ARTICLE V.

OF THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE (AND MEANS OF GRACE).

In order that we may obtain this faith, the ministerial office has been instituted, whose members are to preach the Gospel and administer the sacraments. For through the instrumentality of the word and sacraments, as means of grace, the Holy Spirit is given, who in his own time and place, produces faith in those who hearken to the gospel message, namely that God, for Christ's sake and not on account of any merit in us, justifies those who believe in Christ.

Having in the preceding Article announced faith as the appointed and only condition of our justification, the Confessors proceed to describe the manner, in which saving or justifying faith is produced; and in delineating the means of its production they are naturally led to introduce that order of men whose duty it is to administer them. This article therefore treats first of the ministerial office, and secondly of the means, by the use of which justifying faith is produced. The discussion of the former of these subjects, we will for the sake of perspicuity, defer to Articles VII and VIII, under which we shall present such general remarks as we deem necessary on the subject of the church, her government and discipline; and now direct our attention to

The Means of Grace.

Means of grace are all those things which God employs to present divine truth to the minds of men and urge them to obey

it, and in connexion with which he bestows the immediate influences of his Holy Spirit.

I. Generic Nature of these Means.

All the means of grace may ultimately be reduced to RELIGIOUS TRUTH, in some way or other presented to the mind and impressed upon it. These methods are

1. Written exhibitions of religious truth. a) The holy volume is the grand depository of the sacred doctrines and precepts. Their instrumental character is clearly taught: "The law of the Lord," says the Psalmist, "is perfect, converting the soul." "Search the scriptures," says the Saviour, " for in them ye think ye have the words (doctrines) of eternal life.” And Paul triumphantly exclaims, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation (that is, it has a divine and saving power) to every one that believeth it." How obvious then is the duty to study this sacred volume, and to aid bible societies in distributing it over the earth!

b) Other good books, written by uninspired men, as they derive their contents originally from the sacred volume, partake of the nature of the fountain whence they flow. How many souls are now standing before the throne of God,who were instrumentally exalted thither by the practical works of Arndt, Spener, Franke, Woltersdorf, Wesley, Baxter, Doddridge and others? Who that with the eye of faith has ever cast a glance toward heaven, would exchange the celestial glory of Arndt, for the crown of Napoleon?

2. Symbolic exhibitions of divine truth. a) Baptism, in addition to its being the initiatory ordinance into the visible church of Christ, is a symbolic and impressive exhibition of the doctrines of natural depravity, and the purifying influence of the Holy Spirit, and is therefore an important means of grace in the church.

b) The Lord's supper is a symbolic and affecting exhibition of the facts of the atoning death of the Son of God, and of the various momentously interesting relations of that death to the moral government of the world, and the salvation of sinners. Nor are these truths any the less affecting when these outward ordinances are the signs by which they are presented to the mind, than when described in words. c) The dispensations of Protidence in the course of human events, likewise partake of this nature. We see in the successive actions of men and the consequences which flow from them, many solemn exhibitions of divine truth.

3. Oral exhibitions of truth. Of this description are a) preaching; b) the conversations if the truly pious, who out of the abundance of their hearts delight to speak of what the Lord has done for them, to vindicate the ways of God to man, and, with Zion's songs upon their lips, pursue their heavenward course. c) The admonitions of pious parents, who feel their obligation to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. d) Church discipline. This embraces not only admonition to offenders, in which scriptural views of their duty contrasted with their conduct are presented to them; but also suspension and expulsion; for whence do these acts derive their authority but from the word of God? and what are they but official exhibitions to the transgressor, of those truths of God, by which he is denounced as a criminal? e) Prayer, though somewhat peculiar, still partakes essentially of the same nature. All prayer consists of three parts, adoration, confession, and petition. Of these the first is a devout repetition of the truths of scripture relative to the nature, attributes and relations of the adorable Jehovah ; the second is a feeling and an humble acknowledgement, that our heart and actions correspond to the scripture declarations of human depravity; and in the third we present to God his own promises of pardon and gracious aid to the penitent and returning, or to the believing sinner.

II. The Adaptation and Efficacy of these Means.

We shall first speak of divine truth in general, and then specifically of prayer.

I. The means of grace do possess a natural tendency to produce the changes requisite for salvation.

We must reasonably expect from the character of God, that the means which he selects for any purpose, will be adapted to accomplish it. But the declarations of scripture on this subject banish all doubt. They not only assert a) in general, that "the scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation"1 that they "are the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth," and that "we are born again by the incorruptible seed of the word of God.3 But they also b) specifically mention the principal parts of this change as wrought by divine truth. The word is represented "as sharper than any two-edged sword"4 to awaken and penetrate the heart of the sinner, the "law is a school-master to lead us to Christ;"5 "the scriptures make us wise unto salvation by producing faith in Christ; and we are sanctified by the truth.7

But, apart from these declarations of Holy writ, it is evident from reason that the truths of God's word must affect the human mind in the same manner as other truths. They have alike a tendency to instruct, impress and urge us to action; that is, a) to impart correct views of the subjects of which they treat, b) to excite our feelings, and c) to exert an influence on the will. Amid the rich treasure of truths contained in the sacred volume, some may be found having an evident tendency to produce each of the several changes, requisite to transform the careless sinner into an obedient child of God. In the case

of holy, unfallen creatures, this power of truth is probably sufficient, without the superadded immediate influences of the Holy Spirit, to conduct the willing creatures of God onward in the path of duty. But upon the impaired susceptibilities and powers of fallen man, these truths cannot exert an influence sufficiently powerful, even when faithfully attended to by the sinner. Hence

2) The scriptures teach us, that these means are not sufficient to awaken, convert and sanctify the soul, without the superadded immediate influences of the Holy Spirit.

This is evident a) from the fact, that God found it necessary to grant and promise these influences; b) that the scriptures in speaking of the moral change wrought in men, distinguish between the influences of the word and of the spirit,' and c) from express passages on this point.2

There is perhaps a tendency in some divines of the present age, practically to forget the scripture doctrine of the insufficiency of means, and attribute too much efficiency to the intrinsic (logico-inoral) influence of truth. Nor is this error as innocent as might be imagined. It manifestly begets a sense of independence of God, unfriendly to the growth of genuine and therefore humble piety. It leads men to entertain and even to express absolute and definite expectations of specific effects of preaching within a given time; thus regarding conversion as a mere mechanical operation, and God as their fellow-workman, who must needs ever come at their bidding!

It cannot be doubted, that persons of very different moral qualification to receive the divine blessing, may and often do make the same external use of the same appointed means to at

1 1 Cor. 3: 6. I (Paul) have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave

the increase.

2 1 Cor. 3: 7. So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.