But first, the time of a minister is sacred. You should endeavour to be punctual to the time, whenever and wherever you are called in the providence of God to engage in any of the solemnities of divine worship. Remember, also, that the time of your hearers is sacred, and ministers should be punctual regarding the commencement and close of public worship. Have your stated times for visiting your friends, and when you wish to be visited; and on no account omit time for study; if you do, I will venture to predict that your sermons will be barren, your petitions insipid, and your conversation unsavoury.

Secondly. Your temper, let it be yielding, unassuming, and contented. Yielding, in many cases, to the weaknesses of your flock, but not to the wickedness of any. Solomon says, "yielding pacifieth great offences.”Ministers sometimes involve themselves in difficulties through self-will; prejudices have been excited against and for certain persons, and they have wished to reject or receive them often contrary to the better judgment of their deacons and friends; in such cases you will find it best to yield. Unassuming. The lowest seat is the safest place. Indulge not the thought for a moment that you are a better man, a more useful minister, or have greater knowledge than your brethren. Do not force yourself into public notice, either into pulpit or company, as some do, to show off, and make themselves appear disgusting in the eyes of the wise and good. Contented. Be careful to avoid complaining: your income may be scanty, but you have much more than you merit. Hitherto you have been helped; let past mercies and present promises silence every disposition to murmur. Do not complain in public of your people, but tell all your troubles to him who has so often heard and delivered you from them; and remember that most excellent remark, that our happiness consists in trying to make others happy. Study to promote the comfort of your flock, and that will call forth similar feelings.

Thirdly. Your talents. They are given you for public good. Like all the wheels of a watch, however contrary they appear to go to each other, whether they are small or large, they are all mutually employed to tell the time, but one wheel does not interfere with the other's work. If you are honoured with a talent that is made a blessing in the conversion of a sinner to God, as a Boanerges, or a son of thunder, take heed unto it, and despise not a brother who may labour in the same husbandry, but not appointed to pull any out of the horrible pit or the miry clay, but who is appointed to feed them better than you can do. Is your talent that of a scribe well instructed in the four great mysteries revealed in the bible-1st. the mysteries of the grand and glorious scheme of redemption, contrived in council, confirmed by covenant; a secret that long lay hid in the breast of God, was brought down from heaven, and revealed to man not by an angel, but by Gabriel's Creator; and the church put into the possession by the third person in the Godhead. 2. The deep and distressing mystery of Adam's fall, and all the soul-destroying effects that have followed,

with the gulf of guilt contained in every human heart, and with the infernal fiend-like enmity of Satan; this two-fold mystery of iniquity is always working, and only divine power can check and controul it : these mysteries work among all classes of the community, in a way of envy and hatred, in breaking down the holy boundaries of sacred society, separating christian friends, and causing many of Zion's travellers to fall out by the way. 3. The sacred mystery of the Holy Spirit's work, in all his enlightening, quickening, and comforting influences; how he removes the scales from the eyes; how he puts life into dead sinners; makes the prayerless to cry to God for forgiveness; impresses the word of a weak worm upon the heart, so that time nor eternity can obliterate it; makes Jesus beloved by those who once hated him; explains the dark and hard truths of the bible; sweetly brings bond slaves into liberty; and those who once felt no pleasure on the sabbath in hearing sermons, or singing the praises of God, the sabbath is now become delightful, and the greatest pleasure they enjoy in the wilderness. This is the Holy Spirit's work. Do take heed to it my brother. 4. The mysteries of providence. Your own eventful history may largely furnish you with materials on this subject. Your trials, the changing scenes you have passed through, the fickleness of friends you have met with, the commotions and the calms of churches that you have been connected with (and directly or remotely you may have occasioned both.) The life of a little bird has sometimes consoled the mind of a minister, when anxious care has burdened his heart, and marked his brow; he has looked at the sparrow, and knew in his better judgment that it could feed, nor fly, nor fall to the ground without the grant of God and thus he has argued, shall I want, or murmur; no, I dare not; supplies have and will be sent.

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As a subject, be loyal, and recommend it to all who hear you as one of heaven's solemn commands. As a neighbour, be kind, friendly, accessible, and ready to give advice. As a parishioner, take no part in public parish affairs. Some ministers have hurt their characters and their usefulness, and emptied their chapels, and been obliged to leave their flocks, who were once prosperous and affectionate, through attending vestries and parochial meetings. Study these things.

As a pastor, be at your post. Feed your flock; visit the sick; frequently call upon the poor; notice and encourage the young, they have been called the life of the church; they want advice, reproof, and direction. Read much, particularly the bible; go through the sacred scriptures regularly, and you will meet with many sweet subjects that are seldom brought forward in public discussion, but are equally profitable and important; and mark down those passages that may strike you, as fit portions for you to take up. Avoid as much as possible always preaching one particular sentiment; you have almost an infinite variety of truths to bring forward. Some good men are continually inveighing against the professors of the day, and the dark times in which we live, but this is not preaching the gospel, it is not stating

the truths of God, holding forth the word of life, pointing to Jesus as the only and all-sufficient Saviour, and the only Redeemer from the curse of a broken law. Encourage prayer and fellowship meetings both by example and precept; and carry nothing into the pulpit to make a shot or weapon to wound either friend or enemy; nothing lets down a minister so low as throwing out indirect charges where the parties cannot reply; such conduct is most contemptible. Do not force yourself upon your friends, and thereby make your company disagreeable rather than pleasant. Be much in secret prayer, and many hints you will have sent from heaven that will often help you in your public labours.

As a husband, you do not need me to define your duty. As a member of the church little need be said; but in all church business, you know, you have but one voice, and the poorest member is on a level with you. Never try to carry a question contrary to the voice of the church; when these things are done pain and division generally follow. May the Lord grant you much of his Spirit, and give you grace to take heed to thyself, and,

The

Secondly, to thy doctrine. The doctrine is for you to preach; it is all clearly revealed; you have given a long account of the doctrines that you believe, and that they are your's by a holy and savoury experience, and will influence your whole deportment, I have no doubt. They are your's as the free gift of God. And, take heed, my brother, that you uniformly preach them without any adulteration. doctrine of the holy and ever-blessed Trinity take heed and preach in its whole and in all its parts, let it run through all your sermons. The everlasting love of God the Father in election, adoption, and justification; the wonderful person and grace of God the Son, in covenant engagements, in becoming incarnate, in his Suretyship substitution, his holy life, his agony of suffering, and death, take heed to point out with all the blessings that flow from this ocean of matchless mercy; a perfect salvation; a complete redemption; and to remind the saint that all his sins are covered over; that the judgment bond is cancelled; that the debt book is crossed, and that full satisfaction is given; that the bondman could not be kept under arrest any longer; that the prison doors are now unbolted and burst open, and that our Jesus has risen a glorious conqueror for the justification of his people, who are now honourably acquitted of every charge. This, I have no doubt, you will take heed to preach, with his triumphant ascension, and the effects that followed, such as giving gifts to men, receiving his church to himself, and sending down the Holy Ghost to regenerate all that the Father gave the Son. This divine person, one in the Godhead with the Father and the Son, must be preached in his work and offices, which are many, most sweetly and abundantly set forth in the holy scriptures, as the wind to blow away the mists of the mind; as the oil to soften and perfume the heart; as the seed to separate and mark for God; as the instructor for those who are ignorant; and as the earnest of the glory and riches prepared in heaven by the God of

all grace. He is the grand glorifier of Jesus; the commencer and completer of the work of grace within, begun in time and carried on in eternity. Many more promises there are in the sacred treasure of the scriptures than you can unfold of God designed for his tried and tempted family. But take heed to feed the heirs of heaven with the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the doctrines according to godliness. I wish you much success in your work, and every blessing.

Hampstead.

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

JAMES.

ON THE RECEPTION OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, IN A LETTER TO A FRIEND.

My dear Friend,

HAVING an opportunity of giving you a few brief remarks on the important work of the ministry, I thought I would embrace it, knowing that where you are situated you have not the gospel preached faithfully to you, in its glory, beauty, and worth.

You may hear that our dearest Lord died for sinners, and blessed be his name he did, and he shall have all the praise, for he only is worthy; and many will tell us that he died for the sins of the whole world, and that any may have that salvation if they please, leaving it to the option of the fallen creature; by which assertion they deny that great portion of truth, that the church of God is purchased with his own blood, Acts xx. 28. and the eternal purpose, good will, and pleasure of Jehovah, in saving his redeemed, to the honour of all his perfections, keeping up the dignity and pride of human nature, which is totally fallen.

I have desired for some time past to set forth the state of H- -d, and more particularly to enquire how most of the professors would act with a sterling minister of Christ's ever glorious gospel. By a gospel minister I do not mean one taught after the wisdom of men, as many are in our day, but one sent into the ministry and qualified for the office by the divine tuition of God the Holy Ghost, which will be made manifest by the doctrines he preaches, and his estimate of Christ the chief corner stone. He will try in the strength of the Lord to root up free will and human power, and to detect and expose the errors of the present day, which are very numerous; and to contend for the great truths of God's most holy word, such as the awful fall of the church and the whole human race in Adam; and the wretchedness of human nature altogether, being defiled and loathsome in every part; the purity and justice of the holy law, with its requirement; that is, the obedience God required of Adam, he being created pure and holy from the hands of his Maker: for the law that was proclaimed by the Almighty on Mount Sinai entered that sin might abound, and not to give life, for " by the deeds of the law no flesh

living can be justified," in his most holy sight. He will not shun to declare that the whole race of sinful Adam are lost entirely by nature, all being children of wrath by original sin, as David said, "Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me," Ps. li. 5. and by actual transgression from the cradle, for "the imagination of the heart of inan is only evil from his youth," Gen. viii. 21. for "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." What an awful state to be in! but all Adam's race are so by nature, which totally excludes boasting on the part of the creature, and the sinner in his nature state does not know his ruin and misery. Some have said, "how doth God know, and is there knowledge in the Most High; and who is the Lord that we should fear him ;" when he could crush them to atoms in a moment were it his sacred pleasure.

In the next place, he will shew the impossibility of feeling the need of Jesus' precious blood without being a subjective possessor of the inward work of regeneration by the Holy Ghost; that none but that divine Person can make the sinner flee to Christ for salvation, to escape the wrath to come; that Jesus hath taken away the sins of the elect world so judicially, completely, and eternally, that if the sins of Judah are sought for they can never be found, the church being viewed spotless and faultless in her heavenly Lord; and that there is no other name given under heaven whereby any can be saved but through him who was made a curse for us, who stood in our place, bore the weight of his Father's wrath due to our sins, was numbered with the transgressors, poured out his soul unto death, bare the sins of many, and who in the last agony of soul with expiring breath exclaimed, "It is finished, bowed his sacred head, and gave up the ghost.' Then may not the believer exult with holy joy, and say, "Israel shall be saved in the Lord, Jehovah Jesus, with an everlasting salvation, and never be confounded, for ever and ever. Amen.

Again. He will endeavour, as far as the Holy Ghost is pleased to teach him, to unfold the glories of the everlasting covenant to the believer, and to shew him that every blessing he enjoys now, and will enjoy in the brighter and better world, flows alone from free and sovereign grace; the unchanging and immutable love of Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to the church, from everlasting to everlasting; as is recorded by the prophet Malachi iii. 6. “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."

When a man speaks and feels these blessed truths in the love of them, it will be connected with the desire that others may experience the same; the glory of God will be his first aim, and the good of immortal souls the second. He will tell them what he has felt of the Lord's goodness, which will comfort Zion's pilgrims; of the temptations he has passed through; his conflicts with a body of sin and death; but above all Jesus will be his theme.

I have said but little upon the different subjects which are so blessed to the renewed soul; but, yet, if a man declares these truths, and is not afraid of the carnal wisdom of the creature, the devil will