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influence of that renewing spirit which, when received into the heart, is able to leaven the whole lump. So too in the second century Justin was an instance of the consecration of learning to the service of God; Valentinian, in the fourth, of a violent temper, in a great degree subdued by religious principle; while the change in the character of Jerome strikingly exhibits the effect of divine grace on a disposition naturally intractable and rugged.

But these are instances of Christian teachers who have been remarkable for the successful cultivation of some single virtue. If we advance a step farther, and look for such an assemblage of Christian graces combined in one individual, as Chrysostom for instance has enumerated in his requisites for a pastor3, it will be seen how

3 The passage is a remarkable one, and deserves to be quoted at length:

Εννόησον οὖν ὁποῖόν τινα εἶναι χρὴ τὸν πρὸς τοιουτον μέλλοντα ἀνθέξειν

ειν χειμῶνα, καὶ τοσᾶντα κωλύματα τῶν κοινῆ συμφερόντων διαθήσειν καλῶς. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ σεμνὸν καὶ ἄτυφον, καὶ φοβερὸν καὶ προσηνῆ, καὶ ἀρχικὸν καὶ κοινωνικὸν, καὶ ἀδέκαστον καὶ θεραπευτικὸν, καὶ ταπεινὸν καὶ ἀδόλωτον, καὶ σφοδρὸν καὶ ἥμερον εἶναι δει· ἵνα πρὸς παντα ἅπαῦτα εὐκόλως μάχεσθαι δύνηται, καὶ τὸν ἐπιτήδειον

rarely any measure of such a display occurs in one who is not exempt from human infirmities. The union of many virtues in one heart is a sight so lovely, that angels might desire to look upon it; but the union of contradictory excellencies, wherever found, and in whatever degree, cannot fail to form an extraordinary character. Milner remarks of Cyprian, that to unite such seemingly opposite things as discretion and fortitude, each in a very high degree, is a sure characteristic of greatness in a Christian. He calls it grace in its highest exercise 4. For, as Bowdler has beautifully, as well as truly 5 observed, a principle of compensation runs through the works of God. In the physical and intellectual world this is observable; and so also in morals: the stronger virtues are seldom found without an alloy of austerity, and the softer are nearly allied to weakness. It is

μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἐξουσίας, καν ἅπαντες ἀντιπίπτωσι, παράγειν, καὶ τὸν ὀν τοιουτον μετὰ τῆς αὐτῆς ἐξουσίας, κἂν ἅπαντες συμπνέωσι, μὴ προσίεσθαι, ἀλλ ̓ εἰς ἓν μόνον ὁρῶν τὴν τῆς ἐκκλησίας οικοδομήν καὶ μηδὲν πρὸς ἀπέχθειαν ἢ χάριν ποιεῖν. — Chrysost. de Sacerdot. Lib. III. Ch. xvi.

4 Church Hist. i. 338.

s Select Pieces, p. 337.

plain that compensation implies defect, and we therefore reasonably might suppose that in the character of Christ the rule should be no longer verified. And thus we find it. His force was without harshness, his tenderness free from imbecility. Nor is this all. Not only were his virtues unaccompanied with their kindred failings, but the most opposite excellencies were found in him in equal proportions. It is to him therefore that we must look for that consistent and uniform symmetry of moral character, of which we shall in vain search for example among other teachers.

5. Finally, we are warned against the danger of neglecting the words of the prophet of our dispensation. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not, who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.

6 Heb. xii. 25.

If this be true, when addressed to the general community of Christians, with what solemn force does the admonition apply to those who watch over the souls of their fellow-men as they who must give account. The Scriptures contain two classes of directions, which may be considered as referring more particularly to those who are entrusted with ministerial functions. The first class includes all those which relate to the discharge of the fundamental duty of their office, the message they have to deliver, and the faithful and right division of the word,-while all such as are of secondary importance,-the manner of communicating instruction and reproof—prudential admonitions calculated to rectify the judgement the discretion requisite for the due management of a delicate mission-may be properly referred to the second class. With these passages of Scripture for their daily manual, and with our Lord's own example as a commentary upon them, the pious hope expressed in the ordination service may by God's grace be fulfilled, that the members of the

priesthood 'may wax riper and stronger in their ministry, and that they may so endeavour, from time to time, to sanctify the lives of them and theirs, and to fashion them after the will and doctrine of Christ, that they may be wholesome and godly examples and patterns for the people to follow.'

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