Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must 29 The apostle never fails in that sympathy, which is the Christian's characteristic. needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: and through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands. CHAPTER XII. FEB. 16, JUNE 15, Oct. 13. Ir is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew 1 St. Paul now proves Christ's favour towards him, by the vision which he describes. 2 He means himself *. a man in Christ about fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell : God knoweth ;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth ;) how that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7 And lest I should be ex- 7 This "thorn in the flesh" was alted above measure through some bodily infirmity; but the apothe abundance of the revela- stle does not specify it. The first heaven, according to the Jews, is the air. (Matt. vi. 26.)— The second, the stars. (Gen. xv. 5.)-The third, the home of angels. (Matt. xxiv. 36.) JUNE 15, OCT. 13. tions, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said un- 9 What an encouraging thought to to me, My grace is sufficient us all is this! 9 for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. 13 For what is it wherein 13 If this liberality on my part offend you as a wrong, I am ready to ask forgiveness for it. you were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not your's, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. "And 15 This affection for their welfare is expressed with all St. Paul's usual energy of style. I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. But be it so, I did not burden you nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps? Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. 20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: and lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. 20 Nothing did the apostle so much dread as strife! and truly, strife ruins the peace of families and individuals! O how unchristian is it! how bitter! CHAPTER XIII. FEB. 17, JUNE 16, OCT. 14. THIS is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. 'I told you before, and fore- 2 No minister must spare reproof tell you, as if I were present when needed. The Church, with its ministers and people, may be persecuted; yet shall it live by the power of God. but we shall live with him by 5 Self-examination is a duty equally imperative and salutary. Christ, spiritually, dwelleth in the heart of the humble-supplying its motives, regulating its actions. We are not cast away, or unapproved of God. Now I the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, the power of God toward you. ' Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong and this also we wish, even your perfection. Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction. "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. Greet one another with an holy kiss. All the saints 11 Heart of man never conceived an address more noble, more pathetic, more affecting. The apostle concludes by commending his church to the gracious care of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; praying for it, that the blessings of grace, love, and heavenly communion, be with it for ever* ! * What warmth of affection does the passage breathe! What sound and wise counsel! If men universally would abide it, nations would live in peace, neighbours in concord, families in unity. Society would no longer be embittered and disgraced by envy, hatred, and malice. We should all live, as we should all wish to die, at peace with ourselves, with each other, and with God. JUNE 17, OCT. 15.. salute you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 1 The second epistle to the Corinthians was written from The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians. CHAPTER I. FEB. 18, JUNE 17, OCT. 15. PAUL, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the 7 1 St. Paul asserts his heavenly call to the apostleship, lest the Galatians should reject his preaching *. 4 Why is the Gospel offered to you, but to effect the same end-to deliver you from the evil of the world, and to fit you for its duties. 6 The false teachers strove to blend the law of Moses with the law of Christ; and called it a Gospel. 7 But there is none other Gospel than that delivered by Christ alone. Father, who raised him from the dead;) and all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though 8 It were awful presumption in man we, or an angel from heaven, or angel to preach any other Gospel. preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, : 8 10 For 10 Do I now, as formerly, try to make men my friends? that I do not yet, as formerly, please men is clear, because I am, confessedly, the servant of Christ +. St. Paul was not ordained by man, as Timothy, Titus, and Luke were, but by the immediate will of God pronounced from heaven. + "To persuade," means here," to make a friend of." brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was man. I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For 13 ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the 12 He refers to his conversion; when I the Gospel was revealed to him by immediate revelation from heaven. 13 His nobleness of character shines the brighter; not backward to confess his former unworthiness. Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the 14 Instructed by the learned Gamaliel, he had advanced high in his knowledge of the tradition of the elders. church of God, and wasted it: 14 and profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called 16 me by his grace, to reveal 16 I did not counsel with men—not even with the apostles at Jerusalem. himself. his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with 17 I took my own course; having flesh and blood: " neither received ample authority from God went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; 22 and was unknown by face unto the churches of Judæa had heard only, That he which preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. 24 And they glorified God in me. 22 This was important in avouching his divine commission. (See ver. 1.) which were in Christ: but they persecuted us in times past now 24 None could doubt St. Paul's sincerity. They therefore glorified God, by receiving his servant. CHAPTER II. FEB. 19, JUNE 18, OCT. 16. 1 He continues to show his entire independence of the authority of the earlier apostles. 2 The Lord highly favoured him. THEN fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me 2 And also. I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should |