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the charge. Many however, uninfluenced, go into the ministry themselves, without any attention to the duties of their station. He who hath made this false step in the beginning of his miniftry, hath nothing now left but to retrieve it. And let him confider the cafe well. There is many a Judas now in the chriftian church; who tho' he would not perhaps fell his master for thirty pieces of filver, may yet be induced for a price accommodated to his wishes, to fell him over, and over in other fhapes, by neglecting his functions-by fpending his life in pleasure, and amufement-and by fetting fuch an example among his parishioners, as gives them a pretence for wickedness. We cannot but fuppofe our Lord knew Judas, before he made him an apostle; and we cannot conceive any reafon for his putting him into the apostleship; but to make him a deterring example to future minifters.

From the natural powers of the apoftles, we proceed to thofe, which were fupernatural; with all which the prefent minifters of the church have no concern, But at the fame time either their neceffity ceases; or we have an equivalent for all the exigencies of the church, as it is now established.— If we are not immediately infpired, the inspired volumes are open to our fearch, in which we may

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be furnished with every truth, which the apoftles had immediately from heaven.-We cannot, it is true, fpeak languages, which we never learned; but as our miniftry is confined to one place, thefe languages are unneceffary. What languages we want, we may acquire by human means.-The spirit of prophecy, it is true, hath ceafed: but the occafion for it hath ceafed alfo. It was intended chiefly to prove the truth of religion. The prefent minifter of the gofpel wants no farther proof. He need only apply the proofs already intrusted to him.-Miracles, for the fame reason, have ceased; at the fame time, they are not wanted. They have proved what was intended; and that proof is upon record.

LXII.

And it fhall come to pass, that every one, that is left of thine houfe, fhall come, and crouch for a piece of filver, and a morfel of bread.-1 Sam. ii. 36.

WE have here a prophecy relating to a corrupt priesthood among the Jews. It is a flight, but bold sketch of clerical adulation. Nothing fets the ecclefiaftical character in a lower point of light, than crouching. It is miferable to fee God's minifters applying with adulation to man. When a clergyman crouches for a morfel of bread, which is too often the cafe; it is a scandal to the church, in which he minifters. But when he has obtained a competence, and crouches for-what the text calls a piece of filver-fomething more fplendid than a competence he turns the fcandal upon himself. He fhews what is uppermoft in his thoughts-he is alive to lucre; but loft to a fenfe of duty. It is not the office he defires; but the filver he crouches for.

In an age of infidelity, it behoves the clergy above all others, to do nothing which may bring religion into contempt and nothing can make it more contemptible, than crouching for preferment. The apoftle takes particular care to guard the clergyman against doing any thing for filthy lucre.

Befides, he who folicits preferment, boldly declares, I am equal to the work. He who accepts only what is offered, modeftly fays in effect, I will endeavour to do my best.

LXIII.

The things that thou hast heard of me, the fame commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others.-2 Timothy, ii. 2.

THE patron of ecclefiaftical benefices seems to hold in his difpofal two diftinct appointments —a temporal emolument, and a spiritual employment. The former is entrusted to him by the law-the latter by the gospel. But as the emolument, and the employment, tho' diftinct in their nature, cannot be feparated in reality, it feems fit, that the law should give way to the gospel, and the whole together should be confidered as a gospel-truft.

On this principle then the patron fhould con-. fider, how fuch trufts fhould be executed: and this will beft appear by confidering the end, which fuch trufts are intended to ferve. If they were mere temporalities, a man might manage and difpofe of them, as he does of the other parts of his eftate. But they are tenures, we fee, of a different

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