persuasion, o.ncl instructfon are e.11 ta.ken from the manifested life of the Son of God. Ho "takes of the things of Christ, and reveals them unto us." Our Lord ea.id of him, "He shfLII receive of mine, and shall show it unto you." II. 'l'HE TRUTH OF THE HOLY GHOST, BEING THE HIGHEST TRUTH, IS THE ONE WHOSE PilAOTI0AL INFLUENCE IS :MOST ESSENTIAL TO HIGH AND HOLY LIVING, We are responsiblo for attaining the best that can be attained. We a.re not at the highest when we accept of tho truth of Christ/or us; that is but a low first step of spiritual apprehension. We have but taken a little stcp;up when we apprehend the truth of Obrist with us. We only gain the wonderful experiences, and reach the highest Christian power, when we know of Christ in us. All growth in the Christian life is response to the life of the Spirit in our souls. Growth (1) in knowledge; (2) in graces; (3) and in the mastery of the soul over the body. His presences and his working in us are the spring of aJI our impulses to whatsoever is good and wise and true. Ill. 'I'll TRUTH OF THE SPIBIT, BEING THE HIGHEST TRUTH, IS THE ONE MOST EASILY IMPERILLED. Therefore we should be most jealous of the doctrine and the personal experience of the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. The Christian sin that is of unspeakable sadness is quenching or grieving the Spirit. The sin that hath never forgiveness is sin against the Holy Ghost. 'l'he prayer that utters forth to God a. soul's innermost ao-ony is this: "Take not thy Holy Spirit from me." The highest truths are always likely to fade first. In the individual experience, and in the Church doctrine, the truth of the Spirit will fade from its place and power long before any dimness seems to pass over the figure of the manifested human Christ. 'l.'rees mostly die from the top downward. .And the first effect of wearing and weathering is to rub off those delicate touches and tints, which are the highest efforts of the artist, aod give the supreme charm to his work. Impress that we may be, like these Ephesians, behind the revelation that has been made for us, or indifferent to it. Then we may pity them, but we must blame ourselves. .And we must humble ourselves, and repent, if, knowing of this gentle, awful, gracious, comforting Holy Ghost, we are found neglecting his Divine inworkings. He is the last and highest revelation of God to men ; then let us not " grieve the Holy Spiiit of God, whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption."-R. T. Ver, 9.-The first Christian congregatim. St. Paul had before this taken II room near the synagogue at Corinth, but it seems that this case at Ephesus represents the first distinct effort to form a Christian congregation, with its own order and officers, as separate from the synagogue. Now St. Paul casts himself free of Judaism; the time bad come for separation, and for arranging a. distinctly Christian or~anization. The school of Tyrannus was a public hall for lecturing and discussion. Canon Farrar says, " There must have been many an anxious hour, many a bitter struggle, many an exciting debate, before the Jews finally adopted a tone, not only of decided rejection, but even of so fierce an opposition, that St. Paul was forced once more, as at Corinth, openly to secede from their communion. We do not sufficiently estimate the pain which such circumstances must have caused to him. His life was so beset with trials, that each trial, however heavy in itself, is passed over amid a multitude that were still more grievous. But we must remember that St. Paul, though a Christian, still regarded himself as a true Israelite, and he must have felt, at least as severely as a Luther or a Whitefield, thiB' involuntary alienation from the religious commuuion of his childhood." We do but suggest three lines of thought; the treatment of them will depend upon the standpoint of the preacher. I. SEPARATION AS AFFECTING THE IDEA OF THE CHURCH. Several distinct conceptions of Christ's Church on earth are found established among Christian people. Show how the idea of separation stands related to each; and how the Church, as a whole, ought to stand to any separated members. II. 8EPADATION AS AFFECTING THB FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIANS. Show that as fellowship depends on common Christian life and interests, we may reasonably expect it_ to t~i?mph over 11ifferences in modes of worship, places of worship, and even over d1vers1t1es of opinic,n. Ill. SEPARATION AS AFFECTING THE RELATIONS OF MINISTERS TO SECTIONS. Especially point out the peril of over-estimating the point of division, and setting it in 138 'l'llE ACTS OP THE APOS'l'LES. [err. XIX. 1-41.
undue prominence in pnhlic tcRchin,,., A minister may preach sectional opinion rather than the "whole counsel of God."...'.::&. T.