Before our Father's throne We pour our ardent pray'rs; We share our mutual woes, Our mutual burdens bear; SECTION THIRD.-VERSES 26-31. THE DIFFERENT OFFICES IN THE CHURCH. THE Apostle had compared the church of Christ ta the h body, which consists of many members, adapted to vari portant uses, and mutually subservient to each other's we None of them are superfluous, and all are to be cherished honoured. He now refers to another point of resembl namely, the sympathy or common feeling which pervade members of the natural body. 26. "And whether one me suffer, all the rest sympathise (car) with it, or whet member be honoured, (deži) all the members reja (vyys)." The other senses are confined to particula but that of touch diffuses itself through every part of the This admirable contrivance is noticed by Cicero, in the pas merly alluded to. “Tactus autem toto corpore æquabilur jun ut omnes ictus, omnesque nimios et frigoris, et caloris, adpulsus possimus. But the touch is spread equally through the whe that we may be able to feel every impression, and all ext both of cold and heat." (De Nat. Deor. b. 2. sect. 56) In of one member being injured by accident or disease, the tion of pain is felt throughout the whole, and every atte bestowed on the suffering member that may restore it to and vigour. By this provision, instant warning is g threatened violence. How desirable that the same feel sympathy should be displayed in a christian church! There glory and the express image of his person to be fellow-heirs with Christ Jesus to be raised to sit together in heavenly places with him! Other relationships are soon dissolved-this is eternal and unchangeable; these cannot secure true happiness or confer genuine excellence-this lays a foundation for both. How intimate the union between the Saviour and his people! they are not merely members of the same society, but of the same mystical body, (Eph. v. 30.) In other places of scripture, the most striking figures are employed to illustrate this union. Is Christ compared to a bridegroom? the church is the bride, the Lamb's wife. Is he compared to a foundation? they are lively stones built up in him. Does he call himself the true vine? they are the branches. Does not this intimate that all our spiritual life is derived from him? that we ought to have the same mind, interest and affection, and that all who are thus related should be distinguished for their mutual love and sympathy? How important the union of principle, and of heart, among the disciples of Christ! Every church should exhibit a practical illustration of this beautiful passage of scripture, to the world. The Apostle had adverted to the different functions discharged by the members of the natural body. He now specifies some of those distinct offices which had been instituted for the benefit of the church. 28. " And these indeed (x«ı ‘ovs μsv) God hath placed (re) in the church, first apostles, secondly, prophets, thirdly, teachers (didacnaλous), then powers (duvauss), then gifts of healing (χαρισματα ιαματων), helps (αντιλήψεις), governments (κυβερνησεις), different kinds of tongues, (yam yλwoow)." There is some difficulty in ascertaining the meaning of some of these offices, their specific differences, and relative importance; especially, whether they were all vested in distinct persons, or if several of them were exercised by the same individual. Nor is it clearly decided whether all the offices here enumerated were extraordinary, and connected with the possession of supernatural gifts, or if some of them were meant to be permanent in the church; whether they are enumerated according to their relative importance, and whether they answer to the classification of gifts in ver. 8, 9, 10. Dr M'Knight is of opinion that only the extraordinary officebearers are here alluded to, who were possessed of miraculous gifts, and who were to be laid aside when these were withdrawn ; and he supports his opinion by observing, that neither bishops nor deacons are mentioned in this list, who are the standing ministers in the church. It is generally admitted that the apostolic office was extraordinary, and peculiar to the persons originally appointed,-to the apostles was given the word of wisdom, to enable them fully to explain the doctrines and duties of Christianity, and to settle the order of the church; they did not stand in a particular relation to any one society, though they no doubt felt a special interest in those that had been converted by them; they confirmed their testimony by miracles; it was necessary that they should have been eye-witnesses of the life and resurrection of the Lord Jesus; they were directly called by our Saviour, and in the appointment of Matthias, the great Head of the church was appealed to, by casting lots; to them, in a special manner, was entrusted the power of binding and loosing, that is, of declaring infallibly what was agreeable, or contrary, to the will of God, (Matt. xviii. 18.) It is evident that, in respect of these qualifications, the apostles never had, and never could have, any successors; yet, according to some, diocesan bishops have succeeded to the apostolic office! Prophets are mentioned in the second rank, as being next in importance to the apostles. To them was given the word of knowledge; they were enabled to foretel future events, and to edify the church by supernatural illumination. In the third place, God had appointed teachers, who perhaps assisted the apostles in the instruction of the young and ignorant, or were considered as the ordinary pastors of the church. In the parallel passage in Ephes. iv. 11. pastors and teachers are represented as the same order of men. the church at Antioch, we read that there were "certain prophets and teachers," (Acts xiii. 1.) Among the Jews there were persons called by this name, (didacxaños) Luke ii. 4, 6. who were appointed to instruct the people in the knowledge of the law. Such was Gamaliel, (Acts v. 34.) After these, he placed those who were endowed with miraculous powers, who were enabled both to work miracles for the confirmation of their testimony, and to confer miraculous gifts on others, (see ver. 10.)—then those who were more especially commissioned to heal the sick, such as the elders mentioned, James v. 14, 15.; then those, who, like John Mark, ministered to the apostles as helpers in the work of the ministry. Such perhaps were the evangelists mentioned Eph. iv. 11. Dr Parkhurst thinks that the arians, or "helps," were persons appointed to assist the aged and infirm. In This seems to have been the opinion of the ancient commentator Theophylact. By governments, are thought to be meant, spiritual men of prudence and experience, who were appointed to settle the civil disputes of their brethren, as in chap. vi. 5., or to give their opinion in cases of discipline. Dr Macknight translates the word vogns, directors, and supposes that it refers to those who possessed the gift of discerning spirits, answering to diangios πνευμάτων in ver. 10. Dr Owen thinks it refers to those elders who ruled in the church, as distinguished from such as laboured in word and doctrine, (1 Tim. v. 17.) According to this view, it answers to the glaμvos, “he that ruleth,” in Rom. xii. 8. It is certainly proper that persons of wisdom and experience should assist the churches with their counsel, always reserving the right of private judgment; but whether this be distinct from the deacon's office, or whether the word elder does not include both bishops and deacons, is not clearly ascertained. The word, xvbigns, which is nearly the same, is applied to the pilot of a ship. Lastly, the Apostle mentions diversities of tongues, including those who spoke in foreign languages, and those who interpreted. It is observable, that these are placed last, as if to reprove and humble the Corinthians, who valued themselves chiefly on the gift of tongues. No particular form of church polity can be established from this passage, though there seems to be no countenance given to the multiplied gradations and titles of a hierarchy. If it be asked, what proportion of these offices may be considered as permanent; we answer, that teachers, helps, and governments, seem to be all that can now be employed. In every church there ought to be one or more pastors and teachers; to assist these, persons should be appointed to instruct the young and ignorant, such as our Sabbath school teachers, candidates for the ministry, and village itinerants. And for mananaging the secular affairs of the society, and assisting the church with their advice in cases of discipline, deacons or elders should be nominated as governments. These three classes embrace the various duties for which the disciples of Christ are united in church fellowship. With this enumeration may be compared that which is given, Rom. xii. 6-8. "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given unto us; whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering; or he that |