sentative, Mediator and Intercessor; and would say that we are uniformly to speak according to the oracles of God, without any deleterious admixture of foreign elements imparted by means of philosophy and vainglorious deceit. They would quote several passages which describe the Gospel message as the simplest thing imaginable-"Look unto me, and be ye saved;""Believe, and live;" "Wash, and be clean; looking the fact that owing to the corruption of our nature, and the alienation of our hearts, that which is described as so very simple, becomes in practice the hardest thing imaginable. over We may also bear in mind that there are many passages which speak of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid in Christ, which represent the Saviour as the power of God and the wisdom of God, which teach us that into the mystery of redeeming love even angels desire to look. How are we to reconcile this language with the simplicity that is in Christ? A glance at the context in the original will show the real meaning of the words. St. Paul says (2 Cor. xi. 2.), “I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy,"—with a jealousy inspired by God-with a sensitiveness for the divine honour and glory" for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ; but I fear lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty," thus your minds, your understandings and sentiments should be corrupted from your singleness of affection towards Christ. The word anλórns denotes singleness of purpose, integrity, generosity, impartiality; it marks that openness and sincerity of heart which repudiates duplicity in thought or action. There is no idea of simplicity in the ordinary use of the word, except the expression of his desire that the Corinthians should remain simple concerning evil, simple in respect of any attachment which might seduce them from the singleness of devotion, the undivided affection and homage due to Christ. This interpretation so commends itself from its harmony with the context as to render subsidiary arguments quite superfluous. I would, however, remind the critical student that some MSS. insert another word, suggested, perhaps, by the expression, "as a chaste virgin," and thus the passage might be rendered, lest your thoughts should be corrupted from your singleness of devotion and your chastity towards Christ. Christianity, says Archdeacon Wordsworth, is the marriage of the soul to Christ as the single object of affection, and is distinguished from the spiritual polygamy of heathenism and the spiritual fornication of heresy. According to this interpretation we may affirm that these words which have passed into a proverb, are misapplied universally. A new and more forcible meaning is extracted from the passage which is involved in the illustration employed. The language of St. Paul is in perfect harmony with the prophets who represent unfaithfulness to the old covenant as spiritual adultery. The jealousy of Paul carries out the teaching of the Baptist (John. iii. 28, 29), “Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom," &c. Any one who thinks of competing with the husband for a share in the affections of the bride, is guilty of the basest effrontery and most abominable turpitude. The friend of the bridegroom may rejoice that he is received into a near, intimate, and honourable relation, but the paranymph can never think of claiming the inalienable privileges of the bridegroom. That were an iniquity to be abhorred of all. What a proof does it give of the versatility and subtlety of Satan, that the Church Universal, or any branch thereof, that any human system or organization should claim a share in the devotion which we owe to our living Lord and glorified Head! Who is Paul, and who is Apollos? Was Paul crucified for you, or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? SAUL The Preacher's Finger-Post. OF TARSUS FALLING BEFORE JESUS OF NAZARETH. "And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?"-Acts xxii. 8. THIS remarkable verse presents to us four great general truths. I. THAT MAN IS THE OBJECT OF DIVINE INSPECTION. Though Christ was now in heaven, yet his eye followed Saul on his way to Damascus. Little did Saul know that He whom he hated, whose disciples he sought to destroy, and whose name he endeavoured to blot from the earth, knew all about him-not only marked his every footstep, but saw his every passing thought and feeling. That the great God knows all about the life and conduct of the individual man is obvious, First. From the omniscience of Hisnature. He who sees all things, sees each thing—the minute as well as the vast. Secondly: From the history of mankind-Hagar in the wilderness, Jacob at Bethel, Elijah in the cave, and now Saul on his way to Damascus. Thirdly: From the teachings of the Bible. (See Psalm cxxxix.; Prov. xv. 3.; Heb. iv. 13.) This solemn fact should make us serious, circumspect, devout. II. THAT CHRIST IS THE ORIGINATOR OF MORAL REFORMATION. What now gave the turning-point to Paul's life? The manifestation of Christ in the "light," the "voice," the address. "Saul, Saul," &c. Conversion does not originate with self; nor with the agency of man outside, but always with Christ. It is a resurrection. Who can raise the dead but He? It is a creation. Who can create but He? This fact agrees, First: With the consciousness of the good. The good everywhere, involuntarily, ascribe their goodness to Him. This is the burden of heaven's anthem. Second: This agrees with the teachings of Scripture. "Of his own will begat he us," &c. "When it pleased God to reveal his Son in me," &c. III. THAT HUMILITY IS THE CONDITION OF HEAVENLY COMMUNION. When did Saulhear the voice of Jesus? When was his soul put en: rapport with the Divine mind? When he had fallen to the ground. to the ground. Humility implies a deep sense of need, and without that sense the soul will never open its eye or its ear to the Divine. We must take off the shoes from our feet, like Moses-fall to the dust, like Isaiah-smite our breast, like the publican, if we would hear what God has to say. "Unto that man will I look who is of a broken spirit," &c. IV. THAT UNION WITH CHRIST IS THE PRIVILEGE OF THE GOOD. "Why persecutest thou ME?" What does this mean? Personally, Christ was in the heavens, beyond the reach of mortals. It means that so dear are his disciples to his heart, that their sufferings are His. He bears their infirmities, and· carries their sorrows, even in heaven. They are 66 members of his body," and no part can be wounded without: quivering to the sensorium. (See Matt. xxv. 40, 45.) "Inasmuch as ye have done it to the least of these," &c. "And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard."-Acts xxii. 14, 15. THE verb, πроexερíσarô, προεχειρίσατο, which is here translated, "chosen," only occurs in this form in one other place in the New Testament. (Acts xxvi. 16), where it has the sense of " 'making,' or appointing." The idea here is ordination, or setting apart. Ananias tells Paul that the God of their fathers had ordained him to the life specified in these verses. And truly the life is one of the highest that man can live on earth. What is the ordination? It is I. TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE HIGHEST SUBJECT, "That thou shouldest know his will." God has a will. A will in relation to all existences-a will in relation to every individual man. His will is at once the spring of all existence, the rule of all motion, the standard of all character. To understand it is to understand the philosophy of all being, the cause of all phenomena, and the science of all duty. All true subjects of thought are related 4 to it, and lead into it as radia to their centre. It is, therefore, the sublimest subject of thought. It expresses the divine nature, it reveals the universe. It is, therefore, the great theme for the study of eternity. To the study of this Paul was thus ordained, He began it then, he is at it now, he will continue at it for ever. II. To A VISION OF THE HIGHEST EXISTENCE. "And see that Just One." Not only to understand the will which is the law of the universe, but to see the Lawgiver Himself. "That Just One." Who? Evidently the Messiah-the God-man. (See Acts iii. 14.) He is called "that Just One" not merely because, as God, he is absolutely just, the Fountain of eternal rectitude. Nor merely because, as man, he “did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." But as Mediator who has engaged to make unjust men just. His work as mediator is to make a world of unjust men just to themselves, just to their fellows, just to the universe, just to God. This is his work, and his work exclusively. Hence he is designated" that Just One." Paul was ordained to see Him. First: To renovate him as a sinner. The vision of Christ is the soul-transforming force! "Be holding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, we are changed," &c. Second: To qualify him as an apostle. It would seem that one of the necessary qualifications of an apostle was, that he should have a personal view of Christ. Hence he says, 66 Am I not an apostle; have I not seen Christ our Lord?" Thirdly: To consummate his blessedness as a man. What is the heaven of souls? beatific vision of Christ. The sight of Him thrills all, brightens all, elevates all, enraptures all. (Rev. v. 6, 12.) The III. TO A RECEPTION OF THE HIGHEST COMMUNICATIONS. "And shouldest hear the voice of his mouth." To have a direct communication with Christ seemed necessary in order to put Paul on a level with the twelve apostles. (Acts xiii. 3; Galatians i. 1.) But whilst this was specially required for Paul as an apostle, it is a high privilege to which God "hath chosen," or appointed all good men. And what a privilege! Who teaches like Christ? "Never man spake like this man." So they said who heard Him when on earth, when he spoke only the few things that they could bear. His words on earth were original, sugges tive, soul inspiring. But to listen to that voice in Heaven, what an ecstasy of joy! Every utterance of that voice will then dispel some cloud of mystery from the sky of spirits, and open up some new realm of thought to the intellect, some new domain of beauty to the imagination. What is the voice of your Platos or even of your Pauls compared to the voice of Christ? The glimmerings of rushlight to the light of day. IV. TO A DISCHARGE OF THE HIGHEST MISSION. What work was He chosen to ? "Thou shalt be his witness unto all men, of what thou hast seen and heard." First: To bear witness of the highest facts about the Greatest Being. Paul was appointed as & witness for Christ. He was to declare all that he knew from observation and experience concerning the Son of God. This he nobly did. Second: To bear witness of the highest facts about the Greatest Being, to all mankind. "Unto all men.' Το the Jew as well as to the Gentile. Oh, brothers! be "ordained" to such a life as this. How earnestly should we aspire to such an ordination ! GETTING RID OF SIN. "And now, why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the |