sabbath reader, who pressed me hard to stay with him that evening. I told him I would take lodgings in the town, as I was not perfectly recovered; so I brought him with me to have some conversation. As we passed through the parlour at the inn, to go into a private room, there was a large company of priests, methodists, and protestants of the establishment, taking a glass moderately. As I was passing, one took me by the skirt, a methodist, and insisted I would sit down. I complied, and was hardly seated, when I was attacked on the false translation of the scriptures into English. Before he had finished, a methodist dashed across the table, election in my face. I told him to let me get extricated out of the one first, and be assured I would not forget his question. I then took out my Irish Testameut, and began to read and speak from different passages until after twelve o'clock. After the first onset, the greatest respect and attention was paid, though the house became thronged. I mostly spoke, and always read, in Irish. The woman of the house was hard of hearing; she stood all the time behind me, with her head over my shoulder, and would take nothing next day for my lodging. A catholic observed, that if the people of the town had known, a large congregation would have assembled, even if the priest had stood to prevent them. F. told me the next morning, that after what he had heard last night, he never would enter the chapel door again.

"From thence I went to the residence of B. H.'s father and mother. They are about 90 years of age. The mother never read a word of English in her life; but, with uplifted hands and eyes, would refer to fundamental passages of scripture, as well as the ablest divine in the kingdom. The old man is possessed of good natural parts, and is a good scholar; and has been exceedingly zealous of establishing his own righteousness; and (to use his own words) thought himself to have gone so far as to perform works of supererogation, the history of which would surprize you. Besides this aged couple, there are two brothers of B. H., his wife, and two daughters, and son-in-law, to whom the Lord has

made him instrumental of performing a wonderful change in their minds. Some of their neighbours sneer, and others will not speak to them: notwithstanding, there are many cleaving to them, and came far to have serious conversation with them. I spent two days with them, and in all my life, I never spent two happier days. There is also a young lad, about three miles. from this, who has been brought to the knowledge of the truth; who can neither read nor write English, but who will point out or correct any passage of scripture, quicker than I can with a book in my hand. He is a gazing stock and derision to old and young, yet as immoveable as a mountain. So marvellous are thy works, O Lord! I invited him to come and stay at my house till he could learn English; and the joy and gratitude of the young creature was beyond expression.

B. H. told me there was a man of my name about twelve miles distant, who was an ornament in society, and who, he knew would ride forty miles to get acquainted with me. I sent this person word I would call at his house the following week, and accordingly took a circuit on the north side of the mountain, by the sea coast, and in three days got to his house; where we had a pleasant meeting to us both. He far exceeded the account I had heard of him. He lives in a wild. mountain. The first night, a number of the neighbours assembled, and we read and conversed to a late hour. The next day, I spent instructing him to read Irish, which he will, soon be master of; and shewing him the way of God more perfectly, which being done with mildness, he most gladly heard. The third day, he sent to the whole country round to come to his house in the evening, to hear the Irish Testament read; and though it was by the side of a mountain, we were as thronged as we could stand together. I read and spoke for three hours; and then they began to ask questions, especially in regard to popery: which I painted in the blackest colours, shewing the fulness and freeness of the gospel plan of salvation. An old man addressed me very respectfully, saying, "Ye that know this, why do come and instruct us ?” "The reason

ye not

The great concern of a WATCHMAN for souls, appearing in the duty he has to do, and the account

he has to give, represented and improved in a sermon, preached at the ordination of the Rev. Mr. Jonathan Judd, to the pastoral Office, over the church of Christ, in the new precinct, at Northampton, June Sth, 1743, by JONATHAN EDWARDS, M. A. pastor of the first church of Christ, in Northampton.

HEB. xiii. 17.

They watch for your souls, as they that must give account.

After the apostle had, in this epistle, particularly and largely insisted on the great doctrines of the gospel, relating to the person, priesthood, sacrifice, exaltation, and intercession of Christ; and the nature, privileges, and benefits of the new dispensation of the covenant of grace, as answering to the types of the old testament; he improves all in the latter part of the epistle, to enforce christian duties, and holy practice, as his manner is in most of his epistles. And after he had recommended other duties to the christian Hebrews, in this verse, he gives them counsel with regard to their duty towards those that were set over them in ecclesiastical authority. "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves." By "them that had the rule over" Vol. VII.

them, the apostle means their ec clesiastical rulers, and particularly, their ministers or pastors, that preached the word of God to them, as is evident by v. 17, "Remember them that have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God:" and also by the words of the text, that immediately follow in the same verse, in which the employment of those that have the rule over them, that they are to obey and submit to, is represented.

Concerning which may be ob served,

1. What it is that their pastors were conversant about, in the employment with which they were charged, viz. the souls of men. The emyloyments wherein many others were engaged, were about the bodies of men; so it is with almost all the particular callings that men follow; they are, in one sense or another to provide for men's bodies, or to further their temporal interests; as the business of husbandmen, sailors, merchants, physicians, attornies, and civil of ficers, and rulers, and the innumerable trades and mechanical arts that are practised and pursued by the children of men. But the work of the ministry is about the soul; that part of man which is 2 A

immortal, and made and designed for a state of inconceivable blessedness, or extreme and unutterable torments, throughout all eternity; which is therefore infinitely precious, and is that part of man in which the great distinction lies between man and all the other innumerable kinds of creatures in this lower world, and by which he is vastly dignified above them. It is about such beings as these, that the work of the ministry is immediately conversant.

2. How ministers in the business they have to attend, are to be employed about men's souls; they are to watch for them: which inplies that they are committed to their care to keep, that they may be so taken care of, that they may not be lost, but be eternally saved. 3. A grand argument to induce and oblige them to faithfulness in this employment, "they must give account," i. e. they must give an account to him that committed those souls to their care, of the souls with which they were entrusted, and of the care they have taken of them.

Therefore, that we may the better understand the nature of that work of a minister of the gospel, and pastor of a church, and the grand inducement to faithfulness spoken of in the text, and know better what improve ment we ought to make of these things, I would,

I. Shew that ministers of the gospel have the souls of men committed to their care by the Lord Jesus Christ.

II. I would shew to what purpose Christ thus commits the souls of men to the care of minis

ters.

III. That the way in which

Christ expects that ministers should seek to obtain these purposes, with respect to the souls committed to them, is by watching for them.

IV. I would observe, how, when the time of their employment is at an end, they must give an account to him that committed these souls to them:

And then make application of the whole.

I. Ministers of the gospel have the precious and immortal souls of men committed to their care and trust, by the Lord Jesus Christ.

The souls of men are his; he is the creator of them: God created all things by Jesus Christ. He created, not only the material world, but also those things that are immaterial and invisible, as angels, and the souls of men. Col. i. 16. "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible; whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were created by him and for him." God is the Creator of men in both soul and body; but their souls are, in a special and more immediate manner, his workmanship, wherein less use is made of second causes, instruments, or means, or any thing pre-existent. The bodies of men, though they are, indeed, God's work, yet they are formed by him in a way of propagation from their natural parents; but the souls of men are of God's im mediate creation and infusion, being in no part communicated by earthly parents, nor formed out of any matter or principles existing before. The apostle observes the difference, and speaks of earthly