are puffed up, and have not rather mourn

ed, that he that hath done this deed might "be taken away from among you; for I,

verily, as abfent in body, but present in

fpirit, have judged already, as though I "were prefent, concerning him that hath fo "done this deed; in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, when ye are gathered toge"ther, and my fpirit, with the power of "our Lord Jefus Chrift, to deliver fuch a

one unto Satan for the deftruction of the

flesh, that the fpirit may be faved in the "day of the Lord" (chap. v. ver. 1—5). In the second epistle, we find this fentence executed, and the offender to be fo affected with the punishment, that St. Paul now intercedes for his reftoration: "Sufficient to fuch a man is this punishment, which "was was inflicted of many; fo that, contrariwife, ye ought rather to forgive him and

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comfort him, left perhaps fuch aone should "be fwallowed up with over-much forrow; "wherefore I beseech you, that ye would "confirm your love towards him" (2 Cor. chap. ii. ver. 7, 8). Is this whole business feigned for the fake of carrying on a conti

nuation of story through the two epistles? The church also, no less than the offender, was brought by St. Paul's reproof to a deep fenfe of the impropriety of their conduct. Their penitence, and their respect to his authority, were, as might be expected, exceedingly grateful to St. Paul: "We were com"forted not by Titus's coming only, but by "the confolation wherewith he was com"forted in you, when he told us your earnest "defire, your mourning, you fervent mind "towards me, fo that I rejoiced the more; "for, though I made you forry with a "letter, I do not repent, though I did re66 pent; for I perceive that the fame epiftle "made you forry, though it were but for a "feafon. Now I rejoice, not that ye were "made forry, but that ye forrowed to re66 pentance; for ye were made forry after a "godly manner, that ye might receive da"mage by us in nothing" (chap. vii. 7—9). That this paffage is to be referred to the incestuous marriage, is proved by the twelfth verfe of the fame chapter: " Though I "wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause "that had done the wrong, nor for his cause,

2

"that

"that fuffered wrong; but that our care for

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you, in the fight of God, might appear "unto you." There were, it is true, various topics of blame noticed in the first epistle; but there was none, except this of the inceftuous marriage, which could be called a tranfaction between private parties, or of which it could be faid that one particular perfon had "done the wrong," and another particular perfon "had fuffered it." Could all this be without foundation? or could it be put into the second epiftle, merely to furnish an obfcure fequel to what had been said about au incestuous marriage in the firft?

3. In the fixteenth chapter of the first epiftle, a collection for the faints is recommended to be fet forwards at Corinth : "Now, concerning the collection for the

faints, as I have given order to the

churches of Galatia, fo do ye" (chap. xvi. ver. 1). In the ninth chapter of the second epiftle, fuch a collection is fpoken of, as in readiness to be received: "As touching the

ministering to the faints, it is fuperfluous "for me to write to you, for I know the "forwardness of your mind, for which I

"boaft

"boast of

you to them of Macedonia, that "Achaia was ready a year ago, and your "zeal hath provoked very many" (chap. ix. ver. 1, 2). This is fuch a continuation of the transaction as might be expected; or, poffibly it will be faid, as might easily be counterfeited; but there is a circumstance of nicety in the agreement between the two epiftles, which, I am convinced, the author of a forgery would not have hit upon, or which, if he had hit upon it, he would have fet forth with more clearnefs. The fecond epistle speaks of the Corinthians as having begun this eleemofynary business a year before: "This is expedient for you, who have

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begun before, not only to do, but also to "be forward a year ago" (chap. viii. ver. 10). "I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that "Achaia was ready a year ago" (chap. ix. ver. 2). From thefe texts it is evident, that fomething had been done in the business a year before. It appears, however, from other texts in the epiftle, that the contribution was not yet collected or paid; for brethren were fent from St. Paul to Corinth, "to make up their bounty" (chap. ix.ver. 5).

They

They are urged to "perform the doing of it" (chap. viii. ver. 11). "And every

66

man was exhorted to giye as he purposed "in his heart" (chap. ix. ver. 7). The contribution therefore, as reprefented in our prefent epiftle, was in readiness, yet not received from the contributors; was begun, was forward long before, yet not hitherto collected. Now this representation agrees with one, and only with one, fuppofition, namely, that every man had laid by in ftore, had already provided the fund, from which he was afterwards to contribute the very cafe which the first epistle authorifes us to fuppofe to have exifted; for in that epistle St. Paul had charged the Corinthians, "upon the first day of the week, every one of "them to lay by in ftore as God had profpered him"* (1 Cor. chap. xvi. ver. 2).

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66

No.

* The following obfervations will fatisfy us concerning the purity of our Apostle's conduct in the suspicious bufinefs of a pecuniary contribution.

1. He disclaims the having received any infpired authority for the directions which he is giving: " I speak "not by commandment, but by occafion of the forwardnefs of others, and to prove the fincerity of your love" (2 Cor. chap. viii. ver. 8). Who, that had a finifter

purpose