cause, than his plain and faithful preaching. He testified of the world that their deeds were evil. He declared that what is highly esteemed among men, is an abomination in the sight of God. He unmasked sinners, and exposed their real characters to view. This they could not endure. Accordingly they accused, condemned and crucified him, for telling them the truth. And as Christ knew that human nature would be the same in every age, and operate in the same manner under the same circumstances, so he forewarned his faithful ministers to expect the same treatment from the world, that he had met with from it. "Ye shall be hated of all men, for my name's sake." "The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?" Has not this prophecy been constantly fulfilling? Does not the truth of it appear at this day? Will men now endure sound doctrine? Will they hear those ministers who tell them the truth, search their hearts, and clearly and faithfully lay open their true characters? Will vacant congregations, generally, receive and choose a preacher, who, agreeably to the spirit and example of Christ, inculcates disinterested love, total depravity, divine sovereignty, and the other distinguishing and cardinal doctrines of the gospel? Will even churches, who are the professed friends of Christ, embrace and defend the same truths which he preached and maintained at the risk of his life? And are not people very generally saying to the seers, see not, and to the prophets, prophesy smooth things; and joining hand in hand, to prevent the admission of such ministers among them as make Christ the pattern and standard of their preaching?

But how will people be able to answer this before the bar of Christ? Will they be able to plead ignorance? Hath not Christ given them his own character as a preacher, to direct them in the choice of ministers? Hath he not solemnly warned them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and to avoid all false teachers as wolves in sheep's clothing? Hath he not expressly told them that he shall consider their opposition to the truth, and to his faithful ministers, as opposition to himself?" He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me." Churches, congregations and individuals therefore, who are conscious to themselves that they have been guilty of rejecting and abusing Christ, by rejecting, oppos ing and abusing his faithful ministers, have reason to tremble in the prospect of standing before the judgment seat of Christ. Except they repent, they may read their own doom in the character and fate of Capernaum, Chorazin and Bethsaida; or rather in the character and tremendous destruction of the whole

Jewish nation, who stoned the prophets, crucified Christ, and rejected both his gospel and ministers.

Once more: Will not this subject teach all ministers why they preach no more like Christ? Is not this, in a great measure, owing to their living no more like Christ? A minister's life must have influence upon his preaching. To preach well, it is necessary to live well. To preach like Christ, it is necessary to live like Christ. Christ lived the minister. He carried the minister into all companies. He conversed freely, indeed, with publicans and sinners; but yet was a companion only of them who feared the Lord. He kept his heart and his lips with all diligence, and never said or did the least thing out of character. He was harmless and undefiled, and maintained. the awful authority of innocence. He was meek and lowly in spirit, and when he was reviled, he reviled not again. He sought not the riches, honors, or pleasures of the world, but by self denial lived above them all. He lost no time by sloth, or vain amusements, but indefatigably pursued his Father's business. He loved the ministry, and gave himself wholly to it, and relied upon Providence alone for all needful supplies. He allowed none of the vanities of time to employ his thoughts, but kept all his views and affections fixed steadily on the great objects of eternity. He spent days and nights in prayer. He lived habitually in devotion and communion with God. In short, he lived religion; he lived in heaven; and exemplified his doctrines and preaching, by his own heavenly and devout life.

Now if we who profess to be his followers and ministers, should live as he lived, should we not more likely preach as he preached? Would not such a life transfuse a spirit, an energy into our preaching, which would surprisingly arrest the hearts and consciences of our hearers? Would it not give us a fervor, a solemnity in all our private and public discourses, which nothing could gainsay or resist? Should we not speak as having authority, and not as the Scribes? Why then do we not live so? Are we not bound as men, as christians, and especially as ministers of Christ, to live such a life? And unless we do this, is there any prospect of our fulfilling our ministerial vows and engagements. We have engaged to preach like Christ, in matter and spirit. We have bound ourselves to adopt every article in his creed, and to preach, as far as we know, every sentiment which he preached, though at the hazard of our interest, reputation and lives. But shall we have love, resolution and self denial enough to carry us through such trials, unless we imbibe the spirit, and copy the life of Christ? O! let us then live better, that we may preach better, and die

better, and be better prepared to meet our people at the bar of Christ; where we must shortly stand upon a level with the lowest in the flock, and receive that final sentence from the mouth of the great Bishop of souls, which will either wring our hearts with despair, or fill them with a flood of joy.

I hope, my dear brother, you will let these thoughts sink deep into your heart, at this serious moment. Permit me to remind you that you are to make Christ the great pattern, end and object of your preaching. Endeavor, therefore, to live, and pray, and preach like Christ. He is this day sending you to preach to this people in his own room, and committing the eternal interests of their precious souls to your care and charge. For Christ's sake, be faithful to your trust. If any of this flock are scattered, or lost, or perish by a famine of the word, their blood will be required at your hands. Remember that Christ, your Lord and Master, will keep his eye upon you, and watch you every moment. He will be with you in the study, and observe you in your private preparations. He will attend you to the pulpit, and hear you preach. He will sit with you at his table, and observe your behavior at the head of his family; and he will accompany you among the people, and mark all your conversation and carriage against the day of judgment. Let Christ, then, be always in your eye and in your heart. Converse with him, consult him, and engage that gracious presence of his, which he hath promised to all his faithful ministers. Often ask yourself, how would Christ preach? how would Christ live? how would Christ converse? how would Christ behave under this trial, or that trial? how would he treat this church and congregation, were he in my place and situation? and always aim to follow the example of Christ, both in living and in preaching. Only do this, dear brother, and be assured you shall meet your whole flock at the last day with joy; and be "unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved and in them that perish."

The church and congregation in this place will permit me to ask them, in this serious connection, whether they are willing to receive a plain, searching, faithful minister of the gospel. Such a minister, we really hope you are this day to receive from the great Head of the church. And should he prove to be of this character, he will do great execution here, and fit every one of you for heaven or hell. It is a serious and important circumstance to have a minister of Christ live among you, whose presence will resemble the presence of Christ; who will exhibit religion before your eyes wherever you see him; who will teach you, by example, what it is to live for eternity; who will put vice and irreligion to the blush, and

strike an awe upon the mind of every secure and thoughtless sinner; and who will, from Sabbath to Sabbath, lay open the blackness, turpitude and malignity of the human heart; "and bring God near to you, and you near to God; and make you feel that there is but one alternative before you, either to believe and be saved, or to refuse and be damned. You will, moreover, please to lay it up in your minds, that your treatment of, such a minister will be considered as your treatment of Christ himself. If you love him, you will love Christ; if you are kind to him, you will be kind to Christ; if you hear him, you will hear Christ; and if you receive him, you will receive Christ. But if you despise him, you will despise Christ; if you abuse him, you will abuse Christ; if you reject him, you will reject Christ; and one day know, to your cost, that there has been a minister of Christ among you.

In a word, let me say to this whole assembly, Take heed how ye hear. Serious and eternal are the consequences of your living under the preaching of the faithful ministers of Christ. You may indeed be able to despise and reject the solemn messages which they bring to you from Sabbath to Sabbath, till the day of grace and space of repentance are no more. But you

will not be able to despise the voice of Christ, who, on earth, spoke as never man spake; and who, at the day of judgment, will speak as he never spoke before, and say to all impenitent gospel sinners, "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish!"

SERMON II.

MINISTERS THANKFUL FOR THEIR OFFICE.

INSTALLATION OF THE REVEREND DAVID AVERY, TO THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE IN THE CHURCH IN WRENTHAM, MAY 25, 1786.

AND I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. -1 TIMOTHY, i, 12.

MANY of those favored persons, whom Christ has employed as signal instruments of promoting his wise and gracious designs, have been raised up and qualified for his service, in a manner very unexpected both to themselves and to the world. The Lord Jesus raised up Joseph, Moses and David, and prepared them for the noble and important parts which they had to act upon the stage of life, by a series of surprising and mysterious causes and events. But the most remarkable instance of this nature that we find in all the sacred pages, is the great apostle Paul. Christ, by a miracle of grace, took him out of the kingdom and service of Satan, and employed him in promoting and defending that glorious cause, which, just before, he had been laboring with all his might to overthrow and destroy. And this wise and gracious conduct of Christ so deeply affected his heart, that he could never speak of it without the warmest gratitude, and the highest expressions of admiration and praise. "By the grace of God I am what I am." me who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." And "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry." This text, without any comment, plainly implies that those whom Christ furnishes for the ministry, are thankful for their office.

"Unto