and voices. Thus does he, in high symbolic language, attempt, inadequately, to shadow forth the glory which his spirit realized, but which his sense saw not. For Heaven is not scenery, nor anything appreciable by ear or eye: Heaven is God felt.

So also at Pentecost, when the afflatus of the Holy Ghost descended, and tongues of fire sat on each, the Apostles strove to utter their mighty feelings in articulate words of earth; they spake but incoherent utterances, insomuch that those around them, unable to enter into their feelings, and not having the key to them, said, "These men are drunk with new wine."

Again this ecstasy was unutterable, because "not lawful for a man to utter." Christian modesty forbids. There are transfiguration moments, bridal hours of the soul: and not easily forgiven are those who would utter the secrets of its high intercourse with its Lord. There is a certain spiritual indelicacy in persons who cannot perceive that not everything which is a matter of experience and knowledge is, therefore, a subject for conversation. You cannot discuss such subjects without vulgarizing them.

The things of heaven are too high to be expressed in words of earth, and every attempt to do so must not only fail, but degrade them. This is among the greatest evils of the Romish confessional, that it strives to make known to another what ought to be between God and the soul. Secret things belong to God.

Thus, when Elijah and Elisha went together from Gilgal to Jordan, the sons of the prophets came to Elisha with that confidential gossip which is common in those who think to understand mysteries by talking of them: "Knowest thou," they asked, "that the Lord will take away thy master to-day ?" Remember Elisha's dignified reply: "Yea, I know it: hold ye your peace."

God dwells in the thick darkness. Silence knows more of Him than speech. His Name is Secret: therefore, beware

how you profane His stillness. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and is felt by dwelling with God, by thinking of God, more than by talking of Him. To each of His servants He giveth a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it."

LECTURE LIX.

2 CORINTHIANS, xii. 6-11.

-Sunday Afternoon, May 15, 1853.

earlier verses of this chapter, we

IN the exposition of the

IN

experienced a difficulty from St. Paul's speaking apparently of another man, owing to the fact that he had resolved to think of the humbled Paul as himself, and the Vision-seer as not yet his real self. This distinction is evident, vv. 5, 6. He was anxious that neither himself nor the Corinthians should be deceived. Not himself, lest he should be puffed up. Not they, lest they should give to the creature the glory of the Creator. "Now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that he seeth me to be."

Before we proceed to the immediate subject we must make two preliminary observations. There is here an entire absence of any affectation of spirituality, of that sanctimoniousness which says, "Stand aside, I am holier than thou!" which throws a hedge of circumvallation around it, from a secret consciousness that, if this were broken through, it would be found to be but very commonplace goodness after all. Here lies the difference between first or second-rate goodness or greatWhat is vulgarly great and good, as the mere dignities of this world, must throw about them the barriers of etiquette and formality to awe the ignorant, who take omne ignotum pro mirifico. The Apostle would say, "I desire to be seen just as I am, no more, as Paul the actual-Paul the Vision-seer, Paul the visited of angels, is the Paul I shall be hereafter."

ness.

This is the characteristic of true greatness and genuine goodness. It needs no artifices-it can bear the sunlight. It

is simple and real; it does not affect angels' food it wears the undress of everyday life. And this was peculiarly the character of the man Christ Jesus. He was eminently accessible to all, simple, affectionate to the crowd which surrounded Him, ever humble, so that His disciples, His friends, and even His enemies were offended at it. He was compelled to say to His disciples, "Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not ;" and at another time they urged Him, saying, "Master, send away this woman, for she crieth after us." They thought their Master so great that He would be vulgarized by those who came near Him. The Pharisees marvelled that He talked with publicans and harlots. Halfsighted men! contact with sinners could not vulgarize Him! The tinsel must be seen at a distance, or it will be discovered to be counterfeit. We may gaze on goodness, and the more we gaze, the more it shines; like the sunlight, no less pure and beautiful when it brightens the wayside thistle, than when it glistens on the emeralds and the diamonds of a princely diadem.

There was in this conduct no affected unconsciousness of his spiritual gifts, his visions, his ecstasies, of his being caught up to the third heaven. He did not love to expatiate on these things he avoided them—he trembled at speaking of them; but on suitable occasions he did not shrink from boldly confess ing that he had had them; he pretended no ignorance of this privilege. And was not this vanity? Yes, if modesty is blindness or ignorance. The truth is, St. Paul knew his gifts, but he was kept humble because he remembered that there was another side of his character-he had the thorn in the fleshthe messenger of Satan to buffet him.

A vain man sees but one side of his character. The Pharisees accused even our Lord of vanity. Conscious of the hypocrisy of their own hearts, they said, "Thou bearest witness of Thyself, Thy witness is not true." Observe our Lord's

indignant reply: "Though I bear witness of Myself, yet is My witness true. If I say, I know Him not, I shall be a liar like unto you." This will teach us how to cultivate modesty in ourselves, to watch the evil, and the deficiencies of our characters; and when we know them well, we may safely gaze upon, ay, and talk of our powers. He who can see with equal eye the balance of his deficiencies against his powers, who can see himself in some degree as God sees him, will have found the true secret of Christian modesty. This will teach us how to cultivate modesty in our children-not by denying their beauty or their accomplishments, under the idea that by recognizing them we may make them vain, for so we shall prove liars to them, if not by the words, at least by the admiration of others: but rather doing it by reminding them of the attainments to which they have not reached, of the excellence, beauties, and graces in others thus will they learn to estimate themselves properly, and to think modestly of whatever excellence God may have given them.

I. These verses treat of Christian trials, under the figure of a thorn in the flesh. We will consider their nature and their use. Many commentators have exercised great ingenuity in deep and learned disquisitions on the nature of this thorn, and we fear that they have been almost entirely wasted. In reality, we should inquire not what the thorn was, but why it was sent. We should look for general, rather than special truths in it. Some have imagined with, great ingenuity that it was some sinful inclination to which the Apostle was exposed; some have found it an impediment of speech; some have proved, to their own satisfaction, that it was a defect in eyesight; and others, some personal hindrance to popularity: but all this is but a waste of time. We have a general idea suggested at the 10th We are sure that it was a trial partaking of the nature of a thorn; and that the Apostle rejoiced in it--not as a thorn, but-because God's strength was given to support him under it.

verse.