Ver. 5.-" Prove yourselves." The apostle, before closing his Epistle, turned round upon his detractors. 'l'bey had been questioning his authority and disparaging his claims, and be had been defending himself and Rsserting his apostolic rights. Dut was this as it should be? How was it with themselves? 'l'hey were very anxious to test him, to compel him to verify his claims. Why should not they be asked whether their own position was assured, whether their own professions were justifiable? Let them examine, test1 and prove themselves I The exhortation is one by which all professing Christians may profit, I. 'l'HE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-PROOF. This appears from the unquestionable fact that men generally are disposed to take too favourable a view of themselves, their own character, their own services, their own importance to the Church or the world. Illusion often becomes delusion. That which is nearest at hand, and which might be supposed, because most accessible, to be best known, is often judged.with the least fairness and justice. Yet if we form a false estimate of ourselves, how disastrous the consequences may be! II. 1'BE METHOD AND SPmIT OF BELF-PBOOF. 1. There should be perfect candour. 2. The examination should be carried on as under the eye of the omniscient and all- searching God. 3. The st.andard by which we judge ourselves should be the high and infallible st.'lndard of God's own Word. 4. There should be no attempt to exalt self by depreciating others. ill. THE CONSEQUENCES OF SELF-l'BOOF. 1. The process may reveal what is altogether unsatisfactory and lamentable. He who tests himself thoroughly may come to the conclusion that his life is all wrong from the very foundation. If this is so, it is well that it should be known, that a new basis for the moral life may be laid in the truth and righteousness of God himself. 2. 'l'he process may yield results partly gratifying and partly regrettable. If so, while there will be reason for gratitude and encourage- ment, there will be a call to repentance, reformation, and improvement. For a man to know his faults and errors is the first step towards what is better and nobler.-T. Ver. 8.-.mvincible truth. Paul boasted that he could do all things, i.e. through Christ who strengthened him. Let his adversaries rage and threaten, he had no fear. He would assert his authority, exercise his power, and reduce the proudest opponent to helplessness. For the truth's sake, for the gospel, there was nothing which he wos not able to achieve. But if those whom he chided ehould submit, should return to their fidelity, not to him only, but to the gospel, then he was powerless to harm them. Nay, in such a case he was with them, on their side. Such appears to be the expla- nation of this grand utterance occurring in this connection. L THE POWERLESSNESS OF MAN WHEN rn OPPOSITION TO THE TilUTH OF GoD. 1. The avowed enemies of the truth have failed in their attacks upon it, whatever have been the resources upon which they have drawn, the arms upon which they have relied. Persecu- tion has raged first against CbristianiLy itself, and then against its purer representation in days of reformation. With what result? The blood of the martyrs has ever been the seed of the Church. "Truth, like a torch, the more it's shook it shines." 2. The false, hypocritical friends of the trnlh have never succeeded in cxterruinnting it. 'l'heir efforts have often been insidious, and have often corrupted and ensnared individuals and emu societies. But the plll'e truth of God has survived, whilst these attcm11ts have again and again been foiled. II. 'l'HE STBENGTII OF THOSE WHO WORK WITH AND FOB THE TBUTH OF GoD. 1. Their natural feebleness does not hinder the victory of the cause which they embrace. 'l'he ignorant, the poor, the young, the feeble, have done and are still doing great things for tlie gospel. As at first, so now, God chooses" the weak things of the world to confound the i11i;:,:I ty." 2,, '!'he efficiency of the truth <lepe1Jds "Jpon its Divine origin ~nd 11Uurcc. en. xm. 1-14.] TI-m SECOND EPISTLE TO TilJ;; COlUNTHL\.NS. 323
"If God be for us, who can ho against us?" Wherever Clod's trnth is procl,li mctl there God's Spirit works and God's power is felt. 3. The efficiency .of tho truth lie~ in ita harmony with the nature and constitution of man. With the use of this divinely tempered implement the divinely prepared soil of humanity may be rendered fruitful In great resulls. Magna est veritas, et prevalebit.-T.
Ver. 11.-" Live in peace." The Christian religion ever represents all true peace 11mong men o,s taking its beginning in peace with God. This first creates peace of conscience, and then issues in harmony nl!d concor~ i_n .civil and ecclesiastical society. 'l'hero ~an be no doubt that the apostle 1s here enJornmg mutual good will, kindness, o,nd amity. J. CHRISTIAN PEACF. IS IN CONTRAST TO THE ENMITY WHICH IS NATURAL TO SI'.'!FuL ME!if. "\Vhcnce come," asks the inspired writer-" whence come wars and fi"htinos among you?" And the answer is that they may be traced to the lusts which ;;: 0 inherent in depraved human nature. In a more primitive state of society, mankind are actually and almost normally at war. In more civilized society, hatred, malice, envy, etc., prevail, and produce disastrous results, although the worst outward manifestations may be restrained. II. CHilISTIAN PEACE IS OFTEN VIOLATED IN THE SOCIETIES WHICH ABE NAMED AFTER THE PRINCE OF PEACE. How signally this was the case with the Church at Corinth these Epistles make abundantly manifest. It was distracted by party spirit, by schism, by factions. Christ was "divided" in his bouy and members. And in this respect the example set at Corinth has, alas! too often been followed. The abode intended for peace has too often been converted in to a scene of strife. III. FELLOWSHIP WITH CnmsT IS THE ONLY MEANS FOB RESTORING OB. PRESERVING CHmSTIAN PEACE. Interest is not suffk:ieut; external authority and advice continually fail. nut if Christ be enthroned in each henrt and in the society at large, then conflicts will be hushed and the peace of God prevail. Hence the need for all those exercises of prayer and meditation by which this truly Christian grace may be promoted. IV. CHRISTIAN PEACE IS A CONDITION OF CHURCH PROSPERITY. Work and warfare are inimical. If there be strife, the vit11lity must needs be low, the witness must needs be marred, the work must needs suffer in all finer quality. On the other hand, h=ony conduces to co-operation as well as to devotion. The world cannot fail to feel the effects of the presence and the testimony of a united and harmonious Church.-T.