of Jacob their sins; as becomes those who are set on purpose to confound the kingdom of Satan, and to exalt the kingdom of their Master, Christ. In a word, they must diligently, perseveringly, and immovably minister the Gospel for the honour of God and the salvation of men; neither of which can any other way be forwarded or maintained but by the Gospel. All this may seem an easy task to those who are not engaged in it: but how much pains will it cost to understand all these things! how much denial of flesh and blood to go through the private and public labours that will be found in a faithful execution of this work! and, above all, what firmness and disinterestedness is needful in honestly opposing the Gospel to the authority, maxims, and practices of a wicked world! But, whether ministers have thus dispensed the word or not, this is their duty, and the very end of their office; and as St. Paul saith, Woe will be unto them if they preach not the Gospel.'* — The people must meekly receive the word, which it is the duty and office of ministers thus to dispense to them. If it is the duty of ministers to teach, it must be the duty of people to learn; if their business is to instruct in the ways of God, then it is the people's to walk in them. 'Obey them that have rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account; that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you.'† The main thing in this obedience and submission is to obey the doctrine the minister preaches out of God's word; which, as the passage intimates, will be as delightful to the minister as it is and will be profitable to the people. But when people run quite contrary, hear indeed, and are, it may be, very kind to the minister, yet have no care to practise what he teaches them, they do not their duty to him, they disregard his office, they bring him to daily grief, they discourage and weaken his hands, and cause him to pour out sad complaints before God on their behalf. Nothing is plainer than the duty of the people in this case; they must attend the ministration of the word at the mouth of the minister; they must wait, with humble, meek, and teachable hearts, upon this divine institution; they must hear it as the word of God; they must lay it up in their hearts,

* 1 Cor. ix. 16. + Heb. xiii. 17.

and show forth their profiting by their practice. And in proportion as this is done the design of a ministry is answered, God is glorified, and the Church is edified. Now therefore if any would know whether they have done their duty to their ministers, they must look into their hearts and lives, and see if they can find transcribed in them their humility, faith, holiness, and heavenly-mindedness, the lessons they have heard from God's minister. As far as they come short, they will of necessity condemn themselves. And then they must make inquiry whence it has been that so much seed sown upon them hath brought forth so little fruit, it may be none at all: whether they have not heard lightly, irreverently, contentiously, curiously; whether they have not attended to the man rather than the minister, saying with the people in Ezekiel's days, 'Come, let us see how the prophet will succeed to-day;' whether they have not suffered the devil to catch away the seed sown on their hearts, by going away and quickly forgetting all in company or vanity. All must inquire, why, after so many reproofs delivered, their corruptions are so strong? after so many promises declared, their faith and other graces are so weak? after so much teaching, they are so ignorant and unenlightened? in short, why they have done so little of their duty to their minister in that point, wherein, if he be a true one, he eminently desires to see them submit to him?

Here is a grand inquiry on the one part and the other; and such as, if honestly made, will leave both condemned; and both you and we shall be crying out, Lord, have mercy upon us.' I am sure it behoves us ministers to make diligent search, seeing we have so dreadful a denunciation levelled against us, if we forbear to speak the truth through sloth, cowardice, or desire of pleasing men. Son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore thou shalt hear the word from my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hands.* Surely after this none can be angry at us that we speak freely. And for you, my brethren, doth it not behove you to inquire how you have heard the word at our mouths? That is an awful

* Ezek. iii. 17, 18.

sentence of our Lord's, and implies much more than it speaks, Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust from under your feet for a testimony against them.* To which I might add many more equally alarming, and enough to stir you up to deep humiliation for your neglect or abuse of God's ordinance, by which we are appointed ministers of his word to you.

Thirdly. It is the duty of ministers to give themselves up to their work; and the people must communicate unto them in all good things.-Ministers must give themselves up to their work. Their ministerial office is their proper calling; nor should they have any other but upon necessity or charity, as was the case of St. Paul. Indeed they will find employment enough for their time, without going out of the way of their duty, if they have their heart in their work. Give attendance,' saith St. Paul to Timothy, to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine; neglect not the gift that is in thee. Meditate upon these things, give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all.' It is a strange mistake, you see, that ministers have little or nothing to do. Surely, if they mind their business, they will find no leisure for vain pleasures, and will spend as little time and thought as they can upon the cares of the world. And this ministers among us have obliged themselves to by an ordination-promise; they will lay aside the study of the world and the flesh, and give themselves up to such employments as are proper to their calling. They are to separate themselves as much as may be from worldly engagements, their province being to study and promote the interests of Jesus, and the happiness of their people in a better life. You should see them therefore minding this one thing, unremitting in their labours, and evidently manifesting the importance of their office, by their diligence in it, and attention to it. Give thyself wholly to them; to thy labours, thy studies, thy Master, thy people. This is the employment of the minister.-And if it be, then the duty of the people must be on the other hand to communicate to their ministers in all good things. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? It is the people's duty freely, and * Mark vi. 11. † 1 Tim. iv. 13, 14, 15.

Gal. vi. 6. 1 Cor. ix. 11.

without grudging, to help their minister with sufficient allowance of the things of this life, that he may be at leisure without distraction to attend upon the duties of his calling. Were I speaking to another congregation, I should have occasion to press this point, seeing there are many, who, as one saith, are wont to think all well-gotten which they can defraud and deceive the minister of. But, as it is, I do but hint this duty of the minister's maintenance as that which the people ought gladly and cheerfully to afford and pass to the

Fourth duty of ministers and people, namely, ministers must be examples of what they teach, and people must follow their example as far as they are so.-Ministers must set a good example. There is a very remarkable direction to this purpose given to Timothy; Let no man despise thy youth.' But Timothy might be apt to say, "How can I hinder them ?" Why this way, saith St. Paul, Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity;'* do this, and, though thou be young, they will not despise thee. An example in the minister is a main point; and there is none the Scripture insists more upon, as you may see, especially in the Epistles of St. Paul, particularly in those to Timothy and Titus. I will mention but one, In all things show thyself a pattern of good works, in doctrine, uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity.'+ Titus and every other minister must be a pattern of Christian godliness, must live what he preaches, must go before his flock in every point of duty. His example must correct vice, must countenance all manner of godliness, in a word, must recommend the Gospel. He must be the foremost in breaking through sinful customs; he must lead the way in every point of self-denying and difficult duty. He must not lay burdens on others, which he will not touch himself with one of his fingers.' He must not give encouragement to sin by the least appearance of compliance; his conduct must be a continual exemplification of the doctrines he teaches. Little can be expected by us (to speak the truth, we can expect nothing) among our people, when our conduct does not go hand in hand with our doctrine. The people, too ready to take advantage of every encouragement to sin, will set our examples

1 Tim. iv. 12. + Titus ii. 7.

Luke xi. 46.

against what we teach them, and plead prescription for their iniquities from ours. Through the corruption of nature the bias is strong to the side of vice; from whence it happens, that though the best examples produce little of the good effect upon others which might be hoped for from them, examples that are not of the best will go great lengths in hardening others in sin. Wherefore, since sin has so powerful an advocate in the heart, the servants of Christ must not add anything to its influence by their conduct, but reprove it by their example, and give all the weight in their power to the cause of Christ by joining an unblamably edifying practice to a true Christian preaching. The man of God must be every way such; everywhere and in everything must live for Christ, so letting his light shine before men that they may see his good works, and glorify God by submitting to Christ.-On the other hand, it must be the duty of the people to follow the good examples of their ministers, to follow them as they follow Christ. It is a foolish conceit in the mouths of many, that such and such things are not right in ministers. Why then, they are not right in others neither. For what, is there one rule in Scripture for the minister's duty and conduct, and another for the people's? Or can the minister do or forbear a jot more than the law of God requires of all? The whole possible difference lies here, that the minister, as the servant of Christ, is peculiarly obliged to go before others in doing and forbearing. But suppose he should not; if he does not forbear what he should forbear, will this excuse the people for committing sin? Or if he does not do what he should, will God therefore excuse the people for neglecting their duty? This is a senseless conceit, and exactly calculated to render ministerial example on the side of godliness of no effect. What is the minister's good example to the people, if it be conceived as something peculiar, which they are not to follow? See the device of Satan! When the minister does anything amiss, then the cry is, "Well may we if the minister does so:" but when the minister acts in an exemplary manner, then the tone is altered to, "Such things are very well in a clergyman." But remember it is the duty of the people to be influenced by, and to follow universally, the good example of the minister in holy conversation, and in opposing the world to follow him; to