2 Corinthians 10

2 Corinthians 10:1

BY the meekenesse,] as you desire to bee partakers of the Evangelicall elemencie, of which Chist hath made me steward, Rom. 2. 1 Among you,] according to the vaine opinion and saying of the false Apostles mine adversaries ad slanderers, who misconster the humblenesse and modestie of my presence, to bee an abjectnesse of minde, and on the other side the severitie and vehemenci of my letters to bee a proud and insufferable kinde of command.

2 Corinthians 10:2

I may not,] namely that I may not be bound to exercise mine Apostolicall power in punishing those that contemne my ministerie, without any humane respect or feare, 1 Cor. 4 21. 2 Corinthians 13:2 Confidence,] undaunted firmenesse of mind We walked,] that wee proceeded in our Apostleship by humane and ordinary meanes, without any divine and miraculous power and assistance.

2 Corinthians 10:3

We walke,] for though we are men, and live, so farre as concernes this life as other men do, with much weakenesse, and basenesse. Yet in our publicke office and especially against rebellious persons and enemies of the Gospell, we have a divine and invincible power, to repree all presumption, beate down all rebellion and discover and confound all manner of deceipt and machiation. All which seems to have a relation to those judgments of God, executed upon the Apostles words, Act. 5. 5. & 13. 10 11. 1 Timothy 1:20. others understand it of the efficacy of the Apostolicall word, in denouncing and sealing condemnation to the wicked and in imprinting a feeling thereof in their Consciences, which was followed by notable judgments, Acts 8. 20, 21. and 24, 25. 2 Corinthians 13:3.

2 Corinthians 10:4

The weapons,] namely the meanes which we employ in defending Gods cause and in fighting against Satan and his instruments Through God,] the Italian, To God,] who is the great warrior that handleth them, and the author of all strength and motion.

2 Corinthians 10:5

Against the,] namely every thing that would hinder God from being knowne or worshipped, and from raigning by his Gospell Bringing into captivitie,] keeping in Christs obedience by meanes of this terror all those over whom this power is exercised, which are they that are within, and not without the Church, 1 Corinthians 5:12-13.

2 Corinthians 10:6

When your,] I do not as yet ordinarily make use of this power, but use all meekenesse and clemency, to establish the kingdome of Christ well amongst you: which done, all rebellious persons shall be used with all manner of rigor.

2 Corinthians 10:7

Doe yee looke,] doe you judge of me and of the power of mine Apostleship, by mine externall, humble weake and vile condition? Christs,] namely his Apostle, guided by his spirit.Of himselfe,] without any other notice given him hee may know the truth of mine Apostleship, notwithstand¦ing my poore externall condition, 1 Iohn 4. 6. He speakes this to convince those false Apostles who did not acknowledge S. Paul for what he was, and therfore shewed that they had not the spirit of Christ, which judgeth of others, by its own proper motions

2 Corinthians 10:8

For though,] Iam in such sort Christs Apostle, that if I should extoll the power of mine office farre more than I have yet done, ver. 4. 5, 6. I should doe it in all truth, wihout any feare of being disproved for it For your destruction,] that is to say I will never use this power in any excessive severitie against you Seeing God gave it me chiefly for the salvation of the Church, and the punishment of the wicked. And so he heartneth beleevers against the terror of that Apostolicall power.

2 Corinthians 10:9

Terrifie you,] by terribly representing this my power unto you in wrighting, and not daring to use it when I am present.

2 Corinthians 10:10

Say they,] he meanes some of his adversaries, tht talked in this kinde, in prejudice of his Apostleship.

2 Corinthians 10:12

For,] I may deale so with you, because I am your Apostle, without boasting falsly, as those false Docters do We dare not,] an ironicall kind of speech Measuring themslves,]namely being full of pride, and presumption of themselves without well examining, and knowing themselves, by comparing themselves to others Are not,] they discover their want of understanding.

2 Corinthians 10:13

Will not boast,] namely of the power of mine Apostolicall office, which though it were not limitted to any certaine places, yet for order and peace sake, every Apostle was contented to exercise it, over the Churches which hee had founded himselfe According,] to God having assigned mee my part of labour, in such, and such places, I may freely say that you are part of them; and that therefore I have the right of an Apostle over you, without tttributing any right unto my selfe, over Churches founded by others.

2 Corinthians 10:14

We stretch not,] I doe not usurpe not intrude upon other mens rights, when I attribute unto my selfe this power over you: as I should indeed doe, if your Church were not of my founding.

2 Corinthians 10:15

Not boasting,] not taking upon mee an universall authoritie over all Churches, even over them that have beene founded by other Apostles Having hope,] I content my selfe with the honour of Apostleship which I have amongst those Churches it hath pleased God to found by me, and especially yours which I hope will yeeld me that honour, entire, in good esteeme, beliefe, and obedience: if that your faith now a little moved by false Apostles be reconfirmed.

2 Corinthians 10:16

To preach,] that by the re-establishment of your Church, I shall have meanes to passe on forward to preach the Gospell in other places: and not meddle with any place where other Apostles have laboured already, as God hath directed them.

2 Corinthians 10:17

But he that,] in all this let every one beware of attributing any thing unto himselfe, or to refer anything to himselfe. And if God hath given any degree let us all acknowledge it to bee of his grace, and let us use it to his glory and service.

2 Corinthians 10:18

For not hee,] for all manner of glory out of GODS grace is vaine and false, as not being approved by him, who is the only Iudge of men: And if it be grounded upon his grace, it must be all yeelded unto him.