nnd of Christ towards sinners Is reduced to the great principle that anything which is lost and may be regained exercises our thought more, and calls out a more solicitous regard than a thing of equal value which rests securely in our possession." I. MAN AB LOBT. The word as applied to men is a figure, A lost sheep is one beyond the shepherd's control. A lost piece of money is one that ha.e got out of the woman's reach. This suggests that a lost man is one who baa got himself out of the Divine hands, and has taken the ordering of life into his own hands. As the sheep is the shepherd's; as the coin is the woman'y; so man is God's. The sheep is lost through animal perversity; the coin is lost through accident; roan is lost through moral wilfulness. II. MAN AS RECOVERABLE. There would be no effort of shepherd, or woman, if they had no reasonable hope of regaining their lost things, .And we may never conceive of men as lost in any sense that puts them beyond moral reach. There is a hardening through wilfulness; but we must never think of that save as a process. In the case of no brother-man may it be thought of as complete. The man beyond recovery does not exist. III. MAN AS RECOVERED, That is the work of God in Christ; it is accomplished for the race, and it is an infinite joy to the Recoverer, That is the work of the Christ- man and of the Christian Church, They should prove what joy is found in saving the lost.-R. T. Ver. 15.-0hrlstian way, with trespassers. This counsel seems to indicate that the dispute a!]long the disciples as to who should be the greatest had gone a considerable length, had led to hard words, and even heart-divisions. Our Lord made this the occasion for advice in relation to misunderstandings among Christians. It should be distinctly seen that his advice concerns cases of Christians, each party professing strict loyalty to Christ. I. TALK TOGETHER. Not just at once, while there is heat of feeling; but presently, when both have had time to grow calm, and give room to those regretful feelings which are sure to come when the more difficult passages of life are reviewed. When offence is given, the evil to dread is the disposition of each to stand aloof from the other. This can soon widen into hopeless separation. In common life it is the work of friends to bring such separated ones together; in the Christian life we find Christ expects both the offended and the offender to be seeking each other. Talk in a Christian spirit will often correct misunderstandings, smooth difficulties, and put things straight. But Christ puts the chief burden of seeking reconciliation on the injured one. The one against whom the trespass is committed is to act. II. BsmG PRIVATE CHRISTIAN ll'BIENDB m. There arise cases in which thejudgment of one party may be blinded ; and the correction may be beyond the power of the other party interested. Then it is wise to bring in independent and unprejudiced persons, who may help to unite the disputing parties. This will lead on to a con- sideration of the principle of "arbitration," and its possible adaptation, not only to Christian, but also to social and national disputes. For such arbitration the men of character and weight are sought. They gain power, in all phases of life, who culture -character. III. LET THE CHURCH DEAL WITH THE MATTER. The point is this-do not make a pnblic thing of private disputes save as a last extremity. There will be different opinions as to what is referred to by the term" Church." Most probably our Lord was thinking of the recognized officials of the synagogue, who formed an " ecclesia," or Church, and acted, on consultation, representatively and authoritatively. Christ says, "Do everything by brotherliness; bring in the officials only as a last resort."-R. T.
Ver.19.-Power gained by agreement in prayer. This verse is part of a digression from our Lord's point. Perhaps it is suggested by the disunion occasioned by the disputing of the disciples, and our Lord takes the opportunity of pressing the importance and value of preserving mutual agreement. The disunited feeling spoils everything in Christian life; it spoils even prayer. Harmony, unity, mutual trust- fulness, make up the atmosphere in which everything Christian can thrive. Our Lord makes prayer a representative of every phase of Christian life and relation. This text '240 TIIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [en. xvm. 1- 35