of life, which may not indeed make men guilty in the fight of God; but it renders them contemptible among men; take heed that your usefulness be not clogged by forming imprudent connections, or by any imprudent actions. Trace the poffible remote confequences of every important ftep before you take it. Keep in your recollection the advice of the Town-Clerk at Ephefus, "Do nothing rafhly." Dignity of character is neceffary in a public Teacher and remember, there never was dignity without prudence.

II. I proceed, fecondly, To give fome directions to affift you in fupporting the character, and in performing the duty mentioned in the text. "A Minifter approved of God, a workman who needeth not to be afhamed."

1. Diligently cultivate perfonal religion. Content not yourself with official piety. Do not study your Bible, as a Lawyer does a will, merely to understand its meaning; but as an Heir who reads at once a description of his inheritance, and his title to it. There are I fear, Minifters who reft in a public religion. They live in the eyes and minds of others; but not to God, to their own confciences, to their own fatisfaction in private. There are hearers who live upon hearing; and there are preachers who live upon preaching. Their reli

gion confifts in a readiness for thofe duties; but alas! their hearts are alienated from the life of God. Perfonal religion is neceffary to the comfortable discharge of ministerial duty.

2. Labour to maintain purity of intention in your work as a Minifter; this will extinguifh, in

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a measure, that defire which young men have of popular applause. It will prevent pedantry in the pulpit and elsewhere. A fteady regard to the "honor which cometh from above," will not allow you to court or buy the honors of approving Univerfities which you have never seen. It will mortify in you the vain ambition of being called Rabbi. Aiming at the glory of God will fupprefs the fear of man, and enable you to reprove the wealthy and liberal subscriber, with as much freedom as the penfioner on your bounty. You will hereby be faved alfo from Envy (that faw of the mind) fo that when Minifters rife up in the decays of your generation, as you have in the laft, whofe talents may eclipfe yours, envious fpeeches will not be heard falling from your lips. You will rejoice in the gifts and fucceffes of others. With well directed motives you will now rife in the morning of life without pride, and you will fet in the evening of it without being envious or querulous on account of the growing reputation of those who muft increafe while you must decrease.

*

3. Secure and improve Solitude. In this opulent City profeffors of religion are become exceflive in their convivial intercourfe. When a large company is invited, the Minifter is one of the number. Here, to raife a laugh, he is tempted to repeat his trite tales, which have no useful instruction in them; nay, fo loft is he fometimes to the gravity

and

*This teftimony against the conviviality of the age has been confidered as highly criminal. I am not hoftile to convivial intercourse under due regulations, though I view it not in that light which thofe perfons do, who think it neceffary in order that a Student or Minifter may become acquainted with the world. Alas! a knowledge of the world does not confift in creeping up into the fashion, as to drefs and adarefs,

and charity which should adorn his character, that he retails biting jefts also, which tend to wound the reputation of perfons, perhaps, more worthy than himself. In these feftive circles, (unless you have an afcendant piety indeed,) you cannot often do fo much good, as will compenfate for the damage you fuftain. Invitations in this vifiting age will occur often; therefore I fay fecure folitude; a wife man was never formed in fociety. Your academical ftudies must be confidered as a foundation only, on which future diligence must rear a superftructure of useful minifterial knowledge. Improve your folitary hours by reading, meditation, prayer, and felf-converfe; ftudy your own heart, obferve attentively the operations of grace and nature there, and you will find it a fruitful fource of ufeful information. Add conftantly to your very furniture, or your hearers will cease to reverence your understanding, and confequently ceafe to profit by your ministry.

4. Confider the conftitution of the age in which you live. It appears to be indifference to all religion. The higher orders of men have no concern about which is the beft creed, or what are the best

or in being allowed to dine at the hofpitable board of a respectable tradefman in the city, nor can it be obtained even by tours to Margate or Brighthelmftone.

To know the world (as a Minifter of religion ought to know it) is to know human nature, in the varied exercife of its powers in politicks, literature, and religion; to view it in the different ftages of cultivation from Barbarifm to Civilization: this knowledge cannot be acquired in a croud; but by converfe with the heart, and in furveying man as difplayed in the extenfive page of hiftory; by ftudying the Scriptures with humble diligence, and earnest prayer to God.

forms

forms of worship; but the conteft is, fhall we have any religion or none at all.

Find out the fnares of profeffors in the prefent age, especially of thofe who refide in London; and view ftill more particularly the dangers of your own circle. Do not fifh for faults; but frown upon a tale-bearer. Yet give diligence to know the state of thy flock, and liften (but with prudence) to that bird in the air, whose voice will tell the matter, Ecclefi. x. 26.

5. I fhall add to the foregoing directions a Caution. This feems neceffary as you are fituated in London. Avoid a pariy Spirit. The religious

world has been crumbled into endless divifions. I divulge no fecret when I fay, "There are parties formed amongst the Minifters with whom you will have a call to affociate. Be friendly with all; but most friendly with those in whom you perceive most of the truth and temper of Chrift. Never become a party-man; it will disturb your tranquility of mind. You will be betrayed into the fin of railing and evil-fpeaking; (the guilt of which is not fufficiently confidered.) Allow others the right of private judgment. As a Diffenter you claim

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*This appellation was in my Notes, but that I might not appear to infult any prefent, I fubftituted the word perfons in its room, in the public delivery, which well-intended fubftitution, has brought on me much cenfure, it being faid, that I traduced the religious Society over which the Minister was ordained, by reprefenting them as divided and contentious; the contrary was and is my view of that united and truly refpectable community. I meant as is faid above, a party fpirit among the Minifters, which is too notorious to want proof; and fome of the moft eminent for learning and piety amongst them, I have heard lament the narrow and pitiful spirit of their Brethren.

It gives me pleasure that evidences of liberal knowledge, increase amongst the laity in general: which will prevent the bad effects of that spirit which makes fallible men affume the right of judging for

claim it yourself. Avoid then a circumfcribed fpirit. It is in general, a badge of ill breeding, ignorance, pride, envy, and a grovelling piety.

III. I fhall conclude by mentioning fome motives which may excite your attention to what our text recommends

1. The importance of the work in which you are engaged. You cannot but be impreffed with a fenfe of its importance, when you confider whofe authority gives you commiffion, Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. Whom do you perfonate when discharging the duties of your office? 2 Cor. v. 20. Confider the great things depending on every fermon, Ifa. lv. 11. 2 Cor. ii. 16.

2. Your own comfort depends on the attention you pay to this advice. You will have no evidence of perfonal religion, unless in your work you aim at the approbation of God, Gal. i. 10. For if I yet pleafe men I fhould not be the fervant of Chrift. What comfort can that Minifter have who preaching to others has dreadful forebodings of being himself a caftaway! Your peace of mind cannot be preferved, but by feeling that you have only one to please, that "One is our Mafter, even Chrift."

others; and arrogate to themfelves the authority of legiflators, in religious decorum, to the difhonour of HIM, who is King in Zion, and the only Lord of Confcience.

Here the words of the elegant and judicious Paley, in his principles of Moral and Political Philofophy, will apply with a little alteration. "In revelation we have fundamental principles to refort to, which known, will prevent our understandings from being played upon by cant phrafes and unmeaning terms, of which party-men poffefs a vocabulary. We appear aftonished when we fee the multitude led away by founds: but we should remember that if founds work miracles it is always upon ignorance. The influence of names is in exact proportion to the want of knowledge."