Epiftle, ch. iv. 16. former claufe, “ TAKE "HEED TO THYSELF." The whole paffage runs, "Take heed to thyfelf, and to thy doctrine; "continue in them: for in doing this, thou "fhalt both fave thyself, and them that hear "thee." As feveral particular directions precede in verses 11th, and following, I look upon the verfe juft read to be a fort of recapitulation of the reft, and the words in them to refer to the directions foregoing, particularly thofe in the 13th verfe, "Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to "doctrine." The word doctrine (Adarnaλía) does not merely fignify the matter taught, but alfo the manner of teaching (fo Doddridge in locum) or, more properly, the act of teaching, i. e. the exercise of the office of the Aidaoxaños or teacher, the, common name of a chriftian paftor, or minifter, who is fo called from the principal part of his office. We might, therefore, confider it as including the whole exercise of the ministry, this part of the exhortation to Timothy being like that which our apostle gives Archippus in Coloff. iv. 17. "Take heed to "the ministry, which thou haft received in the "Lord, that thou fulfil it *." Upon the whole, then, the exhortation is to take heed †, to be attentive, and careful, both about himself, and the exercise of his ministry, and to perfevere therein. We are not to live and act at random ; * Βλεπε την δακονίαν κ. τ. λ. + As the greek word ETXE, for which fome M. SS. read πporex, is properly enough rendered. προσεχει it it requires confideration, caution and care, to behave like chriftians, and much more to discharge the important duties of the christian ministry. Give me leave, then, Sir, to remind you, that a minister should take beed to himself, should be attentive and careful about his temper, conduct, and character in general, as to morals, religion, prudence, and learning, or acquired furniture for the ministry. I. Let him take heed to his morals. This, Sir, is the first and moft neceffary thing of all. An immoral chriftian is a contradiction in terms; but the contradiction is the most glaring in a christian minifter: let him preach like an angel from heaven, it will be to no purpose, if he is notoriously vicious in his life. The language of his example will fet afide that of his doctrine. If they who are to be the lights of the world, are darkness, how great that darknefs! If they who are to be the falt of the earth, to feafon the minds of others, and preferve them from corruption, lofe their favour, and become corrupt themselves, they are fit for nothing but to be trodden under foot, and treated with the utmoft contempt. No affumed character can give a fanctity, nor should ferve for a fkreen, to a wicked man. Your age, Sir, makes it neceffary for you always to bear in mind the apoftle's exhortation to Timothy (2 Ep. ii. 22.) to "flee youthful lufts," to be upon your guard against every temptation to paffion, impurity, or intemperance. And not only guard against thefe vices themselves, but. avoid avoid a fondness for feafts, entertainments, and diverfions, where there is danger of coming too near the bounds of fobriety and decency, if you do not tranfgrefs them: fuch a conduct will leffen your character, though it may not deftroy it. But I need not enlarge here, as I may venture to affert, that there is fcarce any body of men in the world, equally numerous, with the regularly-educated diffenting minifters, that are more, or even equally, free from fenfual vices. The loose, lewd, drunken, debauched minifter will be at a lofs to find fupport and countenance, among the Proteftant diffenters. But there are vices of another kind of which we may be more in danger, and which meet with more quarter from good people; because they are not fo openly marked, and certainly known as the former; though equally unworthy of our character: and these are the vices of the mind; the meaner, more darkcomplexioned vices; fuch as malevolence, and uncharitableness, flandering, falfehood, bypocrify, avarice, and craft. A A very celebrated modern* fceptic, has charged the chriftian ministry, with having a natural tendency to promote these vices in minifters. But granting, that the interested conduct of many who have born the name of chriftian minifters, has juftly given scandal to the world, and that the theologorum odia have been proverbial; and granting that there are accidental circumstances attending our * Mr. David Hume in his effay on national characters. education, education, or fituation, which may have some tendency this way; let us by our example confute the calumny, that fuch is the natural, neceffary tendency of our office; which, on the contrary, is, indeed, one of the most benevolent, generous, and god-like, that a creature can be employed in and let us be the more careful to cherish the oppofite virtues, which both the genius of chriftianity, and the nature of our office especially require of us. In the New Tetament, even the devil, the worst of all Beings, receives that name from flander or calumny, and falfehood of every kind, malice and covetoufnefs are every where expressly condemned; truth and love, charity and ge. nerofity every where recommended: and indeed the whole scheme of the Gospel is founded on divine truth and love. ha Methinks, Sir, there is nothing I am more. folicitous you fhould cherish, than that Incoctum generofo pectus bonefto, which may fet you bitually above every thing that is mean and base; fince by fuch things both the miniftry and religion have been brought into great contempt, with fome perfons of polite education, and generous tempers; who have been too ready to draw hafty, rafh conclufions, or to admit such misreprefentations of sceptical writers as I have referred to. Let us be continually revolving the perfect example of our divine Master, and his unparal leled benevolence; and the amiable, though lefs. perfect pattern of our apoftle, whofe genuine Η Διάβολος. Perf. Sat. 2. humility humility was remote from meannefs, and whofe difinterested zeal, generofity, and magnanimity knew no bounds. With him, let us utterly" renounce the hidden things of difhonefty, not walking in craftinefs, nor hand ling the word of God deceitfully, but by the "manifeftation of the truth, commending our"felves to every man's confcience in the fight "of God; not as many, who corrupt" or adulterate the word of God: but as of fin cerity, but as of God, in the fight of God "let us fpeak in Chrift," 2 Cor. iv. 2. and ii. 17. Let us attend to his animated exhortation to Timothy, in the clofe of this epiftle, " But thou, "O man of God, flee these things," viz. "the "love of money, that root of all evil," and a concern to be rich; " and follow after righte"oufnefs, godliness, faith, love, patience, "meeknefs.' 'Tis a divine aphorifm of our celebrated poet, An honeft man's the nobleft work of God |. Will you bear with me, therefore, Sir, if, with great plainnefs, I entreat you, to labour always to maintain an unfhaken honefty of heart, an inviolable integrity and honour. Let it govern your conduct in the common affairs of life; and then it will preferve you not only from directly infringing the laws of civil fociety, but from taking any advantage of their defects to ferve your own interefts: and let it govern your conduct as a minifter. Then you will not aim, under |