saving their immortal souls. Thus, instead of indulging in "a little more sleep, and a little more slumber," or of misapplying his time, and misemploying his leisure," in buying, and selling, and getting gain; "his heart is fixed" upon one single, but most im portant, object, the preparing of those committed to his charge, for the habitation of that place where "alone true joy's are to be found"-for the habitation of "that city whose builder and maker is God."

The office of a parochial minister is, we see, to persuade all over whom the Holy Ghost hath made him overseer, to secure to themselves that Redemption, purchased for us by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, and to promote that sanctification produced by the co-operation of the Divine Spirit, as an earnest and pledge of a blessed immortality.

Such being the nature of that duty upon which I am this day entering; it will, I trust, ever be the anxious desire, and fervent prayer of my heart, so to

fulfil the ministry which I have received," as to give peace to my own mind, by the consciousness that my Jabors tend to promote your present welfare, and to establish you in the hope of the resurrection of the just. If they fail of producing such effect, I shall disappoint the purpose for which the important charge is entrusted to me. May all, included in that charge, ex.perience the blessings of Christianity here, that you may be entitled to the rewards of it hereafter! The man who feels real delight in worshipping God, and calling upon His name, will, besides attending upon public worship himself, take care to assemble all under his roof," men, women, and children, in the place dediscated to the Lord, that they may hear, and that they " all

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"all may learn to fear the Lord their God, and ob. serve to do all the words of His Law."

Many men pass their whole lives in the neglect of a duty, the nature of which I shall not omit carefully to illustrate, and the obligation to which I shall not omit earnestly to enforce the receiving of the Lord's Supper. Regular as many are in their attendance on the service of the Church, they are as remiss in their attendance on the celebration of the Sacrament. It shall, therefore, in general, be my endeavor, previous to its being administered, to place the several parts of the subject before you in such a light, that the insufficiency of the excuses, with which such people satisfy their minds, may be obvious to themselves. An im posing prejudice pervades a very considerable number of the members of our Church, that if before they die, they receive the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, all will be well-an error, which, I pray God, I may be enabled to remove.

To the necessity of attending public worship, of re verencing the Lord's day, and of celebrating the Holy Sacrament, I must add another duty, which is now, I fear, very seldom observed; but the observance of which I shall, upon every proper occasion, attempt to introduce, and establish, among you the duty of family worship. It is, alas! the custom of very many families to retire, regularly, to their rest without first assembling together for a few minutes to thank God for their health and strength, and to beseech Him to protect them from the perils and dangers of the night. There is such a declared want of piety, such a total renunciation of Religion in this heathenish practice, I am astonished that any man who knows he is redeemed,

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and who hopes to be sanctified, can be so indolent as ever to adopt, or so thoughtless as to suffer himself to continue in it.

An excellent custom, formerly, prevailed among the Clergy, of knowing, personally, every one, who lived in their parishes, and of visiting, occasionally, and at stated periods, every family committed to their charge. By these means, an acquaintance was formed between the Pastor and the whole of his flock. He had an opportunity of becoming acquainted with their several wants. And when he observed that any of them neglected the Church, or absented themselves from the Sacrament, he communicated his observations, which were, usually, both affectionately received, and efficaciously heard. This pious custom it would, in these degenerate days, more especially in a wealthy, and extensive, parish, be difficult to revive. But it is, devoutly, to be wished, that a personal intercourse, uniformly, subsisted between minister and people ; not "that he might," as the Apostle expresses it, "lord it over their faith, but rather that he might be an helper of their joy."

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It is not very uncommon in our Churches, for some part of an auditory to feel displeased at the topics which the preacher selects for the subject of his discourses. An hearer, sometimes, supposes, that the sermon is addressed to him alone, and that the minister points him out, singly, to the congregation. I am unwilling to believe that any Clergyman, instead of, conscientiously, fulfilling his ministry, would so grossly debase his function. A certain consciousness may suggest to the hearer, that such a discourse is very applicable to his circumstances; but he is not war

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ranted in drawing the hasty conclusion, that his minister designs to render him an object of derision, or a theme of conversation, to the rest of the audience. No! Every Clergyman is bound by the most solemn obligations to warn the wicked from his way, in "order that the wicked man may not die in his ini "quity." If a minister observe his parishoners, some addicted to excessive drinking, some to profane swearing, some to secret wrong, and some to open dishonesty; is he not to declare to them, that a continuance in such vices, and a commission of such crimes, will lead, probably, to the destruction of the body, but most assuredly, to the condemnation of the soul?

In the discourses which I shall deliver to you, I shall not so much consider how I can please your imaginations by pathetic descriptions, and delight your ears by harmonious periods, as by what means I can best inform your understandings, and, most pawerfully, impress your hearts. I shall not amuse you with mere morality, collected from the writings of the heathen philosophers, but I shall preach to you with affectionate earnestness, and with evangelical zeal, the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. When I preach morality, I will preach the morality of the Gospel.

There is one circumstance which I cannot omit to mention, because I have, sometimes, known the most pernicious consequences to arise from it. The Clergy are accused, often maliciously, often ignorantly, of preaching doctrines directly contrary to those asserted in Holy Writ; we are said to preach Salvation by works, and to deny the influences of God's Spirit on

the

the mind. The assertion is false, and the imputation wicked. The dispensation of the Gospel is a covenant of mercy, and the mercy of God is offered to us through Christ on condition that we fulfil those duties which the Gospel prescribes. We guard men against the presumption of believing that they can, sensibly, feel the influences of the Holy Spirit, because there is no warrant in the Scriptures, when faithfully explained, and clearly understood, for such persuasion; but we rejoice in the reflection, that the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, dwells, although in a way we cannot perceive, in the heart prepared for his reception.

It may not be considered a deviation from my subject to signify, that I shall, on proper occasions, earnestly exhort you, because I shall feel it to be my indispensable duty, to cultivate and to cherish loyalty to our King, and attachment to our Country. I mean not to prostitute the pulpit to political disquisitions; but base would be the return that Clergyman would make to the Government which protects him, did he neglect, both by precept and example, to recommend acquiescence in its views, and obedience to its laws.

I shall venture to propose one alteration in the service of the Church, which will, I would persuade myself, meet with general concurrence. A sermon, it

should seem, has never been preached from Michaelmas to Easter on the Sunday evenings, in consequence of which the service on that part of the day, particuJarly at that season, was, altogether, neglected. Hoping that it may be better attended by the inhabitants of the town, especially by those whose necessary avocations confine them at home in the mornings, my purpose is, on every occasion where service is prescribed