The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 319

'\"er. 21.-The relation of personal consistency to public labours, The expression use,1 by the apostle here, and translated, "I keep under my body," is literally, "I strike under the eye; I beat black and blue" (comp. Luke xviii. 5). Mastery of the body, repression of the lusts and indulgences and evil inclinations of the body, a strong hand upon the "self," are necessary to ensure "consistency;" yet what is the worth of a Christian teacher whose life tells one story and his lips another? St. Paul contemplate, with horror the possibility of his preaching the gospel to others, and, by reason of hi, personal inconsistencies, proving at last a" castaway." No amount of religious profes- sion, no fervour in religious work, no mere utterance of religious sentiment, can avail without personal and practical consistency of life. On this point we dwell further. J. THE SENSES IN WHICH PERSONAL CONSISTENOY AND PUDLIC LADOUR ARE DISTDICT THINGS. It may be urged that the question is one of gifts for a particular work, and not of personal character. It may be said that we do work with the skill and power entrusted to us, and the good workman may be personally of good or bad character. However true that may be in common life-and we should be prepared to contest its truth even there-it cannot possibly be true in the religious spheres, because all Christian work is the impress of the man himself, is inseparable from the force which his character gives to it. Exactly what we ask for in religious spheres is not mere truth, but truth with some stamp of personal conviction upon it; not mere duty, but duty pressed on us by the force of some holy example. The true preacher is the man who bears in on us the force of his own life and feeling. The true teacher is the man who can win our confidence in himself. '!'he true visitor benefits and blesses the poor and the sick by the resting~ and comfortings of his own quick sympathies, that come from sanctified character. So in the religious spheres there can be no separation between holy character and faithful labour. Show that, just here, serious mistake is made, and much seeming service is unacceptable to God and of no real value to men. II. THE P0SSIDILITY OF THE INCONSISTENT MAN DOING GOOD WOJll{. In view of what has been said in the previous division, it would seem to be an impossibility, but those remarks may be limited to the higher forms of Christian work and tho exertion or spiritual influence. Scripture teaches us, by its examples, that God claims tho service of oven ungodly men, and deigns to work by them. Of Cyrus Goel says, "I girder! thee, though thou hast not known mo," etc. But perhaps thero is no distress in life like th:i:. which we feel on finding that those who have helped us in our religious life fail morally. When such distress comes to us, we are almost ready to make shipwreck of our faith. III. 'fHE FORCE ADDED TO ALL GOOD wonK DY THE CONSISTENT CHARACTER OF Tm: WOllKER, Reviewing tho influences for good which have rested upon our life, wo can but feel that the holiest and mightiest and best have come from consistent and holy mcu and women, who bore upon us the force of saintly character, and whose memories still keep us true and faithful. Vvhen McCheyne died, 11 noto was found unopened on his study table. It was from some one who had recently been brought to God throu;;h his preaching, but the note said it was not so much the truth that had impressed, as tho 11incerity and holy fervour of the preacher. It is the great secret of the highest work. What a man is tells more for the honour of God o.nd the blessing of men than merely what II man does. So we may be warned by the apostle, and take heed lest, while working for others, we ourselves should prove "castaways."-H, 'l'. I, CODINTIIIAISB, V  THE: FIRST EPISTLE '1'0 THE CORINTHIANS. [cu. x. 1-33.