fters of Chrift, and ftewards of the mysteries of God.

And in order to have clear apprehenfions of this fubject, it will be neceffary to look back to the origin of the office, and fee wherein it differed, at its firft appointment, from the circumftances in which it exifts at prefent. I fet cut with obferving, that the miniftry of the word is in all effential points the fame, ever fince it was ordained as an employment. At the fame time it is plain, that feveral circumstances attending it are confiderably varied. The ordinary call to the office, which now takes place, is very different from the miraculous miffion by which men were confecrated to it in former times. Their vocation was more immediate, more friking, attended with more ample powers, as well as more fplendid effects. From their immediate infpiration, an authority was derived to their words to which none of us can july pretend. They promifed, and the bleffings of time and eternity were conveyed with their words; they threatened, and vengeance from heaven followed without delay. Befides, the firft teachers of the gospel enjoyed from their divine

A 2

divine Mafter the communication of his own

powers over nature.

cr

powers,

Having called the twelve difciples, he gave them power against unclean fpirits, and to heal all manner of fickness and difeafe." Accordingly, the whole hiftory of their lives is one train of miracles, verifying the reality of these and difplaying the fulfilment of that fplendid promife, Verily, verily, I fay unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do fhall he do alfo, and greater works than thefe fhall he do, because I go to my Father.' All thefe extraordinary powers have now ceafed. The paftors of the Chriftian church, in thefe later ages, are neither poffeffed of the immediate infpiration, nor of the power of working miracles, enjoyed by the Apostles. They are now men in all refpects like yourselves, to whom God hath conveyed, by the hands of other men, authority to preach the word, to difpenfe the facraments, and to prefide over the congregations in which his providence may place them. Here, then, is a very manifeft difference, and an evident inferiority on our fide. Still,

however,

however, the original propofition ftands true, that the office is in all effential points the fame, as exercised both by them and us. For it is easy to conceive, that the fuperior prerogatives, which have been mentioned, vary fome circumftances in the ministry only, but do not in any degree alter its nature.

The

effence of this facred office, the foundations of the paftoral authority, remain unimpaired. The miffion is one and the fame by Jesus Chrift to all his faithful fervants in this employment. His promife is unalterable, "Be“hold I am with you always, even to the end "of the world." From his holy hill, where he fits as King of Zion, he provides for the perpetuity of his church, "giving some apoftles, and fome prophets, and fome evange"lifts, fome paftors and teachers, for the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the

miniftry, for the edifying of the body of "Chrift.

This, then, is the origin of that facred office which is still exercifed among you. This is the fource from which the authority is derived that is neceffary for fuftaining the character. It is this which conftitutes our mif

fion the fame with that of the Apoftles, and confers on the truths which we deliver the authority of the word of God. So that if the doctrines which we fet forth are agreeable to the Scriptures, if the morality which we enforce is a converfation becoming the golpel, we are in all refpects to be accounted of as "minifters of Chrift, and ftewards of the "myfteries of God."

But thefe titles, fo ennobling to him who fupports them, are not without very folemn confiderations to correct the levity of confidence and felf-applaufe. "It is required in ftewards," faith the Apoftle, "that a man "be found faithful." What a variety of im-, portant duties are included in this requifition? When we peak of a faithful minifter, we fpeak of the rare and happy union of ability and attention, of zeal, and knowledge, of mecknefs and firmnefs, in the fame character; for all these are neceffary to fuftain the office with propriety. And are thefe qualities to be attained with a flight degree.of application? Is it a final demand on the confcience of a man, to give its teftimony to his faithfulness, in fuch arduous and important refpects? Thefe confiderations

confiderations may well give rife to that emphatical queftion, "Who is fufficient for thefe

things?" especially when to all this we take likewife into view the awful threatenings denounced against the unfaithful difcharge of this office. Son of man," faith the Almighty, to each of us, as he said to his prophets of old, "I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Ifrael, therefore hear the "word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I fay unto the wicked, thou fhalt furely die, and thou givest him << not warning, nor fpeakeft to warn the wick"ed from his wicked way, to fave his life, CC the fame wicked man fhall die in his ini

quity, but his blood will I require at thine "hand. Wo be to the fhepherds of Ifrael "that do feed themfelves; fhould not the

fhepherds feed the flocks? Thus faith the "Lord God, Behold I am against the shep

herds, and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to ceafe from feeding "the flock, neither fhall the fhepherds feed "themselves any more."

you

Thus have I endeavoured to fet before the nature of our office as minifters of Chrift,