ARTICLE VII.

THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF THE MINISTRY IN THE FORMATION OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER.

Ir appears universally admitted, in the church of God, that the ministry of the gospel is intimately concerned in the formation of Christian character. Whether this subject, however, is so well understood as it should be; and whether it is kept in mind so distinctly and seriously, by either ministers or churches, as it ought, admits of question. It is, therefore, proposed to give it a brief consideration in the following article.

That the language used in our statement of this subject may not be misapprehended, we remark, that we have no sympathy with any who hold that man operates upon the soul of his fellow-man independently of the agency of the Holy Spirit. We regard the minister as "a laborer together with God" the Holy Spirit, without whom nothing is done for the spiritual good of the soul of any man. We contemplate the minister as using means which the Spirit is pleased to bless. And we hold it becoming, and a duty, in that minister who has been most successful in his labors for the sanctification of the church, to sit down willingly at his Master's feet, ascribing all the glory to that blessed and divine Agent who is pleased, "by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe."

It is not in the power of man to stop the work of grace, which is begun in any Christian. And yet it is very possible that through defects in ministerial character and habits of instruction, this work may be embarrassed in its progress, and its beauty marred; and there be consequent defects in the characters of some Christians, which will never be corrected till they arrive in heaven. Through the same causes, the happiness, influence and usefulness of Christians in this life may be very much abridged. Through peculiar defects in the ministry of some, it may be found, at last, true of many, who have been under their pastoral charge, that they are but

"scarcely saved." And of infinite mercy it will be, if, through such causes, some do not perish from the visible church. These are among the many considerations which give importance to this subject.

Individual Christians, and churches in their collective capacity, inevitably feel the influence of the ministry under which they live, for good or ill; and this from various causes. The sacred office is an appointment of God; and it is inconceivable that from the exercise of it little or no effect should result. A good man in this office can therefore do good, and a bad man evil, to souls, as by authority. The dignity and solemnity of this office also give it influence, and prepare the way for its efforts to be decisive; whether good, through the excellences of him who ministers, or bad through the faults of his character. From this it sometimes comes to pass that many Christians will tolerate and excuse, and even countenance things wrong in a minister, because of the office he holds. The frequency, or rather the constancy, with which the mind of the minister comes in contact with the minds of his people, in his public preaching and in his private intercourse, makes his influence upon them to be inevitable. No man can preach to his people two sermons on every Sabbath, with perhaps lectures during the week, and visit among them, either in a social or pastoral manner, and not be continually making impressions, of some sort, which will be formative upon their character. In short, to bear the title of an "ambassador for Christ," and to "live, move and have being," among a people, is to be under the interesting certainty of being concerned in the formation of character. And this will give unspeakable solemnity to the review which ministers and their churches will take, in the day of final judgment.

When, therefore, the theological student is in his course of preparation for the ministry, he is contemplating the employment of forming the characters of immortals for eternity. The first sermon he preaches is the beginning of the work of making impressions on souls. When he is ordained as the pastor of a local church, and a flock is committed to him to keep, he has under his hands a collection of his fellow-men, in forming whose characters for the joyful or fearful estates of eternity, he is to have more concern than any other being on earth. On the day

of his ordination, it is as though a book were spread open before him; and each soul is as a leaf in that book, upon which he will be employed in inscribing, as "with a pen of iron and with the point of a diamond," characters. not to be effaced, while eternity lasts, and God lives to reward his fidelity or punish his unfaithfulness. This book he and others will read, somewhat, in this life, with hope and joy, or with fear and sorrow, according to that which is written therein. And in the last day, this book of his spiritual authorship will be open in the sight of God, of angels, and of men both saved and lost,-in sight of heaven and hell, to be read to all eternity.

A mistaken notion has sometimes been held by men in the ministry, that the work should be divided into departments; that one minister is to labor to convert sinners, and another is to take them under his care for the formation of their characters, and their training for heaven. And men have run through churches of different denominations in our country, professedly doing the work of the first department, and committing that of the second to the regular pastors. No minister need to fall into this mistake who will read attentively and carry in his thoughts habitually, that apostolical charge, "Feed the church of God;" and who will study the character of the Christian ministry as it was exercised by the apostles. Paul and his brethren labored for the accomplishment of all which concerned the salvation of the people of Christ; from the first proclamation of the gospel to the man "dead in trespasses and sins,' through all the intermediate stages of conviction of sin, conversion to God, introduction into the church, preparation for the divine service on earth, for death in Christian triumph and for transference to the paradise of God. And this is the business of every minister.

Let us inquire for the light of Scripture on this subject. Did our limits permit, it would be easy and pleasant to quote many passages, affording proof that Christ and his apostles regarded the Christian ministry as eminently a divine appointment, for training "sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty." Paul evidently contemplated, with lively interest, his own concern in the Corinthian Christians having become what they were; when he said, "Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of

commendation from you? Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men; forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, ministered by us; written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart." "Great is my glorying of you; I am filled with comfort; I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation." So in Paul's instructions to Timothy and Titus, as ministers, and in his epistles to the churches, and in the epistles of James, Peter, John and Jude, this great object seems to have been steadily contemplated, the building up of Christians in holiness; their advancement in every grace; the strengthening of every appropriate element of their character; the brightening of every feature of their resemblance to Christ; and to bring them to live in all respects as becomes the sons of God, the heirs of glory and immortality.

To exhibit from the apostolic writings all the proofs they afford on this subject, would be to quote them almost entire. Let any minister read the epistles of the New Testament, with his eye upon this subject, and, if he has not done it before, he will be surprised and delighted to see how almost every passage has reference in some way to this end. Whether it be a doctrine set forth, or an example of Christian excellence, or a delineation of Christian experience, or a caution, warning, or rebuke of sin; each one appears adapted to "the perfecting of the saints," "the edifying of the body of Christ." The Holy Spirit has come into the world to carry on the great work of sanctification and salvation for the people of God, which was begun in the Saviour's atoning blood; and he is accomplishing it by his gracious operations on the hearts of the heirs of life. He graciously condescends to call into fellowship with himself in this work, imperfect men, as all ministers are. And for what object, next to our own salvation, should we have a thought or desire to labor, but for this, to which he directs his own almighty energies?

It is true that the apostles preached to sinners, unregenerate men; their holy souls were awaked, and their minds were often tasked to the utmost, in endeavoring to "persuade men" to "be reconciled unto God." Yet they evidently regarded this as only the commencement of efforts for the good of souls, the great proportion of which

were to be made after conversion, and to be completed only when life ends and the day of their redemption is come.

The opinion has apparent place in some minds, that the ministry was instituted mainly for the benefit of impenitent men; and that those sermons are defective which are not devoted to pressing them with their immediate duties and dangers; and that to preach to those who are safe in the fold of Christ is to neglect "them that are without." The truth is, that some of the most arousing appeals for the consciences of sinners, in all the Bible, are contained in instructions to Christians. "The word of God" is "the sword of the Spirit;" and often takes effect with a "twoedged" power. Whether the sinner shall feel it depends not so much upon its being directly addressed to him, as upon its being the sacred and solemn truth of God, enforced by "the power of the Spirit of God." It is impossible to preach the Bible, and not preach that which the impenitent man shall feel. From a sermon on "the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost," a wakeful conscience will constrain him to raise some serious reflections on his own condition as at enmity with God. While he listens to a sermon on the "hope of the gospel," he may most keenly feel that he has "no hope." As he hears set forth the joys in reserve for the Christian in heaven, he cannot fail to be reminded, if he think a moment of himself, that he is yet exposed to the miseries of hell. An enlightened conscience in the breast of a sinner is generally faithful in drawing inferences from truths pleasant or fearful. Divine truth dispensed, gives employment to conscience; and certain disturbance, thus, to the man living in his sins.

As an indispensable requisite in the minister, in laboring for the formation of Christian character, we scarce need to say he must himself be what he proposes to make others. What does that man for the advancement of Christian excellence in others who is not a Christian himself? How can he otherwise know what a Christian should be?

This fundamental requisite to his work supposed to exist, the following are obviously necessary: Eminent piety; for the master must go before the pupil: Active piety; for it is not merely the contemplative or studious minister who will exert influence on the characters of