dllng clothes" (Luke ii. 12-14). Angele creation under hesven" (oomp. Rom. l. 8), ministered unto him after the temptation The statement in Mark xvi. 15-20 migb& (Mark i. 13), Rnd in the Garden of Geth- almost have been in St. Paul's mind. Note semane (Matt. xxii. 43, where the word the u~e the~ of th~ words ,nrptl(aT<, bc71ptl(av, "4>611 is used), and at his resurrection (lllatt. ,-~" K?trµ.011, o ;rrurTfuCTas, 1r1u-rEOcraa-1, A110,-'1cf,p11, xx-riii. 2). The special interest of angels in Reoe1ved up m glory, The change of" into" the "great mystery" is referred to in 1 Pet. (A.V.) into "in" is ofverydoubtfulpropriety. i. 12; Hcb. i. 6. Preaohed among the nations In New Testa.men~ Greek iv frequently U•11pix011 ,v Mv,aw). It would hnve been follows verbs of motion, e.nd means the BUme better lo keep the rendering " Gentiles" as ,ls, like the Hebrew :a. Our Lord is not here, lo mark the identity of thought with said to he.ve ascended 'in glory (as he ap- Eph. iii. 6, S, where, in the apostle's view, peared at the Tre.nsfigure.tion), but, as St. the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles, Mark has it, "He was received up into I.hat they might be fellow-heirs with the Jews heaven, and rthere] sC1t down at the right of the promises of God, is one main feature hand of Goel," fulfilling John xvii. 5. of the mystery (comp. eh. ii. 7). Believed This gran,I burst of dogmatio teaching is on in the world. The next step in this somewhat like that in eh. ii. 5-7. There is ascending see.le is the acceptance of Christ no a.dequate evidence of its being, as many in the world e.s the Saviour tllereof. The commentators hC1ve thought, a portion of a le.ngunge here is not strong-er tha.n the.t of Col. hymn or creed used in the Church. lt i. 5, 6, " The word of the truth of the gospel, rather implies the same tension in the which is come unto you; eveu e.s it is e.lso in apostle's mind which is appa.reut in other all the world, and bee.reth fruit." And in Col parts of the Epistle (comp. oh. Yi. 11 and i. 23, "The gospel which we.s preached in e.11 following verses).
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-16.-7'7ie ckrgy. It was one of the weightiest duties la.id upon Timothy, 11·hen called to be the spiritual ruler of the Church of Ephesus, to ta.ke care that the priests and dee.cons were men well qualified for their holy office. The condition of a congregation depends so largely upon the spiritual cha.racter of those who minister to it, that the choice of fit persons to serve in the sacred ministry of God's Church is a matter of vital importance to the welfare of the people, a.nd demands the utmost wisdom and fidelity of those who have the chief oversight of the house of God. Accordingly St. Pa.ul lays down with great care the qualifications of priests e.nd deacons respectively. For the priest an irreproachable cha.ra.cter amongst those outside a.s well as those inside the Church, in order to ensure respect; a. life of chastity, that his <'xample may give no countenance to a lax morality; strict tempera.nee in the use of meat and drink, both for his own sake and as an example to others ; a staid, sober mind and demeanour, as becomes one who lives nea.r to God, and handles holy things; a large hospitality, as one who counts all he has to belong to the Church, whose servant he is; aptitude to teach the doctrines of the gospel, and a delight in teaching; a placable, gentle disposition, abhorring brawls and quarrels, and studying peace with all men; the absence of all greediness and _covetousness, as one whose conversation is in heaven, and as one determmed to be fair and impartial in all his dealings with men ;-these are the things needful for one who is a priest in the Church of God. But besides these strictly personal qualifications he must have a well-ordered house. His family muRt bear the traces of a gentle but firm parental discipline. He that is a ::uler in the house of God must show that he can rule his own children and servants; and a portion of the gravity and sobriety of the man of God must be seen in the members of bis household. With rega.rd to deacons, they too must be grave in their demeanour and conversation; in all their private intercourse with the members of the Church where they serve, they mUBt be conspicuously honest and ingenuous. In all social intercourse they must show themselves temperate and a.bstemioUB. In handling the public money, and ministering the alms of the faithful, they must ma.ke it clear that none sticks to their own lingers, and that they have no eye to gain in the ministrations they under- take. The spirit of their ministrations must be "all for love and nothing for reward." Nor mUBt they be only honest me::n; they mUBt be devout believers in the Lord Jesus Uhrut, thoroughly instruct~ in the mystery of the Christian faith, and adorning that faith by their personal holiness. As regards their families, the same rule appliee to OIL m. 1-16,) THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. 5f
th_c~ 118 ~ the priests. Like the priests, they hold office in the Church of God; they mm1ster ID that temple where God's pure truth is fixed and established for ever, they aro the expounders, with the priests, of the great mystery of godliness, the in~te Word, the preached Jesus, the glorified Christ. What, then, ought their character to be; how high above things earthly, how closely assimilated to the gloriolll holine of heaven!