: bers, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: and those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." (1 Cor. xii. 12-27.) In this manner writes the Apostle to the Church at Corinth. These are long quotations to make, but, considering the important bearing they have upon the subject, I could not allow myself to rest satisfied with barely referring to them. They must be read to be of any service. II. Having sketched out the general features of the Church, let us take a view of its institutions in the combination of its officers into two colleges, that of the bishops or elders, and that of the deacons. These officers are to be the known and respected members of the Church, the faithful exemplars of its gifts and graces, freely chosen by the Church out of the many of whom that may be at times composed, and in whom the apostolic delineation of character and qualifications shall be their recommendation; the paramount or sole recommendation acknowledged by this Church, and left upon record for the use of all Churches by the Apostles (1 Tim. iii. 1-13; Tit. i. 5-9; Acts vi. 1—6). But I must not proceed to delineate personal character and qualifications. My business is, to describe what they unitedly exhibit. It would be easy to extend my anticipations of what they will be in the renewed Church, were I to permit myself freely to state their negative qualifications. For propriety of conduct appears the more distinguishing as it is set off against the crooked doings of perversion, or the grotesque attitude of error. Yet I must acknowledge this not the high-road marked out for my course of observation; these errors and these perversions are not to be known so as to characterize either the college, or bishops, or deacons. I will, therefore, limit myself to occasional touches upon bygone doings, only as a foil to set off the renewed state of things, and by means of this salt maintain the relish for the recital. You will see that in these respective colleges of bishops and deacons, there will be a prevailing and enlightened attention to their respective departments; no hard bargains struck in these matters to trench each other in; no understood arrangement, that on one side there shall be all the pay, while on the other there is all the power. But each shall allow the other to manage their respective departments, fully conscious that their personal zeal and love to their Redeemer's cause will carry them very far beyond what common expectation (although reasonable) might desire. And that their known intelligence, maturity, and experience, will not need to be hedged in from breaking bounds. No more fear that the bishops will suppose they are taking care of the flock over which God has placed them when they are dictating obedience to some childish arrangements of their own, or challenging personal respect by conduct the reverse of that which is amiable. They will rule the flock by leading them to good pasture. Pasture not deteriorated by the noxious weeds of error, or so poor as scarcely to afford nourishment. But being "Scribes well instructed" in things pertaining to the kingdom of heaven, and "soldiers" prepared to hazard all for the cross of Christ, and "householders" who have laid up in store things new and old, they will, from time to time, nourish and build up the Church in faith and every good work. By means of there existing a plurality of pastors, no soul will be overlooked through personal poverty or privacy, nor through the flock extending in numbers beyond the capacity of its officers; and the case of every one within the precincts of the Church will receive that due culture, by means of the college of pastors exhibiting a combination of graces and gifts to meet every emergency. The whole exhibiting a consolidation of suitable strength for the accomplishment of the most glorious of works, and displaying, not a pretended, but a real efficiency. It may, perhaps, be considered as a likely drawback upon all this representation, that there existing å plurality in the same offices, they may misunderstand each other. And what if they should? These men are not to be classed with children or with triflers, but with men in earnest, determined to throw in their whole souls to promote the greatest of all objects, and will such men allow themselves to be diverted from their intention by subordinate considerations? A difference arising from other considerations must involve the Church in the question, and can be settled by making use of what the Apostles have delivered as to the qualifications of officers and members, and the decision of the Church, duly apprised of all, will determine to which side of the question they will abide. And the benefit of having a well exercised, enlightened, and thoroughly instructed Church, will then most admirably appear. No better foil could be desired to illustrate the superiority of the renewed Church over that of the pitiable incompetence of what such have been. The very intelligence of the Church, unitedly considered, will cast a halo of respect around. The rays will illuminate even the bishops themselves, and for ever keep aloof from that college the man who shall fancy by his election to office, that he has condescended to husband the Church. We will now turn our attention to the standing memorials of the intelligence, zeal, piety, and disinterestedness of the efficient college of pastors. You will not meet with a soul belonging to the Church, however adverse his worldly condition may be, or however small his natural attainments, but what has his graces cherished, his knowledge increased, and his spiritual love drawn out, by the self-denying labours of these good shepherds. And that by means and methods known only by those who have the same zeal, and the same intelligence, and the same assiduity; and who, like them, have been taught by God the wisdom of ruling a Church well, by opening the eyes of the flock and teaching them to understand their real interests, and the difference between truth and error, childhood and manhood. Thus they edify the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers. Further, they train up the Church perpetually to manifest the glory of God for they sedulously seek to commit the same word of truth which they minister to faithful men of the flock, who shall be able to teach others. also. (2 Tim. ii. 2). And they not only pray to the Lord of the harvest, but they do what the Lord of the harvest has taught is wanting to provide labourers for his harvest. Hence you perceive that they are sure to discover the gifted among the flock, whether poor or rich. Or, however forbidding and unlikely their exterior for this purpose might appear to the ordinary beholder, they have means and methods suggested by wisdom, and pursued by sanctified zeal, to purify the precious metal. These they strengthen and encourage by suitable instruction, faithful counsel, and kind exercise, drawing out their gifts to a healthy maturity. And thus they prepare a multitude of gifted men to stand in readiness, thoroughly furnished for every good work, that when occasion offers they may be found ready. Because I speak of these doings as the act of the |