Jesus," I did it through a firm persuasion that it was my duty to do so.

Why, will this justify any one who follows the judgment of a wrong-informed conscience? No, by no means: St. Paul himself tells us it will not. But he tells us, at the same time, that he obtained mercy, even the grace of conversion; 1 Tim. 1. because what he had done amiss, he did it, not against knowledge, but ignorantly.

From whence we learn, what a dreadful thing it is, to act against knowledge and conscience; that such are entirely out of the way of conversion, and are too often forsaken of God, and given over to a reprobate mind.

Whereas such as act uprightly are objects of the divine mercy, as St. Paul was, who, through God's grace, became an instrument of the greatest good to the world, and at the same time to himself, so as to be able to say, TO ME TO DIE

IS GAIN.

That which makes the sight of death uneasy to flesh and blood, and frightful to others, makes it to me easy and comfortable, and even to be chosen and wished for.

What that was, we now come to consider. He was in the first place, A SINCERE LOVER OF GOD, AND Α LOVER OF

SOULS.

13.

We have the fullest instances of this in the account of his life, and in the several epistles he wrote: where he is ever and anon expressing his love and gratitude to God for the favours He had vouchsafed himself, and the Church through his means. "I thank Christ Jesus the Lord, who hath en- 1 Tim. 1.12. abled me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry."

And this, by the way, was the very first subject which this worthy person, and imitator of St. Paul, preached upon, when he entered into holy orders; ascribing to God his ability, his vocation to the ministry, and all his holy purposes and resolutions to discharge his duty faithfully.

How faithfully he performed this, will be better understood by the loss his flock will have of him, than by any words of

mine.

To return to St. Paul, and to the other reasons he had, not to be afraid of dying. To ME TO DIE IS GAIN.

SERM.
XCIX.

1.Thess. 2.

10.

St. Paul might very well say this, when he could make this appeal to his people, and to God: "Ye are witnesses, and God is witness, how holily, and justly, and unblameably, we behaved ourselves amongst you."

This is some comfort for a minister of Christ when he comes to die; when, for instance, he can say with truth, and Acts 24. 16. with this Apostle, "I have kept a conscience void of offence towards God, and towards man."

Acts 20. 27.

When he can say with truth, "I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God;" nor have suppressed any Christian truths through ignorance, sloth, fear, or regard for man; nor have I purchased my own ease, or temporal advantages, at the expense of the truth, or the dignity of my sacred calling.

When a man can say with truth, as the Apostle did, 2 Cor. 7. 2. "I have wronged no man, I have corrupted no man, I have defrauded no man."

Rom. 1. 9.

When he can truly tell the people of his flock, "that without ceasing he makes mention of them in his prayers."

That as he prays for a blessing upon his own labours, so he prays for a blessing upon theirs, upon their families, and upon their children.

When a pastor has such a real love for his flock, as that 2 Cor. 7. 3. he can truly say with the same Apostle, "Ye are in our heart to live and die with you."

Such a pastor cannot but hope, that such a love for his flock must recommend him to the love of Christ.

And such, by the way, was the love of your pastor for you, good Christians, of this parish; it was in his heart to live and to die with you.

A good proof of which is now to be seen amongst his papers; namely, a presentation to a very considerable living in Ireland, which was freely sent him, which yet he never would make use of.

This perhaps may not be credited, at least not much minded, by those whose hearts are set upon preferments; who count their flock their own no longer than they can change them for a better, without any visible prospect of being more serviceable to God, to His Church, or to the souls of men.

And yet most surely a time is coming when it will be more satisfaction, more profit to a pastor, to have edified the poorest parish, than to have changed for the richest benefice, without an assurance of doing much more good; which is seldom, I fear, the case.

But to return to St. Paul, and the reasons he had for concluding that his death would be a gain to him.

He was called by Jesus Christ to the ministry. He consulted not with flesh and blood, but was obedient to the heavenly call.

He became a true follower of Jesus Christ, both in his labours, and in his sufferings; and in his contempt of the world, its pleasures, profits, honours, and all its idols.

The opposition which the Gospel met with in every place did not hinder him from preaching it sincerely; and with what wonderful success God was pleased to bless his labours the Christian world is sensible of.

As also with what a steady resolution he exercised the power of discipline committed to him by Jesus Christ, which is manifest from his delivering the incestuous Corinthian to Satan, notwithstanding the countenance he had even from some powerful Christians of that place.

In short; his manner of life, his faith, long-suffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, as he himself assures us, were well known to the Church.

So that he was possessed of all those qualifications which render a man "meet to be partaker of the inheritance of the [Col. 1. saints in light."

12.]

And therefore he might with good assurance say, "There 2 Tim. 4. 8. is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day."

From all which it appears, that afflictions of any kind are so far from being a sign of God's displeasure, that they are distinguishing marks of His favour, to such as fear Him; that the faithful discharge of the duties of a man's proper state is one of the surest marks of his being in the way to happiness; and lastly, that the troubles we meet with, whether in the way of our duty, or in the way of God's providence, are designed in mercy, to wean us from this world, to make us weary of its corruptions, and that we may desire to repose ourselves in the grave in hopes of a better life.

SERM.
XCIX.

[1 Thess. 2. 19.]

This was the case of our friend and brother lying dead before us; whose faith and patience having been exercised with a great variety of trials, and very uncommon, as well as very grievous afflictions; yet he never repined or charged God foolishly, but looked upon them as the effects of His mercy, and saw approaching death with that comfort, and steadiness of mind, that for my part, I wish may be my own case when I come to die.

II. This leads us to the second particular, which may be very proper to be enquired into, at this time; namely, whether every minister of Christ may not (if it is not his own fault) be able to say with St. Paul, and with some reasonable

assurance, TO ME TO DIE IS GAIN.

St. Paul was a man of like passions and infirmities with us; of himself he could do no more towards working out his own salvation, than the weakest of us. He stood in need of, and was supported by the same grace which any of us may have for asking, provided we ask it with the same sincerity, and make use of the graces God has given us.

You have heard what it was which made the prospect of death a comfort to him; namely, an unwearied diligence in the duties of the ministry, out of a principle of love to Christ, and for the souls of men.

Every Christian, as he hopes for heaven when he dies, has a work upon his hands, and is bound to consider seriously what he came into the world for, and what will be expected from him.

But a minister of Christ has others to answer for, as well as himself. And his salvation depends very much upon the salvation of his flock. "What is our hope?" (saith St. Paul) "are not even ye in the person of our Lord Christ at His coming?"

I shall, therefore, think this no improper occasion, when one of our brethren lies dead before us, to put the living in mind of their duty, and of the account we must give, when it comes to be with us as it is with him.

Now, the great business of our Lord Christ on earth being to establish the Christian religion; that is, to put mankind into the way of salvation; in order to this, He took our nature upon Him, and made known to us, what God expected from us in order to fit us for heaven and happiness.

He made known to us the condition of the dead: that some are in paradise waiting for an happy resurrection, and that others are reserved in chains of darkness until the judgment of the great day.

He appointed CERTAIN ORDINANCES, as sure means of grace and salvation to all such as should sincerely close with them.

And He appointed an order of men, whose duty and business it should be at the peril of their souls, to administer these ordinances, to publish these glad tidings, and to pray and bless His people in His name.

And as your salvation, good Christians, depends (under God) upon the ministry of those whom Jesus Christ has appointed to reconcile men unto God: so, my brethren, you may see plainly, that our salvation depends upon a faithful ministration of these ordinances.

That as stewards over the household of God, you receive into His family, by the Sacrament of Baptism, all such as are prepared to become members thereof:

That as preachers of the Gospel, you endeavour to convince men, that being sinners, they do stand in need of God's mercy and pardon :

That you be instant in season, and out of season, to put your people in mind of their duty, which they are but too apt to forget:

To rebuke them when they do so, and to set before them the terrors of the world to come:

To comfort them with the promises of God in Christ, when they become sensible of their bad estate:

And to administer the sacrament of reconciliation to such, and to such only, as profess with hearty repentance and true faith to turn unto God.

Besides these, we have another very important duty incumbent upon us (and I beseech you to consider it); that is, we stand obliged, every one of us, to offer unto God every day the prayers of the Church, every pastor for his own flock.

To confess his own sins, and the sins of his people, to praise God for the mercies He bestows upon them, and to beg God's protection and blessing upon them, and upon their labours.