in itself, and ought to make no enemies, that therefore we fhall have none. Some are very apt

to omit, or flightly to perform, feveral parts of their duty, through that fear of man that "bringeth a fnare." They are unwilling to forego the hope, that by certain prudent compliances they will conciliate and preferve the favour of every man and every party. But the expectation is wholly vain. The experience of many ages hath proved it fo. Let us therefore bear with patience the falfe accufation. It hath been the lot of the best and worthieft men in every age. It was the lot of our bleffed Master, and fhall we refufe to bear his crofs? Is it not "enough for the difciple that he be as his Maf

ter, and the fervant that he be as his Lord?" The triumph of finners is but very fhort. In a little time all earthly relations fhall be diffolved. Then high and low, magiftrates and subjects, minifters and people, shall stand before the judg ment-feat of Chrift. He fhall "render to every "one according to his deeds." There the great and noble fhall find no partial favour; there the poor and mean fhall not efcape obfervation; and there the lying flanderer fhall be put to eternal filence. He fhall openly acknowledge every faithful fervant, and bring forth his righteousness as the light, and his judgment as the noon day."

THE

THE

CHARGE.

SIR,

S you are now ordained a minifter of Chrift, and have received the charge of this congregation, I hope you will bear with me a little, while I offer you a few advices as to the discharge of your important truft. And I cannot help beginning, by congratulating you on the unanimous call you have received from this people. However defpifed by fome, I count it a moft happy circumftance both for you and them. It introduces you with great advantage. It gives you a fair and impartial hearing; and, if you do not preferve their efteen and love, it will probably be, in a great measure, owing to yourself.

I must first of all befeech you, in the most earnest manner, to be strict and frequent, in enquiring into the truth and reality of religion in your own foul. Perfonal religion is the foundation of all relative duties. They can fcarcely te performed in any tolerable measure without it. It is equally neceffary to your usefulness, and to

Your comfort. It is a difficult thing, and it is a dreadful thing, to preach an unknown Saviour. Examine, therefore, whether you are "born "again" whether you have " paffed from death "to life;" whether you are united to Chrift by faith; whether you know by experience, the difference between a ftate of nature and a state of

grace, or not. While I fpeak this, I affure you, I do not mean it, and I hope none will interpret it, as any reflection against, or implying any fufpicion of you, who have given me no cause. I fpeak it from a deep impreffion of its importance to us all. How miferable a cafe is it, to have it as our bufinefs to bring others to the kingdom of heaven, and be ourfelves at laft thruft out. A minifter is as much liable to felfdeceit as any other, and in fome respects more fo. We are in danger of thinking ourselves too eafily fafe, by comparing that outward regularity, to which our office itfelf, even from fecular motives, obliges us, with the licentious extravagance of prophane finners. We may also mistake our frequent thinking and fpeaking of the "things "of God," in the way of our calling, for an evidence of true religion in ourfelves. Nay, we are in danger of miftaking thofe gifts, with which God furnifheth us for the benefit of his own people, for the fruits of the Spirit, and gracious difpofitions in our own hearts. Main

tain, therefore, a holy jealoufy over yourself. "Give diligence to make your calling and elec❝tion fure." And, if you fave your own foul, you will probably carry many others with you to a better world; and be able to fay, after the example of Chrift, "Behold I, and the children whom God hath given me."

As to the duties of your office, fee that you preach the pure and uncorrupted doctrine of Chrift. Preach Chrift crucified, who is "the 66 way, and the truth, and the life;" and without whom " no man can go unto the Father. You will never be able to make men truly good, till you convince them of their loft ftate by nature; and thence make them fee the neceffity of juftification by the free grace of God, through the imputed righteoufnefs of Chrift. If you would know what place Chrift ought to hold in your preaching and scheme of doctrine, obferve what room he fills in the oracles of truth. To the cross of Christ give all the prophets witness. The cross of Chrift is the fum and fubftance of the new teftament. The crofs of Chrift is the Chrif tian's hope. The cross of Chrift is the Chriftian's glory. You fee, by a serious perufal of the new teftament, that the facred writers largely illuftrate the feveral parts of his chara&er and office, and feem with pleafure to embrace every opportunity of speaking to his praife. They fhow

how much we are to depend upon him for ftrength in the discharge of our duty; and enforce all their exhortations by motives drawn from what he hath done, and is ftill doing, for his church and people. You will foon find from experience, that no cold reafonings on the nature and beauty of virtue, can have fuch influence in mortifying corrupt affections, as a believing view of a pierced Saviour. For this very reafon many deteft the doctrine of the crofs. It gives a mortal blow to every darling luft. It gives fuch a view of the holinefs and juftice of God, as is intolerable to all thofe who cannot think of breaking their attachment to fin and vanity.

There is one particular reason why I have mentioned this at prefent, and infifted on it at fome length. It is ordinary to meet with serious perfons who complain much, that from many pulpits they hear little or nothing of the doctrine of the grace of God; that the grand and leading truths of the gospel are either flatly contradicted, or kept entirely out of view, and fomething elfe fubftituted in their place. I am far from saying that this is indeed the cafe. On the contrary, I tremble to think that it should be but barely poffible, for all thefe doctrines are clearly contained in the Confeffion of Faith, which every minister in Scotland has fubfcribed. If, therefore, there be any one among us, who doth

not