as have the leaft occafion for them; and they are often a burden to the minister, who is fenfible that he is giving his labour, which might be better bestowed, to very little purpofe. It has feemed fit to infinite wisdom, that one day in seven is proper and fufficient for reft from labour, and the purposes of public worship. When we are got beyond this scripture directory, all the reft is fuch will worship, as no bounds can be fet to. It has cer tainly been the foundation of much fuperftition, and has, in many cafes, occafioned a fatal and very criminal neglect of the proper bufinefs of this life. In what I have now faid I would by no means be understood to condemn all occafional acts of public worship, as on days fet apart for public fafting and thanksgiving. or on particular annual folemnities, fome of which anfwer very good purposes.

As all chriftians are brethren, and we are expressly commanded to exhort one another, I hope it will not be deemed arrogant in me to have given my advice with refpect to a matter of so much importance, as the

best

best method of communicating religious knowledge, in which all chriftian minifters. are equally concerned. The schemes which I have proposed are fuch as I can recommend from the trial that I have made of them, and they appear to me to be very practicable by any person who is sufficiently qualified to discharge any other part of the ministerial duty; and in the country, I believe, that fuch fervices will generally be acceptable as well as ufeful. As to the city, I am not fo well able to judge; but if I be not misinformed, the connection between minifter and people is, in general, so flight, that schemes which fuppofe much perfonal respect for the paftor on one fide, and an affectionate concern for the people on the other, can hardly be expected to fucceed. The prevailing practice of a London minister preaching to one congregation in the morning, and to another in the afternoon, when each of them is able to provide for one (as in fact they half provide for two) tends ftill farther to fink the minifter into a mere lecturer, and to exclude the idea of every thing befides a stipulated

1

ftipulated fum of money on the one fide, and mere ftipulated duty on the other. In fuch congregations one would think that the epiftles of Paul to Timothy and Titus were never read; and certainly the bufinefs of ordination in fuch places must be a mere form or farce, without any meaning whatever.

Hoping that my prefumption in offering the preceding advice has not given offence, I fhall take the farther liberty to conclude with a word of exhortation, in which I fhall think myself equally concerned.

Since, My brethren in the chriftian ministry, in the prefent ftate of church discipline, fo unequal a fhare of the burden is fallen upon us, let us not, through despair of doing every thing that ought to be done, think ourselves excufable in attempting nothing. If we cannot poffibly warn all the unruly, comfort all the feeble minded, instruct all the ignorant, confirm all the doubting, and feek and fave all

that

that are in danger of being loft, let us do all that we can in each of these branches of minifterial duty. Since, with refpect to the business of admonition, we are fo circumstanced, that we can but seldom attempt any thing with a profpect of fuccefs, let us do the more by way of instruction, which is a field that is ftill open to us. If we cannot reclaim from vice, let us endeavour to inftill those principles which may prevent the commiffion of it, and to communicate that rational and useful knowledge, which is the only folid foundation of virtuous practice and good conduct in life.

If every man be a steward, according to the ability and opportunity which God has given him of being useful to his fellow creatures, much more ought we to confider ourselves in that light; and it is required of every steward that he be faithful to his truft. The master under whom we act, and to whom we are immediately accountable, is the great shepherd and bishop of fouls, Chrift Jefus. Our inftructions are to

feed

feed his lambs, and his sheep. Let us fee to it, then, that none of those who are committed to our care perish for lack of knowledge. If they will die in their iniquity, let us fo act under the melancholy profpect, that their blood may not be required at our bands ; that we may, at least, save our own souls, if not those that hear us. When our Lord

fhall return, and take account of his fervants, let it appear that we have diligently improved the talents with which we were intrusted, that of two we have made other two, and of five other five, &c. and then, and then only, fhall we not be afkamed before him at his coming.

THE CONTENTS.