the Gospel. He observes, with sorrow, the multitudes of christians who are perishing; their melancholy fate he makes the constant subject of his lamentations and prayers :-how, then, can he rejoice over the ruins and the desolation of the holy Jerusalem,-" the city of the living God?"

What, however, is the most unreasonable is, that the Clergy, who plead the necessity of amusements, are, ordinarily, those who have the least need of them, who most neglect their duty, and the employment attached to their vocation. They are indolent Ministers, enemies of study and of meditation, and unfaithful to their calling; who loiter away their time, not to amuse, but to fly from themselves. Their life consists in an habitual indolence; we see in them nothing serious, not even the discharge of their professional obligations, which are often hurried over with an air of fatigue, of reluctance, and of indecency; what ought to be their consolation is their trouble; they hasten into the world, where they may forget their profession and themselves together.

A second rule, no less essential than the preceding is, that our communications with the world be rare; corrupt as it is, it demands of us, virtue without a spot, and piety without a blemish.

The more indulgent it is to itself, the more severe it is towards us; it watches us, continually, with a

scrutinizing and malignant eye; an unguarded expression, the least levity of behaviour, becomes, in its judgment, an unpardonable crime; and when, in order to discover greater affection for it than for ourselves, we seem to relax a little from the gravity of our character, nothing escapes its observation. It entreats us to partake in its licentious pleasures; and provided we suffer ourselves to be prevailed upon, it returns our complaisance by abusive calumnies, and opprobious accusations.

Thus, my Brethren, we deceive ourselves, by thinking that we gain the esteem and favour of the world, by familiarizing ourselves with it, and by frequently exhibiting our persons at its amusements, and devoting our affection to its pursuits. The more it sees us, the less it esteems and respects us when, therefore, we mingle in society, let us never forget that we are the Ministers of the Holy Jesus.

If we observe the rule which has been prescribed, of appearing seldom in the world, it will be easy for us to carry thither gravity, edification, and zeal, which constitute the last rule I shall lay down for conducting ourselves with propriety; for these are the characters which are to announce to men a Minister of the Gospel.

I say, gravity.-Our manners, our conservation, our whole behaviour, ought to support the holy dignity of our calling: whatever is unbecoming our

ministry, is unworthy of us.

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We often persuade ourselves, that we ought to adopt, or acquiesce in, the taste, the language, and the manners of the world, that we may not be unacceptable companions; but when the world courts, adopts, is delighted with a Minister of the Gospel, that Pastor gives a decisive proof, that he ceases to regard the decorum of his station, and the respectability of his character. And this is what we frequently observe : all those Clergyman, with whose society the world seems to be most delighted, are, generally, men of worldly minds, who preserve little more of the profession, than the name: the spirit of the world pears in the levity of their discourse, and the unseemliness of their behaviour. "If ye were of the "world," said our Lord to his disciples, "the "world would love his own; but, because, ye are "not of the world, therefore, the world hateth 'you." No, my Brethren, the world does not run after an holy, and respectable Pastor: it is not solicitous to associate him to its convivial meetings, or riotous entertainments. When men of the world have need of consolation, under the afflictions with which God afflicts them-when the approach of death presents eternity to them as nigh at handthen it is, that they have recourse to a godly Pastor. They then forsake those, whom they, before, appeared so highly to value; they perceive, that, such characters are not calculated to give relief to their minds, and consolation to their souls; that, however they may excel in the things of the world, they are out of their sphere, when they are called

to administer comfort to the dying, by the fer vency of their prayers, and the piety of their instructions. Let us not deceive ourselves; to purchase the friendship and esteem of the world, we must sacrifice a certain part of the dignity and gravity of our sacred ministry the world does not give up, in the smallest degree, its baneful prejudices, and dangerous maxims, in order to unite itself to us: No! we must give up our consistency of character, to be admitted into its societies.

If we are witnesses of those abuses, which custom justifies in the world, we are to reprove them: if we hear conversation which is offensive to decency, and injurious to morals, the character we bear, authorizes us to censure and condemn it. For, as Tobit expresses in his prayer-" God "hath scattered us among the Gentiles, that we

might declare his greatness, and extol him be"fore all the living; for he is our Lord, and our "Father, for ever."It is scarcely consistent with the real character of a Clergyman, to mingle in conversation with men, and let an opportunity escape us of promoting their edification*. We

*Both the old Dissenters from our Church, and those who are now forming new Seperations, gain and preserve a surprising Influence amongst their Followers by personal religious Intercourse. Why should not we learn from them? At first such Applications may by Disuse appear strange; and have both their Difficulties and their Dangers. But the most apprehensive of them will be the safest from them: and all will

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know not, but that a plain and edifying reflection, made at a time when it is not expected, may become to our brother a word of life, and of salvation. Men go to hear our discourses from the pulpit, as it were, on their guard, and prepossessed against the doctrines we illustrate, and the precepts we enforce; but, in familiar conversation, truth takes the sinner by surprize: through this medium, friendship, mildness, simplicity, give, to unpremeditated and unexpected truth, a force and power, which other discourses usually want; but should it even be without effect, we have, at least, honoured our ministry; we have edified those whom we could not undeceive; and, attentive to the admonition of the Apostle, we have

improve their talents by Practice. On young persons you will be able to make good Impressions by Discourse with them before Confirmation: these may be renewed in private Exhortations afterwards to receive the Sacrament: and the spiritual Acquaintance thus begun, may be continued ever after. Other Means may be found with grown Persons: on the first settling of a Family in your Parish; on occasion of any great Sickness, or Affliction, or Mercy; on many others, if you seek for them, and engage worthy Friends to assist you. Even common Conversation may be led very naturally to Points of Piety and Morals; and Numbers be thus induced to reading proper Books, to public, to private, to Family Devotion, to Sobriety, Justice, Alms-giving, and Christian Love. When once you are well got into the Method, you will proceed with Ease and Applause; provided your whole Character and Conduct be consistent; else you will fall into total Disgrace; and particularly provided you convince your Parishioners, that you seek, not theirs, but them"-Abp. SECKER.