not faithfully warn the wicked to turn from their ways, their blood will be required at his hand.

Oh! my brethren, what a ftriking confideration is this, to fuppofe ourselves interrogated by the Supreme Judge, concerning every finner under our charge! Did you earnestly warn this unhappy foul, by earnest exhortations in public, and by serious affectionate expoftulations in private to confider his ways? It is an eafy thing, by a partial or curfory performance of our duty, to screen ourfelves from the cenfure of our fellow men; but to ftand at the judgment feat of Chrift, and anfwer there for our diligence, is a more awful trial.

Will not alfo a concern for his peoples interest, animate a pious minister to diligence? If he is truly pious, as he loves God, he loves his brother alfo. The Apostle Paul fays, "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we perfuade men.” If a man in good earnest, believes, that everlasting mifery must be the portion of all who die in an unrenewed ftate, what pains will he not take, to prevent finners from going to that place of torment ?

One who could fee a fellow creature, in the rage of a fever, rushing to the brink of a precipice, and not reftrain him, would fall under lafting infamy. Must not the fame compaffion move the heart of a ferious perfen, who fees his fellowfinners going blindfold to the pit of perdition ?

It is their not believing these things, that makes them fo fearless in finning; if you truly believ them, will you not make an effort to alarm them B

Ther

There are no motives like thefe to diligence,-he that believes, will certainly fpeak.

V. In the laft place, real religion will make a minifter fuccefsful in his work. This it does, both as it fits him for doing his duty to his people, which has been illuftrated above, and as it adds to his precepts the force of his example. First, it makes him fuccefsful, as it fits him for his duty. It is true indeed, that God only can give the blefling upon a minifter's labours, and that he can fave bymany, or by few, by the weakest, as well as by the ableft inftrument; yet we fee from experience, that in all ordinary cafes, he proportions the fuccefs to the propriety, or fufficiency of the means. Neither is there any furer mark, that God intends effectual benefit to any part of the world or the church, than when he raises and commiffions men eminently qualified to plead his caufe. Therefore, real piety, even in this refpect, contributes to a minifter's fuccefs. If diligence in all other things produces fuccefs, it must be fo alfo in the miniftry. If he that lays out his ground with the greatest judgment, prepares and dreffes it with the greatest care, has the most plentiful crop; if the fhepherd that waits moft diligently upon his flock, feeds them in the best pasture, and leads them to the fafeft shelter, has the moft increase; then that minifter, who does his duty moft wifely and powerfully, will alfo fee most of the fruit of his labours. But real and unaffected yet visible seriousness,

has

has alfo its own proper additional influence on a minifter's fuccefs. An apparent and vifible impreffion upon the fpeaker's mind, of what he fays, gives it an inexpreffible weight with the hearers. There is a piercing heat, a penetrating force, in that which flows from the heart, which diftinguishes it not only from the coldnefs of indifference, but also, from the falfe fire of enthusiasm or vain glory. Besides all this, the example of a pious minifter, is a conftant instruction to his people. It ratifies his doctrine while he not only charges them to do what he fays, but to be what he is. This will receive much illuftration from its contrary.

A minifter who has a carelefs, untender walk, defeats, by his life, the intent of his preaching Though in reason, it cannot justify any one in difobeying wholesome instructions, that the inftructor despises them himself; yet it is one of

the most common excufes men make for themfelves, and few excufes feem to fet their confciences more at eafe. Loofe and careless perfons think themselves quite at liberty to defpife the reproofs of their paftor, if, while he teaches others he teaches not himself.

Nay, not only is it thus with the profane, but even those who have the greatest regard for religion, are not fo much affected with the fame truths, when spoken by one they think indifferent about them, as when fpoken by one, who feems to feel what he speaks, and who lives as he teaches. B 2 Experience

Experience greatly confirms the whole of this reafoning-for wherever an eminently pious minifter has lived, and laboured long, there is commonly to be found the most knowing, ferious, fober-minded, and judicious people: nay, the very memory of fuch a minister is often long continued after he is gone, and his example is propofed by his hearers to their children's children.

From all these confiderations, I conclude, that the most important qualification of a good minifter, is, to be a believing preacher, and that, if he faves his own foul, he will be the probable mean of faving them that hear him.

I proceed now to make fome improvement of the fubject.

Reverend Fathers and Brethren;

As we would with our people to do, let us take heed how we hear, and make a faithful application to ourselves, of what hath been faid upon the fubject. Let it engage us to a serious examination of ourselves, left while we preach the gospel to others, we ourselves fhould be reprobates. This ought to be the fubject of our frequent and ferious thoughts, for feveral reafons. We are in danger of thinking ourselves too eafily fafe, by comparing that outward regularity, to which our office itself, even from fecular motives, obliges us, with the licentious extravagance of profane finners. We are in danger of mistaking our frequent thinking and fpeaking of the things of

God

God, in the way of our calling, for an evidence of true religion, in ourfelves. We may alfo, perhaps, miftake thofe gifts with which God hath furnifhed us, for the benefit of his own people, as the fruits of the Spirit, and of gracious difpofitions in our hearts. A minister is as much liable to selfdeceit as others, and in fome refpects more fo. We have therefore much need, often to make trial of our state, as well as to give all diligence to make our own calling and election fure.

But let us beware of imagining, that this dif course is only applicable to fuch as have no real faith in Chrift. God forbid that there were any minister among us, a complete unbeliever, counting the gospel a fable. But faith, and every other gracious difpofition grafted upon it, are capable of many degrees of improvement and ftrength; and in proportion to the strength of our faith, and the impreffion we have of divine things, will be our diligence, and confequently our fuccefs, in the work of the miniftry. Let us therefore imprefs our minds, with a more and more lively fenfe, of the important truths which we teach and hear. Let us not ftarve ourselves, while we are feeding others: but study to arrive at a greater degree of love to God, and delight in him; a greater conformity to his blessed image, in purity of heart, and integrity of life. Let us in a special manner, study to attain to more and more intimate communion with God in fecret which is the fign of our dependance upon him, B 3

and