nerally be accompanied in a greater or less degree with a sanctifying and saving power.

Now, if these things be so, then it follows that the best interests of the community, and especially the vital interests of the church of God,-her orthodoxy, purity, life, peace, and enlargement, may be said to be SUSPENDED ON THE CHARACTER OF HER MINISTRY. Where there are no ministers, it is obvious that there can be no church, no organized, visible christianity. And where there is an existing ministry, it is equally evident that the church must, from the nature of things, bear the same character with those who are the appointed medium for conveying to her the aliment on which she lives, and the principles by which she is guided. If men be either not instructed at all, or taught erroneously, the consequences may be equally fatal. If the blind lead the blind, we know what infinite wisdom has told us will ensue. None under the name of ministers can hope to be instrumental in promoting the true welfare of men, but those who have both the ability and the disposition to lead them in the right way. If they be, generally, enlightened, fervently pious, and really faithful, not only in preaching the pure Gospel, but also in the discharge of all their public and private duties; true religion both in principle and practice, will be extensively understood, valued, and prevalent. But if, on the contrary, they be as a body, ignorant, unfaithful, erroneous in doctrine, or corrupt in practise; if they be proud, ambitious, worldly-minded, contentious, and negligent of the best interests of men; real religion

will as certainly be despised and decline, as any necessary effect will result from the presence of its cause. Nay, only let ministers be indolent, and forgetful of the great end and duties of their office, and spiritual desolation and death will as assuredly reign around them, as darkness will ensue in the absence of the solar rays. In short, if human nature be such as the Bible represents it,-earthly, sensual, proud, selfish, and backward to all that is spritually good; if no other remedy than that which the Gospel furnishes, be either adapted or effectual to the healing of our moral disease; and if all scripture and all experience teach us that this remedy cannot be expected to display its healing power, any further than it is unremittingly exhibited and applied, by those who are appointed to execute this holy and benevolent office; then nothing can be plainer than that, if they be essentially deficient, either in orthodoxy, skill or fidelity, the moral pestilence which they are commissioned to cure, must rage with uncontrouled fury. It would require a constant course of miracles to prevent consequences the most disastrous from covering the face of society.

When we consider, moreover, that the publick preaching of the Gospel is almost the only means of instruction in morals and religion which a large portion of mankind enjoy; when we reflect that the minds of men, if not occupied with truth and holiness, will be unavoidably occupied with falsehood, with superstition, and with numberless forms of corruption; and when we remember, too, that the eyes of all, enemies as well as friends, are habitually

turned toward ministers of religion, either for the purpose of imitating their example, or of deriving from their delinquencies encouragement in infidelity and sin; when these things are considered, surely it is not easy to overrate the importance of the sacred office to all the best interests of the church, and of mankind. Surely, it is of unspeakable, nay of infinite moment, that the man who undertakes to instruct his fellow men in the things of God, and salvation; who is, as it were, their mouth in speaking to God, and the mouth of God in speaking to them; who dispenses the sacraments to them and their children; who administers instruction and consolation to the sick and the dying; who undertakes, in a word, to be the teacher, the counsellor and the guide of his fellow sinners, in seeking temporal and eternal happiness-surely it is of infinite importance that he who is charged with these high duties, should be wise, holy, faithful, diligent, self-denied, and exemplary. On his character and conduct, the interests of eternity as well as of time, are every hour suspended. A minister of religion cannot be a neutral or indifferent member of society. He will be a blessing or a curse wherever he is. And a blessing or a curse, in most cases, proportioned to the degree in which he is pious and faithful, or the reverse.

II. Let us next attend to some of the STATEMENTS OF SCRIPTURE ON THIS SUBJECT.

These correspond, most perfectly, with the foregoing representations:-importing, that when the spiritual guides of the people are wise and faithful, the church is always blessed; and that when they

are ignorant, selfish and corrupt, she never fails to suffer, and generally in direct proportion to the degree of their delinquency.

On the one hand, faithful ministers are PROMISED in scripture as a GREAT BLESSING, and their labours represented as a pledge of rich benefits, both temporal and spiritual. I will give you pastors, saith Jehovah, by the prophet, after mine own heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and with understanding. And again, by the same prophet, I will set shepherds over them, which shall feed them. And what is represented as the consequence to those who are thus fed? They shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LordAnd again, the great Head of the church, in describing that period when Zion shall eminently flourish, says, I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace, day nor night: -and concerning that period, he adds, Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world,Say ye to the daughter of Zion-Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, (that is-My delight is in her), and thy land Beulah, (that is-Married); for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.*

On the other hand, the unfaithfulness of ministers is, every where, represented in scripture, not only

Jeremiah iii. 15. xxiii. 4. Isaiah Ixii. 4, 6, 11.

as an aggravated sin; but also as a source of incalculable injury to the church, and to all the interests of social order. The following specimen of inspired language on this subject, is of the most decisive character. Thus saith the Lord, the Pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord; THEREFORE they shall not prosper, and all THEIR FLOCKS SHALL BE SCATTERED. Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; for both prophet and priest are profane: they walk in lies; THEY STRENGTHEN THE HANDS OF EVIL DOERS, so that none doth return from his wickedness. Thus saith the Lord, FROM THE PROPHETS is PROFANENESS GONE FORTH INTO ALL THE LAND. If they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they would have turned them from the evil of their doings. But they have caused my people to forget my name. Therefore, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord. PASTORS HAVE DESTROYED MY VINEYARD; they have trodden my portion under foot; they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds-Woe be to the shepherds of Israel, that do feed themselves. Should not the shepherds feed their flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool; ye kill them that are fat; but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that