~peakin~ to each other, of the rich and poor being separated from common fellowship, 1s by this figure shown to be monstrous. The member of the body which will have no fellowship with other members is preparing to be lopped off. Our union with Christ cannot be very intimate if we have none with his followers. "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another" (John xiii. 34). IV. 'l'HE COMMON IMPORTANCE. Not the equal importance. All are important, but not equally so. But the least attractive and the least demonstrative may be the most important. The heart is more important than the tongue. Many of the Corinthians were madly elated with the gift of tongues; but there is something greater and bettel than talk. The lungs are more important even than the hand. The modest and unobtrusive are often of more value than those who ever will come to the front. And where true discernment obtains the former are likely to receive "more abundant honour" (ver. 23). Apparent feebleness is no criterion; some of the feeblest saints have been the strongest. And some of the weakest members of the body are much more necessary to its well-being than the robust ( ver. 22). A.nd further, as it is an instinct of nature to adorn the less comely parts of the body (ver. 23), so in the Chnrcb, if a right spirit prevails, the humblest and least attractive will receive special care and attention. The sick child is the mother's favourite. All members are thus important. No member of the Church of Christ is non-important except he makes himself so. And as with the physical body, the body of Christ cannot afford to dispense with the services of a single member, however obscure. V. THE COMMUNITY OF FEELING. (Ver. 26.) Sympathy should abound amongst Christians. "Bear ye one another's burdens." Every Christian should be a good Samaritan. Imagine one hand rejoicing in or being indifferent to the laceration of the other. Our union with believers should be so intimate and real that when they suffer we suffer, that when they are blessed we are. Their health is our health, their strength is our strength. Christians should remember that Christ pronounced a second commandment as well as a first. When true fellowship is attained we "rejoice with those who do rejoice, and weep with those who weep." VI. THE HARMONIOUS WORKING. How beautifully this is illustrated in the physical body I So amongst Christians there is no necessity for collision. Contests indicate faultiness and derangement. If all did their appointed work in the appointed way, there would be completest harmony. And the more harmony the better working. What waste of power has been caused by divisions o.nd strife! Note: One perverse member mo.y do much harm. In machi11ery, if one part foils to perform its function, fracture and extensive derangement may ensue. There should be no schism in Christ's body (ver. 25). The Church, the body of Christ, has a vast-, complicated, infinitely jmportant work to do: how essential that there should be the truest co-operation, the utmost faithfulness in discharge of duty, on the part of its members! VII. '!'HE MUTUAL DEPENDENCE, (Ver. 21.) Christia11s are not indepellflent of each other: they should not seek to be so. We are not the body of Christ individually, but ~ve are collectively. We are not set to stand alone, but with others. We can help others and be helped ourselves. Another's work may be needful for the success of ours, ours for the snccess of another's. VIII. THE COMPLEMENTARY CHARACTER. Ono supplies just what the other lacks. So that if all supply what they can, the body becomes perfect in working. The eyo needs the ear ; both the hand ; all the foot. IX. THE UNITY AMIDST DIVERSITY. "Many members, but one body" (ver. 20). In the body there is the greatest variety, but the greatest unity; one life pervades the whole. So with the Church-the members are one in Christ, vitally united to the one Head, pervaded by the one Spirit, joined in one baptism, sitting at one Supper of the Lord, eng&ged in one work, and going forward to the same destiny. There is the great spiritual life-principle which pervades all true believers and makes them one. x.THE VITAL UNION WITH TIIE HEAD AND SUBORDINATION '.l'O IT. \Ve may survive severance from some members of the body; we cannot severance from the head. \Ve perish unless we are vitally joined to Christ. And as with the physical body, the head must rule or all sorts of disorders will be occasioned. We must be united to Christ as servants to a Master. He is the Head. of the body; we are the members. It is fur him to direct, it is for us to obey. Some seem sorely tempted to exercise lordship over 414 THE FIRST EPIS'l'LE '1'0 THE CORIN'l'HIANS. [cH. xu. 1-31.'
C:brist; the~ are wise above what is_ written. W'ere it polite to give them the appella- t1on, we might well call them disloyal fools. Disloy[t\, becm1se insubordinate to their Lord; fools, because th~y not only disorganize the work of the body and injure t,he other members, but are m the surest way of bringing immeasurable evils upon themselves.-H.