and of Jefus Chrift, that thou keep this Com mandment, without Spot, unrebukable, until the Appearing of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Yea, says he, I charge thee, once more, before Gop and the Lord Jefus Chrift, who fhall judge the Quick and the Dead at his Appearing and his Kingdom: Preach the Word; be inftant in Season, out of Season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all Long-Suffering and Doctrine”.

Such is the Advice; fuch are the folemn Charges given to Timothy, and to every Minif ter of the Gospel.

But was the Apostle's own Example agreeable to this? Did he lay himself out in preaching the Gospel as he recommends, and exhorts others to do? Or was he in the Number of thofe full-fed Shepherds,

"Who, when they lift, their lean and flashy Songs "Grate on their fcrannel Pipes of wretched Straw"? No, my Brethren, you well know that he la bored more abundantly than perhaps any os ther Man ever did. Take his own Words,

"In Labors more abundant; in Stripes a bove Measure, in Prisons more frequent; in Ħ Deaths

Deaths oft. Five Times of the Jews received I 40 Stripes fave one. Thrice was I beaten with Rods; once was I ftoned; thrice I fuffered Ship-Wreck; a Night and a Day I have been in the Deep. In Journeyings often, in Perils of Waters, in Perils of Robbers, in Perils by mine own Country-Men; in Perils by the Heathen; in Perils in the City; in Perils in the Wilderness; in Perils in the Sea; in Perils among falfe Brethren: In Wearinefs and Painfulness; in Watchings often; in Hunger and Thirst; in Fastings often; in Cold and Nakednefs. Befides thofe Things that are without; that which cometh upon me daily, the Care of all the Churches".

Such were the Labors, the unparalleled Labors, of the great Apoftle, St. Paul.

Take alfo the Opinion of an eminent and approved Bishop of our own Church, who has wrote expressly upon the Duty and Office of a Minister of the Gospel.

"A Clergyman, by his Character and De"fign of Life, ought to be a Man separated " from the Cares and Concerns of this World, "and

and dedicated to the Study and Meditation "of divine Matters. His Conversation ought "to be a Pattern for others;, a conftant

Preaching to his People. He ought to of "fer up the Prayers of the People in their "Name, and as their Mouth to God. He

ought to be praying and interceding for "them in Secret, as well as officiating among "them in Publick. He ought to be deftribu

ting among them the Bread of Life, the "Word of God; and difpenfing among them "the facred Rites, which are the Badges, the

Union, and the Supports of Chriftians. He

ought to admonish, to reprove, and to com"fort them, not only by his general Doctrine "in his Sermons, but from Houfe to House;> "that fo he may do thefe Things more home. "and effectually, than can be done from the

Pulpit. He is to watch over their Souls, to "keep them from Error, and to alarm them, "out of their Sins by giving them Warning of "the Judgments of GOD; to vifit the Sick,, and to prepare them for the Judgment and. Life to come.

"A Clergyman ought to behave himfelf fo "well, that his own Converfation may not on

ly be without Offence; but it ought to be "fo exemplary, that his People may have Rea"fon to conclude, that he himself does firmly "believe all thofe Things which he proposes "to them; that he thinks himfelf-bound to "follow all thofe Rules that he fets them; "and that they may fee fuch a ferious Spirit of "Devotion in him, that from thence they may "be induced to believe, that his chief Defign "among them is to do them Good, and to "fave their Souls.

"He muft employ himself fo well in his private Studies, that from thence he may be "furnished with fuch a Variety of lively «Thoughts, divine Meditations, and proper "and noble Expreffions, as may enable him "to discharge every Part of his Duty in a "Manner worthy of GOD, He ought not on"ly to abftain from grofs Scandals, but keep "at the fartheft Distance from them. Such "Diversions as his Health may require, ought "to be manly, decent and grave. He ought

1

" to

“to avoid too much Familiarity with bad Peo→ ple, and the fquandering away his Time in ❝ vain and idle Difcourfe. His Cheerfulness ought to be frank; but neither excessivé, nöf "licentious. His Friends and his Garden ought to be his chief Diverfions. His Study " and his Parish his chief Employments.

"A Clergyman ought to have in himself a deep Senfe of the Truth and Power of Reli"gion. He must have a Life and Flame in his

T

Thoughts. He muft have felt himself, those

Things which he intends to explain and re"commend to others. He must observe nar

rowly the Motions of his own Mind; that "fo he may have a lively Heat in himfelf "when he speaks of them. He ought to

preach in fuch a lively and fenfible Manner, "as that it may be almoft felt he speaks from "the Heart".

This is the Character of a true Minister of Jefus Chrift, as drawn by the pious and learned Bishop of Sarum.

As we with, O Chriftians, to give you just Ideas, as well concerning the proper Manner