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to have these dispensed with: but this much may be said with truth and safety-that they occupy only the second place in the business of a minis ter, and that when they become sole or primary objects, matters of infinitely higher moment must be slighted. Before we can become members of this church, we all must make, and have made this solemn profession, "That zeal for the ho"nour of God, love to Jesus Christ, and desire "of saving souls, are our great motives and chief "inducements, to enter into the function of the holy ministry."-To lose sight of those great objects then, to "leave the word of God and "serve tables," is to be guilty of a crime too black to name. It is very evident, that violence of spirit this way, is too ready to incroach upon the great principles of justice, and honesty, and decency; for the man is yet unborn, who, launching into the vast ocean of politics, can say with certainty, thus far I will go, and no farther." The mind is necessarily whetted, the balance of the soul is lost, the malevolent passions are roused on both sides. Acrimony takes possession of the heart-the partizans soon come to entertain a hearty contempt of each other, and the impartial observers, if any such there be, can hardly fail to despise both; for it must sensibly affect the most ordinary observer, to see the no

ble powers of reason and eloquence shamefully misapplied in supporting or pulling down a favourite or obnoxious cause, which might be so successfully employed in edifying the body of Christ, and in destroying the empire of vice and irreligion. When, O my God! shall we behold factions lost, swallowed up, in love to thee, in love to precious immortal souls, in love to one another? The contention were glorious indeedwho should do most for our great master, who should most effectually promote the interests of his kingdom over the hearts of men, who should be the happy instrument of bringing most sons unto glory. Which brings me to the

Second general head, namely, to point very briefly what appear to be the most probable means of escaping contempt.-And the

First and great point certainly is, to cultivate in ourselves the christian spirit and temper-to set the example of our blessed Lord constantly before us to be unfeignedly, strenuously, uniformly good. There is a kind of charm in true goodness, which all, even the most abandoned, must feel and revere. The want of it is not to be made up by the possession of all other qualities put together, however great, however shin

ing. Let us endeavour then not only to appear, but to be patterns of purity, of gravity, of piety; from the good treasure of a good heart, bringing forth all the fruits of a holy life-that person never will be despised who thus acts up to his character; who shews that he is in earnest with regard to the great business of religion. Would we wish to escape contempt, would we wish to do good, let us study to be good,

A second security against contempt, is constantly to make it appear, that our great aim is to promote the essential, the eternal interests of mankind; that we have nothing so much at heart as to make them wise and good, wise unto salvation. When people observe, which perhaps they are too quick at doing, that ministers make their preaching and other ministrations merely a matter of form and custom, a kind of secondary business, they must and do conclude, that the pastoral charge is undertaken for the emoluments of it, or from some other motive equally base, and must accordingly hold in great contempt any who are capable of such meanness and absurdity; but if, on the other hand, they observe a constant and zealous attention to their true and proper business, a disinterested concern for the cause of real vital godliness, an assiduous

watchfulness over their own conduct, and the "flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made "them overseers;" they will of necessity, admire, revere, and love such a character,

Thirdly, Let us endeavour, as much as in us lies, to get above worldly hopes and worldly fears. A minister of Jesus Christ should be above fear, for what has he to fear? and what has this world to excite his hope? God knows, we have little to lose, and it is matter of thankfulness, that we are in no danger of losing that little; and the utmost we have to expect as ministers, either in point of wealth or honour, is, comparatively speaking, but a trifle, and thus providence has wisely placed us in that happy middle state which seems secured from pride and ambition on the one hand, and a mean dependance on the other. Let us then assert our own independence, and stand in awe of our great Master alone; let our hopes and fears be excited only by his promised approbation and threatened displeasure, doing all things as unto God and not as unto men, and the love of men will come unsought, will follow of necessary consequence. Finally, let us in compliance with the apostle's advice, speak, exhort, recommend, inculcate in public and in private, by preaching and by ex

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ample, the great doctrines of the gospel, that we may edify both ourselves and them that "hear us," and promote the glory of the great head of the church," who gave some, apostles; "and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; "and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the mi

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nistry, for the edifying of the body of Christ : " till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of "the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a per"fect man, unto the measure of the stature of "the fulness of Christ." To which glorious state of happiness and of perfection, may all of us, in God's good time be brought, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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