in present things in order to having committed to our trust the true riches.

cor

"These things some affect to despise as legal: but let it be remembered that the self-righteous Pharisees also, being covetous, derided them. It is not either being legal or evangelical in our notions that causes us to approve dially of such passages of scripture, but our being carnally or spiritually minded. He who is carnally minded, whether his self-deluding dependence be of a legal or an evangelical cast, whether he trust to a form of external duties, or a form of knowledge concerning gospel doctrines, will, on some pretence or other, quarrel with or deride such spiritual precepts, as they discourage his hopes and expose his hypocrisy but he who is spiritually minded, though he knows God, and his law, and himself too well to build his hopes of heaven on such scanty and imperfect duties, will approve of, and love, and practically enter into the very spirit of these precepts, because he truly loves God and man.—And undoubtedly nothing but this spirit generally prevailing among professors of religion can stop the mouths of gainsayers, and render religion respected and triumphant.

"Thus hath Christ ordained each of us whom he hath chosen, that we may go and bring forth fruit. This improvement of our talents in the discharge of the duties of our several stations, in a manner that may do credit to religion, is here and elsewhere called bringing forth fruit; because it is the end the Lord has in view in sowing the good seed of his word in our hearts'; because it is the genuine result of this good seed taking deep root in our judgment and affections; because this attention to the duties of our several stations will ever be proportioned to the degree in which our understandings are informed, our judgments established, and our hearts affected with the truths of God's word: because, if the word of God produce none of this effect, it produces no effect that is valuable, but is as unprofitable to us as seed sown by the way-side, or on a rock, or among thorns: and because this, and this alone brings glory to God and benefit to man.

"Thus the apostles brought forth fruit. In order to glyrify God, spread the gospel, and be a blessing to mankind, they cheerfully renounced all the interests, gratifications, and conveniences of life: willingly they embraced poverty, reproach, contempt, hardships, and persecutions:

they disinterestedly travelled from place to place, at a distance from their own country, and relatives- and friends, amongst strangers, enemies, and persecutors, preaching the despised gospel, which was to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness. The same gospel they, some of them, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, committed to writing, and bequeathed as an invaluable treasure to all future ages. This their preaching and writing they adorned by the most blameless and holy lives; commended to the divine blessing by the most fervent prayers; confirmed by willingly enduring all temporal evils for the sake of it; and finally sealed it with their blood—not counting their lives dear unto themselves, so that they might finish their course with joy, and the ministry which they had received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

"Now, though every Christian is not commissioned to preach the gospel; nor required to leave his house and country to travel into foreign regions; nor called to pass through the same measure and kind of fiery trials: yet, unless the nature of Christianity is totally changed; unless it has ceased to be true, that except a man love Christ more than all he cannot be his disciple; it must follow that every Christian is to bear fruit in his own proper place, in the same self-denying, active, diligent, patient, persevering manner as they did-constrained by the love of Christ to live no longer to himself, but to him that died for him and rose again.

66

Finally, their fruit was to remain. Some interpret these words of their continuing to bring forth fruit to the end of their lives: doing it not only at first, but to the last, and at the last most abundantly.* And this is very consistent with scripture, though inconsistent with some very strange and mischievous notions of modern times;† of which I shall endeavour to speak in another place. But I am inclined rather to understand the words of the abiding effect of their fruitfulness. They should bring forth fruit in such abundance, and of so valuable a sort, that, unlike the fruits which are soon ripe, and are soon either consumed or rotten, it should, after having supplied the present generation, be stored and treasured up for posterity, and be a blessing to millions yet unborn, even to the consummation of all things, yea to eternity. Thus the fruit brought forth

* Rev. ii. 19.

Perhaps such notions as that it is to be expected that more advanced Christians will have declined from their "first love," &c. (Rev. ii, 4.)See the author's' Growth in Grace,' Sect. 1., close of the first subdivision.

by the apostles has remained, and will remain, to the glory of God and the benefit of mankind. And in the same manner, as I shall hereafter shew, the fruit borne by every true believer, may, and in some degree does, and will remain to after ages; which I shall endeavour to improve as an incitement and encouragement to abound in these fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the praise and glory of God."

The two following topics are noticed in the course of the preceding discussion, but are here presented detached from it.

ON CHOOSING THE MINISTERIAL Office.

"Ir must be admitted that it is allowable, nay a duty, for believers sometimes to change that station in which they were first brought to the knowledge of God: for otherwise it would be still more rare than it is, for men to enter on the work of the ministry with suitable motives and intentions. Yet assuredly this is a step which ought not to be taken lightly; and which is often taken from very wrong motives, in a very wrong manner, and with very bad consequences.

"Persons newly converted have generally very warm and flashy affections, which have more of heat than light in them; and, possessing little humility, experience, and judgment, they are apt, in this season of well-meant, but often misguided zeal, to think their former employments in life almost too trivial to be worth minding; and, having acquired a degree of facility in speaking of divine things, accompanied with a love to the souls of men, and a desire of their salvation, they are very apt to think themselves immediately called to, and qualified for the work of the ministry and, overlooking all other ways of glorifying God, serving Christ, and doing good to men, nothing will do but they must leave their former stations, and presently commence preachers: presuming to judge of their own gifts, and their own call, and all from their own feelings. As if to guard against this very evil, St. Paul says, Not a novice; lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil. For this vehemency springs in a great measure from spiritual pride, and leads to greater pride till this pride, fed by popularity at first, issues in some sad fall: or till, popularity failing, the affections flagging,

and discouragements taking place, the premature preacher becomes unfit for glorifying God either in a ministerial or a private station.

"This, I suppose, may be laid down as a general rule, that a new convert, if not previously employed in this work, ⚫ought not hastily to leave his former station to engage in it for this is expressly to contradict the apostle's rule. Some time ought to intervene, to mature his judgment, enlarge his views, increase his knowledge and experience. Much prayer, meditation, and self-examination as to the leading motives which influence him in this matter, ought certainly to precede. The advice of aged and experienced Christians and ministers ought to be taken, and much deference paid to it. The question of ability for the work should be submitted to the judgment of others, than the person himself, qualified and authorized thus to judge; and a clear opening in the providence of God, ought to be waited for. Were these plain rules attended to, while some would be brought forward, humble, judicious, able, and determined ministers of Christ, many, I am persuaded, would on due deliberation judge it their duty to glorify God in a private station; and a wide spreading scandal, yea numerous scandals would be prevented.

"Previously to a sinner's conversion, he and all circumstances belonging to him, his natural capacity and acquired abilities, his distinguishing disposition, whether more bold or more timid, or however varied, is perfectly known to the Lord. When he is called by divine grace, and a proper direction is given to these preparatory endowments, the great Head of the church furnishes him with that measure of knowledge, utterance, and other gifts which he pleases. And in all this he has respect to the post which he has assigned him-whether his present station or some other. He knows best for which the person is fitted and designed: and therefore until, in the ways which have been mentioned, he gives intimation of his pleasure that a change should take place, it is the new convert's duty to go on in his present work, however sanguine he may be, and however earnest in his desires to enter upon a new sphere of action. And he that believeth will not make haste: he will wait for God, and not run before him.

"This is a delicate subject: but the observation I have made of the bad effects of mistaken notions in this matter influences me tremblingly to venture my judgment in the

case; though probably it may give undesigned offence.Generally, I am convinced, it is a believers duty to abide in the same calling wherein he was called, (provided it be a lawful one,) and to endeavor to glorify God therein."

THE THIEF ON THE CROSS.

"THE penitent thief crucified with our Lord (the only scriptural example of dying repentance-and example calculated alike to preclude presumption and despair,) eminently glorified Christ. He justified the blessed Jesus when all condemned him; acknowledged him to be the Son of God, even while he was hanging upon the cross for declaring himself such; avowed an unshaken faith in him, while even the apostles were staggered; and committed his departing soul into his hands, judging himself safe and happy if Christ did but remember him when he came into his kingdom; though both were then in dying agonies together. Still further he took shame to himself, justified both God and man in his condemnation, openly rebuked his impenitent companion, and even, by implication, reflected upon the whole company of by-standers, as men that feared not God, seeing they could so insult the holy and glorious sufferer at his side.-It may be questioned whether any great number of believers ever did more honour to Christ in their whole lives, than this man did in his dying moment!-Thus guarded in the word of God is the possibility of the salvation of a sinner who only begins to repent when near death. Only one instance, and that so distinguished for deep repentance, strong faith, and the proper fruits of repentance and faith, according to the opportunity afforded for them."

DIVISION OF THE WORK.

THE author now lays down the three following propositions, to be discused and illustrated in the remainder of his work.

"I. That every believer is required to glorify God, adorn the gospel, and serve his generation in the exercise of such graces, and the practice of such duties, as are common to all stations.

"II. That he is required to do the same in the practice of all such duties as are peculiar to the station assigned him by God, and to the talents committed to his stewardship. "III. That, in so doing, every such character may rea* See the author's later judgment, above pp. 148, 149.