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demnation the earliest fathers of the church described their original condition; and how they levelled themselves to an equality with their people. Among whom," namely, such as "walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience," "we also all had our conversation in times past; in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath even as others." "We ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another "— "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ." So that they affected no kind of spiritual superiority over the meanest of their converts, but united both the shepherd and the flock in one act of confession before God; and also declared, that by the same exercise of Divine compassion both were raised from the ruins of the Fall, and to exactly the same privileges.

But Antichrist, whether Papal or Protestant, has thrown this pure discipline of the Gospel

into the wildest disorder. His ministers address their flocks, not as fellow-criminals, but as if they were far less polluted by original sin than the subjects of their instruction; and as though almost every remaining stain had been washed away by the ceremony of ordination. They magnify not their office, but their own personal importance. Whereas it is essential to a consistent and successful ministration, that teachers should fully sympathize with their disciples, as themselves partakers of the guilt and misery common to all mankind. Without this, the administration of the word and sacraments will be all but nugatory-or rather the ministration of death; for how can they save the souls of others, who are strangers to their own depravity; and, of course, ignorant of the great salvation!

Again the modern minister of the Gospel appears too often to forget, that the great object of his mission is quite distinct from the accidental circumstances attendant on his connection with a specific church; since, whatever those may be, he is under a primary and independent obligation to preach a doctrine which existed before the formation, and will survive the destruction, of any church whatever. If this be not remembered, he will sink into the

abject character of a sectarian; content himself with swelling the list of his partisans; and value the pulpit of the cathedral, or conventicle, as a candidate at a contested election values the mob and the hustings.

In this relation, every selfish, however popular, preacher is a favourite with Antichrist. It is the aim of that unblessed spirit, to draw men's attention from the essentials of the faith once delivered to the saints, to a zeal for what is not faith, and which belongs only to the kingdom of darkness. Jesus Christ commissions his servants to execute the nobler work of saving the souls of men. "I send thee," said the Head of the church, "to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." Such was the commission given to one of his primitive disciples; and it remains in full force to the present hour. But is it possible, that the successors of St. Paul can doubt that, after immediate inspiration has for nearly eighteen centuries been withheld from the universal church, we, who minister in these last times, are as fallible as the laity whom we instruct?

Alas! it is too possible-it is probable—it is certain, that some among us are buried in such depths of ignorance, as never to question, whether they do indeed preach to a sinful and dying world, what the same Apostle emphatitically calls the unsearchable riches of Christ. If this phrase were not found in our authorized translation of the Scriptures, but in some contemporary writer-accused by an infidel world of enthusiasm-one might readily imagine the contempt it would occasion. But let this pass! Our whole inquiry may awaken a similar feeling. All men, and, beyond the rest, false teachers of any denomination, will despise -or hide their fear and stifle their convictions by affecting to despise-whatever tends to selfexamination. It is the faithful instructor who is willing to discover his imperfections*; who

* When a minister, deeply impressed with the important difficulty of his work, looks into his own heart, to explore the resources with which he is furnished for so difficult a service; there, alas! he meets with little that does not serve to increase his sense of weakness, and to confirm his fears. For it must be remembered, that he is a man of like passions with his flock, inheriting a body of corruption; that he is, perhaps, deficient in ability, perhaps unfortunate in the natural constitution of his mind; that, at all events, he has to struggle with infirmities, is exposed to temptations, has more to accomplish than others, as well as greater difficulties to surmount; and that, whilst more will be expected from him, in himself he may have no resources above those of any of his congregation.'-Sermons, by the Rev. John Venn. i. 9.

anticipates the admonitions of another, and exclaims, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” He

is the man also who will warn his own flock not to take from his lips their religion upon trust; but to search the Scriptures daily, whether those things are So. He regards himself quite as much a learner as the congregation; dependent upon the same Giver and means of grace; and, if saved at last, entering the same gate of heaven, as the most insignificant of those around him.

Besides this, a really learned minister of God's word is aware of the variations of his own mind; as increase of scriptural knowledge and of selfacquaintance, and a more familiar observation of mankind, correct and enlarge his opinions. The learning of the ignorant is, as it were, printed in stereotype-the last edition of their minds is exactly the same with the foregoing

one.

If the author's language on such a subject be resented as offensive, he may find shelter under authorities which the world has long received, without murmuring at their dictates. Paley, for example, insists upon the absurdity of looking for any thing like the general diffusion of theological erudition over a national