know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love, for their work's sake."

Let us, then, consider; first, the apostolic description of ministers of the gospel; secondly, the duty of Christians towards them.

First. The apostolic description of ministers of the gospel.

Ministers are labourers-"Them which labour among you." The office of a minister is no sinecure. Those who think that a minister's life is an idle life, or an easy life, are greatly mistaken. If such individuals could enter the sacred office they would find the labours thereof so abundant, and the responsibilities thereof so weighty, that they would gladly escape therefrom, and resume their former employmont. A minister is a workman-a workman not to be ashamed-a workman continually engaged in works of faith and labours of love. A minister does not labour at handicraft, like an agriculturist, or a mechanic, or an operative, or a miner; he does not plough a field, or build a house, or weave raw material into a beautiful fabric, or bring up coals from the depths of the earth; nevertheless, he labours as diligently, he works as hard, with the faculties of his mind, as others do with the energies of their bodies. The severest toils, the most arduous duties of a minister's life, are not those which meet the public eye. What is seen by the multitude is not worthy of comparison with what is hidden from their gaze. A minister is seen holding social intercourse with his people, or visiting the sick, or burying the dead, or conducting a prayer-meeting, or leading a class, or baptizing children, or administering the Lord's Supper, or speaking at public meetings, or attending to various kinds of church business, or walking to, and returning from, near and distant country appointments, or preaching the gospel, in town and village, five or six times a week. But these exertions, numerous and toilsome as they are, do not constitute the whole of his work. They come far short of it. The heaviest part still remains. The mental effort, the study which Solomon speaks of as weariness to the flesh, is much more laborious and exhausting than all else. Of this work none but ministers themselves have an adequate idea. The delivery of instructive sermons conveys to the minds of the hearers a very imperfect notion of the labour expended in preparing them for the pulpit. It even happens that the more effective the sermons of an able minister of the New Testament, the fainter is the impression of the auditors of the mental effort bestowed thereon. So far from thinking of the sermons as the fruits of toilsome study, they count them the spontaneous products of a remarkable gift with which the minister is endowed. Nor is this, perhaps, to be wondered at. The sight of exquisite needlework gives no adequate idea of the labour of the female who has produced it. The sight of noble statuary gives no adequate idea of the labour of the sculptor who has chiselled it. The sight of sparkling jewelry in the crown of a monarch gives no adequate idea of the labour of the lapidary who has prepared it. In like manner, the hearing of edifying sermons gives no adequate idea of the labour of the minister in searching out acceptable words, which, fitly spoken, are like apples of gold in network

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of silver.

In order to form a correct notion of the intellectual labour of a good minister of Jesus Christ, you must take a comprehensive view of his studies. The topics he has to investigate are the most profound, sublime, and hard to be understood, within the range of human knowledge. He has to search out the wisdom of God in a mystery, to acquaint himself with the deep things of God-the things into which angels, who excel in mental strength, desire to look. He has to study the nature and character of God, the origin of evil, the miracles of Scripture, the prophetic records, the expiatory sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the depravity of mankind, the grace of the Holy Spirit, religious experience, the duties of godliness, the arrangements of Providence, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, and the destinies of eternity. To form just ideas on these and kindred topics; to develope such ideas in suitable language; to concentrate the same on the memory; and to deliver it in an edifying manner to a thoughtful audience, is harder work than it is to spin cotton, or weave cloth, or plane wood, or weld iron, or dig in a mine, or wait in a shop, or pack goods, or perform any other kind of handicraft. Every minister, who rightly divides the word of truth, ascertains the mind of the Spirit in the glorious gospel, and makes it known to the people for instruction in righteousness, labours in word and doctrine as literally as other men labour in secular affairs. To this the Apostle Paul gives emphatic witness. "By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, for I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me; therefore, whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed; now, he that planteth and he that watereth are one, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour, for we are labourers together with God."

Ministers are rulers-" And are over you in the Lord." A minister not only labours, he also rules. He presides over the affairs of the church, seeing that all things are done decently and in order. He has no right to exercise despotic authority in the church, to make himself a lord over God's heritage, by enacting laws and enforcing regulations without the consent, and in defiance of the judgment of the church; nevertheless, he has a right to legislate in concurrence with the church, to require a conscientious observance of acknowledged rules, and to put forth, by virtue of his office, a reasonable discretionary power in minor matters not provided for by express legislation. To this Scriptural oversight all are bound cheerfully to submit. Every man, whether a private member, or a subordinate officer, who, from ignorance, or prejudice, or self-will, or love of pre-eminence, rebels against, or thwarts, or discourages a minister in the discharge of his duty as an overseer, enfeebles the ordinance of God, and hinders the prosperity of Zion. To preside over church affairs with wisdom and energy is no easy task. It requires serious thought, great firmness, untiring activity, and the bestowment of power from on high. There are so many narrow views, selfish motives, irregular habits, and warm tempers to contend with, in the maintenance of order, and the enforcement of discipline, that the minister who rules well often has his courage and

force of character tried to the very utmost. Still government must be maintained. A minister must take up his cross and do his duty, through evil report and good report, amidst difficulty, contradiction, and illtreatment; knowing that his witness is in heaven, and that, if faithful, he will in no wise lose his reward. If he fail to do so; if he flinch instead of standing firm; if he waver instead of being steadfast; if he tolerate what is wrong, instead of enforcing what is right; he may be counted a good man, but he will prove himself a weak man, and the church will suffer from his weakness; the temporary calm will issue in a louder storm; the quiet of carelessness and irregularity will produce disorder, confusion, and every evil work. A minister must rule, just as the chief magistrate of a city must rule, or the governor of a province must rule, otherwise anarchy will take the place of order; and every man, instead of submitting to constitutional authority, doing what is right in his own eyes, strife will abound where goodwill should prevail, Christ will be wounded in the house of his friends, the interests of religion will be ready to die.

Ministers are admonishers—" And admonish you." A minister who labours diligently and rules well exhorts, reproves, and rebukes, that the people among whom he labours, and over whom he rules, may be careful to maintain good works. The necessity of admonition is very obvious. Errors, imperfections, and sins occur so frequently among Christians as to render it needful for a minister to rebuke the speculative sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, to warn the unruly, to charge the wealthy not to trust in uncertain riches, and to require every one to abhor that which is evil, to cleave to that which is good, to adorn the gospel of Jesus Christ in all things. Some individuals prefer their own fancies to the saving doctrines of the cross; these a minister must admonish not to be wise above what is written in the Sacred Volume. Other individuals receive all that is said from the pulpit without reflection, without thoughtful investigation; these a minister must admonish to search the Scriptures, and to cultivate intelligent piety. Some are immersed in secular affairs, and neglectful of religious duties; these a minister must admonish to be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. Others are wanting in industry, and fond of tale-bearing; these a minister must admonish to be diligent in business, and to owe no one anything but love. Some have itching ears, and wander hither and thither in search of novelties; these a minister must admonish to desire the sincere milk of the word, and grow thereby in grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Others are seldom absent from their usual place of worship; they attend the preaching of the gospel with conscientious regularity, but they do not give their hearts to God; these a minister must admonish to go beyond the form of godliness, and live a life of faith in the Lord Jesus. Some are willing to labour in the church, but not willing to give; they despise ease, but love money, and make activity an excuse for selfishness; these a minister must admonish to give as God has prospered them, and to give cheerfully, for the Lord loveth a cheerful giver. Others abound in gifts of money, but sit at ease in Zion; they are generous in disposition, but inactive in habit, and make liberality an excuse for idleness; these a minister must admonish to shake off

spiritual sloth, and labour diligently to do the will of their Heavenly Father. Some are proud, haughty, and overbearing; these a minister must admonish to clothe themselves with humility, to condescend to men of low estate, and to walk humbly with God. Others are sullen, uncharitable, and malicious; these a minister must admonish to put away bad feelings from their hearts, to let the law of kindness be on their lips, and to cultivate habits of goodwill. Some are full of obsequiousness, and given to flattery; these a minister must admonish to maintain self-respect, and to speak the words of truth and soberness. Others take offence at trifles, and delight in slander; these a minister must admonish to exercise forbearance, and to keep their tongue from evil speaking. Some who suffer affliction, and whose circumstances are humble, cherish discontent, and murmur against God; these a minister must admonish to be content with such things as they have, knowing that God will never leave them, will never-no, never-forsake them. Others who prosper in the world, and increase in riches, neglect the means of grace, live expensively, and mind earthly things; these a minister must admonish to crucify the lusts of the flesh, to set their affections on things above, and to lay up treasure in heaven. Additional cases might be specified, but these are sufficient to illustrate the admonitory duties of a good minister of Jesus Christ. In the utterance of admonition, a minister is likely to wound the pride, excite the prejudice, and provoke the revenge of all who desire to hear smooth things, and dislike stern words of faithfulness. These will become his enemies, because he has told them the truth. Some will treat him with coldness, others will speak roughly to him, others will misrepresent him, others will cease to support him, others will leave his ministry. Still, he must neither quail, nor be silent. He must cry aloud, and spare not; he must lift up his voice like a trumpet; he must open his mouth boldly, and declare unto the people their evil doings, that they may cease therefrom, and work righteousness.

Secondly. The duty of Christians towards ministers of the gospel. The duty of Christians towards ministers of the gospel is "to know them." The phrase "to know" is synonymous with the phrase, "to acknowledge." To know ministers, therefore, is to acknowledge them, to recognize their right to courteous treatment, to regard them as holding an office, and sustaining a character which entitles them to sincere respect. It is extremely wrong for any one to conduct himself towards ministers with coldness, discourtesy, and unkindness, as if they were strangers, and foreigners, and aliens, instead of heads of the household of faith, leading members of the family of God. Yet there are not wanting unreasonable individuals who thus act. They turn away from ministers with a sullen temper, or they speak to them with reproachful words, or they shake hands with them without cordiality, or they caricature their peculiarities, or they deride their imperfections, or they defy their official authority, or they place them at disadvantage before the public. Such conduct as this impairs the efficiency of the ministerial office, and is sinful in the sight of God. Called, and chosen, and faithful ministers of the gospel derive their office from God, and God will not hold him guiltless who treats that

office with disrespect. If monarchs ought to be treated with respect; if statesmen ought to be treated with respect; if magistrates ought to be treated with respect; ministers ought to be treated with respect. Especially ought they to be treated with respect when they discharge the duties of the ministry under a liberal form of church government. In this case their only defence against unkindness is the good sense and goodwill of their people. They cannot shield themselves from improper treatment behind the rampart of priestly power, or with the terrors of excommunication. It is, therefore, highly reprehensible for persons to abuse their religious freedom, by showing disrespect to the ministers who concede it to them, and guard it for them. For ourselves, we ask no slavish submission to our judgment in contravention of the right of private judgment; but, we do ask, yea, we require, in the fear of God, and on the authority of Scripture, that, when individuals differ from us, they neither treat us rudely, nor despise our office. "Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God; for our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you ward; for we are not as many which corrupt the Word of God, but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ; we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edification," therefore, respect "them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever."

The duty of Christians towards ministers of the gospel, is not only to "know them," to recognize their office and character with respect, but also, "to esteem them very highly in love." Respectful demeanour and language are the least tribute that Christians should render to ministers; they must go far beyond these things; they must render to them the good opinion of their intellect, and the warm affection of their heart, not in scanty measure, but in superabundant degree, they must "esteem them very highly in love." Instead of thinking evil of your ministers you should think good of them; instead of speaking ill of your ministers you should speak well of them; instead of fostering prejudice against your ministers you should glow with love for them. They are the ministers of God unto you for good; you should count them, therefore, among your best friends, and love them with pure hearts fervently.

Christians should show their loving esteem for ministers of the gospel first, by attendance in the sanctuary; secondly, by liberal support; thirdly, by cheerful co-operation.

First. By attendance in the sanctuary. The grand object for which Christians assemble in the sanctuary is the worship of God. They come together, in the name of Jesus Christ, to sing the praise, and to pray for the blessing of their Maker. Of this worship ministers are the conductors; and in connection therewith, they hold forth the word of life; they declare the truth as it is in Jesus; they explain the doctrines, unfold the promises, and enforce the precepts of Holy Scripture.