an inheritance among the sanctified, through faith that is in Christ. But how can an impenitent, unconverted man preach these things? It is most certain that God never sends such men, and that he will shortly call all such to a strict account.

As it is absolutely necessary for a man to be a Christian before he can be a Minister of Christ; so is his perseverance in the heavenly journey, and increase in the Divine life, to his continuance in the sacred office. Is a private member of a Christian society, who has lost his Saviour, good for nothing but to be cast out, how much more worthless and contemptible is a fallen minister? And who can expect to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, but those who live by faith, who grow in grace, and in the knowledge and love of God; who keep themselves in the love of God? How needful, then, for a Minister of the Gospel· frequently to bow his knees before God, to pray in the Holy Ghost that his personal religion may be genuine, deep, and increasing; that his lamp may often be replenished with holy oil; that he may stand, having his loins girded about, and his lights burning, ready to give to the members of his Lord's household a portion in season; to bring out of the treasury things new and old: to lead them within the veil, to hold delightful converse with God, and to behold his glory; or to go with them without the camp, patiently and cheerfully bearing his Saviour's reproach: in short, that he may be ready to obey the voice of the Lord, whether that voice shall say to him, "Son of man, prophesy to these dry bones;" or, "I will tell thee how great things thou must suffer for my name;" or, "Get thee up into this mountain, and die."-We should also pray,

2. For an increase of ministerial gifts. Piety, though indispensable, is not of itself sufficient to qualify a person to preach the Gospel. He must understand the Scriptures, as no man can teach what he does not understand; and God has promised to his people pastors after his own heart, who shall feed them with knowledge and understanding. He must remember the Scriptures, and possess such a facility in communicating his ideas, as will render him at least not disgusting. It is beneath the dignity of a Christian man, but especially an ambassador for Christ, to hunt after pretty phrases, or airy finery, either in style or manner; but let him, at the same time, avoid every thing barbarous and vulgar. In order to this, it is not unbecoming to endeavour to detect and abandon all provincial errors, especially in pronunciation: in short, a preacher should studiously avoid whatever in language can justly offend the most correct ear: and every thing in gesture and manner, that is calculated to displease the most vigilant and penetrating eye.

That a preacher may be more abundantly fitted for his awful work, he must give diligent attention to reading. He must also

meditate on Divine things, and be wholly in them; but he must not forget to pray. The Lord opens the understanding; he will bring things to the remembrance of the praying man, and he can, and will, as far as needful, give to such the tongue of the learned. Let us not, however, forget another ministerial gift, which comes immediately from God; viz. power from on high, in delivering the truth of God. The preachers of the Gospel are called Ministers of the Spirit, and we find the first preachers instructed to wait till endued with power from on nigh. It is also said of them, that they preached the Gospel with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. A man possessing this spirit, will commonly communicate a portion of it to his hearers.

And what is a man in the pulpit without the Holy Ghost? He may be a man of extensive learning, of pleasing address, of powerful eloquence,-a profound theologian, and a master of elocution: his splendid, popular talents will probably draw a large crowd to the house of God, who, having heard and admired, return home unprofited. What is a man better than a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal? We hear, indeed, an agreeable sound; but there is no life! We see a light; but we feel no heat. The preacher presents us with acceptable words; but the words do not burn. The same, or even an inferior discourse, coming from Barnabas, full of faith and the Holy Ghost, would be as a fire, and as a hammer that breaketh the rocks in pieces. Is the Holy Ghost promised to them that ask? How necessary that the Minister of Christ should ask, seek, and knock?-He should pray,

3. For the success of his ministry. That preacher must have a carnal, sordid soul, who thinks or acts as if he thought his ministry sufficiently successful while it procures for him the bread that perisheth, or the countenance, approbation, and applause of them that hear him. Nor should he, content himself with the edification of those already pious, as such persons will get good wherever they hear God's word, and wait upon him: but the Christian Minister should pant for the conversion of souls; should travail in birth, till Christ be formed in the hearts of sinners. The man of God is eager in his desires, and importunate in his prayers, for the repentance of sinners, the forgiveness of the penitent, the establishment and entire sanctification of believers. He watches for fruit more than the husbandman for the springing and maturing of his corn; not to feed his vanity, or to furnish him with matter of vain boasting; but that God may be glorified, miserable brands plucked from the burning, the children of Zion made joyful in their King, and himself blessed with this valuable evidence, that he is in his right place. It is distressing to hear some men, and even ministers, speak against this anxiety. Why, say they, do you grieve, or

make yourself uneasy about fruit? It is not with you to give your ministry effect. Do your duty, and leave the event to God! But how is a preacher to know that he is doing his duty, if he have no fruit? And where are his zeal and love, if he can see sinners perishing, and feel no anxiety to rescue them?

The venerable John Wesley says, "Three things are found in all whom God calls to this great work: grace, gifts, and fruit. We can receive no man without these, nor continue him any longer than he continues to possess them." And a greater than John Wesley says, "I have ordained you, that ye may go and bear fruit, and that your fruit may remain." It is a bad sign when a man preaches month after month, and none are inquiring what they must do to be saved; but it is still worse if there be no marks of holy solicitude on the subject.

For what does he labour in his Lord's vineyard! Breaking up the fallow ground; scattering, in season and out of season, the seeds of God's word? How unnatural for a man to go forth as an ambassador for Christ, and be indifferent whether sinners are reconciled to God, or not. How can the love of God dwell in such a heart? Does not that constrain the true pastor to seek the wandering sheep, to compel them to come in? If, therefore, there be any value in immortal souls,-any meaning in the institution of the Christian ministry,—any merit in the blood of Christ,-any importance attached to eternal bliss or woe,-any bowels of mercies in ourselves, let us travail in birth till Christ be formed in our hearers. Let us cry mightily to God that sinners may be converted, and saints edified and comforted.

This should be the preacher's last work before he enters the pulpit, his chief concern while there, and his first employment upon his return to his closet. Those ministers whom God has honoured with the greatest success, have been eminently men of prayer. Most, if not all of them, have considered the hour before preaching, and some a much longer period, sacred to prayer; not to prayer and meditation, but to prayer alone, for the presence and blessing of God to be with and upon them in their infinitely great work. The deportment of such men in the pulpit, always evinces that nothing lies so near their hearts as the salvation of immortal souls; and upon their return from the holy place, their prayers will still ascend to heaven for a blessing upon their labours.

4. The universal extension and establishment of the kingdom of God is another important subject of prayer. All the disciples of Christ are taught to pray for the coming of his kingdom; and all the members of God's ancient church were exhorted not to let him rest till he should make Jerusalem a praise in the whole earth. And shall the man whose very business on earth is to VOL. XLII. AUGUST, 1819.

promote the increase of that monarchy which shall one day be universal, be the last to offer up prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks for all men, to that God who would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth? Will he not, while properly anxious for the success of his own labours, rejoice to hear of the preaching of Christ by others, though they may not follow with him, and fervently pray that God would spread the savour of his knowledge by each and all of his ser

vants.

There is a mean jealousy too apt to infect the minds of even God's ministers. They wish good to be done; but they want it done in their own church, and in their own way. Those who follow not with them, must be stopped, though they cast out devils in the name of Christ; and those who give them not such a reception as they could wish for, must be consumed by fire from heaven; and should any preach Christ out of contention, it is well if even a prison be thought good enough for them. Not so the benevolent Apostle. Not so his philanthropic Master. Not so those of the present day who have much of the mind of Christ. But, though properly desirous of the prosperity of that body of Christians with which he is united, and feeling that peculiar attachment which every sincere man must feel, the liberal minister cordially embraces all who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity, and rejoices to lead the devotion of his hearers, while they ardently pray for the universal distribution of the Scriptures, and for the establishment and successs of the Gospel ministry in every part of the world.

It appears, from the language in which the primitive preachers express themselves, that they did not think is sufficient to pray occasionally or periodically; no, devotion appears to have been the element in which their souls lived, and in which they found their heaven begun below. They had read of some very memorable answers to prayer recorded in the books of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms. They had heard their Divine Master deliver the most moving and encouraging discourses and sentences on this subject, and had witnessed the success with which persevering prayer had been crowned in several instances.

Whatever may be the Christian minister's occasional subjects of prayer, however numerous or diversified, these things should never be forgotten by him; but in the pulpit, in the social party, the domestic circle,-when he walketh or rideth by the way,sitting down or rising up, but especially in the closet, he should pray as in an agony for the preservation and increase of his own personal religion, for an increase of ministerial gifts, for the success of his ministry, and for the universal extension and establishment of the kingdom of God. He may sometimes find it difficult to procure a place for retirement: let him, however,

shew a disposition to be alone, and he will usually find a room with a stool, a table, and a candlestick.

(To be continued.)

GOSPEL PREACHERS DESCRIBED AND DIRECTED. (Continued from page 499.)

2. As Elders of the Church, Acts xx. 17, you are to rule or govern it well, 1 Tim. v. 17; Heb. xiii. 7, by establishing and preserving proper order and discipline among the people, I Cor. xiv. 40; and in so doing, you will stand in need of much courage, wisdom, and moderation, that you may not be too loose or mild, nor too strict and severe, lest you injure the cause of religion.

lat. Be not too loose and mild: do not connive at sin in any one, "Them that sin, rebuke before all, that others also may fear," 1 Tim. v. 20; and let them know, that if they will not endeavour to walk uprightly, you cannot suffer them to remain in connexion with you. If, after you have reproved and given them warning, there be no amendment, proceed to act according to the Scripture rule, 1 Cor. v. 11, 13, "I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one no not to eat. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person." But exclude with reluctance and sorrow; and after any one is excluded, "count him not as an enemy; but admonish him," 2 Thess. iii. 15.

2dly. Be not too strict and severe: do not unnecessarily give offence to any; which, if you are over strict, you may do, and lay stumbling-blocks in the way of others; and thus the "lame may be turned out of the way," Heb. xii. 13; and by such severity, those that are weak may be greatly discouraged, and exposed to much temptation. I make no doubt that there have been many instances of this; therefore, bear with all that may be lawfully borne with. "Whoso shall offend," or cause to stumble, "one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences! and woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!" Matt. xviii. 6, 7.

3. You are also, as Overseers or Shepherds, to take care of the Lord's flock, Acts xx. 28; 1 Pet. v. 2; 1 Tim. iii. 5. Consider this deeply, and "watch for the people's souls, as they that must give account," Heb. xiii. 17. Be concerned for their welfare, like Timothy: Phil. ii. 20. Therefore,

1st. After the example of Paul, Acts xiv. 22,-xv. 41, confirm the believers; and, according to his advice, 1 Thess. v. 14, not only warn them that are unruly," but also "comfort the