perate style : " Kebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a
150 ox CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. [bOOK IT.
of none efTect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise : but God gave it to Abraham by promise."
And because it mij^^lit possibly occur to the hearer to ask, If there is no inheritance by the law, why then was the law given ? he himself anticipates this objection and asks, " Wherefore then serveth the law ?" And the answer is given : " It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made ; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one ; but God is one." And here an objection occurs which he himself has stated : " Is the law then against the promises of God ?" He answers : " God forbid." And he also states the reason in these words : " For if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." ^ It is part, then, of the duty of the teacher not only to interpret what is obscure, and to unravel the difficulties of questions, but also, while doing this, to meet other" questions which may chance to suggest themselves, lest these should cast doubt or discredit on what we say. If, however, the solution of these questions suggest itseK as soon as the questions themselves arise, it is useless to disturb what we cannot remove. And besides, when out of one question other questions arise, and out of these again still others ; if these be aU discussed and solved, the reasoning is extended to such a length, that unless the memory be exceedingly powerfid and active, the reasoner finds it impossible to return to the original question from which he set out. It is, however, exceedingly desirable that whatever occurs to the mind as an objection that might be urged should be stated and refuted, lest it turn up at a time when no one will be present to answer it, or lest, if it should occur to a man who is present but says nothing about it, it might never be thoroughly removed.
40. In the following words of tlie apostle we have the temperate style : " Kebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father ; and the younger men as brethren ; the elder women
1 Gal. iii. 15-13. » Gal. iii. 10-22.
CHAP. XX.] EXAMPLES OF THE TEMPERATE STYLE. 151 as motliers, the younger as sisters."^ And also in these :
'' I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."^ And almost the whole of this hortatory passage is in the temperate style of eloquence ; and those parts of it are the most beautiful in which, as if paying what was due, things that belong to each other are gracefully brought together. For example ; " Having then gifts, differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith ; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering ; or he that teacheth, on teaching ; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation : he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity ; he that ruleth, with diligence ; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good. Be Idndly affectioned one to another with brotherly love ; in honour preferring one another not slothful in business ; fervent in spirit ; serving the Lord rejoicing in hope ; patient in tribulation ; continuing instant in prayer ; distributing to the necessity of saints ; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you : bless, and curse not. Eejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another." ^ And how gracefully all this is brought to a close in a period of two members : " Mind not hidi thingjs, but condescend to men of low estate!" And a little afterwards : "Eender therefore to all their dues : tribute to whom tribute is due ; custom to whom custom ; fear to whom fear ; honour to whom honour."* And these also, though expressed in single clauses, are terminated by a period of two members : " Owe no man anything, but to love one another." And a little farther on : " The night is far spent, the day is at hand : let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day ; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying : but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." ^ Now if the passage
1 Tim. V. 1,2. - Rom. xii. 1. 3 p^om, xii. 6-16. Ptom. xiii. 7. ^llom. xiii. 12-11.