omnipotence wae untainted. (2) He has reigned since in power above. (3) He works in powor to-day on earth through his Word and Spirit. III. 'l'm!l DEATH AND IlESURRECTION OF CHRIST, THOUGH m CONTilAST, ARE IN CLOSE ABSOOIA'l'ION, 'l'hey are in point of time. A few hours only separated the weakness of the crnes from the power of the restoration. But there is real dependence also. Jn a certain ~ense the one was the natural result of the other. ,vithout so perfect a crnci fix ion there could not have been so tri nmphant a resurrection. Christ was perfect alike wheu he was in weakness and when he was in power. Had there been any less "weakness" in the death, there had been less " power" in the resurrection. The humiliation was, in its order, as truly glorious as the exaltation. So with us--if we aro abased with Christ here we shall be glorified with him hereafter. We ha.ve the cross-must have the cross-if we would have the crown.-H.
Ver. 5.-Selj-testing. I. MANY ARE FOND OF TESTING OTHERS WHEN IT IB MORE NEEDFUL FOR THEM TO TEST THEMSELVES. "Beginning at Jerusalem" is beginning at the right place. "Know thyself" was a. very wise exhortation. To ascertain the shortcomings of others is more pleasant, but not so profitable, as to ascertain onr own. 'l'he matter of first importance to us is, not whether onr neighbour's scales are true, but whether ours are. Men are singularly unselfish in some directions-in the directions of giving a.clvice and passing condemnatory judgments. II. THE TEST WHICH WE APPLY TO OTHERS WE SHOULD BI!! ABLE TO STAND ounsELVES. Paul was not what the Corinthians thought he ought to be, because they wore not what they ought to have been. A blind man is a poor judge of colours. The beam must be taken out of our eyes before we shall be able to see clearly. An unclean man denouncing uncleanness is no very edifying spectacle. If we warn men against getting into the mire, they will expect us to come out of it. If we would be leaders, we must lead. "Come" is much more potent than" go." !If. 'J.'HERE IS ONE POINT UPON WHICH WE SIIOULD BE MOST DESIROUS OF TESTING OURSELVES. This is-whether we arc "in the faith." Men test themselves frequently, but generally upon points of secondary importance. This is the question of questions. 1. Do we truly repent af sin 1 Do we grieve over evil as that which has been done against God 1 Do we bate it, loathe it, desire to be freed from it? 2. Have we a living faith in the Lord Jesus Ohrist 1 Do we gratefully receive him a.s our Redeemer, and believe that his blood cleanses us from all sin? Have we come to God by Christ and obtained his forgiveness? 3. Is the vitality of ourfaith demonstrated by the fruits of holy livin_q 1 If our faith is not accompanied by works, it is no faith-we are "reprobates" still, and hypocritical reprobates into the bargain. If we are "in the faith," we shall be subject to God, striving daily to do his will, living and labouring to please him and to extend his glory in the ea.rth. We may still be very imperfect, but, having been "born again," we shall walk in "newness of life." IV. How WE MAY TEST OURSELVES UPON THIS VITAL POINT. 1. By prayErful self- examinalion. Prayer must come into this examination of ourselves because God must come. We need Divine help to aid us in knowing ourselves. 2. By comparing head, l1eart, and life with God'6 Word. In the Scriptures we have declared what those "in the faith" believe,feel, do. 3. By pressing home the question-Is Ohrist in md "If any man bath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Rom. viii. 9). We are in the faith if the Lord of the faith is in us. How earnestly should we examine ourselves I How restless should we be until we enter into the rest which comes from knowing that we are truly in the faith !-H.
Vers. 11, 12.-.A beautiful farewell. I. RECOGNITION OF BROTHERHOOD. In his ,etter tho writer had been compelled to insist much upon his apostleship, but be now wisely and graciously stands upon common ground. He was compelled to magnify his office, but he was too good and too great to magnify himself. Amongst men there is a. natural craving for equn!Hy; we resent a fellow-creature attempting to lord it over us. And in the realm of religion we have ever need to remember "all ye are brethren." What a poor fool a. great ma.n seems when he swells a.nd struts in his miserable pomposity and conceit! he is not great-no one can persuade us that he is gl'eat-he is extremely little. How much greater our grea.t men wou\u be if they wo11ld not be 3'.!G 'l'IIE SECOND EPISTLE 'l'O Tim CORINTHIANS. [en . .I.III, 1-14.