doctrine be not set forth by the purity and sanctity of our lives; if, for example, while we preach against conformity to the world in its vain and sinful amusements, its covetous and ungodly practices, and exhort our hearers to" come out of the world and be separate, and not to touch the unclean thing," we ourselves are seen to be, in these things, "of the world." Inconsistency here will not only mar the fairest prospect of success, but render our ministry itself contemptible in the eyes of those whom it is designed to bless, and make the religion we profess, to seem but as a mere pretence, a "cunningly devised fable." In all ages, the cause of true religion has been more injured by false friends and inconsistent professors, than it has ever been hurt by declared enemies. But assuredly, no man is so likely to bring discredit on religion, and make the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, as that professed Minister of the Gospel, who with the law of truth on his lips, is giving no exemplification of it, or still worse, contradicting it in his life. It was said of some teachers of the primitive age, that their co-evals" took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." Let the world now be conscious of a like conformity on our part, in our life, no less than in our doctrine, to the spirit of the same Saviour. Let them be conscious of our communion with Him" in all things pertaining to godliness." Then only, can we expect to teach our people with "authority, and not as did the scribes." "Certainly," writes Bishop Hopkins, " preaching never comes with such power and energy into the conscience, as when the minister preacheth as well by his works as by his word; and to induce the people to it, is first obedient himself to the truths which he teacheth them. Men are easier led by examples, than by precepts; for though precepts are the more exact, yet examples are the more easy way of teaching: and he is a perfect workman who joineth both together,―neither

teaching what he will not do, nor doing what he dares not teach." "And therefore," he adds, "it is observed of our Lord Jesus Christ, the great teacher of His church, that' He began both to do and to teach.'"*

But the Apostle's admonition, "take heed unto thyself," connected as it is with what follows, viz., the securing of our own salvation, as well as the salvation of those who hear us, must needs look deeper than our personal example. It manifestly has respect to our own inward, experimental acquaintance with the saving efficacy of that Gospel which we preach to others. Take heed that thou thyself be personally interested in it; see to it, that all is right between God and thine own soul.' To take heed to ourselves in this point of view, is to "examine ourselves, whether we be in the faith; to prove our own selves." And need we be reminded that this "taking heed to ourselves," is as necessary for us who preach as it is for those who hear us; that by the solemn ceremony of our ordination to be Ministers of religion, we are not necessarily true believers in Jesus; yea, that it is very possible to preach Christ to others, and yet to be ourselves cast away! Here, then, is the most important subject for enquiry in examining into our credentials for the Ministry; most important, both as regards ourselves and our hearers,-our own salvation and theirs. It is certain that we are lawfully called to the Ministry of the Gospel by those, who, in our own Church, have authority given unto them for this purpose. But our chief enquiry should be, not as to the lawfulness of the outward call by which we are made ministers, but as to our being partakers of that holy and heavenly calling of the blessed Spirit by which we become true christians. Have we each been inwardly taught of God to know, to believe, and to rejoice in that Saviour whom we preach? Is He precious to our own

*Bishop Hopkins's Works: Vol I. p. 501.

souls? Are we able to say of Him, with humble hope, “my Lord and my God? "He loved me, and gave himself for me! Is His love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto us? It is only when we can thus speak from the heart, of the "unsearchable riches of Christ," that we are likely to speak to the heart. Without this inward speaking of the Spirit to our own hearts, we may confidently assert the lawfulness of our ecclesiastical call, and may boast of the legitimacy of our succession,-but our own spiritual condition is indeed desperate, and our ministry will be feeble, if it be not powerless, as to its intended aim—the Salvation of those who hear us. For even truth itself," the truth as it is in Jesus," unless its influence be felt by ourselves, and has impressed our own hearts, is hardly likely to come home with power and effect to the minds and hearts of others. It is that which we have "seen," with our own eyes, which "we have looked upon," and not only so, but which “ our hands have handled of the word of life," which we must declare to our people, if we desire them to have joint "fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."

We might apply the admonition "take heed unto thyself," still further, to our own daily growth in grace; to beware of the danger that, in a spiritual point of view, peculiarly besets us as Ministers; the danger, I mean, of neglecting our own vineyard within, while cultivating the wilderness without; the peculiar danger of not seeking food for our own souls, in the daily self-application of the lifegiving word, while providing for the instruction of our people; in other words, the danger of forgetting the Christian in the Minister. On this and on other points of selfapplication, arising out of the personal caution before us, we might profitably dwell, but time forbids; and I proceed to the second part of the Apostle's admonition, "Take heed

unto the doctrine:" that is, unto the teaching, for so the word signifies. Take heed to the kind of teaching which you give; to your public instructions. Take heed that it be truth, and only truth that you teach and preach; such as will tend to save, and not to ruin the souls of them that hear you. This caution has respect as well to the subject matter of our teaching, as to the mode and spirit of it.

It has respect to the subject matter of our teaching. In every age of the Church, even in that of the Apostle's, this caution has been needful; because the heart of man is the same, deceitful and being deceived; and Satan the great deceiver continues the same. In every age he has his ministers at work in the Christian Church, "false Apostles, deceitful workers," sowing tares among the wheat, "teaching for doctrines, the commandments of men," "that turn from the truth," hindering the Gospel, which they are not able to destroy. It would be strange if the Christian Church of our own age were exempt from that false teaching and perversion of the great truths of the Gospel of Christ, which have characterized the visible Church of every generation even from the days of the Apostles. We are not, therefore, to be surprised that there should arise now from among ourselves, teachers of "another gospel," than that which was taught by the Apostles and by the Reformers of our Church from Popery; going about to establish the righteousness of man, rather than the righteousness of Christ, as the ground of hope towards God; nor, that there should be others, who, falling into the contrary error, and rejecting the law of God as a rule of conduct, turn the doctrine of free grace into laciviousness. Neither are we to be surprised, greatly as we lament the fact, that there should be in the present day, teachers of the delusive and dangerous theory of the necessarily, inherent efficacy of the two Sacraments; affirming of baptism, either that it is itself regeneration by

the Holy Spirit of God, or else, (which is little more than a distinction without a difference,) that it is always accompanied by that inward change; and speaking of the Lord's Supper, as though it were some mysterious, self-operating rite, capable of imparting grace to the receivers. Thus, identifying the signs with the things signified; and practically, explain it as they may, substituting the outward ceremony in the one Sacrament for inward renewal of heart; and in the other, for faith in the atoning blood of Jesus; making the Sacraments, not as our Church teaches, "the signs and seals, and a means of grace, but more than this, the source and fountain of grace."*

It must needs be, until the age of millennial glory and purity arrive that such offences should be found in the visible Church; "in which (Article 26.) the evil be ever mingled with the good; and sometimes the evil have chief authority in the ministration of the word and sacraments." But against these and similar errors in doctrine, we, as Ministers of the Gospel, are to take heed. And while we are to be on our guard against prevailing error, come from what quarter it will, we are to see that what we teach be in strict accordance with "the word of truth," the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are to speak "not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.'

The great foundation of all we have to say to our flocks, must be, "Thus saith the Lord." We must warn them, not to take their religion upon trust from our lips, as though "the Priest's lips keep knowledge" in the sense of being an infallible, authorized interpreter of the Scriptures: but we must tell them to "search the Scriptures daily whether these things are so ;" not to build their faith on any human authority, but to examine in a prayerful, humble spirit for.

• Christian Observer, 1848, p. 235.