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Amongst all men there had been a shrinking from death, and an earnest expectation t of some higher destiny of the soul, with a groaning to be delivered from things which came short of it. These prophecies of what is immortal in us God had falfiUed for all men in the person of his Son. He has given our dim faith an assurance of hope. He comforts us in every sorrow by the persuasion that we are treading only in the steps of His most Be- loved One, and so are having perfected in us that patience which led to His resurrection. For this is our highest destiny, to have that thought of God, which came forth in Him, frdfiUed in us ; then as sin is vanquished, sorrow is comforted, the will of God is fulfilled in us, and Death, having lost the sting of a hostile law, is no more an enemy ; but we pass through its gates after Him who has gone before, to partake of His immortality. " St Paul's doctrine is not a narrowing one, but as wide as mankind |. As in Adam, if we follow lawless humours of animal birth, all sufi*er a death of the soul ; so in Christ, if we partake of His Spirit which does the will of the Father, all are made alive. Nor does he rest in the letter. Though sometimes after the manner of his age, he turns against his countrymen their own weapons, and plays with texts ; yet his law of God has been written in the hearts of all nations ; his fulfilment of it * Acts xiv. 17; xvii. 17, 28; Romans ii. 14, 15. + Romans viii. 14 — 19, 23^.39. t Romans viii 6 ; i CorinthianB xv. 33. ST Paul's Christianity spiritual and historical. 379 is hj Love ; and the prophecies he most dwells on, are not of genealogies, or of birthplace, or of anything earthly and visible ; but they turn on deep correspondence of feeling, and on the running through ancient books by the breathing of the Holy Spirit, something of that Grace and Truth, which was fully manifested in Christ our Lord. Nor does he care so much for Jesus known after the flesh; perhaps he knew more than all our Lord's kinsmen ; but it is the eternal truth of the glorified Christ, as taught him by the Holy Spirit, which gives him power to persuade. Yet the epistles of St Paul only bring out in fulness, what the discourses of Christ had implied in simple words. You will understand them best by comparing them together. Again, St Paul thinks * the power of the re- surrection' is in its lifting our inner humanity out of the death of sin and worldliness which shut out heaven fix)m our gaze. Yet he does not therefore doubt that the Divine gift of eternal life has been exhibited bodily in Christ ; and as the Truth was shewn to men in His incarnation, so was it in His resurrection. For in that wonderful history it pleased God to sum up all things heavenly in the compass of an earthly life ; that we might hear once for all His Truth speaking, and see His Love over- flowing, and His Patience suffering, yet His Law exemplifying itself, and then His Life coming forth from death, and His spiritual Oflfspring entering into glory. For by no less a drama could our souls, under these veils of sense, have their eyes opened to all the mystery of the counsel, which God is working of old and for ever. But those will be most confirmed by this fulfilment, who have most of the fiiith which prophesies it throughout mankind. Therefore to you I speak the more hopefully. " K St Paul could speak to you now, he would say much of putting away your idols. He would speak of all caste and sect, as he spoke of the separate sanctity of the Jews. He would say of all austere penances, that they profit little, com- pared to that change of mind which gives peace in the love of 380 HINDUI8M IN THE LIGHT OF ST PAUL. Orod, He woald compare all your ancestral traditions to those of Moses, and deny that they give you a true righteousness of Otod ; thus he would turn you to a more living way of faith in our Heavenly Father, who also reads the heart, and requires sincerity in it. Yet he would find many things in your re- ligion leading up to a higher faith, or containing germs of it. Thus he would allow the eternal God to have trained by such means the growing conscience of your race; but he would shew you a more entire harmony of Heaven and Earth in that likeness of Himself which God has given us in the faith of His dear Son. Both your sacrifices, and your putting away of them, your stories of incarnation, and your theories of spiritual growth, would have something answerin.:^ to them in the faith of Christ ; all your gentle virtues of meekness, and forgiveness, as well as holiness, are eminently taught by Him ; and in the glimpse He has opened of a world beyond the grave, your imagination would find an infinity answering to the vastness of its own dreams, but with an actual fulfilment, which they un- fortunately want. **If you would read St Paul, comparing things that cor- respond among the Hindds and Hebrews, as for instance the old Brahmanical caste with the Levites, and the overgrown Law of Moses with your traditional system, and the new spiritual life which Christ breathed into the world with the attempts of reformers in India, you would find St Paul's reasonings with the Jews apply often to yourselves ; and conclude, I trust, that Christianity is more likely than any Indian creed to fulfil the Sri Bhdgavat's prophecy by bringing all men to the knowledge of God. But here is some of the practical advice which St Paul wrote from prison to his firiends : — 'If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the eartL For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. Mortify there* ST Paul's counsels. 381 fore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, undean- nesSy inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and viciousness, which is idohitry : for which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience : in the which ye also walked sometime, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these ; anger, wraths malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your moutL Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds ; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him : where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circimicision nor uncircumcision. Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free : but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long- suffering ; forbearing one another, and foi^ving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any : even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankfiiL Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wis- dom ; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thanks heartily to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God our Father by Him. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Hus- bands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is wellpleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be dis- couraged. Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the fiesh ; not with eyenservice, as men-pleasers ; but in singleness of heart, fearing God : and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men ; knowing that of the Lord ye shall i-eceive the reward of the inheritance : for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done : and there is no respect of persons. Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal ; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanks- giving; withal praying also for us, that (xod would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds.