feed themselves; should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Thus saith the Lord God, Behold I am against the shepherds, and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock, neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more."

Thus have I endeavoured to set before you the nature of our office, as ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. No man can boast of a more honourable employment. At the same time, none can aspire to one that requires higher attention, involves more difficulty, or subjects to a more awful account.

But you are not to imagine, my brethren, that while such high obligations are laid on the ministers of the gospel, no duties are, on the other hand, required of you towards those who hold that station. "Let a man,” saith the Apostle, "so account of us as ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God." The plain meaning of which exhortation is, that Christians are required to entertain sentiments corresponding to that relation in which they stand to those who labour among them in word and doctrine.

I. The same authority which lays such arduous obligations on your pastors, requires of you to entertain a spirit of equity and candour towards them. It is certainly but fair to judge of every person according to the character he assumes, and the pretensions with which he sets out. What these are on our part, you have already heard. I have shown those circumstances in which we acknowledge our inferiority to the first teachers of the gospel. I have pointed out those also, in which we maintain our commission to be equal to theirs. The sum is this, that, on the one hand, we profess ourselves to be no more than ordinary, uninspired, fallible men, like yourselves; but at the same time contend, on the other

hand, that we possess the same authority to preach the doctrines of revelation, and to dispense the ordinances of religion, which the most distinguished apostle ever enjoyed. What we expect then of your equity and candour, is, that you would judge of us on these grounds, and expect nothing from us but what is consistent with them. You may perhaps ask, In what respects there is any danger of your transgressing this rule? To which I answer, 1st, That this rule is transgressed, when you confine the respect to which the office itself is entitled, entirely to the personal qualities and accomplishments of mind bestowed on those who are invested with it. When I speak of personal qualities, I do not mean that you should understand me as referring to sanctity of conduct. You cannot make any demand on us on this head, beyond what is just and incumbent. God forbid that any of us should incur the application of our Lord's saying, as to the scribes and pharisees: "The scribes and pharisees sit in Moses' seat; all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works, for they say and do not." We acknow ledge that we ought to be ensamples to believers, not only in word, but in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. In this respect, therefore, your sëverest demand do us no injustice. But is there not a want of equity in withholding your respect from those who do not embellish this office with shining and superior endowments of mind? Is not this the very thing against which you are warned, when you are told that you have the treasure of the "gospel in earthen vessels, that the power and excellency may appear to be of God?" Why should it be expected, then, that ministers should understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, even as the superior intelligences of heaven, who stand

before the throne of God? Why should you be dissatisfied, except we can employ all the most exquisite arts of oratory to sooth your ears, and amuse your imaginations? Where are you taught to expect this from us? These are not our pretensions; this is not the character we assume. For let not any man account of us as orators or declaimers, plausible and artificial discoursers, who have nothing in view beyond their own credit, and are eloquent and ingenious by profession. We profess a character more humble indeed, as to any personal importance we can assume from it; but, at the same time, infinitely more serious and weighty, even that of ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. But,

2dly, This rule of equity and candour is transgressed in a still higher degree, when you expect of us to preach doctrines accommodated to your passions, or to refrain from delivering those truths which are unacceptable or alarming. You complain, perhaps, that we disturb your repose, and interrupt your pleasing dreams of happiness; but this complaint is both unjust to us, and injurious to yourselves; and though at first sight it may seem levelled at us, is in truth levelled against God himself. For whose words, I beseech you, are these words: "He that believeth not, shall be damned.". "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die."-" Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord." These, indeed, are alarming sentences; but you will keep it in mind, that they were not devised by us. They are among those mysteries of God, which are entrusted to us as stewards, and surely no less can be expected than that we should dispense them faithfully. God hath assured us, that if we do not speak to warn the wicked from the evil of his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood he will require at our hands. Would you then in

good earnest desire that we should forfeit our own souls, and incur the wrath of Almighty God, from a false tenderness to your delusive peace. No, my brethren, this cannot be done; or if it be done, eternal wo will be our portion, eternal reproaches will pass between us. I had rather hear from one in the spirit of Ahab, "Feed him with the bread and water of affliction;" or from one in the spirit of Amaziah, "Forbear, why shouldst thou be smitten;" than to hear from my own conscience, Thou hast betrayed souls to damnation; than to hear from an incensed God, "Their blood will I require at thine hands;" than to hear from the chief Shepherd, when he shall appear, "Cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth." Let a man, therefore, so account of us in the spirit of candour of equity, "as ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God."

II. Christians, you are required to entertain a just esteem for the office and character which we bear. I am aware how delicate a subject it is to talk of that estimation which we claim from you on this account. I am sensible that our highest glory consists in our humility, and our best dignity in stooping to be useful: "For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." We claim no obsequious homage, we arrogate not dominion over your faith, but we expect that no man should despise us; we account our office venerable enough to entitle those to respect, who do the duties of it with propriety. Indeed we have not diffidence enough to apprehend, in the least degree, that such respect will be denied, where the proper virtues of our station appear in our conduct; and we know it to be both vain and absurd to expect it on any other terms.

Leaving therefore a theme, which cannot be pursued long to advantage, we are still more desirous,

III. That you would make a proper improvement of the truths which we deliver. Take heed then, brethren, how ye hear. The time is coming, when we must all meet before the judgment-seat of God, to give an account of the advantages which we have enjoyed, and of the manner in which we have improved them. In what way this decisive trial shall be conducted, cannot be certain. ly known in the present time. We are told in general, that the great Shepherd, who shall then sit in judgment, will separate the sheep from the goats, placing the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. But besides this grand division, it seems probable, from the analogy both of reason and Scripture, that those who were members of the same Christian society, and enjoyed the same ordinances and means of grace, shall then be brought together and confronted, that the evidence upon which the different sentences shall proceed, may be the more unexceptionable and convincing to all. The impenitent sinner shall then have nothing to plead in his own defence, when it shall appear that many of those with whom he lived have been converted and saved by those very means which he neglected and abused. It will be im possible for him to plead any singularity in his own case, when he shall behold some of those persons crowned with glory, whom he remembers to have seen in the same church he frequented, receiving the same ordinances of religion which he did, and who perhaps, in many outward respects, had fewer advantages for salvation than himself. This, my brethren, is a very solemn consideration, and, if duly attended to, can hardly fail to have a powerful influence on our minds. We who are entrusted with the care of your souls, shall then be called to give an account of our stewardship. But you,