which he taught, and the words which he used in com muni- eating that truth were taught by the Holy Ghost. If any man neglected what was thus presented, the fault was neither in the doctrines taught nor in the mode in which they were exhibited, but in the objector. The things of the Spirit must be spiritually discerned, 2, 6-16.
After this defence of his mode of preaching the apostle re- sumes the subject of their divisions. He had preached to them in as high a strain as they were able to bear. They were but babes in Christ and had to be fed with milk. That they were in this low stage of the Christian life was manifest from their contentions, 3, 1-4. As these contentions had reference to their religious teachers, Paul endeavours to cor- rect the evil by showing what ministers really are. First, he says, they are mere instruments, — servants ; men sent to de- liver a message or perform a given work ; not the authors of the system of truth which they taught. All authority and efficiency are in God. Secondly, ministers are one. They teach the same doctrine, they have the same object, and stand in the same relation to God. Thirdly, every one will have to answer for his work. If he attempt to lay any other founda- tion than Christ, he is not a Christian minister. If on that foundation he builds with sound doctrine, he shall receive a reward ; if with false doctrine, he shall be punished. Fourth- ly, human wisdom iu this matter must be renounced. A man must become a fool in order to be truly wise. Fifthly, such being the relation of ministers to the church, the people should not place their confidence in them, or regard themselves as belonging to their ministers, since' all things were subordinate to the people of God, ministers as well as other things, 3, 5-20. Sixthly, ministers being stewards, whose office it is to dispense the truth of God, fidelity on their part is the great thing to be demanded. So far as he was himself concerned it was a small matter what they thought of his fidelity, as the only final judge was the Lord. The true character of the ministerial office he had illustrated by a reference to himself and Apollos,