Vers. 55-57.-Deatli in idea. "0 death, where is thy sting?" etc. These words, which are a shout of victory evoked by what has preceded, suggest to us the populat and the Christian ideas of death. Notice- !. THE POPULAR IDEA. 'l'he language implies that the bulk of the race view death not as the writer did; that the idea to them had a" sting" a "victory," and a connection with felt guilt. 1. The popular idea has a sting. "0 death, where is thy sting?" '!'his is a vivid personification of the last enemy. The world sedulously shuts up its heart against the idea; but there is not an individual into whose bosom it does not force its way at times, a.nd like a serpent it stings. There is no idea that stings an ungodly man like the idea of death. 2. The popular idea has a victory. It not only stings like a serpent, but crushes like a conqueror. I speak not of the victory which death obtains over the body, but I speak of a more crushing" victory" than this-a victory over the soul. Whenever the idea takes possession of a worldly mind, it is a victor; the soul is prostrated, the man is unmanned. 3. 'l.'he popular idea has a felt connectiou with sin. "'l.'he sting of death is sin; ancl the strength of sin is the Law." 'The sinner's sense of guilt will be according to his knowledge of Law, and the terror of death will be according to his sense of guilt. Jt is felt guilt that gives a "sting" and "victory " to the idea of dying. All that is horrific in the idea starts from a sin-stricken couscieuce. Such, then, is the popular idea of death. Wherever, whether in Christian or heathen lands, in ancient or modern times, Christianity is not received in its moral significance and spirit, you find it. II. 'l'HE CHRISTIAN IDEA. 1. The idea has neithe,· "sting" nor•" victory." "0 death, where is thy stinu? O 0 grave, where is thy victory?" By implication they ouce existed but they are gone. 2. '!'he Christian idea has, instead of "sting" and "'l'ictory," rapture and triumph. "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory." The victor has become the victim; the anguish of the sting has given place to tho ecstasy of the song. 3. The Christian idea c_omes to man thr~ugh one mediu:'1'. 'l'ho old terrific and popular idea of death has given way to a bnght and a glorious one, "throu<>h our Lord Jesus Christ." How does Christ give this idea? By awakening in the sou[a new spiritual life. But how does a new spiritual life do this? Because it involves the following thi □ gs :-(1) A stronger sympathy with the God of our destiny titan with any other being. Where there is a moral oneness with that God in "whose hand our breath is," there never can be imy dread of death. But a dread of God mu,t "'ive a dread of death. (2) A stronger sympathy with the s71iritual than with the r:::aterial. Much of the fearfulness of death springs from the idea of separa- tion from the dear objects of onr attachment. Wherever, therefore, tho supreme attach- ments are on the material, the idea of death must be distressing on account of the separation it involves; but where the 7f!,OSt sympat!1y is with the u~s~en and th~ eternal. death will be regarded, not as severing connect10ns, bnt as nmtrng them Ill clo~er fellowship. (3) A ~tronyer sympathy with the future 1vorld than with the 71rese1,t. Where the prevailing sympathies of the soul are with the Di vine, spiritual, and the futur~, en. xv. 1-58.J TIIE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE COHI~TllIA:-SS. 50'.)
the idea of death will be bright and jubilant. This threefold sy'mpa.thy, then, is essential in the nature of things to the existence of this felicitous and triumphant idea 1>f death.