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PART I.

GENERAL VIEW OF THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY.

CHAPTER I.

THE DIVINE ORIGIN AND INSTITUTION OF THE
CHRISTIAN MINISTRY.

THE Church is the mirror that reflects the whole effulgence of the Divine character. It is the grand scene of the display of the Divine Perfections. "To the principalities and powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God."* The revelations made to the Church,-the successive grand events in her history-and above all the manifestation of the Divine glory in the Person of the Son of God, furnish to these heavenly intelligences fresh subjects of adoring contemplation. These are things" which they desire to look into."†

The means also employed in the building and preservation of the Church are equally illustrative of the wisdom of their great Author. The exhibition of Divine "strength made perfect in weakness" effectually secures the important end "that no flesh * Ephes. iii. 10. † 1 Peter, i. 12.

PART I.

GENERAL VIEW OF THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY.

CHAPTER I.

THE DIVINE ORIGIN AND INSTITUTION OF THE
CHRISTIAN MINISTRY.

"To

THE Church is the mirror that reflects the whole effulgence of the Divine character. It is the grand scene of the display of the Divine Perfections. the principalities and powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God."* The revelations made to the Church,-the successive grand events in her history-and above all the manifestation of the Divine glory in the Person of the Son of God, furnish to these heavenly intelligences fresh subjects of adoring contemplation. These are things" which they desire to look into."†

The means also employed in the building and preservation of the Church are equally illustrative of the wisdom of their great Author. The exhibition of Divine 66 strength made perfect in weakness” effectually secures the important end "that no flesh † 1 Peter, i. 12.

* Ephes. iii. 10.

should glory in his presence." A separate order of men were consecrated to the great work of laying the foundation and raising the superstructure of his Church. Twelve only were included in the original institution, with a limited commission, bounded at first, within the scanty extent of "Immanuel's land;" afterwards enlarged with a tender of the promised blessing to " every creature."* As the work increased upon them, the necessity for a corresponding increase of labourers became apparent. And for this purpose,

and from the foresight of this exigency, the Divine Mediator had delegated the power of his own commission to his faithful labourers-"As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." Invested therefore with this authority, they “ordained elders in every Church," (who were acknowledged to be "made overseers over the flock" by the appointment of the Holy Ghost§) and entrusted the same power of ordination successively to others,|| "according as the matter might require," for the continuance and perpetuity of the Christian ministration. This was evidently agreeable to the purpose of God. The terms of the special promise extend "to the end of the world,"¶ up to which period the necessity of the sacred Institution will remain the same. God has not indeed transferred to men his own Divine right and honour, but he employs them for his work, as a man might make use of any instruments he pleased for his own designs. But as no instrumentality was absolutely needed, his selection from among men of the delegates of his commission, and the representatives of his person,

* Matt. x. 1-6; xxviii. 18-20.
† John xx. 21.
Acts xx. 28. || 2 Tim. ii. 2. Titus i. 5.

Mark xvi. 15.

Acts xiv. 23.

¶ Matt. xxviii. 20.

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