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4 they are veiled by those perishing things, with which the god of this world* hath blinded the minds of the disbelieving, that the splendour of the glad tidings of the glory of the Christ, 5 who is an image of God, may not shine upon them. For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

6 Because it is God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who hath shined in our hearts, to give a lustre of 7 the knowledge of the glory of God in the person of Jesus

Christ; and we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the 8 excellence of the power may belong to God and not be from

us; we are pressed on every side, but not utterly crushed; 9 perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not quite for10 saken; cast down, but not destroyed; always carrying about

in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus 11 may be manifested in this body of ours. For we, who are liv

ing, are continually delivered up to death on the account of Jesus, that the life of Jesus may be manifested in this frail flesh 12 of ours. So that death is operative in us, and life in you. But 13 having the same spirit of belief as is mentioned in this portion 14 of scripture, "I believed, therefore I spake," we also believe

and therefore we speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus, will raise us also by Jesus and present us with you. 15 For all this is for your sakes that the superabounding favour may make thanksgiving by many redound the more to the glory of God.

16 For this cause we do not faint: nay though this outer man 17 of ours is wasted, yet the inner is renewed day by day. For this momentary and light affliction of ours is working out for us an eternal weight of glory, great beyond expression, while we are aiming not at things seen, but at things unseen; for the things seen are temporary, but the things unseen are eterV.

nal. For we know that when the earthly house of this dwelling of ours is dissolved, we have a building of God, a 2 house not made with hands, everlasting in the heavens. For in this we groan, wishing earnestly to clothe ourselves with

*This may be he who is called, Mammon. + Ps. 116, 10.

3 that house of ours-that heavenly habitation; for having indeed 4 that on, we shall not be found naked. For truly we who are in this dwelling do groan, being loaded with a burden, for which we do not wish to unclothe ourselves, but to clothe ourselves, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by 5 life. Now it is God who hath worked us up to this, and 6 who hath indeed given us the earnest of the spirit. Therefore we are always undaunted, (as we know that while we are dwelling in this body we are sojourning abroad from the 7 Lord; for we walk by faith and not by sight;) and go on 8 undaunted (as we think it better for us to be abroad from the - 9 body and at home with the Lord;) and therefore make it the

height of our ambition, whether staying or going, to be well 10 pleasing to him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of the Christ, that every one may receive according to what he hath done in this bodily state, whether good or evil. 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men, and are open to the view of God, and I hope that we have 12 been open also to your conscience. For we are not "commending ourselves again to you," but are giving you an occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may make use of it before those who boast in outward appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we have been transported beyond ourselves it is to God; 14 and if we are sober, it is for you. For the love of the Christ

urgeth us on, judging this, that if one died for all then indeed 15 were they all dying, and that he died for all to the end that

they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for 16 him who died and was raised up for them. So that henceforth

we know no one after the flesh. Nay though we indeed knew 17 Christ after the flesh, yet we now know him so no more. So that if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things are passed away, behold! all those things are made new. 18 And all this is of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given us the ministry of this reconci19 liation. So because God was in Christ reconciling a world to himself, not reckoning to them their transgressions, and hath committed to us the word of this reconciliation, we therefore 20 as ambassadors for Christ; as if God were exhorting by us,

we, in behalf of Christ, intreat, "Be reconciled* to God; for 21 he hath made him who knew no sin, a sin offering for us, that VI. by him we may be made the righteousness of God; and cooperating with him, we also exhort you that it may not be in vain you have received this favour of God. For he saith, "In an acceptable time I have hearkened to thee,

2 that

3

And in a day of salvation helped thee.”+

"Behold now is an acceptable time! Behold now is a day of salvation;" [and this we do] giving no offence in any thing 4 that the office may not be blamed; but approving ourselves in every respect as ministers of God, by great constancy in afflic 5 tions, in distresses, in straits, in stripes, in imprisonments, intu6 mults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings, in purity, in knowledge, in long suffering, in gentleness, in a holy spirit, in undis7 sembled love, in the word of truth, in the power of God, with the armour of righteousness on the right and left, in honour 8 and dishonour, in evil report and good report, as deceivers,

though we are true; as unknown, though well known, as dy9 ing, though behold we live; as chastened, yet not put to 10 death; as sorrowful, yet still rejoicing; as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.

11

O Corinthians! Our mouth is opened to you; our heart is 12 enlarged. You are not straightened by us, but you are straight13 ened by your own affections. Now in return, I speak as to 14 children, Be ye also enlarged. Form no associations with un

believers; for what fellowship is there between righteousness and unrighteousness? What communion hath light with dark15 ness? What concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion 16 hath a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God hath said, “Because I will dwell among them and walk about among them, and will be their God, 17 and they shall be my people; therefore come out from among them and separate yourselves, saith the Lord, and touch no

* This seems to be a specimen of his preaching to the unconverted, Jews or Gentiles. † Es. 49. 8. + Levit. 26. 12.

18 unclean thing, and I will receive you, and be to you a father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.*"

VII.

Having therefore, beloved, these promises, let us purify ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Receive us cordially. We have injured no one; we have 3 corrupted no one; we have defrauded no one. I do not speak to condemn you; for I have said before that you are in our 4 hearts, to die together, and to live together. I use great freedom of speech to you. I have great boasting with regard to you. I am filled with comfort. I superabound with joy in all our afflic5 tion. For when we arrived in Macedonia our flesh had no 6 rest, but we were afflicted every way. Without were fightings;

within, fears. But God who comforteth them who are cast 7 down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; not barely however by his coming, but by the consolation with which he was comforted on your account, when he informed us of your 8 longing desire, your bitter sorrow, your zeal for me; so that I was the more rejoiced; because if I grieved you by that letter, I have no cause to regret, though I did regret; for I find that that letter, though suitable to the occasion, made you sorry. 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were affected with a sorrow which led to a reformation. For you were affected with a godly sorrow, that you might in 10 no wise receive damage from us. For godly sorrow operateth

to produce a reformation for salvation, never to be repented 11 of; but the sorrow of this world worketh death. For behold! this very thing-your being affected with a godly sorrow, what solicitude it hath wrought in you! nay, what apologies! what indignation! what fear! what longing desire! what zeal! what avengement! By your whole conduct you have shewn 12 yourselves to be clear in this matter. Now though I indeed wrote to you, it was not on the account of him who had done the injury, nor of him who was injured, but that our solicitude, which we have for you, might be made manifest to you in

* Jer. 31. 33, and ch. 32. 37, &c. 2 Sam 7. 8, and 14.

13 the presence of God. We were therefore comforted for your

comfort, and rejoiced the more exceedingly at the joy of Ti14 tus; because his spirit was refreshed by you all; so that if I boasted of you to him, I was not shamed; but as we spake all things to you with truth, so also our boast which we made 15 to Titus hath been verified; and his affection for you increaseth more abundantly on recollecting the obedience of you 16 all, how you received him with fear and trembling. I rejoice therefore that I can wholly confide in you.

VIII. We now, brethren, make known to you, the bounty

of God which hath been granted by the congregations of Ma2 cedonia, that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy, though their poverty was very great, abounded 3 for the richness of their liberality--that to the utmost of their ability, I bear them witness, nay, beyond their 4 ability, they were of themselves forward, beseeching us with much intreaty to receive this bounty, and take a share with 5 others in the office of distributing it to the saints, not indeed

as if we had expected this; but they gave themselves first to 6 the Lord, then to us by the will of God, so as to induce us

to exhort Titus, as he had begun, to continue on and com7 plete this bounty among you; that, as you abound in every

thing-in belief, and doctrine, and knowledge, and in all ear8 nestness even in your love for us, you might abound also in this bounty. I do not say this by way of command, but am, 9 during the exertion of others, proving the genuineness of your love. For you know the bounty of our Lord Jesus Christ, that rich as he was, he for your sakes became poor, that 10 through his poverty you might become rich. And I give you

my opinion on this occasion, for this is becoming of you who took the lead, not only in doing, but even in forming the 11 design above a year ago. Now therefore compleat the doing,

that the performance with what you have, may be answera12 ble to the readiness with which you undertook it. For if there

be a willingness, a person is accepted according to what he 13 hath; not according to what he hath not. For it is not the 14 design that others should be eased, and you burdened; but

for the sake of equality your abundance at this time should supply their want; in order that their abundance may supply

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