The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 427

this cardinal virtue. Along with this he says, "Love vauntetli not "-a similar idea to the foregoing as to its bad temper, but unlike as to its mood of exhibition. Reference is here made to the foolish display of self-importance after the manner of o. swacrcrerer <'r hrnggart. Next comes the statement, "Is not p1~ffed up," not inflated or swolle~1 by self-conceit; this is followed by," Doth not behave itself unseemly "-is not uncourteous, but studies propriety of manner, and shows the instinct of a right demeanour, from which all good breeding proceeds. The art of behaviour is manifold. It is amenable to circumstances and classes, ,·ariab~e as to outward manifestations, suiting language and other d~m_onstrations to the ?launs ~f oc~sion, a?d, in all this, its root-!)rinciple 1s the same 1f 1t be truthful and smcere, smce 1t loses sight of self and ministers to the happiness of others. Christian manners are the offspring of a Christian manner• the manners are external, the manner i'S internal; so that here, as in all else, form is cr~ated) by spirit. The tones of the voice, the look of the eye, the muscular play of the countenance, are not physical facts only, but expressions and lancruarres that have- modulation, accent, emphasis, direct from the soul. Thus atteaded~ o~r words take- on ot.her, fuller, more iaspiriting meaaiags than those drawn from the dictionary • so• that a man's face, figure, gesture, attitude, give a personal import to what eman;tes- from his heart. If one compares the spiritual expression in the face of a Madonna by Raphael with the_ m_ere_ sensuous beauty of the face as depicted by antique art, he seeR at once that Chnstiamty has affected art to such an extent as to modify the Jaws of representation. "Expression is the vivid image of the passion that affects the mind. its language, and the portrait of its situation" (Fuseli). It is not extravagant to clai~ iha.t Christianity has so far changed physiological expression as to spiritualize, and thereby to hei~hten, its quality and force. But why limit the change to art? The- fact is that Christianity has had its effect-a very distiactive and appreciable effect-- on what may be termed the physiology of manner, in the intercourse of society. We- seldom think of it. We rarely number this among the myriad advantages Christianity has brought to man. Yet the fact is indisputable that Christiaaity has given to the human voice tones of strength and tenderness never before known, and to the human. eye a depth of power, of stillness, of pathos, that, without its grace, had been impossible_ Nor can we doubt that this is one of the numerous ways it has adopted to establish a closer relation between mind and matter, and educa.te the body for the glory of the- resurrection. Passing from decorum while yet retaining the general idea in bis grasp, St. Paul t:flW mentioas the unselfishness of love: "Seelceth not her own." If its deportment is never obtrusive, but always becoming; if it never uses its gifts to remind others of their inferiority, but orders its manners so as to avoid everything which might tend to inflame envy; it goes still further, and manifests its disinterestedness as the soul of the" supremely excellent way." To pursue its own honour and aggrandizement, as if it had a sole proprietary interest in itself and could only exist by existing for its own reputation, influeace, happiness, is forestalled by its nature and operations. The " all things" are not its, but "yours," and "ye," one and all, "are Christ's." So be· had argued in the third chapter. 'l.'he echo of the great truth comes back again and; nrrain and once more it is heard in this verse. \Vhat St. Paul has just said of love as. s~eriag long, a!ld as kiad, as not envying and vaunting, nor conceited and indeoorous, :i.re as so many stepping-stones to" seeketh not its own." Would it have anything in the universe for itself alone? If so, the very thing itself, the universe itself, would he changed into another thing and another universe, and be no more a joy and a· blcssedaess, but a restraint and an evil and a curse. Instead of a palace, a prison;. instead of sublime disinterestedness, sordidness and ceaseless descent in degradation; instead of an ideal in Christ, the idea of virtues as bare commercial utilities, and of the i;crnl as a commodity valued by the market-place. Have aaything alone? This were Ione'liness indeed. It were grievous, it were misery, to be isolated even by gooftness and greatness from the heart of humanity. It is painful to a true man to be reminded of his superiority at the expense of others, and whenever one welcomes this sort of homage and glorifies himself, he loses truth of manhood. To thank God that we are "not as other men are" is sheer Pharisaism, aad all such thanksgivin_g is worship of ~elf. Love bas not a wish, a desire, an airu, an aspiration, bounded by the limits of itself;. ~nd as Jesus prayed, "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us," so is the prayer of the soul in all its greatest cH. xm. 1-13.J THE FJilS'l' EPISTLE TO THE CORIJS'THIANS. 43,:;