CHAPTER VI.

THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY.

MR. NEWTON's important remark may, we conceive, be safely considered as an axiom.- Noue but he who made the world can make a Minister of the Gospel.' He thus proceeds to illustrate his position (for it cannot be thought to need any proof)—if a young man has capacity, culture and application may make him a scholar, a philosopher, or an orator; but a true Minister must have certain principles, motives, feelings, and aims, which no industry or endeavours of men can either acquire or communicate. They must be given from above, or they cannot be received.'*

These principles wrought out and set forth in their practical influence and application, will furnish a complete view of the necessary qualifications for the Christian Ministry. There is something so fearfully. responsible in entering upon this work, either wholly unqualified, or with incompetent capabilities, that the man can scarcely be considered to feel any serious concern for his own soul, for the immortal interests of his fellow-sinners, or for the welfare of the Church of God, whose mind has not been more or less severely exercised upon the ground of personal unfitness. Even the most "able Minister of the New Testament" that the Church has ever seen, was deeply penetrated, and indeed well-nigh overwhelmed,† with the sense of the necessity laid upon him." And

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* Newton's Works, Vol. v. 62.

† 2 Cor. ii. 16.

who are we then, that we should follow in the work with qualifications far inferior, and yet with apprehensions of its obligations less accurate and constraining? It is however most important in our consideration of this subject neither to fall short of the Scriptural standard of Ministerial Qualification, nor to insist upon anything as indispensable, independent of that standard. There is much that may be desirable, that can scarcely be deemed essential. We must also admit the distinction between such a deficiency as incapacitates for the work, and a comparative measure of unfitness, as contrasted with Ministers of acknowledged eminence.--" There are also diversities of gifts,” and "differences of administration" of the same gifts, under "the same Spirit and the same Lord."* But under all circumstances we may expect the Divine call to this sacred office to be evidenced by a supply of competent qualifications for its discharge.

We are exhorted to "consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus."† And here indeed we witness a most harmonious combination of seemingly opposite characteristics. The Ministry of our Lord was marked with the dignity of God and the sympathy of a man and a brother--with the authority of the commissioned delegate of his Father's will, and yet with the humility of a servant, who came not to be ministered unto, but to minister." If "he spake as one having authority," yet were they "gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth," tempered with "the meekness of wisdom" and "the gentleness" of love. Indeed the contemplation of the several features of his Ministerial character furnishes the most accurate standard of our * 1 Cor. xii. 4, 5. † Heb. iii. 1. Matt. xx. 28.

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official qualifications, and most explicit directory for every exercise of our public or private Ministrations. But, lest we should despond in our infinite remove from this standard of perfection, let us mark it brought down to our own level. The Apostolic Ministry was administered by men of like passions with ourselves," and "compassed with infirmity," and yet enabled by the grace of their Divine Master to follow closely in his steps. A rich treasure of instruction may be found in an attentive perusal of the Acts of the Apostles. The Epistles will also furnish a complete portraiture of the character, no less than a comprehensive system of the doctrines, of the Christian Ministry. The different traits of St. Paul's ministry, as they break forth in the natural flow of his writings, and the brief sketches which he occasionally intersperses, will be found to embody the main particulars of his invaluable didactic instructions to Timothy and Titus--his "own sons in the faith." Quesnel has drawn out no less than thirty-three individualities of the sacred character from a single chapter.* The mention of Epaphroditus, incidentally introduced, seems to elicit a view of some of the primary qualifications for the sacred work. Paul speaks of him as his "brother," and therefore as a sincere Christian. He marks his sympathy, diligence, and perseverance, as his "fellow-labourer”—his “endurance of hardness" as his " fellow-soldier," his tender attachment to his flock, in longing to relieve them from

* 1 Thess. ii. ; and again twenty-one, from a part only of another chapter (2 Cor. vi. 1-12); ten from two verses in a third chapter (Col. i. 23, 29.) Indeed his commentary throughout exhibits a deep study of the Pastoral Office. It is needless to add, how much this consideration enhances its value with those, who desire a detailed exhibition of their duties, obligations, and encouragements.

needless anxiety on his behalf, and his high estimation of his Master's work as dearer to him than life itself.*

In taking a general view of the subject of Ministerial qualification, we might class them under the three divisions of Spiritual character-Spiritual attainments, and Spiritual gifts.

I. If the Ministry be a spiritual work, a corresponding spiritual character seems to be required in its administrators. It must be a most flattering delusion to suppose a fitness for the work, where there is no: suitable principle, end, encouragement, or assistance; no care, concern, or expectation of success; no interest in the engagements, except as they may provide for self-gratifications. It is not therefore too much to expect of Ministers, that they should be in a peculiar sense men of God-men taught of God† -men consecrated to God by a daily surrender of their time and talents to his service-men of singleness of purpose-living in their work-living altogether but for one end; and for the promotion of this end, "moved by none of the afflictions that await them, counting not their life dear to them, so that they might finish their course with joy, and the ministry which they have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." Such was the Apostle Paul, the living example of his own Ministerial instructions. Such is the high character of the Christian Ministration, as this faithful servant of his Master drew it out in his Episcopal Charge to his Clergy of Ephesus, which, as Mr. Baxter truly

* Phil. ii. 25-30. Some beautiful touches are given also of the character of Timothy-verses 19-22.

† It is excellently remarked by Erasmus-'Qui cupit juxta Paulum esse didantinos, det operam, ut prius sit eodidantos—i. e. Divinitus edoctus.' Eccles. p. 84. Acts xx. 17-35.

observes, 'better deserveth a twelvemonth's study, than most things that young students do lay out their time in.' 'O brethren,' continues this earnest pleader for his Master's work-' write it on your study doors, or set it as your copy in capital letters, still before your eyes. Could we but well learn two or three lines of it, what preachers should we be !-Write all this upon your hearts, and it will do yourselves and the Church more good than twenty years' study of those lower things, which, though they get you greater applause in the world, yet separated from these, will make you but sounding brass and tinkling cymbals.'*

It is obvious, however, that this standard of spiritual devotedness, pre-supposes in the Minister the principles of personal piety of a deep tone, experimental character, and devotional habit, such as is habitually exercised in self-denial, prominently marked by love to the Saviour, and to the souls of his fellow-sinners, and practically exhibited in a general course of a consistent and blameless† conduct. The Apostle justly

*Baxter's Reformed Pastor.

† Perhaps this might be all that Erasmus meant, when he speaks in terms however too unmeasured of the requirements of unspotted holiness for the Ministerial Office, 'In Ecclesiasta hac imprimis spectanda sunt, ut cor habeat ab omnibus vitiis et cupiditatibus humanis mundum. (He goes on, however, in his best style of terseness and accuracy of description.) Ut vitam habeat non tantum a criminibus, sed et suspicione, specieque criminum, puram, inculpatam; ut spiritum habeat adversus omnes Satanæ machinas firmum, adamantinum, inconcussum: ut mentem igneam, et ad bene merendum de omnibus flagrantem; ut animum habeat sapientem ad condiendam populi stultitiam, cor habeat prudens et oculatum; ut facile dispiciat quid silendum, quidve dicendum, et apud quos, quo tempore, quo modo, temperanda oratio. Qui cum Paulo sciat mutare vocem, et omnia fieri omnibus, utcumque viderit saluti auditorum expedire. Nam hunc unicum oportet esse scopum, ad quem ecclesiastes rationes suas omnes dirigat, a quo si deflecteris oculos, continuo fit, ut quo magis instructus fueris ad dicendum, eo majorem invehas perniciem in gregem Dominicam.' Erasmi Eccles.