his ministry, as an ambassador of Christ, had there met with considerable acceptance and

success.

The city of Corinth was, at the time, a place of extensive commerce, and of great wealth; and its inhabitants accordingly, taken in general, were immersed deeply in luxury and vice :—yet the Apostle succeeded, notwithstanding these unpromising circumstances, in there erecting a Christian church. That church, we may presume, was well and faithfully instructed in the principles and rules of Christianity during his residence among them. But he had not long removed, to pursue his labours elsewhere, when a flood of evils burst in upon them; and some of the grossest disorders were introduced-partly through the misplaced zeal of some who were friendly to the Christian cause; partly through the influence of some false teachers, who, to forward their own views, fostered the spirit of controversy and division; and partly, no doubt, from the remaining leaven of their old sentiments, which had not perhaps been completely brought into subjection to the obedience of Christ.

This last mentioned cause produced, doubtless, its full effect among the Corinthians. In common with most of their nation, they had been much employed in "seeking after wisdom;" they were great admirers of "science, falsely so called;" and strenuously attached to one or other of the several systems of philosophy, which were

taught throughout the whole of Greece with the greatest art, and enforced by the most captivating eloquence.

Thus it happened, that, among the evils which had so soon crept into the Corinthian church, the pride of learning had tempted some of them to dispute the plain doctrine of the gospel, and to despise the simple manners, the artless, unadorn ed language, of those who stood up as its advocates. This affectation of science is accordingly one of the first errors which the Apostle, in writing to the Corinthians, sets himself to discountenance and correct. He begins by informing them, that "Christ had sent him to preach the gospel-not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect." He tells them that the cross of Christ was the instrument wherein God had chosen to display his power and wisdom; and by which he designed to eclipse, to baffle, and confound, the combined learning, and eloquence, and philosophy of the world. He reminds them of Isaiah's prediction to this effect-"For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not ish the wisdom of this world? the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the

God made fool

For after that, in

Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."

In pursuance of the same design, the Apostle, in the passage before us, distinctly reminds the Corinthians, how, during his residence and ministry among them, he had purposely declined all display of human learning and cloquence, and confined himself exclusively to the great object of his apostolic mission: "And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling, And my speech and my preaching were not addressed to you in the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; to the end that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

Although the Christian priesthood, in this age, and in this land, be placed in circumstances different, in many respects, from those by which the first ministers of Christianity were surrounded; yet, our commission being in substance the same with that of the Apostles, we undoubtedly have in their maxims the best general rules for

our direction; and in their conduct the safest general models for our imitation.

Invested by you with the office of a teacher of the brethren; called to the task of instructing, for the time, those whose business it is to instruct others; I have made choice of this passage, as calculated to convey to my esteemed fathers and brethren in the ministry, and to impress upon my own heart, some invaluable lessons in reference to the duty of our office as ministers of the gospel of Christ; and I trust the consideration of the subject shall not be found altogether barren of instruction to such of our lay brethren as have met with us on this occasion.

The first important hint which the reading of this passage supplies, is the earnest and confirmed resolution with which the Apostle Paul devoted himself exclusively to the duty of his office: he determined to know nothing," to concern himself with nothing, more than the proper work of his ministry.

In this wise determination he has set an example which ought to be closely and carefully followed by every minister of the gospel. Experience sufficiently testifies the value of an undivided and zealous attention to any legitimate pursuit; and we rarely see that man attain excellence or distinction in his profession, whatever be the object of it, who does not uniformly give it all the ardour, and all the exertion, which it

calls for. But, among the pursuits and professions of mortal men, highly valuable as many of them are, there is not one that, in the estimation of a reflecting mind, can, in point of importance, bear a moment's comparison with that which belongs to the minister of Christianity. He has taken upon him the task of " declaring unto men the testimony of God." He is invested with the high character of an ambassador of Christ, and should feel the indispensable and paramount obligation of giving himself up to his embassy, and of using his utmost endeavours to fulfil his important commission. Indeed he who seriously considers the weighty trust reposed in him as a minister of the New Testament, he who habitually regards himself as called by Providence to beseech fallen, sinful men, "in Christ's stead, to be reconciled unto God," will not readily suffer any minor interest or pursuit to mar his prime object, or interfere with the sacred vocation with which he is called.

There is an aim-there is a purpose-there is a character peculiar to our profession, which we should never lose sight of,—which we should never suffer society around us to forget, which ought indeed to be broadly marked upon every part of our conduct. It would be wrong, doubtless, to affect any unnecessary singularity of deportment, or any such avoidance of ordinary society, as might savour of monastic seclusion, or spiritual pride. Such conduct seems totally