sufficiency!" Gurnall. a spectacle to angels and men a Re. iii. 17. C Grotius, Wetstein, Calvin. feeble frame. It is something like the beautiful effect of certain self-conceited decorations of stained glass. There are some persons whose eyes are so weak that the light seems to be injurious to them, especially the red rays of the sun, and a glass has been invented which Spurgeon. rejects the rays which are injurious, and allows only those to pass which are softened and modified to the weakness of the eye. 8, 9. now ye," some think the all. is to false teachers living in plenty, rich with presents fr. their admirers: others, to rival factions aiming at lordship; others,d to the Church generally; whatever the application, it is spoken ironically. full, of grace and knowledge. rich, in gifts, experience. reigned, forgetting b Macknight. that you are only servants who should obey. would.. reign,e I would that the K. of God were really and fully come. you, all our toil and probation ended. last, not as to time, but station. as.. death, worthy only of that. spectacle, Gk., theatrical exhibition: where some act and others look on. angels.. men, the beholders of Apostolic toil and suffering. The state of the Corinthians contrasted with that of the Apostles. -I. The state of the Corinthians. They were-I. Full of the good things of this world; 2. As kings, reigning; 3. But their condition spiritually was such as to demand earnest prayer. II. in."-Alford. The state of the Apostles: 1. Poor in worldly things-rich in e1 Th. ii. 19. faith; 2. A spectacle both to angels and to men-a sight off 1 Co. xv. 30, 31; misery to men-a spectacle of sorrow to angels. But their reward 2 Co. iv. 11; Ro. is not far distant. we.. d "You behave as if the trial the goal gained; were past, and as if hunger and thirst were al ready filled, and the kingdom already brought viii. 36. fr. the games The Head of the Church.-At a celebrated battle there was g He. x. 33. "The one position from which the enemy, after suffering defeat in imagery is drawn every other part of the field, kept up an unabated fire. There a Béarpov in the huge twenty-four pounder vomited forth galling and continuous ampitheatre. The discharges; nor could our artillery, nor musketry, nor riflemen, remains of a stasilence it. "That gun," said the commanding officer, addressing may have been dium, etc., wh. the men of two regiments, "must be taken by bayonet. I must so used are still have it;" adding, as he placed himself at their head, "No firing, to be and recollect that I am with you." There needed no more. They Cor."-Stanley. advanced; and in a short time they had taken the gun and the J. H. Tasson. position. Let the Church go forth at the command of her glorious i Dr. Guthrie. Head, and there is no position and weapon of the enemy but shall yield before their united assaults. seen at 10. fools, so accounted by men. for.. sake, that we may fools for advance His glory by preaching His cross. wise.. Christ, Christ's sake enriched in knowledge and experience by our preaching. weak, a Ac. xvii. 18; thought to be so in mind as well as body. strong, in knowledge xxvi. 24; 1 Co. and faith. honourable, in God's esteem. despised, by men. [There may be bitter irony also in these words."] ii. 14. b Alford. Macknight assumes The contrast between the true and the false.-I. True religion is that false teachaccounted as folly by the world, produces a consciousness of our ers alone are addressed. own ignorance-the false is regarded as wise and encourages dogmatism. II. True religion is conscious of its own weakness-c Dr. Lyth. the false is confident in its strength. III. True religion is de-There is this spised the false is respectable.c Suffering defamation." One Sabbath afternoon," says Mr. Lacey, a missionary in the East Indies, "the people were extremely violent, shouting, 'A lie! a lie!' at every word spoken. Some called aloud to drown my voice; others made impudent gestures, and excited a loud obscene laugh; and, in short, all difference be tween happiness and wisdom: he that thinks himself the happiest man really is so; but he that thinks himself the wisest, is generally the greatest fool."-G. Cotton. means of diverting the attention of the hearers were resorted to. Some few, I observed, were more backward in the crowd, more serious, and seemed to feel the force of truth; these encouraged me to proceed. Upon others, persecution seemed to make a "When will evil favourable impression: these came and complained of the folly speakers refrain from evil-talk- and ignorance of the mob; and soon had their mouths stopped ing? When lis- by hearing, Ah! are you of the caste, to blaspheme the mara from evil hear-poboo? It is blaspheming to hear the idiot's words, come away!' The epithets fool, thief, liar, etc., were liberally bestowed this evening. Brother Bampton came up, followed by a mob, shouting him away. We both retired together, amidst the shouts and hisses of the multitude, and a shower of dust and broken pots." teners refrain ing."-Hare. his circum- b Ma. viii. 20; x. 23; He. xi. 37. c Ac. xx. 34; xviii. 3; 1 Th. ii. 9; iii. 8; 1 Ti. iv. 10. d Ma. v. 44; 1 Pe. iii. 9; Ac. vii. 60; Ro. xii. 20. e The Gk. sig. of streets and 11-13. even.. hour, a hint of what they had known of him in the past. hunger.. thirst, lack of common needs. naked, a Gk., we shiver in the cold. buffeted, Gk., struck on head with the hand; fig.=ignominious treatment. no.. dwelling place, homeless. "A peculiar grief in the anc. world." labour, as an Apostle. working.. hands, for our maintenance. bless suffer, the only weapons we use are benedictions, and patience. defamed, calumniated. entreat, men to be reconciled to God. filth, etc., refuse. unto.. day, and will be so to the last day of my life. Holy suffering the most glorious doing.-As-I. The crown and seal of every deed of faith; II. The victory over temptation to evil-doing; III. The victory over the evil deeds of men; IV. A testimony to the deed of God.g the scrapings The heroism of the early Primitive Methodists.-They feared no and sweepings human foe. They dared all the dangers that came. They knew stalls, wh. being who would give them the victory. But many a sore trial had nuisances, are they. When William Clowes was preaching in a pious woman's sight as quickly house, a magistrate threatened to send for the fire-engine and removed out of as possible. f Ac. xxii. 22; xxiv. 5. "No man blow out the windows. When John Benton went to a town near Belvoir Castle, and began to preach in the open air, the church bells were rung to drown his voice, a great drum was can beaten, dogs were made to fight, and very different musical instruever become ments were played in every variety of key and tune. John Braneminent in any-foot attempted to preach on Newcastle Quay, but the mob put thing unless he work at it with him down. William Doughty was cast into Shrewsbury goal for earnestness preaching in the open air. W. G. Bellham was nearly beaten to bordering upon death at Daventry. George Cosens had a bucket of water poured over his head at Weymouth. Guns were fired off to prevent John Nelson from being heard at Dorchester; and Mr. Grigg, when preaching on the Windsor Mission, was knocked off the chair on which he stood, pelted with flint stones, and dragged fifty yards along a rough road." an enthusiasm." Robert Hall. g Lange. h Christian World. instructors and fathers a 2 Co. vi. 13. b 2 Co. xii. 14, 15; 1 Th. ii. 11. επαιδαγωγους, the slaves who took children to school, and acted as their tutors. Cf. Ga. iii. 24, 25; 2 Co. xỉ. 20. 14, 15. shame,a note P.'s gentleness. They ought to have been ashamed. warn, their father in Christ is full of tender anxiety. though, even if it were so. ye.. thousand, though they were numberless. instructors, Gk., teachers. fathers, who also teach, and have affection, disinterestedness, etc. gotten, to a new life fr. death in sin. through.. Gospel, wh. quickens, and saves. d be Paul, as a father to the Corinthians.-I. His explanation of what he had written to them: 1. It was not for their reproach; 2. It was for their admonition. II. Upon what foundation he xviii. 11; Ga. iv. 19; Ja. i. 18. claimed parental relation to them, they were made Christians by d 1 Co. ix. 1, 2; his ministry. III. The special advice he urges on them,-to 1 Co. iii. 6; Ac. follow him, so far as he followed Christ. Weakness of the Church.-Balak, the King of the Moabites, e M. Henry. hated the camp of Israel, and bribed Balaam, a prophet, to curse them. Just thus doth the world hate the Church, and is never so certainly pro"Employment happier than when it can hire the ministers of the Church to duces cheerfulturn against it, and betray its interests. But it can no more ness, that I have succeed by its curses than the wicked Balak could: it must come home in seduce Christians to sin, and then it prevails; not by its own high spirits from power, but by tempting the Church to provoke the anger of God. a funeral, because When Balaam found that he could prevail nothing by his sacri- he had had the fices and enchantments, then he gave counsel to Balak to corrupt it."-Bp. Hall. the people of the camp with fornication; and that soon answered f W. Jones. the purpose. a known a man management of be ye 16, 17. be.. me, not of false teachers; and of me, as I follow followers Christ, and no further. cause, purpose: to explain these things of me fully. sent, fr. Ephesus. son,' in the Gospel. faithful..a Ac. xix. 22. Lord, zealous in the work. remembrance, not teach new b 1 Ti. i. 2; 1 Th. things. ways, behaviour, doctrine. teach.. Church, without iii. 2; Phi. ii. 20 accommodating the Gospel to the views of carnal men; or of formal Christians. -22; 1 Co. iv. 2. c 1 Co. zi. 2. "Example is like the press: a thing thought printed; it may be repeated, if it cannot be recalled; it has gone forth with a self-propagating power, the ends of the and may run to earth, and descend from gene"H. Mel done is the Imitators of Christ.-I. It is the manner of the Apostles, upon all occasions, to inculcate the duty of imitating Christ. II. To this end, that we might have worthy patterns to imitate, God in all ages has raised up persons, furnished with rare endowments, and assisted by His Spirit in the performance of this purpose. III. The records of the virtuous examples of these persons were written for our admonition-they are set before us, as copies to transcribe-as lights to guide us rightly. IV. In the nature of the thing itself, good example is of singular advantage to us, as being fitted to have a mighty influence upon us: 1. It directs us more pleasantly than precepts or commands; 2. It inclines our reason to good conduct, commending it to us by plausible authority; 3. It incites our passions, and impels them to the performance of duty-it raises hope-inflames courage-provokes emulation-d I. Barrow, D.D. urges upon modesty-awakens curiosity-affects fancy-and sets in motion all the springs of activity.d ration to genera vill. "As the moon doth borrow her self, doth take The Church in danger!-We often hear that the church is in light of the sun, danger; and truly so it is,-in a danger it seems not to know of: because, of herfor, with its tithes in the most perfect safety, its functions are little, or none at self, she has becoming more and more superseded. The true Church of Eng- all; even so the land, at this moment, lies in the editors of its newspapers. These Church, having preach to the people daily, weekly; admonishing kings them- no light of herselves; advising peace or war with an authority which only the her' light of the first Reformers and a long-past class of Popes were possessed of; Son of God."inflicting moral censure; imparting moral encouragement, con- Cawdray. solation, edification; in all ways diligently "administering the e T. Carlyle. discipline of the Church." It may be said, too, that in private disposition the new preachers somewhat resemble the Mendicant Friars of old times; outwardly, full of holy zeal; inwardly, not without stratagem, and hunger for terrestrial things. speech and power 18-21. puffed (see on v. 6), with pride, or anger. I..) . you, but sent a subordinate. if.. will,a a usual formula. speech, great swelling words of vanity. power, influence for good; Ac. xviii, 21; Ro. a Ja. iv. 14; cf. i. 10; 1 Co. xvi. authority. word, human speech, however eloquent or learned. power, of the Holy Ghost. what.. ye? wh. would you prefer? b2 Co. iv. 5; 1 rod, to punish. love, affectionate approval. spirit.. meekness ?d to continue my work of teaching? 7. Th. i. 5. c The first admonition by words was succeeded by flagellation in the synagogue. d 2 Co. x. 1, 2; xiii. 1-4, 10. e J. H. Newman, D.D. "Speech is com- the truest cha- The spiritual mind.-I. If we would form a just notion how far we are influenced by the power of the Gospel, we must evidently put aside everything which we do merely in imitation of others, and not from religious principle. II. We may have received the kingdom of God in a higher sense than in word merely, and yet in no real sense in power. Our obedience may be in some sort religious, and yet hardly deserve the title of Christian. The obedience which is here required is different from any which natural reason tells us of, not in its nature, but in its excellence and peculiarity.e Words the motes of thought. "Words are the motes of thought, and nothing more. Should let the play of limb be seen through it, Is nature's first step and the last of art." case of incest a Ep. v. 3; De. xxvii. 20. b Cf. Cicero, Pro Cluentio, 5, 6; and € 2 Co. vii. 8-12. CHAPTER THE FIFTH. 1, 2. fornication," adultery. named.. Gentiles, viewed by them with horror. Named, i.e., with approbation. father's wife, not mother, but step-mother: incest. mourned, repented of this sin. taken . . you, put out of the Church. Want of discipline in a Church.-This is-I. A serious evil— it degrades all-indicates declension of zeal, watchfulness, love and purity. II. Commonly associated with pride the offender may be respectable, or the offence ignored. III. A just cause for sorrow-for the dishonour done to Christ-the injury done to upon thy body, souls-the discredit brought upon God's cause.d sweetness have its operation "Tis overcome clothes, and habi- Dead Churches.-Have you ever read "The Ancient Mariner "? tation."--Herbert. I dare say you thought it one of the strangest imaginations ever "True chastity is put together, especially that part where the old mariner repretongued so weak, sents the corpses of all the dead men rising up to man the ship,ere it know how dead men pulling the rope, dead men steering, dead men spreadto speak." ing the sails. I thought what a strange idea that was. Decker. you know that I have lived to see that time? I have seen it done. I have gone into churches, and I have seen a dead man in the pulpit, a dead man as deacon, and a dead man handling the plate, and dead men sitting to hear.c d Dr. Lyth. e Spurgeon. But do cation 3—5. but . . spirit, thinking of, and caring for you, as much as excommuniif present. judged, weighed, considered. My sentence is this. in.. Christ,a by His authority: prob. this was the usual formula. a 1 Ti. v. 21. and.. spirit, I, myself, as present in spirit. power.. Christ, 61 Ti. i. 20. with Apostolic power delegated by Christ. deliver.. flesh, Alford, who "It was a delegation to the Cor. Church of a special power reserved quotes the case to the App. themselves, of inflicting corporeal death, or disease as Sapphira, and a punishment for sin."e spirit.. Jesus, even the dreadful Elymas, punishment an act of mercy. represen of Ananias and and another hinted "The interpreta that the individual may be destroyed in order The grounds upon which human punishment rests.-I. The formula at 1 Ti. i. 20. here used shows that Paul excommunicated in a representative tion of Tertullian capacity. Therefore we assume that man is the medium through and Ambrose, which God's punishments are inflicted-1. If man were perfect his condemnation would be as perfect as God's; 2. As tative, human punishment is expressive of Divine indignation; 3. The indignation of society is representative of God's indignation. II. The next ground on which this rests is the reformation of the offender. Many are deterred from wrong-doing by fear, and by no other motive. III. The contagious character of evil. A man may be tainted, although penitent, and thus is avoided. IV. To permit intercourse with such an one would be to contradict the true idea of the Church. Application:-1. The dangerous results of too tae Apostle."great exclusiveness. (1) The habit of judging; (2) Censoriousness; (3) Spiritual pride. 2. The errors into which men fall by this very exclusiveness. (1) Undue severity; (2) Dislike for the society of the world." that the Church may be saved, is characteristic writers, but has of the age of the no foundation, either in the actual words, or general spirit of Stanley. a F. W. Robertson, M.A. Many Christians are like chestnuts-very pleasant nuts, but enclosed in very prickly burs; which need various Dead souls in the Church.-In the first years of a Church, its members are willing to endure hardships, and to make great exertions; but, when once it is prosperous, they desire to take their ease: as one who builds a ship is willing to work all the way from keel to deck until she is launched; thenceforward he expects the ocean to buoy him up, and the winds to bear him on. The youth- dealings of Natime of Churches produces enterprise; their age, indolence. But ture, and her even this might be borne, did not these dead men sit in the door of grip of frost, before the kernal their sepulchres, crying out against every living man who refuses to is disclosed."wear the livery of death. I am almost tempted to think, that if, Beecher. with the end of every pastorate, the Church itself were disbanded and destroyed, to be gathered again by the succeeding teacher, we should thus secure an immortality of youth.e b e H. W. Beecher. a Alford. "You have no right to boast of your gifts and of your spiritual perfection, whilst this sin remains amongst you unre 6-8. your.. good, "How inconsistent with your harbour-power of ing such an one, appear your high-flown conceits of yourselves!" little things little.. lump, the whole receives its character from, and will presently be like, the little. purge.. leaven, expel this incestuous person. that.. lump, the evil having been removed. Christ.. us, the passover sacrifice intro. the days of unleavened bread. let.. feast, the continual passover feast of Christians for whom Christ suffered. not. . leaven, like that now ref. to. neither.. wickedness, do not retain one evil while getting rid of others. sincerity.. truth, towards God and man. Christ our Passover.-I. The circumstances under which the Passover was instituted. II. Its extent. It was to be partaken of; so Christ is to be the constant support of the believer's soul. We should receive Christ wholly. When we receive Him-1. Toc stand as our defence where we cannot be our own, the reception is but partial; 2. Only as our security for the future, we deceive ourselves; 3. Only as a sacrifice, we do not receive Him wholly; proved." — Stanley. 6 Ex. xii. 11-15; Ep. iv. 17-19; 1 Pe. iv. 1-3. Lu. xii. 1. "A little error of the eye, a mis guidance of the hand, a slip of |