by the name of Christian may be examined as to their actions; and that every person convicted may suffer as an evil-doer, and not as a Christian."

Such is our prayer as Dissenters. If any man, or society of men, be guilty, let them bear their burden; but let them suffer as evil-doers, and not as Dissenters.

MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS, &e.

FROM

THE BAPTIST MAGAZINE.

1813-1815.

ADDRESS TO THE STUDENTS OF THE STEPNEY
INSTITUTION,

At Carter Lane Meeting, June 24, 1813.

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.-2 Tim. iv. 5, 6.

BEING requested to address a word of exhortation to my younger brethren, I doubt not but I shall be heard with candour and attention; and that, not only by those immediately addressed, but by all my younger brethren in the ministry. You will not suppose either, that I mean to compare myself to an apostle, or you to an evangelist; but the work is in substance the same, whether it be in the hands of extrordinary or ordinary men. And as Paul argued the importance of Timothy's work from his own approaching dissolution, I may be allowed to enforce it on you from kindred considerations; namely, that many of your elder brethren are gone, and others are going the way of all the earth.

You will not expect me, my dear young men, to discourse to you on the advantages of literary acquirements. I might do so,

indeed, and that from experience. I know the value of such acquirements, both by what I have been enabled to attain, and by the want of that which I have not attained: but it is more congenial with my feelings to speak of things of still greater importance. Three things in particular are suggested by the passage which I have read, and these I shall recommend to your serious attention; namely, The work itself to which you are devoted— the duties inculcated as necessary to the discharge of it—and the considerations by which it is enforced.

The work itself to which you are devoted, is called a ministry. The word signifies, as you are aware, service. The leading character of a minister is that of a servant. This is an idea that you must ever bear in mind. It is a service, however, of a special kind. Every Christian is a servant of Christ, but every Christian is not a minister of the gospel. A deacon is a servant, as the word also signifies; but his service respects temporal things; yours is that on account of which the office of deacon was appointed, that you should give yourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. It is that which Jethro assigned to Moses, Be thou for V the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God.

Your living under the gospel dispensation renders this a pleasant work it must, if you enter into the spirit of it, be pleasant to study and impart the gladdening doctrine of salvation.

I have observed two extremes relative to this work; one on the part of ministers themselves, and the other on the part of the people. That on the part of the ministers has been an abuse of their office of ruling, a fondness for power, aspiring to the exercise of dominion over their brethren. It has always grated in my ears to hear such language as this:-My church, my deacons, &c. as if churches were made for them, rather than they for churches. Do not emulate this empty swell. True greatness will revolt at it. He that will be great, let him be the servant of all. Think of the woe denounced against the idol shepherd, The sword shall be upon his arm, and his right eye shall be darkened. Think especially of him who said, I have been among you as one that serveth.

The extreme on the part of the people is this: from the idea of ministers being servants, some of them seem to have imagined that they are their masters. It is true that they have a Master, and to whom they must give an account; but it is not to the people of their charge. As Christians, they are accountable to one another, the same as other Christians; but as ministers, to Christ only. In serving the church of God you will act as a faithful steward towards his lord's family; who renders service to them all, but is accountable to his lord only. Serve the church of Christ for his sake.

Let me next direct your attention to the duties inculcated as necessary to the discharge of the ministry. These will be found to consist in four things.-First: VIGILANCE. Watch thou in all✓ things. This is a general quality that is required to run through all our work. If any of you enter the ministry as furnishing you with a genteel post in society, you will be at best a drone, and had better be any thing than a preacher. You are watchmen, and must be awake when others are asleep. Secondly: PATIENCE. Endure afflictions. If you cannot bear these, you had better let the ministry alone. If you be good ministers of Jesus Christ, you will not only be afflicted in common with others, but the afflictions of others will become yours. Who is offended and I burn not? You must care for all, and expect on some occasions, when you have done, to receive evil for good. Thirdly: ACTIVITY in the great work of evangelizing men. Do the work of an evangelist. Without considering you as evangelists in the full import of the term, there is a portion of the work pertaining to that office which is common to us all as ministers. Wherever Providence may station you, my dear young men, be concerned to evangelize your neighbourhood. Look at the situations of a number of ejected ministers, and see if the effects of their evangelical labours do not remain to this day. Who can look over the churches in Cambridgeshire, without seeing in them the fruits of the labours of Oddy and Holcraft? Who can review those of Bedfordshire, and not perceive in them the effects of the labours of Bunyan; labours for which he suffered twelve years' imprisonment? The same remarks might be made respecting other parts of the kingdom. VOL. VIII.

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