VERSES 6 TO 8-Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump; purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened: for even CHRIST, our Passover, is Sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of Sincerity and Truth!

No boastful spirit can be justified; the true Christian is so clothed with humility, that he shrinks from every feeling as well as expression of arrogance and vain-glory. In the consciousness, where really felt, of DIVINE Favour, there may be the exultation more inwardly dwelt upon, than perhaps outwardly expressed. Great care should therefore be taken in regulating the outward conduct by excluding every tendency to worldly pride, and, still more, spiritual pride; for, in however small a degree, they would, if yielded to, gradually inAluence the heart, and dispossess it of the pure character for which DIVINE Grace is Given. Every avenue to the heart should be so guarded, as to prevent the lodgment of both thought and feeling, that are not in consonance with Gospel Principles; in the instant that any such intrusive influence of evil presents itself, the utmost and most persevering effort should be used to expunge it; and to fortify the Soul against its wily Adversary, the Devil, in whatever shape and under whatever temptation he may present himself; ever bearing in mind, that if even one evil passion or propensity be cherished, it may by degrees so enlarge its baneful influence as to occasion a total rejection of DIVINE Controul, and incur a forfeiture of That Love, Which is Offered to the Meek, and Lowly of heart, and Pure in spirit.- -The Great AUTHOR of Purification should ever be reverently in our thoughts; and in the adoration of Him, we should seek to conform to His Example, whilst in our Nature, when on Earth, and to observe the Precepts, which His Religion Inculcates. The Prodigious Sacrifice, to Which He Submitted, from Motives of the Purest and most Disinterested Love to us, should stir up our minds to such devotional and reverential affection towards Him, as to form a continual feast to our hearts, and produce the fruits of unfailing conformity to His Will; the ingenuousness of a Child-like simplicity should be manifested in our Lives and conversation; and a paramount reverence for All, that is sacred and tributary to the Honour of our Gracious REDEEMER, should manifest itself systematically in our habits. Under the conviction, that the Eye of The ALMIGHTY is everywhere, and that we stand ever and wholly revealed before Him, we should avoid both in action and in utterance the least departure from Truth, and in a still more, determined resolu tion refrain from harbouring for an instant the spirit, that would vent itself in malice towards any of our Fellow-Creatures, or in wickedness of any order, whether directed against GOD, our Neighbour, or ourselves.St. James states, that to boast, and to rejoice in boasting especially is evil-iv. 16.-The Sacrifice of our SAVIOUR was not only foretold by Isaiah, but most graphically described, as though it had occurred in the Prophet's time; the whole of the 53rd chapter will be best consulted; and indeed its every description, so beautifully illustrated, should be often in our memory, and recited, if it be but silently, to keep alive Its association with The Gospel Narrative. St. Peter urges us to treasure in our remembrance, that we were not Redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from our vain conversation; but with the Precious Blood of CHRIST, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, Who verily was Fore-ordained before the foundation of the World, that our faith and hope might be in GOD; and that we might have our Souls Purified, in obeying the Truth through The SPIRIT, unto unfeigned love of the Brethren; being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by The Word of GOD, Which Liveth and Abideth for Ever-1 Pet. i. 18 to 23. In the Revelations Made to St. John, The LAMB, That was Slain, is He, That Alone could Open

the Book in Which the Destinies of all Mankind are Written; and the Voice of Heavenly Exultation in the contemplation of That Great Work is thus Recorded to His Eternal Honour, and to the blissful hope of the Faithful; Worthy is The LAMB, That was Slain, to Receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Strength, and Honour, and Glory, and Blessing-Rev. v. 6, 7, 9, 11, 12.On the Deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, and their settlement in the Promised Land of Canaan, the Command was to dedicate the First-born of Males to The LORD's Service; and to celebrate the great occurrence by refraining for seven days from unleavened bread-Exodus xiii. 6, 7, 12, 15. The figure of St. Paul's speech was therefore doubtless familiar to those, whom he addressed, as themselves Jews, though converted, or Gentiles more or less acquainted with the Jewish customs.The same image was used by our SAVIOUR, when reasoning with His Disciples on their being sensible of a remissness in not providing bread, JESUS having Said unto them, Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees! and which they finally understood to mean the insinuating doctrine of the Opponents to His MESSIAH-Ship-Matt. xvi. 6, 12. On another occasion our SAVIOUR Compared the Kingdom of Heaven in Its Diffusiveness, when received into the heart, unto leaven-Luke xiii. 20, 21.

VERSES 9 to 13.-I wrote unto you in an Epistle not to company with Fornicators; yet not altogether with the Fornicators of this World, or with the Covetous or Extortioners, or with Idolaters: for then must ye needs go out of the World: but now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any Man, that is called a Brother, be a Fornicator, or Covetous, or an Idolater, or a Railer, or a Drunkard, or an Extortioner; with such an One, no, not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also, that are without? Do not ye judge them, that are within? But them, that are without, GOD Judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked Person.

As Purity in thought, and deed, of which chastity is a branch, and an essential one, is a distinguishing characteristic of Christianity, any promiscuous or illicit intercourse between the Sexes, or in yielding to the impulse of self-pollution, is most strenuously and studiously to be avoided; and the free or familiar intercourse with Such, as are so contaminated, should be shunned. For such probably the Apostle means; though in the Prophetic language fornication often is intended to characterise idolatry; but in the expanse of that charitable spirit, which by all means would willingly save all Men, this caution is qualified, so as to prevent an entire rejection of any communication with them, or with Such, whose thirst for wealth absorbs every other feeling; or who indeed are openly and avowedly the Worshippers of false Gods; for so widely prevalent, unhappily for the peace and good of Mankind, are one or other of those departures from pure and undefiled Religion, that to separate utterly from every Participator, whether in a greater or less degree, in such unhallowed practices, would be to withdraw almost, if not altogether from the society of our Fellow Mortals. To shun the table intercourse with the Spirits, that are inveterately bent on evil, in any of its too various forms, not only of fornication, covetousness, idolatry, but even of railing, drunkenness, extortion, if professing to be Members of CHRIST, and claiming to be in the Bond of Christian Brotherhood, is thus properly urged upon us; for such utter perversion of a profession of faith in CHRIST, which necessarily includes a devotedness to His Precepts of Truth and Righteousness and Godly Sincerity, cannot but call for the most marked condemnation on the part of the true Followers of JESUS; and to withdraw from them is to manifest to the World, and also to themselves, the wide distinction between the Hypocrite and Believer! The field of St. Paul's labours, so signally Called as he was to the Ministry, and so Pre-eminently Endowed with the Grace of a right judgment

in all things, was far wider than that of most Others. The exercise therefore of his judgment was in a degree peculiar to himself, as embracing a multitude of Communities, with whom, in his travels or by his correspondence, he associated; but those, whom he now addressed, were to confine their judgment to Members of their own Body, of whom there might be Others, as well as the Individual here spoken of, who might be selling themselves, whether under the garb of hypocrisy, or in open defiance of the purity and consistency of a Christian life, to work evil in the Sight of GOD. Such as are without the knowledge of The Gospel, and might seem to be out of the Pale of Salvation, the Apostle meekly and resignedly refers to The All-Righteous but Merciful Judgment of JEHOVAH, doubtless with the cherished hope that the Sacrifice of CHRIST, Who in the Councils of HEAVEN was to be Considered as Slain from the Foundation of the World in anticipation of the Fall of Man from Heavenly Purity in Adam's first transgression, will Eventually Prove the Salvation of all the Ends of the Earth from the first to the latest Generation, where the heart is foreknown to be accessible to faith, and its attendant repentance. To repudiate the Hypocrite, when known to be Such, is thus not only sanctioned, but enforced by the Apostle; and to guard our own hearts against any insincere motives of action, or language of profession, is equally our duty; for as the Apostle elsewhere admonishes, we should have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; but rather reprove them, whether found in ourselves or Others-Eph. v. 11; and he elsewhere expressly points to the benefit that may eventually attend a judicious withdrawal from intercourse with Such as, professing to be CHRIST's, are indeed of the synagogue of Satan-namely, that they may be brought to a sense of the evil and awfulness of the course they are pursuing, and, being ashamed thereof, may repent, and turn unto The LORD, that He may have Mercy upon them, and to our GOD, that, through the Intercessory Merits of CHRIST JESUS, He may Pardon them-2 Thess. iii. 14; Rev. ii. 9.—In another of his Epistles the Apostle cautions his Correspondents to mark them, which caused divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine of CHRIST, and to avoid them; for, adds he, they, that are such, serve not our LORD JESUS CHRIST, but their own belly, (or sensual inclinations,) and by (plausibly and seemingly) fair speeches deceive the hearts of the Simple-Rom. xvi. 17, 18.-St. John adds, in the like spirit of caution, an intimation of the serious result that may follow the infraction of the Apostolic rule, saying, Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the Doctrine of CHRIST, hath not GOD. He that abideth in the Doctrine of CHRIST, he hath both The FATHER and The SON; Superadding, If there come Any unto you, and bring not This Doctrine, receive him not into your house; neither bid him, " GOD Speed!" For he, that biddeth him "GOD Speed! is Partaker of his evil deeds-2 John, 9 to 11.—In explanation of the terms within,' and without,' the passage in The Gospel by St. Mark may be considered, which is thus-In Expounding to His Disciples the Parable of the Sower, our SAVIOUR Said, Unto you it is Given to know the Mystery of The KINGDOM of GOD; but unto them, that are without, all these Things are Done in Parables-Mark iv. 11. SAVIOUR's Admonition how to deal with an offending Brother is thus beautifully and judiciously Enlarged upon-If thy Brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone! if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy Brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee One or Two more, that in the mouth of two or three Witnesses every word may established; and if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the Church; but if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as a Heathen Man and a Publican Matt. xviii, 15 to 17.

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CHAPTER VI.

VERSES 1 TO 7-Dare Any of you, having a matter against Another, go to law before the Unjust, and not before the Saints? Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World? and, if the World shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge Angels? how much more things, that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the Church! I speak to your shame, Is it so, that there is not a wise Man among you? no, not One that shall be able to judge between his Brethren? But Brother goeth to law with Brother, and that before the Unbelievers: now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law One with Another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

As forbearance and endurance are Christian virtues, and a desire to arrive at right in the least offensive or oppressive way is a Christian principle, to euter upon litigation in a hasty and vindictive feeling, without seeking to adjust differences by gentle remonstance and an endeavour at least to accommodate matters in difference by a reference to the decision of mutual Friends or impartial Neighbours, is decidedly indicative of a spirit not duly influenced by Gospel Precepts, and should be Self-corrected. Enormous and ruinous losses, besides a long protraction of distressing suspense and enfevering anxiety are often the consequence of legal contests; and to engage in them with Such as on Gospel Principles should be regarded as Brethren, when a reference to arbitration in submission to wise-hearted and wise-headed Referees, might be the means of ready adjustment, is to reject wise Counsel, and neglect One's own peace. The assertion that the Saints shall judge the World, when we are led to believe that CHRIST is The JUDGE of both Quick and Dead, must be received with some qualification of interpretation; but doubtless when the Soul in the fulness of its Sanctification has brought before it the Behests of DIVINE Wisdom in the Pronouncing Its Decrees, every Soul of Human-Kind will at once feel the Justness of Those Decisions and so far concur in Them; feeling that if the final adjudgment of the destiny of Others did indeed rest with themselves, they could not but pronounce similarly; and, if Called upon by their adored MASTER from His Throne of Judgment, would so decide; as well in reference also to apostate Angels, as to degenerate Fellow-Creatures. Some spirit of charity is well exercised, when not only we restrain in ourselves any tendency of disposition to harass Others by querulousness and jarring contests; but when we seek to influence in Others conciliation and an amicable adjustment of differences or disputes. The sense

of the passage, If ye then have judgment of things pertaining to this life, might seem to be helped by the addition of, why set them to judge, who are least esteemed in the Church? For this, or something like this they seem to have done, an act, which but too justly exposed them to the Apostle's censure, as an act of which they should be deeply ashamed, being at variance with what their profession of devotedness to the Christian Calling should have prompted them to have done. He asks impressively if the possession of a judicious mind is so unknown among them, or suspected so to be, as to render necessary the recourse to Others, not of Christian faith, to adjust their own differences. This fell in with the position that the Men of this World are in a sense wiser in their generation than the Children of Light; but in a worldly and sensual sense only: the judgments of a truly spiritualized mind are infinitely preferable; they are the fruit of fervent and effectual prayer; and essentially and lastingly more beneficial in the truest sense to all Parties however affected by them, resting, as they do, on the only safe ground, a Christian foundation. To litigate with rigour, with no disposition to compromise, but with an unbending effort to gain everything, and overwhelm an Opponent, or to resist against conscience a just claim or right, is to overlook the

very Object of the Christian Dispensation, which is to spread both far and near the principle, really and vitally actuating, of Brotherly and Sisterly and Kindred love, founded on the continual contemplation of That Love of The DIVINE NATURE, to Which we owe every Thing of intrinsic value in reference to both Time and Eternity, which we either have or hope for. The Example of our SAVIOUR Manifested Endurance of injury, reproach, and every trying privation: His Admonition was to yield unresistingly to acts even of injustice, rather than resist injuries; still less to resent them.The Prophet Daniel, probably St. Paul had in his mind's-eye, when he thus wrote of the power to be vested in the Saints, as Judges even of Angels, from the record of the Prophet's Vision of the four Beasts or Creatures, where he says, I beheld, and the horn (of the fourth Creature) made war with the Saints and prevailed against them, until The ANCIENT of DAYS Came; and Judgment was Given to the Saints of The MOST HIGH, and the Time came that the Saints possessed the KingdomDan. vii. 19, 21, 22. This Prophetic View of the Exaltation of the Saints was indeed Confirmed by our SAVIOUR Himself, in the Declaration He Hade to His Disciples, Saying, That ye, which have followed Me, in the Regeneration, when The SON of Man shall Sit in the Throne of His Glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel-Matt. xix. 28. And St. John in his Heavenly Visitations has left us this Record of one of them, saying, I saw Thrones, and they (that) sat on them; and Judgment was Given unto them-Rev. xx. 4.St. Jude, quoting from the Prophecy of Enoch, the Seventh from Adam, speaks of The Coming of The LORD, with Ten Thousands of His Saints, to Execute Judgment—14, 15; a Judgment of the Rectitude of Which All, both Saints and Sinners, will be fully convinced. Among the many and valuable admonitions of Solomon is that of-Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on The LORD; and He shall Save thee-Prov. xx. 22. But our SAVIOUR'S Counsel Goes deeper and farther towards filling the Soul with Heavenly Wisdom, in the observance of which the heart experiences a delight and gratification peculiarly enduring-Resist not evil; but love your Enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them, which despitefully use you and persecute you! so rendering good for evil; and thence experiencing the truest sunshine of the heart-Matt. v, 39, 40, 44. A Council abundantly seconded both by the example and precept of St. Paul, who elsewhere says, Be patient in tribulation; bless them which persecute you! bless, and curse not! Recompense to no Man evil for evil-Rom. xii. 12, 14, 17; 1 Thess. v. 15.

VERSES 8 TO 11-Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your Brethren. Know ye not that the Unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of GOD? Be not deceived; neither Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor Effeminate, nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind; nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of GOD. And Such were Some of you; but ye are washed; but ye are Sanctified; but ye are Justified, in the Name of The LORD JESUS, and by The SPIRIT of our GOD. To deceive in any way, by hypocrisy especially, (which is the worst of selfdeception, as the Threatenings of our SAVIOUR Denounces, and as the Great Day of General Assize will develope,) is of the Suggestion of the Evil One, involving internal disquietude on reflection: and any tendency towards it should. be watchfully guarded against. Open fraud is open to Public justice; but there are frauds, which meet not the Public notice, and escape perhaps every other Human eye, or knowledge, except that of the Perpetrators; but there is an AllSeeing Eye, which cannot be evaded; and the Testimony That Eye will Bear, will be Backed by the Hand of Final Justice, affecting an Eternity of Operation;