season of remarkable prosperity be granted, it wil probably prove an hour of fearful temptation to our own souls. Cotton Mather appears to have been severely exercised on this subject, on his first entrance into the Ministry. We must refer to his life for a most close and detailed self-scrutiny, the substance of which is as follows: Apprehensions of pride, the sin of young Ministers, working in my heart, filled me with inexpressible bitterness and confusion before the Lord. I found, that when I met with enlargement in prayer or preaching, or answered a question readily and suitably, I was apt to applaud myself, in my own mind. I affected pre-eminence above what belonged to my age or worth. I therefore endeavoured to take a view of my pride, as the very image of the Devil, contrary to the grace and image of Christ-as an offending of God, and grieving of his Spirit-as the most unreasonable folly and madness for one who had nothing singularly excellent, and who has a nature so corrupt-as infinitely dangerous, and ready to provoke God to deprive me of my capacities and opportunities. I therefore resolved to carry my distempered heart to Jesus Christ, that allsufficient Physician, that he might cure it-to watch against my pride-to study much the nature and aggravations of it, and the excellency of the contrary grace.' 6 There is weighty truth in Cotton Mather's remark, that spiritual pride is 'the sin of young Ministers.' They do not generally learn so soon as Melancthon, the strength of old Adam.' The freshness and excitement awaken and maintain their energies in considerable power. Much interest is called forth, and an atmosphere of popularity surrounds them. All this tends to blind their perception of "the mystery of iniquity" 4 within, and to excite self-confidence, until they are almost ready to conceive that their services are of high importance and necessity in the dispensations of God. 'It is a very uncommon thing for men not to receive at least one part of the glory that is offered them. This is the touchstone, by which the fidelity of the Minister of Christ is tried. We value ourselves upon rejecting gross commendations, and extravagant flattery, because we would not make ourselves ridiculous. But when the praise is fine and delicate, and the incense prepared with art, how seldom is it that we do not suffer ourselves to be intoxicated thereby."* "Good report" is a far closer test of the internal principle than "evil report." There is equal truth and knowledge of character in that sacred aphorism-" As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold, so is a man to his praise."† How few of us perhaps could say with Henry Martyn-' Men frequently admire me, and I am pleased, but I abhor the pleasure that I feel.' The same Christian tenderness and self-suspicion appeared upon the report of his Ministerial success. I was encouraged and refreshed beyond description, and could only cheerfully and gratefully offer up myself to God's service; but it was * Quesnel on Acts xiv. 13, 24. 'Si minister verbi laudatur, versatur in periculo.' Augustine.--"They are not our best friends that stir the pride of our hearts by the flattery of their lips. The graces of God in others, I confess, are thankfully to be owned, and under discouragements and temptations to be wisely and modestly spoken of; but the strongest Christians do scarcely show their own weakness in any one thing more than they do in hearing their own praises. Christian, thou knowest thou carriest gunpowder about thee. Desire those that carry fire, to keep at a distance from thee. It is a dangerous crisis, when a proud heart meets with flattering lips. Faiththful, seasonable, and discreet reproofs are much more safe to us, and advantageous to the morfifications of sin in our souls." Flavel. Prov. xxvii. 21. at the same time a check to my mind to reflect, that though God might in his sovereignty bless his word by my mouth, I was not on that account less sinful in my Ministrations."* We want to Selfishness is indeed the peculiar character of this sin. It is often, as if we could take no comparative interest in the conversion of sinners through other instrumentality than our own, or as if our regard to the glory of God was measured by the opportunities afforded for the display of our own glory. We wish for eminence rather than for usefulness. stand alone. We cannot bear any thing that shines too near us, and with a probable tendency to eclipse our own brightness. How different was the spirit of the Jewish Lawgiver, who was willing that all the people should share in his extraordinary gifts!† How different was the temper of the Great Apostle, who could rejoice in the extension of the Gospel from unchristian motives, and by the mouth even of those, who were ranging themselves in unprovoked opposition to his disinterested labours. The hindrance of this sin to the progress of the Christian Ministry may be argued a priori from the Scriptural character of God as a jealous God, who "giveth not his glory to another,"§ and who therefore will blast all professed assumptions to the honour of Divine agency as encroachments upon his sovereign prerogative. It may also be practically evinced by the testimony of conscience, observation, and experience. Is not "the axe" powerless when it dares to "boast itself against him that heweth therewith?"|| Have not we uniformly found that those Ministrations which have brought us most elevation and honour with men, have been scantily favoured with the tokens of the presence and power of God? It is never likely to be so well with us, as when we are content to appear like Paul at Corinth, "fools for Christ's sake, weak and despised," and when we are ready, "most gladly to glory in our infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon us." It is of little comparative moment that our Ministry should bear the stamp of talent, erudition, or pathos. But if it should be characterized by the savour of humility, and love, it will be best adapted to display the glories of Emmanuel, and most honoured with the manifestations of his Spirit in our people. CHAPTER VIII. ABSENCE OR DEFECT OF PERSONAL RELIGION. It was surely not without reason or meaning that the Apostle, addressing, first the elders, and afterwards the Bishop of the Church of Ephesus, upon the subject of their important charge, places a personal caution first in order "Take heed to yourselves-to thyself." For how awful is it to appear as a Minister, without being really a Christian! to have a competency, and even (by continual exercise) an increase of Ministerial gifts, while our real character is only, that we "have a name that we live, but we are dead!" How difficult, how dreadful, to preach an unknown Saviour! The importance of personal religion is strongly expressed in our Lord's prayer for his Apostles, that they 1. Cor. iv. 10. might be renewed, purified, and consecrated for their most arduous office.* It is this that gives power and unction to the commission which we profess to deliver from the mouth of God. The Roman orator has told us, that no man can be truly eloquent on a subject with which he is unacquianted.† The exhibition of unknown and unfelt truth can hardly be expected to be productive of permanent effect. Baxter remarks with his characteristic solemnity- Verily it is the common danger and calamity of the Church to have unregenerate and unexperienced Pastors, and to have so many men become preachers, before they are Christians, to be sanctified by dedication to the altar as God's Priests, before they are sanctified by hearty dedication to Christ as his disciples, and so to worship an unknown God, and to preach an unknown Christ, an unknown Spirit, an unknown state of holiness and communion with God, and a glory that is unknown, and likely to be unknown for ever. He is like to be but a heartless preacher, that hath not the Christ and grace that he preacheth in his heart.' Though indeed the blessing is in the institution, not * John xvii. 17. † Cic. de Orat. lib. 1. Reformed Pastor. 'No theological erudition, as such, can answer the question-"What must I do to be saved?" He who furnishes the reply, must have something better, the possession of the same religion, which he can then only satisfactorily explain to others. Otherwise he will be either struck dumb by the inquiry, or be a blind leader of the blind, confident in his own wisdom, and in that wisdom liable to perish everlastingly.' Antichrist, by Rev. J. Riland, p. 118. 'Neque enim aliorum salutem sedulo unquam curabit, qui suam negligit.' Calv. on Acts xx. 28. 'It is meet,' said an excellent practical Divine, 'that they who are to convert others, should be effectually converted themselves. John must first eat the book, and then prophesy. Rev. x. 9. The Ministers of the Gospel must first themselves eat the book of God, which is indeed done when they are not only in their minds enlightened, but their hearts are mollified and brought into subjection to the word of Christ. Unless Christ be thus learned spirit |