n'l'oidcd. Boast not in t.liis one or that, however eminent; for all such boastina0 is a tiegradation to one who is possessed of so rich an inheritance. I. 1T 1s UKI'l'ERSAL. "All things are yours." Man's ori.,inal lordship over creation (I's. viii. 6) l!as been l~st by sin, but is n_ow restored in° Christ. All things exist tor the Christian; all tbrngs co-operate for !us good (Hom. viii. 28), '' For us the winds do blow ; The earth doth rest, heaven move, and fountains fiow. No thing we sec but means our good, As our delight, or o.s our tre1Lsure: The whole is, either our cupboard of food, Or cabinet of pleo.snre. "Oh, mighty love ! Man is one world, and bath Another to attend him." (George Horbert.) l. .All teachers belonJ!: to the Christian. The Church was not made for Paul, or Apoll_os, or Cephas; but these_ h_ave been giv~n to .the Church for its planting and watering and culture. The rum1sters of Chnst are workmen employed in erectin"' God's temple. One lays the foundation, another hews the stones, another carves th~ ornaments, another does the carpenter-work, etc. All are working for the same end, each in his own department. ·why ;,hould we set the one against the other, as if the mason were everything and the carpenter nothing? You have your favourite apostle: do not neglect the practical James, because you delight in the fervid, argumentative Paul; or the dogmatic Peter, because you love the calm, intuitive John. Learn from Christian men of various schools and denominations, whom God sends with a message to their generation. All are yours. 2. The world. 'l'his denotes the material universe and all its providential arrangements. However evil men may usurp possession meanwhile, it is the saints that inherit the earth (Matt. v. 5). It is maintained for their use, ordered with a view to their welfare, and in the end they shall be its sole possessors. The world, with all its forces and all its treasures, lies at their feet. All has been given to make life happier and better, and to help us to glorify our Father in heaven. 3. Life and death. The term of our sojourn on the earth, with all that it brings, is ours. Life is a mighty gift-a great field in which to sow eternal seed. It is ours for t\\"o great purposes-for being and doing. '!'he culture of the new life within us, and the promotion of our neighbour's well-being,-in these two directions life is our opportunity. "To me to live is Christ." '!'here are ways of promoting Gucl's glory which are peculiar to this life, and which can never come to us again. Death also is ours as well as life. That grim, horrid thing, whose face strikes terror to the stoutest heart, and whose icy grasp freezes the fountains of life,-tbat, too, becomes our servant. As the sailor conquers the winds by making them propel his vessel, so death ministers to our advancement. "'l'o die is gain." It releases from the pains, and toils, and conflicts, and limitations of this mortal state, and ushers us into the enjoyment of our inheritance. 4. Things present and things to come. The present and tlie future in the most comprehensive sense. Our actual lot is ours, whether it be tasy or bard, pleasant or distressing. It is ours to serve us, if we will only let it do its work and turn it to the best account. '!'he future is still hid from us, but it can bring us nothing which shall not work for our good. Whatever form the things to come may take, we are assured that they are ours. II. TnE TITLE 1B GOOD. " Ye are Christ's ; and Christ is God's." All things are ours only because we belong to Christ. He has recovered for man his lost sovereignty, and in him we receive what he has won for us. The crown is again placed on our heads; we become joint-heirs with Christ (Rom viii. 17), who is Heir of all things (Heb. i. 2). Apart from him wo have no title. And belonging to Christ, wo bel~ng to God; for" Christ is God'H." As the Son of God manifest in flesh for the reclernpt10n of his people, he is the Father's Servant, delighting to 110 his will; w~ilst at the sa1~0 time be is the Father's equal (eh. xi. 3; xv. 28). Mark the successive steps of this great ladder of being. All things arc subject to the saints; the saints are subject to Christ their Head; Christ as Mediator is subject to the Father. cu. m. 1-23,) 'l'IIE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 121
LESSONS. 1. Be not ~uhject to men; Christ is your Head. 2. How valid is the l,cliever's titlo to hi,; glurious heritage! 3. Reckon up your possessions in Christ; claim them as your own; and all earthly wealth and dignity will fail to da.zzl,, you,-B,