prclC'nce of human wisrlom to the will of revealed by ff.re ; rather, becatise it is beinr, (~o<l: anrl l1C'rC' the nd_jcctiYe only npl'lies to re,,ealed in fire. The phrase "is being" is the wisdom rC'qnir<'d by n lrnil,l<>t". In ot.hC'r coiled b..d English, but some such phrnso is word.~, "wise" is hereeqnivnlent to "skilful." positively nccdc,l to render the continuous. Since Paul hat! received the g-rnco of God for present tense, which here expresses cer- this ,·cry purpose, he wns made "wise" by tainty, untnrnl bcquence, perpetual immi- the knowledg-c of Christ (for the metaphor nenco. 'l'his tense ;s constantly used to of building, seP Matt. Yii. 24; Hi. IS; Eph. ii. express the continuity ~nd the present 21 ; I Pet. ii. 5). The foundation; ratl.wr, a working of Divine laws (corup. Mntt. iii.10). /011111:lation. Tl1ough in truth there is but As the nominative is not exprt1ssed, it i~ one fonndntion. as he proceeds to say, St. uncertnin whether "it" refers to "each Paul ahrnn r<>fused to build on the founda- man's work" or to" the day." Either grvea tion lnid b~- another (Hom. xv. 20). Another. an apposite sense (Mai. iv. 1; 2 Thess. i. 8). Perhaps the spPcinl allusion is to Apollos. Some would make" he" (nnmely, Christ) the Yer. 11.-0ther foundation oan no man nominative, because "the day" menns lay. Any "at.her" gospel is not merely "the day of Christ; " and in favour of this "another," but" a dijf'erent" gospel (Gal. i. vie_w they quote 2 Thess. i. 7, "The reve- 9). That which is la.id; rather, that is lying lat,on of the Lord Jesus from heaven ill (comp. I Pet. ii. 6), It has not been plnced flaming fire." But the ellipse of an nne:s:- there ( n8,vTa) by any human hands, but lies pressed nominative is harsh. The fire itself there bv the eternal will. Which is Jesus shall prove each man's work, This is the Christ. • '' The doctrine of Jesus Christ is the "probatory" or testing fire of the day of 0
fonnrlation of all theology ; his person of all the Lord, of which we read very freque ntly life." This is again and again inculcated in in the Fathers. The doctrine of pmgatory Scripture: Isa. xxxiii. 16, "Behold, I lay in bas been in some measure founded on this Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, verse (Council of Florence, A.D. 1439) ; but n precious corner-stone, a sure foundation." such a view of it cannot be maintained. The On this rock the Church is built (Matt. xvi. reader will find the subject examined and 1S; Acts iv. 11, 12; Eph. ii. 20). the quotations from the Fathers given in the ,er. 12.-Gold, silver. Perhaps St. Paul writer's' Mercy and Judgment,' p. 69. All thought for a moment of the gorgeous metals that is said here is that the fire of Christ's nnd rich marbles-used in the Corinthian presence-the cousuminR fire of God's love- temples, ns well as in the temple at Jeru- shall test the work, not purge it. The fu-e is salem. But it is surely fantastic to suggest probatory, not purgatorial, and it is not in that his reference is an historical reminis- itself a fire of wrath, for it tests the gold and cence of the melting of gold and silver in silver as well as the infe1·ior elements of the the burning of Corinth by Murnmius, nearly structure. It is the fire of the refiner, not two lrnndred )'Cars before. Costly stones; i.e. of the avenger. costly marble from Paros, Phrygia, etc. Yer. 14.-If any man's work shall abide. Wood, hay, stubble. These words seem to St. Paul is speaking primarily of teachers, symbolize erroneous or imperfect doctrines, though, of course, his words apply by analogy which would not stand the test, and which to all believsi·s. He shall receive a reward. led to evil practices. Such were the" philo- One of the teacher's rewards will he his sophy and vain deceit," " the weak and converts (1 Thess. ii. 19), who will be "his beggarly elements," "the rudiments of the joy and crown of glorying" (Phil. ii. 16); world," of which he speaks in Gal. iv. 9; Col. another will be '' a crown of glo1·y that ii. 8. So in the :Midra.sh Tehilliu, the words fadeth not away" (1 Pet. v. 2, 4; Dan. xii. of false teachers are compared to hay. The 3) ; yet another will he fresh opportunities doctrines to which he alludes are not anti- for higher labour (Matt, xxv. 23). c!tristian, but imperfect and human-such, Ver. 15.-He shall su1fer loss. He shall for instance, as," Humanasconstitutiunculas not receive the full reward to which he de cultu, de victu, de frigidis cerewoniis" might otherwise look (2 John 8). He him- (Erasmus). self shall be saved. It is an inexpressible Yer. 13.-Each man's work shall be made source of comfort to ns, amid the weakness manifest. The n,al nature--the worth or and ignorance of our Ii ves, to know that if worthlessness-of each man's work, will be we have only erred through human frailty made clear sooner or later. The day shall and feeLlem,ss, while yet we desired to be declare it. "The day" can only mean" the since1·e and faithful, the work will be burnt. day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (eh. i. 8), y~t the workman will be saved. Some of which would specially "make manifest the the Fathers gave to this beautiful verse tho counsels of the hearts" (eh. iv.5), an<]" judge shockingly perverted meaning that "the the secrets of men" (Rom. ii. 16), and make workman would be preserved alive for endless all men manifest "before the judgment-seat torments," " salted with fire" in order to of Christ" (2 Cor. h. 10). It shall be endure interminable agonies. The meaning err. m. 1-:::a.J THE I<'IRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.