"And who is sufficient for these things?" Here is no one-sided gospel, that accommo. dates conscience to taste, and allows a compromise between duty and inclination. Here is a gospel that is the "savour of death unto death" and of "lifo unto life." Who is competent to maintain its stem truthfulness by preaching both these.doctrines? The test of a faithful minister lies in the wise and earnest use of each class ot facts. Is anything so difficult? Take the natural intellect; take the natural a.Jl"ections. take language as the ,·chicle of expression; and by what p·,wer of culture can a pr~cher be foUDd who can set forth the gospel in its twofoldness of "death unto death" and "life unto life"? St. Paul, in the seventeenth verse, answers the question as to sufficiency. Now, as always, it is not simply the gospel which is the power and wisdom of God, but his way of preaching it. He declares that "many corrupt the Word of God;" not of this number is he. And where does the danger of corruption exist? Jn not holding with a balanced mind the "death" ,and the "life," so as to shun .over.: statements and under-statements in each instance. 'l'o preach after St. Paul's manneD· one must have sincerity-the truth unmixed with human speculations; he must pree.ch what God has revealed as to his Law and its righteousness, no more, no less• &nd he must preach it in Christ, himself in Christ, his gospel in Christ, and so pre;ch as to spirit and temper and manner that the fragrance shall breathe in a.lJ, his words.-L. Vcrs. 3, 4.-Sympathy in gi·ief and joy. How far from a formal or mechanical ministry was that of the apostle! He entered into the circumstances and the feelings of those for whom he had laboured. Nothiug which affected their interests was indif- ferent to him. Some in his position would have said," We have,done our duty; it is no affair of ours how they act; why should we trouble ourselves regarding them?" Not so St. Paul. When the Corinthians acted unworthily, ·his -sensitive heart was distressed; when they repented, that heart boUDded with joy. This was not altogether. the effect of natural temperament ; it was the fruit of true fellowship of spirit with his Lord. I. THE SPIRIT OF SYMPATHY IS THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST AND OF CHRISTIANITY. In the earthly life of our Saviour we behold evidences ot this spirit. He rejuiced in men's joys; he wept by the grave of his friend; he sighed and groaned when he met with instances of unspirituality and unbelief. It was pity which brought him first to earth and then to the cross of Calvary. Similarly, with the precepts of the New Testament. The lesson is often virtually repeated, "Rejoice with those who do rejoice, and weep with those who weep." II. THE SPIBIT OF SYMPATHY IS 6OllETmES THE OCCASION OF SORROW. 1. The spectacle of a professing Christian falling into sin awakens commiseration and distress in the mind of every true follower of Christ. 2. The spectacle of a Christian con- niving at sin, or regarding it with comparative unconcern, is painful in tho extreme to one solicitous for Christian purity, _3. Sorrow, from whatever cause, awakens sorrow in a mind sensitive as was that of Paul. IIL THE SPIRIT OF SYMPATHY IS SOMETllrlEB THE OOOABION OF JOY. Even amidst personal difficulties and opposition encountered_ in his ministry Paul was not indifferent to the joys of his converts. And when those whose conduct had pained him camo to a better mind and afforded him satisfaction, he rejoiced with them in their happiness. If there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth, surely he most resembles the Father of spirits and his immediate attendants whose heart fa lifted up with exhilaration and delight by anything that manifests the growth and victory of the Divine kingdom upon earth.-'l'. Ver. 11.-The devicea of Satan. The course of St. Paul with regard to the Christian Church at Corinth was one of great difficulty. A flagrant case of immorality demanded his decided interference. Yet he wished to deal, both with the offender and with those- who made too light of his offence, in such a way as not to endanger his personnl influeuce over the Corinthian Christians generally. If he were too. lax or too severe, in either case he would give his enemies an opportunity to maHgn him. And lie knew that there were Juda.izing teachers who were ready to attribute the immorality to Paul's doctrines of grace. So that the apostle trod a very difficult path, which Satan had set with snares on either band. He needed to be on his guard against the infidioufl oH; n. 1-17.J THE SECOND El'IS'l'LE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 47
machina.tions of the enemy, a.nd ,he ga.ve the Corinthians to understand that such was his .attitude, • I. SATAN'S DEVIOES ABE MANY AND VARU,!!D •. The resources af an earthly foe ouo-ht not, to be under-estimated by a general who would gain the victory; and if the tactics vary with circumstances; vigilance an~ self-possession, coura.ge and care, are all needed. Satan besets Christians with many temptations,; if he cannot tempt them into consciou,i sin, he will· endeavour to entrap them into some error of judgment and conduct which may give him an advantage over them. IL SATAN'S DEVICES ARE SKILFUL AND CBA.FTY. In the temptation of our Lord this was abundantly manifest, and, the Saviour gave his disciples to ~nderstand that they would be called upon to endure the assaults of the same unsleepmg foe. Against his ever-varying tactics, against his all but inexhaustible resources, it becomes, therefore, every Christia.n soldier to be upon his guard. ill, SATAN'S DEVICES ARE THE MEANS OF SNARING MANY OF THE UNWARY, Some who once ran well have been hindered. Some who have resisted one enemy have fallen beneath the attack of another. 'fhe annals of every Church, however pure, tell of those against whom the adversary has directed his blows only too successfully, "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." IV, SATAN'S DEVICES NEED TO BE WITHSTOOD WITH WATCHFULNESS AND l'RAYEK, It is something not to be ignorant of them. The unwary a.nd unthinking are entrapped through very ignorance. Yet knowledge is no sufficient protection. A distrust of our own ability and a reliance upon superior power and wisdom are indispensably necessary in order to safety and deliverance. Well may the inspired counsel be received with gratitude and acted upon with diligence, " Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.''-T.