The texte.

And vpon confidence of this my vpright conscience, and hope conceaued of your encrease and furtheraunce, occasion had I, and minded before this time to visite you, therby purposyng to do you double pleasure, both w^t mine epistle fyrste, and also by the waye after wyth my presence. For my purpose was to see you as I went into Macedonia, and agayne in my returnyng from Macedo∣nia, to come vnto you, as I promissed in my other epistle, and thence to be ledde and brought furthe by you into Iewrye.

Page  [unnumbered]But in the meane season some wyll thynke, synce I this wyse mynded to dooe, whether it came of lightnesse, that I chaunged myne intente: or whether I per∣fourme not that of any worldly policie, whiche I once purposed to doe, in this alteryng my minde, as occasion serueth. No nor so, but for good consideracions and aduisedly folowed I not mine own destre, because I wel vnderstode that it was for your weale more expedient to dooe otherwise, that by defferryng my retourne, some of your congregacion myght bee amended, whome I would not see in theyr vncleanesse: in this poynte alwayes constaunte and lyke my self, that I at all tymes seeke youre weale, so that in this behalfe I neuer wauer, but al∣wayes dooe that, whiche shall bee for your profite, and alwayes shonne that,* whiche I thynke vnprofitable for you, not because I thynke it lyeth in vs to perfourme asmuch as we purposed, but because we know, that god deceaueth not, by whose healpe our woorde, wherewith wee preached vnto you his gos∣pell, wauered not, but was at all times like it selfe. For wee preached not vnto you worldlye and carnall matters, but taught you a weightye, effectuall, and an vnchaungeable doctryne: constauntly, and after one sorte, bothe I, Silua∣nus, and Timothie, that is to we•e, that Iesus Christe is the sonne of God, whose name was not among you vneffectuall, but mightye and full of power, not by oure strengthe, but by his free gyfte. Vntil this time haue ye receaued the giftes of the holye ghoste, possessing them, as an earneste peny, and as sure shal ye bee of suche thynges, as are in time to come promissed, For al thynges, that are promissed, are through hym sure, and out of all doubte in hym, to whome this glorye is dewe. Neyther are these oure promisses, whiche wee layed before you, and shewed you of, but god is the chief geuer of thē, we are only ministers and messangers. So that to his glorie maketh it, yf that whiche wee preache in his name bee founde trewe and effectuall. Besyde this, whereas wee haue constauntelye preached Christe, and ye haue constauntelye continewed in Christes religion once receaued, that is goddes gifte also, whiche because wee should in his promisses haue more cōfidence, hath also anointed vs with his se∣create gyftes, and printed a certaine marke in oure heartes, yea and geuen into oure soules his spirite, as an earneste and pledge of the blessed state promissed vnto vs hereafter. Lette no manne therefore thinke it lightenesse, because I vn∣till this time differred my commyng vnto you, god take I to recorde, that whereas I hitherto came not to Corinth, that was not doone for any displea∣sure borne towarde you, but rather of a louynge mynde, lefte yf I hadde commen rather, I shoulde haue beene compelled to vse extremitie towarde suche, as were not yet amended, whome I trusted yet, woulde in the meane season cumme to amendemente. Better thoughte I it sommewhat the later to cumme vnto you, so that my cummyng mighte bee bothe to you and me more pleasaunte, than to bee among you after an earneste behauioure and sad. Nor lette any thynke these my woordes to bee spoken proudelye and after a threatening sorte, but for youre correccion. Wee beare no lordelye rule vpon a∣nye* other than suche, as haue sinned. Touchyng therefore your fayth, wherein ye continue, wee beare no rule vpon you but in the ordre of lyfe some thyng is there whiche I woulde were amended. And so farre are wee from threa∣tenynge suche eiuil liuers, to shewe thereby what authoritie we haue vpon you, Page  xlvi that by these wayes wee prouide to kepe you in gladdenesse, whiche I woulde not, should through the corrupt maners of some, and mine earnestnesse, which I could not choose but vse, bee in any wyse appayred with sorowefulnesse.