Letters to the Churches

Wherefore shew toward them, and before the Churches the proofe of your loue, and of the reioycing that we haue of you.

For as touching the ministring to the Saints, it is superfluous for me to write vnto you.

For I knowe your readinesse of minde, whereof I boast my selfe of you vnto them of Macedonia, and say, that Achaia was prepared a yeere agoe, and your zeale hath prouoked many.

Nowe haue I sent the brethren, lest our reioycing ouer you shoulde bee in vaine in this behalfe, that yee (as I haue sayde) be readie:

Lest if they of Macedonia come with me, and finde you vnprepared, we (that wee may not say, you) should be ashamed in this my constant boasting.

Wherefore, I thought it necessarie to exhort the brethren to come before vnto you, and to finish your beneuolence appointed afore, that it might be readie, and come as of beneuolence, and not as of niggardlinesse.

This yet remember, that he which soweth sparingly, shall reape also sparingly, and hee that soweth liberally, shall reape also liberally.

As euery man wisheth in his heart, so let him giue, not grudgingly, or of necessitie: for God loueth a cheerefull giuer.

And God is able to make all grace to abound towarde you, that yee alwayes hauing all sufficiencie in all thinges, may abounde in euery good worke,

(As it is written, He hath sparsed abroad and hath giuen to the poore: his beneuolence remayneth for euer.

Also hee that findeth seede to the sower, will minister likewise bread for foode, and multiplie your seede, and increase the fruites of your beneuolence,)

That on all partes yee may bee made rich vnto all liberalitie, which causeth through vs thankesgiuing vnto God.

For the ministration of this seruice not onely supplieth the necessities of the Saintes, but also aboundantly causeth many to giue thankes to God,

(Which by the experiment of this ministration praise God for your voluntarie submission to the Gospell of Christ, and for your liberall distribution to them, and to all men)

And in their praier for you, to log after you greatly, for the aboundant grace of God in you.

Thankes therefore bee vnto God for his vnspeakeable gift.

Nowe I Paul my selfe beseech you by the meekenes, and gentlenes of Christ, which when I am present among you am base, but am bolde toward you being absent:

And this I require you, that I neede not to be bolde when I am present, with that same confidence, wherewith I thinke to bee bolde against some, which esteeme vs as though wee walked according to the flesh.

Neuerthelesse, though wee walke in the flesh, yet we doe not warre after the flesh.

(For the weapons of our warrefare are not carnall, but mightie through God, to cast downe holdes)

Casting downe the imaginations, and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ,

And hauing ready the vengeance against all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Looke yee on things after the appearance? If any man trust in himselfe that hee is Christes, let him consider this againe of himself, that as he is Christes, euen so are we Christes.

For though I shoulde boast somewhat more of our authoritie, which the Lord hath giuen vs for edification, and not for your destruction, I should haue no shame.

This I say, that I may not seeme as it were to feare you with letters.