Ministers must be reponsible for all the dangerous errors which spring up among their people, or which are either privately or publicly propagated among them, unless they employ all proper means in their power, to detect, refute and condemn them. The prophet said, he stood in his watchtower in the day time, and sat in his ward whole nights, to espy danger. This is an example which every spiritual watchman ought to imitate. Ministers are undoubtedly responsible for the flood of errors, which threaten to overwhelm the land, by neglecting to discover them seasonably and to oppose them boldly. They have been too much afraid of avowing and preaching the great doctrines of the gospel plainly and fully. "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." But it is now more important, though more difficult, to preach the gospel plainly, and by sound doctrine to refute and silence gainsayers. Hence,

5. Ministers have great need of the prayers of their people, that they may preach the gospel with confidence and plainness. They are in great danger of neglecting this duty, from their brethren who conceal their sentiments, and from individuals, among their churches and congregations, who love error better than truth, and take pains to propagate it by unwarrantable means. It is hard and extremely difficult for ministers to stand alone, without the aid and prayers of those who profess to love and hear the truth. Even the apostles felt their need of the assistance and prayers of their Christian brethren; and affectionately called upon them to pray for them, that they might be enabled to deliver divine truths with freedom and plainness. The apostle Paul desired the christians at Ephesus, that they would pray for him that utterance might be given him, that he might open his mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel. He made a similar request to the Colossians; and to the Thessalonians he says, "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified;-and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men : for all men have not faith." All ministers now need and all faithful ministers now desire the prayers, assistance and countenance of the people of God, that they may have courage, fortitude and zeal, to preach the gospel plainly and boldly as they ought to preach it, in the face of a frowning world, who unreasonably hate it and oppose it.

This reminds us, my hearers, of the mutual duties which we owe to one another.

It is forty-nine years to day, since I took the pastoral care of the Church and people in this place. When I came here I found a respectable and exemplary Church, and a very regular people. And God has been pleased at different times to appear

and plead his own cause. But on the whole, has not the cause of truth, of piety and of virtue declined? Were there, fortynine years ago, many prayerless families in this place? or many Sabbath breakers? or many profane swearers? or any infidels, or any Unitarians, or any Universalists? Why then are such persons to be found here now? This the preacher ought to ask himself. Has he not stood in his watch-tower? Or has he not descried any danger? or has he feared and neglected to give seasonable warning of the dangers he has descried? Has he appeared to use any means to conceal his sentiments, or to keep back, through fear or favor, any truths, any warnings, or admonitions? Or has he, on the other hand, preached plainly and intelligibly on the great doctrines of the gospel; and fairly met and attempted to refute every gross and fatal error and corrupting practice? If these things be so, why have gross and dangerous errors and corrupt practices existed so much, of late years? There must have been some criminal causes of these deplorable effects. They must be chiefly ascribed to the preacher, or to those who have attended, or neglected to attend, his preaching. It belongs to you to judge of me, and to me to judge of you, with candor and impartiality. To this duty I have called myself, and have called you, once every year. And to this duty I now call you and myself. It is high time for you and for me, to look forward to a day which cannot be far from ine, and may not be far from some of you; and prepare to meet and give an account, how and what we have spoken, and how and what we have heard.

SERMON XXIII.

GOD REWARDS HIS FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS.

FUNERAL OF REV. ELISHA FISH, A. M., WHO DIED AUGUST 6, 1795, IN THE 76ги YEAR OF HIS AGE, AND 44TH OF HIS MINISTRY.

BECAUSE that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. - JOSHUA, xiv. 14.

THESE words refer to Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who was a principal man in one of the principal tribes of Israel. He came out of Egypt with Moses, and went into Canaan with Joshua. He was now fourscore and five years old, and just ready to pass from his earthly to his heavenly inheritance. But while Joshua was dividing the land, he came and claimed a particular city, which God had promised to give him as a reward of his singular virtue. Accordingly we are told that when he presented his claim, "Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, Hebron for an inheritance. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day; because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel."

In considering these words, on this occasion, it may be proper to show,

I. What is implied in Caleb's following the Lord wholly. And,

II. To inquire why the Lord rewarded him for it.

I. I am to show what is implied in Caleb's following the Lord wholly.

Though this may imply a great deal, yet it cannot imply absolute perfection. "For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not." None of our fallen race

ever arrive to sinless perfection this side of heaven. There, indeed, all true saints will cease from sin, and become perfect in holiness. But while they remain in this world, it is the constitution of God that they should feel and bewail the remains of moral corruption. It cannot be supposed, therefore, that the inspired historian meant to give Caleb an immaculate character, or to represent him as absolutely perfect, by saying, that "he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel." This being premised, I proceed to observe,

1. That Caleb's following the Lord wholly, implies that his heart was renewed.

So long as men remain in a state of nature, they are alienated from God, and averse to his service. They say unto him, "Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways." But when any are renewed in the temper of their minds, they immediately become reconciled to God, and delight to follow him. When two are agreed, they love to walk together. Caleb's wholly following the Lord, therefore, implies that he was a partaker of the divine nature, and possessed a pure, benevolent spirit; which is peculiar to those who are born again. And, indeed, God says as much as this concerning him. "But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went." Caleb's spirit was totally different from that of the murmuring multitude. He had a filial, dutiful, submissive spirit, which the scripture calls a perfect heart. Thus it is said, "Asa's heart was perfect with the Lord all his days." Hezekiah says the same of his own heart. "I beseech thee, O Lord, remember how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart." And when David was providing materials for the temple, he rejoiced greatly, "because the people offered willingly to the Lord with a perfect heart." A good heart is moral perfection itself, and properly denominates the subject of it a perfect man. In this sense it is said, "Noah was perfect in his generation." In this sense it is said, “Job was a perfect and upright man." And in this sense it is said, Caleb "wholly followed the Lord God of Israel." He possessed a heart which followed hard after God, and which desired perfect conformity to the divine image.

2. Caleb's following the Lord wholly, implies that he paid an external respect to all the intimations of his will.

His obedience was universal. He considered every divine precept as clothed with divine authority, and felt an habitual disposition to obey all the laws of God. Like Job, he feared God and eschewed evil. And like Zacharias and Elizabeth, he walked in all the commandments and ordinances of

all.

the Lord blameless. If he had allowed himself in one sin, or habitually offended in one point, he would have been guilty of It is essential to the character of a good man, to follow the Lord in all his precepts and appointments. "This is the love of God," says the apostle John, "that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous." Caleb expressed his love to God by holding all his commandments sacred, and by paying an external respect to them all, in the whole course of his life. Though Moses and Aaron, and many other good men, fell short of universal obedience, yet there is not a single blot or blemish mentioned in the life of Caleb. In all his external conduct, "he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel." Besides,

3. This amiable character implies that he persevered in obedience, under every trial and temptation.

If he had been weary in well doing, or fainted in the day of adversity, or deserted the cause of God in the hour of danger, he would not have followed the Lord wholly. But instead of fainting and backsliding, as many others did, he followed the Lord with constancy and perseverance, through a long course of years, and a long scene of trials. He was probably a good man before he left the land of Egypt, and consequently his perseverance continued more than forty years. This was a long course of trial, which the people in general were unable to endure. But while they ceased, he continued to follow the Lord. For when they murmured, he rejoiced; when they rebelled, he obeyed; when they distrusted God, he trusted in him; when they despised the pleasant land, he highly esteemed it; and when they were for turning back to Egypt, he was for pressing forward to Canaan. In this last instance, his persevering spirit was put to the severest trial. He was one of the twelve whom Moses appointed to search the land of Canaan, and to discover the number, the strength and situation of its inhabitants. At his return, all his colleagues, except Joshua, gave a false and discouraging report, which spread consternation through the whole congregation, and filled their mouths with bitter complaints against God, against Moses, against Joshua, and against himself. In this perilous situation he rose up and, with a firm and undaunted mind, contradicted the false report of the spies, displayed the fertility and fulness of the promised land, reproved the unreasonable murmurs of the people, and exhorted them to pursue their journey with faith and confidence in the promise and protection of Heaven. This solemn and animated address, however, only excited their resentment, and made them cry out, "Stone him with stones." But instead of being awed by that fear of man which bringeth