lievers to Christ as members of his body, so that what is done to them is done to him ; and their consequent intimate relation to each other as being one body in Christ Jesus. The other is, the assurance that the good done to them is pure good. There is no apprehension that the ahiis bestowed will encour- age idleness or vice. 3. A fourth rule is designed to prevent any abuse of the brotherhood of Christians. The poor have no right to depend on the benefactions of the rich because they are brethren. This same apostle says, "This we com- manded you, that if any man would not work, neither should he eat," 2 Thess. 3, 10. Thus do the Scriptures avoid, on the one hand, the injustice and destructive evils of agrarian com- munism, l3y recognising the right of pro])erty and making all almsgiving optional ; and on the other, the heartless disregard of the poor by inculcating the universal brotherhood of be- lievers, and the consequent duty of each to contribute of his abundance to relieve the necessities of the poor. At the same time they inculcate on the poor the duty of self-support to the extent of their ability. They are commanded " with quietness to work, and to eat their own bread." Could these principles be carried out there would be among Christians neither idle- ness nor want.
15. As it is written, He that (had gathered) mucli
had nothing over; and he that (had gathered) httle'
had no lack.
The moral lesson taught in Exodus IC, 18, is that which the apostle had just inculcated. There it is recorded that the people, by the command of God, gathered of the manna an omer for each person. Those who gathered more retained only the allotted portion ; and those who gathered less had their portion increased to the given standard. There was as to the matter of necessary food an equality. If any one at- tempted to hoard his portion, it spoiled upon his hands. The lesson therefore taught in Exodus and by Paul is, that, among the people of God, the superabundance of one sliould be em- ployed in relieving the necessities of others ; and that any at- tempt to countervail this law Avill result in shame and loss. Property is like maima, it will not bear hoarding.
IG. But thanks (be) to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.
II. corinthia:n^s s, 17. 207
From this verse to the end of the chapter the apostle commends to the confidence of the Corinthians Titus and the two brethren who were to accompany him on his return to Corinth. The object of Titus's first visit was to ascertain the state of the church, and specially the effect of Paul's former epistle. The object of this mission was to bring to an end the collection for the poor which the Corinthians had so long under consideration. Titus had as much zeal in this matter as Paul, and therefore the apostle thanks God irJuch put into the heart of Titus ; tw IiIovti eV, 'Thanks to God giving in, i. e. giving to be in, the heart of Titus.' The same earnest care for you ; Tr\v avrrjv o-TrorS/yv, the same zeal, i. e. the same zeal which I have for you. Titus felt the same interest in the spiritual welfare of the Corinthians, and the same solicitude that they should act consistently, that Paul had so warmly expressed in the foregoing verses. Often, as the occasion of- fers, it is still well to notice how uniformly the Scriptures take for granted two great fundamental truths which human phi- losophy finds it hard to comprehend or to admit. The one is that God can and does control the inward acts and feelings of men without interfering either ^Yith. their liberty or responsi- bility. The zeal of Titus was the spontaneous effusion of his own heart and was an index and element of his character. Yet God put that zeal into his heart. This is not a figure of speech. It was a simple and serious truth, a ground of solemn thanksgiving to God. The other great truth is that the be- liever is dependent on God for the continuance and exercise of spiritual life. The Holy Spirit does not regenerate the soul by implanting in it a new principle of life, and then leave that principle to struggle in its own strength for existence and growth. On the contrary, the new birth is the beginning of a constant indwelling of God in the soul, so that both the continuance and exercise of this new life are due to his pres- ence. Yet so congenial and congruous is this divine influence that the life of God in us is in the highest sense our own fife.
17. For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.
This is the proof of the zeal of Titus. Some commentators assume that /xeV and 8e are here used instead of ov fxovov — aAAa, ' Not only did he listen to our exhortation, but fulfilled it with