are dead! We, so defiled, to administer a service so pure, so purifying! "Woe is me"-said one of old, when contrasting this honour with his personal meanness—" for I am undone; for I am a man of unclean lips." How can we think of this vast commission -this momentous trust, but as an act of most undeserved favour ?2 But let the remembrance of this sacred dignity give a deeper tone of decision to our ministrations. A Pastor'-remarks Bishop Wilson—' should act with the dignity of a man, who acts by the authority of God'3-remembering, that while we speak to men, we speak in God's stead.' And this is the true Scriptural standard of our work—“As we were allowed of God”—said the great Apostle—“ to be put in trust with the Gospel," (the highest trust that ever could be reposed in man) "even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts."4 Let it also connect itself with its most responsible obligations that we disgrace not the dignity—that we live under the constraint—of our high calling— "Ye are the salt of the earth. Let not the salt lose its savour. Ye are the light of the world. Let your light shine before men” -are the impressive exhortations of the Great Master.'s "Neglect not”—said the great Apostle--" the gift of God that is in thee: stir it up" by the daily exercises of faith, self-denial, and prayer. Quesnel observes-'What courage, what boldness, what freedom ought the dignity of the Ministry to give a bishop or priest; not for his own interests, but for those of the Church; not through pride, but fidelity; not while he employs carnal means, but while he makes use of the armour of God." The moment we permit ourselves to think lightly of the Christian Ministry, our right arm is withered; nothing but imbecility and relaxation remains. But let the weight of this dignity be relieved by Evangelical encouragement The ministration of the Spirit and of righteousness constitutes the chief glory of the evangelical economy. "Therefore," says the Apostle, after an exhibition of its pre-eminent excellency-"seeing we have this Ministry"—so richly endowed, so freely vouchsafed-"as we have received mercy, we faint not." A sense of the dignity of our office-accurately formed, carefully maintained, and habitually exercised-is therefore of the highest importance. It elevates the standard of Christian consistency even in the prospective consideration and choice of the work. For what 1 Isa. vi. 5. 3 Sacra Privata. Comp. 2 Cor. v. 20. 2 See Eph. iii. 8. 1 Tim. ii. 12. 5 Matt. v. 13-16. See an awakening appeal in the conclusion of Bishop Taylor's first sermon on the Minister's duty in life and doctrine. Works, Vol. vi. 6 1 Tim. iv. 14. 2 Tim. i. 6. 7 On 2 Cor. iii. 8. Comp. Daven. in Col. i. 1. 92 Cor. iv. 1. 8 Hall on the Discouragements and Supports of the Ministry, p. 51. is unsuitable to the Ministerial character is obviously unsuitable to the probationer for the Ministry. In the actual discharge also of duty, the mind will thus be excited to a more solid and devoted consecration; and the whole man will be gradually formed in this heavenly mould-exalted, not elated. Dignity of character will thus correspond with dignity of station. The "office" will be "magnified" in perfect harmony with the lowliest personal humility-and, indeed, never more eminently displayed, than in the exercises of genuine humility; the man invested with these high responsibilities sinking in the dust as an "unprofitable servant.”2 CHAPTER III. THE USES AND NECESSITY OF THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY. 'BECAUSE the nature of things consisting, as this doth, in action, is known by the object whereabout they are conversant, and by the end or scope whereunto they are referred; we must know that the object of this function is both God and men: God, in that he is publicly worshipped of his Church; and men, in that they are capable of happiness by means, which Christian discipline appointeth. So that the sum of our whole labour in this kind is to honour God, and to save men.3 The ministry of the word was ordained for the planting and watering of the Church. The epistles were written to the respective churches, which had been planted by the preaching of the gospel-to supply the place of an oral ministry-to reduce them to church order and unity-to confirm them in Christian steadfastness, and to advance them to Christian perfection. The several individuals also addressed were the fruits of this ministry. Timo 1 See Rom. xi. 13. 2 The views of Philip Henry were truly worthy of his high office. Thus he wrote on the day of his ordination-'I did this day receive as much honour and work as ever I shall be able to know what to do with. Lord Jesus! proportion supplies accordingly.' Two scriptures he desired might be written in his heart. 2 Cor. vi. 4, 5. and 2 Chron. xxix. 11. And so influential were these views in maintaining a course of deep-toned humility, 'that he laid himself out with as much diligence and vigour,' in a very contracted sphere, as if he had the oversight of the greatest and most considerable parish in the country.' P. Henry's Life, (Williams's Edition) p. 38; which Dr. Chalmers has justly characterized, as one of the most precious religious biographies in our language.' Oh! for a large supply of such Ministers in every department of the Church of God! 3 Hooker, book v. 76. The Divine purpose respecting the Church most harmoniously combines these two ends-" I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.” Is. xlvi. 13, 4 See 1 Cor. iii. 6. thy, Titus, and Philemon appear to have been "begotten in Christ Jesus," through the ministry of Paul; as were probably "the elect lady and her children," and the beloved Gaius, "the seals of the apostleship" of John.1 1 Thus has this great ordinance of the Gospel regard to the continual progress of the Church, both in its collective body, and in the several states of its individual members. It was given "for the perfecting of the saints, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”2 There was not only a foundation to be laid, but a building to be raised. Elementary truths were to be carried to perfection.3 Constant superintendence was needed even in the most flourishing churches. The administration of the word was the appointed remedy to "perfect that which was lacking in the faith" of the Thessalonians.1 Peter wrote his second epistle to those that " were established in the faith;" yet "he would not on that account be negligent to put them always in remembrance of these things." For the same reason the beloved disciple wrote to the Church; "not"said he—“ because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it.” The primary use, therefore, of this holy function is, as we have already observed, the channel of communication from the Head to the several members of the body. Its more specific uses may be readily collected from the various scriptural illustrations of the office-each bearing a relation to the nature of the ministration, and the necessities of the charge. If the Church be called a flock, the Minister is the pastor to "seek that which is lost-to strengthen the diseased-to heal the sick-to bring again that which was driven away;" in a word, to shepherd the flock in all the exercises of tenderness, consideration, and care, that belong to this endearing character. If the family of Christ be an household, the Minister is "the faithful and wise steward," who dispenses the provision of the house according to the necessities of its several members. If the Church of God be a city, he is the watchman' to wake and warn slumberers of their peril. If it be a husbandry, he is the "labourer,"10 to plant and water the soil-to cleanse the earth-to watch the growth of the plant-and instrumentally to bring forward the harvest. If it be a building, he is the "Master-builder,"11 to build upon the "sure foundation" lively stones--a spiritual house -"growing into an holy temple of the Lord, builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."12 If there be a treaty of 1 See the inscriptions to the several epistles to those individuals, and Philemon 19. 3 Comp. 1 Cor. ii. 6. Heb. vi. 1, 2. 2 Eph. iv. 12. 5 2 Peter i. 12. 8 Luke xii. 42. 11 Ibid. 10. 6 1 John ii. 21. 9 Ezek. xxxiii. 7. 12 1 Peter ü. 5. Eph. ii. 20-22. 4 See 1 Thess. iii. 10, 11 7 Ezekiel xxxiv. 4. 10 1 Cor. iii. 9. peace to be negotiated between the Majesty of heaven and a world of rebels, he is the ambassador, entrusted with "the Ministry of reconciliation;" and praying them in Christ's stead-"Be ye reconciled unto God."1 2 We do not limit the infinite extent and power of Divine grace, when we speak of the necessity of the Christian Ministry. These uses of the sacred institution are not and cannot be necessary to God, as if he were unable to work without them. But they are such as he has appointed and made necessary in the constituted order of means, for the accomplishment of his own purposes of mercy to the world. His sovereign pleasure has ordained this office as a first link of means in the chain of salvation; so that without a Ministry there should be no hearing of the word-consequently no faith in the only Saviour of whom it speaks-no calling upon his name—no salvation. It is not our province to prescribe what he might have done, but to mark the consummate wisdom of what he has done, and to exercise the humility of faith, when we cannot discern the reasons of his dispensations. Doubtless he might have instructed as well as converted Paul by a miracle; buc it was his pleasure to direct him to a fellow-sinner for the explicit revelation of his will. The angel also might have been an instructor to Cornelius; but, in order to maintain the order of the divine œconomy, the Ministry of the word was made the medium of conveying evangelical light to his soul. This, therefore, is the ordained means of conversion, and of subsequent establishment in every stage of the Christian life; and its necessity must continue while there is a single sinner to be brought into the family of God, or a single grace in the heart of the saint to advance to perfection. 1 1 Cor. v. 20. 4 2 Comp. James i. 18. Eph. iv. 12. 13. 3 Rom. x. 13-16. 1 Cor. i. 21. Thus also the destitution of the Ministry is the dark sign of the departure of the presence of God from the Church. Compare 2 Chron. xv. 3. Hosea iii. 5. 6 It is a weighty remark of Hooker's, that 'religion without the help of a spiritual Ministry is unable to plant itself. Which assertion,'—says he,—'needeth no further confirmation. If it did, I could easily declare, how all things which are of God, he hath by wonderful art and wisdom soldered as it were together by the glue of mutual assistance, appointing the lowest to receive from the nearest to themselves what the influence of the highest yieldeth. And therefore the church, being the most absolute of all his works, was in reason to be also ordered with like harmony, that what he worketh might, no less in grace than in nature, be effected by hands and instruments, duly subordinated to the poser of his own Spirit.' Book v. 76. Mosheim observes to the same purport, that the best system of religion must necessarily either dwindle to nothing, or be egregiously corrupted, if it is not perpetually inculcated and explained by a regular and standing Ministry.' Eccles. Hist. Cent. i. part. ii. chap. ii. 'Not even,' says Calvin,'is the light and heat of the sun-not even is meat and drink, so necessary for the support and cherishing of our present life, as the Apostolical and Pastoral Office for the preservation of the church on earth.' Instit. lib. iv. c. iii. 3. CHAPTER IV. THE TRIALS AND DIFFICULTIES OF THE CHRISTIAN 2 MINISTRY.1 OUR Lord's illustration of the necessity of a previous counting of the cost in important undertakings, forcibly applies to the Christian Ministry. Too often has the neglect of serious and prayerful calculation given awful power to the temptation to draw back from so momentous a work. Indeed no previous contemplation can give just apprehensions of its difficulties, any more than a spectator of the field of battle can realize the intense anxiety of the actual conflict. Whatever general notions of a serious and intelligent character may be attained, much will yet be left, that experience alone can supply-much that will enforce the exhortation once given by a veteran to a young soldier-"Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." Indeed the difficulties of this work to the considerate conscientious any expectation of temporal ease and comfort. in life offer a large promise of indulgence. But to this work is most especially linked the daily cross :4 and in it must be anticipated severe and sometimes overwhelming trials-arising from the professing church, the world, the power of Satan, and ourselves. mind must exclude Many other tracks Our relation to the professing church is associated with no common difficulties. How instructive are the deep views of the apostolical Eliot on this work! 'He looked upon the conduct of a church,' as his biographer (Cotton Mather) informs us, 'as a 1 For some serious and important views of this subject we may refer to Scougal's Sermon on the Ministerial function. 2 Luke xiv. 28-30. Erasmus justly laments the evil results of this inconsideration'Verum ad conciones sacras admittuntur, interdum etiam assiliunt, adolescentes, leves, indocti, quasi nihil fit facilius, quam apud populum, exponere Divinam scripturam, et abunde sufficiat perfricuisse faciem, et abstersa pudore linguam volvere. Hoc malum ex eo fonte manat; quod non perpenditur, quid sit ecclesiastici concionatoris tum dignitas, tum difficultas, tum utilitas.' (Eccles. Lib. i. p. 1. Ed. 1535.) Thus also an excellent old writer reflects upon such thoughtless calculators-Hi sane non tam soliciti quærerent onus, cui pares non sunt; si cogitarent qualis sit res ovile Christi; si perpenderent, quam pulchra et Deo grata sit ovium Christi societas; in cujus medio Dominus ille est, cui sol et luna famulantur, cui adsunt ministri ejus millia millium, et decies centena millia; si intelligerent, quantæ molis sit, Christianam condere gentem; hoc est, regnum Christi erigere, et Satana palatia demoliri.' N. Hemmingii Pastor. 12mo. Lips. p. 124. Comp. Bowles's Pastor, Lib. i. c. xiii. 32 Tim. ii. 1—3. Erasm. The 2 Tim. iv. 5. 4 Evangelium Christi sincere prædicantibus nunquam deest crux.' Apostle connects endurance of affliction with the work of an evangelist. See Daven. in Col. i. 24, 29. |