God destroy!" Oh! let us pray that this inner sanctuary may be kept holy to the Lord; that the Spirit of God may dwell there; that repentance may shed often there the bitter tear, and offer up its deep contrition; that faith and holiness, as humble worshippers, may there see God, and know God; that heavenly-mindedness, and holy thoughts, and good desires may there be implanted and strengthened; "that the very God of Peace may sanctify us wholly; and that our whole spirit, and soul, and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." v. 23. 1 Thess. ILLUSTRATION VI. WORLDLY GAIN AN OPPOSITION TO THE GOSPEL. "AND THE SAME TIME THERE AROSE NO SMALL STIR ABOUT THAT WAY. FOR A CERTAIN MAN NAMED DEMETRIUS, A SILVERSMITH, WHICH MADE SILVER SHRINES FOR DIANA, BROUGHT NO SMALL GAIN UNTO THE CRAFTSMEN; WHOM HE CALLED TOGETHER WITH THE WORKMEN OF LIKE OCCUPATION, AND SAID, SIRS, YE KNOW THAT BY THIS CRAFT WE HAVE OUR WEALTH. MOREOVER YE SEE AND HEAR THAT NOT ALONE AT EPHESUS, BUT ALMOST THROUGHOUT ALL ASIA, THIS PAUL HATH PERSUADED AND TURNED AWAY MUCH PEOPLE, SAYING THAT THEY BE NO GODS, WHICH ARE MADE WITH HANDS: SO THAT NOT ONLY THIS OUR CRAFT IS IN DANGER TO BE SET AT NOUGHT; BUT ALSO THAT THE TEMPLE OF THE GREAT GODDESS DIANA SHOULD BE DESPISED, AND HER MAGNIFICENCE SHOULD BE DESTROYED, WHOM ALL ASIA AND THE WORLD WORSHIP."-Acts xix. 23-27. PETH. WHEN we are wavering between Christ and the world, balancing between life and death, how easily does a little temporal advantage weigh down the scale, and sink us into worldliness. The Evangelist tells us, that on one occasion, when Jesus "had gone forth into the way, there came one running and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good master, what shall I do that I may inherit : eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God. Thou knowest the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, defraud not, honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, one thing thou lackest go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come, take up thy cross and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved; for he had great possessions." (Mark x. 17-22.) Alas! how frequently and fatally do we stumble at the same stumbling-block! We, too, would follow Christ! We would enter into eternal life! From our youth, it may be, we have externally observed the commandments. But a hindrance lies before us. We have lucrative advantages in prospect or possession; and these have so twined themselves with all our notions of satisfaction and prosperity-have so lured us into the false belief that they can obtain happiness for us, that it is hard to place them down to take up the cross! Hard to forego our treasures here to lay up treasures in heaven! So that it is not only from Demetrius and the craftsmen of Ephesus, but from the almost daily testimony of our own hearts, that we learn that worldly gain is an opposition to the Gospel. That this was so with the Ephesians a few words in addition to our text will amply show. Ephesus, in the time of the Apostle, was a very flourishing city, the most attractive and opulent of Asia Minor. Only inferior to Athens in learning and refinement; and to Corinth in its external grandeur; it surpassed them both in the workmanship and magnificence of its Temple to Diana, which was deservedly esteemed one of the world's wonders. All that kingly riches could lavish, or the Sculptor's art devise, or cunning craftsmanship execute, or superstitious munificence dedicate, was found there. Not that St. Paul saw that Temple in its first grandeur. That had passed away. The fire of one night brought low what two hundred and twenty years had raised. Yet in the Apostle's time there was a costly temple; and in consequence of its far-spread report, it would appear that the dwellers at Ephesus and strangers who resorted thither purchased models of this Temple, silver shrines in imitation, it might be, of some inner sanctuary, or even representations of the presiding goddess. For these there was a great 66 demand. They found employment for many craftsmen and artificers; and they brought no small gain to those who wrought and trafficked in them. But while Paul was at Ephesus and the region round, so unwearied was he in proclaiming that the name of Christ was "the only name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved,” that we learn that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the Word of the Lord Jesus; many that used curious arts (for which Ephesus was famous) believed and confessed, and shewed their deeds, and burnt their necromantic books; and thus mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed.” But we do not find that here, as at Athens, the philosophers stood up and encountered the Apostle; nor that, as at Corinth, he was accused before a careless Gallio for "persuading men to worship contrary to the law." It was neither learning nor prejudice with which he had now to contend, but Mammon. The opposition he met with was not for proclaiming the true God, but for denying the God of this world. Demetrius the silversmith, whose idolatry for Diana appears to have been instigated, or at least, strengthened by his idolatry for the pelf which her superstition brought to him, began to calculate what the results of. Paul's preaching would be; and came to the |