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 and disinterested spirit of communication, in order that he may become a true minister, contributing to the spiritual and eternal good of others from affection, and a sincere regard to their eternal welfare, without any view to recompence or future compensation: this conduct on the part of the true Christian is living in obedience to the Lord's commandment "Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again, and your reward shall be great in the heavens." The man, therefore, who would become a true minister, in the spiritual sense of that term, must first become humble; he must receive from the Lord the spiritual treasures of heaven, in a humble and teachable spirit. He must suffer the divine truth to operate upon his life in reducing all within to a state of heavenly order and peace. In this way the man, in becoming humble will become good, and in becoming good will become great. Thus, in becoming great he will be fit and proper to be a true spiritual minister—"he that would be great among you let him be your minister."

Another instructive lesson is, that none but those who are spiritually great are fit to become ministers—the term great having relation to the will in a state of goodness: thus, he that is great or good, let him be your minister; that is, we are requested to receive from such a person those spiritual blessings which he is desirous of communicating, for our instruction in the things of heaven, and our advancement in the divine life. Nothing but good can minister to the comforts of mankind, and as the Lord is divine goodness, he is the only truly divine minister, from whom all blessings both temporal and eternal flow. The only strife, therefore, among sincere Christians is, who shall be