opposed to the corrupt Judaism of the rabbis-a formal and ceremonial system out of which all 11piritual life had gone. 2. Christ's truth wu opposed to paganism, both in its theories, principles, and practices. 8. Christ's truth ia made to appear opposed to 11cienoe, but only by the undue usumptiona and prejudiced biu of 11ome who really misrepresent l!Cienoe. 4. Christ's truth is always opposed to worldly ma:r.ims, because it demands the whole soul for God, while the world wants the whole soul for self. III. THE TRUTll IN ITS PRACTIOAL PHASES. Illustrate from the Epistles how directly it bears: 1. On individual habits· teaching us how to possess the vessels of our bodfos in sanctification and honour. 2. 'On family relations; culturing good fatherhood and motherhood, and requiring honourable obedience from children, and service from depen- dents. 3. On social fellowships ; binding ma.n to man in a gracious brotherhood ot common helpfulness. IV. TIIE TRUTH WITH THE PERSONAL STAMP ON IT. When uttered with the force of a man's own experience, persuasion, and conviction, the truth gains a new power; but we must also recognize that it comes under limitations by getting apprehension and expression only through limited minds-limited by capacity and limited by education. lndis-iduality is on one side power, but on the other side weakness. Conclude by fully unfolding what now may be thought of as included in the "whole counsel of God," especially pointing out that, while the field of revelation is the same that St Panl had, the field of specuJaliiD,n has marvellously grown and enlarged. But still, what men have to preach to their fellow-men is not their speculation, but God's revelation..-&. T. Ver. 28.-Blood purchased. This figure of speech is directly connected with a reference to the Church as a flock; to the officers as overseers, or shepherds; and to their duty asfeeding the flock. It is important to inquire how far the shepherd and sheep figure will explain the scriptural allusions 'to redemption, or salvation by blood. The figure as used by our Lord in John x. should be compared with the expression in our tex:t, "which he bath purchased with his own blood." The question which we have to consider is-How does a shepherd purchase his sheep with his blood? The answer takes two possible forms. L Tim SHEPHERD PUTS ms LIFE IN PERIL IN DEFENDING IIIB SHEEP. This is the characteristic feature of the good shepherd as opposed to the liireling. The good shep- herd purchases their safety every day by his willingness to shed his blood in their defence. So a mother may be said to purchase the health of a sick child by her willing- ness to give her life for his, imperilling her own life by her anxious watching and care. lL THE SHEPHERD lU.Y ACTUALLY GIVE ms LIFE IN FIGHTING AND KILLING THE WOLVES. If he kills the wolves he saves the sheep, though he may himself die of his wounds; and then he plainly purchases the safety of the flock with his blood. These figures may be applied to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He imperilled his life for our defence. He met our great foe in conflict. He overcame sin and death, and plucked death's sting away. He died indeed in the struggle, but he set us freo; aud so he has purchased us by his own blood. He has won, by his great act of self- sacrifice, our love and life for ever. Compare the figure as employed by St. Peter (1 !'et. i. 18, 19).-R. T. Ver. 35.-The blessednes, of giving. We have no other record of these words aa uttered by Christ. They must have been treasured in the memory of the apostles, and have been often mentioned by them, but never written down. There must be a great deal of Christ's teaching not preserved for us; but we may be assured that the unre- corded was like the recorded, and we may gratefully receive what the Divine Spirit has been pleased to preserve for us. The truth of this statement, that it is "moro blessed to give than to receive," is affirmed and illustrated by: 1. St. Paul's own life. 2. Christ's teaching. 3. Christ's own life of giving. 4. .All human experience. One of the best things said by the late George Peabody is this, spoken at a reunion at his Lative town: "lt is sometimes hard for one who has devoted the best part of his life t.o the accumulation of money to spend it for others; but practise it, and keep on practising it, and I assure you it comes to be a pleasure." lt was a saying of Julius Cesar that no music was so charming in his ears as the requests of his friends, and the OH, lll, 1---40.] THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.
1upplico.tions of those in want of his assistance. Our J.ord did not say that there was no blessedness in receiving, only that it is more bleetied to give. Wo may feel how trne o.re his words in relation to- I. GIVING PRESENTS. 'l'hese not only win and keep our friends, but they greatly increase our love for them by finding it expression. II. GmNG SYMPATHY. This so greatly blesses WI, because we have to fetch up the very best in WI if we are to sympathize with sufferers and sinners. We want our holiest power. III. GIVING KNOWLEDGE. We cannot clear and complete our own knowled,,.e 0 better tlum by making the effort to impart it to others. IV. GIVING LOVE. It is very precious to be loved, but it is surely more precious to Jove, to give our love to another; it is so ennobling and inspiring that we give our love to Christ. V. GIVING PRAYERS. Intercessory prayers are the holiest kind, and the most directly and abundantly fruitful in blessings to ourselves. Let us bear in mind that the blessedness of giving we all can win. All of us can gi'l/6, and we all can give in the various possible ways of giving above referred to. Those even that seem to have nothing yet can give, if a comprehensive view of giving be taken. A poor widow who had only two mites could give. Our Lord himself, though he had nothing, could give. Peter and John could say, "Silver and gol<l have we none, but such as we have we give thee." There are better things to give away than money; and it is in such things that we find the best blessedness of giving.-R. T.
EXPOSITION.