would judge far more truly and wisely than they now commonly judge of the office of the clergy, and of most things relating to the Church.

Is it not the case, that very many look upon Bishops and other ministers as a set of men whose principal duty it is to instruct and train up the people, and teach them knowledge, whereby they may be saved? Are we not all apt to regard them as just a higher sort of schoolmasters, very useful indeed, and very necessary, to teach people, old and young, their duty; but not much wanted where that duty is known, and men are tolerably well inclined to do it? Surely there can be no doubt that most of us regard instruction as the chief work of the Christian ministry, since almost every one agrees to think more of preaching than of any thing else done in the Church. But what says Holy Scripture? We are ministers and stewards of the Mysteries of GOD, that is, chiefly of the holy Sacraments. We are to baptize all men in the Name of the FATHER, the SON, and the HOLY GHOST, and so to convey to them the new birth, which makes them partakers of the Kingdom of Heaven. We are to feed them from time to time with the Body and Blood of CHRIST, the atoning Sacrifice, verily and indeed conveyed to the faithful by the consecrated bread and wine; consecrated, I say, by their hands, and their prayers, who have CHRIST's warrant for doing that holy work. These two most holy Sacraments are the means appointed by our LORD Himself, whereby His people may be in communion with HIM. Catechizing, teaching, preaching, even prayer itself, are but as means to that blessed end: necessary labours, to prepare beings, fallen and frail as we are, to be one with CHRIST, and have CHRIST one with them. Therefore catechizing, teaching, preaching, however good and noble employments, are not so good, so high, so noble, as the administration of the holy Sacraments. and hence it is plain what an error the generality of mankind are now in, who think all depends upon sermons, and care for nothing in comparison with preaching.

And what is the consequence? Most hurtful in many ways, but in one especially, which I will now mention; namely, that men's minds are withdrawn from things eternal, and turned towards things temporal, even in their religion itself; that is, in their thoughts and reasonings about it. For teaching and preaching,

as we all know, may bear open and visible fruit, which men may judge of in this present world. People feel themselves for the time edified; they remember what they heard, and amend their ways; and they see their neighbours doing the same. Such are, we will hope not seldom, certainly sometimes, more or less, the actual results of preaching and teaching the Word. But the fruit and effect of the Holy Sacraments is altogether inward and spiritual. It is quite entirely matter of faith; the eyes, and ears, and feelings of man can take no note of it. How should they, when it is, in fact, Union and Communion with GOD through the Man CHRIST JESUS? a blessing so high and heavenly, that the very Angels desire to look into it; that is, they do not yet quite understand it. And the purpose of this blessed Union is, that we being found at the last day one with CHRIST and CHRIST with us, HE may graciously bestow on us the full benefit of His Sacrifice; may present us to His FATHER as it were parts of HIMSELF, transformed into His likeness and image by the continual indwelling of His HOLY SPIRIT. Such is the fruit of Sacraments worthily received, which cannot be known nor understood till the last day comes: but the fruit of preaching, as I just now said, strikes every observer in this world; and, therefore, to value preaching more than Sacraments, what is it but to judge by sight rather than by faith? to think more of this world than of the next? Not to mention what too often happens, that where there is much talk about preaching and the like, and of the seeming improvement which follows, not a few are encouraged in the profane thought, now, alas, too fashionable, that the Church is neither more nor less than a way of making people good and decent here in this present world, and the clergy no higher than an useful institution of the state for the teaching men religion and morality; but that such as will be religious and moral of themselves may do very well, and be saved at last, without either Church, Sacraments, or Clergy.

In order to stop this profaneness (which is commoner I fear than most people think), I do not see what can be done so useful, as putting men continually in mind, what is the true, proper, and peculiar object of all these holy and divine institutions, the Ministry of CHRIST, His Sacraments, and His Church. The proper object and purpose of them all is, not simply to make people good, but

to render them fit for Heaven by constant communion with JESUS CHRIST. Whatever methods the Church uses, this is the end she has in view. Whether it be by teaching indirectly, or more closely and directly by the Holy Sacraments; by both ways and by all ways her study is, not to make you quiet and respectable in this world, but to prepare you for the enjoyment of GOD in the world to come. The Word of God, therefore, and His Sacraments, are treasures with which CHRIST'S Ministers are trusted, as stewards are trusted with an absent Master's property, to be made the most of against His assured return: assured to be some time, but most uncertain of all things when. Again, in another sense, they are trusted with the souls of CHRIST'S people, just as stewards or upper servants are trusted with the under servants, to give them their portion of meat in due season. The great MASTER of the House says HIMSELF, “Blessed is that servant whom his LORD, when He cometh, shall find so doing."

Now let us endeavour, for a few moments, to fix our thoughts on the picture presented to us by these words of our blessed SAVIOUR; the same, in fact, as was in St. Paul's mind when he wrote as in the text to his Colossians: what does he say was his business among them? He was continually preaching CHRIST, "warning every man, and teaching every man in all skill," or "wisdom." To what purpose, does he say ? That quarrels may be allayed, discreditable practices stopped, and the neighbourhood improve in decency, quietness, and industry? No; it was something far higher which he sought. He wanted to "present every man perfect in CHRIST JESUS." He wanted, if so it might be, not to miss one single soul of all those whom he had instructed and brought to the faith by his ministry half the world over; he wanted to see every one of them on the JUDGE's right hand at the last Day, and to present every one perfect in CHRIST JESUS; that is, every one a full grown Christian, habitually conformed to the likeness of the LORD and SAVIOUR, and trained up in constant communion with HIM through the Sacraments of the Church.

Again, I say, endeavour to represent to yourself the kind of picture (if I may so call it) which was then in the great Apostle's mind; people and pastors assembled together before the throne

"We

of JESUS CHRIST. For example, represent to your mind the great Apostle St. Paul himself, raised from the dead, and there meeting, and knowing again, face to face, those to whom he preached the Gospel. Think of that meeting as of an event, I do not say which may happen, but which we are quite sure will one day happen: for the Apostle expressly foretels it. must," says he, "personally present every one of you before God: be it your care, as it ought to be ours, that we may be able to present every one perfect. We must give account for your souls, one and all: we beseech you, submit yourselves to our teaching, that we may do it with joy and not with grief." St. Paul, therefore, and all his hearers, will look one another in the face that day; but with what various recollections and feelings! Some, like Timothy and St. Luke, faithful and affectionate followers of the Apostle, even as he followed Christ: full of unfeigned faith and good works; persevering as they had begun, and keeping to the end that good thing which was committed to them by the HOLY GHOST, when they were made Disciples of our LORD. See the fervent and affectionate way in which St. Paul always speaks of such persons, and imagine, if you can, the overflowing joy of meeting them, pardoned and saved for certain, in the visible presence of their common MASTER and SAVIOUR. On the other side will be some like Demas, who continued with St. Paul for a time, but when persecution drew very near, forsook him, for love of this present world: others, like Felix, who were touched with fear when they heard him reasoning of a judgment to come, but threw away the grace given them, pretending to wait for a more convenient season; and thousands, alas, will be there seen, who, like the stubborn unbelieving Jews, would not even hear his word, would not even stop to ask a question, but cried out at once, "Away with him!" But there will be no stopping of ears then, nor any more flattering of themselves that they may yet find a convenient season, another chance to escape ruin. Surely one of the terrors of the Day of wrath will be the confusion and shame which will then overwhelm such as have been unprofitable hearers, on meeting those whose pastoral warnings they had disdained.

But, it may be said, all those things are written of St. Paul, of him who was called by CHRIST's voice from Heaven to be one of

the chiefest of the Apostles: does it follow that every ordinary Bishop or Priest has a right to apply these things to himself? and need his hearers think so seriously, as St. Paul's hearers might well think, of meeting him before the throne of God?”

To which it may be said, first of all, that every one of us is literally a disciple of St. Paul, since we may hear and read his holy writings, though we have him not in person among us. And so far we are just in the same danger as Felix was, or Demas, or the Jews. Whatever we may think of inferior pastors, St. Paul at least, and the other holy writers of the Bible, will most assuredly be confronted with every one of us in that day, and it concerns us most deeply to take care in time, that they rise not up in judgment to condemn us.

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Secondly what if our living teachers be (as no doubt they are) not worthy to be named with St. Paul? yet the Church and the Sacraments are the same now as then and by means of them, the most unprovided of us all may be taught and warned in all saving wisdom, would he but seriously look after it.

I beseech you, then, let us not flatter ourselves that we can escape confusion in the last day, by throwing the blame on those with whom God has entrusted us. They indeed are most fearfully answerable; but yet we are also trusted, every one with his own soul. Be our teacher what he may, we who have the Word and Sacraments of CHRIST among us shall be held inexcusable in that day if we have not root in ourselves. Not even the merits of the All-sufficient SAVIOUR Will then do us any good, if, under pretence of His ministers' unworthiness, we refuse to acquaint ourselves with HIM now.

VOL. IV.

A a