passages are encircled with a kind of glory; they are illuminated with a beam from heaven; they proceed from the Spirit of God, and are produced by faith in Him. There is every

where that beautiful intermixture of motive and action, that union of the cause and the effect, the faith and its fruits, that uniform balance of the principle and the produce, which render these Epistles an exhaustless treasury of practical wisdom, as well as an imperishable record of Divine Grace.

Saint Paul every where runs up the stream to the spring. The government he inculcates is spiritual. Not content to recommend the obedience of the life, he brings the very thoughts and desires under control. He traces up the act to the temper which produces it. He dwells more on the spirit of the world than on its actual offences. He knew that many would reprobate bad actions, who do not seek that spirit which would prevent their generating. He knew that men judge soundly enough on questions in which they have no bias from interest or appetite. For one who believes that to be "carnally minded is death," twenty believe in the miraculous gift of tongues, and even in the doctrine of the Trinity, because they fancy that neither of these trenches on their purse, or

their pleasure, or their vain projects.

What Saint Paul calls "doing by nature the things contained in the law," and “a man

being a law unto himself," we frequently see illustrated in some well-bred and highly-cultivated minds. They have a strong sense of honour and integrity; to this sense their credit and their comfort require they should live up. The natural make of their mind, perhaps, is liberal; from education they have imbibed noble sentiments; they have adopted a system of equity which they would think it dishonourable to violate; they are generous and humane; but in matters of self-indulgence they are not scrupulous; in subduing their inclinations, in abstinence from some one governing desire or impetuous appetite, in all this they come short; to all this their rule does not extend. Their conduct, therefore, though amiable, and useful, and creditable, yet is not the "obedience of faith;" these good qualities might have been exercised had Christianity never existed; this is not bringing the practice, much less the thoughts, into the captivity of Christ. The man is a law unto himself, and acts consistently enough with this self-imposed legislation.

Even if no religion had ever existed, if a Deity did not exist, for the reference is not to religion, not to the will of the Deity, such morality would be acceptable to society, because to society it is profitable But how can any action be pleasing to God in which there is no purpose of pleasing him? How can any con

duct be acceptable to God, to whom it renders no homage, to whom it gives no glory?

Scripture abounds with every motive to obedience, both rational and spiritual. But it would achieve but half its work had it stopped there. As peccable creatures, we require not only inducements to obedience, but a heart, and a power, and a will to obey; assistance is as necessary as motives; power as indispensable as precept; all which requisites are not only promised by the Word, but conferred by the Spirit of God.

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CHAP. VI.

THE DISINTERESTEDNESS OF SAINT PAUL.

THE perfection of the Christian character does not so much consist in this excellence, or that talent, or the other virtue; in the performance of some right action, or the abstinence from some wrong one, as in the determination of the whole soul for God. This generous surrender of self, whether of the sensual or of the intellectual self, is the unequivocal test of a heart consecrated by man to his Maker. He has no by-ends, no secret reserves. His intention is single, his way is straightforward; he keeps his end in view without deflection, and he pursues it without weariness.

Saint Paul and his associates were the first moral instructors who preached not themselves. Perhaps there is scarcely a more striking proof of the grandeur of his spirit, than his indifference to popularity. This is an elevation of character, which not only no Pagan sage has reached, but which not every Christian teacher has been found to attain.

This successful Apostle was so far from placing himself at the head of a sect, that he took pains to avoid it. In some subsequent instructors,

this vanity was probably the first seed of heresy; the sound of Ebionites and Marcionites would as much gratify the ear of the founders, as bringing over proselytes to their opinions would delight their feelings. Saint Paul would have rejected with horror any such distinction. He who earnestly sought to glorify his Master would naturally abase himself. With a holy indignation he asks, "What then is Paul, and what is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed?" He points out to them the littleness of such exclusive fondness in men, who had such great objects in view -" overvalue not Paul or Apollos as yours, for all things are yours."

It

It is impossible not to stop a moment, in order to notice the fine structure of the period to which these words are an introduction. would be difficult to find a more finished climax : "Let no man glory in men; for all things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas; or the world, or life, or death; or things present, or things to come; all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's." *

Knowing the proneness of human nature to this party-spirit, he takes pains to prevent excessive individual attachments. There is no instance of a man so distinguished, so little distinguishing himself. He chooses to merge himself in the general cause, to sink himself in the mass of faithful ministers. This is par

* 1 Cor. iii. 22.