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citude of the most diligent Pastor, who must, as the Apostle observes, "feed them with milk," instead of a more solid nourishment: they will die in ignorance of Jesus Christ, who has redeemed them; of the church, which has regenerated them; of the Holy Spirit who has sanctified them; and from the bosom of christianity, and from the midst of the light of the Gospel, will proceed many souls, like those who shall come from unbelieving countries, and who shall appear before God in all the darkness and ignorance of paganism and idolatry.

Remember then, my brethren, that children are the purest part of your flock, and consequently, thạt which you ought to esteem most, and which has the highest claim on your affections; the instruction of children is the most consolatory, and the most honorable, part of our ministry. Let us,in those young and innocent souls, shew respect to that precious treasure of the grace attendant upon baptism, which they still preserve, and which we all have lost. Let us look upon them as holy temples, where the glory and majesty of God reside, which the breath of Satan hath not yet sullied: let us enter into these views of faith; and the diligence which their tender age demands from us, far from appearing. low and contemptible, will appear worthy of the whole sublimity of our ministry. I will not carry this reflection farther: my design, in what I have already said, is rather to stimulate your fidelity, than reproach your negligence.

Hear the conclusion of the Apostle, it concerns us all; and let us never lose sight of truths which so nearly affect us.

"Thou that teachest another, teachest thou not "thyself?"-You, then, whose duty it is to instruct others, and to shew them the way of salvation, begin, by first shewing it to, and then walking in it, yourself. What fruit can you hope from your instructions, if you, every day, contradict them by your examples? Your morals are, in the estimation of your hearers, more powerful and persuasive, than your discourses; they cry continually, to them that hear you-disregard what we say, observe only what we do.

"That the Name of God be not blasphemed." -Here it is that the Apostle finishes this instruction. Yes, my Brethren, we are compelled to ask the question-If faith be almost extinct among Christians; if, at this day, there are many licentious spirits, who treat with an air of derision and of plasphemy, what we hold sacred: if there are many who consider. Religion as a matter of indifference; is it not the little piety, charity, regularity, which they observe in our conduct-is it not the idle and worldly life of the Clergy, which has led them to such unwarrantable lengths:-Has not "desolation begun in the holy place?"

It is our example alone, which effaces from the hearts of Christians, what still remains of the fear

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of God: the effects of our passions are brought forward, in order to justify the same in themselves: our example calms their remorse, and leads them to place in morals, resembling ours, a security which their consciences would have refused them: they think, there can be nothing serious in the duties of Religion, which its Ministers themselves learn to despise; and that vice or virtue are only names, which are given more by custom and habit, than with propriety and truth.

Think not, my Reverend Brethren, that these reflections extend only to profligate Pastors-I have the confidence to believe, that there is not one such who now hears me; they extend to all who lead a careless life, who may not, perhaps, suffer great vices to appear in their conduct, but who do not shew their people any virtue; whose morals have in them nothing notorious, but likewise, nothing which inspires piety; nothing which gives offence, but likewise nothing which edifies : they are like the generality of men; they love pleasure, voluptuousness, dissipation,they dislike prayer, study, reflection: they seek society in the world, to divert them from their duties: complaints are not made to us of their 'conduct; but they have no evidence of the good which they do in their several parishes.

Now, if a Pastor does not edify, he gives offence; if he discover nothing in himself, in his conversation, in his disposition, in his behaviour,

in the whole tenor of his conduct, which excites to virtue, he tacitly, at least, encourages vice: in a word, if he is not more holy than his people, he dishonours his ministry. May these interesting reflections, my Brethren, call us often within ourselves; let us frequently, and seriously, consider, that it is not any extreme degree of guilt, which brings eternal ruin on our heads; and that there are more who shall be condemned, for not having done good in their Churches, than for having committed the most heinous sins. The barren and the dead tree are struck with the same curse the Gospel condemns to the same darkness, and the same torments, the careless, and the unfaithful,

servant.

CHARGE X.

ON THE MANNER IN WHICH THE CLERGY ARE TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES AMONG MEN OF THE WORLD.

Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles; that whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may, by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

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