conscience rather as matters of controversy than as motives to holiness. May God grant that none of us may ever err in this manner. But, in simplicity and sincerity, without the fear of man but in the fear of God, without wavering and without controversy, may we all determine to know nothing among men, but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Amen.

ELEVATED ATTAINMENTS IN PIETY

ESSENTIAL TO A

SUCCESSFUL STUDY OF THE SCRIPTURES.

ACTS VI. 4.

BUT WE WILL GIVE OURSELVES CONTINUALLY TO PRAYER, AND TO THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD.

THE duties specially appropriate to the clerical office, are either those of seclusion, or those of publicity. Those of the first class are performed in the study; they are the processes of intellection and of conscience, which must be carried on alone in the secret chambers of a man's own bosom, or in abstracted communion with inspired and uninspired understanding, or in working out the materials thus acquired, into the means for practical effect. Those of the second class, are the results of what has thus gone before, and are witnessed when the intellect and the conscience of the clergyman come into contact with the intellect and the conscience of the men who are about him. It is to the first of this class of duties that the apostle Paul refers, when he instructs Timothy to meditate

upon these things, to give himself wholly to them; and to the second, when, in another place, he adds, Preach the word; be instant in season, and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and doctrine. In the words of the text, they are both connected together. We will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

And yet more; not only are these the duties of a minister of Jesus Christ; the context would lead us to infer that, in as far as he is a minister of Jesus Christ, they are his whole duties. The apostles would not allow themselves to be diverted from this their appropriate business, even by the pressing call to administer the charities of the church. They considered that, if they were set apart to the care of the spiritual interests of man, this was of itself an all-engrossing trust. How far this example is obligatory upon us in the present age of the church, we will not, on this occasion, pretend to decide. We will only remark, that the moral interests of any congregation seem abundantly sufficient to occupy to the full the talents of any single individual; and it may well become a matter of serious inquiry, whether those interests, surely more important than any other, must not suffer, if the time of a clergyman be distracted by the multifarious avocations which concern the general interests of religion. And if it be asked how these general interests are to be promoted, unless they be sustained by the active service of the minister of the Gospel, we answer, the passage from which the text is taken, directs us to the course to be pursued. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men, of honest report, full of

the Holy Ghost, and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. The remedy must come from the laity. Each one must give not only his money, but his personal service, to the cause of Christ, that the minister may be consecrated to the duties of his more immediate function.

But, to recur again to the remark with which we commenced; the duties of a clergyman are those of seclusion, and those of publicity. It is to some considerations connected with the first of these, namely, his duties of preparation for his public ministration, to which we would, on this occasion, invite your attention. And the object which we have specially in view, will be, to illustrate the connexion which subsists between high attainments in personal piety, and the successful preparation for ministerial duty. And, after having thus restricted ourselves, we shall be obliged to select a few from the various topics which press upon our attention, and to discuss even these with a brevity ill suited to their importance.

It is hardly necessary that I commence with reminding you of the great diversity of moral acquisition which exists among those whom we hope to be religious men. We frequently observe a piety which touches, with inconstant hand, the commoner affections of the soul; and its notes are, as might be expected, fitful and discordant. It rules, but by seasons, the movements of the understanding, and controls but imperfectly, the decisions of the conscience. Hence, we see it connected with very inadequate ideas of the requirements of the law of God; we behold it in the indulgence of many a bias which a more elevated

piety would have corrected, and in the omission of many a duty, which a more thorough piety would have fulfilled. So mixed and associated is it with all that is variable in the natural temperament, as frequently to render it doubtful whether it be at all of the operation of God. And then, again, the charity, which covereth a multitude of sins, teaches us to hope that, amid so much that is wrong, there may be something that is right. After all, we are, in many cases, obliged to suspend any opinion concerning it, and leave the case to Him that judgeth righteously. I surely need not remark, that this is not the standard of moral attainment appropriate for him who is to be an example to believers in all things.

Again, there is another type of piety which has its place amid the graver powers of the soul. It regulates more steadily the will, subdues more powerfully the desires, and produces, within the limit of its range, a far more consistent moral exhibition than that of which we have just spoken. Convince the man whom it distinguishes, what is right, and though you may regret that it is so hard to convince him, yet, having done this, you may be sure that he will act accordingly. Now all this is well; but what is not so well is, that his progress in the path of duty has more of the monotony of a moving machine, than the buoyant elasticity of delighted life. He does what is right, and does it, we trust, from the heart; but he does not do it with the heart. And yet, this man, so quiescent in religion, will be kindled into animation by political discussion. That imagination, so languid when looking forward into eternity, will be powerfully enough excited by