The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1874-12-30
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
l Corinthians TX: 81.

With many others, have been interested in the
discussion of this text, by my old friends Fl. H.
H." and w. T. P, +" and admire the kindly
manner in which tleg deal with eaah other in the
discussion.
Not long since l picked up an old volume Of
"Hoge's Sermons, by the elder Moses Hoge, D.
D., and the first sermon of the series was on this
text, and preached by him, before the Synod of
Virginia, in Lexington, during October, 1910.
From this quote such extracts as will give his In
depreciation OF the text aud will only add, what
believe to be the true exposition, in a nutshell.
THAT man may preach the gospel to others
and afterwards be himself cast.awsy, is too evil
dent to require proof For there is certainly moth
ing in the external Offices of ministerial duty be-
yond the reach of an unsanoti62d heart, And as
the attention which We my brethren in the ministry,
ought to pay to the souls committed to our care, has
been a common theme of discourse at the opening
of this judicature it will not, hope, be thought
improper to devote this discourse to very different
subieot-the attention we onght to pay to our own
sa vatiOp." \ 1t will, indeed readily
be acknowled sed, that the religious advantages of
stewards Of the mysteries Of God, are numerous
and great; but so also are their disadvantages, ard
that we need all the assistance which can in this
way be afforded u.s. the text have chosen is itself
a sufficient evidence " keep under my body and
bring it into subjection-lest that by any means,
when have preached to others | myself should be
a castaway."
Here We may observe this great Apostle did not
consider himself so sure of salvation, rather that
his assurance was not of such nature as to super
sede the necessity of the most eectua precautions
to guard against the reverse. And yet if there
ever was man who had right to entertain such
sentiment Paul appears to have been that
man ="
=" Lest that Gy any means ,ohen haze preached
the gospel to Others, InlySef should be caSta1o0y
Not that the Apostle was really in a state OF un-
certainty with respect to his final destiny. This
would not accord with that full assurance Of hap
py Immortality, which he has elsewhere expressed
in the most peremptory language No, my breth
rem, we must not imagine this most faithful ser
want to have been in a state Of painful un-
certainty with regard to the ultimate issue OF all
his tolls and conflicts in the Christian cause But
he had not learned to separate the MEANS from the
END. as the manner of some Theologians is This
may be strikiugly illustrated by very memorable
event in naval history. When Paul was on his
voyage to Rome. the vessel which carried him,
being overtaken by tempestuous wind, to support
the Responding minds of his companions in dan-
ger, he positively assured them, that there should
be "no Toss of any man Se, but only of the ship.
And this he did, by an express revelation from
God himself But Notwithstanding this when he
observed the sbipmcn, whose ministry was neces.
sary to conduct the vessel to land about to abau-
don it, he expressly declared to the centurion and
soldiers, Except these abide an the ship ye cannot
be sqved. Aud thus though fully assured that he
should obtain the rewards of faithful servant yet
in order to do this he knew perseverance u course
of holy obedience, to be indispenssbly necessary
Yes, my brethren, though he knew most assuredly
that he should not be cast-away, yet he also knew
that with view of guarding against this most
tragica event, it was incumbent on him to keep
under his body and to bring 1t into Su5jectioa."
And happy would think myself, should it be in
nv power to suggest anything from this interesting
subject, which might have tendency to induce
each of us to GO, AND DO LIKEWISE.
Such are the extrscts-aud as the sermon was
reduced to writing by request of the Synod with
a view to its publication" it is to be presumed
that in 1910 the Synod Of Virginia considered this
the proper exposition the text will only add,
that sermon from our Moderator GU this text at
the opening of our next Synod, would to me at
least appear a very appropriate thing in these
times of ministerial degeneracy and ministerial
scandals T. W. H.