fatal; while by our devouring one another, we may come to be consumed of one another: But how much more certain will this be, if we have a watchful and powerful Enemy fo near us? To whom we may juftly apply the Character given of the evil Spirit, That he goes about as a roaring Lion, feeking whom he may devour. But even our Union, tho' it may fortify us in the Methods of human Policy, yet it will not fignify much, unless we do unite in order to our applying our felves to the great Duties of our Profeffion, fo as to fecure the Favour and Protection of Heaven. We ought not to hope that if we continue ftill in our Sins, and in our Security, faying with the Jews, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord; or in the modern Stile, The Church, the Church, we shall not at last fall under the Severest of all Judgments denounced by St. Paul against the unbelieving Jews, in the Words of Ifaiah, Go unto this People and fay, Hearing, ye fhall hear, and fhall not understand; and feeing, ye fhall fee, and fhall not perceive; for the Heart of this People is waxed grofs, and their Ears are dull of Hearing, and their Eyes have they closed, left they should fee with their Eyes, and hear with their Ears, and understand with their Hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

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To avert all this, let us, the Priests and Minifters of the Lord, weep before H I M, and say, Spare thy People, O Lord, and give not thy Heritage to reproach, that the Heathen (or Idolaters) fhould rule over them. Wherefore should they fay among the People, where is their GOD, where is their Church, where is their Reformation? In these Exercifes I defire to employ many of my own Hours ; and to thefe I invite all who have a true Zeal for GOD and HIS Church.

Salisbury the 15th of
November, 1712.

Gi. Sarum.

OF

Of the Dignity of Sacred Employments, and the Names and Defignations given to them in Scripture.

H

OW low foever the Efteem of the Clergy may be funk in a profane and corrupt Age, and how much foever the Errors and Disorders of Clergy-men may have contributed to bring this not only upon themselves, but upon others who deserve better, but are unhappy in being mixed with fo much ill Company; yet certainly if we either confider the Nature of things in themselves, or the Value that

is fet on that Profeffion, in the Scriptures, it will appear that it ought to be confidered at another Rate than it is. As much as the Soul is better than the Body, and as much as the purifying and perfecting the Soul is preferable toall thofe Mechanical Employments which relate to the Body, and as much as Eternity is more valuable than this short and tranfitory Life; fo much does this Employment excel all others.

A Clergyman, by his Character and Defign of Life, ought to be a Man feparated from the Cares and Concerns of this World, and dedicated to the Study and Meditation of Divine Matters. Whofe Converfation ought to be a Pattern for others; a conftant preaching to his People: Who ought to offer up the Prayers of the People in their Name, and as their Mouth to God; who ought to be praying and interceding for them in fecret, as well as officiating among them in publick: Who ought to be diftributing among them the Bread of Life, the Word of God; and to be difpenfing among them the facred Rites, which are the Badges, the Union, and the Supports of Chriftians. He ought to admonish, to reprove, and to comfort them, not only by his general Doctrine in his Sermons, but from Houfe to Houfe; that fo he may do these things more home and effectually,

I

fectually, than can be done from the Pulpit. He is to watch over their Souls, to keep them from Error, and to alarm them out of their Sins, by giving them warning of the Judgments of God; to vifit the Sick, and to prepare them for the Judgment and Life

to come.

This is the Function of a Clergy-man; who that he may perform all these Duties with more advantage, and better effect, ought to behave himself fo well, that his own Conversation may not only be without offence, but be fo exemplary, that his People may have reason to conclude, that he himself does firmly believe all those things which he proposes to them; that he thinks himself bound to follow all those Rules that he fets them; and that they may fee such a serious spirit of Devotion in him, that from thence they may be induced to believe, that his chief design among them, is to do them good, and to fave their Souls; which may prepare them fo to esteem and love him, that they may not be prejudiced against any thing that he does and fays in publick, by any thing that they obferve in himself in fecret. He must alfo be employing himself fo well in his private Studies, that from thence he may be furnish'd with fuch a variety of lively Thoughts, divine Meditations, and proper

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