racteristic name which our Saviour gave to his Church; and by the scribe, he means the ministers of that Church: by being instructed, he must mean the attainment of that degree of learning, of which we are speaking; and the learning itself is called thesauros, a treasure. This is denominated his treasure; to denote that his learning must be his own, and in plenty.

I could add many other proofs in point; but these, joined with common sense, must be sufficient. Surely, if all other arts and callings demand knowledge, that of DIVINITY, the greatest of all, cannot be professed without knowledge, and that in an extensive degree. From speaking of knowledge in general, as requisite in a minister of Jesus Christ, I might descend unto particulars and thereby demonstrate the great necessity of a constant application to the many means which are af forded us to obtain the godly sufficiency spoken of by the apostle. But I fear our time will not allow us to be minute. This much, however, I cannot omit observing, that knowledge of divinity in general is not the only requisite: it must be particular and well divided.

From a deficiency in these particulars, many clergymen have made but a bad use of their general knowledge of divinity. Knowledge is like the materials for building: it may be good, and in plenty; and yet, if the several parts thereof be not well selected and arranged, so that each order may be distinctly seen, and each compartiment, as to beauty and use, clearly perceived, great confusion will ensue; and the effect of the whole will be disgusting. By the help of this simile, contemplate a clergyman deficient in these particulars, attempting to discharge the several duties of his office, the mode of which is left to his discretion. Hear his discourses in public and in private. Of Positive Theology, or those necessary parts of our speculative faith revealed in Holy Scriptures, how often is he so inadequate a teacher, that he leaves the minds of his hearers quite in the dark, for want of due distinction in the statement of them.

Of Polemical Divinity, or that kind of knowledge, in Divine subjects, which

enables us to defend the faith once delivered to the saints, how often does. such an one, from want of proper distinctions, expose, rather than aid, the cause of truth?

It being the character of a shepherd, not only to feed, but to defend, the sheep; he, who stands in the place of the Great Shepherd of souls, should always be found armed, with the proper weapons of the Gospel of truth, to defend the lambs committed to his charge. And what can he do to this purpose who knows not the avenues through which the enemies, the wolves and tygers that devour the flock, make their approach? Many a clergyman has weakened the cause of truth, and exposed the Christian souls under his care, to heresy and infidelity, by not knowing the true point in debate; or by not managing it with that skill and distinction which are characteristic of digested knowledge and a well disciplined mind.

If you hear him on subjects embrac ing that all-important branch of a minister's duty, denominated casuistical divinity, how apparent is his deficiency and inability to do justice to his calling? How can he resolve difficulties in cases of conscience, who, perhaps, never stated them to his own mind; or if he did, never so digested them, as to be able to give a prompt answer according to truth? Shall the ministers of Christ, the spiritual physicians, be less attentive to the exigencies of the soul, than natural physicians to those of the body? And does not the skill of the latter materially depend on a knowledge how to act, and how to advise, in the difficult cases which occur? Is not this the chief part of their study? Even so, it is the duty of every minister of Christ to give his mind, constantly and ardently, to the study of this part of his profession; lest he fall under the dreadful crime of being an Empirick in Divinity.

But, my brethren, we have dwelt long enough, perhaps too long, on this part of our subject; especially when we consider the importance of the next head, in the division of our discourse; which is the absolute necessity of GREAT PRUDENCE, to form that godly sufficiency mentioned by the apostle.

By prudence, I mean that which not only knows what to do, but how, and when, to do it, to the best effect.

By prudence, I understand that which is, sometimes, termed wisdom; and which is alluded to by our blessed Saviour, when sending forth his disciples into a wicked world, and directing them how to contend with sinful man, and how to convert sinners to holiness. "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye, therefore, wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."

This prudence, or wisdom, relates to ourselves, to our individual families, to the particular flocks committed to our charge, and to the Church at large. To be deficient in this quality of a clergyman, in these respects, is to mar the whole face of our characters, and to render our very profession useless. A clergyman's personal, is intimately connected with his official, character; if the former be liable, through lack of prudence, to misinterpretation, the latter, even in cases where the heart is right, and the intention good, must suffer. We owe it, therefore, to ourselves, so to behave, that "our good be not evil spoken of." We owe it to ourselves, to open no door whereby false brethren within, or wicked enemies from without, can, through our sides, wound the peace of the Church, and hinder the progress of the Gospel. God requires this at our hands. It is no inferior part of that sufficiency which is from him, and to his glory.

Again: we must manifest our wisdom in all things relating to our own individual families; teaching and governing them in the ways of piety and virtue. A clergyman's usefulness, in a very great measure, depends on this part of his ministerial sufficiency; and, as such, it is insisted on, as an indispensable qualification, in every Christian shepherd, by the inspired apostle. He must be "" one," saith he, "that ruleth his own house; having his children in subjection, with all gravity: for, if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God." 1 Tim. iii. 4.

What can be the reason, then, that many clergymen (I speak now of the YOL. Y.

whole order as such) are so egregiously deficient in this particular?-They have much to say to their parishes, (and the more, if well said, the better), about a holy, sober, and a godly life; but little, of this sort, to say to their own families. They can teach other women to be "discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own hus bands, that the word of God be not blasphemed;" while their own wives are, perhaps, the greatest gossips, busybodies, and tattlers, in the parish. They can preach an excellent sermon to young men and young women; exhorting them to obey their parents; to be sober minded; in all things showing themselves a pattern of good works: while their own children are left at loose ends: their sons ignorant, impudent, and disobedient: foul in their language, dishonest in their dealings, and regardless of the truth;-their daughters vain, idle, and disrespectful in their manners; neglecting every use. ful branch of female education; and mindful only of those frivolous accomplishments, praised only, in the almost only books they read, Novels and Ro

mances.

When the world sees, yea, when their parishes see, that this is the effect of their religion at home, what good will their public teaching compass ? We fear very little.

Let it, then, be one important point, to manifest our wisdom and prudent sufficiency, as Gospel ministers, by ruling well our own families, and by training our children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

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Again: our sufficiency, in wisdom and prudence, must be manifested in all that relates to our parishes, and the people committed to our charge.

And here, at every step, we discover the great importance of this part of our subject. We should be wise in our ge neral deportment to all. Mindful of the dignity of our station, as embassadors of God towards man, we should be careful, that we dishonour not our calling, by mixing with low and vicious company, and tamely listening to their vile discourse, through any hope of po pularity. This is but to degrade our selves, without exalting them. And yet,

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we should never forget, that these very persons are the objects of our mission into a wicked world. To approach them, and converse with them, is our duty; but it should always be as Moses approached the children of Israel, from the mount of God; with a heavenly radiancy about our characters, at once commanding respect and love.

To the faithful and obedient disciples of the blessed Jesus, we should endeavour to imitate the conduct of our adored Master to St. John. We should cultivate their love, and gain their confidence; that to us they may resort for advice and comfort, in all the difficulties and troubles of life; and, when reposing on us, they should ever find faithful friends, able and willing advisers.

In relation to the poor of our parishes, we must not forget their spiritual, while we sedulously relieve their temporal, wants. If the latter cannot be done by ourselves, we should always prove their able advocates with those that are able; ever sensible that it matters little by whom the charity is done, if done it is: God's glory is the same. But, we should remember to keep a watchful eye over ourselves, that a pharisaical ostentation have no part in our charities. To let them be known, more than is absolutely necessary, is no less than to sound a trumpet, and thus to deprive us of our heavenly reward.

To the rich and honourable in our parishes, we should be doubly prudent. While we respect them for their stations in life, and cultivate their friendship, for the noble purpose of exciting to good works, in the support of the Church of God, we are never to forget, that we are their spiritual fathers, endowed with authority from on high; yea, most strictly commanded to reprove them for their vices, to exhort them unto repentance, and to demand of them a strict conformity to the salutary discipline of the Church of Christ. In our public discourses, being addressed to all, we should take care that all have their portion of Gospel instruction in due season; ever remembering that we are placed as stewards of the manifold grace of God. To this end, their characters, their wants, dangers

and temptations, should be well studied. To whatever sins they are inclined, só far from giving way to them, because they are popular, we should "set our face like a flint" against them; at the same time taking pains to manifest that we, in reproving them, are governed more by a sense of duty to God, and a regard to their salvation, than by a love of satire in ourselves.

Should the blasphemies of Atheism, or the vapid arguments of Deism, be in circulation among our flocks, our Master commands us to put on the whole armour of God, and fight the good fight of faith. Like David, we are to go forth to slay both the lion and the bear; but, like him, we also are to give all the glory to God, who will never fail to save those who put their trust in him.

In short, we bear such a manifold relation to the souls committed to our charge, that, to be unmindful of the dictates of prudence and wisdom, in the discharge of our several duties resulting from those relations, would involve the highest crime. We are embassadors of God to themward; and they are the "people ready," by nature, "to perish," to be saved by our ministration. We are their teachers, and they are our scholars, seeking the saving knowledge of the Gospel at our mouth. We are their shepherds, and they our flocks, looking to us for spiritual food and protection. Who then is sufficient for these things? What prudence, what wisdom, is required of us, in the duties hence resulting!

But a clergyman's prudence or wisdom does not end with his duty to his particular parish; it extends unto the Church at large.

An important duty, by our Canons, devolves upon every parish minister, and especially on such as are members of the standing committee, in recommending Candidates for Holy Orders; and few things deserve more prudence than this. I have now been in the ministry twenty-two years; and most of the disturbances which have arisen in consequence of admitting improper characters to orders, might have been prevented, had those clergymen who recommended them exercised that pru