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iii. 4-6. "Who is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase." 1 Cor. iii. 5-7. "I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle; but by the grace of God I am what I am." 1 Cor. xv. 9, 10. "God hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ: but we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." 2 Cor. iv. 6, 7.

If the humility of St. Paul is strikingly evident in these remarkable passages, it is still more strongly expressed in those that follow:-" Ye see, brethren, that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence." 1 Cor. i. 26—29. “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, who am nothing, who am the chief of sinners, is this grace given, that I should preach the unsearchable riches of Christ." Eph. iii. 8; 2 Cor. xii. 11; 1 Tim. i. 15.

Reader, if thou hast that opinion of thyself which is expressed in the foregoing passages, thou art an humble Christian; thou canst truly profess thyself the servant of all those who salute thee; thou art such already by thy charitable intentions, and art seeking occasions of demonstrating, by actual services, that thy tongue is the organ, not of an insidious politeness, but of a sincere heart. Like a true disciple of Christ, who concealed himself, when the multitude would have raised him to a throne, and who presented himself when they came to drag him to his cross, thou hast a sacred pleasure in humbling thyself before God and man, and art anxious,

without hypocrisy or affectation, to take the lowest place among thy brethren.

The humble Christian, convinced of his wants and his weakness, feels it impossible to act like those proud and bashful poor who will rather perish in their distress, than solicit the assistance of their brethren. St. Paul had nothing of this false modesty about him. Penetrated with a deep sense of his own unworthiness and insufficiency, after imploring for himself the gracious assistance of God, he thus humbly solicits the prayers of all the faithful: "Brethren, pray for us.' 1 Thess. v. 25. "I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together in your prayers for me." Rom. xv. 30. "Pray always for all saints; and for me, that utterance may be given me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds, that therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak." Eph. vi. 18-20. "You also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf." 2 Cor. i. 11.

Thus humility, or poverty of spirit, which is set forth by Christ as the first beatitude, leads us, by prayer, to all the benedictions of the gospel, and to that lively gratitude which gives birth to thanksgiving and joy. Lovely humility, penetrate the hearts of all Christians, animate every pastor, give peace to the church, and happiness to the

universe.

TRAIT XII.

THE INGENUOUS MANNER IN WHICH HE ACKNOWLEDGED AND REPAIRED HIS ERRORS.

Ir is difficult for a proud man to confess himself in an error; but they who are possessed of humility and love can make such acknowledgments with cheerfulness. When St. Paul was called upon to justify his conduct

before the tribunal of the Jews, the same spirit of resentment which animated his persecutors suddenly seized upon the more passionate of his judges, when the high priest, still more exasperated than the rest,. commanded those who stood near Paul "to smite him on the mouth." It was in that moment of surprise and indignation that the apostle, unacquainted with the author of so indecent a proceeding, and not imagining that the president of an august assembly could so far forget his own dignity as to act with so reprehensible an impetuosity, gave this sharp reply to so unjust an order: "God shall smite thee, thou whited wall for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?" Immediately those who stood by, reproaching him with his apparent disrespectful carriage, inquired with the utmost indignation, "Revilest thou God's high priest?" Here the apostle, far from justifying his own conduct, in resenting the severity of a judge who had degraded himself by an act of the most flagrant injustice, immediately acknowledged his error; and, lest the example he had given should encourage any person to withhold the respect due to a magistrate, still more respectable by his office, than blamable by his rigorous proceedings, he endeavoured to make instant reparation for his involuntary offence, by citing a pertinent passage from the law, answering with all meekness, "I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people." Acts xxiii. 2—5.

There is another instance of the indiscretion and candour of this apostle. Paul and Barnabas, going forth to publish the gospel, took for their companion John Mark, the nephew of Barnabas. That young evangelist, however, staggered by the dangers which those apostles were constantly obliged to encounter, forsook them at Pamphylia, in the midst of their painful labours. But afterwards, repenting of his former irresolution, he offered to accompany them in another journey. Barnabas, who had charity enough to hope all things of his nephew, wished to afford him a second trial; while Paul, whose prudence taught him to fear every thing from a young man who had

already given an indisputable proof of his inconstancy, refused his consent. At length the two apostles, unable to decide the matter to their mutual satisfaction, took the resolution of separating one from another: Paul went to preach the gospel in Syria with Silas; while Barnabas, accompanied by his nephew, proceeded to proclaim Christ in the isle of Cyprus. Thus the separations of true Christians, without producing any schism in the church, frequently tend to the propagation of the gospel.

Time alone could determine whether Barnabas was deceived by an abundance of charity, or St. Paul through an excess of prudence. The event turned the balance in favour of the judgment of Barnabas: the conduct of John Mark on this second mission was irreproachable. From this time St. Paul, with his usual candour, forgetting the former instability of Mark, placed the utmost confidence in him, received him with joy, as the companion of his labours, revoked the order he had formerly given respecting him, and recommended him to the churches as a faithful minister. Thus much may be inferred from the following passage in his epistle to the Colossians: "Aristarchus, my fellowprisoner, saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him." Col. iv. 10.

Thus the sincere followers of Christ are ever anxious to repair their involuntary faults;-faults which we, as well as the apostles, are always exposed to the commission of, and which should constrain us to say, with St. Paul, "Now we know" things and persons "in part." This imperfection in our knowledge will sometimes produce errors in our judgment, and those errors may probably influence our conduct. But if, in these failings, there is no mixture of malice; if we sin through ignorance, and in the integrity of our hearts, God imputes not to us those errors; provided we are always prepared, like St. Paul, to confess and repair them. To err is the lot of humanity; obstinacy in error is the character of a demon but humbly to acknowledge, and anxiously to repair, an error, is to exhibit a virtue more rare and valuable than

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innocence itself, when accompanied with any degree of conceit and pride.

They who give the portraits of legendary saints generally paint them without a single failing; but they who wish faithfully to imitate the sacred authors are obliged to employ shades, as well as lights, even in their most celebrated pieces. If this part of the portrait of St. Paul should not appear brilliant, it will serve, at least, to mani→ fest the reality of the original, the liberality of the apostle, and the fidelity of the painter.

TRAIT XIII.

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HIS DETESTATION OF PARTY SPIRIT AND DIVISIONS.

WHILE the spirit of the world is confessedly a spirit of particular interest, pride, and division, the spirit of true religion is manifested, among its sincere professors, as a spirit of concord, humility, and brotherly love. The true minister, animated in an especial manner by this divine spirit, losing sight of his own reputation and honour, is unweariedly engaged in seeking the glory of God and the edification of his neighbour. Perfectly satisfied with the lowest place, and distinguished as much by condescension to his brethren as by respect to his superiors, he is ever on his guard against that spirit of party which is continually seeking to disturb the union of the church, whether it be by too great a fondness for particular customs, by an obstinate zeal for any system of doctrines, or by too passionate an attachment to some eminent teacher.

Without persecuting those who are led by so dangerous a spirit, the good pastor employs every effort to re-unite them under the great Head of the church. Arguing against the folly of such as are ready to separate them. selves from the company of their brethren, he takes up the language of St. Paul, and says, “O foolish" Christians, "who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? Are ye so foolish? hav

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