being aashed to pieces by the black hil11Jws of popular depravity! 3. That tlie practic,,l sympathy for human suffering which Ul,ristiunitg generates is a Di11i1,e elemeJ,t, Here are Galatia anii Corinth drawn in sympathy for one common object, an,l that object was '' suffering saints at Jerusalem." These people lived widely asunder, and were separated by ml\ny striking peculiarities, but here they meet together. This is the Divine principle that will one day draw all men tooether0 in Christ. Our subject is Christian philanthropy, and here we have- I. 1TB CLAIMS ZEALOUSLY ADVOCATED. "Now concerning the collection." Paul was the advocate, and his advocacy glows with zeal. We find that in this matter he proposes the Galatians as an example to the Corinthians, the Corinthians an example to the l'rfacedonians, and both as an example to the Ilomans (2 Cor. ix. 2; Rom. xv. 26). Were it not for the earnest advocacy of Christly men, the probability is that the Divine clement of pure aud practical social sympathy wonld become extinct. It is the living: ministry of the gospel that keeps it alive, and in this iL fulfils the grandest of all missions. II. !Ts OPERATIONS WISELY DIRECTED. Paul directed: 1. That the contributions should be personal. "Let every one of you lay by him in store." No one was exempted, however poor; the widow's mite was acceptable. If no coin, then give service. 2. That the contributions should be systematic. " Upon the first day of the week.'' Begin the week with deeds.of practical benevolence. 3. That the contributions should be religious. ".As God bath prospered him." This was the principle to rule the amount. Were this principle acted upon, some of the men who 'subscribe their ten thousand pounds, and who are lauded theworld over as philanthr,)pists, would be found to be churls after all, and those who subscribed their few shillings would appear as princes in the domain of practical charity. But, alas! how men reverse this principle! The more they have the less they give. I![. ITS CONTR!llUTIONS HONESTLY DISTRIBUTED. ".And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letter~, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me." It is your duty to see that what you have subscribed shall be honestly distributed, and L,r this 1mrpose, send men as your almoners, and if it seems necessary to secure the honest distribution, I will go with them. How sadly is this duty frequently neglecte-1 ! How much money given fur charitable purposes is dishonestly used and misappropn'ated every year! Vers. 5-!l.-God's will the rule, and spiritual usefulness the end of life. " Now I will come unto you when I shall pass through Macedonia," etc. 'l'wo remarks are suggested. I. Goo's Wil,L SHOULD BE THE RULE OF LIFE. " But I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit." The text tells us that Paul had made a plan to Yisit the Corinthians, to" tarry a while" with them, and to spend the winter with them, after he had passed through Macedonia, and tarrying at Ephesus until the Pentecost; but see, he rests this plan (no doubt dear to his heart) on the Lord's will-" if the Lonl permit." ] . '!'here is a belief implied here. The great truth implied in this expression of Paul's is that God is in the history of individual man. He is uot merely in the great material universe, in angelic hierarchies, in human empires, communities, Churches, families, but in the individual man himself. He is not too nbsorbed in the vast for this, not loo great for this. Paul believed that God was intcrcstc,l in him personally, and thnt ho arranged for him personally. There is somethiug sublime, bracing, and ennobling in the thought that God knows roe, cares for me, arrange~ for me. 2. '!'here is nu acquiescence implied here. " If the Lord permit." This means," I have no will of my own." As if he had sai<l personally," Consulting merely my own will, I should liko to winter with you, my Corinthian friends, but l subor<linate my will to the will of my God. I feel myself in his hands, and am ready to net in everything according to his arro.ngements." II. Sr•IIII1'UAL USEFULNESS fl!OULD DE TUE AIM OF LIFE. "But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great door and effectual is opened unto mo, and thero are m 11ny adver~aries." 'l'hree remarks are hero su;rgesterl. 1. 'J'hat wherever tlrn gospel liignally triumphs, groat opposition may be anticipat_cd. Paul was now at Ephcswi_ 654 'l'HE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORIN'l'HIANS. [en. xvi. 1-2'1.
wl1ere _he hnd laboure~ :or a consid~rahle time, and with Ruch sh!nnl success that a deep and widespread oppos1t10n was excited, even to pas~ion (see ActR xix. 9-20). It bns ever been so: wherever there has been a great revival of relicrion there has been ~nusual o_ppositi~n. 'l'he_ !~tent_ enmity of the serpent is ever rou~ed by the dissemina~ t10n of spmtual light. Clmst kmdled a fire upon the earth. 2. That opposition to the gospel often affords specially favourable opportunities for the labour of the evancrelist, "For a great door aud effectual is opened unto me, and there are many advers:ries." Religious excitement is ever more favourable to the spread of religion th,m religious monotony. You stand a better chance of converting an earnest sceptic than a traditional religionist. Excitement opens a "door." 3. That the true evano-elist will be stimulated in his labours rather than discourag~d by opposition. Instead of quitting Ephesus, where there were so many adversanes, Paul says, "I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost." Little souls are dismayed by difficulties, "reat souls are roused to action by them. Difficulties awaken their courage, stimulat; their activities and marshal their faculties for battle. '