Let this department of their duty, then, be impressed on the rising ministry. Let them know that, besides their special relation to the respective Churches, they and their Churches sustain a universal relation-that the Gospel they preach embraces in its reach and sweep the universe and eternity —that the pulpit they occupy stands as the representative of the cross, in the centre of the universe-that there are lines of relationship connecting it with every object and event within that vast circumference-that they are placed in that central position to watch and report to their people the progress of events, to impress on them the dignity and responsibility of their character as the agents of "him for whom are all things, and by whom all things consist ❞—and thus to induce them, as their highest honour and happiness, to fall in with that vast procession, including all orders and all worlds, which even now is moving on to the one appointed spot, where all the diadems of the universe shall be cast at the feet of Him on whose head already are many crowns.

In the same way, let them be trained to an enlightened confidence in the Divine sufficiency of the Gospel they are called to preach. The foundation of this confidence, indeed, must be laid in their own personal experience of its converting and sanctifying power. Thus divinely prepared to "hope all things" great and good from the Gospel, let them be taken to that loftiest point of moral elevation attainable on earth -the cross of Christ-let them there see that God has only, can only have, one design concerning all around, a design of mercy-that He has only one instrument with which to fulfil that design, the Gospel of Christ-so that if any other science or agency is useful, it can only be by becoming related to that instrument, and subordinate to it. Inspired with such a conviction, they will not be ashamed of the Gospel, but will so preach it as to become mighty, through God, in asserting its transcendent claims, and hastening its ultimate triumphs.

If, again, a ministry, to be efficient, must be calculated to develop and draw out the resources of the Christian Church

into benevolent activity, let there be a readiness on the part of the people to respond to that endeavour. If the minister, as the priest of the Christian temple, is to be a man of one object, it follows that the church of which he is the pastor is to be characterized by the same singleness of purpose. Where is the propriety of a minister devoted to one object, in a church devoted to no object, or distracted by the opposing claims of God and of the world? The obligations on the minister and the people are reciprocal. They can never consistently complain of his inactivity without meaning to say, "We ourselves are impatient to give more, pray more, labour more for God." They can never ask for a better leader, without implying their readiness to be better followers. He alone is not the Church; and it is by the Church that the world is to be instrumentally converted. His preaching alone is not to effect it; but his preaching, illustrated by their holy living, and followed up and enforced by their prayers and self-denying efforts. Let him feel that, as a leader, he has to direct rather than to stimulate-that, fast as he may advance, they are close at his heels-and they will not have to complain of the slowness of his movements. As a man of God, let him find that he has little to do in the way of "reproof and correction," and they will most likely find that he is not wanting in "doctrine and instruction in righteousness"-in any of the purposes of the Christian ministry.

And if the influence of the Spirit be, above all things, essential to ministerial success, remember that it is promised unconditionally to prayer. Not many months ago, a letter appeared in many of the religious periodicals, calling on the Churches, if I remember aright, to assemble at stated times for united prayer in behalf of our theological students and rising ministry. Meetings of this kind exist already in America; let us hope to see the practice obtain here. Let not the Churches pretend to deplore the comparative inefficiency of the Christian ministry, if they themselves never apply to the great Source of all efficiency in its

behalf. If the weekly meeting for devotion be but scantily attended-and if, even then, the Christian ministry is forgotten, or but coldly glanced at, let them not wonder at its weakness. On the other hand, never can a minister hear the earnest entreaty of his people for an effusion of the Spirit on his work, without asking a double portion of the Spirit for them. Never could our theological students reflect that the Churches were wrestling in prayer on their behalf, without feeling as if they were already passing through the solemn service of their ordination-as if they were publicly kneeling before God, with the hand of the entire Church placed on their head-while all the members of the Church were imploring the Spirit, as with the voice of one man, to descend and anoint them to their office. And if they felt thus, simply from knowing that they were the objects of your deep and abiding solicitude at the throne of grace, what would they feel in answer to your prayer? They would receive the Spirit himself-feel that their sufficiency was entirely of God-and such would be the effect of their ministrations, that with the apostle they would be able exultingly to exclaim, "Now, thanks be unto God, who always causeth us to triumph in every place!"

Christian friends, I close with the remark with which I began--if the ultimate design of Christ in the institution of a Church be the conversion of the world-and if the preaching of the Gospel be the chief instrument by which the Church is to answer that end-how important to determine the characteristics of the most efficient ministry, and the way in which the Church may obtain it! This, I have very briefly, and, I am aware, very imperfectly, attempted to do. One thing I trust, however, is sufficiently apparent, that the influence of the ministry and of the Church is reciprocal-and that the object they are each to aim at is identical-that influence, how important! that object, how unspeakably great! And who is sufficient for these things? Upon us the ends of the world are come; and rapidly do

the scenes, the last scenes of the mighty drama thicken and hasten to a close. To us, as belonging to the Church of Christ, the sinful, helpless, and perishing world, "the whole creation, groaning and travailing in pain together until now," is looking in earnest expectation of approaching relief. On us the eyes of the universe are turned, expecting from us, at this momentous crisis, unwonted fidelity to Christ-entire consecration to His cause. But more and most of all-the Master-the Saviour-He who loved us and gave himself for us-expects it at our hands. Shall He be disappointed? Churches of Christ, do you in your capacity act as those whom He hath purchased with His own blood-we, in our capacity, as men of God, will aim to live for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ-and together we will see which, in the strength of God, can be most thoroughly furnished for His service, and press nearest to perfection in it—which can serve Him most efficiently on earth, and contribute most amply to His glory in heaven. Everything else is loss-this, this is infinite and eternal gain.

SERMON XII.

THE IMPORTANCE OF AN EDUCATED MINISTRY.

TITUS i. 9—“Holding fast the faithful word, as he hath been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers."

A Discourse

DELIVERED ON THE OCCASION OF THE OPENING OF THE LANCASHIRE INDEPENDENT COLLEGE, MANCHESTER, AT THE PREPARATORY SERVICE, ON THE 25TH OF APRIL, 1843.

IN continuation of this morning's service, the course most grateful to my own feelings, Christian friends, would be to select some doctrinal subject, corresponding with those to which your attention has been already directed, and to carry it out to a practical application. But in this I must deny myself. The nature of the occasion which has assembled us

-the growing claims of the rising ministry—and the comparative slowness of the Christian Church to meet those claims—remind me that the time has not yet come when a fitting opportunity for advocating an educated ministry can be wisely allowed to pass by unimproved. Such an opportunity is the present. In order to improve it, let me invite your attention to that portion of the word of God which you will find in the first chapter of the Epistle of Paul to Titus, the ninth verse-"Holding fast the faithful word, as he hath been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." This, according to the apostle, is a part of the qualification and of the duty of a Christian bishop. Instead, however, of strictly confining myself to an exposition of the letter of the text, let me rather