EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 17 



that iKere be no gatherings when I come. And when 1 

 come, whomsoever you shall approve by your letters, them 

 will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. And 

 if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me." In 

 this passage we find a contribution carrying on at Corinth, 

 the capital of Achaia, for the Christians of Jerusalem ; we 

 find also a hint given of the possibility of St. Paul going up 

 to Jerusalem himself, after he had paid his visit into Achaia ; 

 but this is spoken of rather as a possibility than as any set- 

 tled intention ; for his first thought was, "Whomsoever you 

 shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your 

 liberality unto Jerusalem ;" and in the sixth verse he adds, 

 " That ye may bring me on my journey ivliitliersoever I go." 

 This epistle purports to be written after St. Paul had been 

 at Corinth ; for it refers throughout to what he had done 

 and said among them while he was there. The expression, 

 therefore, "when I come," must relate to a second visit, 

 against which visit the contribution spoken of was desired 

 to be in readiness. 



But though the contribution in Achaia be expressly men- 

 tioned, nothing is here said concerning any contribution in 

 Macedonia. Turn therefore, in the third place, to the second 

 epistle to the Corinthians, chap. 8, ver. 1-4, and you will 

 discover the particular which remains to be sought for : 

 " Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God 

 bestowed on the churches of Maccdojiia ; how that in a 

 great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their 

 deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 

 For to their power 1 bear record, yea, and beyond theii 

 power, they were willing of themselves ; praying us with 

 much entreaty, that we would receive the gift, and take 

 upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints." 

 To which add, chap. 9, ver. 2, "I know the forwardness ol 

 your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, 

 that Achaia was ready a year ago." In this epistle we find 

 St. Paul advanced as far as Macedonia, upon that scco/ul 

 1 r.* 



