a The Apoſtle here expoundeth what he meaneth by the term magrified or inlarged, in the preceding Verſe, viz. to have a door op«- ned to preach the Goſpel in places , whither it was not yer come.
God honoureth perſons when he maketh them inſtruments to bring
any to an acquaintance with, and to the embracing of his Goſpe!.
who formerly had been ignorant of it, and not acquainted with it.
b He here ſeemeth to reflett on the falſe Teachers crept into this Church, who had nothing to boaſt in but a pretended building upon
other mens foundations, and carrying on a work by others made
ready to their hands; and ſeemeth to prefer the work of Converſi-
on, and an inſtrumentality in that, before an inftrumentality meer-
ly in edification, and carrying on the work of God already begun
in peoples Souls. | *
17 * But he that glorieth, let him glory 1n the * Tia. 65»
Lord c. bo :
c But we havenone of us any thing to glory in 5 neither T Paul pa wg who Plant, nor Apollos who Watcrethz whether God maketh uſe ,,,” of us as the firſt Planters of the Goſpel, or as Inſtruments to carry ? * on the work of the Goſpel already planted, we have nothing of our own to glory in. Cod gives the i:creaje z we have therefore no reaſon to glory in our felves, or in our own performances, bur only to give thanks to God, who maketh uſe of us poor earthly Veſſels to carry about and diftribute that Heavenly Treaſure, by which he maketh Souls rich in Faith and Zood Works ;_ all that we do is only inſtrumentally ; God is all, and in all, as to primary Efficiency.
18 For, not he that commendeth himfelt, 1s appro-
ved, but * whom the Lord commendeth 4. * Rom. 2. d Solomon, Prov. 27. 2. faith, Let another man praiſe thee, and not 99.
thine own mouth; a ſtranger, and nct thine own lips. Selt-commendation x Cor.4. 5.
is an ungrateful ſound to ingenuous ears; no man thinks another a
jot the better for his commending himſelf, but always hath the wor-
ſer opinion of him for ſuch boafting 3 but this Text ſpeaketh of an
higher approbation, viz. from God. No man 1s approved of God
for his ſpeaking well of himſelt; the buſineſs is, who they are who
approve themſelves in the work which God hath committed to
them 3 to whom the Lord will ſay, el! dove, good and faithful Ser-
vant ; to whom the Apofrle refers both himſelf, and thofe who mag-
nified themſelves, but vilified him.
CHA P. XI.
contemn and deſpiſe others,in compariton of themſclves;for obſerve, what meaſures they take, they only meaſure themſelves by them- ſelves, and compare themſelves among themſelves, that is,with Birds of their own Feather, ſuch as are like unto themſelves, and of their own Faction and Party ; which no wiſe men would do.
13 But we wall not boaſt of things without or meaſure, but according to the meaſure of the + rule which God hath diſtributed ro us, a meaſure to reach
even unto you.
x The Apoſtle may be underſtood, as ſpeaking both of Spiritual Eifts, and alſo of his Travels to the ſeveral places whither he had £0ne preaching the Goſpel. He refletteth ftill upon the falſe teach- ers who were crept into this Church ; who (as it ſhould ſeem) had much boaſted of their gifts and abilities, and of their labours, and ſucceſſes. In oppoſition to whom (he ſaith) that he boaſted not withour ks meaſure, or (as it is in the Greek ww UAUET EY ) unmeaſurable things; but he kept himſelf within the meaſure of rhe rule 5 that is, according to that regular meaſure which, ſaith he, God hath ſet us. Which meaſure extendeth even tv you. You have thoſe among you who boaſt unmeaſurably of the gifts which they have, and of the great things which they do. I durſt not do ſo (faith the Apoſtle) God hath given me a meaſure and 4 rule,according to that T have acted,and of thoſe aQings only I will glory. And in my ſo doing I can boaſt of You, tor to you my meaſure and /ine hath reached. God hath made me an inſtrument to raiſe him up a Church among you.
14 For we {tretch not our ſelves beyond our mea- ſure, as though we reached not unto you, for we arc come as far as to you allo, iz preaching the Goſpel of Chriſt y.
Y For in our boaſting of you as our Converts, among whom T have preached the Goſpel, and God hath made my preaching ſucceſsful we do not ſtretch our lelves beyond our meaſure, and arrogate that to our ſelves which belongeth not to us: for the thing is true, and ye know that in our preaching the Golpel we have come as far as Unto you, and that God hath given our Labours ſucceſs among you,
15 Not boaſting cf things without our meaſure, char
| UT
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py Mts #5, of * other mens labours, bur having hope, when ws Vol. Il.
The Apoſtle*s 3eal for the Corinthians, 1---3. No Apoſtles could con+ tribute any thing 10 them which they had not received by him, 4—6. He had abaſed himſelf among them, and not received maintenance a5 he had done of other Churches, 7 —10. And this not becauſe he did not love them, but becauſe of falſe Apofiles, 11—15. He was not inferi- our to any of theſe in any legal Prerogarive : bu in the ſervice 0 f Chriſt, and all kinds of ſuffering for kis Miniſtry far ſuperiour, 16 —— 27. and had on bim the care of all the Churches: Beſides the troubles which in the beginning of his Miniſtry be endured at Damaſcus, 25— 33.
J ould to God you could bear with me a lictle in * my folly, and indeed Þ bear with me a. +*Ch.s. 13.
2 That which the Apoftle here calls his Folly, was his ſpeaking + Or, you { much in his own commendation; Which indeed is no better 49 ber than folly, unleſs there be a great reaſon : which was here ; for it with-me. was the falſe Teachers, vilifying his Perſon and Office, that put him upon it.The Verb, in the latter part of the Verſe, may be read either 1mperatively, (and ſo we tranſlate it) as it 1t were an 1ntreaty of them to excuſe him in ſpeaking ſo much good of himſelt ; or 7z- dicatively, you do bear with me.
2 For | am jealous over you with godly jealouſie 5; for I have eſpouſed you to one husband c, * that I may # Cal. x. preſent you * as a chaſt virgin ro Chritt d | 23.