Vere. 24--21.-Evil paulon. A more frightful exhibition of sin and its consequences than that gtveh by the apostle in the latter part of this chapter could not have been presented; yet to have eaid Ieee than this would have been to fall short of the f'acts of the caee, which needed to be stated in order to prepare the way for the publication of a. p;oApel of pnrdon and of purity. J. Tnm nooT 011' EVIL PA88ION, 0B LUB'l', IB IN THE WORBIIlP 011 THE CREATURE. The beginning of all evil is in departure from God, Hie works, and especially the most honourable and beautiful of all hie material constructions-the human body-are intended to lead the thoughts and aspirations of men to the great Creator himself, whose attributes they in some measure display. The symmetry and grace and beauty of the human form and features are the crown of the physical creation. And to the Christian the body of man has this higher interest-it was tenanted by the human mind, it was possessed by the Divine nature, of the Son of God himself. The attrac- tiveness of the body is not only a fact indicative of the Divine delight in form; within lawful bounds it is intended to subserve the high purposes of social and especially of conjugal life. But when the interest centres upon what is corporeal, and does not pass beyond nnd above it, then the Divine intention is frustrated. Evidently the nobility, the enchanting loveliness characteristic of the human body in its grandest and fairest types, are designed to suggest the in.finite and eternal spiritual excellence. " Thus beauty here points up to that above, .And loveliness lea.de on to perfect love." But when this great and precious lesson is missed, what follows? Inevitable d8t,arada- tion. The creature is worshipped, and the Creator is forgotten or despised. The mind and heart seek to rest in what can never satisfy them. The emblem is mistaken for the reality, the shadow for the substance. II. 'l'HE FRUIT OF EVIL PASSION, on LUST, IS UNNATURAL AND DEBASil!iG VICE. Readers of the ancient literature of Greece and Rome, students of anthropology, travel- lers and residents in heathen lands in our own time, are well aware of the lengths to which sinful passion can lead those whom it masters. There is no need to go into detan,·and it is better for Christian people to remain ignorant of corruptions with which, happily, they are never· brought into contact. But it remains true that, with idolatry, the filthiest rites and orgies have often been, and still are, associated. Those abandoned to "fleshly lusts" appear to exhaust their ingenuity in inventing fo?Ilils of unlawful indulgence. III. TEE PUNlSHMENT OF EVIL PASSION, OR LUST, IS ASSURED BY THE BETBillUTITE ACTION OF GOD'S RIGHTEOUS GOVERNMENT. There is a natural belief in retribution. Nemesis is no mere invention of the human imagination j it springs from convictions and fears from which humanity can never free itself. Revelation confirms the natural utterances of human reason, assuring us that after death is the judgment, and that every man shall give account of himself to God, when evil deeds shall not go unpunished. The laws of nature to a large extent ensure some measure of retribution even here and now. Tribes and nations which have practised debasing and unnatunl vices have paid the pennlty in national deterioration, and individual sinners have reaped the bitter fruit proper to evil seed. And there is every reason to believe th11t the righteous judgment of God is not con.fined to this present earthly state. IV. THE REMEDY OF EVIL PASSION, OR LUST, IS PROVIDED IN THE GOSPEL OF OUB LoRD JEsus CHRlBT. It is the purpose of the apostle, in this Epistle to the Romans, to show that the mercy of God our Father hns abounded to sin(ul men, in the provision of (1) pardon for even heinous sin, upon the sinner's repentance and faith; IIIl.d (2) purity of heart and life suoh as the Spirit of Christ alone can create.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere, 1-7.-PauZ's description of himsel,f; or, the story of a noble life. .An auto- biography, the story of our own life, is a. dangerous thing for a man to write. We aro partisan judges of our own charo.cter. We conceal our own faults nud c:s:!\~ernte our own virtues. An autohiography, too. is often very dull nn•l very dry. But the THE EPISTLE o:r PAUL TO TRB ROIIANS. [on. L 1-89.