruction, I should not be ashamed. That 10 I may not seem as it were to terrify you by letters. For his letters indeed, say they, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. 11 Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by letters, when we are absent, such are we also in deed, when we are present.

12 For we presume not to equal or to compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves: but they among themselves limiting themselves, and comparing 13 themselves with themselves, are not wise. But we will not boastingly extend ourselves beyond our measure; but according to the measure of the province which God 14 hath allotted us, a measure to reach even unto you. For we do not extend ourselves excessively, as not reaching to you; for we are come even to you, in the gospel of 15 Christ: Not boastingly extending ourselves beyond our

V. 6. Being in readiness to avenge all disobedience-Not only by spiritual censure, but miraculous punishments; when your obedience is fulfilled-When the sound part of you have given proof of your obedience, so that I am in no danger of punishing the innocent with the guilty.

V.7. Do ye look at the outward appearance of things-Does any of you judge of a minister of Christ by his person, or any outward circumstance? Let him again think this of himself—Let him learn it from his own reflection, before I convince him by a severer method.

V. 8. I should not be ashamed-As having said more than I could make good.

V. 9. I say this, that I may not seem to terrify you by letters-Threatening more than I can perform.

V. 10. His bodily presence is weak—His stature (says St. Chrysostom,) was low, his body crooked, and his head bald.

V. 12. For we presume not-A strong irony, to equal ourselves-As partners of the same office, or to compare ourselves-As partakers of the same labour! They among themselves limiting themselves-Choosing and limiting their provinces according to their own fancy.

V. 13. But we will not-Like them, boastingly extend ourselves beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the province which God hath allotted us To me, in particular, as the apostle of the Gentiles, a measure which reaches even unto you-God allotted to each apostle his province, and the measure, or bounds thereof.

V. 14. We are come even to you—By a gradual, regular process, having taken the intermediate places in our way, in preaching the gospel of Christ.

V. 15. Having hope, now your faith is increased-So that you can the better

measure, in the labours of others; but having hope, now your faith is increased, to be enlarged by you yet still 16 within our province, abundantly. So as to preach the

gospel in the regions beyond you, not to boast in another's 17 province of things made ready to our hand. But he that 18 glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

CHAP. XI. 1. I wish ye would bear a little with 2 my folly; yea, bear with me. For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy; for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to 3 Christ. But I fear lest as the serpent deceived Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted 4 from the simplicity that is in Christ. If indeed he that cometh preach another 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 5 well bear with him. But I suppose that I fall nothing 6 short of the very chief apostles. For if I am unskilful

in speech, yet not in knowledge: but we have been 7 thoroughly made manifest to you in all things. Have I committed an offence in humbling myself, that ye might be exalted, because I have preached the gospel of God

spare us, to be enlarged by you abundantly—That is, enabled by you to go still further.

V. 16. In the regions beyond you-To the west and south, where the gospel had not yet been preached.

CHAP. XI. Ver. 1. I wish ye would bear-So does he pave the way, for what might otherwise have given offence: With my folly-Of commending myself; which to many may appear folly, and really would be so, were it not on this occasion absolutely necessary.

V. 2. For-The cause of his seeming folly, is expressed in this and the following verse; the cause why they should bear with him, ver. 4.

V. 3. But I fear-Love is full of these fears, lest as the serpent-A most apposite comparison, deceived Eve-Simple, ignorant of evil, by his subtiltyWhich is in the highest degree dangerous to such a disposition; so your minds -We might, therefore, be tempted, even if there were no sin in us, might be corrupted-Losing their virginal purity, from the simplicity that is in ChristThat simplicity which is lovingly intent on him alone, seeking no other person or thing.

V. 4. If indeed-Any could shew you another Saviour, a more powerful Spirit, a better gospel, ye might well bear with him-But this is impossible. V. 6. If I am unskilful in speech-If I speak in a plain, unadorned way, like an unlearned person-So the Greek word properly signifies.

V. 7. Have I committed an offence-Will any turn this into an objection, in humbling myself To work at my trade, that ye might be exalled-To be children of God?

8 to you at free cost? I spoiled other churches, taking wages of them to serve you; and when I was present 9 with you and wanted, I was chargeable to no man.

For

the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied my want; and I have in all things kept myself from being 10 burdensome, and will keep myself. As the truth of

Christ is in me, this my boasting shall not be stopped in 11 the regions of Achaia. Wherefore? Because I love you 12 not? God knoweth. But what I do, I will do, that I may cut off the occasion from them who desire occasion, that wherein they boast, they may be found even as we. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transform14 ing themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel;

for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing, if his ministers also be

tranformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end 16 shall be according to their works. I say again, Let no

man think me a fool; but if otherwise, yet as a fool 17 receive me, that I also may boast a little. What I speak,

I speak not after the Lord; but as it were foolishly, in 18 this confidence of boasting. Seeing many glory after the 19 flesh, I will glory also. For ye, being wise, suffer fools 20 willingly. For ye suffer, if a man enslave you, if he

V. 8. I spoiled other churches-I, as it were, took the spoils of them. It is a military term. Taking wages-Or pay, another military word, of them→→ When I came to you at first. And when I was present with you and wantedMy work not quite supplying my necessities, I was chargeable to no man-Of Corinth.

V. 9. For I chose to receive help from the poor Macedonians, rather than the rich Corinthians! Were the poor in all ages more generous than the rich? V. 10. This my boasting shall not be stopped-For I will receive nothing from you.

V. 11. Do I refuse to receive any thing of you, because I love you not? God knoweth that is not the case.

V. 12. Who desire any occasion-To censure me; that wherein they boast, they may be found even as we-They boasted of being burdensome to no man. But it was a vain boast in them, though not in the apostle.

V. 14. Satan himself is transformed-Uses to transform himself: to put on the fairest appearances.

V. 15. Therefore it is no great-No strange thing. Whose end-Notwithstanding all their disguises, shall be according to their works.

V. 16. I say again-He premises a new apology to this new commendation of himself. Let no man think me a fool-Let none think I do this, without the utmost necessity. But if any do think me foolish herein, yet bear with my folly.

V. 17. I speak not after the Lord-Not by an express command from him; though still under the direction of his Spirit: but as it were foolishly-In such a manner as many may think foolish."

V. 18. After the flesh-That is, in external things.

V. 19. Being wise-A beautiful irony.

V. 20. For ye suffer-Not only the folly, but the gross abuses of those false apostles, if a man enslave you-Lord it over you in the most arbitrary manner,