conscience of the Corinthians; when that was done, dis cipline was but the healthiness of spiritual life. They were more angry with themselves for their insensibility to the honour of the Lord, than with the offender (2 Cor. vii. 11).

The recognition of the Lordship of Jesus, acting in present power by the Holy Ghost in the Church, can alone set an assembly of Christians practically on the ground of Church action. So far as they are assembled in truthfulness of confession unto Him, so far in principle do they occupy the place of "pillar and ground of the truth;" and one sure characteristic is a holy jealousy to maintain sound doctrine (1 Tim. iii. 15-16; iv. 1).

Christians may come together by voluntary compact, even though it be in one place and for the Lord's Supper; yet the word may apply-"When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's Supper." They came together without any due regard to Jesus as the provider of the supper, and the regulator of the order of His table. If Solomon could regulate every department of his household, so that when his illustrious visitor saw "the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers.... there was no more spirit in her," surely He who is greater than Solomon is to be acknowledged as alone competent to arrange the order of His own table. We meet together at "the Lord's table" to eat "the Lord's Supper," and to tell forth to one another, and to strangers who may look on, "the Lord's death till He

come.'

The connection of ministry with the name of Jesus may be very suitably noticed. "There are differences of administrations, but the same Lord." Every gift of the Spirit necessarily implies direct responsibility to the Lord for its use, because it is a gift of ministry-putting the recipient in the place of a servant to a common Lordand in grace also (that is, by no right or title of theirs) to the saints, and even to the world. "We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." Though I be free from all, yet have I made myself the servant of all." How important

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is the recognition of the Lordship of Jesus in ministry may be gathered from his own instructions. When He left this world, the care and order of His house was in great measure entrusted to His servants, but His servants expecting at any hour His return. The character of His servant was to be "faithful" to him, and "wise" in giving to His household the portion of meat in due season. The danger to the servants was entertaining the thought that the Lord might not come at any hour, and so to treat the household as being lords over it themselves. The history of Christendom in clerical usurpation and domination is the too faithful verification of the picture drawn by the Lord of the evil servant. How did

the faithful and wise servants," Peter and Paul, testify against such usurpation-"not as being lords over God's heritage"-"not that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy, for by faith ye stand." It was thus that "the faithful servant" never interposed his authority so as to take the saint off the ground of direct responsibility to the Lord himself.

In the assignment of the different talents to the servants, "according to their several ability," the account is rendered to the Lord himself on his return. "Lord, thou deliveredst to me five talents." They are his talents, to be traded with for his use. The servant was neither master of the household, nor the servant of the household; if he had acted in either of these characters he would not have been a faithful and responsible servant to the Lord himself of the household. He must own the Lord of the household in the household itself, in carrying out the directions of the Lord in it; and hence the servant entrusted with a talent becomes amenable to the Lord, in the same way as any other member of the household. No ministry, of whatever order, is above the name of the Lord himself, in which He empowers the Church to act collectively. While no one, therefore, as a servant of the Lord, derives his authority from the Church, but from the Lord himself, by which he is placed in immediate and direct responsibility to the Lord-still he must own the title of the Lord in the Church gathered together in His name, since his special service in the household

gives him no exemption from the common order of the household, over which the Lord himself is supreme.

The acknowledgment of the Lordship of Jesus with regard to ministry, is not only the safeguard against clerical domination, but against the equal danger of leaning on human authority. The Lord Jesus himself was challenged as to the authority by which he acted. He had no human credentials to produce; but his works, words and ways alike attested his divine mission. The

Lord answered their challenge by an appeal to their own consciences as to the baptism of John. Divine authority carries its attestation to the conscience. He who is in conscious possession of divine authority will not allow it to be backed by human authority, because the admission of such an authority necessarily implies a responsibility to it, and thus would directly interfere with the use of the talent as being the Lord's talent. If two sources of authority be regarded as co-ordinate-the one from God and the other from man-experience has proved, as in the case of Scripture and tradition, a spiritual gift and human appointment, that the authority of man has superseded that of God, and hence the Lordship of Jesus has been virtually set aside. The principle of not being the servants of men, is most opposite to that of each one doing what is right in his own eyes. "Ye are bought with a price"-ye belong to another Master, even the Lord Jesus-therefore "be ye not servants of men."

Again, the recognition of the Lordship of Jesus in ministry is the safeguard against trading with the talent, for the advantage of the individual entrusted with it, instead of seeking therewith to promote the honour of the Lord. "The Spirit is given to every man to profit withal"-not for his individual profit, neither for his personal elevation, but for common profit. It is the Lord's talent. "In a steward it is required that he should be found faithful." High as an Apostle was officially, and accredited by signs as an Apostle, yet in reference to ministry, he could only take the ground of a responsible servant using the talent intrusted to him. When others regarded him or others as authoritative or irresponsible, he asks-"Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but

ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave" to each of them? The Lord used both Paul and Apollos in different ways indeed, but under common responsibility to himself; and they were used by the Lord in that which must have been regarded by them both as of far more importance than themselves individually. "We are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry [or tillage] ye are God's building." Their highest honour as fellow-labourers was to be employed in cultivating or building that which peculiarly belonged to God. Their highest honour as individuals was to be themselves part of the tillage, part of the building of God. If Saints, individually or collectively, only thought of magnifying the name of the Lord, what numberless difficulties would be avoided! In the name of Jesus we find salvation; in the same name we find power of action. This name alone keeps us from self-will. The name of Jesus will make the most timid and retiring bold and energetic, when confident of acting only in that name. It can restrain the forward and self-willed who would substitute human influence for divine authority. Surely we can say, "The Lord is good, a strong-hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him." PRESBUTES.

The God-Man proves in us His claim
O'er Satan, sin and death.

THE NAMES "JESUS-SAVIOUR-LORD AND GOD," AS FOUND IN ONE.
Jesus the Saviour! Lord and God!
How great! how glorious Thou!
With head uncovered-foot unshod,
Before Thy feet I bow.

As Son of God thou 'rt known above-
Fully as God art own'd;

The Father's Son-Rest of His Love-
As God the Son enthron'd.

There worship, due to God, is Thine-
'Tis freely, gladly giv'n;
The throne, the glory-all divine,
Are owned as thine in heaven.

Maker of all! upholding all!
Redeemer! who but Thou?
And,-Empire Thine! spite of the fall,
To Thee each knee shall bow.

As King of kings, and Lord of lords!
In the bright coming day,
The word of God to Thee accords
A universal sway.

Saviour! how sweet that precious name,
Precious to God and faith-

His blood and righteousness suffice
To smooth the way of grace:
God can be gracious, we can rise
And meet him face to face.

The Lamb on high, the veil within,
Presents Himself to view;
Banner of God! that pardons sin,
Our peace and pardon too.

The "Saviour Jah" (Jesus) declares
The who and what Thou art:
The Spirit moves, and faith prepares
The love-note of each heart.

Thou lovest me Lord! how pleasant 't is
To lisp of love to Thee.

Thy love to us! 'tis perfect bliss
And shall for ever be.

Thy name and works and self concur
To speak redeeming grace;

To God they bring the sinner near,
And songs of gladness raise.-C.M.

No. XXII.

OUTLINE OF THE REVELATION.

It is important to remark, first of all, that The Revelation is a book of judgment: judgment on the earth-(in the interval between the church and an owned state on earth, the secret springs are shown in heaven, where alone the earthly acts could be understood)-first, of the professing church as a system on the earth, where it is responsible to maintain the truth and testimony of God-and then, of the world. In the latter case, the Church is no longer at all in question; the only places in which the Church is seen in its Christian affections and position, is in the beginning and at the end of the book, before the subject of it is opened and after it is closed: in the first case it is seen in its members, in the last as a whole (I refer to i. 6, and xxii. 17). Further, it is important to remark, that the character in which Christ reveals himself in the opening of the book, is wholly earthly-heaven is excluded. He is the faithful Witness, the First-begotten from the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. The Church knows Him in all these characters, and is associated with the two last. She ought to have replaced the first; but she is never seen here in that position. John does not even set himself on the ground of the Church's witness and heavenly place; he is in the tribulation, kingdom and patient expectation of Christ. The first time the Church is addressed, it is with warnings and threatenings, as being already fallen. If seen in her own character, it is only to look for Jesus. Christ judges divinely, though, as Son of man (a name of judgment and government), also in the midst of the Church seen on earth and responsible to bear light there. He is eternal, searching in judgment and consuming, in firmness of power, having in His own hand the symbolical representatives of the Churches or states of the professing Church which he addresses. The word of sharp judgment proceeded out of His mouth. Sovereign authority shone in His visage. However, He had the power of life (and that out