abodes, for a few days it may be, or a few weeks, in houses of public accommodation, instead of finding an Abraham, a Lot, a Jethro, an old man of Gibeah, a Lydia, a Gaius, or a Mnason, to entertain them; and have sometimes cause to complain, that but for meeting some of the leading men in public, in the prosecution of their objects, they leave those cities as little acquainted with their christian inhabitants as when they entered them. Surely Christians should not be behind the Jews in respect to religious hospitality. At the great national Jewish festivals, hospitality was liberally practised so long as national identity existed. On these occasions, no inhabitant of Jerusalem considered his house his own. Every house swarmed with strangers, though even this unbounded hospitality could not find accommodation in the houses for all who stood in need of it, and a large proportion of visitors had to be content with such shelter as tents could afford. The neglected christian strangers are not the only, are not the principal, sufferers. In receiving them we might have "received angels unawares;" and we should not forget who it is who will one day say, "I was a stranger, and ye took me in. I was a stranger, and ye took me not in ;" and who, when the questions shall be put, When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee not in? shall answer, "Inasmuch as ye did it to the least of these my brethren, ye did it to me: Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it not unto me."1 Using hospitality is but one out of many ways in which brotherly kindness is to be manifested in employing worldly substance in performing offices of kindness to our fellow-Christians. The Christian, according to his ability, must be "eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, and a father to the afflicted poor." The christian law of love confirms the benignant statutes of the Mosaic code: "If thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee, then thou shalt relieve him; yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner. Ye shall not rule over one another with rigor. If there be among you a poor man, one of thy brethren, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: but thou shalt open thy hand wide unto him. Beware lest thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him naught, and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee; thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest to him. Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and thy needy, in thy land." "If a brother have this world's goods, and see his brother in need," he must not "shut up his bowels of compassion from him;" he must not be contented with saying, Be ye clothed, be ye fed; he must "love not in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth;" he must "give him the things that are needful for the body;" and though community of property is by no means required by the christian law, though there is no sufficient reason for thinking that it prevailed as a matter of necessity or obligation, even in the primitive times; yet where the spirit of primitive 1 Matt. xxv. 35-46. * Vide Mosheimii "Commentatio" "de vera natura Communionis Bonorum in Ecclesia Hierosolymitana." Diss. ad Hist. Ecclesiast. Pertin. Vol. ii. p. 14, &c. Christianity prevails, wherever "the disciples are of one mind and of one heart," they will, in effect, have all things common, doing good to one another, and to all men, as they have opportunity, and valuing worldly property chiefly as affording the means of glorifying God, and promoting the happiness of our fellow-men, and, still more, our fellowChristians. The particular form and measure of hospitality, and other kindred offices of kindness, must depend on circumstances. It must be "as God has prospered us," and " as we have opportunity." It is well observed by Leighton, that "the great straitening of hands in these things is more from the straitness of hearts than of, means. A large heart with a little estate will do much with cheerfulness and little noise; while hearts glued to the poor riches they possess, or rather are possessed by, can scarce part with anything till they be pulled from all." In whatever measure these deeds of kindness are done, it is essential that they all possess the quality which the apostle requires in hospitality, that they be "without grudging.' "All things" of this kind are to be done "without murmurings.' Every man, according as he hath purposed in his heart, so let him give," so let him act; "for God loveth a cheerful giver," a cheerful doer. Good offices reluctantly rendered lose more than half their value. It is only when they really embody love that they are acceptable to God; and it is only in the degree in which they appear to embody love, that they are gratifying to their objects. So much for the first way in which Christians are to manifest brotherly love, by employing their worldly property in performing offices of kindness to one another as men. § 2.-Christians are to manifest brotherly love, by employing their spiritual gifts, for promoting one another's spiritual edification. The second way in which they are to manifest their brotherly love, is to employ their spiritual gifts for promoting one another's spiritual interests as Christians: 66 As every man hath received the gift, even so let them minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth." The word "gift" here, and generally in the apostolic epistles, signifies any endowment, it may be natural, or it may be miraculous, influenced and guided by the Holy Spirit. "The grace of God" is the same as "the gift," only it is descriptive of the aggregate of the gifts, and the endowment and the influence are viewed in the last case as given by God, in the first as enjoyed by man. This grace is termed "manifold," to mark the varied forms which the Divine gifts, all of them expressive of grace, kindness, take in different individuals. Speaking of the supernatural spiritual gifts, the apostle says what is true of all spiritual gifts, "there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are differences of administration, but the same Lord; and there are diversities of operations, but it is the • Χάριτος Θεοῦ. 1 • Χάρισμα, • Ποικίλης. same God that worketh all in all; and the ministration of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." The church is viewed as a household, to the various members of which the Divine Master of the family has given various qualifications, by the exercise of which they are mutually to promote one another's improvement and happiness; and thus the improvement and happiness of the whole family is to be secured. These gifts, then, are not to be considered as conferred only or chiefly for the advantage of the individual on whom they are bestowed. They are intended for the good of the whole; and the gifted person is, in the exercise of his gift, not to act as an independent proprietor, seeking his own advantage, and doing what he wills with his own, but as a good steward, turning to the best account, according to the declared will of the great Householder, a portion of His property, which the individual intrusted with is expected to use, not only for his own good, but for the good of all his brethren. The meaning of the passage in our version is, I apprehend, somewhat obscured by an attempt to illustrate it. You will observe, that the words, "Let him speak," and "let him do it," are in the italic character, indicating, as you are aware, that there are no corresponding words in the original; but that they are, in the estimation of the translators, necessary to bring out the sense in English; and if the tenth and eleventh verses are two distinct sentences, as they obviously supposed, some such supplement is necessary to bring any sense out of the first part of the latter of the verses; though to bring distinctly out the meaning our translators supposed to be in them, would have required a still larger supplement than that they have inserted. If any man speak the oracles of God, let him speak them as the oracles of God. If any man act the part of a minister or deacon, let him act the part of a minister, as of the ability which God giveth.' These are good advices, and it was only by attending to them that the gifted speakers or ministers could exercise the gift bestowed on them to the advantage of their brethren, and be good stewards of that portion of the manifold grace of God committed to their care. I apprehend, however, that the two verses are not two sentences, but one, and that no supplement is necessary to bring out the full sense of the apostle. The words in the beginning of the eleventh verse are just an illustration, by examples, of the statement in the beginning of the tenth verse. "Speaking as the oracles of God," "ministering as of the ability which God has given," are just two of "the gifts" bestowed on individuals for the use of the church, two varieties of the "manifold grace of God," which the recipients were to employ "as good stewards." The words may be literally rendered, "According as every man has received the gift, let them minister the same to each other, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God; whosoever speaks as the oracles of God, whosoever ministers as of the ability which God hath given him." One man has received the gift of speaking as the oracles of God, the faculty of being useful in teaching and exhorting; he is an inspired teacher. Another has 1 1 Cor. xii. 4-6. received the gift of ministry, the faculty of being useful in the management of the affairs of the spiritual society, in preserving order, collecting and managing its funds for supporting and extending the ordinances of Christianity, and for relieving the sick, the infirm, and the poor. Whatever faculty any Christian possesses of this kind, or of any other kind, is a gift received from Christ, for the purpose of edifying his body the church, is a portion of his "manifold grace" intrusted to the individual, to be managed faithfully and wisely for the purpose for which it is bestowed. The passage before us receives illustration from some other passages in the apostolic epistles, which, though not in every respect parallel, obviously relate to the same subject. The first of these passages is to be found in the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans. "I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office; so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having, indeed, gifts, differing according to the grace given unto us;" as in the passage before us, "having gifts according to the manifold grace of God;" and the gifts spoken of in this passage seem to be precisely the same as those specified in our text, "whether prophecy or ministry. The gift of prophecy seems to be the same thing as the gift enabling a man to "speak as the oracles of God," the gift which fitted for teaching. The gift of "ministry," mentioned in both cases, is the gift, the qualification, or class of qualifications, which fit for administration; the first gift being to be exercised in "teaching and exhortation;" the second in "giving, in ruling or presiding, and in showing mercy." The second passage I refer to as fitted to throw light on our text, is in the First Epistle of the same Apostle to the Corinthians. "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administration, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God who worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal," that is, to employ for the benefit of his brethren, to use as a steward of the manifold grace of God. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." The same general division of gifts fitting for teaching, and gifts fitting for administration, may be noticed here. To the first class belong "the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, prophecy, divers kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues:" to the second, the gifts of "healing a Rom. xii. 3-8. 1 Cor. xii. 1-11. and the discerning of spirits;" while the gifts of working miracles, and faith, which seem to mean supernatural confidence and boldness, were gifts which might be usefully employed both in teaching and in administration. That the design of those various gifts was the mutual edification of Christians, and the general advantage of the church, is distinctly stated in what follows: "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? if the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee; nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. God hath tempered the body together, that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular;" that is, every one individually a member of that body.' The third passage peculiarly fitted to illustrate the text, is in the Epistle to the Ephesians. The apostle having exhorted the believers to endeavor to "keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,"that is, just to have fervent charity among themselves, so that the multitude of sins might be covered,-goes on to state the manner in which they, being one body, were connected by having severally divers gifts fitted and intended for the advantage of the body. "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors; and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in love.' 1 1 Cor. xii. 12-27. 2 Eph. iv. 3-16. |