the things done in the body. Now, such as that is the law of future retribution: "Whatsoever a man soweth "-not something else, but "that shall he also reap:" "He which is filthy, let him be filthy still." Such are some of the Scripture metaphors to show the personality of future punishment.

"Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord," says St. Paul, "we persuade men." Striking words! Not " we terrify," not "we threaten," but "we persuade." Here was the difference between rhetorical thunders and the teaching of one who knew and believed the terrors of which he spoke. Oh! contrast with this the tone in which God's ministers too often threaten sinners. They paint the torments of the lost minutely and hideously, and can yet go home to the evening meal with zest unimpaired. Think you, if such a man believed what he said— that the mass of his brethren were going to hell-he could sleep after his own denunciation. No! when a man knows the terrors of the Lord, he "persuades men." Hence came the tears of Jeremiah; hence flowed the tears of Him who knew the doom of Jerusalem. Therefore, if in our tone there be anything objurgatory, denunciatory, threatening, may God give us the spirit to persuade! May He teach us to believe the terrors of which we speak!

Brethren, there is no perhaps. These are things which will be hereafter. You cannot alter the Eternal Laws. You cannot put your hand in the flame and not be burnt. You cannot sin in the body and escape the sin; for it goes inwards, becomes part of you, and is itself the penalty which cleaves for ever and ever to your spirit. Sow in the flesh, and you will reap corruption. Yield to passion, and it becomes your tyrant and your torment. Be sensual, self-indulgent, indolent, worldly, hardoh! they all have their corresponding penalties: "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

LECTURE XLIV.

2 CORINTHIANS, v. 12-17.—December 5, 1852.

N the preceding chapters and verses St. Paul has been magnifying his ministry. It had been, he says, a ministry of the Spirit, not of the letter (iii. 6). It had been straightforward and veracious: its authority had been that of the truth;

-"commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God" (iv. 2). It had been a suffering and a martyr ministry (iv. 8, 9, 10); representative, too, of Christ in word and deed (iv. 5 and 10); unworldly (v. 2. 8, 9); and persuasive (v. 11).

In all this the Apostle glorifies his own ministry and his way of performing it. It is a glorious description, truly. But when a man speaks thus of himself, we are apt to call it boasting. So, no doubt, many of the Corinthians would call it; and hence St. Paul several times anticipates such a charge: for instance, in the first verse of the 3rd chapter, and also in the 12th verse of the 5th chapter. For some of the Corinthian Church might have reasoned in this manner: "You say you commend yourself to our consciences, and that we recognize the truth of what you say from an inward plainness. Now if all this is so plain, why commend yourself?—why so anxious to set yourself right?" But the reply is: "I do not commend myself for my own sake." It is not a personal boast. It is the only possible reply to those who require a ministry with splendid external credentials, instead of the inward witness of the heart. (v. 12).

I. The Apostle's defence of his self-approval.

II. The general principles of life with which this selfapproval was connected.

I. The Apostle's defence was founded on two reasons. First: We "give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart." Secondly: "Whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God; or whether we be sober, it is for your cause."

1. The false teachers gloried "in appearance," in outward demonstration, in dazzling credentials, such as eloquence; or they boasted of belonging to St. Peter, or prided themselves in a superabundance of spiritual gifts. On the contrary, St. Paul says that the true Apostolic credentials are those of the heart; and accordingly, the proofs he had given werehis truth, his sufferings, his persuasiveness, his simplicity, his boldness, and his life as being an image of Christ's. This corresponds with what I have before said, namely, that the Christian ministry is a succession of the prophetical, not the priestly office. There were two sorts of teachers, priests and prophets. The priest said: "Here are my credentials. I am ordained God's messenger: therefore, what I say is to be received." The prophet said: "What I say is truth; therefore, I am to be received as from God." The priest proved, first, that he was a messenger, and thence inferred his inspiration; but the prophet declared his message, and from it inferred that he was truly sent. This is clear from the nature of the thing. Every one knew who was the priest. But the prophet rose from amongst the people, proclaiming himself to be from God. "Where is your proof?" was the cry of all; and the answer came-" Here, in what I say." Consequently, the priest was always heard; the prophet's words were rarely believed till he was slain and this because men glory in

appearances, not in heart. Now St. Paul's credentials were those of the heart;-" by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience." It was not, "First, we prove ourselves, and then our mission;" but, "First, we declare our message, and from it we deduce our apostleship." This is the Christian ministry.

2. "Whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God." Now Whether we be beside ourselves" means, "Whether we boast of ourselves." The vehemence of self-defence might be called so in temporary excitement. The Apostle's defence might seem like that of one deranged: as once before it appeared to the heathen Procurator: "Paul, thou art beside thyself." "Well," said St. Paul, "we adopt the words 'beside ourselves.' Be it so! it is for God's cause. We boast of our qualifications for the sake of God, to Whom they all belong." Or again, "Whether we be sober"—that is, restrain ourselves -pur moderation is an example of humility to you.

There are then, cases in which it is wise for a Christian to vindicate himself against false charges; there are others in which it is wiser to restrain himself, and to remain silent. The Apostle's defence, vehement even so far as to provoke the charge of being "beside himself," teaches us that it is sometimes false humility, and false moderation, to lie under an undenied slur on our character or our words. To give another example: Samuel vindicated himself: "Whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it to you." For there are charges which must be met by legal purgation, or by avowal, or by denial; and then we must not hide nor deny the gifts with which God has endued In such a case, to do so is not a vain declaration of our excellence, but a graceful acknowledgment of God's mercy: as, for example, Milton's noble boast in the twenty-second sonnet.

us.

On the other hand, some charges are of a nature so delicate, complicated, and shadowy, that public defence leaves the matter worse than before. It is better then, to let time and character defend you. For there are cases in which dignified silence is the Christian's only defence. So it was in our Saviour's life. Men misinterpreted His words, and blackened His reputation. How was He to answer? Was He to go into the petty charges one by one? or was he to leave time and God to defend His cause? He was "sober for " Our "cause."

II. The general principles of Life with which the Apostle's self-approval was connected.

It is the peculiarity of St. Paul's mind that he never can speak of an act as an isolated thing. You always find it referred at once to some great law, or running up into some great principle. If he sees a detached law, commanding that the ox shall not be stinted of his provender, he grasps at once the principle that "the labourer is worthy of his hire." If he forbids lying, it is because "we are members one of another." Here too, observe how high and divine motives enter into the smallest act. Even the Apostle's self-defence was in the genuine spirit of Christianity: "The love of Christ constraineth us." All was subordinate to that. Whether we are vehement, or whether we are silent, it is because His love constrains us. Remark then, one thing in passing-it is St. Paul's Christianity: a pervading spirit growing into a habit, and governing his very words!

Three subjects, then, we have for consideration :—

1. The main principle of Christian Life-Love.

2. The Law of redeemed Humanity.

3. The new aspect of Humanity in Christ.

1. Love, the main principle of Christian life. Herein consists Christian liberty: a Christian is freed from the Law, and