pose, therefore, of the following discourse, shall be to give you fuch a comprehenfive view of the truths of the everlasting gofpel,-of the importance and difficulty of a minifter's work; as may direct you in the choice of another paftor,-increafe your efteem of fuch as are faithful,-and excite you to guard against every thing that may either difcourage them in their work, or prevent their fuccefs.

The apostle Paul had planted the church of Ephefus, and he had spent a part of his time there, very confiderable, if we confider the extent of his commiffion, and his many apoftolick journies to different parts of the world. In the whole of his difcourse, to the elders of that church, whom he had fent for in his paffage to Rome, we fee the greatest tenderness and affection, and an earnest concern, to engrave upon their hearts the truths which he had taught them while refiding there. And, in the words of the text, you fee the foundation on which he takes them to record, that he was free from the blood of all men; for, fays he, I have not founned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. I omit every thing that might be occafionally introduced from the text, or context, fuch as minifters being chargeable with the blood of those who perifh by their neglect, and the doctrine of the gofpel being the counfel of God, that I may fix your attention, where certainly the emphafis of this declaration lies, viz. That he had declared to them all the counsel of God, and that he had not hunned to do fo, or that he had not been deterred, by any difficulties, from the faithful discharge of his truft. Therefore, in

difcourfing further, on this fubject, I will endeavour, through divine affiftance,

I. To confider the fidelity of a minifter, as confisting in a full and complete declaration of the counfel of God.

II. To confider the difficulties which may lie in his way, or tempt him to bun any part of his work.

III. To make a particular improvement of the fubject, by giving you my parting advices, in the fpirit of this paffage, and in a way, to the best of my judgment, fuited to your fituation.

First then, Let us confider the fidelity of a minifter, as confifting in a full and complete declaration of the counsel of God. This is a circumstance which the Apoftle feems to have laid particular ftrefs upon, in his difcourfe to the elders of Ephefus, as he not only refts his folemn appeal to themselves, in this paffage, upon it, but had mentioned it before, verses, 20, 21. And how I have kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have fhewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from houfe to houfe, teftifying both to the Jews, and alfo to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jefus Chrift.' It is, indeed, a circumstance of the utmost moment, as minifters may be fuppofed much more ready to fall fhort in this respect than in any other. It is probable that many more are chargeable with concealing truth, than affirming falfehood; with neglecting duty, than com

mitting crimes; with not building the houfe, than wilfully pulling it down. Agreeably to this, we find the charge of the prophet, againft unfaithful fhepherds, is chiefly or only for neglect of duty, Ezek. xxxiv. 2, 3, 4. ‘Son of man prophefy against the she pherds of Ifrael, prophefy and fay unto them, thus faith the Lord God unto the fhepherds, wo be to the fhepherds of Ifrael, that do feed themselves: • should not the fhepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat

the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock: the difeafed have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was fick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye fought that which was loft, but with force and "with cruelty have ye ruled them.' But that you may have as comprehenfive a view as poffible, of the character of a faithful minifter, given in the text, obferve, that integrity, in declaring all the counsel of God, implies the following particulars,

1. Declaring all the truths of God, without any exceptions. The revealed will of God is of great extent and compass. It takes in all that we are to believe concerning God, and all the duty which God requires of man. It gives us an account of the ori ginal, and of the fallen ftate of man; of the early purpose of divine mercy, and the steps that were taken, from age to age, in carrying it into execution; of the perfon, undertaking, and fufferings of the Saviour; of his laws as a teacher, and his dominion as a king. Together with all this, we have a history

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of Providence, and many special examples, inftructions, and warnings of the most particular kind. Now, my brethren, he, who would declare all the counsel of God, must pay a due regard to every part, and, as far as time and health is given him, endeavour to make his people acquainted with the whole. This, to be fure, cannot be done all at once, and at the fame time. Doubtless there are some truths of more importance than others. As the foundation must be laid before the ftructure can be raised, and the foundation and corner ftones are of more moment than the finishings of the furface: yet there is a mutual fubferviency of every one in its place to another, and not the least can be wholly omitted without a real injury to thofe that are retained.

There is a precioufnefs in every truth that hath the stamp of divine authority upon it; and, therefore, to neglect any of them, and count them trifling, or of little moment, argues a want of reverence for the word of God. The holy fcriptures, as they are full and complete, containing every thing that is neceffary; fo they are perfect and faultlefs, containing nothing that is unneceffary. Serious perfons have often born teftimony to the great utility of fuch parts of the facred oracles, as are commonly treated with most indifference. Nay, I cannot help thinking, that the veneration due to God, who doth nothing in vain, obliges us to believe the utility even of thofe paffages whofe purpose we ourselves may not as yet have clearly perceived.

They are therefore greatly to be blamed who are at no pains to make known the counsel of God, in

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its full extent; but how much more those who fatisfy themselves with infifting upon fome things, which may be most agreeable to their own taste and difpofition, to the entire neglect of others that are perhaps of equal or of greater moment? We fee this happen too frequently, that things which fill almost every page in the holy fcriptures can fcarce obtain a place in many fermons. We fee fome, industriously, avoid the truths of the everlasting gofpel, and others the duties of the moral law. The evil of this is the greater, that there is fuch a relation between the feveral parts of God's revealed will, that if any one' is left out, every view given of the rest must be not only partial but unjust. He who truly understands the fcriptures, will foon perceive, that there is fuch an infeparable connection between one truth and another, that you can hardly admit one without admitting or rejecting the whole; and that none of them can be withdrawn, or concealed, without a manifeft injury to the beauty and fulness of the general fyftem.

But, of all others, the most wonderful set of men are those, who are for concealing fome of the truths of God, left they should be abused. The fovereignty of God, his eternal purpofe, and the freeness of his grace, are often paffed by, under this ridiculous pretence. I would defpife the wisdom of fuch perfons; it is arrogance; it is impiety. I do not know any truth that cannot be abufed by perverfe and cor. rupt minds, or that has not, in many inftances, been abufed. But is this a reafon for concealing them? No. I would preach them openly; I would preach