Scriptures, and predicted events (Agabus). teachers, as preachers God, and His and catechists. miracles, powers, i.e., those who had miraculous body is the Church."-Auguspowers. helps, helpers, as deacons, etc. d governments, tine. directors, advisers. b Lu. vi. 13. c Ac. xiii. 1. d Ac. vi. 3, 4; Ro. xvi. 1-3, 21; 2 Ti. iv. 11. The Church the body of Christ.-I. The doctrinal facts of which the text reminds us. Concerning-1. The life of the Churchdependent upon the life-giving presence of Christ, as the body is upon the soul's presence within it. 2. Its growth. It grows, like the body, by assimilating to itself foreign matter. 3. Its unity. e Phi. i. 1; He. Christ is the one undivided, animating spirit of the one body, the xiii. 24; Tit. i. 5. Church. II. The practical issues that flow from this assertion,-"A man that is "Ye are," etc.-1. As the body is the servant of the mind, so the desirous to excel Church is the servant of Christ. Obedience is the first lesson. should try to do 2. As the body shows the mind's character, so the Church shows so in those things Christ's. 3. The relation of the members to each other, and of all selves most exto the head, show the relation of the members of the Church to cellent.” — their head, who is Christ. Learn: Being one with Christ we are reminded of our—(1) Safety; (2) Power of endurance; (3) Eter-“It may cost thee nal life. that are in them tetus. Epic many an aching head to obtain sin, if ever God Parts in the Church.-This militant Church may have many gifts, but it will parts; as the ocean-sea is but one, yet distinguished according to cost thee an the regions upon which it lies; so there is the Spanish Ocean, the aching heart for English Ocean, the German Ocean. There is a Church in England, make thee a new a Church in France, a Church in Germany; yet there is but one creature."-Flavel. militant Church. One sun, many beams; one kingdom, many ƒ T. Adams. shires; one tree, many branches. f covet the viii. 1; Ma. v. 45. 29-31. are.. Apostles, etc.? Questions to enforce the fact that all were not, etc. (advantage of distribution of gifts may be ill. by division of labour and trade). covet, emulously desire. The only sinless coveting. best gifts," the Spirit gives as He wills (v. 11), but yet believers may freely follow out, and engage in, one thing in preference to another (xiv. 26)." and.. c Alford. way, “i.e. of emulating the greatest gifts.. the way in wh. gifts d W. Webster, can be made effectual in the highest sense."c Commanding gifts.-I. The power of popular address from the pulpit or platform. II. The gift of literary success. III. The magical influence of a winsome manner.d M.A. "We should be zealous of the gifts of the Spirit, and not envious as often in need did Talent and piety combined.-Ann Baynard, descended from a at them."-Owen. very ancient and respectable family, was born at Preston, in Lan-"Genius may at cashire, in the year 1672. Her parents perceiving her lively times want the genius, joined with a natural desire for learning, gave her a very spur, but it stands liberal education, which she improved to the best and noblest of the curb."purposes. She was skilled in the Latin and Greek languages, in Longinus. mathematics and philosophy. Her compositions in Latin dis-"Raphael played uncommon facility and elegance of expression. She had well, and Phidias a strong and capacious memory, a comprehensive and exalted did well: but it mind, still coveting more and more knowledge. "In this parti- sculptor who is is not painter or cular alone," she would often say, "it is a sin to be contented making himself with a little." But, with all her genius and her acquirements, most nobly imshe was free from vanity and affectation. With profound humility mortal; it is he and prostration of mind, she testified with Paul: "I count all true impressions things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ upon the mind of Jesus my Lord." She used often to say, "that human learning man, frescoes is of little worth, unless, as a handmaid, it leads to the knowledge will not shine out for eternity, that of Christ revealed in the Gospel as our Lord and Saviour." till the light of “What avails,” said she, "Solomon's skill in the works of nature, who is making heaven reveals them; sculptures, if we do not discern the God of nature? Of what advantage is it not wrought in to be versed in astronomy, if we never study, by our holy pracbut in the inward tices, to arrive at the blessed regions? or to be so skilful in arithnature and metic that we can divide and subdivide to the smallest fraction, character of the if we do not learn to number our days that we may apply our outward things, soul."-Beecher. hearts unto wisdom? or to understand the diseases of the body, if we do not know where to find the balm of Gilead, the wine and oil of the good Samaritan, the Lord Jesus, to pour into the wounds of our souls?" love better than eloquence a Ma. xxii. 37 40; 1 Pe. i. 22; 1 Jo. iii. 14; iv. 7, 8. b Winer. c Jos. Ant. vii. 12. 3. Charity. Gk CHAPTER THE THIRTEENTH. 1. tongues.. angels, all the graces of human and Divine eloquence, with the utmost facility, perspicuity, and force in communicating thought. charity, love to souls, and Christ. brass, castagnettes. cymbal, a well-known instrument of percussion that produces more noise than music. Christian charity.-I. Its nature. It may be viewed in reference to-1. God. 2. Our fellow-creatures. II. Its importance. Without it everything else will be in vain-1. The most captivating eloquence; 2. The clearest insight into things of futurity; 3. Learning the most extensive and profound; 4. The most marvellous faith; 5. The most abundant liberality; 6. Ardour the most intense, and courage the most unwavering. III. Its workings. Consider its forbearance, benignity, contentment, humility, disgiving the praise interestedness, candour, patience, purity, generosity, &c. IV. Its that is here be- permanence. V. Its supremacy.d ayam, trans. in Vulg. charitas. Hence papists apply to alms stowed on love. The Protestant trans., love, they complain, leads the people to think too little of almsgiving. d Anon. better than knowledge, faith, or almsgiving a Stanley. Christian charity.-William Tyndale, the translator of the Scriptures, had many enemies, who persecuted him with cruel hatred, but to whom he bore the tenderest charity. It is recorded that to some of them he said one day, "Take away my goods, take away my good name! yet so long as Christ dwelleth in my heart, so long shall I love you not a whit the less." 2, 3. mysteries, secret purposes of the Divine mind, "whole range of God's secrets." Things hidden from ordinary men. knowedge, of things, events, &c. faith,' in the largest measure. that..mountains, overcome the greatest difficulties. nothing, either as a disc. of Christ, or preacher of the Gospel. though.. poor, Though I dole away in mouthfuls all my property or estates."d give.. burned, in fanatical zeal for religion. charity, love: "The golden key wh. opes the palace of eternity."e a Coleridge, who it.. nothing. now or hereafter: since without love such deeds adds, that has wit- are hypocritical. b Ma. xvii. 20. c Ma. vii. 21-23. nessed the alms- Without love, no profit.-I. Beneficence without love profits us giving in a Ca- nothing. Giving in the spirit of love is to be recommended for tholic monastery, or the court of a the sake of-1. The giver; 2. The recipient. II. Self-sacrifice Spanish or Si- without love is of no good. Learn from this what sacrifices arecilian Bp.'s or 1. Unprofitable; 2 Truly profitable. Abp.'s palace, where immense Maundy Thursday, March 28, 1872:-Royal Maundy was celerevenues are brated yesterday at the Chapel Royal in Whitehall. The Rev. Dr. syringed away in Vivian, Minor Canon of St. Paul's, read the lessons. The Dean of farthings upon Windsor, as Lord High Almoner, distributed the gifts, with the but must feel the assistance of the Sub-Almoner, the Rev. J. Wilberforce. The force of the fifty-three women-one for each year of her Majesty's age-were herds of beggars, half presented with a sum of 35s., in lieu of clothing; while the fifty- Apostle's three men got their bounty in kind, namely, woollen and linen satirical ψωμιζω? clothes, with boots and stockings. Afterwards there was a generale Milton, Comus. distribution of purses, each person receiving two. In the red f D. Longwill. purse was a sum of £2 10s. in gold, and in the white one silver g D. Telegraph. pennies numbering according to the recipient's age. The ceremony was witnessed by nearly a thousand visitors. or Col. iii. 12-14; 1 b Lu. vi. 35; Ro. xii. 10; Ep.iv. 32. 4, 5. charity. . long, long-suffering in bearing wrong. the nature kind, to wrong-doer. envieth not, the great or rich; of love another's good or goodness. vaunteth.. itself, has no pride a Ex. xxxiv. 6, 7; in personal possessions and attainments. not.. up, with pride Jo. iii. 18, 19. or anger. doth.. unseemly, unbecomingly, haughtily. seeketh.. own,d "grasps not her own rights."e is.. provoked, to haste, anger, ill-temper. thinketh.. evil," does not impute or store up in her calculations the injury she has received."g Charity. Its properties:-I. Long-suffering. It calms the angry passions of man. II. Active kindness. Love cannot work ill; therefore, it fulfils the law. III. Contentment and humility.e Stanley. IV. Generosity and unselfishness. The justice of charity.-Dr. Hammond frequently remitted his rights when he thought the party unable to pay. Once he had made a bargain with one of his parishioners to have so much for the tithe of a large meadow; and, according to his agreement, received part of the money at the beginning of the year. It happened, however, that the produce was afterwards spoiled, and carried away by a flood. When the tenant came to make the last payment, the doctor not only refused it, but returned the former sum, saying to the poor man, "God forbid that I should take the tenth, where you have not the nine parts." 6, 7. rejoiceth.. iniquity,a of others, even if profitable to herself. rejoiceth.. truth," "she has no pleasure in the advance of wickedness, but she shares the joy of the triumph of goodness." beareth, etc., reproaches, hardships; or, covereth the failings of others.e believeth, etc., love has a confiding heart. hopeth, etc., looks for good only fr. others. endureth, etc., all vexations, disappointments, trials, fr. whatever source. The excellence of charity.-I. The moral dispositions of the soul are, in Scripture, compared with and preferred to positive institutions. II. They are also compared with and preferred to occasional and temporary virtues. III. Love or charity is compared with the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, and preferred to them. Conclusion:-1. The Church has little reason to regret the cessation of extraordinary gifts of the Spirit; 2. If we have a mind to bring down heaven to earth, to please our Saviour, edify His members, and advance religion, let us follow after charity; 3. See the excellence of Christian religion. c 1 Pe. iii. 8. f Ma. ix. 3, 4, 34. 9 Stanley. "Honi soit qui "Evil be to him mal y pense who evil thinks." Ed. III. Motto of the order of the Garter. h J. Gilpin. a Pr. xxiv. 17; Lu. xix. 41, 42; b Ac. xi. 23; 2 c Stanley. d Metaphor, fr. ship or roof wh. does not leak; or troops warding off an assault; or ice bearing weight. See Stanley, who quotes authorimeaning of the word orÉYEL. ties to show e Macknight. Pr. 666 Noble peasants.-Among the Alps alone are found men rustic x. 12; 1 Pe. iv. 8; without being ferocious, civilised without being corrupted. Our Ga. vi. 2. peasants in England are not to be compared with them. There, 2 Ti. ii. 10. living among their equals, they are contented, possess an elevated g H. Grove. mind, are generous, and welcome strangers as brothers. The following trait is as characteristic as it is singular. one evening to Gaspard, who was mowing his field: "My friend," said he, "the time is come to get up this hay: you know there is a dispute about the meadow, to whom it belongs, you or me; to Charity,' says Frantz went the proverb, 'is an angel, while the truth; a harshe rejoiceth in lot when she land. rejoiceth in ini- decide the question I have assembled together the appointed quity'-embracing those whom judges at Salenche; so come with me to-morrow, and state your she should rather claims." "You see, Frantz," answered Gaspard, "that I have pity and weep cut the grass; it is therefore absolutely necessary that I should over."-Dr. Ry-get it up to-morrow; I cannot leave it." "And I cannot send away the judges, who have chosen the day themselves; besides, "One is never weary when one we must know to whom the meadow belongs before it is cleared." loves. Love is They debated some time. At length Gaspard said to Frantz, fulness in the "Go to Salenche, tell the judges my reasons as well as your own void, and Chris- for claiming the meadow, and then I need not go myself. nothing in com- was agreed. Frantz pleaded both for and against himself, and, mon with the to the best of his power, gave in his own claims as well as those of disgust of life." Gaspard. When the judges had pronounced their opinion, he returned to his friend, saying, "The meadow is thine: the sentence is in thy favour, and I wish you joy." Frantz and Gaspard ever afterwards remained friends.i tian sadness has -Vinet. i Paxton Hood. the durability of love a Macknight. So it 8-10. charity.. faileth, never shall be abolished, is imperishable. Nay, it "flourishes most in the future."a but, etc., spiritual gifts will be abolished; no need for prophetic announcements or eloquent harangues when the end is secured, and love reigns triumphant, as the great result. for, besides, after all. "Only partial part, only a part, and how small a part. perfect, perfect glimpses of truth illumination. part.. away, as the light of moon and stars is prophecy; are lost in the light of the sun. b 1 Jo. iii. 2. are revealed in knowledge." Stanley. received in the Partial knowledge.-Partial knowledge is-I. A calamity, when intuitions of it is traceable to-1. Early training in prejudice; 2. False teaching; 3. Inability to learn; II. A crime, when owing to-1. d Stems and Twigs. Prayerlessness; 2. Wilfulness; 3. Lethargy; 4. Inattention; 5. Forgetfulness; III. A blessing, when it causes-1. Faith to be love of God, is the exercised; 2. Inquiry to be evoked; 3. Filial fear to be displayed; love of His truth, IV. An argument for-1. Humility; 2. Praise; 3. Hope; 4. of His holiness, of Alarm.d His whole will; the true love is "Love, the true Partial knowledge.-Sir Isaac Newton, a little before his death, that which re- said, "I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to flects itself in myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seaobedience; the true love is that shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother which stirs and pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, while the great ocean of purifies the con- truth lay all undiscovered before me."-All not seen at once.—▲ science."-Vinet. traveller, as he passed through a large and thick wood, saw a part "No communi- of a huge oak, which appeared mis-shapen, and almost seemed to cation or gift can spoil the scenery. "If," said he, "I was the owner of this forest, exhaust Genius, I would cut down that tree." But when he had ascended the hill, impoverish Charity."-Lava- and taken a full view of the forest, this same tree appeared the most beautiful part of the landscape. "How erroneously," said Charity is the he, "I have judged while I saw only a part." "This plain tale," scope of all God's says Dr. Olin, "illustrates the plans of God. We now see but in commands."Chrysostom. part. The full view, the harmony and proportion of things, are all necessary to clear up our judgment." or ter. partial and perfect knowledge 11, 12. when, etc., the dif. betw. the present and future, ill. by dif. of knowledge in a child and a man. spake, etc. child, whose knowledge is limited and erroneous. man, whose knowa "All the pro-ledge is wider and more exact. put.. things, as things of the phets saw through a dark past, insufficient to satisfy a man's understanding. now, in glass, Moses saw regard to the future, as once in childhood in regard to the present. through a bright glass," mirror (mirrors made of polished metal), i.e., we see, or may not a know, by the aid of instrumentalities. darkly, obscurely. Gk., glass."-Rabbiniin an enigma or riddle. As when we learn by parable, allegory, cal saying. Glass etc. then, in the life to come. face.. face, without the in- mirror, but 8 tervention of any distorting media, or imperfect comparisons. transparent know..known, fully, perfectly. The Christian's present and future.-I. In the present state of being, God has invested His creature, man, with organs of vision, through which he discerns objects in the material world. II. The medium through which we perceive heavenly things is faith, and with it "we now see through a glass darkly." Among the things now imperfectly seen are-1. The character of God; 2. The mysteries of Providence; 3. The scheme of human redemption; 4. The glories and felicities of the heavenly state. III. But if the present is imperfect, the future is perfect, for then shall we "see face to face."b stone or whatever other substance was used for admitting light in anc. houses." -Stanley. In this case the darkly would the imperfect view of an object seen through such a medium by wh. the light would be ob scured and re fracted. "He The limit of present knowledge.-Mr. Ward, the Indian missionary, used to tell a story of a Brahmin, who was asked if the various views of Christians about their own religion did not lead him to doubt its Divine origin. He replied, "Not at all. Hear, my brother. There was once a city of which all the inhabitants what he ought to had lost their sight-they were blind. It was one day rumoured know, is a brute that a magnificent elephant was to pass through their streets, amongst men; and as none of the people had ever seen an elephant, all rushed he that knoweth down to examine it, and pressed close for free inquiry. One felt hath need of, is his leg, another his trunk, another his tail, one his ears, and one a man amongst brute beasts; and no more than he goras. his tusk, till they were satisfied. The elephant went on his way, he that knoweth and they returned home. Many were obliged to be content with all that may be the reports of the more fortunate. After a time the various known, is as a visitors of the gigantic animal began to converse about him, and god amongst to describe to others what they had observed; but all their evi-men."-Pythadence seemed contradictory, since each bore testimony only to "As the soil, howthe particular member with which he had come in contact, and ever rich it may each denied what his brother attested. Disputes were running be, cannot be provery high, when a wise old Brahmin interposed, and said, 'My ductive without culture, so the dear brethren, forbear, I beseech you. All those to whom you mind without have listened are right, and all are wrong. You each know a cultivation can little, and only a little, of the great creature concerning which never produce you would be informed. Now, instead of disputing, put together good all you have heard, combine the different testimonies you have received, and by so doing you may best hope to gain some idea of the whole.'" c Seneca. fruit." c Mrs. Schimmelpennick. 13. now, as necessary to our better state. abideth, amid love greater things fluctuating and perishable. these three," and these three than faith or only. In the manhood of Christianity, when the prophesyings, hope and miracles needful in its childhood are done away, these three a 1 Th. i. 3; ▼. 8; Col. i. 4, 5. will remain: faith, to work and trust; hope, to expect and wait; b He. xi. 1, 6. love, to enjoy, obey, and be like God. greatest.. charity, for when faith is swallowed up in sight, hopes and expectations are c He. vi. 19. realised, love will abide for ever: for its source and objects are d Anon. eternal. e T. Adams. The three graces.-I. The exalting grace. First-1. In order "Love is the of numeration; 2. In its operation. II. The comforting grace: shadow of the 1. As our life is a sea, this is our anchor; 2. As it is a war- morning, which fare, this is our helmet; 3. It is a good, lively, purifying and decreases as the day advances; patient hope. III. The aspiring grace: 1. The extent of its friendship is the operation; 2. Its usefulness to others; 3. The perfection of its shadow of the |