Vers. 22-33.-Husbands and wives. I. CHRISTIANITY CONSECRATES AXD ELEVATES THE UNION m' BUSllAND AND WIFE. 1. Christianity sanctions marriage. St. Paul, though an unmarried man, casts no slight on marriage. It is trne that he discourages it under temporary trying circumstances (1 Cor. vii. 1), but it is also true that ~he plainly teaches, not only the lawfulness, but especially the dignity of Christian marria"o in itself. The ascetic view of celibacy as a more holy state than marria~c is not foui7tl iu the New Testament. "Let marriage be had in honour among all" (Heh. xiii. 1). 2. Christianity elevates marriage. St. Paul compares it with the union ot' Christ with his Church. He does not take the marriage relation to il!ustrato that uuion-an illus- tration that was familiar with the prophets in explaining the relation of God to Israel. Ho makes the comparison in the opposite way, taking the union of Christ aud the Church as the true and perfect union, and therefore as tho type of what marriage should be, viz. (1) close union and (2) spiritual union. Further, it is to be observe,l that Christianity elevates marriage (1) by giving women a religious equality with men -men and women have equal privileges in the gospel; and (2) by inculcating purity, justice, gentleness, and unselfishness. I!. THE filGB CHRISTIAN IDEA. OF HARRIAGE LAYS GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES ON HUSBANDS AND WIVES. Care and effort are necessary to realize so magnificent an ideal as a human copy of the mysticnl union of Christ and the Church. Ca.re should be given in particular to the following requisites :-1. Mutual sympathy. It is not riaht that husbands and wives, in dividing the home life into separate departments, should fail to take interest in one another's cares and works. The husband should show sympathy for the wife's domestic -hopes, and fears, and joys, and troubles, and t.he wife for the husband's schemes and achievements and disappoiutments. 2. 11Iutuc1l confidence. 'l'his is essential to mutual sympathy. 'l'here shoulJ. be no secret between husb:rnd and wife. Surely it is a mistake for a husband to hide his trouble from his wife out of a desire to spare her pain, and equally so for tho wife to do the same in regard to her husband. The separation thus caused is a more serious evil than the pain that is prevented. 3. Mutual forbearance. Each must be prepared to meet with faults in tlrn other. But·each would be less provoked by those faults if the husband would think rather of what his wife has to endure in him than of what he may be annoyed at 'n her, and if the wife would re~ect in the same way on her own failings. 4. The conse- cration of marriage through union with Ol1rist. Such a truly Christian marriage is safe from shipwreck.. It is sad to see how rarely the Christian idea. of marri11ge is realized; but little better can be expected till men and women are aimin~ throughout at a higher life than what is now prevalent in society-a. lifo of spiritual union with Christ.-W. F. A. Vera. 25-27.-Ghrist's treatment of his Ohurch. St. Paul describes Christ's treat- ment of bis Church as nn illustration of the way in which husbands should behave to their wives. But that vision of the spiritual world which is tho ideal of earthly mar- riage is so attractive that it arrests the apostle's attention on its own account. It may well do the same with us. I. WHAT CBBIST rus DONE FOR THE CmmoB. We a.re first directed to Christ's work for the Church in the past. Be loved it and gave himself up for it. 1. Ohrist loved tM Ohurch. He loved the whole world, but.he he.d a peculiar love for those who trusted and obeyed him-a. love like that which is between him and God, a love of sympathy and confidence which could not be given to tho world that did not trust and obey him and was loved only with the love of mercy. 2. Christ loved tho Church before the Church was worthy of his love. His l?ve begins the process of the purifica- tion of the Church. He docs not love because his peoplo nro holy, but he makes them holy becauso ho loves them. 3. Christ's love to his Church led liim to give himself up for it. His lovo was not an idle sentiment. It inspired his sacrifice of himself. 'fhat sacrifice, then, is the great proof of his Jove. Dy all that he suITcrs ho confirms bis 256 THE KPISTLE 'l'O 'l'HE EPHESIANS. [ell, VI, 1-2¼,
fol"e to ih<' t;hurcb. The l~<'ll&,,<'6 of St.. Paul may seem to imply that Christ did not <li<' for the "·lwle world, but only for the Church. On the other hand, however, it is to ~' ,,!,;:.>n,:,d that St, Paul taught that Christ would ultimately gather the whole world in.,' hi~ l'hlll\.'.h (eh. i. 10). II. WHAT CHRIST IS DOIJIG TO THE ClluRCH. 1. He ispurifyi11g it. The spiritual h:1 •tism of the \Yord, i.e. the teaching of Christil\ll truth, is the method. But Cbrist is i:: the truth, ~d he is actfrely purging the souls of his people. 'l'herefore note (1) we n,we not to mut to be pure before seeking Christ and becoming members of his Church, ~1u t are rather to come lll our sin, repenting and des~ring amendment through his grace, 111 order that, after we have come to him, he may purify us; and (2) we shall be purified if we en~~ th~ Chu~ch of Christ, for ~hrist will not ~!-I~er u~ to remain in the imper- 1 fect cond1t1on lll which he at first admits us. The Chnst1an life throughout is a process of sanctification. 2. Christ is nourishing and cherishing his Church (ver. 29). He feeds his people with the bread that is his body. He watches over them and deafa gently and kindly with them, and by his grace strengthens and advances their spiritual life. Thus Christ has not accomplished a finished work and sacrifice. He is now carrying on the double process of cleansing and nourishing the Church. III. WB.A.T CHRIST WILL DO WITH THE CHURCH. 1. He will make it glorious. Chri;ctians are not to receive bare deliverance, but joy and glory. The Church is not only to have blessings bestowed upon her ; she is to be raised herself in holiness and glory. She is to be (1) ""ithout spot," every stain of sin vanishing; and (2) "with- out wrinkle," all marks of age, weariness, and trouble passing away. 2. Christ will rfftf'e'lit the Church tc himself. He is preparing his bride for the great marriage of the bI!lb. The end of all is that, being first redeemed by Christ and then purified and ~~-r::ngthened, Christians may be ultimately united to him in eternal blessedness.- "\',. F. A.