II Corinthians - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 1205

11. CORINTHIANS. 11-6

8 God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able tqmalge every gyqce oveyflowjp you, so that in everythiqg and at all r3 10 tunes, possessing complete content, you may prosper _m every benevolent work; as 1t xs wntten, HE WINNOWED IT OUT, Hz GAVE 1*0 THE POOR, His RIGHTBOUSNESS wxu. EN- DURE FOR EVER. And He who bountifully provides

seed to the sower, and bread to the cater, will supply and fill up this your seed, and will increase the product of your righteousness. In everything you will be enriched with all generosity, which is acquired through gratitude to God. Because the result of this assistance is not only a supply to the necessities of the holy ; but it will also overhow through their great gratitude to God-—through their approval of this assistance, thanking God for the alliance of your profession, and the openness of the communion with them, and with all, in the gospel of Christ. And with their prayer for you, they will feel a strong aiection for you, because you have received God’s pre-eminent favour. Thank God for His unexpected bounty! §aul mt his §zfz¤c2. A11d`l myself Paul, advise you

, througi the entleness and goodness i of Christ, wn, when among you, am quiet in appearance, but when absent am bold toward you. But I wish not to be bold when present, with the determination in which I intend to ho f venture a mst some wancy we work for s§ish ends- for although we exist in a body, we do not contend for self. For the weapons of our cam- l: b aign are not corporeaut powers hom God, for the purpose of destroy- fortressesde ; feating opponents, an every pride exaltingitse against the knowledge of God; and sub ning every thought to the discipline of the Messiah; and competent to exper every mutineer, so that your discip ine mbe erf y pect. o ou look at the surface of {yhins. If hat h tgan one is sure te is Christ’s, let liim yet reflect upon this ' with himself·-that ashe is Chr1sts so are we. For if, indeed, we boasted excessively about our authority, which the Lord has given to us to build up and not to pull you down, we should not be ashamed of it. However, I do not think well, as I might, to terrify you by letters: because they say, ‘ His letters are weighty and strong ; but his personal appearance is feeble, Such people should consider this: that whatever we are when absent by eloquent letters, we can be the same in action when present. But we do not dare to compete or compare ourselves with some of those self·praisers; for they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves to them· selves, are rather irretiectivel And we are not boasting immeasur~

ably ; but within the limits of the commission which God assigned us, when He was planning for you. For we are not out-stretching ourselves, as though our commission did not extend to you; for we extend as far as yourselves with the gospel of Christ. We do not boast in exaggera- tion about other men’s work ; butlwe are hoping from the growth of your faith that we shall be promoted from you to go still further, so as to preach the gospel beyond your bounds, and so as not to boast about a district pre· pared by another man‘s commission. AND THE PROUD SHOULD an PROUD 1N Tau LOR1>;* for not he who estab· lishes himself is approved, but whom the Lord establishes. I wish you could endure a little

folly from me: yes, bear with me; for l rave for you with a Divine madness. For l promised you to a special hus- band, to present you a pure virgin to Christ! Butl am afraid, lest as the ser ent seduced Eve into his villainy, so lie may corrupt your thoughts from the innocence and purity of what is for Christ. For certainly, if the new- comer preaches another jesus, whom we have not preached; or you receive another spirit that you have not rc· ceived; or another gospel which you have not accepte<}·——you take it wel} 2 However, I consider myself to be deficient in nothing, compared with these pretentious apostles. And even if I am untutored in rhetoriqyét I am énot in intellect. I have certainly displayed that in every way~—:1t all events, among you}

3 je:. ti. 24. 1 Psa. cxii. 9.

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