take precisely the same grounds as the claims of the earlier apostles, it was easy for his cne111ies to question and even dcn.v his rights. St. Paul's chief argnment is that the " signs of an apostle were wrong Ii t by him," and here, in our text, he urges that his teaching was manifestly inspirlild and scaled by the Holy Sr,irit, and that his apostolic claim was fully recognized by nil" spiritual men." Wickliffe skilfully renders the last ~Ianse of vcr. 13, "Maken a liknesse of spyritual things to goostli men." I. TnE DIVINE PREPARATION FOR APOSTOLIC TEACHING. 1. 'l'he apostle must have received the Spirit of God. Personal experience of regeneration, and personal openness to the Divine incoming, are absolute essentials to all Christian service as teachers, in -older days and now, in the lesser spheres as well as the greater. Judas can teach nobody; only as "converted " can St. Peter "strengthen the brethren" or "feed the lambs." 2. He must know the things of God through the Spirit's teachino-. 0 Here the adequacy of th(J Spirit to be the renewed man's 'l'eacher may be shown. (1) He know~ God. (2) He knows man. (3) He has access to man's mind and heart, and an adaptation to each individual can be assured. The operations of the Divine Spirit as the renewed man's 'l.'eacher also require consideration. Generally it may be said that he unfolds the redemption-mystery in its practical details and applications. Our Lord's division of his work is that he teaches (1) of sin; (2) of righteousness; (3) of juclgment. The true preparation for teaching is an inner spiritual life, a Divine 'indwelling and endowment, and these finding expression through the natural powers ,and relations. There is a full sense in which the true Christian teacher has still an :inspired and sanctified speech, and therefore all the authority which the Divine Spirit can give. II. 'l'HE MmISTRY OF APOSTLESHIP m HUMAN LA.NGUAGE. "Which things we speak." Speech is almost our best force for the communication of truth and for the impression of duty. It works by persuasion, not force. It has no physical, but wholly moral power. Yet history declares, in repeated instances, bow human words can sway emotion and arouse to action ; e.g. the Crusades. But man's words may be mere words_ incapable of producing more than limited effects upon passion, sentiment, etc. They may have a Divine lire in them, and so be mighty to break stubborn hearts, bow the wicked to penitence, draw men to God, and change the whole character of the life. Words which the Holy Ghost teacheth are mighty to pull down strongholds. By the " foolishness of preaching" men are saved and blessed. But the sphere of apostolic speech is clearly defined. Such a teacher speaks spiritual things ; and it is indicated that he will speak in vain, save as men are receptive, spiritually toned, having the spiritual sensibility quickened. The merely natural man cannot receive God-inspired teachings. :So there is at once a preparation of the teacher, and a preparation of those to whom his words are addressed. The practical duty of culturing Christian life and feeling, in order to gain the best blessing from our pastors and teachers, may be made the subject ·of an earnest and effective concluaion.-H. T.
Vere. 14, 15.-The natural and the spiritual man. This is not a common division of men, or one that can be recognized from a worldly point of view. The world knows learned men and ignornnt men, rich men and poor men, but not natural men and ·spiritual men. This distinction is wholly made from t.he Christian standpoint, but it becomes the all-important one, in the presence of which all merely worldly classifi- •Cations of men become insignificant. Modem theories of man's nature may be reviewed. Some regard man as composed of body and soul; others distinguish the rational soul from the spiritual and immortal nature, and divide into body, mind, and soul. This mode of regarding man may give clearness to the distinction in our te:s:t between the natural and the spiritual man; but the apostle would seem rather to have in mind the principles and spirit ruling the several men, and making the difference between them, and it does not seem likely that he held any particular theory of man's nature. It is sufficient that the two kinds of men-the natural and the spiritual-have been recog- nized in every Christ.ian age, and are plain to our view now. I. CoMPAnE THE SPIIEI\ES OF THE TWO. Most of the spheres are common to both. (I) The physical sphere; (2) the relational sphere; (3) the social sphere; (4) the· intel- loctual sphere. But to the natural man tho intellectual is the highest department. He may have genius for literature, poetry, painting, sculpture; but he can never transcend 92 THE FIIlST EPISTLE TO THE CORl~THIANS. [c11. m. 1-'.?~