posed to bitterness, wrath,, anger; :J]ongel). to the great orroi:: that the Father personally Kind (xp,,,,--ro[), sweet, amiable in disposi- was not disposed to forgive • till he was tion, subduing all that is harsh and hasty, preveiled ou to do so by the interposition encouraging all that is gentle o.nd good; of the Son. , The aorist, "forgave," is more tendor-hearted ( ,~o-,rll.a')'x1101), denoting a literal o.nd better than the perfect "h11th specially compassionate feeling, such as may forgiven;" it points to a definite tin:e wheo, arise from the thought of the infirmities, forgiveness was bestowed, viz. tho moment griefs, and miseries to which more or less of real belief in Christ, and hearty accept- ell are subject; these emotional conditions ~nce ot: his grace. The vague atmosphere to be.ar the practical fruit of forgiveness, and rn winch many envelop the question of the forgiveness to be mutual (xap,(&µ,,110, their forgiveness is very hurtful; it checks lavrois), as if under the feeling that what their thanksgivings, dulls their joy, yon give to-day yon require to ask to-morrow, quenches hope, and dilutes, the great not being too hard on the faults of others, dynamic power of the gospel-the powerthat remembering that you have your own. impels us to forgive our brother, as well as Even as God in Christ also forgave you. The to abound in tho work of the Lord with o. AX. rendering, .. for Christ's sake," is ob- tender conscience, the sense of forgiveness jectionshle e.ery wuy : it is not literal; it urges to the most full and hearty doing of omits the chameterk--tic feature of the Epistle, God's will; but when hypocrites, with seared " in Christ," losing the force of the consider- consciences claim to be forgiven, thoy steal ation that the forgiveness was dispensed by what is not .their own, and becowe more the Father, acting with or wholly one with abandoned to wickedness. ' • the Son; and it gives a aha.de of countenance
HOMILETICS. Ver. 1.-77te <Jhrutian 'fDalk. " Walk worthy of· the vocation wherewith ye are called." We now come to the practical part of the Epistle, and the first exhortation is a striking one. Paul attached great importance to the element of walk or character. IIe skilfully puts two things in connection with each other--vocatidn on the one hand, and walk on the other. The preceding chapters had shown the wonderful glory of the Christian vocation. The succeeding chapters are directed to secure a correspondingly elevated Christian walk. Two main topics present themselves. 1. Generally, the value of the Christian walk Q7 character. 2. The kind of walk required-" worthy of the vocation," etc. L V ALO: OF CmusTrili' WALK OR CIIARAcmm. 'l'hie may be sh.own in three aspects. Al!. a. r,1ea for Christianity, or evidence of the reality of Christian faith; as a persuasive toward.5 it, and as a pattern for imitation. 1. A plea. Sceptical tendencies of the present ~oe; k,gic not i;ufficien t to meet them. Strongest popular evidence of Christianity is its inherent trnthfulness, its self-commending power. But next in power is the consistent lives of earnest Christians. Men and women consistently following Christ, ·breathing his spirit, and mo,ing heavenwards, show that his religion is not a·sh.am'or a 8.eception, but a great reality. 2. A persuasive. Such lives appeal to the heart as well as tho head. They show re1ia-ion to be, not only a reality, but a great obligation and .a great blessino- • appeal to th; conscience and force it to say," That is what we ought to ho." Men fe~l• they ought to live like such, and certainly they would fain die like them. 3. A pattern. Do we need it? Have we not other and m~re perfect pattc!ns? ~ormon on mount· life of Christ? Yes, but human nature des1dcrates somethrng on its own level-soO::ething visible and tangible, a stepping-stone between heaven and earth; Hence Paul gave thanks that the Thessalonians became followers of him and of the Lord, and be told the Philippians that he and others were given the~" for an ensample." Every Christian congregation should have a number of model Christians fitted to be examples to the rest-the elders a.nd elderly peoplo es~ecially. Men may sneer at model Christians, but they do not sneer at model so~d1ers or . model servants! and certainly every Christian worthy of the name should aim at bemg ae near Christ aa r,0ssible. IL Tm:: KISD OF WALK. "Worthy of the vocation wherewith yo a.re called." We have all an idt-a c,f consistency; inconsistency should be the object of our abhorrence. 'l'he world has a keen eye for inconsblcncies of Christians, and exposes them merci- lessly. It takes comrort from them to continue in sin. Sins detestable in the godly aro 0B, lV. 1-32.] THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 15G