to have been the occasion of all their confusion and error. Not content with preaching the gospel with humility and simplicity of heart, they suffered the love of fame, or the Just of covetousness, to pervert their minds, and influence their conduct. They boasted of their own abilities and gifts in praying and preaching-of their great labours in spreading the gospel-and of the numbers they had converted and baptized; all of whom they claimed to themselves, as their disciples. Hereby sects and parties were formed some retaining a reverence for their old apostle, by whom they had been brought to the knowledge of the christian faith, declared themselves of the party of Paul : others claimed Apollos for their apostle and head; others Cephas; and others those by whom they had been converted and baptised.

To this undue preference of one minister above all others, and the consequent parties and animosities, the text has a particular reference. With mild reprehension, and well tempered zeal, the holy apostle attacks this pernicious source of discord and schism. He shews that as Christ is one and undivided,* so the gospel is one and not a various system: that however numerous the preachers of this gospel may be, their office, as preachers, is one, their duty one; and that their conduct ought to be the same-to preach Christ, not themselves-his gospel, not their own inventions-to convert men to him, not to their own party-to baptize in his name, and thereby admit men into his church, not into their own sect-to consider all the abilities, and gifts, and graces they possessed, as being conferred on them, not for their own aggrandizement, but for the enlargement of the kingdom, and edification of the body of Christ; and their success in gaining converts, not as the effect of their own abilities, but as an increase given of God. For "who (said the holy apostle) is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I planted, and Apollo's watered; but God gave the increase."+"Therefore let no man glory in men'-Let no man pride himself in having * 1 Cor. chap. i. and chap. iii. † 1 Cor. iii. 5, 6.

Verse 21, 22, 23.

been baptized by this or the other eminent preacher; "for all things are yours: whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours," and, in the hand of your heavenly Father, are made to contribute to your spiritual interest. "And ye are" not the disciples of any particu lar apostle, but "Christ's; and Christ is" not the property of any particular preacher, to be disposed of as he shall please, but "God's," and his redemption the gift of God. Therefore" let a man so account of us"-of me Paul, of Apollos, of Cephas, and of all the apostles and preachers of the gospel, not as heads of parties and leaders of sects, ambitious of either fame or gain, but," as of the ministers of Christ"- all appointed by him, and united in preaching him and his gospel-" and stewards of the mysteries of God"- to make known to the world the mystery hidden from ages, redemption from death, remission of sins, and eternal life in a future state, through Christ crucified; and to dispense the doctrines, discipline, and sacraments of his religion, according as God shall give us ability and opportunity. "Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." Let all, therefore, who are called to the exercise of this ministry; all, to whom this stewardship is committed, remember, that it is required" of them to "be faithful;" that they seek not their own glory, but the honour of Christ not to fulfil their own will, but the will of him who hath called and sent them.

This, I take it, is the true meaning of the text as it stands connected with the apostle's discourse before and after it-and thus understood it presents two things to our consideration:

I. The light in which the apostle demands that both he, and all the other preachers of the gospel, should be considered, viz. "as ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God."

II. The acknowledgment of their obligation to fidelity, in the discharge of the trust committed to them, "it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful."

The first of these divisions is to be the subject of this discourse; in which I shall shew in what respects the apostles were, and all duly authorized clergymen now are, 1. Ministers of Christ; and,

2. Stewards of the mysteries of God.

1. I am to shew, in what respects the apostles were, and all duly authorized clergymen now are "ministers of Christ ;" and,

1. The authority under which the apostles acted being derived from Christ, in the exercise of it, they were his ministers, because the authority was originally and properly his, and they could act only in his name: and this authority being, by successive ordinations, continued down to this day, all duly authorized clergymen now act by it, and are therefore "the ministers of Christ."

The commission given by our Saviour to his apostles, just before his ascension, as it is recorded by St. Matthew, is in these words: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo, I am with you alway even unto the end of the world. Amen."* Which may be expressed in the following manner: In virtue of that supreme power which is committed unto me in heaven and in earth, I commission and send you to preach my gospel to all the nations of the world, and to make disciples of all who shall embrace it, by baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: instructing them in all the doctrines, and teaching them to observe all the laws, of that holy religion, the propagation of which I now commit to you and behold, in the execution of this commission I will, by my spirit and power, be present with you and your successors, even unto the consummation of all things.'

On this commission is the authority of ministers in Christ's church founded; and no man can justly claim' any power in spiritual matters but as it is derived from it.

* Matthew xxviii. 18, 19, 20.

No one will now pretend to have received his commission to preach the gospel immediately from Christ, as the eleven apostles had theirs; and none, but enthusiasts, will pretend to be empowered for that work by immediate revelation from heaven, as St. Paul was. It remains, then, that there is no other way left to obtain a valid commission to act as Christ's minister, in his church, but by an uninterrupted succession of ordinations from the apostles. Where this is wanting, all spiritual power in Christ's church is wanting also while they who have any part of this original commission communicated to them, are properly Christ's ministers, because they act in his name, and by authority derived from him.

2. All duly authorized clergymen are "the ministers of Christ," as they are the appointed rulers and governors of his church, under him the supreme and all powerful head.

One branch of that fulness of power, which was given to Christ in heaven and earth, was to be the head of the church, which is styled his body. This implies the power of instituting its government, enacting its laws, and appointing its governors to preside over it, and regulate its œconomy, during his absence. That he did exercise this power, and did delegate it to his apostles and their successors, just before his ascension into heaven, is plain from the words of the commission he gave them, which have just now been recited to you. If "all power in heaven and earth" was "given" to him, certainly the power of appointing the rulers and settling the government of his church was given. If he was to be with his apostles " even unto the end of the world,” their successors must have been included in the promise; for the apostles continued not beyond the ordinary term of human life.

In St. John's gospel, the commission of Christ to his apostles is thus introduced: "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."* As, therefore, He, under the power of the Father, sent his apostles to be the governors of his church; so he gave them power, under him, te

* John xx. 21.

send others with the same power of governing and sending, in order to perpetuate the succession of apostolic powers to the end of the world.

It would be tedious to quote particular texts to prove, that the apostles did exercise this power in the church. The whole tenor of the history of their acts, and their epistles, clearly shew, that they did institute a plan of church government, enact laws, appoint governors and officers to regulate the economy of the church as a socie ty, as well as to preach the doctrines of the gospel. And, from ecclesiastical history, it appears, that the government and officers instituted by them do continue, in their suc cessors, at this present time, notwithstanding the utmost force of persecution which the malice of evil men, and wicked spirits could bring upon it. Though in some places veiled in poverty and obscurity, in others encumbered with worldly pomp and ceremonious superstition, the church of Christ still continues in the world, preserved by his providence, who promised that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it :* and, we trust, preserved to rise again with splendour, and to shine forth, delivered from the shackles of worldly power and systematic superstition, in the full lustre of the beauty of holiness, both in its public offices, and in the faith and piety of its mem

bers.

3. All duly authorized clergymen are "ministers of Christ," as they are his ambassadors to the world, empowered to declare the terms of reconciliation with God; to persuade men to accept and comply with them, that they may obtain the full benefit of them.

This is directly affirmed by St. Paul, who says, "( all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's

* Matthew xvi. 18.