merely that the Christ.inn is anothe1· and a succeeding dispensation, bnt also that, in important respects, it ,liffers from ,,thcrs, and is superior to others. Previmrn dis- pcnsntions h:wc gi,·rn only faint s11~gcstions of the surpassing glory of this one, jnst ns Solomon's mng11ificcnt temple· did \rnt hint the exceeding glory of that later and sr,iri(nnl t,·mpl,·, Christ's Church. \Ve may dwell on some of those points iu which t,he Christian rey,,Jntion seem~ so new, so surprisingly fresh, so utterly beyond what human imagination could have conceived or human experience suggested. I. RELIGION IS NOT A CEREMONIAL, DUT A LIFE. 'l'o a Jew this was so fresh a con- ception as to be e1·en bewildering. A less thoughtful Jew wonld be in peril of cherish- ing the sentiment that religion was only a ceremonial, a round of ordinances, festivals, and sacrifices. And this view of religion had become the general and prevailing notion in the time of our Lord. A more thoughtful and pious Jew would connect personal godliness with outward ceremonial, and strive to culture an inner life of trust, obedience, and communion with the outward obsen'ance of rites nnd ceremonies. But the new thing revealed in Christianity is, that religion is, essentially and only, the soul's life, and that all ceremonial is mere expression and agency in the work of culture. The rela- tions are manifestly reversed. Formerly there must be ceremonial, and there ought to be life ; now there must be life, and there may be ceremonial. On fully maintaining these later relations, the health and vigour of Christianity must ever depen<l. II. SAL, ATioN BY A SUFFERING AND nYING SAVIOUR. '!'his is indeed a fresh and surprising thing. 'l'riuruph is to lie in defeat. Glory is to blossom out of shame. A sublime mission is to be accomplished by a seeming failure. Life for men is to come forth out of death for Christ. It is the introduction of a new force, a moral force. Christ lifted up is to draw men. The story of the crucified One is to melt men into penitence, win their faith, and ensure such a love as shall make even self-sacrifice for Christ possible. Men knew before of love that would worlc for those it loved, and love that would fight for those it loved, and love that would bear for those it loved; but it was new that love should die such a death, not for the loved only, but for the ungodly and enemies by wicked works. "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." III. SAKCTIFICATION BY THE PRESENT POWER OF HIM WHO DIED. '!'his is altogether new. Christ, as the exalted One, by bis Spirit, is now carrying out his redeeming purpose in all hearts and lives that are open to him by faith. We do not stru~gle for xigbteousness by unaided personal efforts. Unseen, indeed, still the Living Christ is tver with us. Untraced, indeed, the mighty Spirit of Christ is ever working within us, -sanctifying us wholly. And so, in face of all difficulties, perplexities, frailties, or hindrances to spiritual progress, we may calmly say, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" " Greater is he who is with us than all who can be against us." Iv. MAN THE DWELLING-PLACE OF GoD THROUGH THE SPmIT. This is also new; for hitherto the common sentiment had been that God dwelt in places, on the mountain's crown, at the altar, in shining pillar-clouds, in tabernacle or in temple. Our Lord Jesus Christ, as the God-man, shows us that God can dweil in man and make man's body his temple. He can even dwell in us; and an apostle may plead with his people, saying, "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you? " Surely such an honour for us is beyond all that " eye has seen, ear heard, or heart conceived." Illustrate that aged Simeon loved God and knew something of him, but he never •could have dreamed what God had in st-0re for him.-even to hold the world's Babe- Saviour in his own trembling arms. What could Abraham, who saw Christ's day; or Moses, who spoke of the great prophet to come; or David, who sang of his Lord making his foes his footstool,-have really known of the Christian glories, the spiritual mysteries of the revelation in Christ? 'l'he~e spiritual things broke more and more clearly on the minds of Peter and John and Paul, until, in utter ravishment and wonder, they exclaimed, " Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God I How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out 1"-H. 'l'.
Vers. 12-14.-Speech in the power of the Spirit. The personal references in St. Paul's Epistles are suitable to the epistolary style of correspondence, and necessary as the vindication of a man who was seriously attacked and slandered. Generally his allusioru. are more or less directed to his claiw as au apostle. Because this did not cu. u. 1-16.J 'l'HE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANf:.