worldly business is attended to as it ought, and secret duties punctually observed, there cannot remain a great deal of time for persons in any station to spend in company. And they who imagine praying at certain seasons, hearing the Gospel, and then entering into a sort of general conversation about religion and religious people, will be sufficient, are grievously mistaken. Unless we love, (and contrive as we are able,) to be much alone, how can we often and solemnly call to remembrance the evil of our past life, or loath ourselves? How feel contrition for the follies of our innate depravity? How, with the blessed Mary, ponder in our hearts the sayings of our Lord? How enter deeply into his agony and death, the price of our peace, and eternal life? How weigh the value of our spiritual privileges, and the weight of the crown of glory laid up for the faithful? How feel the strength and multitude of our obligations to live in exemplary obedience, constrained by the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge? Though the pastors of Christ's church speak on these subjects, and they make part of every conversation, we must ruminate in private upon them, or they will never duly impress and fill our minds. Therefore the most distinguished saints, before they entered on any arduous work for the glory of God, or the good of men, did not think their purity of intention, or the promise of God's Spirit sufficient, without preparing by much retirement. Moses, Elijah, Daniel, the Baptist, and our Lord himself, teach us, by their practice, the benefit and necessity of being often and much alone. Great and many evils grow up in the church, from its pastors and people neglecting to copy these infallible examples. For want of being much alone, popular teachers are puffed up thence become contentions, jealous of those they fear as their rivals-disputers, and abusers

of their fellow-servants. For want of meditation in privacy upon the truths of God, professors of faith in Christ become arrant Pharisees, whilst they violently condemn Pharisaism; formalists, though they know it not, in the midst of perpetual exclamations against formality: for they can talk, without humiliation, of man's total corruption, and the sinfulness of sin; they can talk, without gratitude, of redemption by the blood of God manifest in the flesh; and without grief, on the hypocrisy and unbecoming lives of many who make a profession of faith in Christ. Nothing, in their discourse on these deeply affecting topics, strikes the hearer's mind as coming from a broken heart. This profanation of sacred truths, by talking of them with a careless, dissipated spirit, does much hurt; and we incur guilt, like those who take the name of the Lord in vain. Yet this must be the case with us, unless there be a due mixture of solitude with society, to gird up the loins of our minds, and effectually impress us by much intercourse with God alone.

With respect to the multitude of ignorant and licentious men, you must expect their ridicule and censure, which by no means should gall or irritate your mind. You could not be a servant of Christ, were you approved by them. "If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but, because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." Yet in this case, love hopeth all things, and endureth all things; hopeth the time will come, when they who think you mad, will worship with you in spirit and in truth. Meanwhile, love will enable you meekly to receive contemptuous treatment and hard speeches against your faith, your conduct, and your friends, Be not eager to justify yourself, nor over-forward to

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make converts by much speaking. An irksome truth becomes more so by being unseasonably urged. Besides, wordy people are set down as loving to hear themselves talk; and novices are proud to gain proselytes before they are established themselves in the truth, or know their own: religion. But in victory over pride, anger, and all wickedness; in steadfastly observing every rule of holy living laid down by our Saviour; in courteous behaviour to all men; in calmly urging the word of God, when some favourable opportunity presents of bearing testimony to the truth. In these things you cannot exceed. Wait patiently, and you will by such irreproachable and wise conduct, stop the mouth of prejudice, and win over some to come forth and live a Christian life, as you do.

I wish you much of the presence and peace of God in your soul; in your practice and temper, much steadiness and love; and a gracious answer to your prayers for your friends, relations, and fellowsinners. May we remember each other before God; beseeching him, that we may strongly recommend his truth and service, by great usefulness, till we are for ever with him.

From yours, &c.

H. VENN.

FOR THE CHRISTIAN's MAGAZINE.

CHURCH OF GOD.

No. XI.

1840

Officers.

A COMMUNITY so large, and yet so compact formed, preserved, and perpetuated with so much care; directed to so high an end; and furnished with principles of such universal application, as we have proved the church of God to be, requires a suitable regimen. God is the God of order: no order can be kept up any where without government; and no government can exist without officers to administer it. Our next inquiry, therefore, relates to the officers whom Christ hath appointed.

In the Apostolical church were the following: viz.

1. APOSTLES, 1 Cor. xii. 28. 2. PROPHETS,Rom. xii. 6.

Eph. iv. 11.

Eph. iv. 11.

1 Cor. xii. 28.

3. EVANGELISTS,-Eph. iv. 11.

4. PASTORS and TEACHERS,Ibid. Acts xiii. 1. who ruled,

who also laboured in word and 1 Tim. v. 17. doctrine,

5. ELDERS, who "ruled" without "labouring in word and doctrine,”.

-Ibid.

6. DEACONS,Acts vi. 1-6. 1 Tim. iii. 8.

It is evident that the great object of all these offices was the religious education of the world. We mean, that they were intended to instruct mankind in the knowledge of divine truth; to inspire them with pure principles and spiritual affections; to form their individual and social habits to practical holiness, and moral order; in one word, to render them "meet for the inheritance of the saints in light."

It is also evident, that some of these offices were only temporary. Which of them were designed to be permanent, and in what form, is an inquiry which we must postpone till we shall have settled a previous question.

It has been, and still is, a received belief among almost all who profess Christianity, that the Redeemer has instituted a regular ministry to be perpetuated in an order of men specially set apart and commissioned by his authority, for the purpose of inculcating the doctrines and duties of Christianity; and that no man may lawfully enter upon its functions without an official warrant from them who are themselves already in office.

Others contend that this whole system is of human origin; is founded either in ignorance or in fraud; and militates directly against the nature and privileges of the Christian church.

Others again, attempt a middle course; allowing the general principle of a ministry, but leaving the application of it at large; and conceiving the exercise of gifts with the approbation of the church, that is, a number of professing Christians met together for public worship, to be a valid and sufficient call. To clear up this matter, let us consider,

1. What the scriptures have determined concerning the fact in dispute: and

2. What are the uses, qualifications, and mode of preserving, a standing ministry.