they believed it impossible for a man to be a good catechist without it. After recommending it to pastors to explain among the youth, the Lord's prayer and the Apostles' creed, they add: "This will be abundantly more effectual, if first of all, we are careful that Jesus Christ may arise in our own hearts. The fire, with which we should then be animated, would soon stir up and warm the docile minds of children. Otherwise, that which reason alone draws from books, and is taught by other men, is no more than a human work, and will be ineffectual, till the great master, the Holy Spirit itself, becomes of the party, creating, renewing, and regenerating to a celestial and eternal life."

REFLECTIONS

Upon the second trait of the character of St. Paul.

1. THE experimental knowledge of our misery as sinners, and of our salvation, as sinners redeemed, is the portion of every believer under the Gospel. If we are destitute of this twofold knowledge, we are yet in a state of dangerous ignorance, and are denominated christians in vain for christian humility has its source in the knowledge of our corruption, as christian charity flows from a knowledge of the great salvation, which Christ has procured for us: and if these two graces are not resident in our hearts, our religion is but the shadow of christianity.

2. As there are some persons, whose physiognomy is strongly marked, and who have something peculiarly striking in the whole turn of their countenance: so there are some, the traits of whose moral character are equally striking, and whose conversion is distinguished by uncommon circumstances. Such was the apostle Paul. But a train of wonderful occurrences is by no means necessary to conversion. For example-It is not necessary, that all believers should be actually cast to the earth: or that groaning beneath the weight of their sins, and under the conviction of a twofold blindness, they should continue in prayer for three days and nights, without either eating or drinking. But it is absolutely necessary, that they should be sensible of an extreme sorrow for having offended a gracious GOD; that they should condemn themselves and their vices by an unfeigned repentance; and that confessing the depravity of their whole heart, they should abandon themselves to that sincere distress which refuses all consolation, except that which is from above. Neither is it necessary, that they should hear a voice from heaven, that they should see a light brighter than the sun, or behold, in a vision, the minister chosen to bring them cousolation in the name of the Lord Jesus. But it is absolutely necessary, that they should hear the word of God, that they should be illuminated by the Gospel, and receive directions from any messenger sent for their relief; till, placing their whole confidence in God, through a gracious Redeemer they feel a new and heavenly nature produced within them. This sincere repentance and this living faith, or, which is the same thing, this christian piety, is strictly required of every believer under the New Testament.

3. Christian piety constitutes the great difference, that is observed between true ministers and unworthy pastors. The latter preach, chiefly, either in order to obtain benefices, or to preserve them; or, perhaps, to relieve one another in the discharge of those duties, which they esteem heavy and painful. But the desire of communicating to

sinners that spiritual knowledge, which is more precious than rubies, is the grand motive for preaching with the true ministers of Gon. They publish Christ, like St. Paul, from sentiment and inclination; exposing themselves even to persecution on account of preaching the Gospel, like those faithful Evangelists, who, when commanded to teach no more in the name of Jesus, answered with equal respect and resolution; "Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye; for we cannot but speak the things, which we have seen and heard."

4. It is worthy of observation, that St. Paul supplicates not only for all public teachers, but for every private believer in the church, the highest degree of grace and christian experience. "I ccase not," saith he to the Ephesians, "to make mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him : the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know, what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance, in the saints: and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward, who believe." And the same end, which this apostle proposed to himself in his private supplications, St. John also proposed to himself in writing his public epistles—“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full." As though he had said, we write, if haply we may excite you to seek after higher degrees of faith, charity, and obedience," that being rooted and grounded in love, ye may be able tocomprehend with all saints, the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge; that ye may be filled with all the fulness of God." The attentive reader will easily perceive, that what was once the subject of St. Paul's most ardent prayer, is at this day considered, by nominal christians in general, as a proper subject for the most pointed raillery.

5. Those ministers, who are not yet furnished with christian experience, and who are not seeking after it, as the pearl of great price, held out to us in the Gospel, are not yet truly converted to the christian faith and (I repeat it after Mr. Ostervald) being destitute of christian piety, far from being in circumstances to preach the Gospel, they are not able even to comprehend it. These are they, "who having a form of godliness, deny the power thereof." And the greatest eulogium, that can be pronounced upon such characters, is that with which St. Paul honoured the unbelieving zealots of his time: "I bear them record, that they have a zeal for God;" but that zeal is unaccompanied with any true knowledge, either of man's weakness, or the Redeemer's power: "For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth."

6. Whoever has not experienced that conviction of sin, and that repentance, which is described by St. Paul in the seventh chapter of his epistle to the Romans, though, like Nicodemus, he may be a doctor in Israel, yet he shall never see the kingdom of GOD. Totally carnal, and satisfied to continue so, he neither understands nor desires that regeneration, which the Gospel proposes and insists upon. He endeavours not to fathom the sense of those important words: "Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the

kingdom of God." He considers those, who are born of the spirit as rank enthusiasts, and disdains to make any serious enquiry respecting the foundation of their hope. If his acquaintance with the letter of the scripture did not restrain him, he would tauntingly address the artless question of Nicodemus to every minister, who preaches the doctrine of regeneration-How can a man be born, when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? And unless he was withheld by a sense of politeness, he would rudely repeat to every zealous follower of St. Paul the ungracious expression of Festus-"Thou art beside thyself; much (mystic) learning doth

make thee mad."

7. On the contrary, a minister, who is distinguished by the second trait of the character of St. Paul, at the same time proportionably possesses every disposition, necessary to form an evangelical pastor: since it is not possible for christian piety to exist without the brilliant light of truth, and the burning zeal of charity. And every minister, who has this light and this love, is curiched with those two powerful resources, which enabled the first christians to act as citizens of heaven, and the first ministers as ambassadors of Christ.

TRAIT III.

HIS INTIMATE UNION WITH CHRIST BY FAITH.

"I AM come," said the good shepherd," that my sheep might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the light of the world. I am the way, the truth, and the life. I am the vine; ye are the branches." The faithful minister understands the signification of these mysterious expressions. He walks in this way, he follows this light, he embraces this truth, and enjoys this life in all its rich abundance. Constantly united to his Lord, by a humble faith, a lively hope, and an ardent charity, he is enabled to say, with St. Paul; “The love of Christ constraineth me; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they, which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him, who died for them, and rose again. We are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. Knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more; but liveth unto God: we likewise reckon ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord."

This living faith is the source, from whence all the sanctity of the christian is derived, and all the power of the true minister: it is the medium, through which that sap of grace and consolation, those streams of peace and joy, are perpetually flowing, which enrich the believing soul, and make it fruitful in every good work: or, to speak without a metaphor, from this powerful grace proceeds that love of God and man, which influences us to think and act, either as members, or as ministers, of Jesus Christ. The character of the christian is determined according to the strength or weakness of his faith. If the faith of St. Paul had been weak or wavering, his portrait would have been unworthy

of our contemplation: he would necessarily have fallen into doubt and discouragement; he might probably have sunk into sin, as St. Peter plunged into the sea; he must, sooner or later, have lost his spiritual vigour; and have made the same appearance in the church, as those ministers and christians, who are influenced by the maxims of the world. The effects of faith are still truly mysterious, though our Lord has explained them in as intelligible a manner as their nature will permit. He that abideth in me," by a living faith," and in whom I abide," by the light of my word and the power of my spirit," the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. If any man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and" being "withered, is cast into the fire and burned. Herein is my father glorified, that," united to me as the branches to the vine," ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."

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Penetrated with these great truths, and daily cleaving more firmly to his living head, the true minister expresses what the natural man cannot receive, and what few pastors of the present age are able to comprehended, though St. Paul not only experienced it in his own heart, but openly declares it in the following remarkable passage: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet, not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life, which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

TRAIT IV.

HIS EXTRAORDINARY VOCATION TO THE HOLY MINISTRY, AND IN WHAT THAT MINISTRY CHIEFLY CONSISTS.

EVERY professor of christianity is acquainted with the honour, which our Lord conferred upon the apostle Paul, in not only calling him to a participation of the christian faith, but by appointing him also to publish the everlasting Gospel. A just sense of this double honour penetrated the heart of that apostle with the most lively gratitude" [ give thanks," saith he, " to Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious. Ent I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief: and the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant in me, with faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus. Howbeit, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them, which should hereafter believe on him to everlasting life." The evangelical ministry to which St. Paul was immediately called, is in general the same, through every age enlightened by the Gospel, and consists in publishing the truth after such a manner, that the wicked may be converted, and the faithful edified. The commission which the great apostle received from Christ; contains, essentially, nothing more than the acknowledged duty of every minister of the Gospel. Leave out the miraculous appearance of our Lord; pass over the circumstance of a commission given in an extraordinary manner; substitute the word sinners for that of gentiles, and instead of Jews, read hypocritical professors; and you will perceive that, with these immaterial alterations, the commission of St. Paul is the commission of every faithful minister in the

church. Observe the tenor of it. In person, or by my ambassadors,
in a manner either extraordinary, or ordinary, "I appoint thee a
minister, and a witness of those things which thou hast seen,” or ex-
perienced," and of those things, in the which I will appear to thee;
and I will deliver thee from the hands of the people, and from the
gentiles," i. e. from the hands of hypocritical professors, and from ig-
norant sinners, " unto whom I now send thee,
to open their eyes, and
to turn them from the darkness" of error, " to the light of" truth,
"and from the power of Satan to God." i. e. from sin, which is the
image of Satan, to holiness, which is the image of God, "that they
may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them, which
are sanctified, by faith that is in me." Such was the office to which
St. Paul was appointed, more especially among the gentile nations;
and such, without doubt, is the office of every pastor, at least, within
the limits of his particular parish. As for taking the ecclesiastical
habit, reading over some pages of a liturgy, solemnizing marriages,
baptizing infants, keeping registers, and receiving stipends, these things
are merely accidental: and every minister should be able to say, with
St. Paul, Christ sent me not," principally," to baptize, but to
preach the Gospel."

It is evident from various passages in the different offices of our church, that our pions reformers were unanimously of opinion, that Christ himself appoints, and, in some sort, inspires all true pastors; that He commits the flock to their keeping, and that their principal care is the same with that of the first evangelists, namely, the conversion of souls. And truly, the same Lord, who appointed his disciples as apostles, or ocular witnesses of his resurrection, has also appointed others as pastors, or witnesses of a secondary order, and suffragans of the first evangelists. If the witnesses of a higher order were permitted to see Christ after his resurrection, those of a secondary order have felt the efficacy of his resurrection, being raised together with him, or regenerated through the reception of a lively hope, by the rising again of Christ from the dead. So that every true minister, who bears his testimony to the truths of the Gospel, whether it be from the pulpit, or before tribunals, is supported by his own particular experience of Christ's resurrection, as well as by a conviction founded upon the depositions of the first witnesses. Now this conviction, and this experience, are by means confined to the ministering servants of God; but the hearts of the faithful, in their several generations, have been influenced by them both; if it be true, that they have constantly stood prepared, to seal with their blood these two important truths, Jesus Christ died for our sins, and rose again for our justification. Millions of the laity have been called to give this last proof of their faith, and, beyond all doubt, it is abundantly more difficult to bear testimony of the truth upon a scaffold, than from a pulpit.

If St. Paul and the other apostles are considered as persons of a rank far superior to ours, they themselves cry out, "O sirs! we also are men of like passions with you." If it be said, that God inspired the apostles with all the wisdom and zeal necessary to fulfil the duties of their high vocation; it may be replied, that our churches implore for their established pastors the same wisdom and zeal, grounding such prayers upcu the authority of many plain passages of Holy Scripture. "Now unto him, that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,