Page:Excellency of the knowledge of Christ crucified.pdf/15

( 15 ) ſort; and, through the divine bleſſing, it will have very good effects.

3. ſhould make Chriſt known among their people by occaſional inſtruction, exhortation, conſolation and reproof. Let us hear Paul's awful charge to his ſon Timothy:—"I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who ſhall judge the quick and the dead, at his appearing and his kingdom"—Strange! what muſt that be which the Apoſtle charges with ſuch an awful ſolemnity?—"Preach the word, be inſtant in ſeaſon, out of ſeaſon: reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longſuffering and doctrine (l) " Miniſters ſhould have a deep ſenic and impreſſion of the weight of their work always abiding upon their ſpirits, as alſo a tender concern for the ſtate of their flock; and then they will readily embrace every opportunity of promoting their edification in faith and holineſs Beſides the ſtated and conſtant parts of the miniſterial work, which ſhould be diligently attended unto; a faithful miniſter will find ſeveral occaſions of dealing with particular perſons, for their conviction in caſe of offence, for their direction in difficulties, for their clearance in doubts, or for the comfort in diſtreſs. And the word, thus particularly applied by one having "the tongue of the learned to speak a word in ſeaſon," has often been bleſſed with remarkable ſucceſs.

4. ſhould make Chriſt known among their people by exemplifying his life in their own lives. Paul tells the Theſſalonians,—"Ye are witneſſes, and God alſo, how holily, juſtly and unblameable we behaved ourſelves among you that believe (m) ." Mankind have in all ages been more eaſily influenced by example than by precept. And this is thought to be one reaſon why the Heathen philoſophers had ſo little ſucceſs in reforming the world, viz. that many of them practiſed thoſe very vices in their lives, which they declaimed againſt in their public lectures. Therefore miniſters of the goſpel, above all men, ſhould be careful to "adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour" by their holy works:—they ſhould not give the leaſt countenance to the vices, B 2