GO HOK^ PAULINA. 



I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do 

 ye." Chap. 16 : 1. In the ninth chapter of the secoml 

 epistle such a collection is spoken of, as in readiness to b(5 

 received : "As touching the ministering to the saints, it is 

 superfluous for me to write to you : for I know the forward- 

 ness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Mac- 

 edonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago ; and your zeal 

 hath provoked very many." Chap. 9:1,2. This is such 

 a continuation of the transaction as might be expected ; or 

 possibly it will be said, as might easily be counterfeited : 

 but there is a circumstance of nicety in the agreement be- 

 tween the two epistles, 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 set forth M'ith more clearness. The 

 second epistle speaks of the Corinthians as having begun 

 this eleemosynary business a year before: "This is expedi 

 ent for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also 

 to be forward a year ago." Chap. 8 : 10. " I boast of you 

 to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago." 

 Chap. 9 : 2. From these texts, it is evident that something 

 had been done in the business a year before. It appears, 

 however, from other texts in the epistle, that the contribu- 

 tion was not yet collected or paid ; for brethren were sent 

 from St. Paul to Corinth, " to make up their bounty." 

 Chap. 9 : 5. They are urged to "perform the doing of it," 

 chap. 8:11; and every man was exhorted to give as he 

 purposed in his heart. Chap. 9:7. The contribution, 

 therefore, as represented in our present epistle, was in read- 

 iness, yet not received from the contributors; was begiin. 

 was forw^ard long before, yet not hitherto collected. Now 

 this representation agrees with one, and only with one sup- 

 position, namely, that every man had laid by in store, haf 

 already provided the fund from which he was afterwards to 

 contribute — the very case which the first epistle authorizes 

 us to suppose to have existed ; for in that epistle St. Paul 

 had charged the Corinthians, " Upon the first day of thn 



