let us hear the Psalmist: "Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and so ye perish from the right way; if his wrath be kindled, (yea, but a little,) blessed are all they that put their trust in him "." At the same time let us rejoice in these consolatory words: "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." And thus, without descending to further particulars, such, for example, as that stupendous Regal act, the raising of the dead to life at the last day,— may we profitably learn much from the consideration of our Mediator, in his divers offices. At the same time our hearts should be enlarged, our joy increased, our praise and thanksgiving full to overflowing, in the perfect assurance that our offering, whatever it be in a Christian spirit, is "acceptable to God through Jesus Christ our Lord," through the "one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." To the true penitent there is no joy like this, to be "accepted in the Beloved." Therefore let us"offer the sacrifice of righteousness, and put our trust in the Lord"." Let us give praise and glory unto the eternal Son, saying, “O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesu Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us." "There are in a minister of God these four things to be considered : his ordination, which giveth him power to meddle with things sacred; the charge or portion of the Church allotted unto him for exercise of his office; the performance of his duty, according to the exigence of his charge; and, lastly, the maintenance which in that respect he receiveth.”—Hooker, Eccles. Pol. v. 80. "Evil ministers of good things are as torches, a light to others, a waste to none but themselves only.”—Hooker, Eccles. Pol. v. 62. "If 'no prince will send a mechanic from his loom, or his shears, in an honourable embassage to some other foreign prince; shall we think that the Lord will send forth stupid and unprepared instruments about so great a worth as the perfecting of the saints, and edification of the Church? It is registered for the perpetual dishonour of that wicked king Jeroboam (who made no other use of any religion, but as a secondary bye thing, to be the supplement of policy), that he made of the lowest of the people,' those who were really such as the Apostles were falsely esteemed to be, the scum and offscouring of men, to be priests unto the Lord. ”—Bp. Reynolds's Works, vol. ii. p. 240. "It is enough for me to be an underbuilder in the house of God, and I glory in the employment."-Jer. Taylor, vol. iv. p. 332. Beus propitius esto mihi peccatori ! AMOS vii. 12, 13. "Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: but prophesy not again any more at Bethel; for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court." THE Church, on this day, calls the attention of her children to the office of the ministry. The Collect, the Epistle, and Gospel, all tend to the same point. Once, at least, in the course of her offices (so holy, so beautiful, so instructive, so comforting!) she would awaken the congregation to the hallowed descent and pedigree of the man of God, as well as put him in remembrance that he "stir up the gift of God, which is in him by the putting on of hands "." 2 And herein our dear Mother Church speaks of no earthly descent or pedigree, but is concerned only about spiritual things,-about "the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God." Thus 1 Preached on the third Sunday in Advent. 2 2 Tim. i. 6. 3 1 Cor. iv. 1. |