. distinguished of God. This may be thought to be an uncharitable remark, but it will be seen on a careful examination, to be the most charitable that the nature of the case can allow. This statement will be seen to be supported beyond a doubt by the following facts, which are by no means uncom

.mor.

1. Some men who pretend to have this call, and who boldly declare that they are directed entirely by the immediate agency of the Spirit of God, preach a doctrine in direct opposition to others, who make the same pretensions. There are several denominations, some of whose preachers it is well known, claim to be thus highly distinguished, who differ in many essential points from each other.

2. There are some men with these pretensions, who after they have preached for a season, change their sentiments, and exhibit opinions directly contradictory to what they before exhibited, who both before and after their change, have claimed to be under the direction of the Spirit.

3. Others, with these pretensions, have proved themselves upon repeated trials, incapable of exhibiting one important doctrine, in a light sufficiently clear, to be understood or ap plied. We are now reduced to the necessity of believing, that these men are deceived, or that all this confusion and contradiction, is to be charged upon the Spirit of God. Can a rational man harbour for one moment a doubt on this subject? Is it not invariably acknowledged, that truth is consistent with itself? Can we believe that the Spirit of God would lead men in a path as crooked as that which is often pursued by men of these high pretensions? This it must be seen is decidedly impossible. We must either believe of course, that they make these pretensions, knowing them to be false, or that they are deceived; and certainly the latter is far the most charitable.

To this it may be objected that the Apostles were the

subjects of this supernatural, or miraculous call, and why may not others be the subjects of the same? In answer to this, we readily admit that the Apostles were thus under the constant guidance of the Holy Spirit in all their preaching; but as an evidence that no such privilege ought to be expected in these days, we remark that the Apostles lived in an age of miracles. From the nature of things a dispensation of miracles cannot endure. If it were as common to see the sick restored in answer to prayer, as it is for a sleeping body to awake, it would be no more miraculous. The same remark is true in reference to every miracle, and therefore when the purpose to be answered by them was accomplished, it was wisely ordered that they should no longer exist. Besides, as an argument that must decide this subject, it may be observed, that no reason can be given to show, that a miracle of this nature should continue, and no others. When therefore these men, can give us evidence that they possess the other gifts of the Apostles-when they can heal the sick-give sight to the blind-raise the dead-become fluent in unknown languages, then we may believe that they are miraculously directed by the Spirit of God, Farther we shall see that we have still less reason to infer from the case of the Apostles, any support for these pretensions, when we remember that they enjoyed the instructions of the Lord Jesus, for more than three years. They were also so favoured of the Spirit of God, so that they were enabled to prophecy. Can this be said in favour of any individuals at the present day? On the whole, is it not plain that these pretensions, when compared with the real exhibitions of the men who make them, leave on the minds of those who look at religion with a speculative eye, an unfavourable impression, both in reference to its truth, and its importance? Can they readily believe that the Holy Spirit would commit a message, on a compliance with which is suspended the eternal interests of men, to such as show them

selves beyond all question, unable to present a single point of it in such a light, as to be correctly understood? The question then returns, What do we understand by a divine call, to preach the gospel? or when shall we know that men are called of God to bear his message to our rebellious race? And

1. A man must possess a true desire for this office. "If a man desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a good work.” a It was a desire of this kind that created the necessity of which the Apostle speaks. "For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel." b This desire, or necessity, could not in the Apostle's case, arise from any selfish or improper views. It could not have been the effect of an anxiety for wealth or popularity. It must have been a desire to promote the immortal interests of his fellow-men, and magnify the riches of divine grace, created within him by the Spirit of God.

2. A man must possess an ability to teach, in order that he may give evidence, that he is called of God. This gift, or qualification, is variously described in the Scriptures of truth. It is said expressly in one passage, that he must be apt to teach. c In another it is said that a "Bishop must be temperate, holding fast the faithful word, as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort, and to convince the gainsayers." d The Saviour observes, "There fore every Scribe which is instructed into the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a man that is a householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure, things new and old." e These qualifications must be united, in order to give us evidence of a divine call, The minister of Christ must have both this true desire, and this aptness or ability to teach. One is represented as essential as the other. It must be seen that as it respects the question how we may determine when men have these evidences, that every preacher of the gospel concerning the first, must decide for himself. He only can tell whether he has that desire which it would be painful to have denied. Of the other, it must be determined by his hearers. Whether he is apt to teach, and his instructions are profitable to the people of God, and tend to build up the Redeemer's kingdom in the world, must be decided entirely by others. If a man

a 1 Tim iii 1. b 1 Cor. ix. 16. c Tim. iii. 2. d Titus i, 7-9. e Mat. xiii 52.

believe that he has an upright desire for this work, and still his hearers cannot feel instructed or benefitted by his preaching, he ought to be convinced that he is deceived. On the other hand, if a man enter this sacred office as he would go to a trade, merely because he has a talent for talking or for communicating knowledge, when he has none of that desire which has been mentioned, he cannot expect the direction and assistance of him, whose operations are neither by might nor by power, but by his Spirit. It may please the great Head of the Church to make the labours of such men, instrumental in the conviction and conversion of sinners, as he often makes even the sins of men the means of their own conviction; still, as it is not because he is pleased with the motives by which they are actuated, they have no other agency in this important work, than any other instrument, by which these effects are often produced. Instances of death, disappointments, &c. are often the means of conviction, and of course, it amounts to no certain evidence that we are called of God to preach the gospel, if such effects sometimes follow our preaching.

It is scarcely necessary to remark in addition, that a man can have no evidence that he is called to this important work, unless he sustains a character that is fair and irreproachable. "A Bishop must be blameless as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate." a A similar account is given by the Apostle in his Epistle to Timothy, to which he adds, after having told us that a Bishop must be blameless, "Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must be of good report of them which are without, lest he fall into reproach, and the snare of the devil." Nothing can be more obvious, than that he who would undertake to conduct his fellow men in the path that leads to heaven, should be a man who has a familiar knowledge of that path from his own experience. If it be true that men must be born again, before they can enter the kingdom of God, how important that he who attempts to teach others, should be able to form as correct a judgment of that important work, as the deceitfulness of the human heart will admit! How can he describe to

a Titus i. 7-9. 1 Tim, iii 6, 7.

the anxious and inquiring sinner, the views and feelings of the real Christian, when he himself is a stranger to them?

SECTION XXI.

Conformity to the World.

Q. How far is it consistent with a life of piety, to conform to the customs of this world?

A. As far as our usefulness, and the preservation of our health, obviously demand. That a conformity to the world in many instances, and that too with the professors of the religion of Christ; is the ruin of Christian character & influence, is but too evident. The manner in which every individual should live, who professedly lives for God and for another world, is described in the Scriptures with great plainness. "I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable will of God." a The state of society in some periods and in some parts of the world, is doubtless much better than in others; but there is no age, or place, where entire conformity can be consistent with the character of the Christian. There is no place on earth where the direction of the Apostle is not strictly adapted to the condition of the Christian: "Come out from among them, and be ye separate saith the Lord.” b It would be easy, although this is considered a moral and Christian part of the world, to insert a catalogue of customs which prevail to a greater or less extent, that would task the reader's patience, to which no Christian can consistently conform. How numerous are the inventions to evade the letter of the wisest and most important laws, and to practice deception upon mankind! But we have room only to mention some of the most dangerous and ruinous habits, that prevail among us, against which every Christian should take a decided stand. It is according to the custom of this world to treat the religion of Christ, or the concerns of the soul, as the creature of convenience. It is with all its momentous interests, held in sub

a Rum. xii. 1, 2. b 2 Cor. vi. 17.