but whom he predispos'd, he calls: and whom he has call'd, he justifies: and whom he has justified, he glorifies.

nay, but, O man, who art thou, to raise a dust against heaven? shall the pitcher say to him that formed it, "why hast thou made me thus?"

if the divine Being has patiently bore with those objects of his displeasure, that had been working out their own destruction, why may he not reveal himself to make them feel his vindictive power,

to such as we, whom he has called, both from among the Jews, and from among the Gentiles.

for if you openly confess, that Jesus is the Lord, and sincerely believe, that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.

I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this secret, (for fear you should presume too much on your selves) that blindness has fallen upon a part of Israel, until the time when the Gentiles shall be fully come in.

Now it is by virtue of my apostolical commission, that I charge every man among you, not to entertain too high an opinion of himself; but modestly consider, that 'tis God who has dealt to every man his proportion of spiritual gifts.

do not for such a thing as meat, pull down what God has been raising. all things indeed are pure; but they become evil to him who by eating giveth offence.

nevertheless, brethren, I have writ to the Gentile part of you, and admonish'd you with the greater freedom by virtue of the commission that God has given me,

for I will not offer to mention any thing, but what Christ has wrought by me, to make the Gentiles christians, both in profession and practice:

This has chiefly hindred me from coming to you.

I continually give thanks to God on your behalf, for the favour he has bestowed on you thro' Jesus Christ;

for he, who has called you to the communication of his son Jesus Christ our Lord, will make good his promise.

where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputant of this age? has not God prov'd the wisdom of this world to be downright folly.

those who were looked upon by the world as vile, as despicable, as nothing, these has God chosen to reduce their sufficiency to nothing.

for from him it is that ye believe in Christ Jesus, whom God has made to us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that,

this is what God has revealed to us by his spirit: for the spirit penetrates into all things, even the profound counsels of God.

now the spirit which we have received, is not the spirit of this world, but that which comes from God; that we might know what he has graciously bestowed upon us.

if the work abide which somebody has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

for who has distinguish'd thee above another? or what have you, that you did not receive? now if you did receive it, why do you glory as if you had not received it?

this you have made a matter of levity, instead of being concern'd in discarding him that has done such an action.

as for me, though I am absent in person, yet being present by my authority, with regard to him that has committed this fact, I am come to the same resolution, as if I was present,

purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new mass, since you should be without leaven. for Christ our paschal lamb has been sacrificed for us.

"meat is design'd for the belly, and the belly for meat:" true, yet God has design'd both for destruction. now the body is not design'd for licentiousness, but for the glory of the Lord; since the Lord died for the glorification of the body:

the wife has not the right of her own person, but the husband: and so likewise the husband has not the right of his own person, but the wife.

but if she has separated herself, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

But as to the other cases, which were not decided by the Lord; I say, if any brother has a pagan wife, who likes to live with him, let him not put her away.

and if a woman has a pagan husband, who likes to live with her, let her not leave him.

but if the infidel will separate, let him go: a brother or a sister is not inslaved in such cases. but God has called us to peace; for how do you know,

Whatever condition God has allotted to any man, let him go on in the same state he was in when he became a christian: this I give as a standing rule to all churches.

As to the case of celibacy, I have no positive instructions: yet my advice deserves to be regarded, as coming from one the divine favour has distinguished.

but he that has been steady in his purpose, and finds no necessity to alter it; if he is a master of his passion, and is heartily determin'd to keep his virginity, it is well.

But every one has not this knowledge: for some still imagine the idol represents a deity: and eat the meat under the notion of an offering to such a being: by which erroneous opinion they are infected with idolatry.

even so has the Lord ordained, that they who preach the gospel, should live by the gospel.

A man ought not to be veil'd: he has the honour of being invested with authority from God, and may glory in his priority to the woman.

but if any man has a mind to be contentious, I answer, we have no such custom, nor any of the churches of God.

wherefore I give you to understand, that no man who has the spirit of God, can pronounce Jesus anathema: and that no man can acknowledge Jesus to be the Lord, but by the holy spirit.

For as the body is one, tho' it has many members, and all the members of that one body, tho' many, are one body: so also is the body of Christ.

of which the graceful have no need: but God has contrived the symmetry of the body, by bestowing an additional advantage where it seem'd to want it.

which God has placed in the church, first apostles, next prophets, then teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, assistants, governours, interpreters of languages.

Now if it has been declared, that Christ rose from the dead, how comes it, that some among you assert, "there is no resurrection of the dead?"

but every one in proper order: Christ has the precedence, next they who were Christians shall rise at his advent.

for he must reign, "till God has cast all his enemies under his feet."

but thanks be to God, who has given us the victory, thro' our Lord Jesus Christ.

every sabbath-day let every one of you set apart something of what he has happily gain'd, for the common treasury, that there may be no collection when I come.

as to brother Apollos, I earnestly entreat him to make you a visit, with the brethren: but he has not the least mind to it at present; however, he will be with you when a fit occasion offers.

now it is God who keeps you fix'd in the doctrine of Christ; who has appointed me,

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.

for it is God that has reconciled the world to himself, by Jesus Christ, by not imputing their sins to them; and hath committed to us the gospel of reconciliation.

Are you not become associates with infidels? but what affinity is there between virtue and vice? and what communication has light with darkness?

what concord can Christ maintain with Belial? what concern has a believer with an infidel?

and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God has said, "I will dwell with, and walk among them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Receive me as one who has wronged no man, who has corrupted no man, who has defrauded no man.

'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.

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.

and you will have the advantage of their earnest prayers, for the exceeding favour God has bestowed upon them by you:

I will not boast of any thing done without my province, but confine myself within that line by which God has mark'd out my bounds, and in which you are included.

if my language is inelegant, my knowledge is not contemptible; but has been fully display'd among you on all occasions.

since you demand a proof of my mission from Christ, who with regard to you has shown no want of power among you.

I certify to you, brethren, that the gospel, which has been preached by me, is not the result of human artifice:

but the scripture has declar'd all guilty of sin, that the blessing promised on condition of faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

and because ye are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying Abba, that is, father;

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."

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.

to display the glory of his grace, which has render'd us acceptable by his beloved son:

who has by his blood obtained for us the redemption, even the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace,

for he has discover'd to us the secret of his will, that out of his meer good pleasure, he had purposed in himself,

an enlightned understanding, that ye may see what great expectations he has called you to, and what abundant glory it is to the saints to be the lot of his inheritance.

and how exceedingly great that power is, which he has employ'd upon us who believe, a power corresponding to that energy of his mighty strength;

for he has subjected all things to him, and constituted him supreme head of the church,

who by his spirit has likewise made you a part of this divine mansion.

if so be you have heard of the charge, which God has graciously dispens'd to me for you Gentiles;

and display to all the world that mysterious dispensation, which from all past ages has been conceal'd in the secret purpose of God, who created all things:

but to every one of us a different charge is given, according to the distribution which Christ has made;

he who has begun this good work in you will bring it to perfection against the appearance of Christ. it is but just

Now I would have you know, my brethren, that what has happen'd to me, has only conduc'd to the progress of the gospel;

wherefore God has highly exalted and given him a name, which is above every name;

you know he has stood the test, and has serv'd with me in the gospel, as a son serves with his father.

I press towards the mark for the prize to which God has called me from above by Jesus Christ.

Finally, my brethren, whatever has the character of truth, of dignity, of justice, of chastity, whatever can procure you esteem and reputation, in a word, if there be any thing virtuous or praise-worthy, let that be the object of your enquiry.

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.

giving thanks to the father, who has qualified you to share in that light he affords to his people:

who has deliver'd you from the state of darkness, and has translated you into the kingdom of his beloved son.

You then that formerly were alienated from God, and were enemies by your imaginations and wicked practices, even you has Jesus Christ now reconciled to the body of his church,

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.

of which I have been established a minister, according to the charge which God has given me to preach his gospel faithfully among you. ---

that mystery, which has been hid from ages and generations, but is now made manifest to his saints:

Even you, who were in a dying sinful state, and were uncircumcised Gentiles, has God raised to life, as he did Christ, having pardoned all your sins:

for you are dead to them, and Christ has secured your life with God.

bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, when one has any cause of complaint against another: as the Lord forgave you, do you likewise forgive.

church which uses to meet in his house. when this epistle has been read among you, take care that it be read likewise in the church of the Laodiceans, and

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,

conjuring you to live suitably to the favour of God, who has called you to his kingdom and glory.

this I Paul have frequently attempted, but Satan has been my obstacle.

Thus, my brethren, your conduct has given us great consolation, under all our persecutions and distress.

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.

if it has the least appearance of evil, reject it.

he that has called you, is faithful, and this he will effect.

to this he has called you, to a life of glory with our Lord Jesus Christ.