Page cix
¶The .ix. Chapter.
•• The cause of Titus and his companions commyng to them. 6 He exhorteth to geue almes chearefully, 7 shewyng what fruites wyll come therof.
[unspec A] 1 OF the * 1.1 ministryng to the saintes, it is but superfluous for me to write vnto you:
2 For I knowe the re∣dinesse of your mynde, whereof I boast my selfe of you, vnto them of Macedonia, that Achaia was prepared a yere a go: and your zeale hath prouoked many.
3 Yet haue I sent the brethren, lest our boastyng which I make of you, should be in vayne in this behalfe, that ye (as I haue sayde) may prepare yourselues.
4 Lest yf they of Macedonia come with me, and fynde you vnprepared, we (I wyll not say you) shoulde be ashamed in this matter of boastyng.
[unspec B] 5 Therfore, I thought it necessarie to exhort the brethren, to come beforehand vnto you, and to prepare your good blessyng promised afore, that it myght be redy, so that it be as a blessyng, and not a defraudyng.
6 ☞ This yet [I say] he which soweth litle, shall reape litle: and * 1.2 he that sow∣eth in geuyng largely and freely, shall reape plenteouslie.
7 Let euery man do, accordyng as he hath purposed in his heart, not grudg∣yngly, or of necessitie: * 1.3 For God loueth a chearefull geuer.
8 God is able to make you riche in all [unspec C] grace, that ye in all thynges hauyng sufficient vnto the vtmost, may be riche vnto all maner of good workes,
9 As it is written: * 1.4 He hath (a) 1.5 sparsed abrode, and hath geuen to the poore, his ryghteousnesse remayneth for euer.
10 He that ministreth seede vnto ye sower, ministreth bread also for foode, and multiplieth your seede, and encreaseth the fruites of your ryghteousnesse:☜
11 That in all thynges ye may be made riche into all singlenesse, which causeth through vs, that thankes are geuen vnto God.
12 For the administration of this seruice, [unspec D] not only supplieth ye neede of the saintes: but also is aboundaunt by the thankes geuyng of many vnto God,
13 Which by the experiment of this mi∣nistration, prayse God for the obedience of your consentyng to the Gospell of Christe, and for your singlenesse in distri∣butyng to them, and to all men:
14 And by their prayers for you, which () 1.6 long after you, for the aboundaunt grace of God in you.
15 Thankes be vnto God, for his vn∣speakeable gyft.