execution of his office. On the other hand, he who is actuated by a contrary principle, though he is obliged, that he may raise his wages, in fome fort to do his duty; yet how heavily muft it go on, how tedious and burdenfome must it be, both in preparation and performance? He will count his fervice at the altar, and his work among his people, as a toil and drudgery, and reckon all that redeemed time that he can fave for himself, from the duties of his office.

Perhaps it may be thought that there lies a strong objection against this obfervation from experience; as it appears that fuch ministers as have least of religion, commonly go moft lightly under the charge, and are far from feeling any burden in what is committed to them; whereas the most pious and faithful ministers seem to have a weight upon their fpirits, and fuch a concern for the falvation of their people, as cannot but take much from their chearfulness in the work to which they are called. In answer to this, obferve, that an unfaithful minister is not easy and chearful because his work is agreeable to him, but because he takes as little of it as may be, and feeks his pleasure more than his duty. Certain it is, that the work of the ministry must be irksome and uneasy to him that believes not, except fo far as he makes it fubfervient to ambition, and difplays his own talents when. he fhould be feeding his people's fouls. This I confefs, which the Apostle juftly calls preaching ourselves, may be abundantly gratifying to the most corrupt heart. On the other hand, that concern for his people which is upon the heart of every faithful pastor, is far from being inconfiftent with the most folid peace and defirable pleasure arifing from the difcharge of his duty. It is like the exercise of pity and compaffion to the diftreffed, in him, who is acting for their relief, which, though in fome fense painful, is yet accompanied with the approbation of God,

A 4

and

1

and confcience, as flowing from a rightly disposed mind, and therefore to be cherished and cultivated rather than fuppreffed. There is a time for every good man to mourn, and a time to rejoice, and perhaps the one is even more falutary than the other; for we are told, that God will appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for afbes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praife for the Spirit of heaviness.

III. Real religion in a minister will make him faithful, and impartial in the discharge of his truft. The God in whose presence we stand, and in whofe name we speak, is no refpecter of perfons, and neither fhould we be in doing his work. There is commonly a great variety of perfons, of different ftations, and of different characters, committed to the infpection of a minifter; the pleafing or difpleafing of whom, has a confiderable influence inhis wordly ease and intereft. This is a great temptation to be unfaithful, and often leads to speak unto them Smooth things, and prophecy deceit; or at leaft, not to deal with all that freedom and impartiality, that his duty to God requires. In every unregenerate man, wordly interest in one fhape or another, either vanity or gain, is the fupreme motive of action; and therefore, as most men are impatient of reproof, it cannot be supposed, that an unfanctified minifter will venture to provoke their difpleafure, or to gall them with unacceptable truths. The favour of the great, or the applaufe of the multitude, he certainly will feek more than the edification of any. On the other hand, he who truly fears God, and believes what he teaches, will act with faithfulness and boldness. He will remember, that if he feeks to please men, he cannot be the fervant of Chrift. He will therefore no farther obtain, and indeed no farther wish to obtain their favour, than as a diligent difcharge of his duty approves

him to their confciences in the fight of God, or forces the approbation of the impartial, notwithstanding the refentment of particular offenders. It is only the fear of God can deliver us from the fear of man. I do not pretend that all who fear God are wholly delivered from it; but furely, bad men must be far more under the government of this finful principle. The one may fail occafionally, the other is corrupted wholly. There are two reasons which incline me particularly to infift on that faithfulness, which can only flow from true piety.

1. That preaching, in order to be useful, must be very particular, and close in the application. General truths, and abstract reasoning, have little or no influence upon the hearers, as the ignorant cannot, and the wife will not apply them to themselves.

2. The other reason is, that private admonition, and perfonal reproof, are a great part of a minister's duty, and a duty that cannot be performed by any man who hath not a steady regard to the prefence and command of that God, who hath fet him to watch for the fouls of his people, as one that must give an account.

IV. Real religion in a minister will make him active and laborious in his work. Diligence is abfolutely neceffary to the right discharge of the pastoral duties, whether public or private. It requires no fmall attention and labour to feek out fit and acceptable words, as the preacher expreffes it, to ftir up the attention of the inconfiderate, to awaken fecure, and convince obftinate finners, to unmask the covered hearts of hypocrites, to fet right the erring, and encourage the fearful. An unbelieving minifter must be careless and flothful. As he is unconcerned about the fuccefs of his work, he cannot have any great concern about the manner of performance. But he who believes the unfpeakable importance of what he is em

ployed

ployed about, both to himself, and to his people, cannot fail to be diligent. He knows, that he himself must anfwer to God for the care he has taken of the fouls committed to his charge, and that if he does not faithfully warn the wicked to turn from their ways, their blood will be required at his hand.

Oh! my brethren, what a striking confideration is this, to fuppofe ourselves interrogated by the Supreme Judge, concerning every finner under our charge? Did you earnestly warn this unhappy foul, by earnest exhortations in public, and by ferious affectionate expoftulations in private, to confider his ways? It is an easy thing, by a partial or curfory performance of our duty, to screen ourselves from the cenfure of our fellow-men; but to ftand at the judgment-feat of Chrift, and answer there for our diligence, is a more awful trial.

Will not also a concern for his people's intereft, animate a pious minifter to diligence? If he is truly pious, as he loves God, he loves his brother alfo. The Apostle Paul says, Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we perfuade men. If a man in good earnest, believes, that everlasting mifery must be the portion of all who die in an unrenewed state, what pains will he not take, to prevent finners from going to that place of torment?

a

One who could fee a fellow-creature, in the rage of fever, rushing to the brink of a precipice, and not restrain him, would fall under lasting infamy. Must not the fame compaffion move the heart of a serious perfon, who fees his fellow-finners going blindfold to the pit of perdition?

It is their not believing these things, that makes them fo fearless in finning; if you truly believe them, will you not make an effort to alarm them? There are no motives like thefe to diligence, he that certainly speak.

believes, will

V. In the last place, real Religion will make a minifter fuccessful in his work. This it does, both as it fits him for doing his duty to his people, which has been illuftrated above, and as it adds to his precepts the force of his example. First, it makes him fuccefsful, as it fits him. for his duty. It is true indeed, that God only can give the bleffing upon a minister's labours, and that he can save by many, or by few, by the weakeft, as well as by the ableft inftrument; yet we fee from experience, that in all ordinary cafes, he proportions the fuccefs to the propriety, or fufficiency of the means. Neither is there any furer mark, that God intends effectual benefit to any part of the world or the church, than when he raises and commiffions men eminently qualified to plead his cause. Therefore, real piety, even in this respect, contributes to a minifter's fuccefs. If diligence in all other things produces fuccefs, it must be so alfo in the ministry. If he that lays out his ground with the greatest judgment, prepares and dreffes it with the greatest care, has the moft plentiful crop; if the fhepherd that waits moft diligently upon his flock, feeds them in the best paflure, and leads them to the fafeft fhelter, has the most increase; then that minifter, who does his duty moft wifely and moft powerfully, will alfo fee moft of the fruit of his labours.

But real and unaffected, yet visible seriousness, has also its own proper additional influence on a minifter's fuccefs. An apparent and visible impreffion upon the fpeaker's mind, of what he fays, gives it an inexpreffible weight with the hearers. There is a piercing heat, a penetrating force, in that which flows from the heart, which distinguishes it not only from the coldnefs of indifference, but alfo, from the falfe fire of enthusiasm or vain-glory. Befides all this, the example of a pious minifter, is a confant inftruction to his people. It ratifies his doctrine,

while