viz. man's self-willedness. The yielded will to Christ's li\'ing lend is not a cmslied will. Such yielded personal wills to Christ ensure a mutual sympathy which will ever pre~erve brotherhood and unity in the Church. II. CHURCH UNITY LOST DY MAKING TOO MUCH OF MAN. We are grently helped by human teachers, but there is a constant peril of our making too much of them, and putting their modes of setting the truth in the place of the truth itself. Following after favourite preachers bas always been, and still is, one of the weaknesses of Christian life and habit. In the early Church differences were observed in the teachin"'S even of the apostles themselves, and preferences were easily based on these dilferen~es. 'rho four Gospels have marked indivi~uality, and the writings of the apostles which are preserved for us indicate that particular aspects of the truth gained prominence in the teachings of each of them. While this fact secures that wo see all round the Christian revelati~n, it may easily be exaggerated and misused. It is when it is made the excuse for manifesting the party spirit. The gospel truth is a many-sided unity; the unity lies in the revelation of one Cltri.,t; the many-sidedness is involved in the various relations to men in which the one Christ stands. Paul put forward prominently "justification by faith," "the salvability of the Gentiles," and "Christian liberty." Apollos had a singularly attractive power of eloquence, and became a sort of" popular preacher." Peter became the centre round which the Jewish elements of the community gathered. Apply, by showing the serious moral evils of sectarian feeling and partisanship; its influence on the man's own Christian spirit who may nourish it; its miscl,ievous influence on the community; and the hindrance it presentR to the progress of the gospel. "Nothing more certainly eats 01:1t the heart and life of religion than party spirit. Christianity is love; party spirit is the death of love."-R. 'l'. • Ver. 13.-.The unique relation of Christ to the Church. This is set forth because there was a rnauifest disposition at Corinth to make Christ a mere party leader. Some said, "I of Christ; " as if Christ stood on the same plane as Paul, A polios, or Cephas. Bring out, with varied illustration, two points. I. THE AGREEMEKTS BET\YEEN A TEACHEn's RELATION TO THE CHURCH AND CHRIST'S RELATION TO IT. Christ's teaching is original, man's is derived. Christ's authority is supreme, man's is only delegated. Christ is the Church's Foundation, the human teacher is but a worlcman engaged :n the superstructure. Both teach, both bear authority, both are builder.~. The glory of the human teacher is that he can be a "co-worker together with Christ." In some sense human teachers may think of themsdves as filling the vacant earth-sphere of the great Teacher, and carrying on his gracious mission. See Paul's plea," Now then we are ambassadors for Christ." So far ...~ they bear the Master's spirit, speak the Master's truth, and carry out the Master's mill, we give them all honour, attention, and obedience for their Master's sake. We are " followers of them so far as they follow Christ." JI. THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A TEACHER'S RELATION TO THE CHURCH AND CHRIST'S RELATION TO IT. There are important distinctions and differences in the things in which both agree. And there are positive distinctions, things in which Christ stands absolutely alone. No other was" crucified for us." Into no other "name" were we "baptized." The relative positions of Christ and the ministry are indicated by the figures of the Shepherd and the under-shepherds. The careful and constant preservation r;f Chriet's unique posit.ion in the Church, and relation to it, is the secret of the main- tenance of all Church order, unity, and peace.-R. T.
Vere. 14-18.-Paul's commission from Christ. It did not concern baptism, but preaching. Rites are of value in relation to the Christian life and culture. But rites may be overvalued, and, instead of helping the apprehension of spiritual realities and! duties, may be sought for their own sakes. This peril always lies in symbols. The· commendation or the e~tablishment of rites had no place in Paul's mission. They would have confused his presentation of the doctrine of "Christian liberty" under Christ; though he himself observed rites; and we are able to see how sacrament and crremonial may be in full harmony with our freedom in Christ. The expression " baptizc:d into the Name" needs explanation. Here "baptism" is the public act by rn. 1. 1-31.J 'l'IIE FIIlST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 57.