Notes on the Old and New Testaments

6. Let no man deceive you. Let no one by artful pleas persuade you that there will be no danger from practising these vices. We may suppose that they would be under strong temptations to mingle in the gay and festive scenes wher-e these vices were not frowned on, or where they were practised; or that they

7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

8 For * ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light " in the Lord: walk as children «* of light;

might be tempted to commit them by some of the plausible arguments which were then used for their indulgence. Many of their friends may have been in these circles; and they would endeavour to convince them that such were the customs which had been long practised, and that there could be no harm still in their indulgence. Not a few philosophers endeavoured, as is well known, to defend some of these practices, and even practised them themselves. See Notes on Rom. i. It required, therefore, all the authority of an apostle to convince them, that however plausible were the arguments in defence of them, they certainly exposed those who practised them to the wrath of God. IF For because of these things cometh the wrath of God. See Notes on Rom. i. 18; ii. 8, 9. ^ Upon the children of disobedience. See Notes on Matt. i. 1. Rom. ii. 8.

7. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. Since these things displease God and expose to his wrath, avoid them.

8. For ye were sometimes darkness. See Notes on ch. ii. II, 12. 1 Cor. vi. 11. The meaning here is, that they were themselves formerly sunk in the same ignorance, and practised the same abominations. •f But now are ye light in the Lord. Light is the emblem of happiness, knowledge, holiness. The meaning is, that they had been enlightened by the Lord to see the evil of these practices, and that they ought, therefore, to forsake them. ^ Walk as

9 (For the fruit « of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

10 Proving * what is acceptable unto the Lord.

children of light. See Notes on Matt. i. 1, on the use of the word son, or children. The meaning here is, that they should live as became those who had been enlightened to see the evil of sin, and the beauty of virtue and religion. Comp. John xii. 36, where the same phrase occurs.

9. For the fruit of the Spirit. That is, since the Holy Spirit through the gospel produces goodness, righteousness, and truth, see that you exhibit these in your lives, and thus show that you are the children of light. On the fruits of the Spirit, see Notes on Gal. v. 22, 23. ^ Is in all goodness. Is seen in producing all kinds of goodness. He who is not good is not a Christian.

10. Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. That is, ' Walk as children of light (ver. 8), thus showing what is acceptable to the Lord.' Rosenmiiller supposes that the participle is used here instead of the imperative. The meaning is, that by so living you will make a fair trial of what is acceptable to the Lord. The result on your happiness in this life and the next, will be such as to show that such a course is pleasing in his sight. Dr. Chandler, however, renders it as meaning that by this course they would show that they discerned and approved of what was acceptable to the Lord. See Notes on Rom. xii. 2, where a similar form of expression occurs.

11. And have no fellowship. See the sentiment here expressed fully explained in the Notes on 2 Cor. vi. 14 — 18. ^ The unfruitful works.

11 And have *= no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove ^them.

12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

The deeds of darkness that produce no benefit to the body or the soul. The word unfruitful is here used in contrast with the ' fruit of the Spirit,' ver. 9. % But rather reprove them. By your life, your conversation, and all your influence. This is the business of Christians. Their lives should be a standing rebuke of a sinful world, and they should be ever ready to express their disapprobation of its wickedness in every form.

12. For it is a shame even to speak &LC. Comp. Notes, Rom. i. 24—32 It is still a shame to speak of th'. practices of the heathen. Missionaries tell us that they cannot describe the images on the car of Juggernaut, or tell us what is done in the idol temples. All over the world the same thing is true. The cheek of modesty and virtue would be suffused with shame at the very mention of what is done by the worshippers of idols; and the same is true of what is done by multitudes in Christian lands, who are not worshippers of idols. Their deeds cannot be described in the circles of the refined and the delicate; they cannot be told in the presence of mothers and sisters. Is there not em— phasis here in the words ' even to SPEAK of these things'?' If the apostle would not allow them to jiame those things, or to speak of tliem, is it wise or safe for Christians now to be familiar with the accounts of those practices of pollution, and for ministers to portray them in the pulpit, and for the friends of ' moral reform' to describe them before the world 1 The very naming of those abomi-

13 But all things that are ^ reproved are made manifest " by the

nations often produces improper associations in the mind; the description creates polluting images before the imagination; the exhibition of pictures, even for the purpose of condemning them, defiles the soul. There are some vices which, from the corruptions of the human heart, cannot be safely described, and it is to be feared that, under the plea of faithfulness, many have done evil by exciting improper feelings, where they should have only alluded to the crime, and then spoken in thunder. Paul did not describe these vices, he denounced them; he did not dwell upon them long enough for the imagination to find emplojTiient, and to corrupt the soul. He mentioned the vice — and then he mentioned the wrath of God; he alluded to the sm, and then he spoke of the exclusion from heaven. Comp. Notes on 1 Cor. vi. 18. y[ Which are done of them in secret. Many have supposed that there is an allusion here to the " mysteries''' which were celebrated in Greece, usually at night, and far from the public eye. Many of these were indeed impure and abominable, but there is no necessity for supposing that there is such an allusion here. The reference may be to the vices which were secretly practised then as now; the abominations which flee from the eye of day, and which are performed far from the public gaze.

13. But all things that are reproved. Marg., discovered. The word here used properly means proved, demonstrated, reproved, or convicted (see Notes on John xvi. 8); but it seems here to be used in the sense of disclosed, or discovered. The sense is, that its true nature is demonstrated f that is, it i^ made 10* light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is hght. 14 Wherefore ^ he saith, * Awake known. IF Are made manifest by the light. The sense is, 'light is the means of seeing what things are. We discern their form, nature, appearance, by it. So it is with the gospel — the light of the world. It enables us to see the true nature of actions. They are done in darkness, and are like objects in the dark. Their form and nature cannot then be known; but, when the light shines, we see what they are.' Comp. Notes on John iii. 20, 21. ^ For whatsoever doth make manifest is light. * Anything which will show the real form and nature of an object, deserves to be called light.'' Of the truth of this, no one can doubt. The meaning in this connection is, that that system which discloses the true nature of what i? done by the heathen, deserves to be considered as light,• and that the gospel which does this, should be regarded as a system of light and truth. It discloses their odiousness and vileness, and it stands thus in strong contrast with all the false and abommable systems" which have upheld or produced those vices.

14. Wherefore he saith. Marg., or it. Ato TJysi. The meaning may be, either that the Lord says, or the Scripture. Much difficulty has been experienced in endeavouring to ascertain where this is said. It is agreed on all hands that it is not found, in so many words, in the Old Testament. Some have supposed that the allusion is to Isa. xxvi. 19, " Thy dead men shall live — awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust, for thy dew is as the dew of herbs," &c. But the objections to tliis are obvious and conclusive. (1.) Thia is not a quotation of that place, nor has it a resemblance to it, except in thou that sJeepest, and arise from the word "awake." (2.) The passage in Isaiah refers to a different matter, and has a different sense altogether. See Notes on the passage. To make it refer to those to whom the gospel comes, is most forced and unnatural. Others have supposed that the reference is to Isa. Ix. 1 — 3, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come," &c. But the objection to this is not less decisive. (1.) It is not a quotation of that passage, and the resemblance is very remote, if it can be seen at all. (2.) That is addressed to the church, calling on her to let her light shine; this, to awake and arise from the dead, with the assurance that Christ would give them light. The exhortation here is to Christians, to avoid the vices of the heathen around them; the exhortation in Isaiah is to the church, to rejoice and exult in view of the fact that the day of triumph had come, and that the heathen were to be converted, and to come in multitudes and devote themselves to God. In the design of the two passages there is no resemblance. Some have supposed that the words are taken from some book among the Hebrews which is now lost. Epiphanius supposed tliat it was a quotation from a prophecy of Elijah; Syncellus and Euthalius, from some writing of Jeremiah; Hippolytus, from the writing of some now unknown prophet. Jerome supposed it was taken from some apocryphal writings. Grotius supposes that it refers to the word light in ver. 13, and that the sense is, ' That light says; that is, that a man who is pervaded by that light, let him so say to another.' Heumann, and after him Storr, Michaelis, and Jenning (Jewish Ant. ii. 252), suppose that the reference is to a Bong or hymn that was sung by the early Christians, beginning in this the dead, and Christ shall give manner, and that the meaning is, 'Wherefore, as it is said in the hymns which we sing,

* Awake, thou that sleepest; Arise from the dead; Christ shall give thee light.'

Others have supposed that there la an allusion to a sentiment which prevailed among the Jews, respecting the significancy of blowing the trumpet on the first day of the month, or the feast of the new moon, Maimonides conjectures that that call of the trumpet, especially in the month Tisri, in which the great day of atonement occurred, was designed to signify a special call to repentance; meaning, 'You who sleep, arouse from your slumbers; search and try yourselves; think on your Creator, repent, and attend to the salvation of the soul.' Burder, in Ros. Alt. u. neu. Morgenland, in loc. But all this is evidently conjecture. I see no evidence that Paul meant to make a quotation at all. Why may we not suppose that he speaks as an inspired man, and that he means to say, simply, that God now gives this command, or that God now speaks in this way? The sense then would be, ' Be separate from sinners. Come out from among the heathen. Do not mingle with their abominations; do not name them. You are the children of light; and God says to you, awake from false security, rouse from the death of sin, and Christ shall enlighten you.' Whatever be the origin of the sentiment in this verse, it is w^orthy of inspiration, and accords with all that is elsewhere said in the Scriptures. ^ Awake thou that sleepest. Arouse from a state of slumber and false security. Sleep and death are striking representations of the state in which men are by nature. In sleep we are, though living, insensible to any danger that may be near; we are unconscious of what may be going on around us; we hear not the voice of our friends; we see not the beauty of the grove or the landscape; we are forgetful of our real character and condition. So with the sinner. It is as if his faculties were locked in a deep slumber. He hears not when God calls; he has no sense of danger; he is insensible to the beauties and glories of the heavenly world; he is forgetful of his true character and condition. To see all this, he must be first awakened; and hence this solemn command is addressed to man. He must rouse from this condition, or he cannot be saved. But can he awaken himself] Is it not the work of God to awaken a sinner 1 Can he rouse himself to a sense of his condition and danger 1 How do we do in other things ] The man that is sleeping on the verge of a dangerous precipice we would approach, and say, 'Awake, you are in danger.' The child that is sleeping quietly in its bed, while the flames are bursting into the room, we would rouse, and say, 'Awake, or you will perish.' Why not use the same language to the sinner slumbering on the verge of ruin, in a deep sleep, while the flames of wrath are kindling around him J We have no difficulty in calling on sleepers elsewhere to awake when in danger; how can we have any difficulty when speaking to the sinner) ^ And arise from the dead. The state of the sinner is oflen compared.to death. See Notes on ch. ii. 1. Men are by nature dead in sins; yet they must rouse from this condition, or they will perish. How singular, it may be said, to call upon the dead to rise! How could they raise themselves upf Yet God speaks thus to men, and commands them to rise from the death of sin. Learn, then, (1.) That men are not dead in sin in any such sense that they are not moral agents, or responsible. (2.) That they are not dead in any such sense that they have no power of any kind. (3.) That it is right to call on sinners to arouse from their condition, and live. (4.) That they must put forth their efforts as if they were to begin the work themselves, without waiting for God to do it for them. They are to awake; they are to arise. It is not God who is to awake; it is not Christ who is to arise. It is the sinner who is to awake from his slumber, and arise from the state of death; nor is he to wait for God to do the work for him. ^ And Christ shall give thee light. Christ is the light of the world. See Notes on John i. 4. 9; viii. 12. Heb. i. 3. The idea here is, that if they will use all the powers with which God has endowed them, and arouse from their spiritual slumber, and make an appropriate effort for salvation, then they may expect that Christ will shine upon them, and bless them in their efforts. This is just the promise that we need, and it is all that we need. All that man can ask is, that if he will make efforts to be saved, God will bless those efforts, so that they shall not be in vain. Faculties of mind have been given us to be employed in securing our salvation; and if we will employ them as they were intended to be employed, we may look for the divine aid; if not, we cannot expect it " God helps those who help themselves;" and they who will make no effort for their salvation must perish, as they who will make no effort to provide food must starve. This command was indeed addressed at first to Christians; but it involves a principle which is applicable to all. Indeed, the language here is rather descriptive of the condition of impenitent sinners, than of Christians. In a far more important sense they

15 See then that ye walk " circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

are "asleep," and are "dead;" and with the more earnestness, therefore, should they be entreated to awake, and to rise from the dead, that Christ may give them light.

15. See then that ye walk circumspectly. Carefully, anxiously, solicitous lest you fell into sin. The word rendered ' circumspectly' — axpijSl^i — means diligently, and the idea here is, that they were to take special pains to guard against the temptations around them, and to live as they ought to. ^ Not as fools, but as wise. Not as the people of this world live, indulging in foolish pleasures and desnes, but as those who have been taught to understand heavenly wisdom, and who have been made truly wise.

16. Redeeming the time. The word here rendered redeeming, means to purchase; to buy up from the possession or power of any one; and then to redeem, to set free — as from service or bondage. Notes, Gal. iii. 13. Here it means, to rescue or recover our time from waste; to improve it for great and important purposes. ^ Because the days are evil. Because the times in which you live are evil. There are many allurements and temptations that would lead you away from the proper improvement of time, and that would draw you into sin. Such were those that would tempt them to go to places of sinful indulgence and revelry, where their time would be wasted, and worse than wasted. As these temptations abounded, they ought therefore to be more especially on their guard against a sinful and unprofitable waste of time. This exhortation may be addressed to all, and is applicable to all periods. The eentiraent is, that we ought to be

16 Redeeming the time, because the davs are evil. * solicitous to improve our time to some useful purpose, because there are, in an evil world, so many temptations to waste it. Time is given us for most valuable purposes. There are things enough to be done to occupy it all, and no one need have it hang heavy on his hands. He that has a soul to be saved from eternal death, need not have one idle' moment. He that has a heaven to win, has enough to do to occupy all his time. Man has just enough given him to accomplish all the purposes which God designs, and God has not given him more than enough. They redeem their time who employ it (1.) in gaining useful knowlodge; (2.) in doing good to others; (3.) in employing it for the purpose of an honest livelihood for themselves and families; (4.) in prayer ahd self-examination to make the heart better; (5.) in seeking salvation, and in endeavouring to do the will of God. They are to redeem time from all that would waste and destroy it — like recovering marshes and fens to make them rich meadows and vineyards. There is time enough wasted by each sinner to secure tlie salvation of the soul; time enough wasted to do all that is needful to be done to spread religion around the world, and to saVe the race. We should" still endeavour to redeem our time for the same reasons which are suggested by the apostle — becausethe days are evil. There are evil influences abroad; allurements and vices that would waste time, and from which we should endeavour to rescue it. There are evil influences tending to waste time (1.) in the allurements to pleasure and amusement in every place, and especially in cities; (2.) in the temptations to novel-reading, con-

17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what <» the will of the Lord is.

Burning the precious hours of probation to no valuable purpose; (3.) in the temptations of ambition, most of the time spent for which is wholly thrown away, for few gain the prize, and when gained, it is all a bauble, not worth the effort; (4.) in dissipation— for wlio can estimate the amount of valuable time that is worse than thrown away in the places of revelry and dissipation; (5.) in wild and visionary plans — temptations to which abound in all lands, and pre-eminently in our own; (6.) and in luxurious indulgence — in dressing, and eating, and drinking.

17. Be ye not unwise. Be not fools in the employment of your time, and in your manner of life. Show iruc wisdom by endeavouring to understand what the will of the Lord is, and then doing it.

18. And be not drunk with wine. A danger to which they were exposed, and a vice to which those around them were much addicted. Comp. Notes on Luke xxi. 34. It is not improbable that in this verse there is an allusion to the orgies of Bacchus, or to the festivals celebrated in honour of that heathen god. He was ' the god of wine,' and during those festivals, men and women regarded it as an acceptable act of worship to become intoxicated, and with wild songs and cries to run Jirough streets, and fields, and vineyards. To these things the apostle opposes psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, as much more appropriate modes of devotion, and would have the Christian worship stand out in strong contrast with the wild and dissolute habits of the heathen. Plato says, that while those abominable ceremonies,in the worship of Bacchus continued, it was difficult

18 And be not drunk * with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

to find in all Attica a single sober man. Rosenmilllerj Alt. u. neu. Morgenland, in loc. On the subject of wine, and the wines used by the ancients, see Notes on John ii. 10, 11. We may learn fi-om this verse (1.) that it was not uncommon in those times to become intoxicated on wine; and (2.) that it was positively forbidden. All intoxication is prohibited in the Scriptures — no matter by what means it is produced. There is, in fact, but one thing that produces intoxication. It is alcohol — the poisonous substance produced by fermentation. This substance is neither created nor changed, increased nor diminished, by distillation. It exists in the cider, the beer, and the wine, after they are fermented, and the whole process of distillation consists in driving it ofl:' by heat, and collecting it in a concentrated form, and so that it may be preserved. But distilling does not make it, nor change it. Alcohol is precisely the same thing in the wine that it is in the brandy after it is distilled; in the cider or the beer that it is in the whisky or the rum; and why is it right to become intoxicated on it in one form rather than in another? Since therefore there is danger of intoxication in the use of wine, as well as in the use of ardent spirits, why should we not abstain from one as well as tlie other ] How can a man prove that it is right for him to drink alcoliol in the form of wine, and that it is wrong for me to drink it in the form of brandy or rum] IT Wherein is excess. There has been much difference of opinion about the word here rendered excess — aorwt'fca. It occurs only in two other places in Itlie New Testament, where it is

19 Speaking to yourselves in "

rendered riot. Tit. i. 6. 1 Pet. iv. 4. The adjective occurs once (Luke XV. 13), where it is rendered riotous. The word (derived, according- to Passow, from a, and cfco^w — to save, deliver) means that which is unsafe, not to be recovered; lost beyond recovery; then that which is abandoned to sensuality and lust; dissoluteness, debauchery, revelry. The meaning here is, that all this follows the use of wine. Is it proper then for Christians to be in the habit of drinking it 1 " Wine is so frequently the cause of this, by the ungrateful abuse of the bounty of Providence in giving it, that the enormity is represented by a very strong and beautiful ^^wre, as contained in the very liquor." Doddridge. % But be filled with the Spirit. The Holy Spirit. How much more appropriate to Christians than to be filled with the spirit of intoxication and revelry! Let Christians, when about to indulge in a glass of wine, think of this admonition. Let them remember that their bodies should be the temple of the Holy Ghost, rather than a receptacle for intoxicating drinks. Was any man ever made a better Christian by the use of wine 1 Was any minister ever better fitted to counsel an anxious sinner, or to pray, or to preach the gospel, by the use of intoxicating drinks? Let the history of wme-drinking and intemperate clergymen answer.

19. Speaking to yourselves. Speaking among yourselves, that is, endeavouring to edify one another, and to promote purity of heart by songs of praise. This has the force of a command, and it is a matter of obligation on Christians. From the beginning, praise was an important part of public worship, and is designed to be to the end of the world. See Notes on 1 Cor. xiv. 15. No- psalms and hymns, and spiritual thmg is more clear than that it was practised by the Saviour himself and the apostles (see Matt. xxvi. 30), and by the primitive church, as well as by the great body of Christians in all ages. IF In psalms. The Psalms of David were sung by the Jews at the temple, and by the early Christians (Notes Matt. xxvi. 30), and the singing of those Psalms has constituted a delightful part of public worship in all ages. They speak the language of devotion at all times, and a large part of them are as well fitted to the services of the sanctuary now as they were when first composed. ^ And hymns. It is not easy to determine precisely what is the difference in the meaning of the words here used, or to designate the kind of compositions which were used in the early churches. A hymn is properly a song or ode in honour of God. Among the heathen it was a song in honour of some deity. With us now it denotes a short poem, composed for religious service, and sung in praise to God. Such brief poems were common among the heathen, and it was natural that Christians should early introduce and adopt them. Whether any of them were composed by the apostles it is impossible now to determine, though the presumption is very strong that if they had been they would have been preserved with as much care as their epistles, or as the Psalms. One thing is proved clearly by this passage, that there were other compositions used in the praise of Grod than the Psalms of David; and if it was right then to make use of such compositions, it is now. They were not merely "Psalms" that were sung, but there were hymns and odes. ^ Spiritual songs. Spiritual odes — (pSatj. Odes or songs relating to spiritual things in contradistinction songs, singing *• and making me- frqm those which were sung in places of festivity and revelry. An ode is properly a short poem or song adapted to be set to music, or to be sung; a lyric poem. In what way these were sung, it is now vain to conjecture. Whether with or without instrumental accompaniments; whether by a choir or by the assembly; whether by an individual only, or whether they were by responses, it is not possible to decide from anything in the New Testament. It is probable that it would be done in the most simple manner possible. Yet as music constituted so important a part of the worship of the temple, it is evident that the early Christians would be by no means indifferent to the nature of the music which they had in their churches. And as it was so important a part of the worship of the heathen gods, and contributed so much to maintain the influence of heathenism, it is not unlikely that the early Christians would feel the importance of making their music attractive, and of making it tributary to the support of religion. If there is attractive music at the banquet, and in the theatre, contributing to the maintenance of amusements where God is forgotten, assuredly the music of the sanctuary should not be such as to disgust those of pure and refined taste. ^ Singing. ttSovT'f J. The prevailing character of music in the worship of God should be vocal. If instruments are employed, they should be so subordinate that the service may be characterized as singing. ^ And making melody. Melody is an agreeable succession of sounds; a succession so regulated and modulated as to please the ear. It differs from harmony, inasmuch as melody is an agreeable succession of sounds by a single voice; harmony consists in lody in your * heart to the Lord; the accordance of different sounds. It is not certain, however, that the apostle here had reference to what is properly called melody. The word which he uses — -^tckco — means to touch, twitch, pluck — as the hair, the beard; and then to twitch a string — to twang it — as the string of a bow, and then the string of an instrument of music. It is most frequently used in the sense of touching or playing a lyre, or a harp; and then it denotes to make music in general, to sing — perhaps usually with the idea of being accompanied with a lyre or harp. It is used, in the New Testament, only in Rom. V. 19. 1 Cor. xiv. 15, where it is translated sing; in James v. 13, where it is rendered sing psalms, and in the place before us. The idea here is, that of singing in the heart, or praising God from the heart The psalms, and hymns, and songs were to be sung so that the heart should be engaged, and not so as to be mere music, or a mere external performance. On the phrase 'in the heart,' see Notes on 1 Cor. xiv. 15. T[ To the Lord. In praise of the Lord, or addressed to him. Singing, as here meant, is a direct and solemn act of worship, and should be considered such as really as prayer. In singing we should regard ourselves as speaking directly to God, and the words, therefore, should be spoken with a solemnity and awe becoming such a direct address to the great Jehovah. So Pliny says of the early Christians, Carmenque Chris to quasi Deo dicer e secum invicem — 'and they sang among themselves hymns to Christ as God.* If ttiis be the true nature and design of public psalmody, then it follows (1.) that all should regard it as an act of solemn worship in which they should engage — in heart at least, if

20 Giving thanks " always for they cannot themselves sing. (2.) Public psalmody should not be intrusted wholly to the light and gay; to the trifling and careless part of a congregation. (3.) They who conduct this part of public worship ought to be pious. The leader ought to be a Christian; and they who join in it ought also to give tlieir hearts to the Redeemer. Perhaps it would not be proper to say absolutely that no one who is not a professor of religion should take part in the exercises of a choir in a church; but there can be no error in saying that such persons ought to give themselves to Christ, and to smg from the heart. Their voices would be none the less sweet; their music no less pure and beautiful; nor could their own pleasure in the service be lessened. A choir of sweet singers in a church — united in the same praises here — ought to be prepared to join in the same praises around the throne of God.

20. Giving thanks always. This is probably designed to be connected with the preceding verse, and to denote that the proper subject of psalms and hymns is thanksgiving and praise. This is indeed always the main design, and should be so regarded; and this part of worship should be so conducted as to keep up in the heart a lively sense of the mercy and goodness of God. IT For all things. VTisp Tiavtcov — for all things, or all persons. Dr. Barrow supposes that the meaning here is, that they were to give thanks for all persons, and to regard themselves as under obligations to give thanks for the mercies bestowed upon the human race, in accordance with the idea expressed in the Liturgy of the Episcopal church, " We, thine unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for thy goodness all things unto God and the Father and loving-kindness to us, and to all men." This idea is beautiful; and it accords with the requirements of the Scriptures elsewhere. 1 Tim. ii. 1. " I exhort, therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, arid giving of thanks, be made for all men." Such is the duty of Christians; and I see no departure from the fair meaning of the words here, in supposing that the apostle may have designed to express such an idea. The sense, accord mg to this, would be, that we are to praise God for his general mercy to mankind; for all the happiness which mortals are permitted to enjoy; for the love of God to mankind in creation, in providence, and in redemption— just as a grateful child will give thanks for all the kmdness shown to his brothers and sisters. One obvious effect of this would be to overcome selfishness, and to make us rejoice in the happiness of others as well as in our own. Another effect would be to make us feel a deeper interest in the condition of our fellow creatures. Another would be to elevate and enlarge our conceptions of the goodness of God — directing the mind to all the favours which he has bestowed on the race. Man lias much for which to be grateful; and the duty of acknowledging the mercy of God to the race should not be forgotten. We are often prone so to magnify our calamities, and to contemplate the woes of the race, that we overlook the occasions for gratitude; and we should, therefore, look upon the mercies which we enjoy as well as the miseries which we endure, that our hearts may be right. He who looks only on his trials will soon find his mind soured and complaining; he who endeavours to find how many occasions for gratitude he has will sood in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

find the burden of his sorrows alleviated, and his mind tranquil and calm. Yet, if the words here are to be taken as in our translation, " for all things," they are full offeree and beauty. At the close of life, and in heaven, we shall see occasion to bless God for all his dealings with us. We shall see that we have not suffered one pang too much, or been required to perform one duty too severe. We shall see that all our afflictions, as well as our mercies, were designed for our good, and were needful for us. Why then should we not bless God in the furnace as well as in the palace; on a bed of pain as well as on a bed of down; in want as well as when sitting down at the splendid banquet ] God knows what is best for us; and the way in which he leads us, mysterious though it seem to be now, will yet be seen to have been full of goodness and mercy. % Unto God and the Father. Or, * to God, even the Father.' It cannot mean to God as distinguished from the Father, or first to God and then to the Father, as if the Father were distinct from God. The meaning is, that thanks are to be given specially to God the Father — the great Author of all mercies, and the source of all blessings. IT In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Tliat is, tlirough his mediation, or trusting in him. See Notes on John xiv. 13. The meaning is, that we are always to approach God through the mediation of the Lord Jesus. When we ask for mercy, it is to be on his account, or through his merits; wlien we plead for strength and grace to support us in trial, it is to be in dependence on him; and when we give

22 Wives, * submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

thanks, it is to be through him, and because it is through his intervention that we receive all blessings, and by his merits that even the gratitude of beings so sinful as we are can be accepted.

21. Submitting yourselves one to another. Maintaining due subordination in the various relations of life. This general principle of religion, the apostle proceeds now to illustrate in reference to wives (vs. 22 — 24); to children (ch. vi. 1 — 3); and to servants, ch. vi. 5 — 8. At the same time that he enforces this duty of submission, however, he enjoins on others to use their authority in a proper manner, and gives solemn injunctions that there should be no abuse of power. Particularly he enjoins on husbands the duty of loving their wives with all tenderness (vs. 25—33); on fathers, the duty of treating their children so that they might easily obey them (ch. vL 4); and on masters, the duty of treating their servants with kindness, remembering that they have a Master also in heaven. Ch. vi. 9. The general meaning here is, that Christianity does not break up the relations of life, and produce disorder, lawlessness, and insubordination; but that it will confirm every proper authority, and make every just yoke lighter. Infidelity is always disorganizing; Cliristianity, never.

22. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands. On this passage, comp. Notes on 1 Cor. xi. 3 — 9. The duty of the submission of the wife to her husband is everywhere enjoined in tlie Scriptures. See 1 Pet. iii. 1. Col. iii. 18. Titus ii. 5. Wlule Christianity designed to elevate the character of the wife, and to make her a fit companion of an intelligent and pious husband, it did not intend to destroy all subordination and authority. Man, by the fact that he was first created; that the woman was taken fi-om him; that he is better qualified for ruling than she is, is evidently designed to be at the head of the little community that constitutes a fiimily. In many other things, woman may be his equal; in loveliness, and grace, and beauty, and tenderness, and gentleness, she is far his superior; but these are not the qualities adapted for government. Their place is in another sphere; and there^ man should be as cautious about invading her prerogative, or abridging her liberty, as she should be about invading the prerogative that belongs to him. In every family there should be a head — some one who is to be looked up to as the counsellor and the ruler; some one to whom all should be subordinate. God has given that prerogative to man; and no family prospers where that arrangement is violated. W ithin proper metes and limits, therefore, it is the duty of the wife to obey, or to submit herself to her husband. Those limits are such as the following: 1. In domestic arrangements, the husband is to be regarded as the head of the family; and he has a right to direct as to the style of living, the expenses of the family, the clothing, &c. 2. In regard to the laws which are to regulate the family, he is the head. It is his to say what is to be done; in what way the children are to employ themselves, and to give directions in regard to their education, &c. 3. In business matters, the wife is to submit to the husband. She may counsel with him, if he chooses; but the affairs of business and property are under his control, and must be lefl at his disposal. 4. In everything, except that which relates to conscience and religion^ he has authority. But there his authority ceases. He has no right to require her to commit an act of dishonesty, to connive at wrong-doing, to visit a place of amusement which her conscience tells her is wrong, nor has he a right to interfere with the proper discharge of her religious duties. He has no right to forbid her to go to church at the proper and usual time, or to make a profession of religion when she pleases. He has no right to forbid her endeavouring to exercise a religious influence over her children, or to endeavour to lead them to God. She is bound t(? obey God, rather than any man (see Notes on Acts iv. 19); and when even a husband interferes in such cases, and attempts to control her, he steps beyond his proper bounds, and invades the prerogative of God and his authority ceases to be bind ing. It ought to be said, howevei that in order to justify her acting in dependently in such a case, the fol lowing things are proper: (1.) li should be really a case of conscience — a case where the Lord has plainly required her to do what she proposes to do — and not a mere matter of whim, fancy, or caprice. (2.) When a husband makes opposition to the course which a wife wishes to pursue in religious duties, it should lead her to re-examine the matter, to pray much over it, and to see whether she cannot, with a good conscience, comply with his wishes. (3.) If she is convinced that she is right, she should still endeavour to see whether it is not possible to win him to her views, and to persuade him to accord with her. See 1 Pet iii. 1. It is possible that, if she does right, he may be persuaded to do right also. (4.) If she is constrained, however, to differ from him, it should be with mildness and gentleness. There should be no reproach, and no contention. She should simply 'state

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body.

24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the

her reasons, and leave the event to God. (5.) She should, after this, be a better wife, and put forth more and more effort to make her husband and family happy. She should show that the effect of her religion has been to make her love her husband and children more; to make her more and more attentive to her domestic duties, and more and more kind in affliction. By a life of pure religion, she should aim to secure what she could not by her entreaties — his consent that she should live as she thinks she ought to, and walk to heaven in the path in which she believes that her Lord calls her. While, however, it is to be conceded that the husband has authority over the wife, and a right to command in all cases that do not pertaui to the conscience, it should be remarked, (1.) That his command should be reasonable and proper. (2.) He has no right to require anything wrong, or contrary to the will of God. (3.) Where commands begin in this relation, happiness usually ends; and the moment a husband requires a wife to do anything, it is usually a signal of departing or departed affection and peace. When there are proper feelings in both parties in this relation, there will be no occasion either to command or to obey. There should be such mutual love and confidence, tliat the known wish of the husband should be a law to the wife; and that the known desires of the wife should be the rule which he would approve. A perfect government is that where the known wish of the lawgiver is a sufficient rule to the subject. Sucli is the government of heaven; and a family on

virives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

earth should approximate as nearly as possible to that. % As unto the Lord. As you would to the Lord, because the Lord requires it, and has given to the husband this authority.

23. For the husband is the head of the wife. See Notes on 1 Cor. xi. 3. % As Christ is the head of the church. As Christ rules over the church, and has a right to direct and control it. ^ And he is the Saviour of the body. That is, of the church, represented as his body. See Notes, ch. i. 23. The idea here seems to be, that as Christ gave himself to save his body, the church; as he practised self-denial, and made it an object of intense solicitude to preserve that church, so ought the husband to manifest a sunilar solicitude to make his wife happy, and to save her from want, affliction, and pain. He ought to regard himself as her natural protector; as bound to anticipate and provide for her wants; as under obligation to comfort her in trial, even as Christ does the church. What a beautiful illustration of the spirit which a husband should manifest is the care which Christ has shown for his " bride," the church! See Notes on vs. 25 —29.

24. In every thing. In every thing which is not contrary to the will of God. See Notes on ver. 23.

25. Husbands, love your wives. The duty of the wife is to obey; the right of the husband is to command. But the apostle would guard against the abuse of that right by enjoining the manifestation of such a spirit on the husband as would secure obedi-

26 That he might sanctify and

ence on the part of the wife. He proceeds, therefore, to show, that the husband, in all his intercourse with the wife, should manifest the same spirit which the Lord Jesus did towards the church; or, in other words, he holds up the conduct of the Redeemer towards the church, as the model for a husband to imitate. If a husband wished a rule that would be short, simple, clear, and efficacious, about the manner in which he should regard and treat his wife, he could not find a better one ^ than that here suggested. '^ Even as Christ loved the church. This was the strongest love that has ever been evinced in this world. It follows, that a husband is in no danger of loving his wife too much, provided she be not loved more than God. We are to make the love which Christ had for the church the model. % And gave himself for it. Gave himself to die to redeem it. The meanmg here is, that husbands are to imitate the Redeemer in this respect. As he gave himself to suffer on the cross to save the church, so we are to be willing to deny ourselves, and to bear toil and trial, that we may promote the happiness of the wife. It is the duty of the husband to toil for her support; to provide for her wants; to deny himself of rest and ease, if necessary, in order to attend on her in sickness; to go before her in danger; to defend her if she is in peril; and to be ready to die to save her. Why should he not be ] If they are shipwrecked, and there is a single plank on which safety can be secured, should he not be willing to place her on that, and see her safe at all hazards to himself? But there may be more implied in this than that a man s to toil, and even to lay down his cleanse it with the washing water by the word: life for the welfare of his wife. Christ laid down his life to save the church; and a husband should feel that it should be one great object of his life to promote the salvation of his wife. He is bound so to live as not to interfere with her salvation, but so as to promote it in every way possible. He is to furnish her all the facilities that she may need, to enable her to attend on the worship of God; and to throw no obstacles in her way. He is to set her the example; to counsel her if she needs counsel, and to make the path of salvation as easy for her as possible. If a husband has the spirit and selfdenial of the Saviour, he will regard no sacrifice too great if he may promote the salvation of his family. 26. That he might sanctify. The great object of the Redeemer was to purify and save the church. The meaning here is, that a husband is to manifest similar love towards his wife, and a similar desire that she should be prepared to ' walk before him in white.' ^ And cleanse it with the washing of water. In all this there is an allusion doubtless to the various methods of purifying and cleansing those who were about to be married, and who were to be united to monarchs as their brides. In some instances this previous preparation continued for twelve months. The means of purification were various, but consisted usually in the use of costly unguents.. See Esther ii. 12. "Six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of women." Comp. Ps. xlv. 13, 14. Ezek. xvi. 7—14. As such a virgin was purified and prepared for her husband by washing and by anointing, so the church is to be prepared for Christ. It is to be

27 That he might present « it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, * or wrinkle, or any

made pure and holy. Outwardly there is to be the application of water — the symbol of purity; and within there is to be holiness of heart. See Notes on 2 Cor. xi. 2, where Paul says of the Corinthians, "I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." % By the word. There has been much diversity of opinion respecting the meaning of this. Probably the sense of the expression is, that all this was to be accomplished by the instrumentality of the truth — the word of God. By that truth they were to be sanctified (John xvii. 17); and in accordance with that the whole work from the commencement to the close was to be accomplished. It was not by external ceremonies, and not by any miraculous power on the heart, but by the faithful application of truth to the heart.

27. That he may present it to himself. In the last day, when he shall receive the church as his spouse to heaven. Rev. xxi. 9. Perhaps the word prepare would better express the sense here than present — that he may prepare it for himself as a holy cliurch. Tindal renders it, ' to make it unto himself.' ^ A glorious church. A church full of honour, splendour, beauty. The idea of shining, or of being bright, would convey the sense here. Probably there is still here an allusion to a bride • adorned for her husband' (Rev. xxi. 2; comp. Ps. xlv. 9 — 14); and the idea is, that the church will be worthy of the love of the bridegroom, to whom it will then be presented. *ir Not having spot. Not having a stain, a defect, or any impurity— still retaining the allusion to 11*

such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies; he

a bride, and to the care taken to remove every blemish. ^Or wrinkle. In the vigour and beauty of youth; like a bride in whom tliere is no wrinkle of age. ^ Or any such thing. Nothing to deform, disfigure, or offend. To this beautiful illustration of the final glory of the church, the apostle was led by the mention of the relation of the husband and the wife. It shows, (1.) The tendency of the thoughts of Paul. He dehghted to allow the associations in his mind, no matter what the subject was, to draw him along to the Redeemer. (2.) The passage here shows us what the church will yet be. There will be a period in its history when tliere shall not be any imperfection; when there shall be neither spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing. In heaven all will be pure. On earth we are preparing for that world of purity; and it cannot be denied that here there is much that is imperfect and impure. But in that future world, where the church shall be presented to Christ, clothed in the robes of salvation, there shall not be one unholy member; one deceiver or hypocrite; one covetous or avaricious man; one that shall pain the hearts of the friends of purity by an unholy life. And in all the millions tliat shall be gathered there out of every land, and people, and tongue, and age, there shall be no envy, malice, backbiting, pride, vanity, worldlinese; there shall be no annoying and vexing conflict in the heart with evil passions, ^nar any such thing."* How different from the dfiurch as it now is; and how we should pant for that blessed world!

28. So ought men to love theif toives, as their own bodies. Because that loveth his wife loveth himself.

29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and

they are one flesh. Ver. 31. TKis is the subject on which Paul had been speaking, and from which he had been diverted by the allusion to the glorified church. The doctrine here is, that a husband should have the same care for the comfort of his wife which he has for himself He should regard her as one with himself; and as he protects his own body from cold and hunger, and, when sick and suffering, endeavours to restore it to health, so he should regard and treat her. IT He that loveth his wife, loveth himself. (1.) Because she is one with him, and their interests are identified. (2.) Because, by this, he really promotes his own welfare, as much as he does when he takes care of his own body. A man's kindness to his wife will be more than repaid by the happiness which she imparts; and all the real solicitude which he shows to make her happy, will come to more than it costs. If a man wishes to promote his own happiness in the most eflfectual way, he had better begin by showing kindness to his wife.

29. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh. This is urged as an argument why a man should love his wife and show kindness to her. As no man disregards the happiness of his own body, or himself, so he should show equal care to promote the happiness of his wife. A sentiment similar to this is found in the classic writers. Thus Curtius (lib. vii.) says, Corporibus nostris quce utique non odimus — 'We do not hate those things that pertain ^o our own bodies.' So Seneca (Epis. 14), Fateor insitam nobis esse corporis nostri charitatem — 'I confess that iiere is implanted in us the love of

cherisheth it; even as the Lord the church:

30 For we are members " of

our own body.' The word nourish' eth here means properly to bring up, as e. g., children. The sense here is, that he provides for it, and guards it from exposure and want. The word cherisheth — ^Xrtsv — means properly to warm; and may mean here that he defends it from cold by clothing — and the two expressions denote that he provides food and raiment for the body. So he is to do for his wife; and in like manner the Lord Jesus regards the church, and ministers to its spiritual necessities. But this should not be spiritualized too fer. The general idea is all that we want — that Christ has a tender concern for the wants of the church, as a man has for his own body, and that the husband should show a similar regard for his wife.

30. For we are members of his body. Of the body of Christ. See Notes on 1 Cor. xi. 3; xii, 27. John XV. 1—6, and Eph. i. 23. The idea here is, that there is a close and intimate anion between the Christian and the Saviour — a union so intimate that they may be spoken of as one. ^ Of his flesh, and of his bones. There is an allusion here evidently to the language which Adam used respecting Eve. " This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.' Gen. ii. 23. It is language which is employed to denote the closeness of the marriage relation, and which Paul applies to the connection between Christ and his people. Of course, it cannot be understood literally. It is not true literally that our bones are a part of the bones of. Christ, or our flesh of his flesh; nor should language ever be used that would imply a miraculous union. It is not a physical union, but a union

his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

31 For » this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and

of attachment; of feeling; of love. If we avoid the notion of a physical union, however, it is scarcely possible to use too strong language in describing the union of believers with the L^rd Jesus. The Scriptures make use of language which is stronger than that employed to describe any other connection; and there is no union of affection so powerful as that which binds the Christian to the Saviour. So strong is it, that he is willing for it to forsake father, mother, and home; to leave his country, and to abandon his possessions; to go to distant lands and dwell among barbarians to make the Redeemer known; or to go to the cross or the stake from simple love to the Saviour. Account for it as men may, there has been manifested on earth nowhere else so strong an attachment as that which binds the Christian to the cross. It is stronger love than that which a man has for his own flesh and bones; for it makes him willing that his flesh should be consumed by fire, or his bones broken on the wheel rather than deny him. Can the infidel account for this strength of attachment on any other principle than that it has a divine origin ^

31. For this cause. ^Avtl tovtov. This verse is a quotation from Gen. ii. 24, and contains tlie account of the institution of marriage. The meaning of the phrase rendered ' for this uause' is, 'answerably to this;' or corresponding *o this — that is, to what Paul had just said of the union of believers and the Redeemer. On the meaning of this verse, see Notes on Matt. xix. 4. There is no evilence that the marriage connection

shall be joined unto his wife, and* they two * shall be one flesh. 33 This is a great mystery:'

was originally designed to symbolize or typify this union, but it may be used to illustrate that connection, and to show the strength of the attachment between the Redeemer and his people. The comparison should be confined, however, strictly to the use made of it in the New Testament.

32. This is a great mystery. The Latin Vulgate translates this, sacramentum hoc magnum est — ' this is a great sacrament'' — and this is the proof, I suppose, and the only proof adduced by the Papists that marriage is a sacrament. But the original here conveys no such idea. The word mystery — ^vatrfiiov — means something which is concealed, hidden, before unknown; something into which one must be initiated or instructed before he can understand it. It does not mean that it is incomprehensible when it is disclosed, but that hitherto it has been kept secret. When disclosed it may be as intelligible as any other truth. See the word explained in the Notes on ch. i. 9. Here it means, simply, that there was much about the union of the Redeemer with his people, resembling the marriage connection, which was not obvious, except to those who were instructed; which was obscure to those who were not initiated; which they did not understand who had not been taught. It does not mean that no one could understand it, but that it pertained to the class of truths into which it was necessary for one to be initiated in order to comprehend them. The truth that was so great a mystery was, that the eternal Son of Grod should form such an union with

but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

33 Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular, so love his

men; that he should take them into a connection with himself, implying an ardour of attachment, and a strength of affection superior to even that which exists in the marriage relation. This was a great and profound truth, to understand which, it was necessary to receive instruction. No one would have understood it without a revelation; no one understands it now except they who are taught of God. '^ But I speak concerning Christ and the Church. This, it seems to me, is an explicit disclaimer of any intention to be understood as affirming that the marriage contract was designed to be a type of the union of the Redeemer and his people. The apostle says expressly, that his remarks do not refer to marriage at all when he speaks of the mystery. They refer solely to the union of the Redeemer and his people. How strange and unwarranted, therefore, are all the comments of expositors on this passage designed to explain marriage as a mysterious type of the union of Christ and the church! If men would allow the apostle to speak for himself, and not force on him sentiments which he expressly disclaims, the world would be saved from such insipid allegories as Macknight and others have derived from this passage. The Bible is a book of sense; and the time will come, it is hoped, when, freed from all such allegorizing expositions, it will commend itself to the good sense of mankind. Marriage is an important, a holy, a noble, a pure institution, altogether worthy of God; but it does not thence follow that marriage was designed to be a type of the union between Christ and the church, and it is cer- wife even as himself; and the wiie see that she reverence her husband.

tain that the apostle Paul meant to teach no such thing.

33. Nevertheless. The apostle here resumes the subject which he had been discussing in vs. 21 — 29, and says that it was the duty of every man to love his wife as he did himself This was the main topic, from which he had been diverted by the discussion respecting the love which the Redeemer had shown for his church. ^ And the wife see that she reverence her husband. The word ' see' is supplied by our translators. The meaning is, that it was the especial duty of the wife to show respect for her husband as the head of the family, and as set over her in the Lord. See Notes on vs. 22, 23. The word rendered reverence^ is that which usually denotes fear — ^o^^-r'at. She is to /ear; i. e. to honour, respect, obey the will of her husband. It is, of course, not implied that it is not also her duty to love her husband, but that there should be no usurping of authority; nO disregard of the arrangement which G^ has made; and that order and peace should be secured in a family by regarding the husband as the source of law.

From what is here said of the duties of husband and wife we may remark,

(1.) That the happiness of society depends on just views of the marriage relation. It is true the world over, that the views which prevail in regard to this relation, determine every thing in reference to all other^ relations of life, and to all other sources of enjoyment.

(2.) God designed that woman should occupy a subordinate, though an important place in the relations of social life. This arrangement is never disregarded without evils which cannot be corrected until the original intention is secured. No imaginary good that can come out of the violation of the original design; no benefits which females, individual- or associated, can confer on mankind by disregarding this arrangement, can be a compensation for the evil that is done, nor can the evil be remedied unless woman occupies the place which God designed she should fill. There nothing else can supply her place; and when she is absent from that situation— no matter what good she may be doing elsewhere — there is a silent evil reigning, which can be removed only by her return. It is not hers to fight battles, or to command armies and navies, or to control kingdoms, or to make laws. Nor is it hers to go forward as a public leader even in enterprises of benevolence, or in associations designed to act on the public mind. Her empire is the domestic circle; her first influence is there; and in connection with that, in such scenes as she can engage in without trenching on the prerogative of man, or neglecting the duty which she owes to her own family.

(3.) It is not best that there should be the open exercise of authority in a family. When commands beg-in in the relation of husband and wife, happiness flies; and the moment a husband is disposed to command liis wife, or is under a necessity of doing it, that moment he may bid adieu to domestic peace and joy.

(4.) A wife, therefore, should never give her husband occasion to command her to do any thing, or to forbid any- thing. His known wish, except in cases of conscience, should be law to her. The moment she can ascertain what his will is, that moment ought to settle her mind as to what is to be done.

(5.) A husband should never wish or expect any thing that it may not be perfectly proper for a wife to render. He, too, should consult her wishes; and when he understands what they are, he should regard what she prefers as the very thing which he would command. The known wish and preference of a wife, unless there be something wrong in it, should be allowed to in fluence his mind, and be that which he directs in the family.

(6.) There is no danger that a husband will love a wife too much, provided his love be subordinate to the love of God. The command is, to love her as Christ loved the church. What love has ever been like thatl How can a husband exceed it] What did not Christ endure to redeem the church? So should a husband be willing to deny himself to promote the happiness of his wife; to watch by her in sickness, and, if need be, to peril health and life to promote her welfare. Doing this, he will not go beyond what Clirist did for the church. He should remember that she has a special claim of justice on him. For him she has left her father's home, forsaken the friends of her youth, endowed him with whatever property she may have, sunk her name in his, confided her honour, her character, and her happiness, to his virtue; and the least that he can do for her is to love her, and strive to make her happy. This was what she asked when she consented to become his; and a husband's love is what she still asks to sustain and cheer her in the trials of life. If she has not this, whither shall she go for comfort ]

(7.) We may see, then, the guilt of those husbands who witlihold their affections from their wives, and forsake those to whom they had solemnly pledged themselves at the altar; those who neglect to provide for theif wants, or to minister to them in sickness; and those who become the victims of intemperance, and leave their wives to tears. There is much, much guilt of this kind on earth. There are many, many broken vows. There are many, many hear^ made to bleed. There is many a pure and virtuous woman who was once the object of tender affection, now, by no fault of hers, forsaken, abused, broken-hearted, by the brutal conduct of a husband.

(8.) Wives should manifest such a character as to be worthy of love. They owe this to their husbands. -They demand the confidence and affection of man; and they should show that they are worthy of that confidence and affection. It is not possible to love that which is unlovely, nor to force affection where it is undeserved; and, as a wife expects that a husband will love her more than he does any other earthly being, it is but right that she should evince such a spirit as shall make that proper. A wife may easily alienate the affections of her partner in life. If she is irritable and fault-finding; if none of his ways please her; if she takes no interest in his plans, and in what he does; if she forsakes her home when she should be there, and seeks happiness abroad; or if, at home, she never greets him with a smile; if she is wasteful of his earnings, and extravagant in her habits, it will be impossible to prevent the effects of such a course of life on his mind. And when a wife perceives the slightest evidence of alienated affection in her husband, she should inquire at once whether she has not given occasion for it, and exhibited such a spirit as tended inevitably to produce such a result.

(9.) To secure mutual love, therefore, it is necessary that there should be mutual kindness, and mutual loveliness of character. Whatever is seen to be offensive or painful, should I be at once abandoned. All the little peculiarities of temper and modes of speech that are observed to give pain, should be forsaken; and, while one party should endeavour to tolerate them, and not to be offended, tlie other should make it a matter of conscience to remove them.

(10.) The great secret of conjugal happiness is in the cultivation of a proper temper. It is not so much in the great and trying scenes of life that the strength of virtue is tested; it is in the events that are constantly ^ occurring; the manifestation of kindness in the things that are happening every moment; the gentleness that flows along every day, like the stream that winds through the meadow and around the farm-house, noiseless but useful, diffusing fertility by day and by night. Great deeds rarely occur. The happiness of life depends little on them, but mainly on the little ^ acts of kindness in life. We need them everywhere; we need them always. And eminently in the marriage relation there is need of gentleness and love, returning each morning, beaming in the eye, and dwelling in the heart through the livelong day.

This chapter comprises the following subjects: (1.) An exhortation to children to obey their parents, with a promise of the blessing that would follow from obedience. Vs. 1 — 3. (2.) An exhortation to fathers to manifest such a character that children could properly obey them, and to train them up in a proper manner. Ver. 4. (3.) The duty of servants. Vs. 5— 8. (4.) The duty of masters towards their servants. Ver. 9. (5.) An ex-, hortation to put on the whole armour of God, with a description of the christian soldier, and of the christian paijgply. Vs. 10—17. (6.) The duty of prayer, and especially of prayer for the apostle himself, that he might be enabled to speak with boldness in the cause of his Master. Vs. 18—20. (7.) In the conclusion (vs. 21 — ^24), he informs them that if they wished to make any mquiries about his condition, Tychicus, who » conveyed this letter, could acquaint them with his circumstances; and then closes the epistle with the usual benedictions.

1. Children, texva. This word usually signifies those who are young; but it is here used, evidently, to denote those who were under the care and government of their parents, or those who were not of age. ^ Obey your parents. This is the first great duty which God has enjoined on children. It is, to do what their parents command them to do. The God of nature indicates that this is duty; for he has impressed it on the minds of all in every age; and the Author of revelation confirms it. It is particularly important, (1.) Because the good order of a family, and hence of the community, depends on it; no community or family being prosperous where there is not due subordination in the household. (2.) Because the welfare of the child depends on it; it being of the highest importance that a child should be early taught obedience to lawy as no one can be prosperous or happy who is not thus obedient. (3.) Because the child is not competent, as yet, to reason on what is right, or qualified to direct himself; and, while that is the case, he must be subject to the will of some other person. (4.) Because the parent, by his age and experience, is to be presumed to be qualified to direct and guide a child. The love which God has implanted in the heart of a parent for a child secures, in general, the administration of this domestic government- in such a way as not to injure the child. A father will not, unless under strong passion or the excitement of intoxication, abuse his authority. He loves 'the child too much. He desires his welfare; and the placing of the child under the authority of the parent is about the same thing in regard to the welfare of the child, as it would be to endow the child at once with all the wisdom and^experience of the parent himself (5.) It is important, because the family government is designed to be an imitation of the government of God. The government of God is what a perfect family government would be; and to accustom a child to be obedient to a parent, is designed to be one method of leading him to be obedient to God. No child that is disobedient to a parent will be obedient to God; and that child that is most obedient to a father and mother will be most likely to become a Christian, and an heir of heaven. And it may be observed, in general, that no disobedient child is virtuous, prosperous, or happy. Every one foresees the ruin of such a child; and most of the cases of crime that lead to the penitentiary, or the gallows, commence by disobedience to parents. ^ In the Lord. That is, as tar as their commandments agree with those of God, and no farther. No parent can have a right to require a child to steal, or lie, or cheat, or assist him in committing murder, or in doing any other wrong thing. No parent has a right to forbid a child to pray, to re^ the Bible, to

2 Honour <* thy father and mother, (which is the first commandment with promise,)

worship God, or to make a profession of rehgion. The duties and rights of children in such cases are simiJar to those of wives (see Notes on ch. V. 22); and, in all cases, God is to be obeyed rather than man. When a parent, however, is opposed to a child; when he expresses an unwillingness that a child should attend a particular church, or make a profession of religion, such opposition should in all cases be a sufficient reason for the child to pause and reexamine the subject. He should pray much, and think much, and inquire much, before, in any case, he acts contrary to the will of a father or mother; and, when he does do it, he should state to them, with great gentleness and kindness, that he believes he ought to love and serve God. IT For this is right. It is right, (1.) because it is so appointed by God as a duty; (2.) because children owe a debt of gratitude to their parents for what they have done for them; (3.) because it will be for the good of the children themselves, and for the welfare of society.

2. Honour thy father and mother. See Ex. xx. 12. Comp. Notes on Matt. XV. 4. Tf Which is the first commandment with promise. With a promise annexed to it. The promise was, that their days should be long in the land which the Lord their God would give them. It is not to be supposed that the observance of the four first commandments would not be attended with a blessing, but no particular blessing is promised. It is true, indeed, that there is a general declaration annexed to the second commandment, that God would show mercy to thousands of generations of them that loved him and that kept his commandments.

3 That It may be well with thee, and thou mayest Uve long on the earth.

But that is rather a declaration in regard to all the commands of God than a promise annexed to that specific commandment. It is an assurance that obedience to the law of God would be followed with blessings to a thousand generations, and is given in view of the first and second commandments together, because they related particularly to the % honour that was due to God. But the promise in the fifth commandment is a special promise. It does not relate to obedience to God in general, but it is a particular assurance that they who honour their parents shall have a particular blessing as the result of that obedience.

3. That it may be well with thee This is found in the fifth commandment as recorded in Deut. v. 16. The whole commandment as there recorded is, " Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." The meaning here is, that they would be more happy, usefiil, and virtuous if they obeyed their parents than if they disobeyed them. % And thou mayest live long on the earth. In the commandment as recorded in Ex. XX. 12, the promise is, ' that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.' This referred to the promised land — the land of Canaan. The meaning doubtless, is, that there would be a special providence, securing to those who were obedient to parents length of days. Long life was regarded as a great blessing; and this blessing was promised. The apostle here gives to the promise a more general form, and says that obedi-

4 And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring

ence to pareiUs was connected at all times with long life. We may remark here (1.) that long life is a blessing. It affords a longer space to prepare for eternity; it enables a man to be more useful; and it furnishes a longer opportunity to study the works of God on earth. It is not improper to desire it; and we should make use of all the means in our power to lengthen out our days, and to preserve and protract our lives. (2.) It is still true that obedience to parents is conducive to length of life, and that those who are most obedient in early life, other things being equal, have the best prospect of living long. This occurs because (a) obedient children are saved from the vices and crimes which shorten life. No parent will command his child to be a drunkard, a gambler, a spendthrift, a pirate, or a murderer. But these vices and crimes, resulting in most cases from disobedience to parents, all shorten life; and they who early commit them are certain of an early grave. No child who disobeys a parent can have any security that he will not fall a victun to such vices and crimes. (6) Obedience to parents is connected with virtuous habits that are condi^cive to long life. It will make a child industrious, temperate, sober; it will lead him to restrain and govern his wild passions; it will lead him to form habits of self-government which will in future life save him from the snares of vice and temptation, (c) Many a life is lost early by disobeying a parent. A child disobeys a fiither and goes into a dram-shop; or he goes to sea; or he becomes the companion of the wicked — and he may be wrecked at sea, or his character on land may be wrecked for ever. Of disobedient children there is perhaps not one in them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

a hundred that ever reaches an honoured old age. (d) We may still believe that God, in his providence, will watch over those who are obedient to a father and mother. If he regards a falling sparrow (Matt. x. 29), he will not be unmindful of an obedient child; if he numbers the hairs of the head (Matt. x. 30), he will not be regardless of the little boy that honours him by obeying a father and mother.

4. And ye fathers. A command addressed particularly to fathers^ because they are at the head of the family, and its government is especially committed to them. The object of the apostle here is, to show parents that their commands should be such that they can be easily obeyed, or such as are entirely reasonable and proper. If children are required to o6ey, it is but reasonable that the commands of the parent should be such that they can be obeyed, or such that the child shall not be discouraged in his attempt to obey. This statement is in accordance with what he had said (ch. v. 22 — 25) of the relation of husband and wife. It was the duty of the wife to obey — but it was the corresponding duty of the husband to manifest such a character that it woul,d be pleasant to yield obedience — so to love her, that his known wish would be laio to her. In like manner it is the duty of children to obey a parent; but it is the duty of a parent to exhibit such a character, and to maintain such a government, that it would be proper for the child to obey; to command nothing that is unreasonable or improper, but to train up his children in the ways of virtue and pure religion. ^ Provckt not your children to wrath. That is, by unreasonable commands; by needless severity; by the manifesta tion of anger. So govern them, and BO punish them — if punishment is necessary — that they shall not lose their confidence in you, but shall love you. The apostle here has hit on the very danger to which parents are most exposed in the government of their children. It is that of souring their temper; of making them feel that the parent is under the influence of anger, and that it is right for them to be so too. This is done (1.) when the commands of a parent are unreasonable and severe. The spirit of a child then becomes irritated, and he is " discouraged." Col. iii. 21. (2.) When a parent is evidently excited when he punishes a child. The child then feels (a) that if his father is angry, it is not wrong for him to be angry; and (b) the very fact of anger in a parent kindles anger in his bosom — just as it does when two men are contending. If he submits in the case, it is only because the parent is the strongest, not because he is right, and the child cherishes anger, while he yields to power. There is no principle of parental government more important than that a father should command his own temper when he inflicts punishment. He should punish a child not because he is angry, but because it is right; not because it has become a matter of personal contest, but because God requires that he should do it, and the welfare of the child demands it. The moment when a child sees that a parent punishes him under the influence of anger, that moment the child will be likely to be angry too — and his anger will be as proper as that of the parent. And yet, how ofl;en is punishment inflicted m this manner! And how often does the child feel that the parent punished him simply because he was the strongest, not because it was right; and how often is the mind of a child left with a strong conviction that wrong has been done him by the punishment which he has received, rather than witli repentance for the wrong that he has himself done. ^ But bring them up. Place them under such discipline and instruction that they shall become acquainted with the Lord. ^ In the nurture, iv TioiSsia. The word here used means training of a child; hence education, instruction, discipline. Here it means that they are to train up their children in such a manner as the Lord approves; that is, they are to educate them for virtue and religion. ^ And admonition. The word here used — vov^eala — means, literally, a putting in mind, then warning, admonition, instruction. The sense here is, that they were to put them in mind of the Lord— of his existence, perfections, law, and claims on their hearts and lives. This command is positive, and is in accordance with all the requirements of the Bible on the subject. No one can doubt that the Bible enjoins on parents the duty of endeavouring to train up their children in the ways of religion, and of making it the grand purpose of this life to prepare them for heaven. It has been often objected that children should be left on religious subjects to form their own opinions when they are able to judge for themselves. Infidels and irreligious men always oppose *»oi neglect the duty Iiere enjomed; and the plea commonly is, that to teach religion to children is to make them prejudiced; to, destroy their independence of mind; and to prevent their judging as impartially on so important a subject as they ought to. In reply to this, and in defence of the requirements of the Bible on the subject, we may remark, (1.) That to suffer a child to grow up without any instruction in religion, is about the same as to suffer a garden to lie without any culture. Such a gar-

5 Servants," be obedient to them that are your masters according to

deji would soon be overrun with weeds, and briars, and thorns — but not sooner, or more certainly, than the mind of a child would. (2.) Men do instruct their children in a great many things, and why should they not in religion! They teach them how to behave in company; the art of farming; the way to make or use tools; how to make money; how to avoid the arts of the cunning seducer. But why should it not be said that all this tends to destroy their independence, and to make them prejudiced? Why not leave their minds open and free, and suffer them to form their own judgments about farming and the mechanic arts when their minds are matured] (3.) Men do inculcate their own sentiments in religion. An infidel is not usually very anxious to conceal his views from his children. Men teach by example; by incidental remarks; by the neglect of that which they regard as of no value. A man who does not pray, is teaching his children not to pray; he who neglects the public worship of God, is teaching his children to neglect it; he who does not read the Bible, is teaching his children not to read it. Such is the constitution of things, that it is impossible for a parent not to inculcate his own religious views on his children. Since this is so, all that the Bible requires is, that his instructions should be right. (4.) To inculcate the truths of religion is not to make the mind narrow, prejudiced, and indisposed to perceive the truth. Religion makes the mind candid, conscientious, open to conviction, ready to follow the truth. Superstition, bigotry, infidelity, and all error and falsehood, make the mind narrow and p^ejl^

the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ.

diced. (5.) If a man does not teach his children truth,'oihers will teach them error. The young skeptic that the child meets in the street; the artful infidel; the hater of God; the unprmcipled stranger, will teach the child. But is it not better for a parent to teach his child the truth than for a stranger to teach him error 7 (6.) Religion is the most important of all subjects, and therefore it is of most importance that children on that subject should be taught truth. Of whom can God so properly require this as of a parent "? If it be asked in what way a parent is to bring up his children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, I answer, 1. By directly inculcating the doctrines and duties of religion — just as he does any thing else that he regards as of value. 2. By placing them in the Sabbath-school, where he may have a guarantee that they will be taught the truth. 3. By conducting them — not merely sending them — to the sanctuary, that they may be taught in the house of God. 4. By example — all teaching bemg valueless without that. 5. By prayer for the divine aid in his efforts, and for the salvation of their souls. These duties are plain, simple, easy to be performed, and are such as a man knows he ought to perform. If neglected, and the soul of the child he lost, a parent has a most fearful account to render to God.

5. Servants. Ol8o\JKot. The word here used denotes one who is bound to render service to another, who* ther that service be free or voluntary, and may denote, therefore, either a slave, or one who binds himself to render service to another. It is often used in these senses in the New Tes- tament, just as it is elsewhere. It cannot be demonstrated that the word here necessarily means slaves; though, if slavery existed among those to whom this epistle was written— as there can be little doubt that it did — it is a word which would apply to those in this condition. Comp. Notes on 1 Cor. vii. 21. Gal. iii. 28. On the general subject of slavery, and the Scripture doctrine in regard to it, See Notes on Isa. Iviii. 6. Whether the persons here referred to were slaves, or were those who had bound themselves to render a voluntary servitude, the directions here given were equally appropriate. It was not the design of the Christian religion to produce a rude sundering of the ties which bind man to man, but to teach all to perform their duties aright in the relations in which Christianity found them, and gradually to modify the customs of society, and to produce ultimately the universal prevalence of that which is right. ^ Be obedient to them. This is the uniform direction in the New Testament. See 1 Pet. ii. 18. ITim. vi. 1— 3. Notes, 1 Cor. vii. 21. The idea is, that they were to show in that relation the excellence of the religion which they professed. If they could be made free, they were to prefer that condition to a state of bondage (1 Cor. vii. 21), but while the relation remained, they were to be kind, gentle, and obedient, as became Christians. In the parallel place in Colossians (iii. 22), it is said that they were to obey their masters " in all things." But evidently this is to be understood with the limitations implied in the case of wives and children (see Notes on ch. V. 24; vi. 1), and a master would have no right to command that which was morally wrong. ^ According to the jiesh. This is designed, evidently, to limit the obligation to obedience. The meaning is, that they had control over the body, the flesh. They had the power to command the service which the body could render; but they were not lords of the spirit. The soul acknowledged God as its Lord, and to the Lord they were to be subject in a higher sense than to their masters. ^ With fear and trembling. With reverence and with a dread of offending them. They have authority and power over you, and vou should be afraid to incur their displeasure. Whatever might be true about the propriety of slavery, and whatever might be the duty of the master about setting the slave free, it would be more to the honour of religion for the servant to perform his task with a willing mind, than to be contumacious and rebellious. He could do more for the honour of religion by patiently submitting to even what he felt to be wrong, than by being punished for what would be regarded as rebellion. It may be added here, that it was presumed that servants then could read. These directions were addressed to them, not to their masters. Of what use would be directions like these addressed to American slaves — scarce any of whom can read? If /n singleness of your heart. With a simple, sincere desire to do what ought to be done, ^f -4.s unto Christ. Feeling that by rendering proper service to your masters, you are in fact serving the Lord, and that you are doing that which will be well-pleasing to him. See Notes on 1 Cor. vii. 22. Fidelity, in whatever situation we may be in life, is acceptable service to the Lord. A Christian may as acceptably serve the Lord Jesus in the condition of a servant, as if he were a minister of the gospel, oi a king on a throne. Besides, it will greatly lighten the burdens of such a situation, and make the toils of an humble condition easy, to remem her that we are then serving the Iiord.

6 Not ^vith eye-service, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

6. Not with eye-service. That is, not with service rendered only under the eye of the master, or when his eye is fixed on you. The apostle has here adverted to one of the evils of involuntary servitude as it exists everywhere. It is, that the slave will usually obey only when the fiye of the master is upon him. The freeman who agrees to labour for stipulated wages may be trusted when the master is out of sight; but not the slave. Hence the necessity where there are- slaves of having * drivers' who shall attend^ them, and who shall compel them to work. This evil it is impossible to avoid, except where true religion prevails — apd the extensive prevalence of true religion would set the slave at liberty. Yet as long as the relation exists, the apostle would enjoin on the servant the duty of performing his work conscientiously, as rendering service to the Lord. This direction, moreover, is one of great importance to all who are employed in the service of others. They are bound to perform their duty with as much fidelity as though the eye of the employer was always upon them, remembering that though the eye of man may be. turned away, that of God never is. ^ As men-pleasers. As if it were the main object to please men. The object should be rather to please and honour God. ^ But as the servants of Christ. See Notes on 1 G)r. vii. 22. If Doing the will of God from the heart. That is, God requires industry, fidelity, conscientiousness, submission, and obedience in that rank of life. We render acceptable service to God when, fi-om regard to his will, we jerform the services which are de- 12*

7 With good-will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men;

manded of us in the situation in life where we may be placed, however humble that may be.

7. As to the Lord, and not to men. That is, he should regard his lot in life as having been ordered by Divine Providence for some wise and good purpose; and until he may be permitted to enjoy his liberty in a quiet and peaceable manner (Notes, 1 Cor. vii. 21), he should perform his duties with fidelity, and feel that he was rendering acceptable service to God. This would reconcile him to much of the hardships of his lot The feeling that God has ordered the circumstances of our lives, and that he has some wise and good enda to answer by it, makes us contented there; though we may feel that our fellow-man may be doing us injustice. It was this principle that made the martyrs so patient under- the wrongs done them by men; and this may make even a slave patient and submissive under the wrongs of a master. But let not a master think, because a pious slave shows this spirit, that, therefore, the slave feela that the master is right in withholding his fi-eedom; nor let him suppose, because religion requires the slave to be submissive and obedient, that, therefore, it approves of what the master does. It does this no more than it sanctioned the conduct of Nero and Mary, because religion required the martyrs to be unresisting, and to allow themselves to be led to the stake. A conscientious slave may find happiness in submit- »ting to Gfod, and aging his will, just as a conscientious martyr may. "But this does not sanction the wrong, either of the slave-owner or of the persecutor.

8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he he bond or free.

8. Knowing thai whatsoever good thing. Whatever a man does that is right, for that he shall be appropriately rewarded. No matter what his rank in life, if he discharges his duty to God and man, he will be accepted. A man in a state of servitude may so live as to honour God; and, so living, he should not be greatly solicitous about his condition. A master may fail to render suitable recompense to a slave. But, if the servant is faithful to God, he will recompense him in the future world. It is in this way that religion would make the evils of life tolerable, by teaching those who are oppressed to bear their trials in a patient spirit, and to look forward to the future world of reward. Religion does not approve of slavery. It is the friend of human rights. If it had full influence on earth, it would restore every man to freedom, and impart to each one his rights. Christianity nowhere requires its friends to make or to own a slave. No one under the proper influence of religion ever yet made a man a slave; there is no one under its proper influence who would not desire that all should be free; and just in proportion as true religion spreads over the world, will universal freedom be its attendant. But Christianity would lighten the evils of slavery even while it exists, and would comfort those who are doomed to so hard a lot, by assuring them that there they may render acceptable service to God, and that they soon will be admitted to a world where galling servitude will be known no more. If they may not have freedom here, they may have contentment; if they feel that wrong is done them by men, they may feel

9 And ye masters, do the same things unto them, ^ forbearing threatening: knowing that ^ your

a some read, both your and their.

that right will be done them by God; if their masters do not reward them for their services here, God will; and if they may not enjoy liberty here, they will soon be received into the world of perfect freedom — heaven.

9. And ye masters. The object of this is, to secure for servants a proper treatment. It is evident, from this, that there were in the christian church those who were masters,- and the most obvious interpretation is, that they were the owners of slaves. Some such persons would be converted, as such are now. Paul did not say that they could not be Christians. He did not say that they should be excluded at once from the communion. He did not hold them up to reproach, or use harsh and severe language in regard to them. He taught them their duty towards those who were under them, and laid down principles which, if followed^ would lead ultimately to universal freedom. ^ Do the same things unto them, ta mta. The 'same things,' here, seem to refer to what he had said in the previous verses. They were, to evince towards their servants the same spirit which he had required servants to evince towards them ^— the same kindness, fidelity, and respect for the will of God. He had required servants to act conscientiously; to remember that the eye of God was upon them, and that in that condi* tion in life they were to regard themselves as serving God, and as mainly answerable to him. The same things the apostle would have masters feel. They were to be faithful, conscientious, just, true to the interests of their servants, and to re-

Master also is in heaven; neither is member that they were responsible to God. They were not to take advantage of their power to oppress them, to punish them unreasonably, %r to suppose that they were freed from responsibility in regard to the manner in which they treated them. In the corresponding passage in Colossians (iv. 1), this is, "Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal." See Note on that

Slace. ^ Forbearing threatening. larg., moderating. The Greek word means, to relax, loosen,• and then, to omit, cease from. This is evidently the meaning here. The sense is, that they were to be kind, affectionate, just. It does not mean that they were to remit punishment ivhere it was deserved; but the object is to guard against that to which they were so much exposed in their condition — a fretful, dissatisfied temper; a disposition to govern by terror rather than by love. Where this unhappy state of society exists, it would be worth the trial of those who sustain the relation of masters, to see whether it would not be possible to govern their servants, as the apostle liere advises, by the exercise of love. Might not kindness, and confidence, and the fear of the Lord, be substituted for threats and stripes?— ^ Knowing that your Master also is in heaven. Marg., " Some read, both ^our and their." Many MSS. have this reading. See Mill. The sense is not materially affected, further than, according to the margin, the effect would be to make the master and the servant feel that, in a most important sense, they were on an equality. According to the common reading, the sense is, that masters should remember that they were responsible to God, and this fact should be allowed to influence them in a proper manner. This there respect « of persons with him.

it would do in two ways, (1.) By the fact that injustice towards their servants would then be punished as it deserved — since there was no respect of persons with Grod. (2.) It would lead them to act towards their servants as they would desire God to treat them. Nothing would be better adapted to do this than the feeling that they had a common Master, and that they were soon to stand at his bar. ^ Neither is there respect of persons with him. See this expression explained in the Notes on Rom. ii. 11. The meaning here is, that God would not be influenced in the distribution of rewards and punishments, by a regard to the rank or condition of the master or the slave. He would show no favour to the one because he was a master; he would withhold none from the other. because he was a slave. He would treat both according to their character. In this world they occupied difterent ranks and conditions; at his bar they would be called to answer before the same Judge. It follows from this, (1.) that a slave is not to be regarded as a "chattel," or a "thing," or as "property." He is a man; a redeemed man; an immortal man. He is one for whom Christ died. But Christ did not die for " chattels" and " things." (2.) The master and the servant in their great interests are on a level. Both are sinners; both will soon die; both will moulder back in the same manner to dust; both will stand at the tribunal of God; both will give up their account. The one will not be admitted to heaven because he is a master; nor will the other be thrust down to hell because he is a slave. If both are Christians, they will be admitted to a heaven where the distinctions of rank and colour are unknown. If

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

the master is not a Christian and the servant is, he who has regarded himself as superior to the servant in this life, will see him ascend to heaven while he himself will be thrust down to hell. (3.) Considerations like these will, if they have their proper influence, produce two effects: (a) They will lighten the yoke of slavery while it continues, and while it may be difficult to remove it at once. If the master and the slave were both Christians, even if the relation continued, it would be rather a relation of mutual confidence. The master would become the protector, the teacher, the guide, the friend; the servant would become the faithful helper — rendering service to one whom he loved, and to whom he felt himself bound by the obligations of gratitude and affection. (6) But this state of feeling would soon lead to emancipation. There is something shocking to the feelings of all, and monstrous to a Christian, in the idea of holding a Christian brother in bondage. So long as the slave is regarded as a " chattel" or a mere piece of " property," like a horse, so, long men endeavour to content themselves with the feeling that he may be held in bondage. But the moment it is felt that he is a Christian brother — a redeemed fellow-traveller to eternity, a joint heir of life — that moment a Christian should feel that there is something that violates all the principles of his religion in holding him AS A SLAVE; in making a "chattel" of that for which Christ died, and in buying and selling, like a horse, an ox, or an ass, a child of God, and an heir of life. Accordingly, the prevalence of Christianity soon did away the evil of slavery in the Roman empire; and if it pre-

1 1 Put on the whole armour ■ of God, that ye may be able to

vailed in its purity, it would soon banish it from the face of the earth.