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is artfully seeking to grasp the Soul as its Victim, to share with it desolation and interminable despair. The Apostle's abandoning for a season all efforts to reclaim the apostacy of Hymenæus and Alexander, was virtually to leave them for a time to an experience of Satanic controul. This he might hope would only be for a time, and that eventually on reflection, and the conviction of the heartsickening connection with error in judgment and declination from the Path of true Religion, (which had once given them Peace and the Blessedness of Hope, but which they had in vain sought when opposed to it,) they might retrace their steps and rejoin the Ranks of the Faithful in CHRIST JÉSUS; so as to find Peace at the last. How otherwise, by being abandoned to the Spirit of evil, they could be expected to learn not to blaspheme, it may be difficult to conceive.-In an after passage the Apostle enforces on his young Missionary the duty of not neglecting the Gift, that was in him, by again impressing him with the assurance, that It was Given to him by Prophecy-iv. 14.---Holding the mystery of the Faith in a pure conscience, with no equivocations or mental reservations; but receiving the Truth in the love of It, as Imparted in The Gospel of The Blessed JESUS; and Which, amidst Its Mysteries, has yet Ample Revelations to guide, when acquiesced in submissively, unto the Way of Salvation and Eternal Glory.- -In his communication with the Corinthian Converts on being informed of a failing Member amongst them, who had surrendered himself to an incestuous alliance, and whom therefore the Rest had utterly, and, as it might seem, irrevocably rejected from their Communion, the Apostle, after remonstrating with them at such unmeasured judgment upon the Culprit, writes thus, Ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he, that hath done this deed, might be taken away from among you; for I verily, as absent in body but present in Spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him, that hath so done this deed; in the Name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, when ye are gathered together and my Spirit, with the Power of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, to deliver Such an Qne unto Satan for the destruction of the Flesh, that the Spirit may be Saved in The Day of The LORD JESUS-i Cor. v. 1 to 5. Thus qualifying the excommunication of Offenders against the Law of GOD, with prayer to find eventually in them a just sense of their offendings, and a return in penitence to the Service of That MASTER, Who is Willing to Receive them back, when contrite in heart, to His Favour, and to Blot out the Record of their transgressions in His Own Atoning and Propitiating Blood. Job was, as a test of his piety, consigned to the persecutions of Satan; and he triumphed under them and over them. So may it be, through DIVINE Forbearance and Mercy to Such, who have not the depth of his piety and justice and righteousness; but may in an unhallowed season have fallen from each of those Christian duties. And therefore are we in Christian charity to pray for the conversion of Such, that they may live, and not perish everlastingly.

CHAPTER II.

VERSES 1 to 4.-I exhort therefore that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all Men; for Kings and for All, that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is Good and Acceptable in the Sight of GOD our SAVIOUR; Who will have all Men to be Saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the Truth.

Next to the regulation of our own hearts upon Gospel Principles, through the supplicated Aid of The HOLY SPIRIT, we are thus admonished to think feelingly, respectfully and compassionately towards the Exalted of the Earth, and Such as are placed in situations of peculiar temptation in the exercise of power vested in

them, under any circumstances, over their Fellow-Creatures; and, knowing the danger and distress from an unrighteous exercise of Authority, and on the contrary the diffusive blessings from a just and impartial direction of it, to offer up our own prayers to the Throne of Grace for the Outpouring of That Grace upon the hearts and understandings of Rulers and Governors, that they may be Led to manifest a right judgment and a beneficial employment of their high privileges, as consciously regarding themselves responsible to The Great RULER of All, and depending the Eternal Destiny, which Awaits them on this life being ended, upon The Judgment of That RULER, Who Knoweth all Things, even the deep workings of the heart, and will Judge Justly without Respect of Persons. And in proportion as our Christian efforts should be thus put forth to convert the evil Rulers from the error of their ways, should be our tribute-offering of thankfulness for the experience of wise and wholesome Governance in Those, who employ their power and patronage for good.-Amidst the Blessings Vouchsafed from The GIVER of All Good, it is a Peculiar Manifestation of His Over-Ruling Providence, when the hearts of Kings and Governors are Brought under DIVINE Controul, and when they delight themselves in promoting both peace and happiness to the extent of their ability, and with a desire to imitate, as far as may be, That PATTERN of All Excellence, The PRINCE of Peace, and LORD of Spiritual Glory. Then may Godliness abound, and honesty be found amongst all Ranks in a State, as countenanced and encouraged by the most Exalted in the Land. And so The DIVINE Favour may be Especially Visited thereon, as in the goodly season of Israelitish adherence to DIVINE Counsels, and the acting up to the faith of true Religion, in the love of it. Thus would the Benign Effort of The Gracious INTERCESSOR be Successful in Drawing All Men unto Him, by Saving them from themselves and the power of Satan, and Advancing them to the knowledge and adoption of That Truth, Which Alone Insures Salvation, through faith in CHRIST, as The AUTHOR of It.- -On another occasion St. Paul wrote, Let every Soul be subject unto the Higher Powers! for there is no Power, but of GOD: the Powers, that be, are Ordained of GOD: Whosoever therefore resisteth the Power, resisteth the Ordinance of GOD; and they, that resist, shall receive to themselves Condemnation-Rom. xiii. 1, 2; and a beautiful illustration of the duty of obedience to lawful Authority is added in continuance, with an exemplification of the active and universally beneficial influence of that Spirit of observing and fulfilling both DIVINE and Human Law. GOD so Loved the World, that He Gave His Only Begotten SON, that Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life; for GOD Sent not His SON into the World to Condemn the World; but that the World through Him might be Saved; he, that believeth on Him, is not Condemned-John iii. 16, 17, 18. Such was our SAVIOUR's Own Avowal to Nicodemus; a lasting Consolation and Support to every true Believer in His Gospel. And St. Peter, in the latter-day of his Saintship and in the fulness of his Restored faith, declared, that The LORD is Long-Suffering to usward, not Willing, that Any should perish, but that All should come to repentance-2 Pet. iii. 9. And, as All have need of repentance, how Full of Mercy and Tender Loving-Kindness are This Call to it and This Glorious Promise of the Blessed Fruits thereof, in a Saving and Sanctifying Faith, through the Recompence and Righteousness of The Incarnate SON of GOD.

VERSES 5 to 7.-For there is ONE GOD, and One MEDIATOR between GOD and Man, The Man CHRIST JESUS: Who Gave Himself A Ransom for All: to be Testified in due time. Whereunto I am Ordained a Preacher and an Apostle, (I speak the Truth in CHRIST, and lie not,) a Teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

The UNITY of The GODHEAD is here affirmed; and the Mysterious Division

by The SON of GOD's Incarnation avowed. A Mystery, that Angels contemplate with unceasing wonder; and the Spirits of the Just will hail in all Eternity. Unbounded is the Influence of That Sacrificial Offering, where there is a fervent faith in It, and a grateful acknowledgment of It. Not all the sins of All of Human-Kind, from Adam's first departure from allegiance to DIVINE Authority unto the last Rebelling Heart and Act in Human History as its close, would counterpoise the Greatness and Efficacy of That Sacrifice, if Penitence and Faith arose fully in the Soul of every Sinner. But without these Regenerating and Hallowing Influences, and the Grace of The HOLY SPIRIT Confirming and Enlarging them, how can The Righteousness of The DIVINE Judgments be Swayed by Mercy? The Very Condition of The Covenanted Offer of Pardon and Reconciliation in The Gospel of JESUS CHRIST is Depending on Mankind's sense of and sorrow for sin, a hearty desire to be Saved from its Punishment, and a firm persuasion, that The Gospel of Salvation must be received into the Soul, and its Precepts as well as Promises be cherished within it, to justify a hope of Advancement to Eternal Happiness in a Communion of Holiness. -St. Paul's Ordination was indeed a most signal One and Its Effect most happily Signalized. But in its degree should every Ordination induce to a struggling effort at imitation of the Apostle, by the discharge of this high Appointment of a Minister of The Gospel of The SON of GOD; and soundness of Doctrine, in accordance with the Whole of DIVINE Revelation, and consistency of conduct, in observance of Its Discipline, should shine forth in the exercise of its Office, and in the whole tenor of the life and conversation. Truly St. Paul did not lie, but taught in faith and faithfulness. How awful will be the state of those who, assuming the Office of Ministers in no reverence to GOD, nor love to their Fellow-Beings, in insincerity and hypocrisy or Spiritual pride have belied the Truth, and done despite to Its SPIRIT; preaching, or living, or both, in defiance of and in resistance to the Pure Precepts of the Christian Character. The UNITY of The GODHEAD has been before Enlarged upon. The Mediatorial Character of The SON of GOD is thus Illustrated by the Inspired Writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews; after alluding to the Mosaic Ritual and the Sacrifices appointed by it, he says, The HOLY GHOST thus Signifying, That the Way into the Holiest of All (of the Sacristies of the Spiritual Temple) was not yet Made Manifest, while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing: which was a Figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him, that did the service, perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; which stood only in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the Time of Reformation. But CHRIST being Come An HIGH-PRIEST of Good Things to Come, by a Greater and more Perfect Tabernacle, not Made with Hands, that is to say, not of this Building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His Own Blood, He Entered in once into The Holy Place, having Obtained Eternal Redemption for us: for, if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the Unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how Much More shall the Blood of CHRIST, Who, through The ETERNAL SPIRIT, Offered Himself without Spot to GOD, Purge your conscience from dead works to serve The Living GOD! And for This Cause He is The MEDIATOR of The New Testament, that by Means of Death, for the Redemption of the transgressions, that were under the first Testament, they, which are Called, might receive the Promise of Eternal Inheritance--Heb. ix. 8 to 15. Our SAVIOUR Himself Inculcated the Precept of Humility by His Own Example. In reasoning with His Disciples when an unwarrantable emulation, as He Knew, was actuating Some of them, He Said, Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your Minister; and Whosoever will be Chief among you, let him be your

Servant! Even as The SON of Man Came not to be ministered unto, but to Minister, and to Give His Life A Ransom for Many-Matt. xx. 26 to 28.

VERSES 8 to 15.-I will therefore, that Men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting in like manner also, that Women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh Women professing Godliness) with good works! Let the Women learn in silence with all subjection! but I suffer not a Woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the Man; but to be in silence: for Adam was first Formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the Woman, being deceived, was in the transgression: notwithstanding, she shall be Saved in Child-bearing; if they continue in faith and charity and holiness, with sobriety.

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Prayer should indeed be the heart's commingled offering with praise in every instant of its power and conscious existence, for GOD is Ever Attentive to such prayers, and Beneficently Minded Abundantly to Grant even more than we can ask or think; and the upraising of the hand is the natural effect of sincerity in worship. The Apostle's expression of wrath in the translation might possibly be interpreted dread or fear, meaning that, not only without doubt of their prayers being heard, but in full confidence of the Merciful Disposition of The DIVINE NATURE towards the Human Nature, to Accept every true offering of homage and devotedness; and as having Amply Evidenced That Spirit in the Gracious and Magnanimous Tribute of The SON of GOD by His SELF-Offering in Intercession for us. Faith should be without wavering, no doubt should equivocally be yielded to, if the prayer be felt, and felt that it accords submissively with Gospel Rules and The DIVINE Will. -The Apostle's admonition to the Female Sex is also highly prudent and worthy of adoption in its spirit by every One, who would wish to be classed amongst the Wise-hearted, and who would insure to themselves the esteem of the Wise amongst Mankind, and obtain the Approval of HEAVEN. Modesty in Woman, exemplified throughout in her general demeanour and domestic habits, in the cast and expression of her sentiments, and especially towards the Males, into whose society she is thrown, is a most attractive and endearing quality, and is most likely to be recompensed by winning affection, where domestic happiness and Conjugal felicity are most prevalent. She, that is least adorned, is adorned the most;' has been happily said, and beauty is heightened by feminine gentleness and pleasing manners. The charitable offices, for which Females are fitted, and which in this Country are so widely and effectually filled, is the Fruit, in a great measure, of sound Christian Principles; and the Female Character is always lovely and beloved in the exercise of them; such labours of love are Acceptable alike to GOD and Man, and prove a vast source of the mitigation of misery and of the diffusion of contentedness in this lower World. But Females should have their hearts warm in such Cause of their espousal. There may be both a profession of godliness and an engagement in good works from sinister motives and a desire to win the applause of Men, but with an insensibility to the sincerity Required in all conduct, and such conduct especially, towards The Pure and HOLY GOD, Who, Knowing every motive and disposition of every Human heart, Distinguisheth Such as are His Servants in CHRIST, and Such as are not, but Servants of this World; and He will finally Judge and Sentence them accordingly; either Receiving them into Glory, as Members of His SON's Church; or Rejecting them as Votaries of the World, and secret Enemies of His Truth. Forbearance and moderation and seasonable silence, amidst her natural gift of soothing and cheering conversation and manner, should also be observed by Woman on every occasion calling for their exercise. Public preaching is Apostolically limited to Males. In nurseries and early schools much and invaluable labour in tuition is more peculiar to the Female Sex; and with Gifted acquirements

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and the patience and perseverance exemplified by Many therein, essential benefits arise both to Families and Communities. Many Female writings have been tributary to the progress of Christianity; and in the conversational powers of Females, evincing the influence of That Religious Faith, as reigning in their own breasts, testimony is oftentimes happily borne to Its vitality, and illustrated by a corresponding habit.--St. Paul's Allusion to Woman having been Foremost in weakly yielding to temptation, and thereby breaking The DIVINE Commandment of obedience to and an uniform observance of The DIVINE Will, is a Confirmation of the Mosaic Account of that sad catastrophe in the History of our First Parents, involving such awful consequences, and calling for Such An Atonement, as Alone could Compensate for it, by the Sacrifice and Mediation of The SON of GOD.- -The concluding assertion of the Apostle, that the pangs of Child-bearing shall be regarded as a temporal Judgment on the Sex through the first Woman's transgression, is coupled however with the assurance, that Heavenly Rejection will not follow on it, where, in the sobriety and sincerity of vital faith in The Gospel of JESUS CHRIST, charity and holiness are qualities of the Female heart; and that, in whatever Social Relationship or Grade Individuals may stand.- -When Disclosing His more than Prophetic Powers to the Woman of Samaria, in Answer to her observation, that the Samaritan Nation worshipped in the Mountain of their Country, and that the Jews contended, that all true worship should be offered up in Jerusalem, our SAVIOUR Said, Woman, Believe Me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this Mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship The FATHER: ye worship ye know not what! We know What We worship; for Salvation is of the Jews: but the hour cometh and now is, when the true Worshippers shall worship The FATHER in spirit and in truth: for The FATHER Seeketh Such to worship Him. GOD is A SPIRIT; and They, that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and in truth-John iv. 20 to 24.

-The Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews writes, that JESUS, by His One Offering of Himself hath Perfected for Ever them, that are Sanctified: Whereof The HOLY GHOST also is A Witness to us: for after that He had Said, 'This is The Covenant, That I will Make with the House of Israel, After those Days, Saith The LORD'-(by His Prophet Jer. xxxi. 33, 34.) 'I will Put My Laws into their hearts, and in their minds will IWrite Them: and their sins and iniquities will I Remember no more.' Now where Remission of these is, there is no more Offering for sin! Having therefore, Brethren, boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of JESUS, by a New and Living Way, Which He hath Consecrated for us, through the Veil, that is to say, His Flesh; and having An HIGH PRIEST over the House of GOD, let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of Faith; having our hearts sprinkled (cleansed) from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water! Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering; (for He is Faithful, That Promised,) and let us consider One Another, to provoke unto love and to good works!-Heb. x. 14 to 24. -In his Communication with the Corinthian Converts the Apostle writes, Let your Women keep silence in the Churches: for it is not Permitted unto them to speak, (there,) but they are Commanded to be under obedience; as also saith the Law-Gen. iii. 16; Num. xxx. 3 to 12; and if they will learn anything, let them ask their Husbands at home, for it is a shame for Women to speak in the Church-1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35.

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