though a human spirit is in the man, it is wholly incapable of itself to see, to feel, to will, to act, o.s o. spirit in anything tbat concerns the truly Divine functions of spirit. Hence the need of the Holy Spirit to create spiritual discernment, and hence the supreme distinction of the Chri~tian is that he has a spiritual judgment. "The things of God" are not discovered by him, but are revealed unto bis spirit by the Holy Ghost. 'l'be discovering intellect of man is a splendid endowment, and yet it is altogether limited to the senses and their connections, nor can it r,ass under any urgency beyond the sphere of the visible universe, and· penetrate the secrets of the Almighty. If, indeed, he could discover them, be would not be a Christian believer; for the traits of the natural roan would adhere to him and be merely enhanced by power thus exerted, and there would be less room than before in his capacious soul for intellectual docility, for childlike trustfulness, for the obedience of self-abnegation. And, therefore, the work of the Holy Ghost consists in teaching us to understand, to appreciate, to cassimilate, the Divine truths disclosed by him; and, accordingly, what he reveals is not content to remain as ideas and dogmas, but seeks the inmost heart, allies itself with the instincts, antl communicates to man a sense of himself and of the possibilities -of character hitherto unimagined. Finally, St. Paul argues, ""\Ve have the mintl of Cbrist" within us; and what better compendium of all embraced in spiritual discern- ment than this expression," mind of Christ"? Far more than tbe truths he taught, .and tbe practical lessons he enforced, is meant here; for it includes the entire method, ihe spirit, the aim, of his teachings, as imparting bis own life to tbose believing in him. No moral principle, no doctrinal fact, no phenomenon of spiritual experience, -now occupies ground and sustains relations to thought and volition and action tbat arc independently its own. Not one of them is competent to self-existence. There is not, tbero can nut be, a single abstraction in Christianity. "The mind of Christ" is in <Jvery ethical truth, in every miracle, in everything that involves taste, sensibility, reason, conscience, affection; and the life in one is tbe life in all. 'l'o dislocate is to -destroy. And this "mind of Christ," the apostle urges, is in us, and, by virtue of irs abiding presence and infinite" wisdom" and "power," the breadth of contrast between the natural man and the spiritual man is fully brought out. After eighteen centuries, tbe distinction is as luminous as ever. Tbe very words remain to us-" wisdom," "power,"" foolishness "-and "the princes of this world" attest their ancient lineage. '!'be" natural man" of our day has grown to large dimensions. Never had the sense- man, the intellectuat man, the man of physical civilization, so much to boast of; for he has well-nigh made good the claim of bis sceptre to universal dominion. "Wisdom" was never so conspicuous. "Power" has been developed in a greater degree tban its uses. And yet in this very hour, when destructive strength is the daily terror of mankind, and when liberty is ever threatening to riot in licentiousness, we see just what St. Paul saw in old Corinth; and the commentary on God's Word which the .nineteenth century, like all centuries since Christ's advent, has written for our eyes, only enforces the truth that "the natural man" knows not God, and "receiveth not tbe things of the Spirit of God." In science and art, in government, in all sorts of internal sovereignty, "the natural man" has made a vast advance upon himself. But all this has brought him and his institutions and his well-being no nearer to "the ,mind of Christ."-L.
Ver. 2.-None but Ohrist crucified. What is personal is here, as throughout these Epistles to the Corinthians, remarkably combined with what is doctrinal. These are the utterances of a noble-minded and tender-hearted man, writing to fellow-men in whom he takes the deepest personal interest. Hence he writes of himself, and he writes of his correspondents; and to his minrl both have the highest interest through their common relation to the Word of life. These Epistles are a window into tbo heart of tbe writer, and they are a mirror of the thoughts and conduct of the readers. ~-low naturally, when thinking of present successes and discouragements, Paul reverts 111 memory to his first visit to Corinth I He bas the comfort of a good conscience as he calls to mind the purpose and the method of that ministry. Human philosophy .-iud eloquence may have been wanting; but he rejoices to remember that from his lips the Corinthians had received the testimony of God and the doctrine of Christ crucified. J. 'l'HE ONE GREAT THEME OF THE APOSTOLIC AND OF ALL CHRISTIAN MINI;;·n:1. 68 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO 'l'HE COUINTIIIANS. [en. u. 1-IG.