if I told them not somewhat more than ordinary; and yet I could not find in my heart to turn from the necessities of the impenitent, for the humouring of them; nor even to leave speaking to miserable sinners for their salvation, in order to speak to such novelists; no, nor so much as should otherwise be done, to weak saints for their confirmation, and increase in grace. Methinks, as Paul's "spirit was stirred within him, when he saw the Athenians wholly given to idolatry," so it should cast us into one of his paroxysms, to see so many men in the utmost danger of being everlastingly undone. Methinks, if by faith we did indeed look upon them as within a step of hell, it would more effectually untie our tongues, than Croesus' danger, as they tell us, did his son's. He that will let a sinner go down to hell for want of speaking to him, doth set less by souls than did the Redeemer of souls; and less by his neighbour, than common charity will allow him to do by his greatest enemy. Oh, therefore, brethren, whomsoever you neglect, neglect not the most miserable! Whatever you pass over, forget not poor souls that are under the condemnation and curse of the law, and who may look every hour for the infernal execution, if a speedy change do not prevent it. Oh, call after the impenitent, and ply this great work of converting souls, whatever else you leave undone.*

These powerful and impressive observations, we cannot too earnestly recommend to the attention of ministers. We have no hesitation in saying, that the most of preachers whom we have known, were essentially defective in the grand and primary ob

II. We must be ready to give advice to inquirers, who come to us with cases of conscience; especially the great case which the Jews put to Peter, and the gaoler to Paul and Silas, "What must we do to be saved?" A minister is not to

ject of the Christian ministry,– -LABOURING FOR THE CONVERSION OF SOULS. From the general strain of some men's preaching, one would almost be ready to conclude, that there were no sinners in their congregations to be converted. In determining the proportion of attention which a minister should pay to particular classes of his congregation, the number of each class, and the necessities of their case, are unquestionably the principal considerations which should weigh with him. Now, in all our congregations, we have reason to fear, the unconverted constitute by far the majority; their condition is peculiarly pitiable,—their opportunities of salvation will soon be for ever over;-their danger is not only very great, but very imminent,-they are not secure from everlasting misery, even for a single moment. Surely, then, the unconverted demand by much the largest share of the Christian minister's attention, and yet from many they receive but a very stinted share indeed; their case, when noticed at all, is noticed only, as it were, by the by. This, no doubt, is a chief cause, that among us there are so few conversions by the preaching of the word, and especially in the congregations of particular ministers. We feel this subject to be of such transcendent importance, that we trust we shall be excused for here introducing a quotation connected with it, from another work of our Author,-"THE MISCHIEFS OF SELF-IGNORANCE."

"It is not," says he, "a general, dull discourse, or critical observations upon words, or the subtile decision of some nice and curious questions of the schools, nor is it a neat and well-composed speech, about some other distant matters, that is likely to acquaint a sinner with himself. How many sermons may we hear, that are levelled at some mark or other, which is very far from the hearers' hearts, and therefore, are never likely to convince them, or open and convert them? And if our congregations were in such a case, as that they needed no closer quickening work, such preaching might be borne with and commended. But when so many usually sit before us, that must shortly die, and yet are unprepared for death; and that are condemned by the law of God, and must be

be merely a public preacher, but to be known as a counsellor for their souls, as the physician is for their bodies, and the lawyer for their estates: so that each man who is in doubts and straits, may bring his case to him for resolution; as Nicodemus

pardoned or finally condemned; that must be saved from their sins, that they may be saved from everlasting misery, I think it is time for us to talk to them of such things as most concern them, and that in such a manner as may most effectually convince, awaken, and change them

"A man that is ready to be hanged, is not at leisure for a song or a dance; and a man that is ready to be damned, methinks should not find himself at leisure to hear a man show his wit and reading only, if not his folly and malice against a life of holiness. Nor should you think that suitable to such men's case, that doth not evidently tend to save them. But, alas! how often have we heard such sermons as tend more to diversion than direction, to fill their minds with other matters, and find them something else to think of, lest they should study themselves, and know their misery! A preacher that seems to speak religiously, by a dry, sapless discourse, that is called a sermon, may more plausibly and easily ruin him. And his conscience will more quietly suffer him to be taken off the necessary care of his salvation, by something that is like it, and pretends to do the work as well, than by the grosser avocations or the scorn of fools. And he will be more tamely turned from religion, by something that is called religion, and which he hopes may serve the turn, than by open wickedness, or impious defiance of God and reason. But, how often do we hear sermons applauded, which force us, in compassion to men's souls, to think, 'Oh, what is all this to the opening of a sinner's heart unto himself, and showing him his unregenerate state? What is this to the conviction of a self-deluding soul, that is passing into hell, with the confident expectations of heaven? What is this to show men their undone condition, and the absolute necessity of Christ, and of renewing grace? What is in this to lead men up from earth to heaven, and to acquaint them with the unseen world, and to help them to the life of faith and love, and to the mortifying and pardon of their sins?' How little skill have many miserable preachers in the searching of the heart, and helping men to know themselves, whether Christ be in them, or whether they be reprobates! And

came to Christ, and as it was usual with the people of old to go to the priest, "whose lips must keep knowledge, and at whose mouth they must ask the law, because he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts." But as the people have become unac

how little care and diligence is used by them, to call men to the trial, and help them in the examining and judging of themselves, as if it were a work of no necessity! They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying Peace, peace, whev there is no peace, saith the Lord.'

"It is a plain and terrible passage, 'He that saith to the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him.' Such injustice in a judge or witness is odious, that determine but in order to temporal rewards or punishments. But in a messenger that professeth to speak to men in the name of God, and in the stead of Jesus Christ,-when the determination hath respect to the consciences of men, and to their endless joy or torment,-how odious and horrid a crime must it be esteemed, to persuade the wicked that he is righteous, or to speak that which tendeth to persuade him of it, though not in open plain expressions! What perfidious dealing is this against the holy God! What an abuse of our Redeemer, that his pretended messengers should make him seem to judge quite contrary to his holiness, and to his law, and to the judgment which indeed he passeth, and will pass, on all that live and die unsanctified! What vile deceit and cruelty against the souls of men are such preachers guilty of, that would make them believe that all is well with them, or that their state is safe or tolerable, till they must find it otherwise to their everlasting woe! What shame, what punishment can be too great for such a wretch, when the neglect, and making light of Christ and his salvation, is the common road to hell; and most men perish because they value not, and use not, the necessary means of their recovery. For a man, in the name of a minister of the gospel, to cheat them into such undervaluings and neglects, as are like to prove their condemnation,-what is this but to play the minister of Satan, and to do his work in the name and garb of a minister of Christ? It is damnable treachery against Christ, and against the people's souls, to hide their misery, when it is your office to reveal it; and to let people deceive themselves in the matters of salvation, and not to labour diligently to undeceive them. But

quainted with this office of the ministry, and with their own duty and necessity in this respect, it belongeth to us to acquaint them with it, and publicly to press them to come to us for advice about the great concerns of their souls. We must

some go further, and more openly act the part of Satan, by reproaching the most faithful servants of the Lord, and labouring to bring the people into a conceit, that seriousness and carefulness in the matters of God and salvation are but hypocrisy and unnecessary strictness. And in their company and converse, they give so much countenance to the ungodly, and cast so much secret or open scorn upon those that would live according to the Scriptures, as hardeneth multitudes in their impenitency. Oh, dreadful reckoning to these unfaithful shepherds, when they must answer for the ruin of their miserable flocks! How great will their damnation be, which must be aggravated by the damnation of so many others! When the question is, 'How came so many souls to perish?' The answer must be, Because they set light by Christ and holiness, which should have saved them. But what made them set light by Christ and holiness?' It was their deceitful confidence, that they had so much part in Christ and holiness as would suffice to save them, though, indeed, they were unsanctified strangers unto both. They were not practically acquainted with their necessities. 'But how came they to continue thus ignorant of themselves, till it was too late? Because they had teachers that kept them strangers to the nature of true holiness, and did not labour, publicly and privately, to convince them of their undone condition, and to drive them to Christ, that by him they might have life Woe to such teachers that ever they were born, that must then be found under the guilt of such perfidiousness and cruelty! Had they ever felt themselves, what it is to be pursued by the law and conscience, and, with broken hearts, to cast themselves on Christ, as their only hope and refuge; and what it is to be sanctified, and to be sensible of all his love, they would take another course with sinners, and talk of sin, and Christ, and holiness, at other rates, and not deceive their people with themselves."

To this powerful and impressive expostulation of our Author, I trust the reader will excuse me for adding the following quotation from a sermon by my venerated father, "On the Evil of neglecting to raise up Spiritual Children to Christ."