1 Cor. ii. 2. I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
IN different ages of the world it has pleased God to reveal himself to men in different ways ; some- times by visions, sometimes by voices, sometimes by suggestions of his Spirit to their minds : but since the completion of the sacred canon, he has prin- cipally made use of his written word, explained and enforced by men, whom he has called and qualified to preach his Gospel ; and though he has not pre- cluded himself from conveying again the knowledge of his will in any of the former ways, it is through the written word only that we are now authorized to expect his gracious instructions. This, whether read by ourselves or published by his servants, he applies
to the heart, and makes effectual for the illumination and salvation of men. It must be confessed, however, that he chiefly uses the ministry of his servants, whom he has sent as ambassadors to a guilty world. It was thus that he conveyed the knowledge of salvation to the Ethiopian Eunuch, who was reading an interest- ing portion of Isaiah's prophecies. He might have opened the understanding of this man at once by the agency of his Spirit ; but he chose rather to send his servant Philip, to join the chariot, and to explain the Scripture to him. When the Centurion also had sought with much diligence and prayer to know the way of salvation, God did not instruct him by his Word or Spirit, but informed him where to send for instruction ; and by a vision removed the scruples of Peter about going to him ; that so the established ministry might be honoured, and the Church might look to their authorized instructors, as the instru- ments whom God would make use of for their edifica- tion and salvation. Thus it is at this time : God is not confined to means ; but he condescends to employ the stated ministry of his word for the diffusion of Divine knowledge : " The priests' lips keep know- ledge ;" and by their diligent discharge of their ministry is knowledge transmitted and increased.
But this circumstance, so favourable to all classes of the community, imposes on them a duty of the utmost importance. If there be a well from which we are to receive our daily supplies, it becomes us to ascertain that its waters are salubrious : and, in like manner, if we are to receive instruction from men, who are weak and fallible as ourselves, it becomes us to try their doctrines by the touchstone of the written word; and to receive from them those sentiments only which agree with that unerring standard ; or, to use the words of an inspired Apostle, we must " prove all things, and hold fast that which is good." To preachers also there arises an awful responsi- bility ; for, as the people are " to receive the word at their mouth," and their " word is to be a savour of life or of death to all that hear it," it concerns them