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written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gen

tiles, and sing unto thy name. 10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with hist people. And again, Praise

10 The same Jesus is the God of the Gentiles. The Gentiles should therefore rejoice together with Israel.

13 Such is now your minister's prayer for you. Believe, and be at peace, and rejoice in hope. Heaven before you.

is

the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God: so that from Jerasalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

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Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should

20 How humble is the Apostle! How cautiously does he abstain from intruding, as a minister, upon another's charge!

build upon another man's foundation: but as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand. For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you. But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you; whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company. But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are.

For if the Gentiles

30 If St. Paul found strength and

have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain. And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. 30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judæa; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; that I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. "Now the God of peace be 33 So pray we, your ministers now. with you all. Amen. May the God of peace be with you!

comfort from the prayers of his people, you may for yourself judge that the ministers of the Gospel now look anxiously that your prayers be not wanting for them.

CHAPTER XVI.

JAN. 18, MAY 17, SEPT. 15.

I COMMEND unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea*: that ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Epenetus was the first of Achaia Likewise greet the church who embraced the faith of Christ. that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us. 'Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' houshold. Salute Herodian my kinsman. Greet them that be of the houshold of Narcissus, which are in the Lord. Sa

7 These salutations beautifully indicate that strong affection, and that marked courtesy in which St. Paul never failed.

* Cenchrea was a sea-port, about nine miles from Corinth.

Salute
Salute
Salute

lute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord. Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them. Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them. Salute one another with an holy kiss. The

17 So early did divisions spring up in the Church of Christ. Then, as now, the fruitful source of divisions was pride. (See 1 Cor. i. 11.)

churches of Christ salute you. 17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you. "I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord. Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith to God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen,

22 Tertius wrote this Epistle from the dictation of St. Paul.

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25 How nobly, how tenderly does he commend to the care of the Almighty the souls of his people! How unreservedly does he assign the glory to that all-wise God, through Jesus Christ for ever!

Written to the Romans from Corinthus, and sent by
Phebe servant of the church at Cenchrea.

Even so be it, mighty God! for thine is the glory, as thine is the kingdom and the power for ever and ever! Hallelujah-hallelujah—amen!

The first Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the

Corinthians.

CHAPTER I.

JAN. 19, MAY 18, SEPT. 16.

PAUL, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will

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2 We are all called to be of a holy life or saints. St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians; but his instruction is" for all," in every place-for you therefore and for me. Jesus Christ is our Lord, as He was "theirs and his *"

5 All spiritual power is equally the gift of God through Christ; whether the power of understanding to know the mysteries of the Gospel, or the power of utterance to preach them. 7 That is indeed the wise expectation, which waiteth for the coming in glory of Him, who will give to patience its reward.

of God, and Sosthenes our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's: Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; together in the same mind "For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren,

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10 Unity, whether in a nation, in a church, in a family—is strength and blessing. Division is disgrace and

ruin +.

but that ye be perfectly joined and in the same judgment. 11 Well may the apostle be alarmed! Want of unity is too often want of

Corinth was the chief city of the Roman province of Achaia.

+ Let the separatist consider well, whether the ground of his separation from the Church be such as to justify him; here, to his conscience hereafter, to his God. The Lord himself, how emphatically has He warned against divisions. (Matt. xii. 25.)

charity; and "without charity all our doings are nothing worth *.”

12 Some of the congregation, because they preferred one individual preacher to another, set up the one so preferred above the othersnot considering, that the doctrine preached was the one thing needful, not the manner of preaching it.

13 The evil was evident; for the honour of the Gospel was compromised.

14 St. Paul devoted himself rather to the work of preaching.

by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? "I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the houshold of Stephanas : besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but power of God. 9 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of 25 That which unbelievers call foolGod is wiser than men ; and ishness and weakness. the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For

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18 When men term religion folly, who shall wonder that they perish! unto us which are saved it is the

19 No worldly wisdom saveth the soul: therefore it is as nothing worth, if set in opposition to, or in comparison with, faith in the Lord Jesus

Christ.

26 Jesus chose as his apostles, chiefly, unlearned men +.

ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men

*

Chap. xiii. 1. See also the Collect for Quinquagesima Sunday.

This was to show, that human learning had no share in man's salvation. But God endued these poor illiterate apostles with miraculous gifts, both of power and learning, that their mission might evidently be of God; and that no flesh should glory in his presence."

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