Vers. 1~8.-The charge. The previous section brought before us_ St, Paul's labours as a missionary and an evangelist. The present section sets him before us as the Christian bishop, delivering bis solemn charge to the presbyters of the ChUl'ch. 'l'he qualities brought out in the charge are a transparent integrity of character; a noble ingenuousnCSB, which enables him to speak of himself without a particle of vanity; and a resolut.eness of purpose to do what is right, which no persu:1sion could weaken and no dangers turn aside. And then, besides, there is the most tender care for_ the Church of God. We see a mind full of anxious thought for the future of the Church which he loved, and loved doubly because he knew that Christ loved it and h:1d died for it. We see a prescience and a wisdom which looked at things as they really were, and not as he wished them to be ; which t-0ok a true measure of cause and effect; and did all that could be done to provide an antidote to the coming evils which he foresaw. Foreseeing the rise of heresies and false teachers, and the rapid growth of false doctrine, which would make ha'l"oc among the flock, he threw the whole vigour of his intellect, and the whole warmth of his affection, into the address by which he hoped to raise up in the clergy before him an effectual barrier against the destruction which he feared. And certainly, if words have any effect; if the eloquent speech of one whose life is still more eloquent than his tongue, can move the hearts and stir the spirits of other men, albcit they be men of inferior mould, to virtue and energy of holy actio;:i; if prayer and blessing, blll'sting forth from the full heart of a chosen vessel of God's grace, ha'l"e li.IlJ influcuce and bear any fruit ;-it must be th:1t this eloquent charge, so simple, so forcible, so pathetic, so plainly stamped with the image of Paul's inner man, wrought powerfully upon the minds of the Ephesian presbyters. His words must have brought back the memory of his self-denying and superhuman labours; and many a resolution must have sprung up in their hearts to live for Chri:.t, and to be steadfast unto death in defence of his precious truth. And when they rose up from that parting prayer, with streaming eyes and sobbing voice, surely they must ha-.,e gone back t-0 the oversight of their flocks with a devotion such as they had never felt before, So great is the influence of burning words, glowing with love and enforced by example, when they proceed from one whose office and ,,.-hose character alike command reverence and respect. God grant that his Church may ever be "ordered and guided by faithful and true pastors, through Jesus Christ our Lord I"
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-12.-Human life: 1[gltts and shadows. In these verses we are reminded of- L THE 8Cil'TY RECORD-OF BUJ4.U! LIFE. We have six verses of this valuable chronicle given t-0 the unimportant incident of the accident which befell Eutychus (vers. 7-12), and only three t-0 Paul's visit t.o Macedonia and Greece! Vve do not under,tand why Luke should thw; apportion his space, but the fact that he did so reminds us liow often :most interesting and instructive scenes, or even precious and influenti:J.l periods, of our life are left unreported. We should have liked to read a full description, in copious detail, of the apostle's visit to the Churches of Macedonia, and especially of his inter- view with' the Church at Corinth. But we are not gratified. Doubtless some of the wost heroic deeds have been wrought in 11ecret, and 110 tongue has told the st.ory; en. xx, 1-88.J 'l'UJJJ AOTH Ol!' 'fllJ,; A.1:'CJ::iTU'.S.