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tion of another man's Conscience, should appear sinful or ill-used freedom through the offence that I give? - and when I partake of meat with thanksgiving to God, why do I act so as to injure a weak brother by means of that for which I give thanks ? ” That is, "Is not this a contradiction? On the one hand, I thank God for my Liberty, and for the good things which He has bestowed, and on the other I offend against Him, and make a mockery of my thanks, by my unchristian disregard for the infirmity of my Brother. "

Either of these methods is admissible, preserving to St. Paul that guiding sentiment of Love as opposed to the individual pretensions of Knowledge, through which he sought to realize the sublimest Idea of Christianity, the universal Reign of Christ's spirit upon earth; in every heart kindling the same solemn ideas, and opening the same living springs; subduing the differences of class and country by the affinities of Worship, by kindred images of Hope, of Duty, and of God.

Such was the Christian vision of the Church Universal, of the union of all good men in the Love of one God, under the Leadership of his Image in Humanity, — growing up into him, in all things, which is the Head, even Christ.

It is profitless to ask, — What has obstructed the Realization? - St. Paul at least is free. Let his spirit speak to us in one of his own Benedictions:"Grace be with all them that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity!" *

Ephes. vi. 24.

SECTION IV.

IRREGULARITIES FROM SOME ABUSE BY WOMAN OF HER SPIRITUAL EQUALITY, AND FROM A PROFANE AND HEATHENISH ABUSE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

CHAP. XI. 2-34.

Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the instructions as I delivered 3 them to you. But I wish you to know that the Head

of every man is Christ; and the Head of woman, man ; 4 and the Head of Christ, God. Every man that prayeth or prophesieth, having a covering on his head, 5 dishonoreth his Head. And every woman praying or prophesying with uncovered head, dishonoreth her Head for it is one and the same thing as if she were 6 shaven. For if a woman is uncovered, let her also be shorn, but if it is a disgrace to a woman to be 7 shorn or shaven, let her be covered. For man indeed ought not to cover the head, being the image and 8 glory of God: but woman is the glory of man. For 9 man is not of woman, but the woman of man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 Therefore ought the woman to wear his authority on 11 her head, because of the angels. Yet neither is woman separate from man, nor man separate from 12 woman, in the Lord. For as woman is of mạn, 13 also is man by woman; and all of God. Judge of

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yourselves, is it becoming for a woman to

woman to pray to 14 God, uncovered? Does not nature herself teach us, that it is a dishonor to a man if he have long hair? 15 But that if woman have long hair, it is a glory to 16 her? For hair is given to her for a covering. But if any one thinks fit to be contentious, we have no such custom; neither have the churches of God. But I praise you not, in declaring this, that not for the better, but for the worse, ye meet together. 18 For first, when ye meet together in the church, I hear

17

that there are schisms among you, and in part I be19 lieve it. For there must indeed be separations among

you, in order that those of you who are sterling may 20 be manifest. When ye meet together in one place, 21 it is not to eat the Lord's Supper. For each taketh

before the other his own supper, in eating; and one 22 is hungry, and another is drunken. Have ye not houses for eating and drinking? Or do ye despise the church of God, and shame those that have not? 23 What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I praise you not. For I received from the Lord, that which I also delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, on the night in which he was betrayed, took bread. 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said,

This is my body, which is broken for you: this do 25 in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: do this, as oft 26 as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, 27 Lord's death till he come. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat the bread, or drink the cup, of the Lord, unworthily, shall be chargeable with the body and the blood 28 of the Lord. Let a man try himself, and so let him

ye do show the

29 eat of this bread, and drink of this cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh. judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 On this account many among you are weak and sickly, 31 and some sleep. For if we would examine ourselves, 32 we should not be condemned; but when we are condemned by the Lord, we are chastened, that we may 33 not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, receive ye 34 one another. And if any one is hungry, let him eat at home, that ye may not come together unto condemnation. But the rest, I will set in order, when I come.

WHERE the spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty : for Liberty comes into existence whenever Life is regarded from a spiritual centre, and each individual as the possessor of a soul for which he is responsible to God. Individual Responsibility cannot exist without individual Liberty: for no man must control that Conscience for which I alone am accountable to the External Judge. Where mine is the Peril, mine must be the Power over that soul which is to be judged; — and it would be a monstrous thought that the Power should be with one man, and the Responsibility with another, that the Direction of my spirit should be in the hands of those who, in the last day, cannot take my place, nor bear my sentence. If, then, Christianity has brought upon the world the solemn feeling of Responsibility, which often lies heavy and oppressive on the heart, and restrains with grave thoughts the

instincts of happiness, yet let us feel that, hand in hand with this Christian sentiment, comes the only true Freedom into the world, that the glorious Liberty of the children of God is the gift of the same spirit, — and that where this sense of Responsibility does not exist, mankind are in a condition to be treated as children, or as slaves.

Nor is it necessary by argument so grave to deduce Individual Liberty as a necessary consequence from "the spirit of the Lord," for the two sentiments that belong to Christ's view of Life, and to Moral Freedom, are incapable of separation. If I regard myself, and am regarded by others, as a being in filial relations with God, seeking new brightness for that Faith in all the dimness and struggle of the world, ——— and though that discipline, by which God tries how far we trust him, striving ever with a loyal heart to keep within the Presence of divine Light and Comfort, — that spiritual aim cannot cross the Liberty of any other child of God desiring to do likewise, nor can it be exposed to wanton restrictions from any who reverence the inward Law of Conscience, and who acknowledge themselves to be independent members of a spiritual family, who draw their inward life from a common Source, and owe a common allegiance to its Lord. Limitations on Moral Liberty can arise only from some outward and material view of Life;-from the licentious abuse of our Free Will on the one hand, or the selfish tyranny of Power on the other; and in either case, the Christian view of Life is abandoned, and the spirit of the Lord is not there. Whether an

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