to believe Jesus intolerant, but better still to find Paul and Jesus one in Wisdom and in Love. And this communion with the Catholic Spirit of the Lord, St. Paul claims for himself; — and with the expression of it closes his Epistle. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you! My Love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen."

THE SECOND EPISTLE TO

THE CORINTHIANS.

PART I.

(CHAPS. I.-VII.)

ADMONITIONS,

AND EXPLANATIONS OF SPIRITUAL CHRISTIANITY,

ADDRESSED CHIEFLY

TO THAT PORTION OF THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH WHOSE AFFECTIONS, BY HIS FIRST EPISTLE, WERE REGAINED TO PAUL.

ST. PAUL'S THANKFULNESS FOR AN EXPERIENCE OF TRIALS WHICH ENABLED HIM TO IMPART THE PEACE WHICH HE FOUND: FELLOWSHIP IN SUFFERING FOR A HOLY CAUSE SHOULD SHIELD FROM MISCONSTRUCTION: PAUL'S EXPLANATION OF HIS DEFERRED VISIT TO CORINTH.

CHAPS. I. 1-24-II. 1–4.

I. 1. PAUL, by the will of God an Apostle of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, to the Church of God that is in Corinth, along with all the Saints that are in all 2 Achaia, Grace and Peace be to you, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

* Written from Macedonia about A. D. 57.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all con4 solation, who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted by 5 God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also 6 through Christ aboundeth our consolation. And if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your consolation, putting forth its energy in the endurance of the same sufferings which 7 we also suffer. And our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so will ye be 8 of the consolation. For, brethren, we would not have you ignorant of our affliction which befell us in Asia, that out of measure we were pressed beyond our strength, so that 9 we despaired even of life. But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we might not trust in ourselves, 10 but in that God who raiseth the dead: who from so great

a death delivered us, and doth deliver; in whom we have 11 placed our hope that he will yet deliver us;

ye also working together for us in prayer, that the blessing upon us out of many supplications may be acknowledged in thanksgiving for us by many.

12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our Conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more especially towards you. 13 For we write to you no other things than those which ye read and recognize [we have no ambiguous or disguised 14 meanings] and I trust ye will recognize completely, as in part ye have recognized us, that we are your glory15 ing, as ye also ours in the day of the Lord Jesus. And in this confidence I at first purposed to go to you that ye 16 might have a second benefit, both to pass through you