that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Covenant, they who are called might receive the promise of the everlasting inheritance."

And when we bear in mind the connection in which the death of Christ is here introduced, it will be evident that the only idea in the mind of the Apostle was the abolition of religious distinctions, and the union of all men in spiritual Liberty; so that none could find the sources of personal importance in that Gospel whose first principle it was, that, dying to the Law of self and sin, they should live no more unto themselves, but the Life of him who died in Love, and now liveth unto God.

(Ch. VI.) But though that Gospel extinguished the selfish and ambitious sentiment, still its Apostle, as an ambassador for Christ, had a commission from God to urge it home upon the hearts of all people,

- and a claim to be esteemed very highly, in love, for his work's sake. That he sought no glory for himself, was no reason why his just influence and authority should be weakened amongst those who evidently had not strength to stand alone in the liberty wherewith Christ had made them free, and who, not grown up in spiritual things to the stature of the Apostle, were open to the seductions of the false teachers who dispensed some Jewish or Heathen notions, accommodated to the frailty of these babes in Christ. To such he did not hesitate "to magnify his office," if, by impressing them with his just claims on their gratitude and confidence, he could persuade them to receive the Truth of Christ

in the spiritual form he had administered it to them, and so preserve them from the moral dangers incident to men who, not having their stability within themselves, depended for their safe guidance upon the soundness of those to whom their trust was given. It was right, therefore, that, as one "put in trust with the Gospel," he should exhort them not to receive the grace of God in vain; - that, for those who would become new creatures, casting behind them their former feebleness of outward dependence, "now was the accepted time, now was the day of Salvation"; — and that, against the influence of unspiritual advisers tampering with their new-born and feeble faith, he should confirm his own authority by setting forth every plea that justly entitled him to a power over their hearts. It was with this view that he drew up that noble statement of his labors in the Gospel, as one who used no undue means with those whom he regarded as his children in the Faith,-"seeking to give no offence in any thing, that the ministry might not be blamed, but approving himself to God, in patience, in affliction, in imprisonments, in watchings, — by pureness, by longsuffering, by love unfeigned, by the word of Truth, by the power of God upon the convinced heart,by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, offensive and defensive; through honor and dishonor, — through evil report and good report, -treated as a deceiver, and yet true, as obscure, and yet having a name that would never perish, grieved, yet rejoicing,-poor, yet making many rich, - having nothing, yet possessing all things."

When the fountains of the heart are once broken up, thoughts pour forth which at all other moments would be restrained: whatever is in the soul is then borne out on the torrent of the affections. St. Paul had not intended to make this personal appeal, but it came:-"Our tongue is loosed, O Corinthians, for our heart is burst. Be not straitened towards. us, as our heart is not straitened towards you: we speak to you, as our spiritual children, and as our recompense we ask only that you would open to us your bosoms, — turn away from seducers, hold no more communion with unrighteousness,and, as temples of the living God, cleanse the soul from idols, accepting the overture of God, 'I will be their God, and they shall be my people.' Come out from among them,-touch not the unclean thing, and 'I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be unto me as sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.'

Throughout this Section, I have sought no present applications, nor transferred a word or a thought from the relations between St. Paul and the Corinthians to our own business and bosoms. But as the Gospel never dies, its warnings and its promises are never out of season. Notwithstanding Paul's expectation, the End is not yet: but to those whose hearts Death hath rent, and whom Mortality makes to feel that, as they walk this Earth they are treading on their graves, never can come amiss the warning voice,-"Now is the accepted time, now is the day of Salvation"; -and to the feeble and lapsing

Faith of a nature tempted and frail as ours, never can be unneeded the word of exhortation, to "receive not the grace of God in vain," and if we have a heavenly Hope, "to cleanse ourselves from all disqualifying sins of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (Ch. VII. 1.)

SECTION V.

THE LAW OF MORAL INFLUENCE. PAUL'S INTENSE THANKFULNESS THAT HIS REMONSTRANCE WITH THEIR SINS HAD NOT SPIRITUALLY INJURED THE CORINTHIANS. THE DOCTRINE OF CONTRITION. THE SORROW THAT IS ROOTED IN THE WORLD; AND THE SORROW THAT IS ROOTED IN GOD.

CHAP. VII. 2-16.

2 RECEIVE US; we have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. 3 I speak not to condemn you, for I have already said, that ye are in our hearts, to die together and to live to4 gether. Great is my freedom of speech towards you; great is my glorying for you: I am filled with consolation; I exceedingly abound in joy under all our affliction. 5 For when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but on all sides we were troubled: without were fightings, 6 within were fears. But God, who comforteth those who are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus ; 7 and not by his coming only, but also by the comfort wherewith he was comforted by you, when he told us of your desire, your mourning, your zealous affection for so that I rejoiced the more. Because if I pained you by the Epistle, I do not repent, even if I did repent, for I see that same Letter, though but for a season, has

8 me,