for as I have greatly suffered for Christ, so I have been greatly comforted thro' Christ.

and the hopes I had of you continue still the same, knowing that as you have had your share of suffering, so you will likewise have of consolation.

For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of that insupportable weight of affliction that over-whelm'd me so in Asia that I despaired even of life:

and he did deliver me from so terrible a death, and on him I have relied for further deliverance: especially,

being assisted by your prayers for me, so that thanks may be returned by many, for the gracious deliverance procur'd me by their prayers.

for this is to me matter of glorying, the testimony of my conscience, that without artifice, and with religious sincerity, not by worldly wisdom, but by God's favourable assistance I have behaved my self towards all men, but more particularly to you.

The affliction I have had, comes only from a particular quarter, so that my resentment does not affect the whole church.

so that now you ought rather to forgive, and comfort him, for fear he should be overwhelm'd by an excess of sorrow.

I was so uneasy in my mind for not finding Titus my brother, that taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.

by the one my preaching is taken as a deadly poison, to the other it is a reviving potion. and who is so sufficient for such a commission?

and do not act as Moses did, who threw a veil over his face so as to hinder the children of Israel from perceiving the end of that which was to cease:

renouncing all secret dishonesty, and void of all artifice, I deliver the word of God unadulterated, and recommend my self by urging the truth home to every man's conscience, as in the presence of God.

but if our gospel be obscure, it is so only to those who are lost:

to those unbelievers, whose minds the God of this world has so blinded, that the glorious lustre of the gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, does not enlighten them.

always bearing about in my body the marks of sufferings like those of Jesus, so that Jesus might be plainly prov'd to be alive by the sufferings of my body.

so that I suffer the influences of his death, while you only feel the effects of his life.

for all things are for your sakes, that the grace which was conferr'd upon many, might by the gratitude of so many, redound to the glory of God.

) in this assurance, I say, I think it best to be quit of this body, and be present with the Lord.

Shall I then, who know this terrible judgment of the Lord, endeavour to appease men? as for God, I am approved by him, and I trust also you are convinced of my being so approved.

and this I say, not to commend myself again unto you, but to give you an occasion of glorying on my account, that you may confront those who make a false show of glorying.

Wherefore, henceforth I have no regard to any man for his external appearance: for tho' I formerly look'd for worldly grandeur in the Messiah, yet now I see things in another light.

in honour and disgrace, under infamy, and in repute: look'd upon as an impostor, while I say what is true;

O Corinthians, my heart is so full, my tongue cannot be silent:

I speak not this to your reproach: for I have already assured you, that I am so heartily well affected to you, I could live and die with you.

but by the consolation I received from you by him, when he acquainted me with your earnest desire to see me, with your concern, and your zeal for me; which greatly increas'd my joy.

'tis observable, even this religious sorrow which you had, what solicitude has it not wrought in you, what apologies, what indignation, what fear, what desire, what zeal, yea, what revenge! so that by your whole conduct, ye have shown your selves to be clear from guilt in this matter.

wherefore, my writing to you so severely did not proceed from any prejudice to him, that had done the wrong, or from favour to him that suffered wrong, but to show my conscientious regard to your welfare.

so that your comfort was no small satisfaction to me: yea, and I was the more exceedingly pleased for that cheerful tranquillity of mind which Titus received from the behaviour of you all.

so that I am not ashamed of the commendations I have formerly given you to him; but as I have always preached the truth to you, so in my commendation to Titus, I have said nothing but truth of you.

But thanks be to God, who disposed Titus to be so industrious for you.

this I did, to prevent any suspicion that might be rais'd from my having the management of so great a sum:

for I know your generous propensity, and I mention'd it with applause to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; so that your zeal has influenc'd many others.

for if the Macedonians should come with me, and find you unprepared, how shall I, not to say you, be ashamed for having had so little ground to boast of you?

now he that furnishes seed to the sower, and bread for food, shall furnish and multiply what you sow, and increase the fruits of your liberality.

so that being enriched in every thing, you may be continually beneficent to the glory of God by our thanksgiving.

our military arms are not so defective, but divinely effectual to demolish all their ramparts;

Do ye judge of things by the outward appearance? if any man is confident in himself, that he is Christ's, let him from himself conclude too, that as he is Christ's, even so are we.

I don't assume to myself the credit of other men's labours in another province, but hope, that when your faith is increased, the bounds now prescribed will be enlarged by you yet farther;

so that I may preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not assume the credit of things ready prepared to my hand, in another man's province.

when I was present among you, and in want, I was chargeable to no man: for the brethren which came from Macedonia, supplied my necessities: and as I have, so I always shall keep myself from being burdensome to you.

why so? is it because I love you not? far otherwise, God knows.

but this I do, and shall do, to make them drop their hire, who are so bent upon hire: and then indeed they will be as they pretend to be, like me.

for these are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguised so as to pass for true apostles.

therefore it is not strange if his agents are so disguised as to appear like ministers of the gospel; but their end shall be answerable to their actions.

I say it again, let no man think me vain; but if they do, yet as such, bear with me, that I too may applaud my self a little.

what I say, I say it not as an apostle, but as it were to indulge my vanity in this matter of boasting.

as if I was inferior to them. but whatever they pretend to, (I must be so vain) I pretend to the like.

Are they Hebrews? so am I: are they Israelites? so am I: are they of the race of Abraham?

so am I: are they ministers of Christ? is it my vanity? I am more so: in toilsome labours I surpass them, in stripes I am exceedingly beyond them, in prisons I have been oftner, and frequently in the very jaws of death.

in my voyages I have been frequently in perils from rivers, in perils from robbers, in perils from my own countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the country, in perils at sea, in perils among false brethren;

but thro' a window I was let down in a basket by the wall, and so escap'd.

tho' if I had a mind to glory, I might do it without vanity, for I should say nothing but what is true: but now I forbear, lest any man should ascribe more to me than my actions, or my preaching can justify.

and lest I should be exalted above measure by the extraordinary revelations I have had, I was afflicted in my person, so that the messenger of satan insulted me; concerning which,

I take pleasure then in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am afflicted, then it is I have fortitude.

'tis own'd I did not put you to any charges myself: but was so crafty, as to over-reach you, by others.

Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; bring yourselves to the proof; are you so little acquainted with yourselves, as not to know whether Jesus Christ be in you? but if you are destitute of proofs,

I trust you shall know that we are not so destitute,