Vers. 3, 4.-The gospel veiled. Those things which are int.ended for man's welfare are often so perverted by sin that they become the occasion of the greatest evils. So that it is proverbial that the best things, when abused, prove to be the worst. The 0"Ospel of Jesus Christ, when it is received aright, is a power to enlighten, bless, and save. But to those who reject and despise it the gospel becomes the occasion of condemnation and de.qtruction. l. 'l'HE INVlBmLE Abi"D SPIBITUAL POWEB TEAT VEILS THE GOSPEL FROM THE EYES OF l'dEN. 'l'he expression used by the apostle is very strong; he attributes this mis- cbievoue act to" the god of this world," apparently a personal principle of evil working in human society and in human hearts. Elsewhere we are reminded of the might of the evil one, who is designated" the ruler of this world," "the prince of the power of the air." II. THE MEANS BY WHICH THE EYES OF HEN ABE VEILED. These are runny, and are craftily adapted to the varying characters and habits of men. 1. Sc11Suality often incapacitates for spiritual vision; for the more it makes a mnn sensitive to the attmc- tions of carnal pleasure the more it hinders his spiritual apprehensions and dulls hie spiritual vision. 2. Worldliness fills the whole horizon of vision with tho things o( earth and time, and thus shuts out the shining of the true light which is from he:wen. 3. The pride of human reason, which fancies it.~e\f to be independent and all-powcrfnl, obscures in the case of many the rays of Divine truth which often reach tho lowliest and the least esteemed among men. III. 'l'HE EFFECTS WHIOB THIS BLINDNESS PRODUCES IN THE 'MINDS OF MEN. 1. The glad tidings are regarded with indifference. 2. Christ himself, the very "lma~e of Go<l," is contempbted with aversion and repugnance. There is no spiritual sympnthy to draw the soul to the holy and the gracious One; his very features are rogarded through a dis- torted medinm. 3. All spiritual e.i:cellences lose their charm, fail to awaken to admira- tion and emulation. 4. The true condition in which they lie is aHogother ignored and denied by the spiritually blind. 6. For lack of light they perish; tho spiritually and wilfully blind doom themselves to death.-T.
Ver. 5.-The IMme of preaching. Christianity was first diffused by the proclcmintion of the living voice, and the same mothod hne always hold the most prominont position in the history of the Church and especially of its missions. Yet t.hc success of this motbod has been in proportion to the prominence which preachers give to thoir themo in comparison with their own individuality. I. THE THEME TIIE APOSTLE DISCLAIMS. "We preach not ourselves." 1. I.e. not about ourselves, as is the way with many. Not our own speculations, our own theories, our own fancies. Not even our own experiences in the religious life. 2, For it wns felt by the modost and the wiso that such preaching could only bo to offer, in many cases, weak- ness, folly, and ignoranco; in all cases human imperfection, and infirmity, to mon who know quite enough of all this, and who stand in need of what is superhuman and Di vino. ll. 'l'BE TIIE!dE IN WEICH THE APOSTLE OLORIICB. 1. Christ as an historical Person. It was and still is necessary, in the first pla.ce, to inform the hearers of tho gospel of tho nctual facts of our Lord's earthly manifestation-his incarnation, his ministry, his humiliation and obedience, his sufferings and death, his resurrection and exaltation. All good, sound doctriuo is based upon fact. 2. Christ as a Divine Person; i.e. the Lord, He is to be preached as being what he ueclareu himself to bo-ono with tho l<'athcr, the King of angels aud of men. It is such an all-sulliciont Friend and llelper that man neetl& • If l11ou wert leae thnn One Divine, My soul would be dismayed ; But through thy human lips God aaya, • 'Tia I ; be not arraid I'" 102 Tm; SECOND EPIS'l'LE TO 'l'llE CORINTHIANS. [ea. IV. 1-18,