11nd the evil le turned to good." He practised what he taught ; ID the midst of cruel 11ffiictions he died with the words, "Glory be to God for all things," on his lips. Thi, is the will of God-God would have the Christian's life to be a life of joy, a. life ol unceasing prayer, of perpetual thanksgiving. Thie is hie will in Christ Jeeua, revealed in the words of Christ, exempli6ed in the life of Christ, rendered possible by the grace of Christ to those who abide in him. 6. Spiritual gift•. The Divine fire was kindlea at the great day of Pentecost in the baptism of fire; the like holy lia.me burns in all true Chrietiau hearts. It is of all gifts the most precious. It involves an awful responsibility. (1) It is our part to stir up the gift of God that is in us; to watch very carerully lest, through sin or carelessness or indifference, the holy fire lose its brightnes.s and its power. The foolish virgins were suddenly arollled to the consciousness that their lamps were 11:oing out. The Lord was come; they had no oil. they were not ready. It was too late. Arise and trim your lamps; take warning in time; quench not the Spirit. An unclean life, says Chrysostom, quenches that holy fire; so does apathy, indifference in religion. Sin is like water poured upon the flame. There is no fellow- ship between light and darkness; the Holy Spirit dwelleth not in the impure heart. Indifference gradually quenches the fire. The lamp will not burn without the oil; the daily renewal of the Holy Ghost is necessary for the support of the spiritual life within UB. The Spirit of the Lord departed from ~aul; he may depart from us if we live, like Saul, in wilfulness and disobedience. It is a rearful thought that we have the awful power of quenching that Spirit which is the very life of our souls. It should stimulate us to constant, anxious watchfulness. (2) Quench not the Spirit in others; despise not prophesyings, but prove all things. There is a holy enthusiasm which comes from God; there is a fanaticism, a mere fervour of excitement, which is not of God. We must not believe every spirit, lest we be carried about with every blast of vain doctrine. We are bidden to "try the spirits whether they are of God." There were prophesyings in the apostolic times, flowing from the direct inspiration and impulse of the Holy Spirit; there are such utterances now. There were then, and there are now, counterfeit likenesses of these spiritual gifts. There is need of care. God giveth to his chosen a power of spiritual discernment. "He that is spiritual judgeth all thingll;" he will hold fast that which is good. 7. All evil must be avoided. Every form of evil; little llina, as they are called, as well as great sine. Little llll1B are the first symptoms of the deadly disease. It may be checked at its outbreak; if neglected, it may slay the soul The danger is great; the enemy is awful in his power and malignity. Hate all that comes from him.-B. C. C. Vere. 23, 24.-The result of obedience to lhua commandmene.-aanai}ia:&,io,a. L IT IB THE Gll!'T OF Go». 1. Peace. Peace is the blessed fruit of obedience. Be careful for nothing; live in prayer and thanksgiving, and the peace of God, which passeth all underst,inding, shall keep your hearts and thoughts. But it OOID.U from God. He is the God of peace. It is his; "My peace," the Lord Jesus says. It is God who maketb peace, who reconciles the world unto himself, not imputing their trespa.sses unto them. 2. Holinesa. Holiness is the sum of all Christian graces. All the precepts contained in the previous verses are here taken together; they meet e.nd are summed up in holiness. But no human effort can sanctify the heart without the grace of God. Therefore the apostle is not content with exhorting the Thessalonians; be prays that God may sanctify them. May he himself (he says emphatically)," the God of peace, sanctify you wholly." He goes on to expand the last word. II. IT irosT PEBV ADE THE WHOLE BEING. 1. The spirit. This is the highest part of our immaterial nature, the breath of life, inbreathed uy Almighty God. It is the part receptive of Divine communications, which, in the regener.. te, holds converse with God; which is the sphere of the operatioue of God the Holy Ghost. That man is sµiritual in whom the spirit rules; he is natural (+uxurds) in whom the soul (l/,ux~) has usurped the place of the spirit. The evil spirit seeks to enslave the spirit of man; he Htrives to enter in and dwell in the spirit which should be God's. The peace of Go<l is the t.rue garrison; lt guards the heart and thoughts of the faithful, leaving no ingrtiss for the wicked one. 2. The so-ul. Each of the two words ia sometimes used for our whole i11visible natur1;1; but, when distinguished from the 11pirit, the 110ul ill the lower part of our immaterial being, \Vhicb hdoll&I bi. oommon to the whole animal ara&ioa . 100 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE TBESSALONIANS. [OB. T.1-28,
t.he seat of the appetites, <lesires, affections. Those men in whom the animal 110ul pre- dominates are called by St. Jude "sensual, not having the spirit" (,j,uxurol, ,..,,i)µ,. µ~ fxol'Tn). The soul is sanctifierl when it submits itself to the divinely enlightened spirit, when stll its appetites, feelings, longings, are controlled and regulated by the sanctified spirit. 3. The body. The Christian body is a holy thing. It should be the temple of the Holy Ghost; it should be presented unto God a living sacrifice. It is Mnctified when it is ruled by the spirit, when it is kept pure from the defilements of sensual sin, when its mt>mbers are mstde instruments of righteousness unto Goci. The apostle prays that the whole man, spirit, soul, and body, may be preserved in the whole sphere of its existence, so as to be without bJame in the great day, 4. How is this possibk 1 God is fait-hful; he will do it. He call<·th ns. His calling is not vain, his promises are not delnsive; they are true, for he is the Truth. He will do it-all that he has promised, all that we pray for, more than we pray for, above all that we can ask or think; for bis power worketh in us. He will do it. He will give us bis Holy Spirit; he will sanctily us wholly if we yield ourselves to his purifying influences; he will pre- sen·e our entire being blameless at the coming of the Lord, if only we persevere-if we abide in him. This little verse has been well called "the sum of all consolation." LESSONS. 1. Work, but pray. Be obedient, but always look to God, and trust only in his grace; it is he that giveth holiness. 2. Pray for entire sanctification. Body, soul. and spirit-all are God's; glorify him in all 3. Obey his calling; he will fulfil hi, promises.-B. C. C.