And this is nearly the whole extent of what we do discern. Indeed, when one sits down to study the New Testament with a view to ascertain what it teaches us on the subject of the ministry, one is almost startled to find so little, and that little so incidentally introduced. Looking at the vast and towering superstructure which subsequent ages have raised, and the surprising importance which Christian men, of nearly every denomination, have attached to clerical agency, it is certainly matter of wonder that the scriptural basis upon which the whole system is thought to repose, is so strikingly narrow. Modern notions respecting what we term the sacred office, and the various functions and responsibilities pertaining to it, find themselves very much, and very oppressively, alone, when wandering over the ground of inspiration. Were it possible to blot out of our minds all the views which have found an entrance there from sources which few will pretend to be sacred, and some of which do not lie above the region of depraved passions, and to take our impression from the few hints left us on record in the word of God, it is certain that very little indeed resembling in the least our present conceptions would be the result. The extremely simple ideas developed by scripture on this head, are even now, in most Churches, choked up and concealed by some portion of the debris which the turbid

current of ecclesiastical history has everywhere left behind it. It is well for us to bear this in remembrance, whenever our investigations lead us into this region—because here, more than anywhere else, the views of the Churches have been exposed to the force and sweep of human corruptions.

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Thus far, I think, we are conducted by New Testament authority-that the Churches of Jesus Christ, in order to their efficiency, are to be under government of some kind, and that such government is to be exercised over them by appointed officers. When the functions of these officers are alluded to, the expressions made use of invariably refer to the authority with which they are entrusted in regulating the movements of the body over which they preside. They are described as "over" the saints, as having the rule" over them, as "admonishing" them. They are designated indifferently, and by interchangeable terms, overseers and elders. Since to "take care of the Church of God" is the end whereto they are set apart, they must be men who "know how to rule their own houses." They are to "take the oversight of the flock," "not as being lords over God's heritage, but as ensamples." Here, then, is the prominent idea-certain individuals in each organized society of Christians, exercising over it a moral sway, guiding its movements, adjusting and maintaining order amongst its members,

helping here, admonishing there, taking good heed both of doctrine and of morals, that the machinery whereby Christ's gospel is to be presented to the world may be preserved in the highest possible state of efficiency. What I do not find in the New Testament, is, that to these elders, or overseers, to whom is given the presiding authority necessary to all human organizations, spiritual as well as secular, the work of teaching, whether in the Church or out of it, is exclusively vouchsafed. Whilst, on the one hand, Christian disciples generally are exhorted to edify one another, and, wherever the gift of teaching is bestowed, to exercise it freely, it is implied, on the other, that although aptness to teach is a desirable qualification of a bishop, or elder, it is not absolutely requisite that he should be engaged in this work; for Paul, writing to Timothy, says, "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine." Ruling, then, in the Churches, in apostolic times, was not identified exclusively with teaching, nor teaching with ruling. "Feeding the flock," a phrase employed to describe the duty of an "overseer," although it naturally includes the public ministration of the word of life, has, probably, other references equally pertinent. There can be little doubt that "oversight" usually carried with it in those times, "aptness to teach," most of the virtues

qualifying for the one, being also necessary to the other. There can be, I think, as little, that the work of tuition was not peculiar to those who had been called to presidency. Just as in our own day, a talent for debate may be set down as a high qualification of a cabinet minister, although his special office is that of administration rather than oratory—so in the first ages of the Church, it was not unnatural to point out as one qualification of the ruling power, ability to labour with acceptance and profit "in word and doctrine." I will not push this train of remark beyond my original intention. That which I wish to point out just now is that the writings of the New Testament do not authorize the conclusion that it is the prerogative, or the peculiar and exclusive duty, of any class in the Church of Christ, to communicate to others the gospel of God-nor that either the revealed will of the Lord, or the preservation of order, or the necessity of the case, sanctions the committal into the hands of him who presides over a spiritual community, of a monopoly of those instructional ministrations whereby the Church itself is to be edified, or the world converted-nor that any one thing which is now deemed to be essentially clerical, exclusively appertains to the office of bishop, or presbyter, or pastor, or minister, designate it as you may, but presidency over the body-nor that,

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in a word, the essential and distinctive idea which the sacred writings attach to the spiritual seer," is leading the devotions of a Church; preaching the word, dispensing the ordinances, visiting the sick, and engrossing all spiritual functions; but without shutting him out from a due, and, perhaps, a prominent share of these engagements, governing the Christian community, taking care that Christ's law is obeyed, and so ordering affairs, as that Christ's purpose may be accomplished. Under the regulating moral power of the Church's embodied authority, all the aptitudes, gifts, powers, and influences, of each member are to be freely exercised, in accordance with the beautiful exhortation of the apostle-" Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given us; whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering; or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation; he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness."

Striving to discard from my mind all those preconceptions with regard to the Christian ministry, the origin of which may be discovered in ecclesiastical history, and the only apparent scriptural sanction for which is obtained by confounding gospel preachers with the Jewish priest