expiation for sin; in the bestowment of faith on the indi- viduals of mankind ; and in the completion of the work in the souls of all that shall be saved. From the beginning to the end, in all its parts, this salvation was traced by him to the
free and sovereign grace of God Of these things, also,
he " testified with much contention." He was constantly opposed by Judaizing teachers on the one hand, and by con- ceited philosophers on the other ; and he was constrained to exert himself with all earnestness, in order that the truth of the Gospel might be fully known, and be established on the firmest basis. The Epistles to the Romans and to the Galatians are the best comment on these words ; and must fully evince the energy with which the Apostle maintained his testimony, whether against dissembling friends or violent opponents.]
This, also, is the employment of every faithful minister —
[To make known the way of salvation is the very end for which ministers are ordained. They come as heralds of the Most High God, to proclaim mercy to a ruined world, through
the vicarious sacrifice of the Son of God But against
the testimony of a faithful minister all the prejudices and passions of mankind will rise ; and he will be constrained to maintain his ground by a constant appeal to Holy Writ, as the only standard of truth, and the only arbiter that is competent to decide the controversy. In his disputations he must be firm, in order to support the honour of his God, whose grace alone must be exalted from first to last. If an angel from heaven were to broach a doctrine which derogated from this, he must withstand him to the face, and pronounce him accursed3. "Whatever truths he may have occasion to bring forward, he must always mark their bearing upon the doctrines of grace ; shewing how they lead to those doctrines, or arise out of them ; that so the truth of the Gospel may be kept inviolate, and " Christ may be exalted as all in allb." In a word, he must determine, throughout the whole of his testimony, to " know nothing, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified0."]
Whilst in this passage we see what the ministerial office is, we behold also,
II. How it is to be discharged —
We have reason to be thankful for the trials he sustained ; since they drew forth from him a full statement of his feelings in relation to them. From
a Gal. i. 8, 9. b Col. iii. 11. « 1 Cor. ii. 1, 2.