secure alike when the world frowns its censure or its applause upon you, feel hourly that God will judge. That will be your safeguard under both. It will be a small thing to you to be judged of any man's judgment, for your cause will be pleaded before the Judge and the Discerner of all secrets."

FIVE-FOLD SUBJECTS WORTH REFLECTION. "WHEREFORE, I BESEECH YOU, BE YE FOLLOWERS OF ME," &c.-1 Cor. iv. 16-21.*

THERE are five noteworthy subjects in these verses.I. A REMARKABLE REQUEST. "Be ye followers of me.' Were Paul an ordinary man, such an exhortation would resound with arrogance, but he was a man of preeminent excellence, Christly in spirit, deportment, and ministry. There were three reasons why they should imitate him. First He was a follower of Christ. There was no living man who had followed his Master so closely. Elsewhere he says: "Be ye followers of me as I also am of Christ." Secondly: He was their spiritual father. He had begotten them in the Gospel. They were his moral offspring. They had numerous instructors, but he was their father, they gave them ideas, he gave them character. Thirdly: He was no partisan. Other teachers amongst them became the leaders of parties, these parties were contending one with another, but Paul belonged to no party, he followed Christ, knew "nothing amongst men but Christ,

and Him crucified." Such a man was justified in calling on others to follow Him. "Ministers," says an old writer, "should so live that their people may take pattern from them, and even after their copy, they should guide them by their lives as well as by their lips, go before them on the way to heaven, and not content themselves with pointing."

II. A HIGH TESTIMONY.

unto

"For this cause have I sent

you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church." He is dear to me as a "son," he is "faithful in the Lord," he knows my "ways." High testimony this. And this is the man he promises to send to them, what for? That he might give them good reasons why they should be followers of him. I do not want you to follow me in the dark, I send him that he may throw light upon my ways everywhere, "in every church." A man must have a high consciousness of rectitude who can trust the representation of his character to one who knows him as well as a son knows his father, and withal a man of incorruptible honesty. Here is

III. A FOOLISH EXULTATION. "Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you." There were those in the Church at Corinth who were out of sympathy with Paul, and who had no desire that he should visit them, and as the "wish is father to the thought," when they heard he was coming they would not believe it. When the intelligence that he was sending Timothy to them reached them they would be likely to say, “This proves the truth of our assertion, he is afraid to come himself and so he sends Timothy !" In this they

seem to have rejoiced, they were "puffed up." Now I call this a foolish exultation, because the visit of Paul to them was what they deeply needed, and was intended to confer on them the highest blessing. How often do we foolishly rejoice in deliverance from visitations, fraught with priceless blessings.

Here is

"Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,

The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head."-Cowper.

"But I will come to Paul believed that

IV. AN EXEMPLARY DECISION. you shortly if the Lord will," &c. God had a will concerning him, and that will determined his destiny. Hence on this he based all his calculations in life, all his plans and purposes were subject to that will. "If the Lord will." This is an exemplary decision. His will is not only absolute and righteous, but benevolent, therefore to acquiesce in that will is not only right but wise. "Go to, now ye that say to-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain; whereas ye know not what will be on the morrow." Here is

V. A GLORIOUS SYSTEM. "For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power." By this he means, I presume, the Gospel ministry. It is divinely regal "Kingdom," it is not a thing of sentiments or ceremony, it is invested with divine authority. It is not a thing in mere word," it transcends all language, however logical in force or rhetorical in beauty, it is "power," the " power of God unto salvation." Here is

66

VI. A SOLEMN PROPOSAL. "What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod or in love, and in the spirit

of meekness." In any case I shall come as a father. Shall I come as a father to chastise you with a "rod," or with looks of "love" and words of commendation and sympathy? God's minister is bound to deal with men according to their states of mind. His ministry to some must be as the severity of Sinai, with others as the tenderness of Calvary. Evermore is it true that the effects of divine visitations depend on the spirit in which they are received, and what this spirit shall be is for man to determine. God says to every man, "What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and in the spirit of meekness?" This is the solemn proposal.

ABIDE IN CHRISTLINESS WHATEVER THE CONDITION IN LIFE.

"BUT IF THE UNBELIEVING DEPART, LET HIM DEPART, &c.-1 Cor. vii. 15-24.

As St. Paul seems desirous that most of his utterances in this chapter should not be regarded as the language of inspiration, but rather that of his own private judgment (for twice he gives the assurance), we may be justified in criticising his opinions. His opinions here refer to three conditions in man's existence on earth: matrimonial life, ecclesiastical connection, and domestic slavery; and concerning each of these, he says, "Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called." Now if by "calling" here he means that condition of life in which we find ourselves, irrespective of our choice, or into which we have entered by depraved choice, I

can scarcely think that his principle here can be accepted. Apply it for example to

I. MATRIMONIAL LIFE. If two persons have entered into this, of all relationships the most solemn, whose temperaments, beliefs, tendencies, tastes, and habits are soon found to be so antipathetic as to produce nothing but constant quarrelings and mutual miseries, are they to "abide" in that state? If Paul means this, we cannot accept his counsel, for such unions are not marriages at all. But he does not mean that, for in the fifteenth and other verses of this chapter he seems to authorise a separation. "But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases.' Chain two vessels together on the ocean, allowing them to be some yards or even feet apart, and in the storm they will soon tear themselves to pieces and go down into the depths. But if you so rivet them together that the twain will be one, they will be mutual helps, and they will stand the tempest. So in marriage. Unless the two souls. are so tightly rivetted or clasped together by the strongest mutual affection, it is better to separate. If they are only joined by a chain forged by civil or ecclesiastical law, the speedier that chain is snapped asunder the better for both. Philanthropy is justified in promoting the divorce of such, and in this age methinks it will find plenty of this merciful work to do. Apply this principle to

II. ECCLESIASTICAL CONNECTION. "Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised? Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised." Does Paul mean by this, if you find yourself in an ecclesiastical system which has worthless or

P