the same divine truth? "was Paul crucified for you?" You dare not think so. You know that Jesus alone "put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." "Or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" were ye dedicated to the worship of an apostle, or to the one only living and true God? Be careful therefore how you ascribe the success of the gospel to ministers, even those of the first rank in the church; never forget that Christ purchased all saving benefits by his death. If this be not the apostle's meaning, what is? The words of the text are, if possible, yet more explicit on this point. "Who then &c ?" Now, is not the undoubted meaning of these words the following-that ministers in preaching "the word of truth" are simply instruments in the hand of God, who alone gives success to his word,-ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man." "I have planted," I have preached the gospel in places where till then it was unknown-"Appollos watered," he followed by giving more instruction, "but God gave the increase"-that either of us

was successful was not owing to ourselves but to the power of God that accompanied and followed the word preached. Is not this the plain meaning? That it is so, the precision of the language employed forcibly shews; so also does the inference drawn by the apostle. "So then, neither is he &c." The truth presented by ministers, either in their first or subsequent teachings, has nothing to do with the success of the gospel-as an efficient cause: "God gives the increase."

Secondly. To whose power is it owing that men are "added to the church of such as shall be saved?" who gives the increase— the will of man or the power of God? what says the Holy Ghost in the text? "who then is Paul?" was he not the most eminent servant of Christ that ever lived? Did he not speak almost with the eloquence of an angel, although in modesty he disclaimed it, and reason with wonderful power, combined with winning tenderness? Yet does not the question more than imply that in producing the regeneration of men by his preaching, the eloquence even of divine truth as it fell

from his pen and lips, in itself considered, was powerless? "who then is Paul ?" simply " a minister by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave, etc." That is, evidently, I proclaimed divine truth as the Spirit gave me utterance, but the success of the word was not owing to this exhibition of truth simply, but to the divine power that reached the heart, and bent the stubborn will. "Who is . Appollos?" we are told in the acts that he was "an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures," yet the apostle concerning his preaching draws the same inference as he does with regard to his own. "So then &c. As to the production of the effect spoken of— the success of the Gospel "but God &c." Men are instruments then which the hand of God uses to produce these effects. Now, does not good sense teach us that the virtue or energy was not in the instrument but in the hand that wielded it! Hence Baxter, with the same kind of spirit as Paul in the text, said, "I was but a pen in the hand of God, and what merit is there in a pen ?" The divine power then is absolutely necessary to the

success of the gospel, as is clearly seen in the words of the text. Indeed, the Scrip ture doctrine on this subject is simply this: the Spirit of God is the sole agent of regeneration: "Born of the Spirit;" ministers and the word of truth which they preach are the instruments, or channels, through which his divine power is applied to the heart. Allow me to quote a few other texts in confirmation of this important matter. 1 Cor 1: 21. "For after that-the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." Philosophy for four thousand years before Christ's incarnation, had attempted to find out the true character of the true God and the way of salvation, but they "stumbled like the blind at noon day," and "found no end in wandering mazes lost." Then it pleased God to save them that believe-observe he was the author or efficient cause of their salvation-and it pleased him to do it. by the instrumentality especially of his preached Gospel. His power alone wrought salvation, but he employed means to bring

"And

it about, viz. ministers and his written word: but the efficacy was neither in the minister, nor the word, but in the omnipotent energy of the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor 1: 18. "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." This is the reason, says the apostle, why we believe and obey, and others do not. 1 Cor 2: 4-5: my speech and my preaching was not with enticing (or persuasible) words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." 1 Cor 4: 15.-"In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." He employed his divine power by my preaching the gospel to reclaim you from your lost estate. The efficacy of all, you see, is ascribed to the Lord.

Indeed, "men of like passions with others,' ፡፡ compassed with infirmity," are employed in preaching the good news for the very purpose of demonstrating to believers, and all who will candidly consider the matter,