The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 189

~I. L"EADB TO FA!THFUL UTTERANCE. The ~postle WAS very outspoken to the Corin- thians becP.use of his great love for them. His love rendered silence Impossible. If we love our ~rother much we sba.11 not snffer sin upon him. Blindness and dumbness toward~ the s111s of our brethren are cruelty, not kindness. If we find it praotica.lly impossible to admonish the erring, it is not because we love them so much but bees.use we love them so little. Ministers and teachers should have great boldne'ss of speech. A house-dog is no good unless he ba.rks. A surgeon who never uses the knife deserves few patients. Faithful speech is a. true child of the chief of the graces. III. SHOULD JIE VERY Il,"TENSE TOWARDS JIELIEVERS, ESPECIALLY TOWA'RD8 OUR SPI~ITUAL CHILDREN. T~e only manacles of the children of God are golden ones. J:e!•evers ca.n be tr~ly kmt ~gether by love alone. The cement joining together the hnng stones of Gods house IS love. Churches without love are scandalous spectacles to the world, dens of misery in themselves, and hateful in the siaht of God. But love can make a happy family out of otherwise incongruous elements,"and a holy family out of elements still marked by imperfections. A particular affection shoul<i. be cherished towards those whom we have led to Christ. Paul's affection for his spiritual children was remarkable; yet not greater than ours ought to be. If we love such greatly, we can do much for them ; our love to them and special relation will give us power over them. They will need guidance, counsel, possibly admonition. A great love for them will prompt to great efforts on their behalf. Paul's love made him cleave to his com·erts ; they were in his heart "to die together and live together" ( ver. 3), IV. SHOULD JIE STRONG ENOUGH TO JIEA'R A GREAT STRAIN. It is very likely to be subjected to this. So easy is it to love when we are loved, deferred to, obeyed, courteously treated ; so difficult otherwise. But apostolic love could bear this test (see eh. xii. 15). We are apt to love ickal, persons, or to suppose that the real persons of our affection have ideal excellences. Love is tested when we discover the many imperfections in the objects of our affection; but love ought to bea.r the- test. Profit.ably may we remember that, if we see faults in others, they probably see not a few in us. V. WILL OFTEN TBI1JllPII OVER OPPOSITION. If you want to conquer men, love them. Persist in loving the unlovely. Some hearts may not yield even to love, but nothing is likely to bring them so near to yielding. There is mighty power in love. But it must be real, solid, test-bearing, abiding. Paul's great power was Jove-power. VI. BRINGS MUCH JOY TO THOSE EXERCISING IT. It has its pains, but these are chastened. It is the unloving heart which is the unrejoicing heart. Especially is the joy great when this love is reciprocated or begins to'triumph. Paul's cup ran over when the Corinthians yielded to his love. He conld say," I overflow with joy in all our affliction" (ver. 4). God is love, and God lives in unsullied bliss. If we were more like God in love we should be more like God in joy. The atmosphere of heaven is love; if we breathe this atmosphere on earth we experience heavenly delight. . VII. FITS us FOB usEFULNEBB. A less loving apostle than Paul could never have done Paul's work. The greatest teacher the world has ever seen was the One who had most love. Love drives us to usefulness and qualifies us for it at the same time. If we would be more educated for Christian service, let us labonr to take a higher degree in the university of love. The world wants Christian workers whose hearts are full of apostolic, yea, of Christ-like, love.-H. Vere. 5-7.-Ministerial sorrows and their alleviation, I. MuCH BOBROW IS OFTEN 'l'HE PORTION OF lllINIBTERB OP CHRIST. Arising from various causes, such as: 1. Bodily weakness. Some seem to forget that ministers have bodies at all. Certainly many expect them at all times to be ready for their duties. Ministerial work is very trying to bodily strength. And ministerial work is exceedingly painful in bodily sickness and infirmity. Here many ministers bring much sorrow upon themselves by carelessness as to the body. In some Churches it might be a good thing to appoint a deacon whose special function should be to see that the pastor took sufficient open-air exercise. 2. MMltal weariness. 'l'he mind soon tires. The Lord's servant has often to do hia work with a flaaging brain. Great sorrow is felt when the need of work i1 aeen and the capacity not"possessed through exhaUlltion. 3. Mental depre,sion, "Fears within." Sometimes experienced in the very midat of success, When under adverae en. v11. 1-16.] THE SECOND EPISTtE TO Ttl'.E CORINTHIA:N"S. 18i