Vers. 12, 13.-The Ohristian treatment of the feeble. "Wherefore lift np the hands which hang down," etc. J. THE LIABILITY TO FAINTNESS AND INFIRMITY IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. Tbis condition is variously described in the text. "The hands which hang clown," relaxed, enervated, incapable of vigorous or healthy action. "The feeble knees," tottering a.nd paralyzcd, "That which is lame" indicates, says Alford, "that part of the Church which was wavering between Christianity and Judaism." Christians are often faint and feeble in our own times. Piety may b~ sincere yet deficient in strength. A. genuine Christian may suffer with lameness in some element of his character or some faculty of service. This feebleness may arise: 1. From the discipline to which we are mb;'ectetl. We may faint when we are corrected by him (ver. 5). The first effect of discipline may be to discourage us, and this will probably lead to lack of earnestness and vigour in Christian life and service. Discipline misunderstood or resented may disable us for a time. 2. From the difficulties of our course.1 3. 1/rom tl,e neglect of the means by which hope and effort are SU,Stained.1 II. '£HE DANGER ARISING FROM FAINTNESS AND INFIRMITY IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 1. Cessation of Christian dfort. Relaxed hands and tottering knees may cause the Christian runner to give up running, and to relapse into ignoble ease. Instead of imitating Gideon's heroic three hundred who were "faint, yet pursuing" their fleeing foes, the feeble may relinquish the pursuit altogether. 'l'hus faintness may lead to failure. Z. Deviation from the Christian course. If the way be very rugged and tedious, requiring painful effort to walk in it, those who are lanio may be ~urned out of it. '£he Christian race is easy when the runners are strong and the course 1s smooth. But oh, it is very difficult when the hearts are heavy, and the hands nerveless, and the lil:ubs are lamed, and the way is rough and steep! Under such conditions it requires l See these points ruore fully stated in our homily on vcr. 3. 3i8 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [err. xu. 1-29.
no little patience and heroism to keep moving onwards even at any pace; and the temptation to turn aside is very great. Ill. THE DUTY TO DE PURSUED IN FAINTNESS AND INFIRMITY IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 1. To seek renewal of strength. "Lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees." How shall we do this? (1) By believing prayer to God. "He i;!iveth power to the faint; and to them that havo no miaht he increaseth strength" etc. (Isa. :d. 29-31). (2) By the recollection of former ~ercies. Memory may be used as an inspiration of hope and courage. " Decau~e thou hast been my Help, therefore under the shadow of thy wings ·will I rejoice." (3) Dy consideration of the uses and benefits of our trials and discipline (cf. Rom. v. 3-5; Jas. i. 2, 3, 12). (4) By contemplation of the great multitude who have reached the goal and won the prize (cf. ver. 1). (5) By contemplation of" the prize of our high calling." Exercises such as these are calculated to inspire moral courage, and increase spiritual strength, and promote Christian progress. 2. To seelc to keep each other in and help each other onward in the way. "Make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed." "The meaning seems to be," says Alford, "let your walk be so firm and so unanimous in the right direction, that a plain track and highway may be thereby established for those who accompany and follow you, to perceive and walk in (cf. Isa. xxxv. 8). If the whole congregation, by their united nnd consistent walk, trod a plain and beaten path for men's feet, these lame ones, though baiting, would be easily able to keep in it, and, by keeping in the 'straight tracks,' would even acquire the habit of walking straight onward, and so be healed; but if the tracks were errant and confused, their erratic steps would deviate more and more, till at length they foll away out of the right way altogether." CoKCLuSION. 1. Let not the faint yet sincere Christian yield to discouragement. 2. Let not the vigorous Christian despise the feeble and halting, but rather cheer and l,elp them. 3. Let all Christians in the strength of God press onward to the goal and to the crown.-Vif. J.
Ver. 14.-The pursuit of peace and holiness. "Follow peace with all men, and h0liness," etc. The primary meaning of the text seems to be that the Christians addressed "are to guard against differences among themselves; they are not to quarrel with one another, but every one is to be earnestly intent on his own sanctification;" for witbont holiness no one shall see the Lord with joy. Three chief points arise for consideration. I. PEACE AS .AN OBJECT OF PURSUIT. "Follow after peace with all men." Peace here is the opposite of strife, division, or misunderstanding amongst Christian brethren. "Seek peace, and pursue it." "Behold, bow good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!". etc. (Ps. cxxxiil.). Notice: 1. The importance of the :object of pursuit. "Peace." It is essential to spiritual progress, to Cbristian uset'ulness, and to the enjoyment of the Divine presence. Discord drives away the Holy Spirit, and is fatal to personal growth in grace, to mutual edification, and to successful evangelization. 2. The extent of this pursuit. "With all men." The primary meaning is "all their fellow-Christians." 'l'be context shows this. Our text immediately follows the exhor- tation to guard against any feeble Christian being turned out of the way, and it immediately precedes the exhortation to take heed that no one should fall short of the grace of God. And if the "all" signified all mankind, the exhortation under considera- tion would be exceedingly unconnected. " It is clearly the brethren who are here meant by all,'' as in Rom. xiv. 19, "Let us follow after the things which make for peace, and thinus wherewith one may edify another." But in applying it to ourselves may we not take it in its widest signification? "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.'' 3. The limit of this pursuit. In our endeavours after peace we must not sacrifice anything which is essential to the pursuit of holiness. "First pure then peaceable." Follow after peace, but not at the expense of Christian principle. n'. lioLINESB AS AN OJlJECT OF PURSUIT. "Follow after . . . holiness," or," sanctifi- cation." Delitzsch says, "Sanctification is not holiness, but is the putting on of it and uecoming holy." Dut for popular speech we may use the term "holiness." Let us consider two inquiries. 1. What is lwliness 1 It is, says Dr. Ilun tington, "that OII, XII, 1-29.] THE EPISTLE TO THE HE imEWS. 3,!J