the conclusion is therefore warrantably drawn, that, in the view of the Scriptures, ordaining is an employment wholly inferior in its nature and importance. Of course, the powers claimed by the bishop as peculiar to his office, are inferior to those confessedly attributed to the elder, and can, in no scriptural sense, become means of raising the former above the latter. SERMON CLI. THE MEANS OF GRAC E. EXTRAORDINARY MEANS OF GRACE. OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH. MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL. WHO ARE MINISTERS. THE ELDERS WHICH ARE AMONG YOU I EXHORT, WHO AM ALSO AN IN the preceding Discourse I mentioned it, as being in my own opinion the doctrine of the Scriptures, that there are but two kinds of permanent officers in the church of Christ. In support of this doctrine I alleged the following things (1.) The text. (2.) Acts xx. 17, 28. (3.) Philippians i. 1. ·-- (4.) The fact, that, except in this passage, no mention is made of bishops by way of address, direction, or salutation. (5.) The commission originally given to ministers of the Gospel. (6.) The fact, that the same duties are assigned to all such ministers. I shall now proceed to support the same doctrine by exhibiting at some length the manner in which ministers are spoken of in the Gospel. This very general head, which I could not conveniently make less general, I shall illustrate from the following sources:— 1. The address of Christ to his apostles, Mark x. 42, 45, with the parallel passage: Ye know, that they who are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them; but it shall not be so among you. For whosoever will be great among you shall be your minister; and whosoever will be the chiefest shall be servant of all. For the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.' The apostles, James and John, as we are informed in the context, had solicited Christ, that they might be exalted to peculiar distinction and authority in his kingdom. The other apostles were offended at this scheme of ambition on the part of their companions, as being themselves desirous of the same elevation. To repress every such feeling in them all, Christ utters the words which have been quoted. These words certainly discouraged all wishes for peculiar authority in the minds of the apostles, as ministers of Christ; and informed them, that the proper destination of the ambitious among them was the place of a servant, or minister, to the rest. In other words, Christ required them to be, and to feel themselves to be, equals; and forbade them to assume any authority over each other. The conduct which Christ required of them must, it would seem, be the proper conduct of all succeeding ministers. An absolute equality is plainly here commanded, so far as the apostles were concerned. It ought to be shown, that the case is not directly and entirely applicable to their followers in the sacred office. Let us suppose that Christ had given the converse directions. Let us suppose that he had directed James and Peter to be rulers over their brethren. Would not this fact have been pleaded, as decisive authority for the same distinction among succeeding ministers? The mere shadow of such a distinction in favour of Peter, easily shown to have no substance, has actually been relied on by the church of Rome, as a solid foundation of the high preeminence assumed by the bishop of that city over all other ministers of the Gospel. Correspondent with this address, and pointing to the same object, is the instruction given by Christ in Matt. xxiii. 6-12; while observing the conduct of the Scribes and Pharisees. Concerning these men our Saviour observes, They love greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But, (he adds,) be ye not called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ. And call no man father upon the earth for one is your Father, who is in heaven. Neither be ye called Masters: for one is your master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant: and whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.' The Scribes and Pharisees loved and sought external distinctions, uppermost rooms, chief seats in the synagogues, greetings in the markets, and titles of honour. Against this spirit, and its consequences, Christ here warns his apostles. As their only final security against the disposition, he forbids the distinctions and titles, to the acquisition of which its efforts were peculiarly directed. Succeeding ministers are certainly no less interested in being secured against this temptation, danger, and sin, than the apostles were: and what was the means of their safety must be equally necessary and equally useful to their followers. Had the assumption of these titles and distinctions been enjoined upon the apostles; the injunction would have been pleaded by succeeding ministers, as an ample warrant to themselves for assuming the same titles, and aiming at the same distinctions. To the apostles they were prohibited. Why, according to the same mode of inference, they are not prohibited to succeeding ministers, I confess myself unable to explain. 2. The fact that, wherever the officers of the church are mentioned together, no more than two classes are ever mentioned. In the former Discourse I made several observations concerning the address of the Epistle to the Philippians, which, as specified in chap. i. 1. is to all the saints that are in Philippi. with the bishops and deacons.' It will be unnecessary to add any thing here to what was then observed concerning this passage. In 1 Tim. iii. St. Paul instructs him at large in the qualifications of ecclesiastical officers; and discusses this subject in form, and more extensively than we find done in any other part of the Scriptures. But even here we find no other of ficers mentioned, beside the IσHOTOS; bishop, or overseer; and the Saxovos, deacon. Is it not strange, if there had been an intermediate officer, distinguished both from the bishop and the deacon, and known by the title of elder, that there should be here no mention of such an officer? The character and duties of an elder are on all hands acknowledged to be more important than those of a deacon. Yet these are particularly pointed out, while of those not a hint is given. It is further to be remarked, that the office and duties of an elder, as distinguished from a bishop, are nowhere exhibited to us in the New Testament. The text certainly is not such an exhibition. The elders here mentioned were plainly all such as of right, and by divine authority, exercised the office of a bishop. For this silence on a subject confessedly of serious importance to the church, it is believed no reason can be given. When certain men came down from Judea to Antioch, and distressed the Church in that city by teaching, that the Gentiles ought to be circumcised,' in order to their salvation; Paul and barnabas, with certain others, were sent up to Jerusalem unto the Apostles and Elders, about this question, And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles, and elders. And they declared all things which God had done with them. And the apostles and elders came together, for to consider of this matter.' After the deliberation was ended, we are told, that it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole Church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas. They wrote letters by them after this manner: The apostles, elders, and brethren, send greeting unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles, in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia.' See Acts xv. particularly verses 3, 4, 6, 22, 23. Concerning this interesting recital I observe, |