its formal institution by the apostles. At once the elders are recognised in the churches of Judea. The first converts to Christianity were native Jews. They were accustomed to the government of the elders. They were well acquainted with the nature of the office. They required not to be instructed to retain it. The disciples at Antioch were at no loss to whom to intrust the relief they sent to the sufferers by famine in Judea. They sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul' (Acts xi. 30).

The only reference to its introduction was in the churches of the Gentiles. In these the office had, of course, no previous existence. It required to be initiated; so the same hands of Barnabas and Saul were employed for this end: 'They ordained them elders in every church' (xiv. 23).

These elders were associated with the apostles in the government of the New, as formerly with the priests in that of the Old Testament Church. When Barnabas and Saul returned as part of the deputation from Antioch, they were received, not only by the Church at Jerusalem, but by the apostles and elders. They came together to consider the matter, determined and acted for the regulation of the churches. The apostles are found exhorting the elders to act in governing, and they are ever found so acting, as the essential and permanent officers of the kingdom. Recognised by apostles as overseers of the flock of God, they were commanded to transmit their office to other faithful men. Nothing indicates its discontinuance. Everything requires and supposes that the eldership is a permanent institution.

4. PRINCIPLES ARE LAID DOWN FOR ITS CONTINUANCE. A full description regarding the office is given for the direction of the Church. (1.) Suitable men are to be selected; (2.) Special duties are to be discharged by these officers; (3.) They are to be properly received and acknowledged by the members of the Church. No such minute directions would have been given, were that office speedily to pass away.

V. PRINCIPLE. THE OFFICE OF ELDER IS ESSENTIAL AND PERMANENT IN THE VISIBLE CHURCH.

QUESTIONS.

1. What are the scriptural meanings of the word 'elder ?' 2. Relate the institution of the office, with its distinctions in the Old Testament Church.

3. What proof is there that the office existed, with these distinctions, in the time of Christ and His apostles?

4. By what rules might this office have been expected to continue in the Church after the Mosaic economy?

5. In what New Testament Churches was the office retained? and in what introduced by the apostles?

6. Prove that the apostles meant the office to be permanent. 7. Give the fifth principle deduced.

CHAPTER XV.

6 THE GOSPEL MINISTRY.'

'I WILL give you pastors according to Mine heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding' (Jer. iii. 15-17). This divine promise was given by Jeremiah regarding gospel times. Then 'all nations shall be gathered to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem;' then the Lord will take one of a city, and two of a family (or tribe), and bring them to Zion. So selecting and gathering His Church, its members are not to live as they please, but under rightful government, as a flock under the wise and skilful direction of the shepherd. Pastors are graciously promised as a rich gift from God, who, after His own heart, will make it their special business to feed the flock with the wisdom and understanding contained in the Divine Word, so that they may become wise unto salvation.

Most abundantly has this promise been fulfilled. Pastors ought to be esteemed as the special 'gift of Christ;' for 'when He ascended up on high, He gave some pastors and teachers' (Eph. iv. 7, 8, 11).

§ 1. THE COMMUNICATION OF THE MINISTERIAL Office.

When all Israel was appointed by God to be unto Him 'a kingdom of priests and an holy nation' (Exod. xix. 6), the distinct ministry of Aaron and his sons, with the whole tribe of Levi, was communicated for their benefit. No Israelite, other than those divinely-appointed, dared to take the honour upon. himself of serving God publicly and authoritatively. Where there was no distinct office, the duty was left to all in common. The communication of the authoritative duty of serving at the altar proclaimed the special office, for it would have been both useless and ridiculous to confer upon a few what was the duty and privilege of all.

That typical and ritualistic service was 'finished'-thoroughly abolished—when the Jewish nation crucified the Lord of Glory. Then the ministry of priests and Levites for ever terminated. Now, under the gospel, all ritualistic worship is worship only in pretence. It is utterly meaningless and vain. Now, the true worshippers approach through our Great High Priest, who is passed into the heavens, and worship the Father in spirit and in truth (John iv. 23).

Nevertheless, a special office of ministry has been divinely communicated to the Christian Church. This was particularly foretold by the Holy Spirit through Isaiah, in express predictions concerning the times of the gospel, when God's glory would be declared among the Gentiles, and they shall bring all your brethren out of all nations to my holy mountain Jerusalem ;' then, in Old Testament language, it was added, 'And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord' (Isa. lxvi. 19–21). This cannot be literally understood. The Levitical priesthood is abolished. It cannot mean the personal spiritual service of believers, for this is common to all the children of God, who are regarded as 'an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ' (1 Pet. ii. 5). It can only relate, therefore, to the communication of the ministerial office. The Lord declared that He would 'take of them'—make a special selection of individuals, and set them apart to the whole employment of spiritual ministry. Has

this divine prediction been accomplished, or is there nothing equal to the description in the kingdom of Christ? Its accomplishment has been most complete.

Before His ascension to His mediatorial throne, the Lord Jesus came to the eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee, and communicated to them the ministerial commission. 'Go ye,' He said, '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 you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen' (Matt. xxviii. 16-20). Manifestly (1.) the authority here communicated is that of the Three-One God; (2.) the agency for the instruction and salvation of all nations is double-that of men authorized to perform spiritual actions-teaching divine truthand that of the Spirit of Christ rendering these effectual; (3.) and further, that double agency is perpetual-it ceases not till 'the end of the world.' Consequently that authoritative communication of the ministerial office cannot be confined to the personal ministry of the apostles. The work of making Christian disciples in all nations of the earth, with their baptism and instruction, is authoritatively to be prosecuted, not only for a time, after the last of the apostles has passed away, but so long as time itself shall last.

By whom, then, are these spiritual duties to be discharged? Are they left to be performed by any, all, or none of the Christian community, at their individual discretion, destitute of authority or are they committed to official persons, specially authorized and designated by God? The language of the New Testament affirmatively declares the latter to be the will of the King of Zion.

The same God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who authoritatively commissioned the apostles, has as authoritatively communicated the ministerial office to pastors and teachers, who are thus elders and overseers of the Church. No language could be more express: 'GOD hath SET some in the Church—thirdly, TEACHERS' (1 Cor. xii. 28). CHRIST hath ascended, and ‘gave gifts,' 'and He GAVE Some PASTORS and TEACHERS' (Eph. iv. 7-11). Take heed to all the flock over which the HOLY GHOST hath MADE YOU OVERSEERS' (Acts xx. 28). God the Father hath

constituted teachers in the Church-Christ hath bestowed pastors and teachers upon it-the Holy Ghost hath appointed overseers over the same flock of God. By the authority of the Three-One Jehovah, pastors and teachers elders who are overseers or bishops have the office of ministry in the Word and Sacraments committed to them as their special function. Consequently, the argument employed by the Holy Spirit is, that it would be as absurd for all to exercise the same authoritative office of teacher as that of apostle- Are all apostles? are all teachers?' (1 Cor. xii. 29.) If the Three-One Jehovah, 'the God of truth'-Christ who is the truth'-' the Spirit of truth'-has thus emphatically pronounced that the ministerial office is communicated to persons taken from among their brethren,-then that office is permanently and divinely authoritative in the Church.

§ 2. SPECIFIC MINISTERIAL TITLES.

These also attest that the office is authoritative and perpetual. (1.) Pastor or Shepherd, who is the overseer of the sheep, while figurative, all the more clearly points out a real and permanent distinction. 'Feed the flock of God, taking the oversight, being ensamples to the flock' (1 Pet. v. 2, 3). When every sheep can assume the office of its Shepherd at will, this divine distinction and direction will cease to be binding on the Church.

(2.) Teacher is destitute of figure. In connection with the imperative duty of the taught, the distinction between them and their teacher is even more emphatically proclaimed: ‘Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things' (Gal. vi. 6).

(3.) Minister, although a general term indicative of any service, is yet so employed as to set forth laborious spiritual service. As those who toil at the oar, as the word indicates, are distinguished from passengers in the boat, so 'Ministers by whom ye believed''-'the ministers of Christ' (1 Cor. iii. 5, iv. 1), are distinguished from those to whom this spiritual service is rendered.

(4.) Preacher or herald of God declares the authoritative

E