but it is just you should cultivate my affection for you upon all proper occasions, and not only when I am present with you.

for it is written, "rejoice thou barren, that bearest not; break out into loud acclamations, thou that hast not the travels of childbirth, for more are the children of the desolate, than of her that hath an husband."

but what saith the scripture? "cast out the bond-woman and her son; for the son of the bond-woman shall not share the inheritance with the son of the free-woman."

so then, my brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free-woman, by virtue of that freedom which Christ has procur'd for us.

Stand fast therefore, and be not hampered again with the yoke of bondage.

this opinionativeness does not come from him that called you.

as for me, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why am I yet persecuted? for then there would not be so much objection to the doctrine of the cross.

for, brethren, you have been called to liberty. only abuse not this freedom as a pretext to vice, but in offices of love be as servants one to another.

but if you bite and tear one another, take heed that you be not consumed by one another.

I say then, conduct yourselves by the spirit, and you will not then gratify the animal passions.

for the vicious desires are contrary to those of the spirit, and the inclinations of the spirit are contrary to those of the animal part; these are opposite to each other, so that you do not the things that you would.

but if you are governed by the spirit, you are not subject to the law.

drunkenness, revellings, and such like, concerning which I forewarn you now, as heretofore I have done, that they who practise such vices, shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

let us not be vain-glorious, provoking one another, envying one another.

for if a man thinks himself to be considerable, when he is not, he deceives himself.

but let every one bring his own work to the test, and then he will have matter of glorying in himself alone, and not in another.

be not deceived, God will not be mocked: for what a man soweth, that shall he also reap:

let us then not be weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we be not tired.

for even they who are circumcised, do not themselves observe the law in other respects; but they dedesire to have you circumcised, that they may have matter of glorying upon that account.

far above all the principalities, all the powers, all the potentates, all the dominations, and whatever order can be named, not only in this age, but also in the age to come:

for by grace are ye saved, thro' faith (and that not from us:

it is the gift of God) but not by works, so that no man can boast:

which preceeding was not discover'd to men, as now it is to his holy apostles and prophets by the spirit; to wit,

Wherefore I desire that you be not dejected at the tribulations I am under for your sake, which are matter of glory to you.

This I say therefore, and conjure you by the Lord not to live for the future as other Gentiles do, in the vanity of their minds,

are you angry? have a care you don't sin. "let not the sun go down upon your wrath,"

grieve not the holy spirit of God, by whom you are sealed against the day of deliverance:

But fornication, and all impurity, or inordinate desire, let it not be approved by you, as being unworthy of christians: neither ribaldry,

and be not accomplices in the fruitless practices of vice; on the contrary, condemn them.

See then that you behave circumspectly, and not as fools, but as wise,

wherefore be not imprudent, but consider what is agreeable to the divine will.

do not drink to excess, for that tends to dissoluteness, but be regal'd with spiritual entertainments:

not doing your work meerly out of regard to their presence or their pleasure, but as the servants of Christ, in hearty obedience to the will of God:

and not to men: considering that whatever good any man doth, he shall be rewarded for it by the Lord, whether he be a slave or free.

for our conflict is not barely with men, but with principalities, with potentates, with the princes of darkness, with wicked aereal spirits.

those preach the gospel of Christ, not in sincerity, but from a principle of contention, with a view to inflame the persecution against me:

is it not however some advantage? since in either way, whether it be occasionally, or professedly, Christ is preach'd; which is now, and always will be matter of joy to me.

agreeably to that expectation and persuasion I have, that I shall not labour in vain; but as I always have, so I shall still glorify Christ in my body, whether it be by life or by death: for if I live, I live to Christ;

whether it be an advantage to me or not still to lead this mortal life, what to chuse I cannot tell.

for it is a favour bestowed upon you, that you not only believe on Christ, but suffer also for his sake,

who tho' he was the image of God, did not affect to appear with divine majesty, but divested himself thereof,

Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obey'd the gospel, not only when I was with you, but much more now while I am absent, continue the work of your own salvation, whatever persecutions you apprehend:

you, who display the doctrine of eternal life) that in the day of Christ I may have the satisfaction of not having pursued my laborious course in vain.

but God had pity on him, and not on him only, but on me likewise, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

for he was upon the brink of death for the service of Christ, having expos'd his life to the greatest dangers, to perform those kind offices, which you could not do yourselves.

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. it is not uneasy to me to write what I have already said, and it is an advantage to you.

and be his true disciple, not professing that justification, which is derived from the law, but that which is from the gospel,

for I am not yet secure of the prize, I have not yet finish'd my course: but I press to obtain the reward, which Jesus Christ invited me to.

the Lord is coming: be not in any manner of sollicitude, but in all your occasions lay your requests before God by prayer and supplication accompany'd by thanksgiving.

Now I joyfully thank the Lord, that your concern for me has at length reviv'd. not that you wanted the disposition, but only the opportunity.

it is not my indigence that makes me say this: for I have learn'd, in whatevever state I am, therewith to be content: I know how to be in want,

not that I desire a present; but what I desire is, that the fruits of your liberality may greatly redound to your own account.

which is not only come to you, but to all the world; where it produces its effects, and increases, as it does also among you, ever since you sincerely embrac'd the divine favour,

provided you continue well-grounded and settled in the faith, and do not abandon that hope which has been offer'd to you by the gospel, and is proclaim'd to all mankind; of which I Paul am made a minister.

beware lest any one seduce you by the vain illusions of philosophy, founded upon human traditions, and meer shadows, and not upon Christ:

by whom also ye have obtain'd the true spiritual circumcision, not effected by men, when you were by a christian circumcision divested of all your carnal affections,

not adhering to the head, from which all the parts of the body derive its nutrition, and being firmly united together by its joints and ligaments, receives a divine increase.

let the things above, and not such worldly matters be the object of your thoughts.

husbands, love your wives, and do not exasperate them.

servants, be entirely obedient to those, whom the laws have made your masters, and not meerly out of regard to their observation, as designing only to please men, but from a principle of integrity, as fearing God:

and whatever you do, do it heartily, as serving the Lord, and not men:

Be prudent in your conduct to those, who are not christians: and make the best of of every opportunity.

since the gospel we preach'd, did not consist only of words, but was fully confirm'd by miracles and gifts of the holy spirit, you yourselves being witnesses, what we did among you and for you.

for the gospel has made so favourable a progress not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every other place, where the reputation of your divine faith has spread, that 'tis needless to mention any thing of it; since they all relate of us,

And you are satisfied, my brethren, that our address to you was not fallacious:

we preach the gospel just as God thought fit to intrust it with us, not being studious to please men, but God, who approves our sincerity.

for you remember, my brethren, our labour and toil: how we worked day and night, that in preaching the gospel of God, we might not be chargeable to any of you.

nor do we fail of giving thanks to God continually, that, when you received the word of God, which we preach, you did not receive it as the doctrine of men, but as a doctrine that appears to be truly divine, by the influences it displays in you, who believe.

As for me, my brethren, having been so abruptly separated from you, in person, tho' not in affection, I have the more ardently endeavour'd to see you again.

not being able therefore to wait any longer, I sent Timothy to know the state of your faith, for fear the tempter should have seduc'd you, and all our labour have prov'd abortive.

whilst night and day we make our ardent requests to him, that we may once more be present with you, that nothing may be wanting to the perfection of your faith?

person unsullied by the vices of the Gentiles, who know not God:

for God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness:

he therefore that violates these precepts, does not despise man, but God, who has endued me with his holy spirit.

Now I would not have you, my brethren, be mistaken about the state of the dead, lest you should be as greatly afflicted as those, who have no hope.

for one thing I have in charge to tell you from the Lord, that we, who shall be found still alive at the coming of the Lord, shall not get the advance of those that are dead:

It is not necessary, my brethren, to specify the exact time:

for you very well know, that the day of the Lord steals on like a thief in the night.

whilst they flatter themselves with peace and safety, destruction shall fall upon them, like the pangs of a woman in travail, and they shall not escape.

you inherit the advantages of meridian light: we are not involv'd in the obscurity of night.

therefore let us not sleep away our time like others, but be vigilant and temperate.

they that are sober take their rest in the night, whilst they that are sots, are drunk in the night:

for God did not design to make us the objects of his displeasure, but to effect our felicity by the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us,

in flaming fire, to take vengeance on those, who know not God, and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

you would not by any pretended revelation, by any discourse or epistle ascrib'd to us, be immediately perplex'd in your minds, or under any concern for the approach of the day of the Lord.

don't be led into any mistake, because the previous rebellion does not yet appear, nor the man of sin throw off the disguise, that offspring of perdition:

and that we may be delivered from vexatious wicked men; for all have not the faith.

We direct you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from all those of your brethren, whose conduct is irregular, and not agreeable to the instructions they received from us.

that we did not eat any man's bread for nothing: but with toil and fatigue work'd night and day to avoid being chargeable to any of you:

not, that we had no just claim, but to present ourselves as a pattern, which you should imitate,

As for you, my brethren, be not weary of your commendable industry:

At my departure from Macedonia, I advised you to stay at Ephesus in order to charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,

it being plain, that the law was not design'd against the just, but against the lawless and refractory, against irreligion and vice, impiety and prophaneness, parricide and man-slaughter,

Hymeneus and Alexander are of that number, whom I have deliver'd to Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

and that the women be decent in their apparel, adorned with modesty and reserve, not with broider'd hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

Adam was not seduc'd, but the woman, who was the cause of his transgression.

not given to wine or violence, but of a gentle temper, averse to contention and avarice: a master of economy,

The deacons too must be grave, not double tongued, not addicted to drinking, or sordid gain,

besides, having nothing to do, they get the habit of rambling from one house to another, and are not only idling, but prattle and intermeddle, and utter what is not decent.

If any convert has widow-relations, let such relieve them, that the church may not be charged, but with the relief of such as are entirely destitute.