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ther with the administration of both the sacraments, will all have a great tendency, under a divine blessing, to make good impressions on your own heart, and to advance you in a holy and devout temper. While you are thus daily Watering others, you will be watered yourself; as I doubt not but you will remember, that while you Teach others, you teach yourself also. While the daily cares of others in their secular callings, have an apparent tendency to divert their minds from God, yours will tend directly to him, and give you advantages, beyond what can easily be imagined, for being Continually with him : Such advantages indeed, that, were the nature, and the value of them sufficiently known, men would be ready to contend for the ministry, as for a sacred prize. They would esteem it among the greatest privileges of a plentiful estate, that it might give them opportunities of being educated for it, and of being independent in it; while that independency was considered as some additional security for their fidelity. And the zeal, with which persons of the highest rank among us would then press forward to this work, would bring us into a necessity of directing into some other channel that provision, which the wise charity of some public benefactors, the living and the dead, has made for the support of poor students for the ministry: A charity, which in the low ebb to which religion is fallen amongst us, may almost, under God, be called the hope of our churches, even for the very next generation. Especially would the richest and greatest esteem it their honour and their happiness, did they consider what I am in the last place to mention to you, my dear brother, viz.

6. The glorious expectation and hope, which closes the whole prospect.

What if every other hope, but that of religious improvement, were in a moment to vanish? What if nothing should remain, between this and the grave, but the view of labours, of reproaches, of tribulations, of persecutions? What if you were to conflict, through the whole of your course, with the malice of enemies, the coldness and ingratitude of friends, the incorrigi ble obstinacy of sinners, the perverseness and imperfections of those, whom, if any are such, we must hope to be christians? Here is enough to balance all. Death is approaching: Death, that stripped Aaron of his garments and of his burdens together, and ended all his painful pilgrimage. Be faithful unto death, says our divine Master, and I will give thee a crown of life §.

*Prov. xi. 25.

+ Rom. ii. 21.

Psal. lxviii. 23. § Rev. ii. 10.

Oh think every day, of the extasy with which you shall receive that crown, and of the high everlasting exultation with which you shall wear it. Think of the joy, with which, after a life of persevering fidelity to him, your separate spirit shall ascend into his presence, e'er yet this body, the instrument of his service, shall be laid in the grave. Think of the congratulations, with which your venerable predecessors, your eminently pious parents, and those of your flock who have fled upwards before you, will then meet you, and hail your arrival. And think, how. Jesus will, by one smile and embrace, overpay all the labours and sufferings of a long protracted life. Think of the complacency and delight, with which you will look down on the field which you have cultivated, and on the growing harvest you have left behind; while perhaps some of the blessed fruits of your labours may be running on from age to age, so as to be the means of propagating christianity to the last rounds of time. And Oh think, above all, of the great day of the Lord, When the chief Shepherd shall appear, that he may confer on you, and on all those who have faithfully discharged their ministry, a crown of glory that fadeth not away *. Then, when every christian of the lowest station and character shall receive his proper share of honour and reward, what may you expect, if you faithfully improve your ten talents; when those of your people whom you have converted or edified, appear with you as your Joy and your crown in the presence of the Lord †, and are honoured with the public applause and remunerations of the eternal and universal Judge in the face of the whole assembled world? All the pageautry of human greatness passes away like a dream; The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood: But human souls are durable and immortal; and they that have turned many of them to righteousness, shall have, in each, an everlasting ornament, and decked with a new lustre from each, Shall shine as the stars for ever and ever §.

May that God whom we serve, through the riches of his grace, give us all a portion in the triumph of that day! And may he add to all the joy, which the most unworthy of his servants is humbly bold to expect in it, that of seeing you, my dear brother, giving up an account of a faithful and happily successful ministry! To encourage and assist you in the discharge of which, may these plain hints conduce, through the blessing of him, who knows how, from the least and most inconsiderable seeds, to call up a rich and plentiful harvest! Amen.

* 1 Pct. v. 4. +1 Thess. ii. 19.

Acts ii. 20. § Dan. xii. 3.

AN APPENDIX,

Relating to the usual Methods of Ordination among the Protestant Dissenters.

As in the beginning of the charge I have touched upon the decent solemnities attending the methods of ordination generally used among the protestant dissenters, it may not be improper to give a brief account of them; especially as I have been earnestly desired to do it, by a pious and learned clergyman of the established church; who apprehends, it may obviate some mistakes, and promote that mutual candor among christians of different denominations, which both of us concur to wish, and labour to promote. There is indeed a little variety in the usages of different places; but that which I have generally seen, does, I believe prevail in most of our churches, with the exception, and sometimes no more than the transposition, of a few circumstances.

It very rarely happens, that a minister among us is admitted to the pastoral office, till he hath spent some years, as a kind of candidate for it; and, so far as I can recollect, more undertake it after, than before their twentysixth year is completed. But as our theological students generally employ either four or five years in preparatory studies after they have quitted the grammar-schools, so they are examined by three or four elder ministers before they begin to preach*. A strict enquiry is made into their character, and into their furniture; both with respect to the learned languages, especially the sacred, and also as to the various parts of natural and moral philoso phy; but above all, into their acquaintance with divinity; and some specimen of their abilities, for prayer and preaching, is generally expected.

An unordained minister is seldom chosen to the pastoral office in any of our churches, for in the members of each of these societies the whole right of election lies, till he has resided among them some months, or perhaps some years; preaching statedly to them, and performing most other ministerial offices, excepting the administration of the sacraments.

When the society, which generally proceeds with entire unanimity in this great affair, has received what it judges competent satisfaction, the seve ral members of it join in giving him a solemn and express call to take upon him the pastoral inspection over them. And if he be disposed to accept it, he generally signifies that intention to neighbouring pastors; whose concurrence he desires in solemnly setting him apart to that office.

Previous to the assembly for this sacred purpose, his credentials and testimonials are produced, if it he required by any who are to be concerned; and satisfaction as to his principles is also given to those who are to carry on the public work, generally by his communicating to them the confession of his faith which he has drawn up; in which it is expected, that the great doctrines of christianity should be touched upon in a proper order, and

* See the dedication to my sermons on the Evil and Danger of neglecting Men's Souls, &c. §. 10.

his persuasion of them plainly and seriously expressed, in such words as he judges most convenient. And we generally think this a proper and happy medium, between the indolence of acquiescing in a general declaration of believing the christian religion, without declaring what it is apprehended to be, and the severity of demanding a subscription to any set of articles, where if an honest man, who believes all the rest, scruples any one article, phrase, or word, he is as effectually excluded, as if he rejected the whole.

The pastors, who are to bear their part in the public work, having been thus in their consciences satisfied, that the person offering himself to ordination is duly qualified for the christian ministry, and regularly called to the full exercise of it; they proceed, at the appointed time and place, to consecrate him to it, and to recommend him to the grace and blessing of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Head of the church, by fasting and prayer, generally accompanied with the imposition of hands; and the public work of the day is usually, so far as I have been witness, carried on in the following order, or something very near it.

It commonly opens with a short prayer, and the reading some select portions of scripture which seem most proper to the occasion: Then a prayer is offered of greater length and compass than the former, in which most of our common concerns as christians are included; which is sometimes, though less frequently, succeeded by another of the same kind. Then follows a sermon, on some suitable subject, such as the institution, importance, difficulty, and excellency of the ministerial work, the character and conduct of the first ministers of the gospel, or the like.

After this introduction of a more general nature, another minister usually one of the eldest present, who is a kind of moderator for the day, gives the assembly a more particular account of the occasion of its being convened. The call of the church to the candidate is then recognized, either in word or writing, or by lifting up the hand; and his acceptance is also declared. He is then desired, for the satisfaction and edification of the assembly, to pronounce the confession of faith, which his brethren have already heard and approved; and pertinent questions are put to him, relating to the views and purposes with which he undertakes the solemn charge, that he may be brought under the most awful engagements to a suitable behaviour in it; and an express renunciation of the errors and superstitions of the Romish church generally makes a part of these answers, as well as a declaration of his resolution, by divine grace, never to forsake the ministry, whatever inconveniences and sufferings it may draw after it.

This being dispatched, the presiding minister comes down from the pulpit, and prays over the person to be set apart. There is no particular form of prayer on this occasion, or on any other among us; but I have observed, that the person who officiates is generally led in such a circumstance, to adore the divine wisdom and grace, in the constitution and revelation of the gospel, in the appointment of an evangelical ministry, and in supporting the succession of it throughout all ages of the christian church, as well as in vindicating it from popish corruption and bondage. Some notice is often taken of what may have seemed most remarkable in providence, with regard to the particular circumstances of the society then to be settled, and the person to be set apart to the ministerial office in it; who is then solemnly offered up to the service of God, and recommended to his blessing, in all the several parts of his work, which are distinctly enumerated. And this prayer seldom concludes without fervent intercession with God, for the christian church in general, and all its faithful ministers of every

denomination: And as those rising up to succeed in the work are often mentioned here, so I have had the pleasure frequently to hear the universities of our island, as well as more private seminaries of learned and pious education, affectionately recommended to the divine protection and favour on such occasions, with all the genuine appearances of a truly christian and catholic spirit. When that part of this prayer begins, which immediately relates to the person then to be consecrated to the service of the sanctuary, it is usual for the speaker to lay his hand on his head; and the other pastors conveniently within reach, frequently to the number of six, eight, or ten, lay on their hands also, at the same time: By which we do not pretend to convey any spiritual gifts, but only use it as a solemn, and expedient, though not absolutely necessary, designation of the person then to be set apart.

When this prayer is over, which often engages a very profound attention, and seems to make a very deep impression both on ministers and people, the charge is given to the newly ordained pastor, who generally receives it standing, as much as may be, in the sight of the whole assembly: And an exhortation to the people is sometimes joined with the charge, or sometimes follows it as a distinct service, unless, which is frequently the case, it is superseded by the sermon, or some other previous address. Another prayer follows; and singing having been intermingled, so as properly to diversify a service necessarily so long, the whole is concluded with a solemn bene

diction.

I know no method of proceeding on such occasions, more rational, edifying, and scriptural than this: And I hope, few, who believe any thing of christianity, can be so ignorant or abandoned, as to make light of such solemnities But however any of our fellow-servants may judge, I have a calm, steady, and joyful assurance, that transactions like these are registered in heaven with approbation, and receive the sanction and blessing of the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls.

Northampton, Sept. 18th, 1745.

POSTSCRIPT.

As the want of psalms or hymns, peculiarly suitable to these occasions, has often been regretted on our ordination-days, when we have generally been confined to the 132d or 133d psalms, I was desired by several of my bre thren to publish that which followed this charge; and I accordingly do it without any further apology. The reader will easily perceive, it is a kind of devout paraphrase on Eph. iv. 8. & seq. And it is one of some hundreds lying by me, on a variety of scripture-subjects.

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