Ver. 3.-" Absent in body, but present in spirit." Much as Paul loved his convert~ in the city of Corinth, he could not, at the period when he wrote this Epistle, think of' visiting them. Their conduct in the matter treated in this chapter so distressed his pure and affectionate heart, so disappointed his expectations, that he felt constrained to remain absent from them. Bnt in so doing he wa~ not showincr any lack of interest. in their Christian life or their Church procee~ings. Quite the conu·ary; he was content to stay away because, as the text makes evident, he knew there was a sense in which. he was really with them. • I. THE SPECIA!.. INSTANCE OF THIS PRINCIPLE FURNISHED IN THE CASE OF. PAUL AND- THE ConIXTHIANS. In what senses could the apostle deem himself to be with these Corinthian Christians "in spirit"? 1. By his teaching. He had lonerO laboured iu word and doctrine in this great centre of Greek commerce and literature and amoncrst this company, of whom not many were wise or noble, but many were call;d and washed and sanctified by the gospel of Christ and by the Spirit of God. His teachincr laid the foundation upon which Apollos and others had built. And we know enou.fh of that teaching to be sure that it included many precepts and motives to holin~ss. This. instruction had sunk into the hearts of the spiritually susceptible, and by it the apostle yet spake of this society, summoning them to a holy life, and bidding them maintain a standard of social purity. 2. By his authority. Paul never forgot that he was an. inspired apostle of the Lord. He spake by the Spirit of the Lord, and h.is counsels were not those of human wisdom merely, but of celestial authority. What the Corin- thians were directed to do they were to do in his name, and with the assurance that their action would be sanctioned by the Divine Head of the Church. In vindicating the purity of Christian communion, in cleansing the Bride of Christ from any stain of the- world that had fallen upon her white robe, the Corinthians were to feel that the apostle was with them, inspiring and corroborating their lawful necessary action. 11. THE GENERAL OPERATION OF THIS PRINCIPLE IN THE LIVING CHURCH OF CHRIST JESUS. 1. The great Saviour and Founder of the Church is absent in body, but present in spirit. He himself assured his disciples that it was good for them that he should go• away, for that thus the Comforter should come. And the spiritual and universal and perpetual presence of the great Head of the Church is thus delightfully and graciously secured. 2. The action of Christ's Church, when in accordance with the express and plain instructions of our Lord and of his inspired apostles, must be recognized as- prompted by his Spirit and sanctioned by his authority. In the application of this- principle there are and will be many differences among the people of Christ, but with regard to the principle itself there should be no diversity or hesitation. We do not see his form or hear his voice; but we caunot question his spiritual presence. And he is at hand, not only to teach the disciple, to comfort the sufferer, to counsel the perplexed, but to impart a Divine authority to the actions and to the discipline of those who rely upon h.is Word and do his will.-T.
Vers. 6, 7.-" Purge out the old leaven." 'l'he apostle sought the illustrations with which he eLforcetl Christian doctrine and duty from every source, Hebrew and Geutile alike. In this passage he derives, from the practices of his countrymen during the festival of the Passover, a figure by which he brings before his readers the necessity of moral purity in life and in fellowship. As the Jews were accustomed at the approach of the feast to search out every scrap of leaven to be found in their houses, that they might duly keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, so were the Corinthians exhorted to clear themselves of all moral taint, that they might be a people meet for the fellowship and the service of the holy Redeemer. J. THE IDEAL STATE OF THE CHRISTIAN HEART AND OF THE CHRISTIAN SOCIETY I& ONE OF PEl!FECT FREEDOM FROM ALL TAINT OF BIN. It was a high and noble aim thal which the Divine Founder of Christianity set before him-the formation of a society which should be pure with his own purity, i.e. both of life and of heart. It is to such an aim that he himself, and after him his inspired apostles, encourage all Christians to- ao!Jire: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." ort. v. 1-18.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 177