August 23

2 Corinthians vi.—1. We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

2. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

3. Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed;

4. But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

5. In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;

6. By pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned.

7. By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

8. By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;

9. As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed.

10. As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor,

yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

11. O ye Corinthians! our mouth is open unto you; our heart is enlarged.

12. Ye are not straitened in us; but ye are straitened in your own bowels.

13. Now, for a recompense in the same (I speak as unto my children), be ye also enlarged.

14. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15. And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16. 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 walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

18. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

How wondrous are the surprises, the transformations, the contradictions even, of faith! It turns poverty into riches, sorrow into joy, persecution into honor, death into life. For every self-denial and sacrifice it returns so rich a compensation, that he who, in the largeness of his devotion, should strip himself to nothing, would find himself possessing all things. Was there ever a life into which entered more of the elements of outward disturbance than were in the life of the apostle Paul? Yet was ever a life happier than his? Corinth, the scene of his greatest trials, was the scene also of his richest triumphs.

But these joys and rewards of faith are in proportion to the

absoluteness of our dependence upon Christ, — the enticeness of our separation from the world. We cannot combine a worldly spirit with a believing spirit; but, when we renounce all for God, he takes us to his embrace as sons and daughters; and that is the possessing all things.

Aside from the special gift of inspiration, the supernatural illumination of his understanding in the things of God, there was no possession or attainment of Paul in the Christian life, no elevation of hope or rapture, which is not equally within the reach of any believer who will exercise the same faith and practise the same self-denial.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 39, 50, 57.

Thou only, O Lord! makest us to dwell in safety. We lie down at night under the shadow of thy wings; we awake in the morning to the light of thy love. We thank thee for another night of rest and comfort; for another day of life, health, and hope. O Lord! may we be found faithful to thee in the duties of this day! and, amid its temptations and its trials, do thou sustain us, comfort us, keep us, and grant us grace in all we do to seek thy glory. May this household, which thou hast so blessed, serve thee, not at this altar only, but in all the walks of life! As we engage in the business of the world, as we go into society, wherever we are, and whatever we do, may we remember thee, and do thy will! Oh! grant that every member of this family may be a child of God; a humble, faithful follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[We commend unto thy fatherly goodness the children of this family. O Lord! give unto them

grace to serve thee in the morning of life, and in their thoughts and words, their studies and their play, always to please their Father in heaven.]

Bless all dear to us who are absent from us. Do thou, O Lord! dwell by thy Spirit in the hearts and the minds of all our friends. We supplicate thy mercy for the needy, the afflicted, the bereaved, and the sorrowing. Oh! grant to all the consolations of thy gospel.

Build up thy Church, O Lord! Fill our land with pure religion. Bless the industry of the people; and may its fruit be consecrated to the good of men! May our rulers be faithful and just, walking in thy fear! And we beseech thee to bring all lands under the power and glory of thy kingdom. In thy great mercy, O Lord! forgive our sins, and bring us unto thy heavenly kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.