shining, and the tables yet warm with the | him with an unmeasured proclamation of finger of God: not one of these, not all of mercy- "The blood of Jesus Christ these combined in one, will suit the cha-cleanseth from all sin." Let the worst racter to whom he is sent. It is to man, sinner but accept this, and he has at once the SINNER, that he is sent; not the partial, a new nature. "Thy sins are forgiven but the total sinner-not the impoverished, thee; thy faith hath saved thee; go in but the ruined-not to man hurt by sin, peace." Let this message be effectually but to man dead in sin-not man to be delivered to the soul by the Holy Spirit, mended, but new made-not to be recti-and the work is done. The soul is infied, but to be created. A principle not known to the world must be applied; a message never thought of by man must be brought a message suited to him as a miserable sinner-a message of mercy he is an ambassador of mercy-he is a from his offended God, which can cleanse | the guilt of sin from his conscience, and subdue the power of sin in his heart.

clined to its own best interests, and to those of man; and it has power for the due exercise of all its obligations, This is the Christian minister's designation:

herald of grace. "We are ambassadors for Christ." This is just the character that our church expects in us, who are "Behold," then, in the sublime lan- her ministers. When she sends us forth, guage of Isaiah, "behold!" not a prince, her words are these; "Consider with a statesman, a legislator, the wise, the yourselves the end of your ministry tomoralist, the orator, the poet, the man of wards the children of God, the spouse and feeling-no, not Moses himself, but the body of Christ." It is not philosophy, Saviour adapted to the sinner-"my ser- or morality, or refinement, that she exvant"-my Son, made flesh, "whom I pects of us as the result of our ministrauphold" in his character of Mediator- tions, but that the people should be "mine elect, in whom my soul delight- brought to "ripeness and perfectness in eth"-my chosen Redeemer, in whom Christ." And do our attainments equal my soul looks on man with complacency. her requisitions? The habits of life, our "I have put my Spirit upon him"-the own hearts, the bias of education, the power to restore the souls of men to my very moral atmosphere by which we are image. "He shall bring forth judgment" surrounded, are all against us. All these -righteousness, "to the Gentiles." I claim to be substitutes for Christ; they have just suited his character to their are the false Christs, which exclude the wants. His meekness shall condescend genuine Christ from our own hearts and to their frowardness, and cause him to those of the people. And shall we retire adapt himself to their greatest weakness. from such a world as hermits? or rather, "A bruised reed shall he not break, and shall we not retire, with Paul, into Christ, the smoking flax shall he not quench ;" and seek to be found only in him? As the perfection of man shall be in him. surely as we, who are the clergy, are "He shall bring forth judgment unto filled with the Spirit of Christ, so surely truth;" a righteousness which supplies shall we be efficient ambassadors and every defect shall be in him. And as his faithful missionaries. Let us be but mismeekness suits the infirmities of men, hissionaries for Christ at home, and missionaperseverance suits their unwillingness, ries for Christ abroad will not long be their contempt, and rejection of him. "He shall not fail, or be discouraged," but go on till men are fully justified; and "the isles," the heathen, "shall wait for his law"-a law of pity and of grace. It is a Saviour man wants; not a legislator, or philosopher, but "the Prince of Peace." It is mercy meeting correlative misery; pardon pronouncing peace. God meets man as a miserable sinner, and meets

wanting.

And never let the missionary abroad forget his designation. He is an "ambassador for Christ." Here is his authority, his comfort, his support, his security, his reward. And as his title is an "ambassador for Christ," so let his voice be, "I will go in the strength of the Lord; I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only." Consider

Secondly, THE DIGNITY OF HIS CHARAC- not with enticing words of man's wisdom,

TER.

but in the demonstration of the Spirit;" His voice is that of his Master-his and why? "that your faith should not entreaty is that of his Saviour. "As stand in the wisdom of men, but in the though God did beseech you by us, we power of God." Brethren, where is the pray you in Christ's stead." The dignity fastidiousness, and refinement, and exof his office is such, that we cannot mag-quisiteness of our modern pulpit here? nify it beyond due bonds. His subjects He debases the man, that he may raise are not those of nature or of providence: these are the business of men who are occupied in the affairs of time and sense. True, he is in the flesh, but he must live "by the faith of the Son of God." His affairs are spiritual, and connected with eternity. His voice may be feeble, but it is as the voice of God-the voice of God in its most winning form; for it is the voice of God incarnate-of Christ himself of Christ still incarnate in the person of his minister-as Christ still in the flesh, inviting men to be reconciled to God. And the feeblest minister who is faithful to his charge, is entitled to say, "As though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead."

How, then, is it possible to magnify our office too highly? We are commissioned by God and by Christ. "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God;" as instruments of spirituality; as" workers together with God." Who are the four beasts, or living creatures, before the mystical throne of Christ, but the ministers of the church, by whose vigilance, activity, and piety, the church's interests are to be promoted? Are they not stars in his right hand? are they not the jewels of his crown? for "the messengers of the churches" are "the glory of Christ."

But the minister is elevated as the man is depressed; as the man sinks, the minister rises. His excellency is seen as he is viewed distinct from talents and acquirements. The most distinguished minister on record was the most jealous of human attractions. "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God: for I determined not to know any thing among you, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And my speech and my preaching was

the minister; he exalts Christ on the de-
pression of self; he elevates the Spirit
upon the ruins of the flesh. Oh, the
meanness of man, that would borrow a
spark from nature, to light up the horizon
of grace! Oh, where is the man who can
take the crown from his own head-the
crown of reputation, of talent, of power,
of excellence-and lay it at the feet of
Christ, and say, "O Jesus! thou alone
art worthy?" O may Christ be elevated
this day, and self destroyed! and may
this prayer proceed from every heart-
"Be thou exalted, O Lord, in thine own
strength!"

Let the man be thus merged in the mi-
nister, and he rises to the highest dignity
of his office. For "we preach not our-
selves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and
ourselves your servants, for Jesus' sake."
The highest dignity of the minister of
Christ is to be the servant of all: then he
adapts himself to the case of all whom he
beseeches in Christ's stead. The dun-
geon of the malefactor-the weakness of
childhood-the fatuity of age-the obsti-
nacy of ignorance-the repulse of savage
ferocity-the opposition of malignant bar-
barism-and the cutting sneer of the no-
minal professor-he is prepared to meet
and to conciliate. He becomes "all
things to all men;" he beseeches, he so-
licits, he prays. His aim is to save the
immortal soul; for this he cannot suffer
too much, or stoop too low. The deepest
humiliation of the Saviour was when he
endured the death of the cross; and this
was also his highest, his richest exalta-
tion. The minister resembles his Lord,
and his richest dignity is humility. "If
any will be great among you, let him be
your minister." "And he took a child,
and set him in the midst of them." There
is the minister of Christ! the feeling of a
child is his proper feeling. If such be
the designation, and such the dignity of

the minister of Christ, we are prepared to | friend; this we can conceive of as posconsider,

1. Embrace the love of the Father. Reconciliation originates here. All are sinners; and it signally illustrates the rich-man and divine nature: he dwells at Naness of his mercy, that he loved us" when we were dead in sins." There is something plausible, something that we can comprehend, in a man dying for his

Infinite? It is he, my Saviour and my God! 2d. Embrace the grace of his work. United to his person by faith, you are also united to his work. Faith identifies you with Christ, from the stable at Bethlehem, up to his throne on high. You are quickened in him-suffer in him -are crucified with him-die in himrise in him, and ascend together “in heavenly places in Christ." 3d. Embrace the Son in his offices. All grace is in him for the supply of all your wants. Do your souls droop under a sense of sin? Go and spread it before him who is at once the victim of the priest on the cross of Calvary. Are you weak and languid in prayer before God? Go to him who is your glorious intercessor. Do you want wisdom and knowledge? In Christ are "hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge ;" and he will teach you. It is the book of grace which reveals the meaning of the books of nature, of providence, of glory. Do you want repentance, the conquest of lust, power over every temptation? Christ is "a Prince and a Saviour," exalted for this purpose. His sceptre can sway every sin, and beat down every enemy under your feet. To live by faith on the offices of Christ, is the richest experience-to live by faith by Christ and on Christ, is to receive "out of his fulness grace for grace."

reconciliation," and you can say, "My beloved is mine, and I am his.”. I close here by gathering up all in one expression —" The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with us all; and with every soul in the remotest corner of the world, now and for evermore! Amen."

If such is the Christian minister's designation, dignity, and work-if his aim be to make known the blessings of the gospel of reconciliation; it seems obvious to ask, since there is so much "balm in Gilead," and so able a "physician there, why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?" Why, in this nineteenth century of Christianity, why has the gospel of reconciliation produced such feeble, such contracted effects? We need not go far to solve this question. The world is not reconciled to its God, because so little of this reconciliation is felt in Christendom itself; and so little is felt, it is to be feared, not because it has not been received, but because it has not been preached! The history of the church abounds with unchristian errors; and where we find the gospel of reconciliation preached, it is rather mentioned as an exception to the surrounding error. But where is the gospel? Is it at the great marts of commerce and population? Is it at Rome-at Constantinople-at Alex3. Embrace the fellowship of the Spirit. andria? Doubtless, each had its Clement The Spirit dispenses the grace of the Son.-its Chrysostom-its Athanasius; but "He shall glorify me," says Christ; "for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you all things that the Father hath are mine." The excellencies of the Father are deposited in Christ, to be bestowed by the Spirit. The Father is the source of grace the Son is the depository of grace-the Spirit is the actuary of grace. It is his to enlighten, to quicken, to restore, to exalt, to comfort, to purify, to uphold, and to seal you with the earnest of heavenly glory.

the candlesticks are removed, and the gospel is not preached. And if the question be asked, why is Christendom sunk into Socinian and Infidel corruption? I can only answer, because the gospel of reconciliation is not preached!

But let us ask also, does the gospel of reconciliation produce what it ought in England? Does the sauvity of this gospel prevail in our manners, or the severity of the law? Is there the kindness, the meekness, the conciliation, the reconcil"Be ye reconciled, then, to God." ing spirit, the holy courtesy, of a people What a reconciliation is here! How in whom self is dethroned, and Christ is simple, full, free, and complete! In exalted? is there the forbearance, and tenChrist, Jehovah is yours-yours in all derness, and clemency, of a people reconhis fulness, and in all his power to salva-ciled to God, and saved by mercy? or is tion! To know this, is the very life and there not rather the excessive claim and joy of the soul. You have "received the rigorous exaction of duty, which speaks

"Be ye reconciled to God." The highest is not above our care; the lowest is not below it. It is not enough that they are moral, that they attend our ministry: it is not enough that being solicited and warned, they decline and reject: we act for souls, and for eternity. It is not for us to be angry, to be baffled, to retire disgusted, fainting, despairing: we want a mind like Christ-a benevolent boldness -a spirit undaunted, that will go on

the severity of the law? Are our children trained, not as the children of promise, but of nature? At the baptismal font, are not children required to fulfil promises made for them, without the application of the promises made to them? Is education the demand of duty, or the encouragement of privilege? Are we aiming to make men better by clemency? or is it not rather by the application of law and punishment? Are the acts of our legislature mild and clement, or aw-hearing of no refusal, and not resting till ful and terrific? Are the resolutions of they are saved. We want to be filled with our Cabinets mere temporary expedients, Christ: to have Christ in our studies, in or wise and liberal treatments ?—are they our pulpits, in our hearts, in our whole not rather suited to punish for offence, intercourse; in short, we want the misthan to allure to obedience? If, then, sionary zeal, that we may accomplish the this be the complexion of things among missionary purpose. England stands in us, in this nineteenth century of a perfect need of missionaries herself at this very gospel, it is the most important question hour, as well as any part of the heathen we can ask to ourselves-to the world-world. And it has been long my firm to the glory of God-to the empire of conviction, that it is in vain to expect an Christ to the honour of the Spirit-to the success of the Missionary cause what is the reason that society in England has not made a greater practical advance in gospel reconciliation? Shall I answer this question? I will do it by asking another;-Is the pulpit of the Church of England a pulpit of the law or the gospel, of reconciliation or of terror? Which is its character? "O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years-in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy!" We have arrived at,

efficient supply of Missionaries for foreign service, till we who are ministers of the church become Missionaries at home. As ministers of the Church of England, we stand on no common ground. The world may refuse the decisions of our Cabinets, but she asks the communication of our grace. She requests-what? "Christ crucified." As we feel Christ-preach Christ-live by Christ—and recommend Christ, so are we a benefit to the whole race of mankind. Yes; the ministers of England stand on high ground! They are, at this very hour, the ministers of the Lastly, THE APPLICATION OF THE SUB- world. Do I need an apology, my reve

JECT TO OUR PRESENT PURPOSE.

rend friends? If so, I find it in my text. I am an "ambassador for Christ;" and beseech you "in Christ's stead."

“Now then." Will my reverend brethren in the ministry allow me, first, to address them? Christ has suffered, and 2. I would address myself to my Mishas entered into his glory. He has been sionary brethren. I am not disposed to lifted up on the cross; he is lifted up to consider your work as different from our glory; and he now waits to be lifted up own. You leave, as Abraham did, your in every heart. For this purpose he has home, and go out, not knowing whither appointed us his ambassadors, and re- you go. Herein we differ; but, in adquires us to lift up his person, his work, dressing a Christless world, we differ but his offices, as the one unceasing sub- little. Gross superstition-false deities ject of our ministry. We are to be Mis--senseless idolatry-ignorant sensuality sionaries to those around us, on the vast-savage brutality—you may have to enimportant concerns of their souls. We counter: but we have the lust of the eye are to address all ranks, from the king to the peasant, and all characters, whether moral or profane, and to say to them all,

false refinements-idolatrous devotion to what is wrong-and over-civilization -to encounter at home. If you have