Christianity;-let them pronounce their authoritative interpretations of scripture, and thunder forth their anathemas upon all who cannot swallow their prescriptions whole and entire; and let them go on to reproach us, as they have done, with the want of an acknowledged human standard of faith;-but, convinced by history and experience, that all attempts at uniformity, by human standards, have not only failed of success, but been the sources of endless and rancorous divisions among the followers of Christ, let us be content with the universally acknowledged standard of the word of God. And whilst we can lay our hand upon the New Testament, and say, "Here is the rule of our Christian principles-here is the charter of our Christian rights," we stand upon the only solid and tenable ground. This is the rock on which the church of Christ should be built; and so long as, in simplicity and godly sincerity, we hold immoveably by this rock, so long shall our faith, and the faith of the people in communion with us, stand, where it ought to stand, "not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

Thus far, my fathers and brethren, have I humbly presumed, in your presence, to deduce from the apostolic example in the text, a few general rules for the guidance of our ministerial conduct, with which it may be of the utmost importance to ourselves, and our respective charges,

that our minds should be deeply impressed. I did not expect to advance any thing new or unknown to any of you, on a subject so worn. But worn though it be, it seems not unfitting that those whose office it is to remind others of their duties, should be occasionally reminded of their own. Will you give me leave, in conclusion, to suggest two or three considerations, which should move us all through the grace of God, to pursue the line of conduct so distinctly marked out by the Apostle in the text.

By carefully copying after the apostolic model, we shall contribute, in our several spheres, to extend the influence of genuine Christianity, and to sustain the character of the church to which we belong. In reference to both these objects, there is more depending on the personal character and deportment of the ministers of religion, than is generally thought. The work of the Lord cannot be expected to prosper in the hands of an immoral or a careless minister. He may deliver the truths which the Apostle Paul taught-he may preach with the tongue of an angel; but as it is not in the nature of things that his people should believe him in earnest, so he must be to them no better than a "sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." Nay, it is certain, that such an example in a minister of the gospel must materially weaken the virtuous principles of many around him; and contribute, so far as the influence of it is felt, to bring religion itself into disre

pute. But it is by an earnest and zealous attention to our pastoral duties;-by addressing ourselves exclusively to the work of the ministry;by preaching the doctrine of Christ crucified, according to the plainness and simplicity of the gospel; and by upholding the purity and integrity of our personal deportment; that we may hope, through divine grace, to recommend Christianity with some effect, and to diffuse its blessed influence over human society, within the sphere to which our agency may extend. And besides, it ought to be recollected by us all, that these are the only means by which the character of our church may be upheld, and that we have nothing to recommend us, beyond the strict and exemplary discharge of our duty. In other churches, the pomp and circumstance of splendid rituals, together with the temporal wealth, and power, and dignity, of the superior orders of their clergy, may in some measure retain an influence and a respect in society, even after a great degree of carelessness and corruption of manners may have crept into the priesthood. But the ministers of such a church as ours, without dignities, without wealth, without power of any kind, temporal or spiritual, can uphold the respectability of our character, and retain the love and esteem of an informed people, only by our virtues, by our abilities, and by the uniform zeal and diligence, with which we perform the duties of the pastoral office. We can " approve our

selves as the ministers of Christ, only by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness, on the right hand and on the left."

But whilst the upholding of the character of our church may be fairly urged as a legitimate motive to ministerial diligence and zeal, it should never be forgotten, that there are much higher interests to be taken care of, than the mere maintaining of the reputation of any church whatever-namely, the securing to ourselves the approbation of God, and promoting, to the utmost of our power, the improvement and salvation of those committed to our charge. These ends are, thank God, happily attainable by the very same means. Our own individual prospects for eternity, like those of others, are made to depend, under the grace of God, on the sincere and faithful discharge of our duties, whether those duties have an immediate reference to ourselves or others. Let nothing mislead us into the supposition, (a piece of deception which we are sometimes in danger of practising on ourselves,) that any measure of attention to public and official duties, can compensate the want of personal Christianity. Our own immortal interests are at stake; and the Apostle, whose public conduct we have been contemplating as a model for our

ministrations, tells us how scrupulously cautious he was at the same time in his private, personal, individual deportment, "lest, by any means, after he had preached to others, he himself should be a castaway." Bound by these considerations, as we are, to secure, by all means, our own eternal interests, we are constantly to bear in mind, that the eternal interests of others also are in some measure put into our hands; that "to us is committed the ministry of reconciliation;" that we are "set as watchmen unto the house of Israel." In this capacity it ought to be our most anxious study and endeavour, to "keep back nothing that may be profitable;" nor "shun to declare the whole counsel of God," so far as we know it; remembering the awful responsibility of our office, the incalculable worth of immortal souls, and the solemn account we must one day render of our stewardship. God grant that these considerations may lead us all to be faithful to the important trust committed to us, and to "fulfil the ministry we have received of the Lord Jesus, by testifying the gospel of the grace of God;-warning every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ."

"The

Fathers and Brethren-the life and the ministry of each of us are hastening to a close. Lord Jesus Christ is showing us all, that we must shortly put off these tabernacles." In the removal from among us, since our last annual meeting,