He reasoneth the matter with the Corinthians, why they should preferre the false Apostles
before him. And because they giue them leaue to bragge and commend themselues and to abuse them
so miserably, he trusteth they wil also giue him the hearing: 21. and so he beginneth, and first
shewing himself in al Iudaical respectes (wherein only stood al their boasting) to be as they are,
he addeth afterward such a long roll of his suffering for Christ, as is incomparable.
1. Would God you could beare some litle of my folly: but doe ye also support me:
2. for I emulate you with the emulation of God. For I haue
✟
The Apostles and their Successors did despouse the people whom they conuerted,
to Christ, in al puritie & chastitie of truth and wholy vndefiled and void of
errour and heresie.
despoused you to one
man, to present you a chaste virgin vnto Christ.
3. But I feare lest, as the
*
Gen. 3,4
serpent seduced Eue by his subteltie, so your senses
may be corrupted, & fal
From the simplicitie.
As Eue by the Serpent, so the people are seduced by Heretikes.
People far from their first faith, virginitie, and simplicitie in Christ, not by
sodain reuolt, but by litle & litle, in giuing eare to the subtil persuasion of
the Serpent, speaking to them by the sweet mouths & allurementes of Heretikes. Of
which kind of seduction he giueth Eue for an example, who was by her greedy desire
of knowledge and the Diuels promise of the same, drawen from the natiue simplicitie
and obedience to God. As at this day, promise and pretense of knowledge driueth many
a poore soul from the sure, true, sincere, and only beleefe of God's Church.
from the simplicitie that is in Christ.
4. For if he that
✟
The note as a false Teacher, to come: that is without lawful calling or
sending to thrust and intrude himself into another mans charge.
commeth, preach another Christ whom we haue not preached, or you
receiue another Christ whom we haue not preached, or you receiue another spirit whom you haue
not receiued; or another Ghospel which you haue not receiued, you might wel suffer it.
5. For I suppose that I haue done nothing lesse then the great Apostles.
6. For although
Rude in speach.
Heretikes sometime eloquent.
Hereby we se that the seditious and false Teachers haue often the guift of
eloquence wherby the simple be easily beguiled. Such were Core and Dathan, as
Iosephus writeth Ant. li. 4. c. 2. for the same, S. Augustin (li. 5.
Confes. c. 3. & 13.) calleth the Heretike Faustus Manichæus, magnum
laqueum Diaboli, a great snare of the Diuel, saying that he passed the glorious
Doctor S. Ambrose in shew of words, but farre inferiour to him (without al comparison)
in substance and matter.
Knowledge better then gay words.
In which sort the Apostle here is glad to compare himself
with the false Apostles, whom the Corinthians did follow and extol farre aboue him
by reason of their eloquence; granting to them that guift, but chalenging to himself
superioritie in knowledge, which al wise men preferre before vaine words.
Yong Oratours among Heretikes preferred before the ancient Doctours.
And it is the bane of our poore countrie, that the people now a-daies giue credit
rather to new Oratours and foolish yonkers, for their sweet speaches; then to the
glorious Doctours of Christes Church, for their singular knowledge and more graue
eloquence.
rude in speach, yet not in knowledge. But in al things we are made
manifest to you.
7. Or did I commit a sinne humbling my self, that you might be exalted? because I
euangelized vnto you the Ghospel of God gratis?
8. Other Churches I spoiled, taking a stipend, for your ministerie.
9. And when I was with you, and had need, I was burdenous to none: for that which I
wanted, the Brethren supplied that come from Macedonia: and in al things I haue kept my self
without burden to you, and wil keep.
10. The truth of Christ is in me, that this glorying shal not be infringed toward me
in the countries of Achaia.
11. Wherfore? because I loue you not? God doth know.
12. But that which I doe, I wil also doe, that I may cut away the occasion of them
that desire occasion: that, in that which they glorie, they may be found euen like vs.
13. For such false Apostles are
✟
A proper terme for Heretikes that shape themselues into the habit of true Teachers,
spacially by often allegation and commendation of the Scriptures. Read the notable
admonition of the ancient writer Vincentius Lirinensis. in his golden booke
Against the Prophane nouelties of al heresies.
craftie workers, transfiguring themselues into Apostles
of Christ.
14. And no maruel: for Satan himself transfigureth himself into an Angel of light.
15. It is no great matter therfore if his Ministers be transfigured as the Ministers
of iustice: whose end shal be according to their workes.
16. Againe I say, (let no man thinke me to be foolish: otherwise take me as foolish,
that I also may glorie a litle,)
17. that which I speake, I speake not according to God, but as it were in foolishnes,
in this substance of glorying.
18. Because many glorie according to the flesh, I also wil glorie.
19.
⋮
The Epistle vpon the Sunday of Sexagesme.
For you doe gladly suffer the foolish: whereas your selues are wise.
20. For you suffer if a man bring you into seruitude, if a man deuoure, if a man take,
if a man be extolled, if a man strike you on the face.
21. I speake according to dishonour, as though we had been weake in this part. Wherein
any man dare (I speake folishly) I dare also.
22.
*
Phil. 3,5.
They are Hebrewes: and I. They are Israelites: and I. They are the seed of Abraham;
and I.
23. They are the Ministers of Christ; and I. (I speake as one scarse wise) more I: in
many moe labours, in prisons more aboundantly, in stripes aboue measure, in deaths often.
24. Of the Iewes fiue times did I receiue
*
Deu. 25,3.
fortie sauing one.
25. Thrise was I beaten
*
Act. 16,23.
with rods
*
Act. 14,18.
once I was stoned, thrise I suffred
*
Act. 27,15.
shipwrack; night
and day haue I been in the depth of the sea,
26. in iourneying often, perils of waters, perils of theeues, perils of my Nation,
perils of Gentils, perils in the citie, perils in the wildernes, perils in the sea, perils among
false Brethren,
27. in labour and miserie, in much watchings, in hunger and thirst, in fasting
often, in cold and nakednes,
28. beside those things which are outwardly: my daily
✟
ἐπισύςασίς.
S. Chrysostom and Theophylact interpret it of daily conspiracie against him: others,
of multitude of cares instant & vrgent vpon him.
instance, the carefulnes of
al Churches.
29. Who is weake, and I am not weake? Who is scandalized, and I am
✟
Non vror.
πυροῦμαι?
not burnt?
30. If I must glorie: I wil glorie of the things that concerne my infirmitie.
31. The God and Father of our Lord Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ Christ, who is blessed for euer,
knoweth that I lie not.
32.
*
Act. 9,14.
At Damascus the Gouernour of the Nation vnder Aretas the King, kept the citie
of the Damascenes for to apprehend me:
33. and through a window in a basket was I let downe by the wal, and so escaped
his hands.