Acts xx. 24. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which J have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God.
OF all the employments under heaven, there is not one so honourable or so useful as that in which the ministers of the Gospel have the happiness to be en- gaged. The government of kingdoms has respect
only to the things of time ; whereas the ministry of the Gospel, both in its ordination by God, and its exercise by men, refers altogether to the concerns of eternity. We mean not to depreciate other offices ; or to place the common office of a pastor on a footing with that of a Prophet or an Apostle : but still we must be permitted to " magnify our office" beyond that of any earthly magistrate, as far as things visible and temporal are excelled by things invisible and eternal.
But the trials with which a faithful discharge of our duty is attended are proportionably great. Fallen man does not like to be reclaimed: he wishes to banish God from his thoughts. If warned of his guilt and danger, he is indignant ; and says to us, " Pro- phesy unto us smooth things ; prophesy deceits ; and make the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us." From the days of Cain, even to the present hour, has the exercise of vital godliness been an occasion of offence : and the more the Divine autho- rity has been asserted, the more offence has been given to an ungodly world. Hence Prophets and Apostles have all, in their respective ages, fallen a sacrifice to their fidelity. St. Paul, at his first ap- pointment to the apostolic office, was told what great things he should suffer for the Lord's sake ; and his trials far exceeded those of any other Apostle : but, in a review of all that he had endured, and in the prospect of all that he was yet taught to expect, he could say, " None of these things move me," &c.
From these words I shall take occasion to shew, I. What is the office of a minister —
The office of every minister is, " to testify the Gospel of the grace of God."
This was the one employment of the Apostle — [He proclaimed, with all fidelity, " the Gospel" of Christ, or, in other words, the salvation which the Lord Jesus Christ has wrought out for us by his own obedience unto death
This he proclaimed to be altogether " of grace," in
the first appointment of the Lord Jesus to be a Mediator be- tween God and man ; in the acceptance of his sacrifice as an