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brutish. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise."

Christian love is to be displayed by fervent prayers for the flock of the Lord, and for all mankind. “We pray always for you, that our God would fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power.” I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men."

Finally, Christian love to brethren is to be shown by avoiding divisions, and cherishing unity of Spirit and affection. "Be of one mind; live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." "Mark them which cause divisions, and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."n

§ 8. Cherish the spirit inculcated in these precepts by the authority of the Lord Jesus. Thus act, and you will live esteemed and beloved; a comfort to others, and a comfort to yourself. Thus live, and you will enjoy the fairest evidence that you have passed from death to life; and may indulge an animating hope, that you shall soon join the church triumphant in that happier country, where all the truly pious "shall meet in Christ, and part no more."

While it is your incumbent duty thus to manifest Christian love to the household of faith, it is also your duty, in all those modes which are applicable to the situation and circumstances of those who are not the friends of the Saviour, to manifest benevolence and love to them. Thus will you display to those who know it not, the influence of real piety. Though exhorted to do good, "especially to the household of faith," you are also exhorted to do good unto all.

§ 9. Besides those duties which devolve upon members of the Saviour's flock, in reference to their brethren in the Lord, there are others which more immediately respect the ministers of the gospel, and the pastors of churches. The duties of those employed in the ministry of the gospel, are of the most important nature, and connected with the most awful responsibility. An idle, inactive, unfaithful minister, deserves neither respect nor affection. But a minister of the gospel who zealously endeavours, though with much imperfection, to discharge the duties of his station, is entitled to the deference,

(4) 2 Thess. i. 11. (7) 1 Tim. ii. 1. (m) 2 Cor. xiii. 11. (2) Rom. xvi. 17.

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kindness, and attention of the people to whom he ministers. Nothing can be more unchristian than the spirit, which some professors of the gospel manifest towards its ministers ;—a spirit of suspicion and distrust, as if they esteemed them tyrants, anxious to grasp power and sway;-a spirit of opposition, which seems bent on thwarting the proceedings of those under whose ministry they sit. These men are a kind of ecclesiastical radicals. They talk of liberty, but their liberty is opposed to the word of God, to human comfort, and social order; it is licentiousness and anarchy; and there is reason to apprehend, that the liberty they, like other radicals, admire, is the liberty of tyrannizing over all around them, or a liberty like the boasted freedom of the United States of America, where while the white man extols liberty, he flogs, and chains, and treats as a brute, the enslaved black that crouches at his feet. A young man just entering on the ministry should yield a respectful deference to experienced Christians, who have become fathers in Christ, and are much more calculated to lead the flock of God than he. But a minister of some experience, who knows the importance of his station, should never suffer a church to lord it over him, and if he feel the spirit of his Master, he will never wish or aim to lord it over them.

If you are connected with a church that enjoys the labours of a faithful minister of the gospel, you enjoy a blessing which the Saviour has bestowed upon you. For such a minister is declared to be the Lord's gift to any people.

A minister of the gospel, as a Christian brother, is entitled to the same Christian kindness and affection, as any other member of the flock of Christ, and to the same displays of Christian love. But, as a person sustaining an important situation in the family of the Saviour, there are other ways in which that love is to be displayed.

On this subject, as well as others, the word of God is the surest guide.

You are to esteem them highly. "We beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake."

To treat their admonitions and advice with deference and (0) 1 Thess. v. 12, 13.

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respect; and so far to submit to them as is necessary to enable them comfortably to discharge the duties of overseers of the flock. "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account; that they may do it with joy, and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you."

"P

As far as they imitate Christ, it is your duty to imitate them. "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God; whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation; Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever."

Though the ministerial character is no shield where the conduct is inconsistent with it, yet you are not lightly to listen to reports to their disadvantage. "Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses." The remarks on the guilt and mischief of evil speaking apply here with double force. In injuring the character of a minister of the gospel, a peculiar injury is done to religion itself. Parents who profess to value religion, and who are in the habit of criticising and carping at ministers in the hearing of their children, take a ready way to train their children for perdition. Children thus taught by their parents to despise the ministers of the gospel, will most probably go on in sin, till they sink to hell; and may then ascribe their eternal damnation in a great degree to the unchristian conduct of their parents.

The members of a Christian church are bound by the express commandment of God, to contribute according to their ability to the support of their pastor, and in doing this discharge a duty acceptable in the sight of God. "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? So hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.”s “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Be not deceived; God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."t "Not because I desire a gift; but I desire fruit that may abound to your account." *

(p) Heb. xiii. 17.

(g) Heb. xiii. 7. 8.

(r) 1 Tim. v. 19. (t) Gal. vi. 6, 7.

(s) 1 Cor. iv. 11, 13, 14. The covetousness of some professors of religion, leads them to reject or slight this appointment of the Most High, and perhaps to misrepresent and

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The members of churches should pray for their pastor, and for each other. The importance of such prayer is strikingly displayed by the earnest desires expressed by the apostle Paul, for the prayers of Christian brethren. If such an apostle, miraculously converted, endowed with the gift of tongues and miracles, who had been taken up into the third heaven, and to whom the Lord had actually said, My grace is sufficient for thee;-if such an apostle needed the prayers of his brethren, and ascribed much to their efficacy, what must ministers of the gospel now do! "Now, I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you." "Pray for us."w

me."u

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§ 10. These remarks rest upon the supposition, that the minister you attend is worthy of your confidence and affection. If he be not a man of this description, why do you attend on his ministry? why connect yourself with the church to which he ministers? Your spiritual welfare may be so much promoted by the ministrations of a pious and faithful pastor, that it should be in your esteem an object of the first magnitude, to enjoy such ministrations, and to worship, not where your fancy may be pleased, but where your heart may be impressed with divine truth; where your growth in grace may be advanced; where the preacher in good earnest preaches revile those for whose support it is intended. The real Christian will act a different part, and bow with submissive deference to the will of God. What is thus contributed to the support of a Christian minister, is not a remunera. tion for work done, it is not wages for preaching; but it is contributed upon the obvious principle, that ministers and their families have the same natural wants as others. If a minister be not possessed of private property sufficient for the maintenance of his family and himself, those wants must be supplied by his own exertions, or by the contributions of the people to whom he ministers. If they are supplied by his own exertions, his time and attention must necessarily be employed on secular concerns, and diverted from the great work of his calling. In this case the flock will suffer more than he. To prevent this, God has ordained, that they who preach the gospel should live of the gospel. According to this view, an idle, inactive minister, has little claim upon the people of his charge. His time might as well or better be occupied in the shop or the counting-house, as in polite worldly visits, or the study of refined literary trifles of the day, that have no reference to his great work. But he who employs the energies of mind and body in active labours to promote the cause of the Saviour, has an undoubted claim on the people of his charge for support while thus engaged; and they should consider, that were the same labour, and the same portion of energy, and activity, employed in promoting the worldly interests of himself and family, it is probable he would by rapid strides be hastening on to affluence, though now his labours are only accom panied day by day with daily bread. (v) 2 Thess. iii. 1.

(u) Rom. xv. 30-32.

(w) Heb. xiii. 18.

as for eternity. A Christian should esteem such a pastor as one of the best friends; nor should foibles or imperfections alienate regard; for who on earth has no imperfections? Consider such a friend as the helper of your faith. Be not backward to unfold to him your trials and your conflicts. Treat him as a friend, in whom you can confide; a friend who is anxious to promote your welfare; as an under-shepherd, who watches for your soul. Such conduct will tend to your pastor's comfort, and to the advancement of your best, your eternal interests.

§ 11. Many and important are the motives, that should stimulate you to cherish brotherly love. There is much in the character and situation of your Christian friends, to call this heavenly grace into exercise. They are dear to Christ; are the purchase of his blood; the objects of his care; his flock; his friends; his jewels. Thus dear to him, should they not be dear to you? They are your fellow-travellers to heaven, with whom you hope to spend eternal days. In heaven the family of Jesus will mutually love for ever, and should not love reign in their hearts through the few dark days of mortal life? The sorrows you now endure they feel; the foes with whom you wrestle they encounter; the desires that glow in your heart animate theirs; the hopes that cheer you encourage them. Now, too, the God you love they love; in the Saviour whom you trust they confide; the blood that cleansed you has cleansed them; the Spirit that dwells in you dwells in them; and all that enriches you is their portion. You hope hereafter to inhabit the same heaven; to belong to the same family; and, beneath the unclouded lustre of the same eternal day, to ascribe blessing and honour to the same Redeemer. Thus united by renewing grace, united in privileges, in trials, in joys and in sorrows, in hopes and in prospects, in friends and inheritance, united in bands that are to last for ever, should you not be united in heart and affection? Love and gratitude to your exalted Lord also call for love to your fellow-pilgrims. He commands his disciples to manifest such love, and in the earnestness of his heart prayed that it might be displayed by them. Will you not devoutly cherish that heavenly grace which is the subject of commands so binding, and prayers so fervent and divine?

(x) John xiii. 34; xvii. 11, 23.