a special difficulty for a minister to know his grace. Gifts and grace have deceived many with their likeness; although the difference be great, both in itself, and to an enlightened eye.

2dly, Take heed to thyself, that thou be a called and sent minister. This is of great importance as to success.

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that can say, "Lord, thou hast sent me;" may boldly add, "Lord, go with me, and bless me." It is good when a man is serious in this inquiry. It is to be feared that many run, and never asked this question; so is it seen in their speed and success. Jer. xxiii. 32. I sent them not, therefore they shall not profit this people at all, is a standing rule to this day.

These things, if found, may serve to satisfy a minister's conscience, that Jesus Christ hath sent him.

(1.) If the heart be filled with a single desire after the great end of the ministry, the glory of God in the salvation of men. Every work that God calls a man to, he makes the end of it amiable. This desire sometimes attends mens first conversion. Paul was called to be a saint and an apostle at once, Acts ix.; and so have many been called to be saints and ministers together. If it be not so, yet this is found with him that Christ calls, that when he is most spiritual and serious, when his heart is most under the impressions of holiness, and he is nearest to God in communion with him; then are such desires after the serving of Jesus Christ in the ministry most powerful. And the sincerity of his desire is also to be examined: and when it is found, it adds greatly to a man's peace when his heart bears him witness, that it is neither riches, nor honour, nor ease, nor the applause of men, that he seeks after, but singly Christ's honour in the saving of

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(2.) It helps to clear a man's call, that there hath been a conscientious diligence in all the means of attaining fitness for this great work. That love to the end that doth not direct and determine unto the use of the appointed means, may justly be suspected as irregular, and not flowing from the Holy Ghost. Even extraordinary officers seem not to have been above the use of ordinary means, 2 Tim. iv. 13. old dying Paul sends for his books and papers.

(3) A competent fitness for the work of the ministry, is another proof of a man's call to it. The Lord calls no man to a work for which he doth not qualify. Though a sincere humble man (as all ministers should be) may and should think little of any measure he hath, whether compared with the greater measures of others, or considered with regard unto the weight and worth or the work; yet there must be some confidence as to his competency, for clearing a man's call, 2 Cor. iii. 5, 6. What this competency is, is not easy at all times to determine. Singular necessities of the church may extend or intend this matter of competent fitness. But in general there must be, 1. A competent knowledge of gospel-mysteries. 2. A competent ability of utterance to the edifying of others. This is aptness to teach, required of the apostle in 1 Tim. iii. 2.; and Titus i. 9. that a minister be able, by sound doctrine, to exhort and to convince gainsayers.

(4.) The sayour of a man's ministry on the hearts and consciences of others, both ministers and people, helps much to clear a man's call. So that indeed ordinarily a man can never be so well confirmed in the faith of his being called of God, until he make some essay in this work. Deacons must first be proved, Į Tim. iii. 10.; much more ministers, A single testimony given by ministers and Christians, that the word dispensed by the man is savoury, and hath effect on the conscience, is a great confirmation; especially if sound conversion of some follow his labours. That is indeed a seal of his ministry, 2 Cor. iii, 3, and 1 Cor. ix. 2.

3dly, Take heed unto thyself, that thou be a lively thriving Christian. See that all thy religion run not in the channel of thy employment. It is found by experience, that as it fares with a minister in the frame of his heart, and thriving of the work of God in his soul, so doth it fare with his ministry both in its vigour and effects. A carnal frame, a dead heart, and a loose walk, makes cold and unprofitable preaching. And how common is it for ministers to neglect their own vineyard? When we read the word, we read it as ministers, to know what we should teach, rather than what we should learn as Christians. Unless there be great heed taken, it will be found, that our ministry, and labour therein, may eat out

the life of our Christianity. Not that there is any discordbetwixt them; but rather a friendly harmony, when each hath its place and respect. The honest believer meditates, that he may excite his grace; and ministers too often meditate only to increase their gifts. When we preach, the sincere hearer drinks in the word; and it may be we seldom mix faith with it, to grow thereby. O how hard is it to be a minister and a Christian in some of these acts! We are still ⚫ conversant about the things of God; it is our study all the week long. This is our great advantage. But take heed to thyself, lest ordinary meddling with divine things bring on an ordinary and indifferent impression of them; and then their fruit to thee, and thy benefit by them, is almost gone, and hardly recovered.

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4thly, Take heed unto thyself in reference to all the trials and temptations thou mayest meet with. Be on your guard, qwatch in all things, 2 Tim. iv. 5. No men are shot at more by Satan than ministers, and he triumphs not more over the foils of any than theirs. And Christ is liberal in his warnings of dangers, and in his promises of help in them.

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2. The second word in the text to this purpose of directing ministers how to be useful to others, is Take heed unto thy doctrine. Art thou a minister? Thou must be a preacher. unpreaching minister is a sort of contradiction. Yea, every sort of preaching is not enough; thou must take heed unto thy doctrine what it is..

Here is a warrant for studying what we are to teach and what we have taught people. But the great matter is to take heed, or study aright. Students commonly need little direction about ordinary study. But concerning the doctrine, I shall entreat to take heed unto it in these things :—

1st, Take heed unto thy doctrine, that it be a divine truth: Let a man speak as the oracles of God, I Pet. iv. 11. And therefore it is needful that ministers be well acquainted with the holy scriptures. A bad token of the temper of that man' that relishes any book more than the word of God. The world is full of books written on pretence and design to explain the scriptures; and mens studies are full of them. There is also a blessing in them, and good use to be made of

them; but also a bad use is made of them. Many ministers have found, that they have preached better, and to more profit to the people, when they got their sermon by meditation on the word, and prayer, than by turning over many authors. From this neglect of the word also come a great many doctrines, that are learned by man, and borrowed from philosophy; which though they may have some truth in them, yet since it is divine truth that a minister should bring forth to the people, he should not rest on such low things.

2dly, Take heed unto thy doctrine, that it be plain, and suited to the capacity of the hearers. Learned preaching (as it is called) is a vanity, pleasing principally to such as neither design nor desire edification. True godly learning consists in preaching plainly; and therein is no small difficulty. Two things would help to plain preaching. 1. Clearness of knowledge. The alledged depth of our doctrine often proceeds from our own darkness. 2. Humility and self-denial. We must not seek ourselves, nor the applause of men; but God's glory, and mens salvation. It is found, that the holiest ministers preach most plainly, and the plainest preachers are most successful.

3dly, Take heed unto thy doctrine, that it be grave, and solid, and weighty; sound speech that cannot be condemned, Tit. ii. 8. Deep and weighty impressions of the things of God upon a man's own heart, would greatly advance this. A minister's spirit is known in the gravity or lightness of his doctrine.

II. But now we come to the second thing proposed, to give some answer to this question from other things in the word.

And I shall, 1. Shew some things that must be laid to heart about the end, the saving of souls; and then, 2. Shall give some advice about the means.

1. About the end, the winning of souls. This is to bring. them to God. It is not to win them to us, or to engage. them into a party, or to the espousal of some opinions and practices, supposing them to be never so right, and consonant to the word of God. But the winning of them is, to

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bring them out of nature into a state of grace, that they be fitted for, and in due time admitted into everlasting

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glory.

Concerning which great end, these few things should be laid deeply to heart by all that would serve the Lord in being instrumental in reaching it.

1st, The exceeding height and excellency of this end is to be laid to heart. It is a wonder of condescendence, that the Lord will make use of men in promoting it. To be workers together with God in so great a business, is no small honour. The great value of mens souls, the greatness of the misery they are delivered from, and of the happiness they are advanced to, with the manifold glory of God shining in all, makes the work of saving men great and excellent. Preaching the gospel, and suffering for it, are services that angels are not employed in. Mean and low thoughts of the great end of the ministry, as they are dissonant from truth, are also great hindrances of due endeavours after the attaining the end.

2dly, The great difficulty of saving souls must be laid to heart. The difficulty is undoubted. To attempt it, is to offer violence to mens corrupt natures; and a storming of hell itself, whose captives all sinners are. Unless this difficulty be laid to heart, ministers will be confident of their own strength, and so miscarry, and be unfruitful. Whoever prospers in winning souls, is first convinced that it is the arm of Jehovah only can do the work.

3dly, The duty of winning souls must be laid to heart by ministers. That it is their principle work, and they are under many commands to endeavour it. It is a fault to look on fruit only as a reward of endeavours; so it is indeed, and a gracious one: but it should be so minded, as the end we would strive for, Col. i. 28, 29.; which, when attained, is still to his praise: yet most commonly when it is missing, it is to our reproach and danger, when it is (as, alas! it is of ten) through our default.

4thly, The great advantage there is to the labourer by his success, is to be pondered. Great is the gain by one soul, He that winneth souls, is happy as well as wise, Prov. xi. 30,