Chap. 12. 's The Apoſtle, doubtl:, mean2th thoſe that were the true I Ie Apoſtles of our Lord; thoſe: who wer? immediately ſ-nt out by Gal. 2. 6. him to preach the Goſpel, behind w..cm the Apoſtle was not, ei- ther in reſpe& of miniſterial Gifts 15-4 Graces, or in reſpett of 74- b9urs, Or in reſpect of the Succeſs which God had given him in his work. One Method that falſe Teachers uſed to vilify Paul, was, by magnifving ſome others of the Apoſtles above him, and pre- ferring thzm before him ; which makes him both here, and in Gal. 2. & Kom. 11, 13. to magnifie his Office by ſhewing them, there was no reaſon why they ſhouid make a difference betwixt him and other Apoſtles : for he had the ſame immediate Call, was intru- ſed with the ſame Fower, furniſh?d and adorned with the ſame Gifts, in Laborrs (as he elſewhere ſaith) he had been more than they all; nor had God b=en, wanting in giving him ſucceſs in his labours, proportionable to the chieteft of them. So as he was not a whit behind them.
had preached other Doctrin than what Paul had preached. And this the Apofile giveth as a reaſon of his fear, leſt they ſhould be cor- r::pred and drawn away from the ſimplicity of the Goſpel. This cer- tainly is more obvioully the ſenſe of the words, than what others incline to, who make the ſenſe this ; Tf any other could come to you, who could preach to you a better Feſus, a more excellent Saviour than we have done; or a more excellent Spirit than him whom you have received ; or a more excellent Dottrin than the Doin of the Goſpel, which we have preached, you might ear with him. For I ſee no pretence to interpret the Verb as i the Potential Mood; Tt is manifeſtly the Indicative Mood ; and declareth, not what they might do, but what they had done; which made the Apoſtle jealous of them, left they ſhould be perverted. Andour Saviour, Foh. 5. 43- hath taught us, That thoſe who with the moſt ditficulty receive thoſe who come to them in Gods Name, are always moſt eatie to receive thoſe who come in their own name, without any due Authority or Commiſſion from God.
5 For | ſuppoſe * I was not a whit behind the ve-
6 But though * 7 be rude in ſpeech h, yet not in
hþ Admit (faith the Apoſtle) that T be no Orator, ſpeaking to
7 Have I committed an offence in abaſing my ſelf
I What is it that hath made you take ſuch offence at me ? ſee-
8 1 have robbed other churches, taking wages of
2 He interpreteth the term of Robbing other Churches, by a
ved that he would till be.
chaia r.
concerning them, he faith, what he no where ſaith of the Corin;.
bably) be the cauſe. Tt is moft likely that he either diſcerned this people to be more covetous, and too much lovers of their money: or that there was a generation among them, who, if he had taken Wages for his labours,would have reproached him as one that wa; an hireling, and who did all that he did for money. And indeeg, himſelf ſeemeth in the next Verſes to give this as a reaſon,
11 Wherefore ? becauſe I love you not? God
knoweth «5.
s Can you poſſibly interpret my not being chargeable to you, x; proceeding from a want of love in me to you ? God knowerh the contrary.
wherein they glory, they may be found even as we, t I know (faith the Apoſtle) that there are ſome among jou, who, out of their hatred to me, would ſeek any occaſion to ajerie me to juſtifie themſelves. If I had (as I might) have taken W- ges among you for my labours, they would either have taken o- caſion from it to have aſperſed me (as doing what T did froma mercenary ſpirit) or at leaft to have juſtified themſelves in their exattings upon you. TI hada mind to prevent any ſuch occaſions of boaſting u. It ſhould ſeem by theſe words that ſome Teathers in this Church, being (poſſibly) men of Eftates, required no main- tenance of the People; and would have taken advantage againſt the Apoſtle if he had taken any, or poſhbly ſome others exattcd upon them vnreaſonably z who, had Pau! taken Wages, would hare juſtified themſelves by his Example. The Apoſtle therefore #3s reſolved to cut off from them- any pretence or occaſion of boaſting and to do whatever any of them did, in ſparing the Corinthios,as to the buſineſs of their Purſes.
13 For ſuch are falſe apoſtles w, deceitful work- ers x, transforming themſelves into the apoſtles of Chriſt y.
w That is, Perſons pretending to be ſent of Chrift, »ut were indeed never ſent of him, x deceirful workers; Perſons whoſe work is but to cheat and deceive you : and that, both with r-tereuce to their Call and Authority which they pretend to, and alſo .o the Do&rin which they bring. y They werenever Apoſtles of Chriſt, only they put themſelves into ſuch a ſhape and form, that they might have more advantage to deceive.
14 And no marvel, for Satan himſelf is transform-
ed into an angel of light z.
7 It isnot at all to be admired that the Emiſſaries of Satan dilſem- ble, and pretend themſelves to be what they are not, tor &ve1 Satan himſelf, who is the Prince of darkneſs, in order to th? de, ceiving and ſeducing of Souls, transformerb himſelf into an 41g*! 0 light; that is, puts on the appearance and form of a good Angel. He calls them Ang1s of light, becauſe they were wont to appear in a lightſome brightneſs; or becauſ> of that glory in which chey de- hold the Face of God ; or becauſe of thoſe great meaſures 0 - _ yenly knowledge which thoſe bleſſed Spirits have. All rempte! Souls have an Experiment of this; for none is tempted tO EV! under the appearance of Evil; (Evil as Evil being whata reaſonable Soul cannot be courted to.) The Devil therefore, in all Þ15 rem ptations to fin, though his end be to ruine and deſtroy, Yer *P peareth as an Areel of light; moving the Soul to evil under the no tion and appearance of good. * —__
15 Theretore ir z5 no great thing if h1s Miniſters
* whoſe end ſhall be according to their works 4- _ «,* Tt is no wonder if there be like Servants, like Maſters: 33
Either he ſaw the Members of this. Church were |
Whatever 1t was that cauſed the Apo-
as the Devil, in order to the deceiving of Souls, pretends i 4m what he is not, viz. a friend to them: So thoſe who __ 4 a own profit, not your good, ſhew themſelves to be his Min! o + Fears ving the ſame deſign with him, alſo do the like, and change me