450 faints. 5. And this they the will of God, we defired Titus, that alfo. 7. Therefore as ye and knowledge, and 8. I speak not by me very earnestly to receive their Collections, and be one of them that should take Care to convey them to thofe poor Chriftians. 5. They have perfectly outdone my Expectation, not only in fo readily embracing the Gospel at firft, but in fo generously refigning themselves to my Direction ever fince their Converfion, to to be well-pleasing to GOD. 6. This noble Example of theirs, put me upon ordering Titus, during his Stay with you, to ufe it as a proper Argument to quicken and enlarge your Collections for the fame Purpose. 7. And I now accordingly intreat of you, fince you are become fo eminent in all other Gofpel-Virtues, and spiritual Endowments * ; and in other Things have shown me fo much Regard, not to fail in this admirable Virtue of Chriftian Liberality, but to at this Time. 8. I do not indeed command it abfolutely from you, nor prescribe how much you shall give, but only recommend it to you from the generous Examples of other Churches, and out of a Defire you should demonftrate yourselves to be of as bounte ous a Temper as any he was rich, yet for your fakes he became poor, other Christians, * Ver. 7. See 1 Cor. i. 4, 5, 6, 7. and xii. 8, 9, 19 our poor, that ye through our great Lord and Example; A. D. 57his poverty might be who though he was the Son of God, and Heir of all Things, yet condefcended to live the mean and poor Life of Man, to procure us the Inheritance of true and eternal Riches. rich. 10. And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. 11. Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, fo there may be a perfor mance also out of that which you have. 12. For if there be firft a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 13. For I mean not that other Men be eased, and you burdened: 14. But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance alfo may be a Supply for your want, that there may be equality, 15. As it is written, 10. I must advertise you too, that it concerns you now to do it effectually, as being expected from you, because laft Year * you profeffed to fet about it, and fhewed a confiderable Zeal and Earneftnefs in it. 11. By all Means therefore be as good as your Word, and anfwer your firft Pretences with the utmoft Chearfulness and Freedom, according to the best of your Abilities. 12. According to every one's 13 15. And may be all provided He that bad gathered for as fully as the Ifraelites were much, * Ver. 10. See 1 Cɔr. xvi, 2. when A. D. 57. much, had nothing over; and he that bad gathered little, had no lack. 16. But thanks be to God, which put the fame earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. 17. For indeed he accepteth the exhortation, but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you. 18. And we have fent with him the brother, whose praife is in the gospel,throughout all the churches: 19. (And not that with us with this blame when they gathered their Manna (Exod. xvi. 18.) when he that gathered much had nothing over, and be that gathered little had no lack. 16 & 17. And therefore I could not but efteem it a Bleffing, and am thankful to God for it, to find Titus fo ready and willing to come and exhort you to so good a Work; for I perceive I need not have much intreated him to undertake what he had so much Inclination to. *Ver. 18. The Brother. Whom fome take to have been Mark, others Silas, but most Luke. Of the two latter (efpecially Luke) it is certain they attended St. Paul in this his Voyage to Jerufalem. as appears from Acts xx and xxi. + Ver. 19. My own. For fome Copies read it wgodvuíav nur. It may be alfo render'd-To recommend your free Charity, and make it acceptable. And probably one of the chief Reasons of St. Paul's going with it, might be, to obviate the Prejudices of the Chriftians of Judea, who might disdain to receive Alms of the Gentile Chriftians that were never cir cumcifed. 2 blame us in this abundance, which is adminiftred by us: Sum upon my self alone, but re- A. D. 57. folved to have fome Partners joined with me, to prevent my Adverfaries from all Poffibility of Sufpicion, that I appropriated any of it to my own private Advantage. 21. It being my utmost Care to give all Teftimonies of a fincere and undefigning Behaviour, not only to God, but to the World too. 22. Along with them I send my Brother Apollos, that diligent and active Man, who tho' he did not think fit to bring my laft* Letter to you, yet was ever ready to vifit and ferve you; but especially now, upon the Satisfaction I have given him of your more unanimous Temper and Difpofition. 23. And if any of your difaf- as to the two fore-mentioned Bre- 24. Wherefore give the Church- G g Ver. 22. See 1 Cor. xvi. 12. CHAP. 25. CHA P. IX. The CONTENTS. Further Exhortations and Encouragements to their charita- A. D. 57. 1. FOR as touching 1 & 2. write to you. 2. For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boaft of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. TH HE Exhortations I have been giving * you, to get your Collections for the poor Chriftians of Judea ready, carry no Sufpicion of your failing in it; for I am so well fatisfy'd of your Forwardness to it, that I have boafted of it to the Macedonian Churches, and engaged for your Performance, by the Affurances you gave me laft Year. And your Example has excited many of them to be very liberal. 3 & 4. So that the Defign of fending thefe Brethren + to you about it now, is only to advertise you of the Time it fhould be ready at; for fear, if the Macedonian Chriftians, that come along with me, fhould find you had not finifhed it, they fhould fay I boafted too foon, and it fhould turn to the Discredit of us both. with me, and find you 5. Therefore I go 5. I thought it requifite therefore to fend them with this previous Notice; which if you carefully obferve, your Charity will the Ver. 5. Thy sunoyiav iuäv, Your Bounty. This Word hath this Senfe peculiarly in the facred Writings; it answers |