,.,iz. that Christ died, Is there any other fact in history sustained by evidence half so powerful as this ? II. 'l'HAT ANY SHOULD MffINTERPRET THE ORDINANCE. Here we are distinctly toltl that it is to " show the Lord's death." No language can more clearly show that it is purely comm1,morative. There are three abuses of this institution. 1. The gustatory. Some of the Corinthians thus used it. They introduced a love-feast to limmtdiately precede it, probably because a Jewish feast preceded its first celebration. This led to gluttony and other evils. 'fhe members of the Corinthian Church were <lonverts from heathenism, and they had been accustorued in their heathen festivals to ~ive way to gluttony and intemperance. Many of them, from the force of old habits, were tem·pted to use the Lord's Supper in this way. 2. '!'he superstitious. There are some who believe that, after the words of consecration are pronounced by·the priest -Over these elements, the elements become literally the "body and blood of the Lord." 'l'his is transubstantiation. Others who wonld not go thus far still superstitiously regard the ordinance as a mystic medium through which grace is poured into the soul of the xecipient. Fearful abuse this! 3. The formalistic. There are those who partake of .the bread and wine merely as a matter of form and ceremony. \Ve evangelical -Ohristians are not guilty of the first nor of the second, but we may be of the third. "The text tells us it is to "show" or to teach; it is an educational ordinance. JIJ. THAT ANY SHOULD SAY THE INSTITUTION IS NOT PERMAl\'ENT IN ITS OBI.IGA- 'XJON. The apostle tells us distinctly that it was to "show the Lord's de:ith till he come." ·when will that be? Not just yet. 'l'he human world seems to be only in its infancy, and Christianity only just beginning its work. The billows of a thousand ages may break on our shore before he comes. On to that distant point the obligation is binding. There are some professing Christians who think themselves too spiritual to observe such an ordinance. These very spiritual ones, to be consistent, should avoid all scientific studies, for science has to do with material forms; its principles are all embodied, are made palpable to the eye and ear. They should also avoid all Biblical studies, for Biblical trnths are for the most part embodied in material facts and forms. Christ himself was "flesh and blood." IV. THAT ANY ACQUArnTED WITH THE DIOGRAPHY ·oF CHRIST SHOULD NEGLECT IT. Consider: 1. That it is to commemorate the world's greatest Benefactor. It is to keep Christ in the memory of man. Here is a Benefactor that has: (1) Served the world in the highest way. He has delivered it from sin and death. (2) Served it by the most unparalleled sacrifice. He sacrificed his life to the work. (3) Served it with the ruost disinterested love. 2. That it is enJoined by the world's greatest Benefactor. He him- 4ielf has enjoined it: "Do this in remembrance of me."
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers, 1-16.-.ilpostolic infunctions with regard to Church services. Though the ()orinthians deserved blame iu some things, they were entitled to praise in that they had generally observed St. Paul's directions. Despite their departure from certain of his instructions, he could say, "De ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ;" by which he recognized that they had discernment enough to see the Lord Jesus in his personal and official character, and e. sufficient brotherly sympathy to imitate his example. His commendation is hearty: "Ye remember mo in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you." With this preface, short but conciliatory, he takes up his first topic, viz. the headship of man in the natural and spiritual order, established by Providence and maintained by the Spirit in the Church. In his writings, natural facts are ever reappearing in new and diviner connections, as if they had undergone a silent and wonderful transfiguration, and had been glorified in light and beauty. Instinct had always acknowledged the subordination of woman to man, nor, indeed, is the instinct of sex conceivable in the absence of this element in its nature. But St. Paul is careful to lay his doctrinal foundation on the fact " that the head of every man is Christ," assured that the ultimate strength of all trnth •is in its spirituality. Be it a law, a principle, a motive, an end, "other fouudation ,can no man lay." Critics may entertain widely different estimates of the man, may I. CORIN'fllIA NS. 2 B 370 'l'HE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. [ cu. xr. 1-3-t.