The life and work of St. Paul

DISTINCTIVE WORDS, ETC., OP THE EPISTLES. 733
trouble to the Christian. On the one hand, we know that omnia exeunt in myiterium,
and that we cannot think for five minutes on any subject connected with the spiritual
life without reaching a point at which the wings of the soul beat in vain as against a wall
of adamant. On the other hand, we must bear in mind that Paul almost created the
language of Christian theology ; that he often enshrines in a single word a whole world
of ideas ; and that he always refuses to pursue the great saving truths of religion into
mere speculative extremes. If we cannot live as yet in the realms of perfect and
universal light, we have at any rate & lamp which throws a circle of radiance around our
d?jly steps.
" Lead thou me on. I do not ask to see
The distant scene ; one step enough for me."
EXCURSUS XXII. (p. 690).
DISTINCTIVE WORDS, KEY-NOTES, AND CHABAOTEBISTIOS OF THE EPISTLES.
IT may perhaps serve to call attention to the individuality of the Epistles if I endeavour
to point out how some of them may be roughly characterised by leading words or
conceptions.
J. The Eschatological Group.
1 THESSALONIANS. This Epistle is marked by the extreme sweetness of its tone.
Its key-note is Hope. Its leading words, napovo-ia., 0/u'i>ts. Its main theme is Consolation
from the near hope of the Second Advent, iv. 17, 18, w * "* opirayijofi0a, K. r. A.
rapoucoAeiTe aAXjjXovj iv TOIS Xdyois Tourots. 1
2 THESSALONIANS. The key-note is ii. 1, 2, ^ Tax->