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D Additional comments;/ Commentaires suppldmentaires: I This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmi au taiix de reduction indiqui ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X i 1 J j j 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X J 32X WM/mr, The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: The Nova Scotia Legislative library L'exemplaire film* fut reproduit grAce it la gAn6roslt6 de: The Nova Scotia Legislative Librar/ The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in ll|P"i"^"^W'" ..^ THK AUTHOEITY AND TBANSMISSION OF THK MINISTRY IN CHRIST S CHURCH, WITH SOME OP THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR ITS DUE DISCHARGE. A SERMON, PREACHED AT AN ORDINATION IN ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, On the 19th March, 1848, BY THE REV. THOS. C. LEAVER. u> IpUBWSHB© at THH EBQUB9T OF THB CAHBMI'ATRS.I PRINTED BY WILLIAMIGCSSIP, HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTMli 1848, N^*"ipi*IP t ,| 1 ^^P-V 1 \ii SX.7 Of ?^^>1 tions ^immmm mm^f 1 i SERMON. St. Matthbw, Chap. 28, v. 18, 20, And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all power is given unt9 Ma in Heaven and in Earth, Go ye and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded yon ; and lo, I 1 am with you alway even unto the end of the world. — Amen. THE great ato fered up, the pro deemer had coaiv the t " (ust for tL having burst the b He should be ^"^»...s... -'^ grave, " declared to be ^r,cm for the pinsof *be world had been of- a in T'Men '-ad been fulfilled, the * " Re- '«?■*■, ' 1- < ] id His sacred head and died, that ^ -light bring us to God." And 'eath, . ..js-^ t " it was not possible that ^r \ < Vi in triumphant Majesty from the B »bc-i ji ood with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resun-ecdoii fi'om the dead," He proceeded, «re He ascended up on high, to give to His Apostles their last and highest commission to preach His Gospel, and to plant His Church. Having bidden them ^ " kito Galilee, wh«re they shoixld see Him," He " came and spake unto tliom, saying, " All power is ^venunto Me in Heaven and in Earth, Go ye and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the ''ather and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost ; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the wortd." Here we may perceive the aufiiority of that Divine Bedeemer, who gave this Commission, " All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in Eartk He who, in His human nature, had suffered for our sins, was, in that same nature,§ " exalted! by the right hand of God, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance unto Israel and re- mission of sins." That which the inspired Apostles elsewhere pro- claim, under a variety of images, is here oomprehensively stated in the simple, but infinitely majestic declaration, " All power is given unto Me in Heaven Mid in Earth." And as all power thus was His, so He conunisMoned His Apostles to be His Ambassadors on earth, to go and teach, or, as the word should be rendered, " disciple" all na- tions ; to extend the blessings of His Church and holy ordinances * Isaiah lix. 20. § Acts V. 31. 1 1 Peter iii. la I Acts II. 24. a^kai ■«*t«4iv-. "T I X /' throughout the world ; and llt,..ddccl the proniLso of His cootinnod DretnTLf ^""^*^'^''*^'^'/^^'"^°'^' >* ^»1 l,« Proper. on the of Z (^'7 '^'S'^'^"' ^ ''^''''^' *'^'-«*' t« t^'« nature and authority haHte wh^r ^h"''!?^' '^";J ^'^'^'^^y- *^ *^« quUifications and into^vmrt n^^^'f ^ Bmne Gi^ce. enable those 4o ai^ admitted i v«nTlf 1 .'Y"'*,^'"^'*^' *^ ^^^'^--fi^ it« f^^ties with fidel- ity and usefulness, to the glory of God and the benefit of men. And M^^^^'^nr ,*^"*n.?'' ^''^ ^'' established a permanent M mstry m His Church. The Gospel was to be preached on eTrth not by angels, not by heavenly instruments, but by me^ • it wL t^ be' r^l^lt " 1 T "^ '"'"• *^'' ■♦■ " *""«^'^« ^'^^ committed to earth- 1 Zl^^^' -T*^ *^'?,u''^'' ^ P"*^'^ *« ^h^''- fellow-creatures the un- HrChur^h 1 1 .?"n- ^ '^!"'^"'«**^^ His ordinances and to govern end of thetorld^' ' '''"' ^"''^*"*^"" ^'''^ *" ^"""""« " ^^^ ^^^^ «iit^TouV'^'r„*^rvl^''"'^"^'"^^ "^*'^'^^' "" ^«^^^«" of miraculous iS rri r^ .^ necessary, to attest the time Ministers of Christ on^rtf f^ ^I?.!vi f ^•P''™"T\t^^^^ ^^♦^"^♦l ^ established on earth, to which that Ministry should be ennusted, and from which Its outward arpointmonts should be derived mr«t l^ r f ^' ""^''^ ^n*^ ^« eo-extensivc with earth's re- motest bounds, and c(H)qual with the world's duration. "Go ve n?l.i r } . "^"^ ""^^^^ "^*"^« «f *l^«t authority other pas>sages tI!^?^'/^*^ ^"?r.r- ^*^"«' i'^ *he Twentieth Chaptered smdi^o His.Apostles, "As my Father hath sent Me, even so send I rL.^ A ^Pf S^ afterwards reminded those whom they ad- dres^d, of this .acred Office which Christ had entrusted to them _ L^.oh """^ r ^'"^^^^dors for Christ' " they said, ' ' as though God did Wch you by us, we pray you in Chris's stead be ye reconciled unto n.PjJ'w-'"' I^^^^^^on^n^tf'^d to His Apostles the outward and visible tCthn^n- -Ti "^''' \^\^ ^^ '^''' ^^ ^«™g' ^'^d He promised that the spmtual grace which they ever needed to enable them to ftilfil that high and sacred duty should never be wanting, that He would be manifest, that the Mmistry wh /^h our Lord thus instituted was to be pennanent and abiding ; and as it is scarcely necessarv to observe that It could not be thus continued in the persons of the Apostles, who in a few years finisheti their course and duties on earth; so it follows that Its continuance must be in those to whom the Apostles committed It, ere their removal from this earthly scene. And thus far it is * ^ Coriii. v. 7. t '2 Corin. iv, 7. t 2 Cor. v ch. 20 y. rA'?iiii*:*i!»l#'t--aaff"^se*ij!i^;i f^. I i of His continued nd sacred duty thus a be proper, on the iture and authority qu Uifications and who are admitted ts duticH with fidel- lefit of men. And ished a permanent )reached on earth, men ; it was to be, il thus its ministers committed to earth- 1 -creatures the un- nces and to govern ntinue " until the sion of miraculous Vlinlsters of Christ uld be established 1, and from which our Bleased Lord a spiritual com- ! with earth's ro- ation. " Go ye, ray even unto the •ity other passages eth Chapter and ttd, that oui- Lord s, even so send I B whom they ad asted to them. — is though God did ^e reconciled unto ward and visible nd He promised ble them to fulfil fiat He would be It is therefore tuted was to be v to observe that ipostles, who in 1, so it follows, ostles conmiitted thus far, it is r. V (.11. 20 V. |trubtud, that all, who with a single and teachable spirit receive tiie lioly word of Gotl w'll readily acquiesce, that a gift here was given, which lould not be lot.,,, Iwing 8ecured« the power of <'raauuug Mm .^ . . • uml 6 J ^( ordained. TVlhuHtrv existb)? wndtantly in three t« partake with tliem of that high oih^e. ^^ knd if we examine ^^^.^^^ ^,,^^1^^^^^^ ; so that Scripture wu« closed, ve tind ^he bame unvar^^^ g j^ ^^ _ Mhiistry. , ^„rinff our Lord's own Ministry on Wiien therefore, we find, that dunng «^^^"[ g ^ ^^^ ^ earth. He appointed the Apostles, ^J^^-J^^^^ ^ZZo^il.: or- whom He ga-.e not t^^^postohc Office j^ndti^^^^^ thorplanted. dained Prcoyt^rs and Deacons m f^J^S^Vm appointed others but gave not to them the power of ordaming. 'J^^H ^ ^^. withWer '^^^^^-i*y^^^*^-;'^^*^l\iVfoveln^h^ Srch ; when, powering them to ordain elders, and ^ g«vem t^e , ^._ Si short^e find, that thei^ is ^«*' V^^^.'^^/i^'S JS^^^^ to ordain rection or permission, ioi\^oBei^or^ioxdevm^^^^^^^ other Minift^rs, nor one single "l^^^^^f.^^T^r^er^s thlt thei^ selves ulone; ^^'^^'\^^t^"Z.1tTovd^o{ Ministers in ^r lr;;/";i ten^rwtbS^'toS^^^^^^^^ cliversity of Se Apostolic Office will "^^--^'S^^^^^^ the Church And as an additionul proof ^1"^^ ^^^f ^^g^^^^ ^e tind that many was not Innited to the first Av?^^^'^^,,"^.^^^^^ Andronicus and others in Scripture .'^^^^F^f ^ f^ FaS^^^ others. Junias, Timothy joined with Sa^« ^^^^^^^^^^^ ,^,,essive ordin- And that office was preserved ^^^^ con*mued^or .^ ^^ ations and impositions of hands, iron those wno •■ — -"" " ' " „ Q. Tj„ ,!'« lat Knistle to Timothy, In * The passage in the .ith Chapter o ft Paal* m^P ^^. ^i^j^h was which he exhorts him ' not to neglect the gift tjL^wa Presbytery," Svcn him by prophecy with tt^^'^^y/P^.^ce of ordination to the Ministi-y b:^ has been sometimes advanced, as an in''tanteo « ^^^^^ "Presbytery" the second order. But >if >^es »mt f e "i^amn^ untenable by St. Paul's dc- is exceedingly doubtful, the argument '? jcnaer ^^^ j^^ says ex- daration in the first Chapter ot his 2a *.pibuo I , .^^g ^^^ f j,,j, pressly that the gift tlmt was in J i™«tf ;. ^j^^ch is in thee, by the putting on hitnds." " Stir up the gift of God "'^.f^>°.'.J'„'' ..pressly mark that the gift of my hands." Here the different prepoMt on sc^^^^^^^ ^. ,^.^ imparted to Timothy f "^^JXp lavinron of lie hand* of the rro,^hytcry, I mm ))y our Blessed Lord, that Ho would Ik* with His Apostles always, even unto tlic end of the world, Ims heon to our day fulfilled, and doubtlor,,^ will bo to the end of time. And this pt^riKituation of the Minintry, by iiiiinteinipted succession, is most promotive of due oraer and regidarity, and most conaonai :t to right reason. And ye^ how often do we find that this iin|)ortant principle in the Christian Ministry is not only disregarded, but stren- viously opposed, by many who profess and call theniselves Christians. Let us hope that a better appreciation .>f its value may ere long obtain. And in order to this, we would refjuest your atttmtion to the cir- cuTOsloncc, that those bodies of Christians who generally oppose the doctv'iie of succession in the Ministry, yet find it necessary, with but few exceptions, to at., upon the same principle in t^ffect, though li- mited and defective in extent in thtur own religious organizations. For 3ven those Ixxlies who have separated from the (^hureb, do not, at least with very few exceptions, acknowledge any as their Ministers excent such as have been ordained by other Ministers of their body, and these again by Ministers precedinj^ them. And thi^ is precisely tne principle of succession in the > >try , with the ex- ception, that this succession does not extend un he Apostles, but centres in some eminent individual, who was the !ounder of their pe- culiar organization, either in the Sixteenth Century or at some sub- sequent period. But if ministtrial succepsio*- be right and proper now, it was e(|ually so then ; if it bo not lawf-Vl for any man " to take this office and authority upon him" now, " except he be called of God as was Aaron," neither v/as it lawful at any former period. Some indeed claim succession from, the times of the Apostles through the stcond order of the Ministry, to whom however, as we have al- ready pointed out, the power of ordination was never gi"en, and by whom there is no proof of its ever having been exercised, either in the age of the Apostles, or i.he age? that immediately succeeded them. But, Brethren, with what post^iblo consistency can those who are obliged to act upon the principle of succession in the Ministry now, and those who endeavour to claim it through a subordinate channel, attempt to oppose, or even rashly to deride the truth of an uninter- rupted succession of the Ministry in the Church, from the Apos^ ties, through the highest order, which the Churcii of Christ has ever held, at all periods of her history, and in all places of her sojouraupon cai-th ? Tk't this succession in the Ministry has always been p'-iserved is abundantly evident ; for not only have ancient auJiors preserved the very names of those who succeeded the Apostles in the principal Bishoprics, so that every Bishop in om* CV.ufch may trace the trans- mission of his office from some or other of the Apostles ; but more- over, the same testimony of the Church which assures us that the Scriptures which we now possess are the f une Holy Scriptures given to the Church from the beginning, and transmitted down to us, assures us also that the Ministry in the Church has leen always transmitted through its highest order, each Bisiiop having been ordained by thnse < I |€»*** ,»»"■ .> ^ !> \'^ Thnrp is the same testimony 'and the t?So'J*^>t^S*''" •-" ^- *= -e,.«, of the and orddning and sendmg forth .te M^te'"- „^„,, j^^ And ^-^'y. -npSoSceS^IWstry. which our Lord lLffi:':dwrwtrt:pro».iBed.o he oven tn..o the end of nrie oajsthat JJin^^^r ^ dT^^utrt "^ Others by addition. It ^f ^,f ^"X^d the Ministry to the second bodies of Christians who ^^^^^T Alt^^^ and this have depart- order, which was subordinate ^ ^^^^P^'*^^ promised his con- ed from that ^^^%''^:J^'l:T^.T^>L, th'at many of those tinned presene^. And ^^b sad re^ ^^^ ^^^^ the Gospel, bodies, have lost, to a very S!,!;^ . . ,i^ divinity and Atone- that the cardinal doctrmes of ^^^^^^ ^f y;,^^^^^^^ and sacrificial death of our T;f^- ^ ^^ children of those who Thus it has been with very "lany ot J^^^^ , ^ estabUshed migrated to this Western Wor d, and in ^^ .\| ^.^n to a great their peculiar religious org Wions; and ^^^^^^^^^ SwitzerLd, extent also, in those Countnes of Miope, iru-many where those organizations first had ^^^^ oi^n- -^ ^^ieh And when, on the other hand, we «,™' "'^^ ^^^^^ addition the Apostohc Ministiy has been ^^^J^^^^^^^ jS^^^^^^ «"* theret^, by imposing upon it an ^f^^^X? T^^^^^ ^i^h of the absolute over all, what ha. ^«/" J^^^ed by a m^^^^^^^ of errors Gospel has been corrupted and o^'^^—^"^^^^^^ through faith in and%erstitions, the SJ-io^ ^^^iftvl^* has been imposed Christ, has been obscured, and a spuritual siaveiy ui3on the minds an.i «;"»f ,"f,"^;";.ed to be the desFtiBm of reli- Thus, unauthorized addition nas prov ^d ^o^ ^^T^^^ehy, and gion ; as unauthorized dmuvation has been proauc j^^^ ^^ fossof someof ^^^^^^f''\^'^fl^,^^^^^^ has been enabled to learn the value of ^^^t Apos^^c i ii^ J ^^^ ^^d Slf ^^^t^ ^^"^^^ ^- -* """^^ "Shave we endeavoured to -'If '- r? to tr^S.^fi- in But is it to be supposed from hence that we deeru all those who have unhappily lost, or wandered from the Apostolic Ministry, out of the reach of God's mercy and salvation through Jesus Christ ? Not so. Brethren ; we deem indeed the Apostolic office essential to the exist- once of a riglitly-constituted Church, so that we are obliged to say with ancient writers, that * " without a Bishop there is no Church named;" yet we do not deem it essential to salvation in those who have, through error and not through wilful siu, departed from this ordinance of Christ ; and we believe that there will be many, whose penitence and faith and piety will be accepted through our Saviour, although they may unwittingly have added to, or diminished the Min- jetry appointed in Christ's Church. Still, it is the duty of all who are Members of the Church of Eng- land, to guard and cherish with the most earnest cart and watchful- ness that inestimable deposit which Providence has committed to her, of the Apostolic Ministry in its purest form ; for the time may come, and we believe it will come, when the tendency to superstition on the one hand and to division on the other, shall have passed away from the minds of men ; tliat it will be found to be of inestimable value that there is still abiding in the Church of England imcorrupted and uninjured, the Office and Ministry which our Lord gave to His Apos- tles, and with which He promised to be even unto the end of the world. Having thus endeavoured to point out to you, from a deep convic- tion of its great importance, the authority and continuance of the Ap^tolic Ministry in the Church, we proceed in the second place, to advert to some of the qualifications necessary to those, who desire to be admitted t© any part of the arduous and sacred duties of the Min- istry. The call to the Ministerial Office is twofold, the one inward, by tlifi secret operation of the Holy Spirit upon the hearts of men, the other out w.ird by their being ordained, and receiving a Commission and Authority, to exercise the office of the Ministry, from those to whom the power to impan it has been committed by our Lord and His Apostles. Of the latter, having already discoursed at large, we shall only now a«id, that even if we set aside for a moment all the proofe which substantiate the succession of the Ministry in its various orders from the Apostles ; such succession is evidently the doctrine of our Church, which in the preface to the Service for the Ordination of Deacons de- clares, that " it is evident unto all men diligently reading the Holy Scripture and ancient authors, that from the Apostles' times there have been these three orders of Ministers in Christ's Church, Bish- ops, Priests and Deacons." And that this is also held by the Church to he of Divine Institu- tion, is farther manifest from these words in one of the prayers for the Ordination of Priests, " Almighty Grod, giver of all good things who * " Nulla FA'clcsia sine Episcopo," ia stated to have been a maxim through- out th« Primitivo Church. \. ^^ 10 ],v Thv Holy Spirit ha«t appointed divers Orders of Ministers _in ^e cCcrSifully behold these Thy ser^'ants now called to the Of- own soulB, inclining jo^^t^ ^.«^f ^ Hot soleS^^i infinitely im- ff=.t™S:s r;s\srf «rL.e o^ oca ^ ""XaTpJoceeding to point out some of the quaMctiom necessary propriate topic for the remaining J^^^f ^^^'J^^'ther^^ the doc- thrisiian Minister must take heed, first to ti™f^^' ^X^ll >ii<. exer- ^nTwhich he preaches, and finally to the great end of all his exer £ns.tS he ly both save himself and f em ^hat hear lum^ And first the Vstle says, " take heed to %f [> .^/^f ^' ^'er? -cr^nis^i^ttraita^r^^^^^^^^^ reminded them also that they were the light ot the worm, that " a city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. And it is abundantly confirmed as are indeed all prts ot miy Scripture, by the very nature of the case ^^^f^^^^ ?^. rience. For, can he, who has never fex ^ h s o^ P ^,^ folnessand weakness of the heait, "^^^i^^^'Sed ^ ^^^^n from mercy and God's grace, who has never ^<^^^ .^^'^^^^^.^Hn^ to worliiness and siS, and in deep repentance and faith to seek ana * St. Matthew v., 13, 14. '.■Si«~ I 11 receive God's mercy through Christ, and the grace of tlie Spirit to renew and purify his heart, can he, who lias never himself sought these blessings, adequately and sincerely warn others of the gi-eat guilt and danger of sin, or earnestly lead them to God through Christ ? Nay, my Brethren, he may coldly and statedly declare the words of salvation, and its general doctrines, but the life and spirit that should animate his exhortations will be wanting, and thus they will be a task and labour to himself, and will frequently fail of making any impres- sion on his hearers. And may we not say, that one of the great objects of oui- Lord \... committing the Gospel to men, to proclaim to their fellow-men, is, that the deep feeUng of their own sinfulness and weakness, and need of God's grace to purify and to renew them, may enable them to speak with personal knowledge, with sympathetic feeling, and with unwearied Ccunestuess to the dying men around them, that they also may receive " part of this grace wherein themselves do stand." But if this spiritual life be wajiting in the heart of the ambassador, the earnestness, the sympathy, the love for liis fellow-creatures which should actuate his efforts, will be waiiting also. And we may see this (principle) constantly verified in earth.y matter i How often is it found that any person who is himself in earnest m any thing which he advocates, succeeds in imparting, soon- er or later, a part of his own convictions to those whom ho addresses ; they perceive that he is in earnest, they are thus led to consider more attentively the subjects which he pi-esents to them, and are often in- duced to regard them with favor and to accede to them. And although in the reception of the truths of religion the power is of God, yet one of the great means which He employs is the efforts and exertions of His ministering servants. The life of religion in the soul is therefore the great qualification of the Christian Minister. And this Divine principle of spiritual life can only be obtained from the Lord and Giver of life. To obtain it, beloved Brethren, you must be men of prayer, of watchfulness, of meditation ; your life must be hid with Christ in God. You must draw nigh to Kim who *' seeth in secret, and who will reward you openly." The blessing of Divine gi'ace is to be obtained for the sincere asking of it, for * God " giveth His Holy Spirit to them that ask Him." Thus you mast bo daily in the invisible Sanctuary, in the special presence of God by prayer ; in order that you may rightly minister in His visible sanc- tuary on earth. You must go f'into the Holiest, by the blood of Jesus," and draw nigh to Him who hath promised to draw nigh to you. Your neart must be an altar from which the daily sacrifice of prayer, for God's mercy to pardon, and God's gi-aee to strengthen and renew you, must be offered up. We trast. Brethren, that this has been your practice hitherto, and that the grace of God is now abiding in your hearts and drawing you to His service. But permit me to remhid you that the same earnest- ness of supplication, and communion of heart ith God tlnough Christ, ^. * Luke XI. 13. t Hebrew." X. 10 ?■ i' i .'^ ^^i^^iat^ijtim mhaiiliiifate .-*««* 12 ♦« Trnnv rptainino the gracious influences of the Holy IS ^ef «««J7.^^y^7;^ ;tS^2 that ^ there are no independent graees ?Pr^ • ffluv '' nonl wh^h do not require the coutinuance of pray- in Christianity none wmcn ^^J.^^^^ ^^ p:^,^ ^ secure their er, of communion with Woo, ^"^ VJ Apostle could say '"'; rr- t^^eW i "ustCnecessary for all ft. Minister, of Chr»t U, Lek throaghoa your nes fto "e™g m ^„ Spirit. Take an .lta»»" f^ ^Vfe^to Ke»s mankind with comae of a river, which ">,='* J^'"*??»°^ in its appointed it, refreshing strean, and "^IJ-^^^^l^^f^tpar tS most vSuable -^Jpose for a — Uhj^*t"tZ,T tt l^hf t;*^ "^ and communion with God '^jf jf, ^•i^'^x .. ^ well or fountain, of place in the hearts of those who seek Him t J ^^^^^J ^ ^^ V • ^„+ov " wliioh the Evangehst mtorms ue, I tie Hpais.c, ^J,. 'Tnd there is indeed a danger that the veiy famili^ty with^cred things whichnecessarily belongs t^f ^^f.^^f^^^^^^^^^^ weaken the feeling of deep solemnity and ^«Jf ^««;« ^^ ^^.^^ ^^l should ever be accompaaiied in the mind. J^^™^^;;^ j^ ^„,e of the Minister to communicate to others 1^ "^^^^^J,^ goul. measure forget to be equally necessary m al its F^sjo ^^^ Against tliis and all other dangers nought can |Ff f^^^""™^. ^„ova- fofstant wat^hfuhiess, meditation aud P^ ..f^yX^ g^^^^^^^ tion unto holhioss must go on sieadily withm him ny i^ivi g At * 1 Cor. IX. 27. t John IV, 10. &V11.38 \ Ephcs. IV. l'.» ^Mffmn^M^usmsm^^ u order that he may be guarded against the various dangeis to which ht is exposed. Be then, Brethren, men of prayer ; cultivate the habit of retirement from earthly things, that you may be with Godt that you may be in the ante-chamber of H(iaven by communing with God through Christ ; from whence you will come forth refreshed and strengthened, enabled to overcome all dangers, and to run your course with joy and faithfulness. And next, to the taking heed to himself and watching over his own soul, the Minister of Christ must " take heed to the doctrine" which he proclaims. In order that he may do this, it is evident that he must be diligent in study, that he must constantly gather fresh know- ledge in sacred learning. For not only is it requisite that his dis- courses be adapted to the different spiritual conditions of the individ- uals whom he addresses ; but so various are the duties incumbent upon Christiars,, so different ti.e circumstances in which they may be placed, so great on the one hand the advances they may make in piety and holiness, and on the other so numerous the errors into which they may fell, that the Christian Minister who does not diligently study may_ indeed declare the general truths of Christianity, but he will be gieatly wanting in their applicability to the spiritual necessities of his hearers. His will be a distant light, which shines indeed, but not with sufficient brightness and nearness to guide the pilgiim through all the deep dark vallies by which his journey lies, and to lead him to all those heights of holmess and piety to which he may attain. Continuance therefore in sacred studies is a necessary i:-lement of Ministerial usefulness. Thus St. Paul admonishes Timothy to " give attendance to reading, U) exhortation, to doctrine," and thus a greater than St. Paul saith, " Every Scribe who is instructed unto the King- dom of Heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, whidi bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old ;" old, it may be, in their principles, and new in the application of them to the va- rying w^ants and circumstances of men. So Brethren, should be your endeavours, that while you adapt your instructions to the circumstances of those whom you address, " rightly dividing the word of truth," yet that all your words should be based upon the old and abiding principles of Christ's religion, as promised to the patriarchs, typified in the law, and fully completed and given in the Gospel. Those principles alone can fully meet the wants and necessities of human beings, and they are admirably adapted, and through Divine grace, infinitely powerful, to relieve those necessities, and supply those wants. They are fully set before us in the foi-mularies of our Church, and may be thus briefly recapitulated ; — That man in his own heart is sinful and fallen fi-om God and holiness ; that there is within his very nature a taint of evil, derived from his first parents, not by imputation, but by actual transmission ; that he is thus very " far gone from ori^nal righteousness," that he loves the things of the world and of sin, and not the pure and Holy Commandments of God, and tlms is a rebel against the Almighty and liable to tk? ust acntoncc il^ V '^ v.. I :i4 14 of otornul condouiMation ; but that to savo him from his sins, God, in His iuliiiite mercy Imth sent His only-begotten Son, who by His death iipon the Ci-088, once for all, " hath made a full, perfect and sufRci- ent sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world," and rising from the dead, hath ascended unto the right hand of Gwl, and hath sent from thence the Holy Spirit of God to renew and purify the heart of every soul of man who will receive and cherish His grace and obey His godly motions within him. And also, that the pledges of these blessings arc given to us, even in the commencement of our livos, by that Holy ordinance by which our Lord, in the words of our text, comnmnded His disciples to admit all nations into the hopes and promises, and heavenly influences, of His religion. And what tmths can be more fully in accordance with the attributes of God, or more precisely suited to the wants of men. How simple and how consoling the admonition, *" Eepent (ye) and believe the Gospel ;" renounce your suis and draw near to God through Christ, and you will receive forgiveness, and the grace of the Holy Spuit ; continue to seek that grace by earnest prayer and to serve God, and it will cleanse and purify you from all sin, and incline and enable you to all righteousness. These ai-e trutlis in which all men have the deepest interest, and which it is the Pastor's duty to press upon his hearers, to convince them of their sin and danger, and to point them to the only remedy, the mercy of God through Jesus Christ, and the renewing influences ^& the Holy Spirit. Let all your discourses then. Brethren, lead to, and centre in ClmBt Jesus, that as the planets all revolve around the Sun, so eve- ry religious precept and admonition may refer to the Sun of Kighte- ousness ; that in your warnings against sin, its heinousness and danger may be seen in the sacrifice and death of Christ ; and that in your in- structions in the way of salvation, it may be manifest that eternal life can only be found by being united, thi-ough faith, to Jesus Christ ; that while yon proclaim the great doctrine of justification by faith, it may be also known that the faith which you inculcate is not a dead but a Kving and fruitful faith, producing constantly and mdispensably, the works of piety and holiness, and obedience to God's command- ments. And thus the formalist will be admonished that piety is a living principle, glowing withm the soul and constraining it to Christ ; and those who rest in a partial morality, in obedience to some of God's commandments while they neglect others, may learn that religion is an universal principle, leading to the fulfihnent of every duty, and the renunciation of every sin ; and those who trust in the mere per- suasion of their minds alone that they have faith in Christ, may leani that faith is an operative principle, and must be manifested by the works of piety, righteou&;:ess and charity which it produces. It only remains for me to offer a few brief remarks on the personal intercourse of a Minister with tliose committed to his charge. While his public ministrations are the great mean of proclaiming the doc- * Mark, i. 15. '**'''**#iMnf>i il^ 15 118, God, in y His death and Huffici- lole world," and of God, f and purify jh Hifl grace 1 the pledges ment of om* he words of the hopes le attributes How simple believe the lugh Christ, loly Spirit ; i God, and 1 enable you iterest, and to convince ily remedy, I influences 1 centre in un, so eve- of Righte- and danger in your in- eternal life 3us Christ; by faith, it lot a dead ispensably, ; command- piety is a t to Christ ; ne of God's religion is duty, and mere per- , may leani ted by the s. 30 personal yd. While ig the doc- trines of the Gospel, it is by (bis) private intercourse with his flock that the Pastor is enabled U) discern the peculiar instruction which each requires ; to remove the errors which may have fallen into thjpi muid, and to utter an admonition against the worldliness or sin whit^h may be cherished in the heart and manifested in the conduct. With- out this personal intercourse, without the constant habit of parochial visiting, the Minister cannot thus adapt his instructions to the wanta of his people, and will be considered comparatively a stranger among them. Remember therefore that you have a message for every individual of your flock, and that to every individual it must bo personally given. And inasmuch as the advantages of systen are manifest in every de- partment of human duty, permit me to offer to you the simple sug- gestion that yom- mornings be devoted to study, to meditation and to prayer, and the remainder of the day to pastoral intercourse with your people, so as to allow no day to pass, if possible, without bearing the message of the Gospel, in its various parts, either of warning or in- otruction, to some or other of those committed to your cai-e. Thus may you be enabled to render your account at the last great day, with joy and not with grief, and by Divine grace " both to save yourselves and them that hear you." And pei-mit me. Brethren of the laity, to remind you of the regard and assistance due from you to those who are over you in the Lord, that you shoudd " regard them very highly in love for their works* sake ;" that as the pastoral ofl&ce is one of the most important and responsible on earth, so there should be, between the Pastor and his flock, a reciprocal feeling of aflfection and regard ; that as it is his du- ty to admonish and instruct his people, so they should receive his ad- monitions with gladness, remembering that he is to watch for their souls as one that must give account, and render to him also that as- sistance and support in all his efforts, by which alone they can b© really and extensively useful. And the sacred ceremonies of this day derive an additional inter- est from the circumstance that among those about to be admitted to the priestly office, two are to be supported solely from the funds of the Diocesan Church Society of this Province. This constitutes an interesting era in the history of our Church f may we not trust that it is a mark of an increasing appreciation in her Slembers, of the duty of aiding their brethren in remote places, who are destitute of her ministrations and ordinance?, and that it may be an intimation also, of true piety and christian feeling within her borders. For as in an individual, one of the most favourable signs of true piety is his concern and his exertions for the spiritual welfare of others, as well as of himself, so the Missionary spirit in a Church is one of the best intimations of the value which its members place upon the doctrines of the Gospel. While therefore, Brethren, you regard with gladness the sending lortli by the Church in this Diocese, of two visiting Missionaries, Oh! be it your care to aid in their support j let it not be that their Mission shall cease for want of the necessary -?^tiB^jqgTw ^i^nF w i iJ i W iili BH OIHE *»H;t',y 16 funds for its continuftnce, but that by your increast'cl offerings to the cause of Christ and His 01. -:.'ch, you may be instrumental in sending the blessings of religion to those who need them, that our Lord's command to His Apostles to teajh all nations may be fulfilled in this our land, and that we may experience the truths of His gracious pro- mise, that He will be with them " always, even unto the end of the world." y^ II > f t- ^^1»p ^^^^JHW „mr^ .,, „tfflaifFri^*.ay-wr-,T,nn- ifferinga to the tj ntal in sending lat our Lord's Fulfilled in this 8 gracious pro- the end of the I liiwgai