Original Douay Rheims Bible (1582 & 1610)

The Second Epistle of Pavl to the Corinthians


FOR the time vvhen this Epistle vvas vvritten, looke the Argument of the epistle to the Romanes: to vvit, about the eightenth yere after his conuersion, & our Lordes passion because in the 11 chapter he maketh mention of 14 yeres, not only after his Conuersion, as to the Galatians, but also after his rapte, vvhich seemeth to haue bene when he vvas at Hierusalem Act. 9, 26. foure yeres after his Conuersion (Gal. 1, 18) in a traunce or excesse of minde, as he calleth it, Act. 22, 17. Is vvas vvritten at Troas (it is thought) and sent by Titus, as vve reade chap. 8. It is for the most part against those false Apostles vvhom in the first part of the first to the Corinthians, be noted, or rather spared, but novv is constrained to deale openly against them, & to defend both his ovvne person vvhich they sought to bring into contempt, making vvay thereby to the correption of the Corinthians, and vvithall to mainteine the excellencie of the Ministerie and Ministers of the nevv Testament, aboue vvhich they did magnifie the Ministerie of the old Testament: bearing themselues very high because they vvere Ievves. Against these therefore S. Paule auoucheth the preeminent povver of his Ministerie, by vvhich povver also he giueth a pardon to the incestuous fornicator vvhom he excommunicated in the last Epistle, seeing novv his penance, and againe threateneth to come & excōmunicate those that had greuously sinned and remained impenitent. Tvvo chapters also he interposeth of the coūtributions to the church of Hierusalem, mentioned in his last, exhorting them to doe liberally, and also to haue all in areadines against his comming.