莱尔主教holiness-第103章
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（Phil。 ii。 6…8。） And let us remember the words which precede that
passage 〃Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus。〃
Depend on it； the nearer men draw to heaven； the more humble do they
bee。 In the hour of death； with one foot in the grave； with
something of the light of heaven shining down upon them； hundreds of
great saints and Church dignitariessuch men as Selden； Bishop Butler；
Archbishop Longleyhave left on record their confession； that never
till that hour did they see their sins so clearly and feel so deeply
their debt to mercy and grace。 Heaven alone； I suppose； will fully
teach us how humble we ought to be。 Then only； when we stand within the
veil； and look back on all the way of life by which we were led； then
only shall we pletely understand the need and beauty of humility。
Strong language like St。 Paul's will not appear to us too strong in
that day。 No： indeed！ We shall cast our crowns before the throne； and
realize what a great divine meant when he said； 〃The anthem in heaven
will be； What hath God wrought。〃
II。 In the second place； let us notice what St。 Paul says of his
ministerial office。
There is a grand simplicity in the Apostle's words about this subject。
He says； 〃Grace is given unto me that I should preach。〃 The meaning of
the sentence is plain： 〃To me is granted the privilege of being a
messenger of good news。 I have been missioned to be a herald of glad
tidings。〃Of course we cannot doubt that St。 Paul's conception of the
minister's office included the administration of the sacraments； and
the doing all other things needful for the edifying of the body of
Christ。 But here； as in other places； it is evident that the leading
idea continually before his mind was that the chief business of a
minister of the New Testament is to be a preacher； an evangelist； God's
ambassador； God's messenger； and the proclaimer of God's good news to a
fallen world。 He says in another place； 〃Christ sent me not to baptize；
but to preach the Gospel。〃 （1 Cor。 i。 17。）
I fail to see that St。 Paul ever supports the favourite theory that
there was intended to be a sacerdotal ministry； a sacrificing
priesthood in the Church of Christ。 There is not a word in the Acts or
in his Epistles to the Churches to warrant such a notion。 It is nowhere
written； 〃God hath set some in the Church； first apostles； then
priests。〃 （1 Cor。 xii。 28。） There is a conspicuous absence of the
theory in the Pastoral Epistles to Timothy and Titus； where； if
anywhere； we might have expected to find it。 On the contrary； in these
very Epistles； we read such expressions as these； 〃God hath manifested
His Word through preaching；〃 〃I am appointed a preacher。〃 〃I am
ordained a preacher。〃 〃That by me the preaching might be fully known。〃
（1 Tim。 ii。 7； 2 Tim。 i。 11； 2 Tim。 iv。 17； Tit。 i。 3。） And； to crown
all； one of his last injunctions to his friend Timothy； when he leaves
him in charge of an organized Church； is this pithy sentence； 〃Preach
the Word。〃 （2 Tim。 iv。 2。） In short； I believe St。 Paul would have us
understand that； however various the works for which the Christian
minister is set apart； his first； foremost； and principal work is to be
the preacher and proclaimer of God's Word。
But； while we refuse to allow that a sacrificing priesthood has any
warrant of Scripture； let us beware in these days that we do not rush
into the extreme of undervaluing the office which the minister of
Christ holds。 There is some danger in this direction。 Let us grasp
firmly certain fixed principles about the Christian ministry； and；
however strong our dislike of priesthood and aversion to Romanism； let
nothing tempt us to let these principles slip out of our hands。 Surely
there is solid middle ground between a grovelling idolatry of
sacerdotalism on one hand； and a disorderly anarchy on the other。
Surely it does not follow； because we will not be Papists in this
matter of the ministry； that we must needs be Quakers or Plymouth
Brethren。 ＇47＇ This； at any rate； was not in the mind of St。 Paul。
（a） For one thing； let us settle it firmly in our minds that the
ministerial office is a Scriptural Institution。 I need not weary you
with quotations to prove this point。 I will simply advise you to read
the Epistles to Timothy and Titus and judge for yourselves。 If these
Epistles do not authorize a ministry； there is； to my mind； no meaning
in words。 Take a jury of the first twelve intelligent； honest；
disinterested； unprejudiced men you can find； and set them down with a
New Testament to examine this question by them selves： 〃Is the
Christian ministry a Scriptural thing or not？〃 I have no doubt what
their verdict would be。
（b） For another thing； let us settle it in our minds that the
ministerial office is a most wise and useful provision of God。 It
secures the regular maintenance of all Christ's ordinances and means of
grace。 It provides an undying machinery for promoting the awakening of
sinners and the edification of saints。 All experience proves that
everybody's business soon bees nobody's business； and if this is
true in other matters； it is no less true in the matter of religion。
Our God is a God of order； and a God who works by means； and we have no
right to expect His cause to be kept up by constant miraculous
interpositions； while His servants stand idle。 For the uninterrupted
preaching of the Word and administration of the sacraments； no better
plan can be devised than the appointment of a regular order of men who
shall give themselves wholly to Christ's business。
（c） For another thing； let us settle it firmly in our minds that the
ministerial office is an honourable privilege。 It is an honour to be
the Ambassador of a King： the very person of such an officer of state
is respected； and called legally sacred。 It is an honour to bear the
tidings of a victory such as Trafalgar and Waterloo： before the
invention of telegraphs it was a highly coveted distinction。 But how
much greater honour is it to be the ambassador of the King of kings；
and to proclaim the good news of the conquest achieved on Calvary！ To
serve directly such a Master； to carry such a message； to know that the
results of our work； if God shall bless it； are eternal； this is indeed
a privilege。 Other labourers may work for a corruptible crown； but the
minister of Christ for an incorruptible。 Never is a land in worse
condition than when the ministers of religion have caused their office
to be ridiculed and despised。 It is a tremendous word in Malachi： 〃I
have made you contemptible and base before all the people； according as
ye have not kept my ways。〃 （Malachi ii。 9。） But； whether men will hear
or forbear； the office of a faithful ambassador is honourable。 It was a
fine saying of an old missionary on his death…bed； who died at the age
of ninety…six； 〃The very best thing that a man can do is to preach the
Gospel。〃
Let me leave this branch of my subject with an earnest request that all
who pray will never forget to make supplications and prayers and
intercession for the ministers of Christthat there never may be
wanting a due supply of them at home and in the mission fieldthat
they may be kept sound in the faith and holy in their lives； and that
they make take heed to themselves as well as to the doctrine。 （1 Tim。
iv。 16。）
Oh； remember that while our office is honourable； useful； and
Scriptural； it is also one of deep and painful responsibility！ We watch
for souls 〃as those who must give account〃 at the judgment day。 （Heb。
xiii。 17。） If souls are lost through unfaithfulness； their blood will
be required at our hands。 If we had only to read services and
administer sacraments； to wear a peculiar dress and go through a round
of ceremonies； and bodily exercises； and gestures； and postures； our
position would be paratively light。 But this
