tan will not be charmed out of his possessions; we must lay siege to the souls of sinners which are his chief garrison; must play the battery of God's ordnance against it, and play it close, till a breach is made; not suffering them to make it up again. As we have reasonable creatures to deal with, we must see to it that our sermons be all-convincing; and that we make the light of Scripture and reason shine so bright in the faces of the ungodly, that unless they wilfully shut their eyes, it may even force them to see. A sermon full of mere words, while it wants the light of evidence, and the zeal of life, is but an image, or a well-dressed carcass. In preaching, there is intended a communion of souls between us and our people, or a communication of somewhat from ours to theirs. We must endeavor to communicate the fullest light of evidence from our understandings to theirs, and to warm their hearts by enkindling in them holy affections from our own. The great things which we are to commend to our hearers have reason enough on their side, and lie plain before them in the word of God. We should, therefore, be so furnished with a proper store of evidence, as to come as with a torrent upon their understandings, and bear down all before us. With our dilemmas and expostulations, we should endeavor to bring them to a non-plus, that they may be forced to yield to the power of truth, to see that it is great and will prevail.

3. Of the pronunciation.

A great matter with most of our hearers, lies in the pronunciation and tone of the voice. The best matter will not move them, unless it be movingly delivered. When a man has a reading or declaiming tone, and speaks like a schoolboy saying a lesson or pronouncing an oration, few are much affected with anything that he says. The want of a familiar tone and expression, is as great a defect in the delivery of most of us, as anything whatever; in this respect, therefore, we should be careful to amend. Let us guard against all affectation, and speak as familiarly to our people as if we were speaking to any of them personally.

4. Of the composition of sermons.

In the study of our sermons we are apt to be negligent; gathering only a few naked heads, and not considering of the most forcible expressions to set them home to men's hearts. We must study how to convince and get within men, and how to bring each truth to the quick; not leaving all this to our extemporary promptitude, unless it be in cases of necessity.

Next to preaching, let me mention another very important part of our public work; that is,

II. To guide our people, and be their mouth to God in the prayers and praises of the church, as also to bless them in the name of the Lord.

This sacerdotal part of our office is not the least, nor ought it to be thrust into a corner, as it too frequently is. A very considerable part of God's public service, was wont in all ages of the church, till of late, to consist in praises and eucharistical acts of communion. The Lord's day was kept as a day of thanksgiving, in the hymns and common rejoicings of the faithful; in special commemoration of the work of redemption, and the happy condition of the gospel church. Though I am as apprehensive of the necessity of preaching as most persons, yet I think that it ought not to prevent our solemn prayers to, and praises of God, from employing more of the Lord's day than they generally do. Our worship should be as evangelical as our doctrine. [Now as it is our business to lead the devotions of our people on such solemn occasions, we ought to take great care, that we do it with that propriety and fervor which will promote their real edification.]

Another part of our pastoral work, which I may take notice of in this chapter, is,

III. The administration of the sacred mysteries, or the seals of God's covenant, baptism and the Lord's supper.

Many ministers totally neglect these ordinances, others administer them in a very careless manner, and a third sort lay a very undue stress on trifling circumstances relating to them, and make them a matter of much contention, even in that ordinance, in which union and communion are so much professed. [I shall only observe that we ought carefully to avoid all these faults.]

CHAPTER II.

OF PERSONAL INSPECTION AND PRIVATE INSTRUCTION. We are commanded in the text to "take heed to all the flock;" that is, doubtless, to every individual member of it. To which end it is necessarily supposed, that we should know

every person that belongs to our charge; for how can we take heed to them if we do not know them? We must labor to be acquainted, as fully as we can, not only with the persons, but with the state of all our people, their inclinations and conversations; what are the sins they are most in danger of, what duties they neglect, both with respect to the matter and the manner, and to what temptations they are peculiarly liable. If we know not the temperament or disease, we are likely to prove unsuccessful physicians.

Being thus acquainted with all the flock, we must take diligent heed to them, or do the work of a pastor towards every individual. And one would imagine, that all reasonable men would be so well satisfied in regard to this, that nothing need be said to recommend it. Does not a careful shepherd look after every individual sheep, and a good physician attend every particular patient? Why then should not the shepherds and the physicians of the church take heed to every individual member of their charge? Christ himself, the great and ' good shepherd,' who has the whole flock to look after, takes care of every individual; like him whom he describes in his parable, who left the ninety-nine sheep in the wilderness, to seek after one that was lost.' Paul taught the people publicly, and from house to house.' He warned every man, and taught every man, that he might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus,' Col. 1: 28. Every man is to seek the law at the priest's lips, Mal. 2: 7. We are to watch for souls as those that must give an account,' Heb. 13: 17, how we have done it.

To these and a variety of other Scriptures which might be quoted to our present purpose, I might add many passages from the ancient counsels, from whence it appears that such a personal inspection was the practice of the most ancient times. But I shall only mention one from Ignatius; "Let assemblies be often gathered; seek after (or inquire of) all by name; despise not servant-men or maids."1

Let me now mention a few particulars to which this part of our work should be applied.

1. We should use all the means we can to instruct the ignorant in the matters of their salvation.

We should use our most plain familiar words in discours

1 πυκνότερον συναγωγαί γινέσθωσαν· ἐξ ὀνόματος πάντας ζήτει. Δού λους καὶ δούλας μὴ ὑπερηφάνει.—Ignat. ad Polyc.

ing with them, and should give or lend them such books as are fit for them. We should persuade them to learn catechisms; and direct such as cannot read, to get help of their neighbors, whom we should exhort to give them their assistance; especially such as have the best opportunities for it. 2. We should be ready to give advice to such as come to us with cases of conscience; especially that great case which the Jews put to Peter, and the jailer to Paul and Silas, 'What must we do to be saved?'

A minister is not only to be employed in public preaching to his people, but should be a known counsellor for their souls, as the lawyer is for their estates, and the physician for their bodies. Not that a minister, any more than a physician or lawyer, should be troubled with every trifling matter about which others can advise them as well. But every man that is in doubts and difficulties about matters of importance, should bring his case to his minister for resolution. Thus Nicodemus came to Christ, as it was usual for the people to go to the priest, whose lips were to preserve knowledge, and at whose mouth, they were to ask the law, because he was the messenger of the Lord of hosts,' Mal. 2: 7. Since the people are grown too much unacquainted with the office of the ministry, and their own duty herein, it belongs to us to acquaint them with it, and to press them publicly, to come to us for advice in cases of great concernment to their souls. What abundance of good might we do, could we but bring them to this! But how few are there who heartily press their people to it! A sad case, that men's souls should be injured and hazarded by the total neglect of so great a duty, and that ministers should scarce ever tell them of it, and awaken them to it! Were they but duly sensible of the need and importance of it, you would have them more frequently knocking at your doors, to open their cases, to make their complaints, and to ask your advice. I beseech you, then, put them more upon this, and perform your duty carefully when they seek your help.

To this end it is very necessary, that we should be acquainted with practical cases, and especially with the nature of true grace, so that we may assist them in trying their states, and resolve the main question, which concerns their everlasting life or death. One word of seasonable, prudent advice, given by a minister to persons in necessity, has sometimes done that good which many sermons have failed of doing.

3. We should have an especial eye upon families, to see that they be well-ordered, and that the duties of each relation be well performed.

The life of religion, and the welfare and glory of church and state, depend much on family government and duty. If we suffer the neglect of this, we undo all. What are we likely to do towards the reforming of a congregation, if all the work be cast upon us alone, and masters of families neglect that necessary duty of theirs, by which they are obliged to help us? If any good be begun by the ministry in any soul, a careless, prayerless, worldly family is likely to stifle, or very much hinder it. Whereas, if you could but get the rulers of families to do their part, to take up the work where you left it; what abundance of good might be done by it! Do all that you can, therefore, to promote this business, if ever you desire the true reformation and welfare of your parishes.

To this end, get information how every family is conducted, and how God is worshipped in it, that you may know how to proceed. Go now and then among them, when they are most at leisure, and ask the master of the family whether he prays with them and reads the Scripture. Labor to convince such as neglect this, of their sin. If you have an opportunity, pray with them before you go, to give them an example what you would have them do, and how they should do it. Then get them to promise that they will be more conscientious therein for the future. If you find any unable to pray in tolerable expressions, through ignorance or disuse, persuade them to study their wants, and get their hearts affected with them. Advise them frequently to visit those neighbors who use to pray, that they may learn; and in the meantime, recommend it to them to use a form of prayer, rather than omit the duty. It is necessary to most illiterate people, who have not been brought up where prayer has been used, to begin with a form; because otherwise they will be able to do nothing. From a sense of their inability, they will wholly neglect the duty, though they desire to perform it. Many persons can utter some honest requests in secret, who will not be able to speak tolerable sense, before others; and I will not be one of them that had rather the duty were wholly neglected, or profaned and made contemptible, than encourage them to use a form, either recited by memory, or read. Tell them, however, that it is their sin and shame to