Ch. 8. Pail exhorteth II. Corinthians. to Liberality. Ch. 8. 7. Thereforeasyou are a Church eminentfor Gifts of Faith, Knowledge, Speech, Diligence. andLove to us, fee that your charitable Contri. bution abound in anfwerahlenefs toyour Gifts CHAP. VIII. t J(Oreverbreathren,wedoyou to wit of the grace of God beftowed on theChurches of Macedo- nia: II. And I think it meet heretogive You no- tice of the Grace of God on the Churches of Macedonia, which appearedin their willing Li- berality in our Colle&ions for 7udea. 2. How that in a great trial of ai liftion, the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, abounded unto the riches of their liberallity. 2. How, thatwhile theywere themfelves un- der a great Trial of Ailli&ion, and in deep Po- verty, yet they joyfully abounded in Libera- lity. 3. For to their power (I bear re- cord) yea, and beyond their power, theywere willing ofthemfelves. a. For they were voluntarily ready, even beyond their Power, which they extended to the utmolt. 4. Praying us with much intreaty, that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the mini- ftring to the faints. 4. Earneflly entreating us to receive their Contribution, and undertake the adminiflring ofit to the Saints at yeruf tleu, as an Exprelli- on of their Communicating Love. 5. And this they did, not as we ho- ped, but fir& gave their own felves to the Lord, 4nd unto Sys by the will of God. ;. And in this they exceeded our hope, firlt . giciug themfelves to God, and to us as his Mi- níßers, as ready to help us with their Per- sons, as with their Purses. 6. Insomuch that we defired Titus, that as he had begun; fo he would alto finilh in you the fame grace alto. E. And fo we defired Titus, that as he had begun the motion of this Chalky to you, he would be at the labour to travel to you, and bring it to perfe&ion, 7. Therefore as ye abound in every thing, in faith, in utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love tous; fee that ye a- bound in this grace a11ù. S. I fpeak not by commandment, but by occafionof the forwardness of others, and toprove the fincerity of your love. t, I do not this as the Mailer ofyour Purses; by way of command; but I let before you the good Exampleof others, and I invite you to give thisproof of the fincerity ofyour love to me, and to the brethren : (For Hypocrites will afford usa cheap fortofLove, but nota coflly one) 9. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrif, that though he was rich, yet for your fakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. p. And what can be a ftronger Motive to you, than the Exampleof Chrift ; who though he was Lord ofall the World, for our fakesli- ved in the body, in the Conditionof thePoor; and this was to procure us the Heavenly Ri- ches: So that you relieve him reputatively, is relieving his Members ; and you imitate him, when you foefakc your own Abundance for the good ofothers. io. And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you who have begunbefore not only to do, but allo to be forward ayear ago. to. And I am the bolder herein to advise you, hecaufe you your selveshave herein begun, and refolved to goon, a year ago ; and there- fore itis but agreeable to yourownRefolves. i T. Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a rea- dinels towill, fo there may be a perfor- mance alto out of that which you have. t i. Therefore now performwhat then you readily refolved on, according to yoprability. ¡2. For if there be firft a willing mind, it ás accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not. tz. For ifthere be a true willingness, it will be performed according to a Man's ability ; and God requirethno more, but accepteth the Will for that which we are unable for. 13. For 1mean not that other men be eafed, andyouth burdened : i }. But
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