much good by "parlour preaching," but it is a delusion: by this parlour preaching many a minister has been destroyed. There are not a few in whose soul the spirit of piety, and the spirit of devotion have been absorbed by it, and the flame of holy zeal, which before burnt in their bosom, has dwindled down until it has become entirely extinct. Besides, the time required to go, perhaps, several miles, and then to sit down for a number of hours, and then to return home, leaves no time for the study of the Bible, breaks in upon family arrangements, and is productive of the worst consequences. The time thus occupied, would suffice to visit a dozen families; therefore, in order to be really comfortable, I require to see my people alone. If they are busy, to go on: if they are at leisure, to stop a little; to converse with their children, or take an account of their christian knowledge; and, if circumstances admit of it, to engage in prayer with them, and then pass on.

To public meetings, generally, it will 'be our desire to give all the support in our power: but it will likewise be our settled purpose not to suffer them to distress us; and you must not imagine that our own appearance, or unfrequent appearance there, arises from the want of affection towards them: we shall be there as often as we possibly can. A change of labour, though sparingly made, is nevertheless sometimes necessary. It is right that he who would have friends should shew friendship; and as we frequently have missionary meetings ourselves, and, in consequence thereof, make large demands upon the ministers of the metropolis to help us, it is incumbent upon us to help them in return. What is required of us therefore, is the exercise of a christian discretion.

But while we are thus engaged in the duty of feeding you, while we take the materials from the field which God has opened up, and while we prepare them by meditation and prayer, we are likewise required, in our administrations, to preserve the word of the Lord free from adulteration. The apostle Peter calls upon you, as new born babes, to desire the sincere milk of the word. Now the word sincere, is a Latin word, sincerus, and here denotes, not ingenuousness, as applied to friendship, but rather purity without mixture; in fact, unadulterated.The sincere milk of the word, then, is the unadulterated truths of the word. This

requires the exclusion of all subjects merely curious. I know you have never been accustomed to such subjects, and, that you hold them in detestation, that you wish to have the word of God preached to you, as it was preached in apostolic times. Let no person imagine, that preaching upon subjects merely curious, can at all comport with the unadulterated administration of the word of God. As the apostolic mode of preaching forbids us to become wise above what is written, so it excludes all speculative theorising, concerning the attributes of God, and the depths and mysteries of his purposes, in the redemption of man. It requires us to give a sober and steady attention to the things that are revealed, remembering, that "Secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed to us, and our children." It becomes us to speak, as the oracles of God, and we know of nothing that is of more importance for us to adhere to than this, because, as the apostle says, "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God." It requires likewise, a most temperate and judicious admixture of christian controversy. But in this there must be nothing opposed to the advancement of the glory of God, which in connexion with our own welfare must be constantly kept in view. All our polemical disquisitions, whether in our public or private capacity, must be conducted in compliance with the duty enjoined in the text, to feed the Church of God. It is necessary that there be no extenuation, no abrogation of the word of God. We must add nothing to it, we must take nothing from it. It is with the truth,and with the operations of truth, in its influence upon the heart, and the conduct, that we have to do.

But in addition to this, while we speak of the operations of truth, we must also speak of the measure of duty. It is required of us, then, in the spirit of the context, that we declare unto you the whole counsel of God, that we keep back nothing that can be profitable to you in any way, for there is a strange tendency in the human mind to take up one portion of scripture, and to exult and rejoice in that, to dwell upon that; to take up one truth, important, perhaps, in itself, and by giving it an undue prominence leaving other truths equally important in themselves, in the back ground. Be prepared then, for the fulness of the grace of God,

without money, and without price—for the fulness of the grace of God, without bounds or measure. But be equally prepared for the obedience that is to be inculcated to the Lord Jesus Christ. Every one that hath in him the hope of ultimate acceptance, must purify himself

"As Christ, the Lord is pure," Be ever prepared to have this impressed upon you, that it becomes each man that names the name of Christ, to depart from iniquity-that it becomes each man who professes to be a recipient of the grace of God, to remember that he is required "to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with his God." The grace of God teaches us, "that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. Consider

II. THE REASON OF THIS DUTY.

Peter calls upon us as new-born babes to desire the sincere milk of the word, that we may grow thereby. Grow in what? Grow in knowledge. One text calls upon you to "Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ." "That ye may grow thereby," in faith and love, and in conformity to the image of the blessed Saviour. And mark the intimate connexion of all this. Wherever there is faith it must produce love: wherever there is love, there must be obedience and conformity. If a man have love to God, no doubt he will have faith in God. If a man have faith in God there is no doubt of his having love to God. They are as inseparable as cause and effect. Thus you must remember, that you do not come together from sabbath to sabbath, merely to spend a portion of your time, nor to spend your time in the external duties of religion. You come to enjoy your Lord -to hold communion with him. You come to refresh your souls as at the fountain of living waters. You come to renew your strength, that you may be fitted to 66 'fight the good fight of faith," to quit you like men.' You come hungering and thirsting after righteousness, that you may be filled. And it is this righteousness that will satisfy you, and this alone can satisfy the cravings of your renewed and spiritual appetite. But my brethren, although there be a receiving of fresh nourishment, if it do not produce these ends, if you are not growing thereby, it is in vain. If the child will not take its food, if it become enfeebled in its strength,

or if it be incapable of enjoying refreshing repose, although it do take its food, serious alarm is excited in the breasts of the parents and they are sure there is, something wrong. So in like manner with you. If you come from time to time to the ordinances of God, paying all attention, and apparently receiving nourishment, yet if you do not grow thereby in humility, in faith, in love, in patience, in non-conformity to the world-if you do not grow in every thing that constitutes the true Christian, what ought to be our feelings as spiritual parents? Is the defect in the ordinances, or is it in you, not mingling faith with what you hear? Is this not a ground of lamentation? Is it not calculated to excite fear and dread in the breasts of your spiritual parents and instructors, lest you should be making shipwreck of faith and of a good conscience? See, then, the end that is to be obtained, and see that the nourishment you receive answer to the desired end. Do this, and then religion will have its legitimate effect; then the gospel will be to you, indeed, a feast of fat things;" and the Lord's-day will be to you the best of all the seven. To conclude, contemplate

III. THE SOLEMN CONSIDERATION BY WHICH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE DUTY IS ENFORCED. "Feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

My brethren, this is a short way of telling ministers the importance which is attached to their duties, and corresponds with that passage of the apostle Peter, "Ye were redeemed not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." You estimate the value of an article by the price you pay for it. Now ye are redeemed, not with gold and silver, and precious stones, and things held valuable among men, but with the "precious blood of CHRIST." Yes, all among you who have passed from death unto life "are not your own," as the apostle tells you, but are “bought with a price.” Each flock, then, is purchased and bought with this precious blood; and while they are purchased the very blood with which they are bought is sprinkled upon them. Oh, how expressive of the obligation which they owe to the Lord Jesus Christ! You were lost, and he has redeemed you; you were lost, and he has ransomed

you, with his own precious blood. You were contaminated by the guilt and pollution of sin, and you have been sanctified by that precious blood. Look, then, at the flock of God who are all washed by the blood of the Lamb. And while you look on a congregation of professed believers in Jesus Christ, and penetrate through the veil of flesh and blood, which hides the spirit from your vision, you behold the peace-speaking blood of the Lord Jesus. You remember the expressive emblem of this, which was presented on the day of the consecration of Aaron and his sons. Aaron and his sons being congregated together in the sight of Israel, Moses took the blood of the lamb of consecration, and put it upon the tip of their right ears, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet, after which, he sprinkled the blood of the atonement upon their garments, from the head to the foot. This was done with a view to shew you what is necessary to constitute you righteous, as well as holy; even nothing less than the blood of Jesus Christ. "Behold, (said John) the LAMB of God which taketh away the sins of the world." In allusion to this Lamb which was slain, and whose blood was sprinkled upon the congregation, learn the high value of your purchase. You are purchased by the Lord JESUS CHRIST-even by his own blood. O! is it too much that he requires of you, to consecrate body, soul, and spirit, to HIM that loved you, and gave himself for you? O! is it too much that HE requires of you! The time past of your lives, may more than have sufficed for you to have wrought the will of the Gentiles. The time past of your lives may more than have sufficed for you to have rolled transgression as a sweet morsel under your tongue. O! is it not comely for those who have been bought with his blood, to love him and to labour for him : and, whether living or dying, seeing they are the Lord's to give themselves up to his service? Come then, brethren, arouse ! awake yourselves from the torpor and slumber, into which the business of the world is apt to lull you. Awake unto righteousness, and do not sin! Consider your high destinies, as well as your holy calling! Beloved, now we know you are the sons of God: now we know that you are fellow heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ, who is head over all things to his church: but we know not what

you shall be. Come, then, ye saints of the Most High, come and contemplate the high destinies to which you are called. "Ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels. To the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men, made perfect." We know of nothing that can better enforce, or more enhance, in the minds of ministers, the importance of their duty, and the claims they have upon your attention than ever keeping in mind who you are, and what you

are.

That you are the flock of God, who have been bought with the Lord's own blood. The Lord impress this upon our minds, upon your minds, and upon the minds of all his servants! O! If we are conversant with these things, we shall never depart from the way in which God has appointed us to walk.

If these considerations deeply affect my heart towards you, I am not the less affected, or rather it enhances the consideration, and makes solemn feelings still more solemn, by reflecting upon your recent pastoral felicity, and your peculiar happiness in this respect ever since you have existed as a congregation. You enjoyed the labours of WHITFIELD, at the period of a wonderful revival; and for a long time you were nourished by the greatest and most blessed men that Britain ever saw. And, thinking again of your second pastor, of him whom the Lord called to feed his people here for so many years-thinking of him as a man, as a christian, as a counsellor, and a minister; thinking of him in every point of view which it is possible to take of his character, and of the vast loss which you have sustained in him, who so long and so illustriously occupied this pulpit-these are considerations which, I must say, come down with great weight upon my soul. Yes; I am satisfied, that for a long time, you must perceive a vacuum which is not likely soon to be filled up. Comparing him with any one to be selected, so far as I know, from any part of the kingdom, would be to compare a tender plant, brought from the nursery, with the oak which has stood for centuries, and sent forth the most magnificent branches. If such were the impressions made upon my mind during a short intercourse with him, what must be the impressions made

upon your minds, who saw him so long,who saw him in every possible attitude! You came in contact with him in every situation, and it was your privilege long to contemplate his character; whereas, I much resemble a traveller who is called upon to visit some splendid city, and after beholding it for a few moments, the devouring earthquake drinks it up. But the impression made upon my mind, while he was with us, was great. O, had the Lord seen it meet to continue him with us only for a little season longer, what would have been my privilege! It would have been unspeakably great. But the Lord has not seen it meet so to do. He has, however, left an example for you and for me to follow. And we are called upon, as far as we can in our humble measure, to imitate him whom our hearts so tenderly loved. I am sure you will sympathise with me in these feelings; and, on the other hand, will permit me to remind you, that there was a time when he was but little, compared with his subsequent greatness-that there was a time when he had experience to acquire that there was a time when he did not possess those powers, which afterwards made him so great a man, and gave him such influence in every good work that there was a time when you had only practically tried and proved him that there was a time he was unknown as well as others--when he was as little furnished for the discharge of great duties as others. It becomes us all to look at things as they are; and when you consider the difficulties with which any man who follows in his steps must necessarily have to contend with, it becomes you to bear with patience our imperfections, and to look to God for a portion of that grace which made him what he was.

Let me then crave your patience, your charity, your prayers, your love, your co-operation in every good work; and I can only say, as he died (to use his own expressive language) with love to you and the sister church engraven upon his heart, it will be our humble desire to walk in his steps. Your families shall be dear to us; your institutions shall be dear to us; your schools shall obtain the utmost of our influence, and we will endeavour to promote your welfare, both as private individuals, as families, and as a church. As he lived a life for you, and as he died forgetting almost every thing else, or

" Well

I

like Moses, absorbed in the things appertaining to your welfare, it will be our desire so to live, and so to die. On the most solemn day of his interment, you gave to me a proof and an illustration of your capacity to appreciate worth, and holy greatness. You have shewn us, that if we are what we ought to be, we shall not be neglected. By your attachment to him-your something more than attachment, your fraternal, your filial affection, you have shewn us what real worth will do, in attracting all around us, as with magnetic power. We have received at his hand the ordination charge, and the voice of the dead is as important to us as the voice of the living. When I last saw him, he said, "Well, my beloved friend, you understand." He said no more, but stretched out his cold hand, and then he said, "Well, to come!" to come!" I was unable to speak-ånd, when a friend who was with me required an explanation, with his accustomed energy he replied, "He will come.' HAVE COME, and these words have often, by night and by day rung in my ears; and my only desire in standing among you is, to carry on the work of God, and finish my course among you. The words of your late pastor have deeply affected me, and they will do so for many days to come. Let me have your charity-your patience your co-operation-your perseverance and we shall, doubtless, enjoy "the blessing of God, which maketh rich, and addeth no sorrow thereto." The Lord knows what he has done, and whom he has taken away from you. He knows what you require, and what I require, and he will not withhold the needed and the supplicated blessing. Let us cherish a deep conviction of what we require, and the Lord will do for us- -yes-exceedingly abundantly, above all that we can ask or think! I am aware the hour will come when I shall enter this pulpit for the last time. I shall not advert, now, to that secret working of Providence that brought us together—but never shall I forget the last time that you saw your late pastor in this pulpit. I was sitting below-he knew that I was here, and he called me up; he then left the pulpit to ascend it no more for ever! It will be my desire to preach as one that knows not when he shall go down from the pulpit for the last time, as you know not when you shall leave the courts of God's house for the last time. Let us, then, follow those who

have gone before us, and anticipate the enjoyment of the high and exalted honours they now possess. If we follow them as they followed Christ, we shall be received into the same glory, and then shall our joy be complete as well as theirs. AMEN.

ON OATHS.

(To the Editor of the Christian Recorder.)

SIR,-I think that oaths are unjustifiable, and as I have a word or two to say upon the subject, if you will allow me space for the purpose in your miscellany, I shall esteem it a favour.

I am not a quaker-I never held conversation with an individual of that sect, upon this subject, and I never read any statement of the arguments upon which they (in particular) justify their refusal to take an oath. I think it well to state thus much at the outset of my remarks, in order that it may be seen, that others, besides Quakers, feel a repugnance to the taking of oaths; and also, that any weak or untenable arguments that I may use in support of my opinion, or the absence of scund ones, may not be laid to the account of that sect, who have so firmly and consistently refused to do violence to their consciences in this matter.

An oath is a direct appeal to the Deity, to attest the truth of the swearer's statement, or promise, and includes within it an offer of submission to a sentence of punishment, which, it is admitted, will be deserved, if the statement be false, or the promise unperformed. This is the character of all oaths-of that which is taken by the king at his coronation-of those which are administered in courts of justice; and of those, also, which one's ears are constantly assailed with, from the lips of the profane and thoughtless. Are any of them justifiable? Are any of them otherwise than censurable? I be.. lieve not. It is the fashion to divide oaths into two classes. Judicial oaths, or those required by the law; and profane oaths, or those not required by the law. There is many a man who would not pollute his lips with an oath of the latter class-who would tremble if one were uttered in his hearing, who, nevertheless, thinks that those of the former class are perfectly right, and takes them all, when occasions require it, with cheerfulness. If such a man should peruse these observations, I call upon him to re

concile his conduct. I ask him to shew me what is the difference between these two classes of oaths, which makes the one innocent and the other guilty? I surely shall not be told, that this difference arises from the presence of the legal sanction, in the one case, and its absence in the other. Law cannot transform right into wrong; or render good that which is evil.

But to the argument. I submit that oaths are unjustifiable and censurable because they are irreverent. Reverence

of the Deity is a duty universally incumbent upon men. It arises from the relationship which exists between man and his God, which relationship is that of the creature to the Creator of the dependent creature to his almighty Preserver-of the responsible creature to his omniscient Judge. The feeling created in any serious mind, by the consideration of such a relationship, would be that of profound awe and veneration, and it would inevitably manifest itself by an obedience to the law, which declares "thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain," although, possibly, the letter of that law might be unknown.

If this be a true description of the duty of reverence to the Deity ;-if it be true that such Deity is disregarded by taking his name in vain, how much more is it disregarded by the taking of an oath, by which He is attempted to be made a party to the petty disputes of men. Can it be consistent with reverence to the Deity, to call upon Him as a witness in those cases relating to the customs, and excise, which are occurring by hundreds every day? What man can contemplate this species of oaths without the feeling of disgust? And, if the employment of the ceremony of an oath, in courts of civil judicature, be less revolting to the mind, it arises more from the decency with which it is administered, than from any difference in its application; for does it not, here also, relate to matters of paltry concern to the things of time and sense, which perish on the using. Compare an oath with the things which, in these instances, it is intended to effect, One need only place them by the side of each other, their utter disproportion renders comment needless. A DIRECT APPEAL TO ALMIGHTY GOD,

THE DUTY UPON A CASK OF RUM AND THE TITLE TO AN ACRE OF LAND.

With respect to the employment of oaths, in criminal courts, where the lives