They whom fear renders cowardly in the exercise of their ministry, forget that they act in the name and place of Christ, and are to account to Him for the mischief the church receives thereby.

"Ye shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God's."-Deut. i. 17.

O righteous Judge of the world, give me and my substitutes grace patiently to hear, and impartially to weigh, every cause that shall come before us in judgment.

Give us a spirit to discern, and courage to execute true judgment, that all our sentences may be approved by Thee our Lord and Judge. Amen.

"Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger nor of the fatherless."-Deut. xxiv. 17.

Every one loveth gifts: they judge not the fatherless."-Isaiah i. 23; that is, they are poor and cannot bribe them.

"Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many, to wrest judgment. Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause."-Exodus xxiii. 2, 3.

"Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty; but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour."-Deuteronomy xix. 15.

The judgment of the multitude is no rule of justice. "Then cried they all, Not this man, but Barabbas."

"If thou let this man go, thou art not Cæsar's friend when Pilate heard that saying," (John xix.

12,) then he resolved to sacrifice his conscience, rather than lose his prince's favour.

"And he said unto the judges, Take heed what ye do for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment."-2 Chronicles xix. 6.

"He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord."-Proverbs xvii. 13.

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Except it were given thee from above."-John xix. 11.

Although the magistrate's authority is from God, yet he is answerable to God for the due execution of it.

"To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice."-Proverbs xxi. 3.

"To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats."-Isaiah i. 11.

"For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God, more than burnt-offerings."Hosea vi. 6.

"Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"-Micah vi. 7, 8.

The Jews had a rule, that if a rich man and a poor man had a controversy, they must both of them stand or sit, to avoid partiality.

Virtue would hardly be distinguished from a kind of sensuality, if there were no labour, no opposition, no difficulty, in doing our duty. Dulce est periculum sequi Deum.

The duty of a judge may oblige him to punish according to the law; but it is the part of a Christian injured to forgive according to the charity of the gospel.

A judge is not the master but the minister of the law-for the public good, not for his own interest, passion, or will.

A good judge will never desire to make himself feared by his power: but will rather be afraid of abusing it.

The civil magistrate is liable to be excluded from church communion for such reasons as the spiritual governors shall judge necessary; they are to determine for him, and not he for them, in matters merely spiritual.

Give me, O Lord, the spirit of judgment, that I may govern this church with wisdom.*

"Be not faint-hearted when thou sittest in judgment."-Eccles. iv. 9.

A lover of the law will always have an eye to the intent of the law.t

Question from the Office of Ordination.-Will you be faithful in ordaining, sending, or laying hands upon others?

Answer.-I will so be, by the help of God

ALMIGHTY GOD, who knowest the hearts of men, govern my mind, that I may faithfully discharge this great trust; that neither through fear, favour, interest, or negligence, I may ever promote any person to the sacred charge of Christ's flock.

Bless all those who have already given themselves to Thy immediate service, and labour with me in this ministration; be with us, and guide us, and help us, for Thy promise sake, for Thine honour's sake, and for the sake of Jesus Christ, that we may teach well, and that we may be examples of all the graces and virtues which we recommend to others.

Direct all such as are designed to serve at Thine altar; sanctify their persons, their studies, their intentions, and affections.

And grant that no unworthiness in me may ever hinder Thy gifts and graces from descending upon those whom I shall ordain to Thy service, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

“O Lord, give us pastors according to Thine own heart, which shall feed us with knowledge and understanding."-Jeremiah iii. 15.

Ministers being the officers of God's household, we must depend upon Him in the choice of them, and not upon human motives.

"And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away."-Acts xiii. 3.

All Christians being concerned in this affair, all ought to fast and pray, in order to have faithful pastors.*

Apostolical usages ought to be kept up to, as proceeding from Jesus Christ Himself.

"Pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest."-Matthew ix. 38.

O gracious Lord, look down'in mercy upon this church, at this time. Provide it with faithful labourers, such as shall have a true compassion for the souls committed to their care, and a knowledge and zeal answerable to the account they are to give.

Grant that we may all preach "the truth as it is in Jesus."

Give a blessing to our labours, that we may see

Quesnel.