Ver. 3.-The hierarchy. Before entering upon particular counsels with regard to the attire of the two sexes respectively in the Christian assemblies, St. Paul lays down a great general principle, from which, rather than from custom or from experience, he deduces the special duties devolving upon the members of Christ's Church. The case upon which he was consulted, and upo1L which he gave his advice, has lost all practical .interest, and is to us merely an antiquarian curiosity; but the great principle pro- pounded in connection with it holds good for all time. I. THE APPOINTED SUBORDINATION OF WOMAN TO MAN. There is a. sense in which there is equality between the sexes. In Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female. The gospel is intended for and is offered to both men and women. Both are equally -dear to him who died for all. As in Jesus' earthly ministry he wrought cures ancl expelled demons for the relief of women, and as he chose certain women as his personal .friends, and as he willingly accepted the affectionate and generous ministration of other women; so in the dispensation of the Spirit he numbers women amongst his people, antl honours them by promoting them to his service. There is, so to speak, spiritual eq unlity. But domestic and social equality is quite another thing. In the household and in the -congregation there must be subjection and submission. "Order is Heaven's first law." "The head of the woman is the man." And this notwithstanding that many men arc base and unworthy of their position nnd calling; not withstnnding that many women file not only pure, but noble and well fitted for comman,l. ll. THE ARCHETYPE IN SPIRI'l'IJAL AND HEAVENLY llELATIONS TO WHICH THIS ORDER CONFORMS. 1. Man is not suprnme, though invested with u. limited authority. "The head of every man is Christ." He, the Son of man, has the prnnacy over this humanity. In wisdom nnd in righteousness, in power and in ~race, the Lord Jesus is superior an,l supreme. The law is revealed in him and admiuistered b_y him. Every man is morally bound to subjection and submission to the Divine Man. And he is Heatl over all things to his Church. 'J'his is the truth, the ideal, the purpose of eternal wisdom; though, alas I often misunderstood, or forgotten, or denied by men. 2. Even in the Godhead there iR an official subordination of the Son to the Fnther; "the head of Christ is God." This language takes us into the region of heavenly things, of Divine mysteries. But it reveals to us the fact that the universe is one great hier- archy, of which not every member is mentioned here, only certain leading dominant notes being successively sounded in the celestial scale. Men may suppose that onlcr nod subordination in human society, civil and ecclesiastical, are merely expedients fur pe,,ce and quietness. But it is not so; there is Divine archetype to which human relationships and affairs conform. Let there be non-conformity to this, ant.l there is ◄ iisconl breaking in upon the harmonious minstrelsy of the spiritual universe. Let there be conformity, and the sweet concert proves that earth is iu Luno with henven.-T.
Ver. 7,-.711an the image and glory of God. The Dible is tho book of pnrauoxcs; .and, if it were not, it would not correspond with the facts of human nature and history. Nowhere do we find such an exposure of human sin and such denunciations of human guilt ns in the Scriptures. And, on the other hand, nowhere do we meet with sucu 376 THE FIRST EPIS'l'LE TO THE CORINTHIANS. [cu. x1. 1-34.