Now as to things offered to idols, 'tis certain that the knowledge you all pretend to have, swells you with pride, but 'tis charity that edifieth.

As to the eating therefore of what is offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that the heathen deities have no real existence, and that there is but one God.

for if any man see you who have a just notion of idols, sitting at table in their temple, will not the person who is wrong in his notions be incouraged to eat what is offered to idols, tho' contrary to his own opinion?

Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not you become christians by my labour?

have we not a right to meat and drink?

have not we the liberty to take a christian woman with us in our travels, as well as the rest of the apostles, as the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas did?

if for your benefit we have sown spirituals, is it so extraordinary if we should reap some benefit from your temporals?

if others partake of your substance, have not I a better title? nevertheless, I have not made use of this privilege; but bear with any thing rather than obstruct the gospel of Christ.

don't you know, that they who prepare the sacrifices, do eat of the sacrifice in the temple? and they who wait at the altar, have their portion from the altar?

but I have not made use of these advantages. neither have I writ this to obtain such maintenance: for I had rather die for want, than be deprived of such matter of glorying.

for in barely preaching the gospel, I have nothing to glory in: because I am under an obligation to do it; yea, wo is unto me if I preach not the gospel.

now if I do this willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, it is a dispensation of trust which must be discharged.

for tho' I am independent of all men, yet have I subjected myself to all, that I might gain the more.

I would not have you ignorant, my brethren, that all our fathers were under the Cloud, all passed thro' the sea:

you have met with no trials yet, but such as are common to men: and God who is faithful, will not suffer you to be tempted above your strength; but will with the temptation make a way to escape, by enabling you to bear it.

no, but that what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not have you partake of the sacrifices of demons.

if I am thankful for what I have, why should I chuse to be evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

but I would have you take notice, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the wife, is the man; and the head of Christ, is God.

a woman may as well have the tonsure, as not wear her veil: the one is as indecent as the other.

does not settled custom show it is a shame for a man to have long hair?

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

what, have you no houses to eat and drink in? or have ye a contempt for the church of God, or is it to insult those who are in want? what shall I say to you? shall I commend such behaviour? I do not approve of it.

Now concerning those who are spiritual, my brethren, I would not have you be mistaken.

for by one spirit we have all been baptized, to be form'd into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free; and have been all made to drink of one spirit.

and the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of thee:" nor again, the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."

what we think to be less honourable, is loaded with additional ornaments, and the less graceful have adventitious finery,

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.

that there might be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same mutual concern for one another.

have all the gifts of healing? do all speak divers languages? do all interpret?

For tho' I should speak with the eloquence of men, and of angels, and not have social affection, I should be like sounding brass, or a noisy cymbal.

and tho' I should have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and tho' I had all the faith necessary to remove mountains, and had no benevolence, it would signify nothing.

and tho' I distribute my whole substance to the poor, and give my body to be burned, and have not social affection, it profits me nothing.

now we do but indirectly see the faint images of things; but then the objects themselves will be before our eyes; now I have a partial knowledge, but then shall I know, even as I myself am known.

And even inanimate instruments of sound, whether pipe or harp, except they have a distinct variety of notes, how can they express any significant tune?

and if they desire to have information about any point, let them consult their husbands at home: for it does not become women to ask questions in the church.

if any one pretends to be a prophet, or to spiritual gifts, let him be assured that the rules which I have here prescrib'd, are the commandments of the Lord.

What I have explain'd to you, my brethren, is the gospel which I preached to you, which you have received, and wherein you have persisted:

by which also you will be saved, if you so retain it as I preached it to you, unless you have believed without sufficient grounds.

rouze from your sins, as is but just; for some of you have not the knowledge of God: I speak it to your shame.

for as we have born the image of the terrestrial, so we shall bear the image of the celestial.

Now as to the collection for the converts at Jerusalem, do as I have directed for the churches of Galatia.

for I have a very fair and promising opportunity given me of propagating the gospel, tho' there are many opposers.

You know brethren, that the family of Stephanas were the first converts of Achaia, and have made it their business to be serviceable to christian converts: to such,

I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus are come: for what was wanting on your side, they have supplied.

for they have quieted my mind as well as yours: therefore to such have a regard.

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,

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.

as some of you have already own'd, that I am matter of joy to you, as you will be to me in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ:

in this confidence I purposed to visit you before now, (that you might have again the like satisfaction)

not that I would arbitrarily prescribe what you should believe, but rather encourage you to go on: for 'tis by faith you have stood.

for out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote to you with many tears; not to make you uneasy, but to make you sensible of the overflowing tenderness which I have for you.

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

for this was one view I had in writing, to have this trial of you, whether you are intirely obedient.

to whom you forgive any thing, I also forgive: for if I have forgiven any thing, I forgave it, for your sakes (as Christ is

witness) lest satan should have got some advantage of us: for we are apprized of his artifices.

It is by Christ that I have this confidence in God.

besides, their minds were greatly prejudiced: for that very veil would still have obstructed the understanding of the old testament, unless it had been taken away by Christ.

Having by the same spirit the same faith as David had when he said, "I believed, and therefore have I spoken:" I also believe, and therefore I speak;

for I have no regard to the things which are visible, but to such as are invisible: since visible things are temporary, but the invisible are eternal.

For I know, that if my body, which is but a tent for my sojourning upon earth, were dissolved, I have what is not fram'd by human art, but by the divine architect, a mansion eternal in the heavens.

while I am thus incas'd, I groan with desire to have that celestial vehicle superinduc'd:

we that are in this tabernacle do groan under the burden of it: not that we desire to be divested of it, but we desire to have our celestial body, that this mortal state may vanish into immortality.

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.

for he saith, " I have heard thee in a favourable time, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee." now this is the favourable time; this is that day of salvation.

since then, we have these promises, my dear brethren, let us cleanse our selves from all impurity, whether of body or mind, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

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.

'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.

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.

I must acquaint you, brethren, with the contribution which the churches of Macedonia have religiously made,

who tho' labouring under great trial of affliction, and extreme poverty, have notwithstanding with exceeding cheerfulness contributed very liberally: being forward of themselves to the utmost of their power,

in this I only advise you: it being for your credit, since you have not only begun to execute it, but you were the first that form'd the design a year ago.

with whom I have sent one of the brethren, who is not only distinguish'd among all the churches, by his preaching the gospel,

I have sent likewise another of our brethren, whose diligence I have experienc'd in several affairs.

yet have I sent the brethren, that my character of you may not appear to be groundless, with respect to that part wherein I said, ye would be ready:

I thought it therefore necessary to counsel the brethren to go before, and settle the management of the contribution by this previous notice, that it might have such dispatch, as shows a bountiful, and not a niggardly temper.

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

and I am prepar'd, when you have discharg'd your duty, to make examples of the rest for their disobedience.

for though I should more than ever magnify my authority, which the Lord hath given us for your improvement, and not for your ruin, I should have no reason to be ashamed;

for I am jealous over you with religious jealousy: since I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

if he that is come to you, preaches another Jesus whom I have not preached, or if ye receive other gifts of the spirit, than what ye have received from me, or another gospel, than what you have accepted, you might well bear with his pretensions:

If I have degraded myself for your advantage by preaching the holy gospel to you gratis, is that such a trespass?

by taking wages of other churches, I may have injured them, to do you service.

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.

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.

from the Jews I have five times received forty stripes save one.

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;

Have not I reason to glory? for now I shall mention my visions and revelations from the Lord.

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.

Am I become vain? 'tis you have forc'd me to it: for I ought to have been commended by you: since I am not inferior to the chiefest of the apostles, tho' in myself I am nothing.

the marks indeed of an apostle I have shown among you by my extreme patience, by signs, and prodigies, and miracles.

I shall be glad to sacrifice myself and all I have for your service, even tho' it should happen that the more I love you, the less I should be beloved.

do you think I have been making excuses for not coming? as I am a christian, in the presence of God, I have, my beloved, in every thing consulted your advantage.

and I am afraid, God will humble me when I come again among you, and I shall bewail many who have formerly sinned, and have not yet repented of their impurity, their fornication, and dissoluteness.

I told you once before, and now being absent I write to forewarn you and all that have sinned, that when I shall arrive, I will not spare them;

whom be glory for ever and ever. amen. I wonder you have so soon deserted unto another gospel,

but tho' I, or an angel from heaven should preach any thing to you for gospel, different from the gospel I have preached unto you, let him be accursed.