different mode of comforting bereaved ones now. He quite dispenses with the hope of the Advent and of

Resurrection, and bids all mourners to comfort themselves with a kind of Christian Spiritualism, which quiets

everyone, good and bad alike, with the delusion of all going to heaven when they die!

7. The hope of a groaning creation is bound up with the manifestation of the saints with Christ in glory. "For

the earnest expectation of the creature (creation, R.V.) waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God...

because the creature (creation, R.V.) itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the

glorious liberty (R.V. into the liberty of the glory) of the children of God" (Rom. viii 19-23).

8. With what motive are we urged not to judge one another now, and not to be moved when others judge

us? (I Cor. iv. 3, 4) Because the next verse says, "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord

come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the

hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God."

9. If we are exhorted to draw near with faith and take the bread and wine in memory of our Lord's death at His

first advent, we cannot, or ought not to do it, without connecting it with His second advent (I Cor. xi. 26),

"For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come."

10. Is love for the person of Christ set before us as the greatest and most important of all things? It is so in

consideration of the fact that He is coming again. "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be

Anathema [accursed], Maran-atha [our Lord cometh] (I Cor. xvi. 22). It is the fact of the Lord's coming which

puts everything in its right place. The apostle had much to complain of in this first epistle to the Corinthians.

In chapter i., divisions; iv., false judgments; v., uncleanness; vi., brother g oing to law with brother; x. xi.,

errors in ritual; xv. 35, errors of doctrine; but when he comes to the last verse in that epistle; when it is a

question of Maran-atha; when things are weighed in light of that all-pervading fact of the Lord's coming,

then he does not say, if any man be not moral or orthodox, &c., but "if any man love not the Lord Jesus

Christ." As much as to say -- Nothing but love for Christ will stand us in any stead when "Our Lord

cometh." A man may be perfectly moral, orthodox, and correct in ritual, and yet have no love for Christ! This

fact of the Master's coming puts all these things in their proper place, and tells us that the Lord alone shall

be exalted in that day, and only those who have His love shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost shall

be exalted with Him.

11. Are we exhorted (Eph. iv. 30) to "grieve not the Holy Spirit of God"? it is added, "whereby ye are sealed

unto the day of redemption."

12. Are we exhorted to "be sober"? the exhortation is based on the same motive. (I Thess. v. 2-6).

13. Are we exhorted to forbearance and gentleness? (for this is the meaning of the word in Phi. iv. 5), "Let

your moderation be known unto all men"? The reason for it is "The Lord is at hand," and He therefore will

put all right that is now so wrong. And if His coming be so near, such things are not worth contending for.

14. Have we "need of patience that after we have done the will of God we may receive the promise" (Heb. x.

36)? The motive for it is found in the next verse:--"For y et a little while and He that shall come will come and

will not tarry."

And again, "Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord." (Jas. v. 7).

15. Are we exhorted to mortify the flesh? This is still the mighty motive, "When Christ who is our life shall

appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the

earth," etc. (Col. iii. 4, 5)

16. Does the apostle pray that his Philippian converts "may be sincere and without offence"? it is with

reference to and "till the day of Christ." (Phil. i. 9, 10).