of the Church, to appoint men to the office of the holy ministry, and to communicate such appointment through the direct agency of the Holy Ghost in their hearts, and by throwing open a wide door of usefulness before them.

And no man should engage in the work of the ministry, unless he verily feel that he is moved by the Holy Ghost thereto,unless he can truly say-" The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn." It is a matter of the utmost consequence to be thoroughly satisfied on this point. No man should presume that he is thus moved or anointed, merely because he has been expressly educated for the ministry. God and man have often differed in their choice of the fittest instruments to preach his gospel. God may appoint one thus educated to the ministry, to revive his work in the earth. Thus were the apostolic Wesley's evidently appointed, qualified and sent forth. But the Great Head of the Church gave them helpers, men specially called and qualified by himself for the vast work of spreading scriptural holiness throughout the world. Those men boldly testified their special appointment to the work of the ministry, and special assistance granted them in the prosecution of that work.

These remarks apply with peculiar force and truth to the great body of Wesleyan Methodist ministers both in Europe and America, clearly establishing the apostolicity of their ministry in the divinity of its source.

A full persuasion of a special call to the gospel ministry by the Chief Shepherd and Bishop of souls is a matter of prime importance. "Long experience," says the venerable Dr. Clarke, "has shown me, that he among us, who is not convinced that he has an extraordinary call to the ministry will never seek for extraordinary help, will sink under discouragements and persecutions; and consequently far from being a light of the world, will

be as salt without savor, and in our connection, a slothful, if not a wicked servant, who should be cast out of the sacred fold, as an encumberer of the heritage of the Lord."

Let us proceed to consider the apostolic ministry.

II. In the sublimity of its Spirit, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself." Truly did St. Paul declare to Timothy, "For God hath not given unto us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." How noble, how elevated, how sublime was the spirit of the apostolic ministry!

1. It comprised the sublimity of the beauty of holiness. How eminently holy were the apostles! How truly were they new creatures in Christ Jesus! How completely did they put off the old man with his deeds and put on the new man, created in righteousness and true holiness! How brilliantly did all the graces of the Spirit, the fruits of righteousness, shine in their lives! How entirely were they crucified unto the world, and the world unto them-crucified with Christ!

How illustrious, solid, and universal was their piety! How constant and fervent their prayers for the success of their ministry, and the triumphs of the gospel! How fragrant was the odour of their sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving! By their fervent prayers they watered without ceasing the precious seed, which they had widely sown through the Lord's vineyard, breathing out the most ardent desires in behalf of those who embraced the truth in the love of it, that "God would fulfill in them all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power, that the name of the Lord Jesus Christ might be glorified in them, and they in him," offering unto God the most unfeigned thanks in their behalf for the grace of God, which was given them by Christ Jesus.

With what confidence did they appeal to the purity of their lives! Ye are witness, and God also, how holily, and justly, and unblamably we behaved ourselves among you that believe." With what godly jealousy did they guard the honor and purity of their ministry! "Therefore seeing we have received this

ministry, as we have received mercy we faint not, but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God, giving no offence that the ministry be not blamed, but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report, as deceivers and yet true, as unknown and yet well known as dying and behold we live; as chastened and not killed, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things."

What sublime beauties of holiness, blended in their character, does this interesting fragment of their auto-biography disclose? How zealously did they exercise themselves to maintain a conscience void of offence toward God and man! It was emphatically said of them that they were full of faith and of the Holy Ghost. As ensamples to the flock they were burning and shining lights.

2. The sublimity of the spirit of the apostolic ministry was the sublimity of burning zeal for their master's glory. We have a beautiful portrait of this zeal in St. Paul's address to the Ephesian Church. "Ye know from the first day that I came into Asaia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humilty of mind, and with many tears and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews, and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you publicly and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And now behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there; save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in

every city, saying, that bonds and afflictions abide me. 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 I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God."

Of other apostles it was said by the pen of truth, "And daily in the temple, and every house, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus Christ." St. Paul affirms of himself and of the whole college of apostles and ministers-"Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus; whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, who worketh in me mightily."

How brilliant and constant was the blaze of their zeal! They taught and preached from house to house, as well as in the temple, and that daily-they taught every man, and warned every man in all wisdom, anxious to save all. They were unawed by the frowns of men whose souls they sought to bless with salvation. They were resolved to sustain their master's honor at all hazards, and when men blasphemed and dishonored them, they bound the scorn to their brow and gloried in their shame.

3. The sublimity of the apostolic spirit involved the sublimity of ardent love for immortal souls. O! how brightly did this love burn in their spirits, melting them down into the most tender compassion for the souls of men! How fully did it impel them. to the most faithful prosecution of their ministry! It removed all fear of rebuke in doing the work of evangelists. It made their labor delightful, their difficulties inviting, their dangers illustrious and alluring.

Love moved all the springs of their sacred oratory, and gave a force and spirit to their ministrations, mighty indeed. The arrows of truth, of which their quivers were full, were pointed with

love, and produced deep medicinal wounds. The love of souls was their ruling passion, and the salvation of souls the aim of their highest ambition. With what indefatigable diligence and zeal did they labor to serve their immortal interests! How willing were they to spend and be spent for them!

The sacred office was endeared to them as an office of benevolence and a labor of love. Love, that worketh no ill to its neighbor, love that never faileth, always kept them busy, allowing no blank pages in the volume of life, but filling all with generous and useful deeds. Love inspired their prayers with powerful importunity, and diffused life and energy through all their labors. It was the source of the most affecting and thrilling incidents of their ministry, adorning it not merely with a shining action here and there, like a single star in the expanse of heaven, but crowding it thick with pious offices of friendship and generous exploits of benevolence, like the glow of blended splendor from myriad of stars in the milky way.

Their love was strong to suffer, and mighty to conquer difficulties. It was this heroic passion that enabled the apostles to look upon dangers and deaths, in their most terrific forms with a generous contempt. Though they knew that bonds and afflictions awaited them, yet were they ever ready to hazard their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus.

4. The sublimity of the spirit of the apostolic ministry was the self-denial and sublimity of self-sacrifice. And never was the sublimity of self-denial and self-sacrifice more eminently exemplified than in the lives and labors of the apostles. When Jesus Christ stated to them the permanent conditions of apostleship as well as discipleship, saying, "Whosoever will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; for whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it." They showed a cheerful submission, declaring, "Lo, we have left all and followed thee."