to hide yourselves in the coverts of false shame, when the enemies of the Lord go about with impudence and aspersion. And if you are reproached, what is it? Breath. If the reproach be false, it is an attestation to your Christian devotedness. If true, an humiliating stimulus, that you should brighten your armour, and search deeper into the chambers of your heart; and seek, afresh, the footstool of that gracious God, who is always more ready to hear, than man to desire or to ask.

III. No man can ever be "a good Minister of Jesus Christ," who is not nourished up with the words of faith, and of sound doctrine. He may be a merely amiable man; a sort of quiet, passive person, who does no one harm, and utters not vehement opinions. But is such an one, disposed for the kingdom of heaven? Is such an one, fit to stand among the elect angels? Is the mind of such an one, equal to the shock of mental persecution

in the world? How shall he be set above the cares, fascinations, interruptions, disappointments, and injuries of this perishing world? Whence, but from the sublime anticipations of the perfected kingdom of Christ; whence, but from deep and reverential speculations on the costliness of Christ's blood; whence, but from the mysterious instruction of the inner man, by the Spirit of grace; whence, but from the faith, which receives these truths as solid realities, and applies them as powerful incentives to Christian holiness; whence, I say, can his soul be nourished? Talk not to the sick man of the blessing of health, and the enjoyment of vigour and strength! You do but mock his anguish. may get rid of disease. physician. Remind not the man in debt, of the comfort of being free from embarrassment; but tell him, how he shall find means to pay off his debts. And harass not the soul of a man (who, unless he be blind indeed, must be aware of innate cor

Tell him, how he

Send him to the

ruption) by discussion on the beauty of moral virtue, and the theory of moral sentiments, and a sense of honour. Tell him, how to find ease to his conscience, by applying in the right method, for pardon. Tell him, where to obtain a new spring of inward life and vigour, by which he can become able to bid defiance to the machinations of hell; may look the world in the face; and may command, with effect, every angry, impure, envious, and disorderly passion, "Peace, be still!" And, lo! "the word is nigh thee." Art thou within the covenant, and delayest to appropriate privileges, which God, with condescension infinite, hath bound Himself to ratify? Seekest thou a Saviour, higher than God's own Son? Or more loving than He is, who assumed thy nature, that he might lay down his life for the removal of thy sin? Or, one more constant, than that Saviour, who hath left his Spirit, as a pledge of his return? Or, one more powerful than He is, who will roll up the sky as a scroll; set the earth in

flames, with a word, at the great day; and appoint unto each, his portion, either among the abodes of the eternal paradise, or, in the torments of endless fire? "Lord, to whom, 'but unto thee, shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life, and we believe, and are sure, that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God 1."

1 John vi. 68.

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LECTURE X.

1 TIM. iv. 11. TO THE end.

THESE THINGS COMMAND AND TEACH. LET NO MAN DESPISE THY YOUTH; BUT BE THOU AN EXAMPLE OF THE BELIEVERS, IN WORD, IN CONVERSATION, IN CHARITY, IN SPIRIT, IN FAITH, IN PURITY. TILL I COME, GIVE ATTENDANCE TO READING, TO EXHORTATION, TO DOCTRINE. NEGLECT NOT THE GIFT THAT IS IN THEE, WHICH WAS GIVEN THEE BY PROPHECY, WITH THE LAYING ON OF THE HANDS OF THE PRESBYTERY. MEDITATE UPON THESE THINGS; GIVE THYSELF WHOLLY TO THEM; THAT THY PROFITING MAY APPEAR TO ALL. TAKE HEED UNTO THYSELF, AND UNTO THE DOCTRINE; CONTINUE IN THEM FOR IN DOING THIS, THOU SHALT BOTH SAVE THYSELF AND THEM THAT HEAR THEE.

In the foregoing portion of the chapter, St. Paul had been exhorting Timothy, to enforce the essentials of religion, and to disregard the traditionary accounts of Ju