SECTION IV.

THE TWO REDEMPTIONS; OF SOUL, AND OF BODY. THE CHRISTIAN ON EARTH HAS OBTAINED THE ONE, AND LOOKS FOR THE OTHER. THIS SPIRITUAL REDEMPTION MAKES SELFGLORY A SELF-CONTRADICTION, FOR TO LIVE IN CHRIST IS TO BE DEAD TO SELF AS CHRIST WAS DEAD. IN THIS LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS, ST. PAUL FINDS PROTECTION FOR THE CORINTHIANS, AND A DEFENCE OF HIMSELF, AGAINST FALSE TEACHERS AND APOSTLES.

CHAPS. V.-VI.-VII. 1.

V. 1. FOR we know that if our earthly tent-house were dissolved, we have a mansion from God, a house not 2 built with hands, eternal in the heavens. And there

fore we sigh, desiring to put on over us our house 3 which is from Heaven; if indeed when putting it on, 4 we shall not be found disembodied. For we in this

tabernacle do sigh, being burdened, not that we desire to be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mor5 tality may be swallowed up by life. Now he that hath wrought us for this self-same end is God, he who also 6 hath given to us the pledge of His spirit. Wherefore, always of good courage, and knowing that when at 7 home in the body we are absent from the Lord,—for we 8 walk by Faith not by sight,—we are of good courage, and are willing rather to be exiles from the body, and 9 to be at home with the Lord. Therefore also we are zealous, whether at home or exiles, to be well pleasing 10 to him. For we must all appear before the judgment

E e

11

seat of Christ, that each may receive for the things that he hath done in the body, whether good or evil.

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men, and are made manifest to God, and I trust 12 also are made manifest in your consciences. For we are not recommending again ourselves unto you, but are giving to you an opportunity of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have power against those who 13 glory in appearance, but not in heart. For if we are

in an ecstasy, it is for God; and if we are sober14 minded, it is for you. For the love of Christ con15 strains us, discerning this, that if one died for all, then

did they all die, and he died for all, that the living should no longer live to themselves, but to him who 16 died for them, and was raised up. Wherefore we from henceforth know no one after the flesh though we have even known Christ after the flesh, but now 17 know we him no longer. So that if any one be in Christ, he is a new creature. The old things have 18 passed away: lo, all things have become new. But all things are from God, who hath reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and given to us the mi19 nistry of reconciliation. So that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning their trespasses to them, and having committed unto us the 20 doctrine of reconciliation. For Christ then we are ambassadors, as though God did beseech you through us; we in Christ's stead do entreat you, that ye be 21 reconciled to God. For he hath made him who knew no sin, to be a sin-offering for us, that we might become the justified of God in him.

VI. 1. WE then as fellow-labourers also exhort you, that 2 ye receive not the grace of God in vain. For he says, "I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the

day of salvation have I succoured thee." Behold, now 3 is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation :

Giving no offence in any thing that our ministry may 4 not be blamed but in all things approving ourselves 5 as ministers of God, in much patience, in affliction, in

necessities, in straits, in blows, in imprisonments, in 6 tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings: in pure7 ness, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in a holy spirit, in love unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armour of righteousness 8 on right hand and left, by honour and dishonour, by good report and evil report; as deceivers, and yet 9 true; as unknown, and yet known; as dying, and lo, 10 we are alive; as chastened, yet not killed; as grieved,

yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; 11 as having nothing, yet possessing all things. O Co

rinthians, our mouth is opened unto you, our heart 12 has swelled. Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are 13 straitened in your own affections. Now as a recom

ness

pence for this, I speak as to my children, be ye also 14 enlarged. Become not uncongenially yoked with unbelievers for what is there common to Righteousness 15 and Sin? or what communion hath Light with Dark? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or 16 what part hath a believer with an infidel? and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said"I will dwell in them, and will walk with them, and I shall be their God, and they shall be my people." 17 Wherefore, "Come out from the midst of them, and

be ye separated, saith the Lord, and touch not the 18 unclean thing, and I will receive you; and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be sons and daughters unto me, saith the Lord Almighty."

VII. 1. HAVING then these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all impurity of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

In explanation of the peculiar form of St. Paul's language, in the commencement of the Fifth Chapter, we must refer to those conceptions of the Second Coming of Christ to which it is adapted,—and which, in the fifteenth chapter of the former Epistle, we have already found shaping his representations of the immediate applications of the Doctrine of Immortality. In that Chapter are distinctly expressed the two ideas which are prominent here,that some who were then living might be found alive at the coming of the Lord, and the end of the World; and the idea of two bodies, our present one, adapted to the conditions of our Earthly state, and another, to be the imperishable organ of a purely Spiritual Nature. The external change which qualified for entering into the Kingdom of God in Heaven, was wrought by Death, in the laying aside the corruptible, and putting on the incorruptible body: "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption," and therefore, says the Apostle, "we must all be changed,”—in order that what is mortal in our constitution should be adapted to the conditions of an immortal existence. Upon the faithful dead this change would be of the nature of a Resurrection, in the form of that celestial body of which our present terrestrial body is the seed; when that which

is sown in weakness shall be raised in Power, and that which is sown in dishonour shall be raised in Glory. Upon those found alive at the Coming of the Lord, the change would be of the nature of a transfiguration, the mortal garment would be made immortal without passing through the transition state of death, or, as St. Paul expresses it in our present context, "without being unclothed, they would be clothed upon, and mortality swallowed up of life." So near, in the apprehension of the times, was the Day of the Lord, that 'all might not die, nevertheless all must be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, the dead should be raised incorruptible, and the living transfigured.'* The parallel between the two passages holds in every part, though the form of expression is varied. What in the former is the animal Body, is here "the earthly tent-house," the frail and slight Tabernacle that belongs to our pilgrim days;-translated in our version, without the least regard to English idiom, and almost unintelligibly," the earthly house of this tabernacle." What in the former is the spiritual Body, is here a building of God, a house not made with hands, not produced according to the earthly course of human formation, but according to laws of our Nature we have not yet ascended to, celestial and everlasting. What in the former is represented by 'the mortal putting on instant immortality,' and by "Death being swallowed up in Victory," is here the in

1 Cor. xv. 51, 52.