court of heaven, and, perhaps, share in the much more exalted forms of angelic ministration. This seems implied in that text where the angel of the Lord protests to Joshua the high-priest, "saying, thus saith the Lord, if thou wilt keep my charge, and if thou wilt walk in my ways, then thou shalt keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.”* And who are they that stand by? You are told, "The angel of the Lord stood by." Among these, therefore, Joshua had places given him to walk, as the companion and fellow-servant of angels. Ministers also are engaged in that work, in which the apostles went before them. In this good cause, they travelled over sea and land, they laboured, they spent their lives, and at last gloriously departed. Yes; my fellow-labourers, they felt the generous toils, and braved the heroic dangers of your office, long before you. In this good cause, thousands of martyrs have shed their blood thousands of ministers, in various ages, and in various countries, have spent their strength, their life, their all. In short, all the good men, that ever have been, that now are, or ever shall be, upon earth, concur in the same good work with you, according to their respective characters. To make men wise, holy, and happy, is their united effort the object they have in view, in their prayers, in their instructions, in their conversation, and in all their endeavours. : All good beings, in the whole compass of the vast universe, befriend your design and none are against it but fallen spirits on the earth and in hell. And must not this be a good work in which such a glorious company concur? and Oh! who would not work in such company? with God, with Christ, with the Holy Spirit, with angels, with apostles, with martyrs, with all good men upon the face of the earth? Who would be so shocking a singularity, as not to join with this assembly in the work? Or who can question its goodness, since such an assembly join in it? The office of a bishop will farther appear a good work, if it be considered for what it is that ministers work. They do not indeed work for a reward upon the footing of personal merit; but they hope for it on the plan of the gospel, through Jesus Christ. In this view, like Moses, they have "a respect to the recompense of reward."+ God will not forget their honest though feeble, and frequently unsuccessful, labours in his own work. "They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars forever and ever.' " If a cup of cold water, given to the meanest disciple of Christ, shall not be unrewarded, what rich rewards must be prepared for those, who employ their time, their abilities, their life, their all, in the most important, benevolent and laborious services for his church which he has purchased with his own blood? Crowns of distinguished brightness, and thrones of superior dignity, are reserved for them and in proportion to their labours here, will be their glory and felicity in the world to come. In serving their divine Master and the souls of men, they are serving themselves; and in promoting the interests of others, they most effectually promote their own. Thus, their duty and interest-the interest of mankind and their own, are wisely and graciously united, and mutually promote each other. And thus it appears, their laborious and painful work is good-good in itself; good for the world; and good for themselves. To sum up the whole-whatever contempt the ministerial office has lain under; how much soever it has been disgraced, and rendered useless, and even injurious, by the unworthy conduct of such as have thrust themselves into it, from base and mercenary views; yet, it is in itself, and in its natural tendency, the most noble, benevolent, and useful office in the world. To be the minister of Jesus Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, is a greater honour, than to be prime minister to the most illustrious monarch upon earth. To save souls from death, is a more heroic exploit, than to rescue enslaved nations from oppression and ruin. To make a multitude of wretched, perishing souls rich with the unsearchable treasures of Christ, is a more generous charity, than to clothe the naked, or feed the hungry. To refine depraved spirits, and improve them into a fitness for the exalted employments and enjoyments of heaven, is a higher pitch of patriotism, than to civilize and polish barbarous nations, by introducing the arts and sciences, and a good form of government among them. To negotiate a peace between God and man, and prevent the terrible consequences of the unnatural, unequal war, that has so long been waged between them, is a more benevolent and important service than to negotiate a peace between contending nations-to stop the current of human blood, and heal the deadly wounds of war. Let those therefore, who are called to this bless * Dan. xii. S. ed work, join with St. Paul, though in a humbler order, and thank the Lord Jesus Christ, who hath enabled them, for "that He counted them faithful, putting them into the ministry."* Let them "magnify their office," not by assuming airs of superiority, or by making ostentatious claims to powers that they have nothing to do with, but by rejoicing more in it, than in crowns and thrones-by supporting it with dignity, that is, acting up to their high character; and by so exercising it, as to render it an extensive blessing to the world. This will be the best expedient to keep themselves and their office above contempt, and to gain the approbation of God and man. But when we reflect upon the dignity, the importance, the difficulty, and the grand consequences of this office, it may render us who sustain it, peculiarly sensible of our constant need of supplies of divine grace, to enable us to discharge it. Alas! we 'know nothing of ourselves, if we imagine we are equal to it. St. Paul, with all his apostolic furniture, humbly acknowledges, "We are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves but our sufficiency is of God: who alone hath made us able ministers of the New Testament."t "Who is Paul," says he, "or who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?" Observe, their success was just as the Lord gave to every man. "Neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth but God that gives the blessing :" He is all in all.‡ "If I laboured more abundantly than others," says he, "it was not I, but the grace of God which was with me." Thus, my brethren, it becomes us to be always dependent upon divine grace. It becomes us to be often on the knee at the throne of mercy, petitioning for help and success and if we are, in any measure, blessed with either, we should arrogate nothing to ourselves, but ascribe all the glory to him, who condescends to distribute gifts to men, and to crown these gifts with his divine blessing. Hence, also, my brethren of the laity, you may see how much ministers need the assistance of your prayers. Even the great St. Paul did not disdain to ask the prayers of common christians, but repeats his request over and over. And I, from much more urgent necessity, as the mouth of these my brethren, beg this charity of you for myself and them. Surely you cannot deny it, * 1 Tim. i. 12. 1 Cor. iii. 5-7. † 2 Cor. iii. 5, 6. 1 Cor. xv. 10. and especially as yourselves will reap the advantage in the issue: for whatever ministerial abilities God may bestow upon us, in answer Ao your prayers, they are to be employed for your service it is our being so poorly qualified to serve you, that extorts this request from us, and is the cause of many a weeping, melancholy hour to us. You must, also, hence see, that it is your concern to concur with ministers of the gospel in promoting the benevolent and important ends of their office. Endeavour so to attend upon their ministrations, as that you yourselves may be saved by them. And endeavour by your conversation and example, and all methods in your power, to make them useful to others. Oh! let us all, ministers and people, form a noble confederacy against the kingdom of darkness, and make a vigorous attack upon it, with our united forces. Let us all enlist volunteers—as good soldiers, under Jesus; and in our post, whether high or low, do all we can to promote his kingdom. Amen. AN HYMN BY THE AUTHOR OF THE SERMON FOREGOING, (Varied from Dr. Doddridge.) WITH grateful hearts come let us sing, Though long since gone from earth below, In humbler forms, to bless our eyes, From Christ their various gifts derive, P P LUKE II. 13, 14-And suddenly there was with the angel à multitude of the heavenly host,† praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest! and on earth, peace! good-will towards men. THIS is the day which the church of Rome, and some other churches that deserve to be placed in better company, have agreed to celebrate in memory of the birth of the Prince of peace, the Saviour of men, the incarnate God, Immanuel. And I doubt not, but many convert superstition into rational and scriptural devotion, and religiously employ themselves in a manner acceptable to God, though they want the sanction of divine authority for appropriating this day to a sacred use. But, alas! it is generally a season of sinning, sensuality, luxury, and various forms of extravagance; as though men were not celebrating the birth of the holy Jesus, but of Venus, or Bacchus, whose most sacred rites were mysteries of iniquity and debauchery. The birth of Jesus was solemnized by armies of angels: they had their music and their songs on this occasion. But how different from those generally used among mortals! "Glory to God in the highest on earth, peace! good-will to men!" This was their song. But is the music and dancing, the feasting and rioting, the idle songs and extravagant mirth of mortals at this season, a proper echo or response to this angelic song? I leave you to your own reflections upon this subject, after I have given the hint; and I am sure, if they be natural and pertinent, and have a proper influence upon you, they will restrain you from running into the fashionable excesses of riot on this occasion. To remember and religiously improve the incarnation of our divine Redeemer, to join the concert of angels, and dwell in extatic meditation upon their song this is lawful, this is a seasonable duty every day; and consequently upon this day. And as * New Kent, Dec. 25, 1758.-Nassau-Hall, Dec. 25, 1760. † searias reavis, the soldiery of heaven, |