annual emoluments. Honeft and difinterested boldness in the path of duty is one of the first qualifications of a Minister of the Gospel But let his whole conduct be the evident refult of piety and conviction, and plainly animated by the spirit of brotherly love. Let his admonitions be conveyed in a fuitable manner, and at seasons prudently chofen; and let them, in general, be kept permanently fecret from the world. Let him neither be difconcerted nor irritated by neglect; nor even by open rudenefs, contempt, and injurious recrimination. A calm and mild endurance of fuch treatment is his duty as a Chriftian; and in the end it may contribute to produce, what in many fimilar inftances it has been acknowledged greatly to have forwarded, a change of heart and life in the culpable party, unable to forbear from fubfequent reflection on the difference between the spirit and conduct of his adviser and his own, and on the principles. from which that difference arose.

The inftruction of young perfons previously to their being confirmed is an important branch of clerical duty. Let no one follow

the

the blameable and pernicious example of those Clergymen, who, after hearing each of the children utter a few sentences in haste and by rote, give them tickets for confirmation as a matter of courfe. Care ought to be taken not merely that they should be able accurately to recite the church catechifm, but that they shall be competent to give a clear account of the doctrines and of the leading precepts which it contains; and fhall alfo understand the full import of the rite in which they are about to bear a part. Numbers of them will be altogether deficient in these qualifications, if the Clergyman is too indolent or too careless to take the pains of repeatedly directing the attention of parents to the fubject; and of explaining to the children in familiar language the feveral parts of the catechism, and of the office of confirmation; and of again and again examining them individually before they are prefented to the Bishop. The impreffions thus made on their young minds may frequently be strengthened and rendered durable by subfequent converfation and advice.

The

The catechifing of children is a practice required by the canons from the Minister of a parish. In many places the backwardness of parents to fend their children, joined to other caufes, has occafioned it to be difcontinued. The inftitution of Sunday Schools is admirably adapted to remedy this defect; and on that account, as well as by accuftoming the rifing generation to regular attendance on public worship, and to habits of early piety, deferves the warmest support of the parochial Clergy. Every Minister of a parish, in which no Sunday school is established, should make it his object to procure the immediate establishment of one or more, unless some very peculiar circumstances render the plan unneceffary; and when they are established, he should carefully fuperintend them. He will there find a number of catechumens collected before him. By occafional, yet fufficiently frequent, examinations he will enfure their being taught not merely to repeat, but to underftand; and by the judicious diftribution of little rewards will excite a laudable defire to excel in regularity, diligence, obedience, knowledge, and piety. Where charity-schools of other descriptions

VOL. II.

E

exist,

exift, the Clergyman of the place, by bestowing fimilar attention upon them, commonly performs an office no lefs acceptable to the trustees, than beneficial to the young perfons concerned.

St. Paul's admonition to Archippus, "Take "heed to the ministry (s) which thou haft "received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it," fhould be regarded by every Minister of the Gofpel as addreffed to himfelf. A Clergyman, by frequently comparing his conduct (1) with the engagements into which he entered at his ordination, may difcern how far he fulfils his ministry. But there are few methods by which he can form a truer estimate of the degree in which he discharges his duty, than by confidering what would be the conduct of

(s) Coloff. iv. 17.

1

(t) A fettled habit of carefully reading the office of ordination, and inftituting this comparifon at certain periodical seasons, as in the Ember weeks, in every year, is earnestly and with great justice recommended by Archbishop Secker in his Inftructions to Candidates for Orders; and by Bishop Burnet in his Paftoral Care; Glasgow 1762, p. 101, 102. What is not done at stated times is too often not done at all.

St.

St. Paul, if now alive, and placed in all fespects in his circumftances and fituation. The conduct which the Apoftle required of Chriftian Ministers in his own time is stated in the directions (directions equally applicable at the prefent day) which he gave to his favourite pupil. "I charge (u) thee before God and the "Lord Jefus Chrift, who shall judge the quick " and dead at his appearing in his kingdom;

preach the word; be instant in season, out of " season;" (not only at the stated periods of worship, but at all other times when fit opportunities occur; not only when your exertions will be taken kindly, but even when they will raise fome difpleafure and give fome offence, if yet they appear likely on the whole to do good;)

reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long fuffer"ing and doctrine." "Be thou an (x) example "of the believers, in word, in conversation, in

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charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Give "attendance to reading, to exhortation, to "doctrine; meditate upon these things; give thyfelf wholly to them, that thy profiting