passage, is Xεpotovýσavτes: now in my first communication, is κaany person possessing the least rashons; a word which, I must beg acquaintance with the Greek lan- leave to say again, "implies a guage, knows that the reference of power and authority in the church, this word is to the stretching out of which not even the most obstinate the hand in voting; (see Dod- stickler for ordination, at least dridge, in loc.) and it seems, there- among us, ever pretends to." "A fore, to mean, taking the votes of publicly recognized Pastor" replies, the people by show of hands. that Timothy and Titus were not Whatever may be made of the inspired men; and he seems to instatements following, that "they timate that they had no authority prayed and fasted, and commend- in the church which is not possessed those to God" who had been ed, and could do nothing which thus chosen pastors by the church, may not also be done, by pastors in support of the modern practice now. But by what authority does called ordination, this word cer- he declare Timothy and Titus not tainly does not support it. The to have been inspired? If because apostles probably said, as they they have left no inspired writings were about to leave the Christians behind them, he must also conwho were the fruits of their labours, clude that only five of the original "It is desirable for you, and ac- twelve apostles were inspiredcording to the order Christ has namely, Matthew, John, Peter, established in his church, that you James, and Jude. I know of no should have pastors, to preach to reason for imagining that none you the word of God, and to ad- were inspired, excepting those minister among you the ordinances whose writings form a part of the of the Gospel: such and such New Testament; certainly there brethren are endowed with suitable were other important purposes to gifts; if you wish that they should be answered by inspiration, betake the oversight of you, stretch sides the instruction of after-ages; forth your hands." Thus-xepo- and the "setting in order things TOV GavTES having procured the which were wanting," appears election of these pastors by the clearly to be one of those purstretching forth of the hands of poses. Nor does it appear at all the people, they thought, as I do, evident to me, that either Timothy that so important a union was a or Titus was a bishop or pastor; suitable occasion for solemn prayer, which they must be, according to to which their piety towards God," A publicly recognized Pastor's" and their affectionate desire for the theory, before they were qualified welfare of their converts, led them to ordain. We commonly speak continually to resort, on every im- of them as evangelists, and Paul portant occasion throughout the expressly declares he had left whole period of their apostleship. Titus in Crete for a specified purpose, namely, not to preside over a church, but to do what he could not wait to do" to set in order things that were wanting." &c. This one fact, that Timothy and Titus were not pastors, is quite enough to shew the inadequacy of the passages "A publicly recognized Pastor" has quoted from St. The other passage, Titus i. 5. bears rather a different character. As it stands in our translation, it is "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee." The word used here, as I had occasion to notice Paul's Epistles to them, in support Titus, are expressly those of a of the doctrine stated in his fourth paragraph. bishop; but the supposition that there were churches in only a few of the cities, is quite sufficient to account for that, since the qualifications of bishops would necessarily include those of preachers who were not bishops, and render it needless for the apostle to add any description which would be exclusively applicable to them. There is one other expression in this passage which deserves particular attention. In Acts, xiv. 23. Paul and Barnabas are spoken of as ordaining elders in every church; but Titus is here directed to ordain elders in every city: an expression which, if it be intended to refer exclusively to the appointment of Your Correspondent intimates pastors over churches, is hardly in that Timothy was appointed to the accordance with those passages office of the ministry, (rather a which teach us to consider the different thing, be it still observed, church-the congregation of faith- to the office of a pastor,) by the ful men—as the limit of the pastor's laying on of hands; and refers us jurisdiction. There might certain-for proof of it to 1 Tim. iv. 14. ly be a church in every city; but " Neglect not the gift which is in it is not probable that there should thee, which was given thee by be a hundred churches in so small prophecy, with the laying on of an island, and yet that we should the hands of the presbytery.”— hear no more about them. Or we Now, Sir, it seems to me most may not unnaturally suppose an probable, that this gift was not ellipsis, and read the passage thus: the office of the ministry, but those "And ordain elders in every city miraculous powers which were so in which a church is planted. common in that age; (See DodStill this does not bring the church dridge in loc.) an interpretation so prominently into notice as is which agrees much better with the customary in other passages of a phrase "which is in thee," than similar character. These consi- that which "A publicly recognizderations lead naturally to the ed Pastor" assigns to it. The ofsuggestion, that perhaps the refer- fice of the ministry, so far as a ence is not exclusively to pastors solemn setting apart bestowed it, of churches, since we know the could scarcely be called more than term elders was not confined to "a gift to him;" and the gift of such. Paul might simply be giv-miraculous powers might be neging directions to Titus, to appoint ministers to various stations on the island, for the sake of evangelizing it more completely. Certainly, it is probable that there were some Christians, and even churches on the island; since there were Cretans among those who witnessed the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost; but it does not follow therefore, that there were churches in all the cities: and further, it may be pleaded that the qualifications described immediately after, for the direction of lected as well as the other, by not being used enough, by being used on improper occasions, &c. and probably even so as to be lost altogether. (See Fam. Expos. 2 Cor. xiii. 6. note f.) A similar interpretation I am disposed to give to another passage to which your Correspondent refers-1 Tim. v. 22. “Lay hands suddenly on no man." My opinion with regard to the laying on of hands, the result of rather a diligent inquiry, is, that it was employed, not at ordinations, but in the bestowment of those miracu-Holy Spirit to separate Barnabas lous powers. If this be an unautho- and Saul to the work to which he rized conclusion, I believe I err in had called them-and notwithcompany with many very judicious standing the apostles appointing to ministers in our denomination; the their office the seven deacons whom observations of some of whom on the church had chosen-that is to this subject, first directed my mind say, committing to them powers to the investigation. I should un-which they themselves exercised derstand St. Paul, therefore, as before, and therefore which they exhorting the young evangelist to alone could commit to them-it bestow these important powers appears to me that he has no scripwith caution; to put them in the tural support for the practice for hands of those who, from their which he pleads: he must either piety and judgment, might be ex-give up the choice of the church, pected to use them for the glory of or the appointment of the minisGod, and the advancement of the try-they are not both in the New cause of the Redeemer; and not, Testament. by committing them to the thoughtless and the vain, to become a partaker of the sin they might commit, in abusing those powers to the purposes of their own pride. For the necessity of this, see St. Paul's expostulation with the Corinthians, 1st and 2d epistles, passim. to Begging the favour of insertion for these somewhat lengthened remarks, and of "A publicly recognized Pastor's" candid attention to them," I am, Sir, Your and his humble servant, Sept. 8. A DISCOURSE ON the Importance of Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.-Phil. iii. 8. Your Correspondent seems derive some support for his opinion from 2 Tim. ii. 2. "The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." But, surely, the passage bears much more the appearance of a direction, to give to others the instructions which he himself had received, especially those which were peculiar WE attach the highest importance to the ministerial office, than of in these respects to the knowledge an exhortation to ordain those to of Christ, because, in the first the pastor's office who were al-place, scriptural views of his perready instructed, and already mi-son and offices essentially affect our religious principles in general, and are necessary to a proper reception of the christian faith. nisters. At all events there is no sign in any of these passages of the two processes for which your Correspondent pleads; the choice of the church, and then the appointment of other ministers: and unless he can produce a Scripture more in accordance with his theory, notwithstanding the direction of the (Continued from p. 452.) If the christian faith were merely designed to enforce a rational worship and a pure morality, by teaching us the unity of God, the doctrine of a moral providence, and the retributions of a future state, it might doubtless be received in its entire perfection, by persons who perceive his character and work interwoven with the system in all its parts, not merely as the author, but as the subject and essence of the whole. The grand events of his ministry are not only topics of frequent reference, in the discourses and writings of his apostles, con divine mission, and the consequent authority of his doctrine; but the relation of those facts to the christian scheme, and the offices Christ sustains in the economy of redemption, form the substance of these compositions in describing the peculiar and fundamental doctrines of the Gospel. In the epistolary writings, we are continually reminded of the diguity of his per had little or no idea of the sacred Person from whom it derives its name. But every one who has any acquaintance with the New Testament, will perceive that Christianity differs essentially, in this as well as in other respects, from all other systems of theology, an-sidered simply as evidences of his cient or modern. And though the Mosaic law, by virtue of a divine origin, approaches the nearest in resemblance to the Christian; yet, the slightest comparison of the two systems, as interwoven with the character of their respective authors, will convince us that, while the law confers dignity upon Moses, christianity receives its dignity and essence from Christ. It is, indeed, assumed by the disciples of Juda-son, the design of his obedience ism, that Moses became their law- unto death, the submission due giver by a divine commission; and from his people, and the magnitude that a series of miracles in Egypt of the blessings which he dispenses and the wilderness confirmed the to the world. Whether they deauthority of his institutions, and scribe the attributes of God, or enforced the observance of his laws. trace the disclosure of his purBut if we attentively consider his poses, or mark the progress of his economy, as established in the government in the dispensations of Pentateuch, and exemplified in the grace, or predict the history of the historical, prophetic, devotional church through its different vicisand moral books of the Old Testa-situdes, or anticipate the events of ment, instead of finding his name a future world, or describe the inand character intermingled with fluence of faith on the heart and every discussion, as though it were character of its votaries, instead the life and soul of the system, we of referring to our Lord as a subshall discover no reference, except ject of remote or subordinate imto the simple fact of his divine portance, it may be truly said, mission, or to the principal events" that Christ is all and in all." of his history. If therefore the He not only constructed Chrischaracter of Moses were sunk in tianity as a moral machine, to oblivion, or if another name were effect the renovation of society, substituted in its room, while the but is himself the main spring of leading parts of the Pentateuch its different movements, the full remained, Judaism would experi-force of which is essential to its ence scarcely the shadow of a moral utility and spiritual operachange, or the writings of the pro- tions. He is not only the founder phets require a single variation. But in turning to the Gospel of Christ, as delineated in the New Testament, a different scene is presented to our notice, and we of the Christian church, but the foundation and chief corner-stone of the edifice, in whom alone the whole building, fitly compacted together, will become a holy temple a part of the spiritual system, but the centre of the whole, the sun of righteousness, around which all the parts and all the messengers of divine revelation circulate, like the planets of the solar system, which revolve around the sun as the centre of their movements, and the source of their warmth and glory. for the Lord. He is not merely and the other conceives him to be a Diyine Person incarnate, Christianity not only assumes a different aspect, but is in many respects a different thing. The former may perhaps view it as a code of pure morality, enforced by the example of its founder, by amiable displays of the divine goodness, and by the retributions of a future life, which the death and resurrection of Jesus From these premises it is rea- were designed to ratify. But the sonable to infer, that ignorance of latter, in connexion with these senthe true character of Christ, or the timents, views it with admiration adoption of some false hypothesis as a grand scheme of mediatorial respecting him, will essentially mo- interposition on behalf of man, by dify our ideas of the whole sys- which the grace of God can be tem, and render the reception of glorified, while the purity of his christianity in its native form im- law and the justice of his moral possible. We shall put opposite government are secured, in our reconstructions perhaps on the same demption. Instead of regarding fact, draw conclusions from a prin- the advent, death and resurrection ciple which can never warrant of Christ, or the preparatory disthem, imagine truths which have no pensation of the Old Testament, as being, depreciate doctrines which insulated events, which are imare most important, or even reject portant only as extraordinary octhose which are essential. For, as currences; he rather considers them the notions we receive on the sub-as the progressive developement ject of astronomy would be en- of a plan, formed in the divine tirely reversed, by exchanging the purpose, before the foundation of Newtonian hypothesis for the vul- the world, and including a series gar one which supposes the earth of dispensations in regard to man, to be the centre of the system; so from the beginning of time till the must a change of views concern- close of the mediatorial economy. ing Christ, in many respects re- He therefore not only believes it verse or modify the whole system to be "a faithful saying and worthy of our theology. of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ If indeed we appeal to actual came into the world to save sinexperience, no doubt will remain ners;" but he likewise at the same that the principal hypothesis main-time perceives and acknowledges tained on this subject, instead of as its necessary concomitants, the being regarded as solitary points fall of man from his original purity, of difference, are rather accom- the universal diffusion of moral panied with trains of thinking and evil, the insufficiency of human modes of belief, which change the wisdom and virtue to procure salcomplexion of the system, and vation, the necessity of divine inleave scarcely a doctrine of whose fluence to renew the mind, the import the same ideas are enter- doctrine of justification by faith tained. In the eye of two indivi- alone, the government and interduals, the one of whom regards our cession of Christ for the benefit of Lord and Saviour as simply a good his people, together with his perman endowed with great wisdom, sonal manifestation as the Judge |