The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1874-12-16
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
LEST I BE A CASTAWAY."

preached to others, myself should be a castaway.'
Cor. TX: u.
After dwelling at some length upon hi:
practice of self denial in Indifferent matters
in order that he might influence others fol
good, Paul adds in the % verse, "And this
| do for the Gospels sake, that | might be
partaker thereof with you" In other words,
l practice such self -denials that might be
partaker with you, to the honor of the gos-
pei, of its duties and labors.
But if psrtaker of its labOrs or suffer
ings, a partaker also of its benefits or con-
solations. There is a sure connection be-
tween the performance of duty, and spiritual
strength and assurance. Paul seems now to
have approached this point In all that he
has just been saying, the argument for self
denial rests upon the obligation of the Chris
tan to save his brother. But this is not the
only purpose which the practice of Self-de-
NAL subserVes. Besides, some of his hear
ers, nay doubtless very many, may not be
much moved by such appeals. And SO in
the next verse, "Know ye not, &C., he ap-
peals to interests nearer home. He proceeds
to show them that self denials are of the
very essence of running; that their own in
dividual salvation depends upon thus run
ming; and, to use the words of our Lord,
that "many shall seek to enter in and shall
not be able" Why not be able Because
they do not "keep the body under, and bring
it into subjection.'
If man is not being delivered from the
power of sin now in his own body, he ought
to fear final perdition, though he be never
so much engaged in labOrs for the good of
others. Pursuing the same line of thought,
ne continues with the 10th chapter simply
varying the expression, know ye not, to
Moreover, would not that ye should be
ignorant, and in a number of verses follow.
ing, cites, by way of proof, the cases of their
fathers in the wilderness. He thus shows,
on the other hand, the inevitable connection
which exists between the self-indulgence of
protesting Christians, and the displessure of
God and destruction.
Now" Paul says, "all these things were
written for Our admonition. Mark you,
for Paul's admonition too. Why not? Paul
was inspired; and moreover favored with
extraordinary manifestations. But did Paul
work out his own salvation with any less fear
and trembling on that account? Nay, l sup
pose rather with much more. Paul knew
better than most Christians what he was
being saved from and his clear view of sin
and death stimulated fear, Was not Paul's
religious experience like that of other per-
sons? was not the plan of salvation the same
to him that it is to other persons was he
not partaker of the gospel with others, and
were not the methods by which he advanced
his own salvation the same methods which
all must use2 Paul recognizes this fact in
the verse under consideration, and humbly
applies to himself there, the same warning
which in the 18th verse of the 10th chapter
he addresses to all, viz: Let him that
thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall
But more. If the methods by which he ad-
yanced his own salvation we're those common
to all other persons, doubtless the methods
by which he attained to full assurance of
his salvation were not different in kind from
the methods by which all are encouraged to
reach it. If so, land where is the evidence
to the contrary, was it not becoming in him
to be habitually solicitous about his spiritual
condition; to take heed that the evidence of
his standing should not be wanting? Ought
not Paul to have felt, as well as his hearers,
that there was danger of being castaway
If he gaze rein to has flesh? /? Mark you,
Paul does not intimate that he fears he will
be castaway. He intimates that he wOuld
fear that he should be castaway IF he did
not "keep under his body, and bring it into
subjection.
When considering his salvation from the
plane of human effort, responsibility, and
evidence, he counts not the race won till be
comes to the end of his course. He knew
that all true believers will finally be saved !;
for he elsewhere tells us he is confident
that He which hath begun good work in
them will continue it unto the day of Jesus
Christ" But who is a true believer? HoW
else could Paul, or any other man IN the
flesh, apply to himself the abstract truth that
the true believer VjN be intalIby saved, saue
IN proportion as he finds himself engaged IN
"keeping under his body, and bringing 1t into
sutiectiOn!"
If he did not "keep under his body" &C.,
then he would fear that he should be cast.
away. #, life and death turn upon that
little word. Man would not be man without
his ifs. IF the Roman soldiers had broken
the legs of our Saviour on the Cross, the
Word of God in prophecy would have been
made false But God takes care of His ifs;
or rather He has no ifs to care for. And sc
it came to pass that it was not done. And
Paul did II 'srish.
Paul was not only laboring with all his
might to glorify God in the salvation of mer
by preaching, he was fighting with equa
earnestness to conquer himself and bring
himself into complete subsection to Cod
These two motives always go together in {