partes ut fieri solet ev óμoyeveσ idem nomen participant.”— GROTIUS.

“Kλŋpovs hereditates vocat Ecclesias singulas, quibus singuli pastores præficiuntur."-SUICER.

"All believers are God's clergy."—LEIGHTON.

It deserves notice, that it is a verb derived from kλŋpovs which is used, Acts xvii. 4, to describe the association of the believers with Paul and Silas at Thessalonica-рoσekλnpwonσav. Our translators have preserved the reference in their version "consorted."

"Kλnpovs multi Latinorum interpretantur clericos; veruntamen longe probabilius est, per cleros intelligi gregis dominici portiones, quæ singulis Episcopis pascendæ ac regendæ velut sortito obtigerunt, juxta id quod Cyprianus dicit, Ecclesiam esse unam, cujus singulas portiones singuli Episcopi in solidum tenent."-ESTIUS.

VATER takes a singular view of the meaning of the term here: “Kλŋpwv plurali numero, non nisi, Acts i. 26, eodemque forsan significatu et hic." In this case KаTAKUρEVEL тwv kλŋpwv would signify arbitrarily to overrule the votes, to disregard the will of the church, when manifested by their giving forth their kλnpovs.

NOTE C.

A word of similar meaning (Neaviσkot) is apparently used in the New Testament to signify common soldiers, Mark xiv. 51, as well as in the profane Greek (Polyb. iv. 16; iii. 62). A similar usage prevails in the Latin language, as to the word of corresponding meaning (Juvenis). We find the same thing in the Hebrew language: Abraham's armed servants are called "the young men” (□yɔ), Gen. xiv. 24. We have the same use of the word, Jos. ii. 1; 2 Sam. ii. 14: "The word 'young,' possesses, in the Christian usage of various languages, the sense of 'lay'-see Bolten."-STEIGER.

66 Νεωτεροι hic non videntur esse natu minores; nam opponuntur doctoribus, sed potius auditores et discipuli, eodem fere sensu, quo, Luc. xxii. 26, ó peitwv et ó vewτepos sibi opponuntur."ROSENMULLER.

“ Νεωτεροι opponuntur πρεσβυτέροις et ex lege oppositionis intelligendi sunt omnes reliqui qui exceptis Presbyteris ecclesiam constituerent."-KUTTNER.

SCHOTANUS, though obviously very averse, "a communi Doctorum sententia discedere videri," states very distinctly, and defends very successfully, what appears to me the true meaning:

-"Hic per juniores intelligimus totam ecclesiam. Id autem probamus (1.) ex repetitione verbi presbyteri; (2.) ex collatione in verbis: similiter; (3.) quia summissionem regimini opponit; (4.) quia passim Apostoli quando agunt de officiis in quibus mutuus est respectus, solent utrumque urgere. Si autem quis dicat nomen illud juniores repugnari, respondemus nequam. Nonne Apostolus Paulus totam Ecclesiam Galaticam filiolos' vocat, Gal. iv. 19, et hæc ratio est quia tum temporis præcipue Ecclesiæ præficiebantur qui provectioris ætatis erant."

"Per juniores autem hoc loco maxime intelligitur Grex qui pendet à pastoribus, quia pastores et presbyteri maxima ex parte electi fuerunt ex senioribus ætate et proinde maxima pars gregis constabat ex junioribus."-AMESIUS.

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NOTE D.

KoμBos nodus vinculum quo illigabantur manicæ præsertim in vestitu servorum."-Bengel. Grotius gives the following quotation from Pollux, lib. iv., which is quite to the point:-Τη των δουλων εξωμίδι και ἱματίδιον τι προσκειται λευκον, ὁ εγκομβωμα λέγεται. Putting on the εγκομβωμα, was preparing in a becoming manner to act as a servant; assuming the appearance and preparing for the duties of the servile state. ΕγκυμBoua vestis humilis et servorum erat: qui cum breves tunicas quas enoμidas vocant gestarent, super has eykоußwμa induere solebant; palliolum vilissimum sed candidum; quod et eñßλŋμa ut observant antiqui dicebant."-HEINSIUS. Sac. Exercit. p. 577.

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DISCOURSE XXII.

TWO VIEWS OF AFFLICTION AND ITS DUTIES.

1 PET. v. 6, 7.-Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

THERE are few practical questions of deeper and more extensive interest, than how should we conduct ourselves amid the afflictions of life, so as to be best sustained under them, most improved by them, and soonest and most certainly delivered from them? This is a question which concerns us all; for, however we may differ in other points of view, here we all occupy common ground. We are all sufferers. It is not less universally true that "man is born of a woman," than that he is "born to trouble." It is certain, too, that affliction, though in all forms in itself an evil, is far from being an unmixed evil; that by means of it, men, constituted and circumstanced as they are, may be made wiser and better, and ultimately happier, than they could have become without it. "It has been good for me that I have been afflicted," says the Psalmist. "Chastisement yieldeth peaceable fruits," says the Apostle. And there is " a great cloud of witnesses" of the wisest and the best, in every age, all of whom have set to their seal that this testimony is true.

VOL. III.

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It is, however, just as certain that there have been many sufferers who could not truly make the Psalmist's declaration their own. It has not been good for them that they have been afflicted. They were bad when affliction seized them; they did not improve under its grasp; and now that it has let them go, they are worse than ever. Indeed, the

waters sent forth from the fountain of affliction seem in themselves poisonous as well as bitter. The infusion of a foreign ingredient into them, appears to be necessary to make them salutary, or even safe. Their effects are usually powerful; but they often aggravate rather than mitigate moral disease.

The different effects of affliction on different individuals, depend mainly on their being, or their not being, under the influence of the Holy Spirit; and that is chiefly manifested in the views they entertain of affliction, and in the dispositions they cherish under affliction, two things which are very closely connected with each other. The influence of affliction on the mind and character of a man who considers his sufferings as the effect of blind chance or unintelligent necessity, or of intelligent but malignant power; and who is inconsiderate, or proud, or fretful, or desponding under them-must be very different from its influence on the mind of a man who considers his sufferings as proceeding from the appointment, and inflicted by the agency, of the infinitely powerful, wise, righteous, and benignant Sovereign of the universe; as tokens of displeasure against sin, yet means of reclaiming sinners; as important parts of God's mysterious economy for making foolish, depraved, miserable man, wise, and good, and happy; and who cultivates a thoughtful, submissive, prudent, devout, patient, hopeful disposition under them.

The moral effects of affliction on an irreligious or superstitious mind cannot but be mischievous, though it will vary with the variety of character and circumstance, and take the form in one case of stupid insensibility; in another, of querulous fretfulness; in another, of hopeless despondency; in

another, of hardened impiety. It will in every such case drive men from God, not draw them towards him. It will make them worse and more miserable, not better and happier; it will fit them for hell, not for heaven.

On the other hand, the moral effect of affliction in a mind enlightened with heavenly truth, and a heart pervaded by holy influence, must be in a very high degree advantageous. Every principle of the new life, such as faith, hope, penitence, patience, humility, self-sacrifice, is exercised and strengthened; and the result is, increased conformity in mind, and will, and choice, and enjoyment, with the all wise, the all holy, the all benignant, the ever blessed God. Who would not wish that his afflictions might have this result? We must be chastened, that is a settled point. "To each his sufferings, all are men." Who would not tremble to be so chastened as to be destroyed with the world? who would not desire to be so chastened as to be made partakers of God's holiness? It is this book that alone can so instruct us in the true nature of afflictive dispensations, and in the right way of dealing with these dispensations; so that it may be secured that, in our case, the last, and not the first, result shall be realized. We must go to the school of revelation, in order to learn how to behave ourselves in the school of affliction so as to obtain improvement there; and a most instructive lesson of this kind may be derived from that interesting passage of inspired Scripture which has been read as the subject of discourse. May the great Teacher, who makes all he teaches apt to learn, enable us so to improve it, as that "his rod and reproof," when he sees meet to subject us to them, may more than ever "give wisdom!"

These words present us with two interesting views of affliction; first, as a state of subjection to the mighty hand of God; and, secondly, as a state of anxiety and carefulness; and with two corresponding views of the duty of the Christian under affliction, each accompanied with its appropriate motive. In the first view of affliction, the Christian is to humble himself under the mighty hand of God; and