The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 229

commends the high excitement of the Spirit, with all its pleasurable manifestations. In other words, he speaks of inspiration, but condemns the spirituous while he commends the spiritual We have thus suggested- !. THE NEED OF SOME BTIMULUB FROM BEYOND OUJIBELVES. (Vers. 17, 18.) Thb is apparent from the fact that every one needs some excitement, as it is called, to keep· him moving-something to "interrupt our quiet and ordinary state of mind with some more lively feeling, which makes us live more consciously and in a manner quicker than we do in common." We all feel this. Now, this goes to show that we are not self-contained, no matter how much we desire to be so, but need a helping hand from without our personalities. Withhold food, and we perish. Withhold all stimulus from us, and we go of necessity to pieces. The whole question comes to be, therefore, where we shall get our required stimulus. II. TBE STIMULUS OF WINE IS ATTENDED WITH DANGER. (Ver. 18.) This is an inspiration which comes through sense. Now, all of us need a stimulus through our senses. Food is such a stimulus. A well-digested meal makes life move faster and quicker than fasting would. But the vinous inspiration leads to "riot" (Revised Version), and is inconsistent with that unity of the Church for which the gospel calls. We should abstain from such a dangerous stimulus as this, for its effect has been hostile to unity of spirit. But we might extend the precaution here to all thos:l excitement~ of a. sensual nature which exhaust and retard the spirit. As Robertsru says, "Wine is but a specimen of a class of stimulants. All that begins froo withQ'IJ,t belongs to the same class. The stim~us may be afforded by almost an::-- enjoyment of the senses. Dmnkenness may come from anything wherein is excess- from over-indulgence in society, in pleasure, in music, and in the delight of listening to oratory, nay, even from the excitement of sermons and religions meetings. Tho prophet tells us of those who are drunken, and not with wine." Arnold, in the same way, bases upon this passage warnings against excess of bodily exercise, excess of intellectual exercise, excess even in our hours of work, excess, in a word, so far as it militates against Christian sober-mindedness. III. THE INSPIRATION FROM ABOVE OAN HAVE NO ATTENDANT EXCESS. (Vers. 18, 1\:l.)- We may be filled with the Spirit, and no riot result, nothing which will do anything but foster the glorious unity. For, as Arnold shows, the gospel and the inspirntious from God "at once excite and soothe," so that the soul is kept in holy equilibrium, and the inspiration has its natural manifestion. 1. There will be harmony in social song. Poetry and music will become tributary to unity of spirit. The Holy Ghost will permeate by his harmonizing presence social praise. 2. 'l'he praise offered to .he Lord will be heartfelt. It will not be a form of praise, but the very heart ~oing up to heaven. 3. Thanksgiving will be mightily promoted. In the midst of mnnifold mercies our God in heaven looks for constant thankfulness from us. And, indeed, if we understand his love we shall be prompted to give thanks "always for all things," in the N11me of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4. And inspiration will promoto mutuar. subjection in the fear of Christ (so Revised Version). '!'hue it comes to pnss thal an inspired people proves a praising and united people. What harmony the society fille1l with the Spirit realizes! It is heaven begun below. Whnt we need, therefore, is a Pentecost. If the Holy Spirit is pleased to fill ue, then shnll our discords vanish nud our hearts beat in unison. It ii by inspiration that the unity of the Church shall be eecured.-R. M. E. Vere. 22-33.- What husband, and wives owe to Christ. In exhorting the Ephesians to purity and enthusiasm of life, Paul is naturally led to the family institution and the relations to be found there. In the heathen world the relntions between men and women were degrading. As PressenRe says, in his most suggestive book,' La Famille Cluetienne,' "One found in the pagan family neither purity uor love. At the moment when Jesu~ Christ came, it had reached the last degree of degradation, and one can apply to tho family itself those words of the Gospel, 'He has come to seek and to save that which was lost.'" In this passage of Ephesians we havo an insight into what Christ has done for the family. He has made of marriage the choice symbol of his own relation to the Church, and so family life is lifted into n Divine and spiritual light. '!'he con- sideration of Christ for his people regulates the consideration husband shoulcl show to  THE El'ISTLE 'l'O 'l'HE EPHESIANS. [ea. v. 1-33,