is from this point of thought that the apostle proceeds to saylogically" For every man shall bear his own load *-his own personal responsibility; that is, to judge himself by his own doings, and not by comparison with somebody else. If a man will deceive himself by indulging this silly self-conceit and pride, he must bear his own responsibility, for no mortal can help him. No sympathy of fellow-mortals can take off any part of his load. Before God he must stand or fall on his own personal character. God will not judge him by comparing him with that other man-never! Let him see to it that he estimates his own moral character by the same standard which God has given us notice He shall use at the final bar!

6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

Communicate"-not in the sense of giving information but of sharing his own good things." There being a class of men devoting themselves to teaching the sacred word, let the taught impart of their good things to these teachers. The one class having truth to impart and the other bread, let these latter give of what they have as freely and benevolently as the former. God asks no purer benevolence, no sterner self-sacrifice, of him who dispenses truth than of him who ought to communicate of his bread. This doctrine Paul inculcates often, albeit, sometimes, wishing for special reasons to be quite independent of men given to slander and carping, he chose to make tents for his living, or to rob other churches, taking wages of them, in order to do unpaid service to croaking people.-- -But Paul evermore maintained the doctrine put here. (See 1 Cor. 9: 7-14 and Rom. 15: 27.)

7. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

8. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

I see no reason to question that the thoughts presented here are suggested by the case put in v. 6.-this being a broader generalization of that principle. You may deceive men, but God you can not deceive. God will not suffer himself to be mocked. Paul's word suggests the turning up of the nose in contempt! Woe be to the man who indulges himself in such a spirit toward the Infinite God!-The seed each man sows will bear its own fruit for his reaping. Let him not expect to reap after another man's sowing, but rather be very sure that God will hold him to his own harvest-from the sowing by his own hand. Sowing to the flesh-under its impulses and for its ends-he will reap only corruption. Sowing in like manner under the impulses of the Spirit, in obedience to its behests, his reaping will be life everlasting. What can be more reasonable? What more certain? *φορτιον.

9. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

10. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

In doing good, never lose heart; be always hopeful and never discouraged; for in due season-in God's own good time-the reaping hour will come, and will be none the less joyous for the possibly long delay. Especially is there every reason for hopefulness in efforts for doing good to those of the household of faith. Remember all these are of one common family, one household, having therefore a rightful claim upon the sympathy and help of the whole brotherhood.

11. Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.

On this verse critical opinions vary between these two constructions; (a.) How long an epistle; (b.) With how large characters I have written. The former is supported by its more pertinent sense; the latter by the current usage of his words. The major portion of critics, accurate in lexicography, give their voice for the latter.

That Paul usually wrote epistles by the hand of an amanuensis-the salutation only with his own-is unquestioned. Tertius wrote Romans, (Rom. 16: 22). In three cases Paul notes the fact that the salutation was by his own hand (1 Cor. 16: 21 and Col. 4: 18 and 2 Thess. 3: 17). Hence there seems no good reason apparent for his calling attention to the large character of his own hand-writing. But if, contrary to his usual practice, he wrote the entire epistle with his own hand, he might well appeal to this fact as proof of profound interest and perhaps, of personal self-sacrifice. But on the other hand, the demands of usage as to the sense of the words are not to be lightly set aside, and in the present case are unquestionably very strong. The point, however, has no grave importance.

12. As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

13. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

A strong national Jewish feeling amounting to a public sentiment intensely earnest, in favor of Judaism, must be assumed as prevalent in Judea at least, and, though with somewhat less strength, among the dispersed of their nation. This is requisite to account for the "fair show in the flesh," and for the "glorying in your flesh" which appear as motives here. These emis

saries of Judaism (Paul would say) would fain make capital for themselves at home; would avoid being persecuted (as I am) for the cross of Christ; and though they do not themselves observe the law, would have the credit of making converts to a system which themselves personally disregard.

14. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

15. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

Paul disdains such truckling time-serving hypocrisy. Such glorying in forcing circumcision upon Gentile converts for the sake of honor at Jerusalem is beneath his contempt. Nobly does he declare-God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord! Be it so that this cross is the badge of disgrace throughout the Roman world, it shall be in my esteem the badge of glory. By that cross the world is slain to me, and I am dead to the world.- -For in Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision count any thing; nothing has value but the new creation-the new life unto which souls are born through the Spirit.

16. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

17. From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

18. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

To all who walk by this rule-according to these principleslet there be peace and mercy, yea even upon the whole true Israel-the Israel that really is of God. Here "the Israel of God" are put in designed and strong contrast with the Israel that were then after the flesh-whom Paul had but too much occasion to know. This contrast was every way pertinent to the purpose of this epistle.-Evermore hereafter, let no man trouble me (as these opponents and enemies of the gospel I preach have done) for I bear in my body the marks of my Lord-said probably with some allusion to the body-marks imprinted upon slaves to identify them to their masters. Such marks Paul had more than once received from the scourge of persecution. Therefore, he says, let my apostleship from Christ be never more called in question! My scourge-scars are my proofs! In them I glory!

And so, in the loftiest tones of Christian heroism and in the undying fervors of Christian love he breathes forth his farewell benedictions and closes this grand epistle.

THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS.

INTRODUCTION.

An introduction to this epistle, to be helpful to its readers, should treat—

I. Of Ephesus;

II. Of the labors of Paul in that city;

III. Of the somewhat disputed point-Was this epistle really written to the church at Ephesus?

IV. Of the place where and of the time when it was written; V. Of its adaptations and purposes.

I. Ephesus, now and for many centuries past in ruins, was in the age of Paul one of the greatest cities of Asia Minor, and the chief in the province of Ionia. It lay on the western coast of Asia, on the south bank of the Cayster, near its mouth, and thirty miles south of Smyrna. Commercially, it had easy communication by water with Corinth on the west and with the various marts of maritime commerce on the eastern shore of the Great Sea; and by land, with the valley of the Euphrates and the mighty East. Its population in the apostolic age may be roughly estimated from the ruins of that immense "theater" which appears in Luke's history (Acts 19: 31), capacious enough to seat thirty thousand men. Its magnificence was heightened by its being the great center for the worship of Diana, of whom they were proud to say- "Whom all Asia and the world worshipeth" (Acts 19: 27). "Her temple, 425 feet in length by 220 in width, was adorned with a colonnade of 127 columns of Parian marble 60 feet in height, each column the gift of a prince-a fact which goes to show the wide extent of this particular form of idolatry. It was of old accounted one of the seven wonders of the world. The social and immoral forces of her Diana worship upon Ephesus were heightened by city and national pride in such magnificence; by the consideration of being the center of a system so vast

and far-reaching; by the wealth it brought to coppersmiths and artisans-the makers and venders of silver shrines for Diana; by the "books" which taught their magic arts; and not least, by the license it gave to the vices it fostered, and by the powerful appeal it was evermore making to the superstitions and to the baser lusts of mankind. Under all these influences, idolatry had intrenched itself in this great city, prepared to bid defiance to any assailant. If Paul had been capable of fear and given to faltering before obstacle or foe, he would have passed Ephesus by. But never a thought had he of leaving out of his great missionary plan a city where so many souls of men were congregated, and from whence so much Christian power might go forth abroad over other cities, provinces, and realms.

II. Of Paul's labors in this city, Luke has given a very brief sketch (Acts 18-20 chap.) Paul had been at Corinth, introducing the gospel there (Acts 18: 1-18). Thence with Priscilla and Aquila he came to Ephesus, and there began his gospel work as usual in a synagogue of Jews. A favorable reception could not detain him long just then, for his heart was set upon being in Jerusalem at the ensuing Pentecost (of A. D. 54). However, he left his friends above named to carry forward the work there during his absence; hastened to Jerusalem; but soon returned and sat down to earnest gospel work in that great and wicked city. Meantime, Priscilla and Aquila had been strengthened by the accession of Apollos, to whose history Luke devotes a brief paragraph. He next notes the fact that Paul found at Ephesus a band of twelve men who had been disciples of John the Baptist, and who, to that hcur, had advanced no further. Their minds were in that very state of preparation which John's mission contemplated. Hence they seem to have been prominent among the first converts to the infant church at Ephesus. For three months Paul prosecuted his work in the synagogue gathering some disciples, but ultimately incurring fierce prejudice and opposition from "divers" who were hardened and would not believe. Therefore, withdrawing from them, he made a gospel stand for two years' daily preaching and discussion "in the school of one Tyrannus. The result of this protracted effort was such that "all they who dwelt in Asia" (so called) "heard the word of the Lord Jesus" (19: 10).-If to this record of Paul's public labors by Luke, we add his own testimony as given to the elders of that church whom he met by ap