Ver. 19.-Edijication. The strain in which this portion of the Epistle is written may, the writer is conscious, mislead some readers. It displays a good deal of personal feeling; it reproaches those who have not shown themselves amenable to rightful influence and authority; it reveals a wounded hea.l't, Some readers may misinterpret these signs and infer that the apostle regards himself as on his defence, as excusing and vindicating himself, as asking that the best construction possible may be forbearingly put upon his condnct. .But all this is. erroneous.· Paul's one great aim is, not his own vindication, but, on the contrary, the edification of those to whom his Epistle ie addressed.. I. 1N WHAT DOES EDIFICATION CONSIST? 1. It he.e respect to -those .who are already built upon the one Foundation-Christ. The minister of .Christ, like other workmen, must begin at the beginning. When men receive the gospel, then, and only then; a.re they in a position to be "edified." 2. It consists in the building up of ·the Christian character in the case of individuals. The resemblance to Christ is what is mainly to be sought. 3. And in the formation of solid and serviceable Christian societies, all of which are parts of the holy temple which is being reared to the glory of God. • IL BY WHAT ldEAl!IB IS EDIFICATION P.BOHOTED? 1.. The means divinely appointed and approved are moral and spiritu~l. All employment of mechanical or political a"ency to secure such an end is to be condemned, as both inappropriate and us.eless. 2~ Personal agency is that which the New Testament exemplifies and which experience approves. Living spirits, full of love and sympathy, are divinely1qualifted to engage in such a work as this. 3. The presentation, .of truth, the addressing of language of encoumo-ement and promise, of admonition and rebuke,-thes11 are emphatically the scriptur;l methods-0f edification. Of all these abundant and very instructive examples may be found in this very Epistle. . • •• • fil WHAT PURPOSES I>OEB EDIFICATION BU11BEBVE? 1. The welfare, the highest spiritual development and happiness, of those who are edified. 2. Th11 impression thus made upon the world by the presence in. the midst of it of e. Divine temple reared with, human souls. 3. The honour and glory of the heavenly Architect himself.-T.
Vers. 1-4.-Apostolic ezperiencea in heaven. I. TllE APOSTLE BAD A HEAVENLY EXPERIENCE DUBING ms EABTBLY LIFE. His earthly experience was, very largely,dark and sorrowful; but a01iiJst th& darkness appearij this brilliant flash of heavenly light. l. Be gives UB thiB ezperience a, an act11,1J,l /act, and as a'IJ,Ch Wt$ 'fMJBt receive it. It W&ll a reality to him. He records it that it !llay come before us aa a. reality, not as a mere ea. x11. 1-21.] THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 300