But the ministry of the word must also have its public character, and the glad tidings of reconciliation must be publicly preached to a ruined world. It was this that appeared to be the prominent idea in the Apostle’s mind when he spoke of the ministry of reconciliation; for he at once proceeded to give a specimen of it in the great appeal which immediately follows:—“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. v. 20, 21.) There are many points of deep instruction in this passage, but we have not time to dwell on them. Here is the foundation of the whole message, viz. a double imputation—the imputation of sin to the Lord Jesus, and the imputation of righteousness to all that are in Him. There is the tender earnestness of entreaty, which does not merely lay the message before the sinner and leave it there, but with a compassionate urgency in the Lord’s name beseeches and entreats. And there is the most remarkable fact, that these words are not addressed to the heathen, or to those who had never heard of Christ; but to a Church of professing believers, all baptized into the name of Jesus: so that we are brought to the conclusion, that amongst the baptized Christians in the Church of Corinth there were those to whom it was still needful to make the appeal—“We beseech you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” Does not that fact teach us, that amongst ourselves the same message may be equally necessary, and that, although we are all baptized, and all professing Christians, there are yet those amongst us who must be brought back to the great elementary question of their reconciliation to God; for they are not yet reconciled, and not yet accepted through His grace? To all such persons, then, must we speak as St. Paul did; and if any present are not yet reconciled, not yet forgiven, not yet justified before God, look, we beseech you, at the cross of Christ; look at His substitution of Himself for sinners; look at the hope of full forgiveness set before you through His blood; and listen, I implore you, to the words spoken by His own authority,—“As though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * LONDON: STRANGEWAYS AND WALDEN, PRINTERS, 28 Castle St. Leicester Sq. * * * * * BY THE SAME AUTHOR. THE COMMUNION AND COMMUNICANT. Price 3_s._ per doz. _Third Edition_. INSPIRATION, ITS NATURE AND EXTENT. Price 6_d._ BAPTISM AS TAUGHT BY THE BIBLE AND THE PRAYER-BOOK. Revised Edition. Price 4_d._ CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD. _Second Edition_. Price 6_d._