freedom and personality of finite and fallible man never so truly assert themselves, as when, instead of being overwhelmed and crushed down, they are quickened into fresh life and vigour by direct communion with the Almighty and Allseeing Personality of God.

BIBL

SERMON IV.

Personal Responsibility of Man, as to his
Use of Entellect.

ST. MATTHEW xxi. 28.

"Son, go work to-day in my vineyard."

NOT only the higher graces of the Gospel are gifts, not only does it require a special revelation to man's spirit, to open the eye of the soul, to impart faith, to restore the knowledge of God, and to bring out all the higher parts of our nature; but Holy Scripture shews us that what belongs to an inferior part of us, viz. the intellect, is likewise a direct gift from God. This you may call natural, the others supernatural. Thus we read of the artists of the tabernacle being specially endowed, though their work was chiefly in cutting of stones and carving of wood.

Solomon obtains, as a special gift from God, the ability to be a good ruler. The seventy elders, who are called to help Moses administer justice, are qualified by a gift of the Spirit. Some of the gifts, mentioned in I Cor. xii., are partly intellectual-the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, teachers, helps, governments.

Now we know that it is a great temptation to human nature to forget that our personal endowments are gifts. Few strong muscular men consider that their physical prowess is a gift, for the use of which they must give

account; that they are not at liberty to let themselves out as prize-fighters, or to seek only admiration, or to overtax their strength; but that their bodily powers are given them to earn a living, or fight for their country, or protect the weak, or to fit them for work as missionaries, or, in some other way, should be turned to account, and used to the glory of God.

So is it with mental gifts, not only with that specifically called intellect, but with imagination, memory, sympathy, discernment of character, tact, eloquence, and the like. God gave them, God may withdraw them; they may be used rightly, they may be used wrongly; like others of His gifts they may be developed and improved by exercise, or they may wither from disuse; they do not stand alone, but are related to God's other gifts. Intellectual gifts are used amiss when the possessor, forgetting God, employs them merely selfishly, to fight, for instance, his way to renown, or when his only object is to excel this one and surpass that other, and to be the topmost man in his year, his set, or his profession.

It is not well when men argue, not for truth but for victory; when, whatever opinion is advanced, they are always clever enough to start objections, to pick holes, to bring forward what can be said on the other side, often making the maintainers of truth look foolish, by overbearing their well-meaning dulness with the bright sallies of glittering sophistry.

It is not well when the gifted man is always engaging in a series of gladiatorial feats, determining that he will be the oracle of his circle, putting down all who contest his supremacy, and measuring swords with every new comer, in order to be esteemed the best master of his weapons.

It is not well when the powers of the intellect are concentrated on money-making, or the acquisition of professional skill, irrespective of duty, as if man had only to please himself, do what he liked, was his own master, might do what he would with his own.

It is not well when men indulge in intellectual freaks, take up some hobby, spend the labour of a life on some pursuit which gratifies only a whim of their own, and does not advance human happiness, or do good to their fellow-creatures. How many a record of misapplied intellect do the libraries of this University contain! Parish priests, who should have been instructing their simple flock, shutting themselves up in their studies to write books that nobody reads, acquiring perhaps a little fame in their own families or small circles, but neglecting the humbler, but more useful work they were set to do. How many a fanciful problem, many a useless investigation, has been pursued, with no small amount of intellectual ability, because self-conceit prevented a man from listening to advice, or self-will diverted him from his own proper business.

Nor less is it an evil when a man overtaxes his intellect, sets it to do more work than it was meant to do, forgets its relation to the other parts of his nature, prides himself in it, as if it were the only valuable power he possesses, and ends perhaps by exhausting himself, so that, in after life, he is able to do less good work than others.

Alas! when we think how intellectual gifts may be abused, we are reminded that many of those who are most mischievous in their generation are the most gifted, intellectually. There are strong minds which can solve hard questions, capacious brains which can hold multitudinous details, clear heads which can illu

mine difficulties, acute intellects which can detect fallacies and these are great powers for good or evil. They are sometimes used to propagate mischievous theories, to sap Christian evidences, and exaggerate Scripture difficulties.

Before now, these have been the men who have tried to banish theology, to secularise education, to vulgarise mental philosophy, to introduce materialism and utilitarianism, to make so-called useful knowledge every thing, to appreciate nothing but intellect, to deify man, to despiritualise nature. These cold, hard, powerful, unloving intellects are very dangerous. Unhappy the times in which they are the ruling spirits; unhappy the nations on which they impress their characters, and whose institutions they are allowed to shape or remodel. But let us look on the brighter side, the good that may be done with intellectual gifts.

In every age intellect has much influence; perhaps, in ruder ages, bodily prowess may somewhat eclipse it, but, in a state of society like ours, its weight is especially great. It is not indeed the only thing that gives a man influence: personal appearance, goodness, cheerfulness, moral qualities, are greatly influential, but intellect is necessary in many situations, and useful in all. It is a beautiful thing to see it applied to advance human happiness, discover remedies, explore the works of God, justify His ways, explain His dealings, vindicate His truth, interpret His Scriptures, extend His kingdom, and apply His Word to the heart. It is delightful to see a man use his intellect to refute error, maintain truth, right the oppressed, and to solve the difficult questions which a complicated state of society produces. It is pleasing to see versatile abilities, like the elephant's trunk, available to take up a small matter,