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which is under heaven," and himself as commissioned, in "fulfilling the word of God," to make known "the mystery" of grace, "hid from ages and generations," even the mystery of " Messiah among Gentiles" as well as Jews, "the hope of glory." Having received a commission from Christ which terminated in so glorious a result, and which was as broad in its application as the earth, this Apostle laboured, as it were, for the conversion of a world. He extended his ministry over large portions of the earth; and every hearer to whom he addressed the Gospel, he aimed at calling to the holiness and joys existing in the eternal Kingdom of God. He preached thus laboriously, that he "might present"—with the purpose, as far as his agency might contribute toward it, of presenting "every man perfect in Christ Jesus."

The conduct of Paul in his ministry brings to our notice an important duty of the minister of the gospel; to the illustration of which, the present discourse will be devoted: that he should make it a distinct and settled purpose of his ministry to present, if possible, every one of his people, in the last day, perfect in Christ Jesus.

In illustrating this particular duty of the minister of the gospel, I will attempt to exhibit ;

I. The nature of the purpose itself, which he is required to cherish: "that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus."

II. The means by which he should endeavor, if possible, to accomplish it: "whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every mar, in all wisdom." And

III. The considerations which urge him to make this a distinct and commanding purpose of his ministry.

I. What, then, is the nature of the purpose, required of the minister of the gospel, of presenting every man perfect in Christ Jesus ?

The very terms in which it is expressed, obviously describe it as a purpose which respects, as the final end, the glory to result from the presentation of the redeemed to Christ; which seeks, as a proper preparation for that end, the perfection of men through the gospel; and which extends, in its application, to every hearer who waits on his ministrations.

I say the purpose respects, as its final end, the glory to result from the presentation of the redeemed to Christ. The Apostle Paul fixed the

eye

of faith on that future scene, as the grand consummation of the ministry of reconciliation on earth. All the agency of Christ in establishing

and conducting a Kingdom of grace on the earth, and all the agency of the Apostles and friends of Christ in their co-operation, he considered as preparatory to results there. Here lay the scene of conflict and pending decision; the scene of glorious triumph, there. There upon the threshold of eternity, he expected that all believers who were here redeemed through the blood of Jesus, would be presented to him as a glorious church, in a state of complete holiness, "without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing." There he foresaw the joy of Christ and of sinners converted and sanctified under his mediation, on meeting each other upon the borders of the heavenly world, and in mutually beholding the fruits of his dying love in their ransom unto God; and how Christ and, through him, the Father, would be forever glorified and admired, and they eternally blessed, as he rose with them to the kingdom above, and delivered them up to the Father, to be united unalienably to the holy society of heaven. That day of the final results of labours in the kingdom of Christ on earth, lay open to his mind in all the light of day and vivid impression of reality; and to contribute directly to such glorious results by his efforts in the ministry, was the distinct and

settled intention of his soul. Such should be the intention of every minister of the gospel.

Again it is a purpose which seeks, as the proper preparation for such a scene, the perfection of men in Christ Jesus: or their conversion and sanctification through the Gospel. The Apostle knew that they only, to whom Christ had become their wisdom, righteousness and sanctification, would be qualified to be presented to him, and by him, to the Father; and that the present season was the only time allowed for this preparation. They who did not return to God under the reign of the Mediator, would find the thought of admission, too late, when he had forever yielded up his kingdom to the Father, and the gates of heaven were eternally shut on the hardened, the hopeless, the reprobate. His soul was bent, therefore, in all its energy, on promoting among men repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus, here, on earth; and immediately, while the day of salvation was beaming and the heralds of mercy were abroad on their errands; as he would ever witness the sight, or have them ever exult in the joy, of their being presented to the Lord Jesus as his ransomed people. Every minister, who, like Paul, enters into this purpose of mercy, will have respect in his ministrations, then, to the con

version of sinners unreconciled to God, and to the edification, the growth in faith and piety, the advanced and complete sanctification of real converts and believers; and will aim to counteract all that influence of opinion or practice which operates as a barrier, and to aid all that which is itself an aid, to this progress of reformation: that he may promote the perfection of men in Christ Jesus.

Once more it is a purpose which extends, in its application, to every hearer to whom he addresses the Gospel. The broad commission of Paul extended to the whole Gentile world; and though he could not, personally, proclaim the Gospel to every man on earth, yet, in the spirit of his commission, he aimed at the salvation of every one to whom he was enabled to preach the gospel. He preached not to assemblies collected in the course of his travels, but he aimed at converting, if possible, every hearer; and in the scenes of his stated ministry, like that at Ephesus, he testified, publicly and from house to house, to all who were his willing hearers, repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus, that, if possible, he might be the instrument of their salvation. To the minister of the gospel now, set over a distinct people, all of whom recognize their relation to him as their chosen pastor, it can be no less than a purpose to aim

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