manner in familiar difcourfe. May a double portion of their excellent fpirit rest upon us who come after them! And when, from time to time, our fathers are stripped of their priestly robes; may the fons of the prophets who ftand up in their room, even exceed them in knowledge of divine things, in piety, in wifdom, in diligence, in fuccefs! that thus our holy religion may defcend uncorrupted to diftant ages, and the people which fhall be created may praise the Lord.

I have been exhorting myself and my Reverend fathers and brethren, not to give offence. It is equally neceffary to exhort you, our hearers, not to be hafty in taking it. Be tender, my friends, of our reputation. If any thing is infinuated to our disadvantage, be not rash and easy in believing it. If the charge is not fupported by fufficient. evidence, regard it not. Against an elder receive not an accufation under two or three witneffes. By wounding our good name, you render our ministry defpicable and unfuccessful; than which nothing can be more pleafing to Satan, or hurtful to your own eternal interests. Judge not our caufe, till you have given it a fair impartial hearing. Pass no fentence against us, till you know we have done what is alledged, and till you also know we had no good reason for doing it. And fince God inftructs you by men of like paffions and infirmities with yourfelves, expect not from them angelical perfection. Make candid allowances for thofe er

rors

rors and frailties that are incident to the wifeft and beft of men. Throw over them the veil of charity. Do not form a judgement of our general character from one unguarded word or action. God hath threatened, that thofe fhall be cut off that watch for iniquity; that make a man an offender for a word, and lay a fnare for him that reproveth in the gate. You expect we should give no offence by the neglect of our duty: we, with the fame juftice, expect, that you should give no offence by the neglect of yours; and offence you give us, if you do not attend our ministerial instructions, implore the bleffing of God upon them, and actually improve by them. If many profeffed Chriftians fpent not more time in cenfuring ministers than in praying for them, the ministry in this land would be lefs blamed than it is at prefent, and probably lefs blameworthy too. Mean time, what is amifs in our conduct, will be no excufe for defpifing the meffage we bring in the name of Jefus, and perfifting in impenitence and unbelief.

If an inoffenfive miniftry be thus important, how careful should patrons be to prefent, and parishes ftill enjoying the important privilege of election, to call none to the paftoral office, who may be in danger of giving offence by their weak abilities, unfound principles, or diffolute lives! And how foolish and cricandidates act, who hastily

minal a part do

rush into the facred function, ere they have

laid

laid in the neceffary furniture for discharging it honourably! Is there not caufe to fear, that not their character only, but religion in general, may fuffer for the reproach of their youth'?

Upon the whole, would we give no offence as men, as Chriftians, as minifters of Chrift? let us fearch out the fins and infirmities to which we are chiefly liable, that we may guard against these with peculiar care. In order to difcover our weak fide, let us duly regard the opinion others entertain of us. Let us not interpret friendly admonition as a difparagement and affront, but thankfully receive it, as a mark of unfeigned affection. Say, with David," Let the righteous fmite me, it "fhall be a kindnefs; and let him reprove .. me, it fhall be as excellent oil which fhall " not break my head." We are often blind to our own failings; and happy are we, if we can engage fome wife and good man, who tenderly regards our welfare, to point them out. But if we find none thus faithful and honeft, let us wifely improve the accufations of enemies, and learn from them thofe blemishes and defects, to which, without the help of fuch ill-natured monitors, we might have remained ftrangers.

May we all, whether in public or private ftations, be blameless and harmless, the fons of God without rebuke, fhining as lights in the world, maintaining always confciences

void of offence towards God and towards man. And may the Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. Let him not leave us nor forfake us, that he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his holy commandments for ever.

APPENDIX.

[The preceding fermon having been first preached at an ordination, the charges then delivered to the minifter and congregation are here fubjoined.]

Charge to the MINISTER.

THough giving the ufual charge would

have better become one or other of our venerable fathers, yet, fince the place where I ftand requires it, fuffer me, Reverend Sir, to be your monitor. Providence has called you to an honourable, but at the fame time a difficult office. Gifts are neceffary to capacitate you for it; grace, to animate you to discharge it faithfully. A fmall measure of gifts, and low attainments in grace, will poorly anfwer thefe important purpofes. If you would be a veffel unto honour, fanctified and meet for the mafter's ufe, and prepared unto every good work, covet earnestly the best gifts.; the gift of knowledge, the gift of utterance, the gift of prudence. Lift up your heart to VOL. I. X

the

the Father of lights, in humble fervent fupplication, that he would plentifully pour out upon you these, and every other good and perfect gift and as they are not now imparted miraculoufly, but acquired through the bleffing of God on the ufe of means, join to your prayers, diligent application to ftudy. Meditate on divine things, give thyfelf wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear unto all. Thofe of the most extenfive knowledge, know only in part, and need to learn the way of God more perfectly. Give attendance to reading. Make a wife choice of the books you read. Study thofe moft which moft tend to increase in you the difpofitions and abilities proper for your office. There is one book, or rather collection of books, which, without an appearance of arrogance, I may venture to recommend, as of all others the beft; I need not fay, I mean the Bible. Make that your chief study; for, if rightly understood, and improved, it is able to make the man of God perfect, thorougly furnished unto every good word and work. Apollos's character, was, << an eloquent man, and mighty in the fcrip"tures" it were to be wifhed, that both branches of the character were found in every minister; yet the last is by much the most valuable. If we are well acquainted with the doctrines of the gospel, and the arguments that fupport them; and understand the duties of the Christian life, the motives that inforce them, the hindrances of their practice,

and