Christian subject to be believed) was communicated, then these supernatural teachers, and the supernatural method of teaching was to give way to the natural or usual mode. But that man would manifest about the same amount of divine philosophy who would contend that when Moses had delivered to the children of Israel the Ten Commandments, and all the other portions of the law called ceremonial, therefore all offices and officers ought from that time forth to have ceased among the Jews for ever, as those do, who affirm that because supernatural teachers and teaching has long become unnecessary in the church of Christ, therefore all offices and officers ought to be obliterated. When the an

means

cient people of God had received the whole of the information needful to them through the supernatural medium, did they cease to receive instruction? Not at all. But to the coming of the Lord, ay, and long after, they were instructed out of the Book in which the supernatural information was recorded; and to accomplish this teachers and other officers were necessary to give instruction, according to the natural or usual plan, as were the supernatural teachers when there was No book to teach from, and no information to record. And so it is now; we require no further information, consequently the supernatural system under the Christian dispensation has ceased. What these apostles, prophets, evangelists, &c., received immediately from God, and taught orally to the people we have now recorded in the pages of the New Testament; but surely it by no follows that teaching must cease as a legitimate consequence. No. While there are ignorant people in the world, teaching must be continued ; while poor in the congregation of Christ their wants must be supplied, and while there are those who will observe no law, or break all law, there must be rules and rulers, elders, bishops, and deacons. Paul, the apostle, taught Timothy what he (Paul) had received from God, both orally and by letter. Timothy taught what he learned from Paul to others. Here is an instance of natural and supernatural teaching. We, who are able, teach what the apostles recorded just as Timothy did, and those who rule, rule according to the written laws of Jesus. [2.] Every object in Christianity has for ages been mantled in superstition, and even now it is scarcely possible to look but through a superstitious medium, at these objects. Thus we have

annexed a kind of sacredness to the words, apostles, evangelists, &c., not only unwarrantable, but in general injurious. To appropriate these names in the present day, is considered a kind of sacrilege of the very highest order, or an approximation towards Catholicism, which bids fair to end in unqualified submission to his holiness the Pope. Now what, let me affectionately ask, is to be feared from such terms ? The intelligent will know their meaning; and the unintelligent must be taught that apostle signifies only a messenger commissioned by another; and that evangelist means, one who tells good news. To suppose therefore that the names cannot now be used, is only declarative of the ignorance of the party, while it proves that he confounds the name with the errand, the sender, and with the idea of superhuman agency, which is absurd.

[3.] Suppose that the only congregation of disciples in existence, was in London; that they numbered five hundred members; that one hundred of them were very poor, and that the whole required to be served in some matters; that four men, well-known for their fidelity, were appointed to supply the necessities of the one hundred poor, and discharge the other services to the church, what would you call them? Deacons. Certainly. Deacon means servant, whether he be endowed with supernatural gifts, or not. It is found also that many of the members from ignorance or intention, are in the habit of violating the laws of Christ. To obviate this, four wise, holy, and vigilant men are appointed to instruct the ignorant, and reprove or exclude the rebellious. What would you call these? Bishops. Yes. Bishop signifies a ruler or overseer, whether he have a supernatural endowment or not. It is desirable to extend the church and to effect this, an intelligent and confidential member is sent to Nottingham, &c., to proclaim the gospel, convert sinners, and establish congregations. By what name would you call such an one? Evangelist or apostle, or both. To be sure. Apostle declares that he is sent, and therefore acts by authority; evangelist tells that he has good news to deliver— should he however, affirm that he has seen and been sent by Jesus, let him prove his supernatural commission by supernatural evidence, as there will be an entire destitution of the natural or historical.

Brethren, from the manner in which we have (though

from necessity, briefly) treated the subject of officers in the Christian church, we trust most of you will be satisfied of their legitimacy. In conclusion, let me observe that all the works of God, animate and inanimate, assert the same order: all have their servants and rulers. Every dispensation from the state of Paradise, through the Patriarchal, Jewish, or Christian have been established on principles of law. Law implies the necessity of an executive minister or ministers, without which it would remain a dead letter; and it requires no argument to show that if the whole population of a kingdom or community be constituted the executive power, it would be altogether impossible to restrain the delinquent.

we

That the names we have chosen to be called by be not disgraced; that the name which has been called on us be no longer insulted; that the reformation we have proclaimed as essential to the interests of man, present and eternal, may obtain a fair and candid hearing; that the gospel of the ever blessed God may be more successful than ever it has yet been, and that we, the disciples of Jesus, may enjoy that peace which passeth all understanding here, and be fitted for entering the everlasting kingdom of glory hereafter, would exhort those congregations who have their bishops and deacons, to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake, and be at peace among yourselves." By so doing you will be approved of your Father in heavenhonour your Saviour Jesus-enjoy the blessed effects of the truth while on earth-captivate sinners by your example, and ensure a resurrection to life eterna'-disobey the laws of God, or those appointed to execute them while discharging the duties of their office, and you will bring certain ruin on your own soul-scatter and destroy the congregation to which you belong, or that part of it which you leaven with your example (as many of the no-elder faction have done already) disgust the world around you, prevent their conversion to the truth, offend your Lord and at last be overwhelmed by the second death, from which there is no redemption. It is honourable, my brethren, and safe as honourable to "obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account; that they may do it with Joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."

G. C. REID.

salvation came to the Gentiles. 3. That when this salvation was fully preached to the Gentiles the hardening was taken from those Jews; all sinners were put upon the common level of simple unbelief or disobedience; and thenceforth there was equal mercy and free salvation to all mankind by faith in, and obedience to, a crucified Redeemer. J. D.

A REQUEST.-Will the author of Scripture Difficulties, be so kind as oblige the readers of the Christian Messenger with an exposition of that universally acknowledged difficult Scripture, 1 Peter iv. 6. ? 0.

THE HOLY SPIRIT.-No. I.

THE Spirit is the great agent in all the works of God; his communications to man were made by the help of this Almighty power. "All Scripture is written by inspiration of God"-1 Tim. iii. 16. "No Scripture is of any private impulse, for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."-2 Peter ii. 20. Consequently all the canon of Jewish Scriptures is from God, and is to be received as of divine origin.

The mission of Jesus the Messiah, is supported by the Spirit. Many of the Spirit-inspired prophecies in the Jewish Scriptures were literally fulfilled by him. In the advocacy of his claims he often referred to these Scriptures, and condemned the blindness and prejudice, which prevented the Jews from beholding in him the subject of these prophetic annunciations. The apostles, after his ascension, when proclaiming the glad tidings, often had recourse to this mode of proof, in conjunction with the signs and wonders the Spirit empowered them to perform, for the confirmation of their testimony concerning the death and resurrection of the Messiah: so that whoever believed on Jesus through the prophecies, believed by the Spirit's power, for thus the Spirit supplied the proof of his claims.

But still in a more direct way his claims were supported by the Spirit. Scarce is Jesus introduced to us by the evangelists as commencing his public ministry, by being baptized by John, when the Spirit is given to him in a visible form, and a voice from the excellent glory, proclaims aloud," This is my beloved Son." Emerging from the waters of the Jordan, "being full of the Holy Ghost," he is led by the

Spirit into the wilderness, and there repels the attacks of the tempter. He received the fulness of the Spirit, "for the Father giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him." John iii. 34. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor."-Luke iv. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power."-Acts x. 38.

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He claimed credence to his mission as divine, upon the evidence of the miracles he wrought. "If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not, but if I do, if ye believe not me, believe the works, that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him."-John x. 37. "The same works that I do bear witness that the Father hath sent me."-John v. 36. And again, when John the Baptist sent to ask Jesus, "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?" Jesus merely referred the messengers to the miracles, and bade them tell John what they had seen him perform; thus significantly assuring them, that his works were the evidence of his mission. That these miracles were wrought by the Spirit's power, appears very evident from the following passage: Jesus had ejected a devil from one possessed; the Pharisees attributed the miracle to the power of" the prince of devils"-Jesus shows how foolish it was to suppose that Beelzebub would thus destroy his own kingdom! and asserts that he cast out devils by the Spirit of God, and warns them of the awful doom of those who blaspheme against these sensible evidences of the Holy Spirit's power, assuring them that whoever spake a word against the Holy Ghost, should not be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come. Matt. xii. Here we have Scripture proof, that his miracles were performed by the agency of the Spirit, given to him without measure. Many believed on him and received him as the Messiah, on the evidence of these miracles. At the resurrection of Lazarus, "Many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him."-John xi. 46. Many believed on his name when they saw the miracles which he did.”—John ii. 23. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory, and his disciples believed on him.-John ii. 11. "What do we? for

this man doeth many miracles, if we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him."-John xi. 47. "And many of