of G-l, he will be able to point divine truth at the heart and essetence of every hearer, and make him know what manner of person he is. He will take the sinner's heart and show it to He will take the saint's heart and show it to him. He ciearly unfold and describe the various and inconsistent expenses of the sinner's heart, and the various and essentially 4 rent exercises in the hearts of Christians. He will not have his hearers to apply the truths he delivers; but he will aly his discourses himself, with peculiar discernment and ptinency, to all the various characters which he discovers anong his people, and make them all sensible that he knows tir hearts better than they do themselves. A gracious heart is so essential to a distinguishing and experimental preacher, that no one can be such a preacher without such a heart.

Sathly: A holy heart will make a minister of the gospel a gd casuist, and enable him to converse properly with his

le upon all their spiritual concerns. Many difficult cases of t..s kind often occur, and especially in times of religious attaton; and it requires peculiar knowledge of the human. beurt to converse wisely and profitably with sinners in stupidity, with sinners in distress, and with saints in darkness or in doubt, or un!r the delusions of the great adversary. But a minister, wla is acquainted with the hearts of both saints and sinners, and who is not ignorant of the devices and delusions of Satan, kws how to converse with all these descriptions of persons, so as to give them light, conviction, or comfort, as their various ad difficult cases require. Barnabas excelled as a casuist. He was the son of exhortation and the son of consolation. When he came to Antioch and found many rejoicing in the grace of God, he conversed with them about their inward views a1 flings, and exhorted them to cleave to the Lord with all their hearts. He knew that such young converts were, in many respects, greatly exposed to danger; and as a wise and faithful casust, he admonished them not to trust in their own hearts, bit to trust in the power and grace of God to guard them Ars nst every spiritual enemy. It is of great importance that a

ster should know how to show inquiring sinners the plague of their own hearts, to answer their groundless objections. aast duty, to drive them from all their refuges of lies, and to prevent their building their hopes of the divine favor upon any

false and sandy foundation. It requires no less attention, discernment, and fidelity in a minister, to treat those properly who have just begun to entertain a hope of a saving change. They often express their fears of being deceived, and their ardent desire to know the distinguishing marks of special grace, while they inwardly lean to their own understanding, and trust in their own hearts. But a discerning and faithful minister will deal plainly with them; and if possible take away the grounds of their false hopes, and point out the only way to obtain solid peace and comfort. In discoursing with gloomy and desponding saints, he will sagaciously discover the causes of their darkness and distress, and clearly exhibit those truths which are the best adapted to dissipate all the clouds which hang over their minds, and to give them light and joy in the God of their salvation. Though a minister may preach instructively with the bare knowledge of the doctrines of religion, yet he cannot converse instructively with either saints or sinners in distress, without that experimental knowledge of vital piety which flows from a renewed and sanctified heart.

Seventhly: A heart of true, disinterested benevolence will dispose a minister of Christ to deny himself, take up the cross, and prefer the spiritual good of his people to his own temporal good. No men have been called to make greater sacrifices of their worldly interests than the ministers of the gospel. This was certainly the case in the primitive days of Christianity. The apostles were called to forsake all for Christ, to give up every earthly interest, and to rely alone upon Providence to supply all their necessary wants. But their charity never failed of producing its genuine effects. Their love to Christ and his cause led them to make every sacrifice which their ministerial duty required. Paul said, "I have coveted no man's silver or gold, or apparel." Again he said, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." Nor did he hesitate to tell the Corinthians," Behold, the third time I am ready to come unto you, and I will not be burdensome to you; for I seek not yours but you." Though Paul said all these things to the Corinthians, yet he let them know that he had a just claim upon them,

account of his preaching, for a comfortable support. "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of ts power over you, are not we rather? nevertheless we have 4used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they which Lister about holy things live of the things of the temple, and they who wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even hath the Lord ordained that they who preach the gospel all live of the gospel." The same benevolent spirit which nued the apostle to give up his just rights and his just dues, rather than to obstruct the cause of Christ and the good of w; will induce any other minister to give up his just rights and his just dues, rather than forsake his flock, and expose them to perish by a famine of the word, or to be scattered and destroyed by grievous wolves in sheep's clothing. A benevo lest heart will never fail to have a peculiar and happy influence upon this part of a minister's conduct towards his people, wh will give them irresistible evidence that he really values the salvation of their souls above his own private personal in

terest.

Ely: The same benevolence of heart will be a spirit of grace and supplication, and dispose a minister to pray constaly, sincerely, and fervently for the special influence of the Divine spirit, to give energy and success to the gospel he preaches. As he will continually feel his need of divine influence in doing his duty, so he will continually feel the need of dvine influence to open the hearts of his people to receive the truth in love. A minister can only speak to the ear, but God can speak to the heart. Paul may plant and Apollos water, But it is only God who can give the increase. This Paul was

g to say; and this every gracious minister is ready to akaowledge before God. Though we may not say nor believe, at every minister is successful in exact proportion to his ten volence and prayers for success; yet we must suppose, that the holy, benevolent, and fervent prayers of a minister have a powerful moral tendency to draw down the special influence of the Spirit upon himself and upon his people. The apostles posed the appointment of deacons, that they might give elves" continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the

word." They considered continual praying as necessary as continual preaching, in order to a successful discharge of the ministerial office. And this seems to be plainly intimated in the text in respect to Barnabas. It is said, "He was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith; and much people was added unto the Lord." We are not told, indeed, whether his peculiar success was principally owing to his zealous preaching, or to his fervent prayers; but we have reason to believe, that his fervent prayers had as great moral influence in procuring his success, as his plain and pungent preaching. A minister, of a pious and benevolent heart, will never cease to pray for himself that he may preach, and to pray for his people that they may hear the truth in love; and that all his ministerial labors may be crowned with abundant success.

It must be observed once more,

Ninthly: A benevolent heart will have a peculiar and happy influence over the whole life of a minister. It will dispose him to keep his own vineyard, and watch over all his external conduct. It will teach him how to rule his own house, as well as to take care of the church of God. It will make him courteous and hospitable to friends and strangers, as well as kind and charitable to the poor and needy. It will make him easy, condescending, and instructive, in all his intercourse and conversation among his people. "The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth and addeth learning to his lips." So long as a minister acts under the influence of a benevolent heart, he will never violate the laws of religion, morality, or propriety; but pay a strict regard to whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, and to whatsoever things are of good report. He will magnify his office, and adorn his ministerial character, in every place and in every situation, in which he is called to appear and to act. He will not conform to any of the false customs and manners of the world; but set a bright example of piety before his people, which they will be bound to follow, and which if they do follow, it will lead them in the strait and narrow path to eternal life. Such is the great, universal, and happy influence, that a holy and benevolent heart will have upon the whole life and labors of a minister of the gospel.

The whole tenor of this discourse leads us to remark, in the Erst place, that real holiness is the highest ornament of the ...str.al character. Brilliant talents, deep erudition, great ence, and exalted stations, diffuse the highest glory around characters of poets, philosophers, and statesmen. But nothing can adorn the servants of Christ so much, as their im..g and exhibiting his pure and amiable spirit. He was perfyhly and without sin; and it is their duty and dignity, to

it appear to the world that they have the same mind in in, that was also in Christ Jesus; and are governed, in all tir coaduct, by the same noble and benevolent motives, which L.lued him to suffer and die on the cross, to glorify his Farand save the souls of men. It is true, ministers may possess superior abilities, acquire extensive knowledge, and abound the blessings of Providence; but these things will be no orLamsat to their peculiar and sacred character, unless they are

erly consecrated to God upon the altar of a benevolent bart. Those preachers of the gospel, who possess and display the largest measures of holiness, do the most honor to their of fe, to the cause of Christ, and to themselves. Under the Old £e, Testament dispensation, God was pleased to take a striking

to teach the ministers of the sanctuary that holiness was their highest ornament. He commanded the High Priest to wear a crown upon his head, and upon the crown a plate or af of gold having this motto, Holiness to the Lord. This

ption was designed to be the badge of his office and the ez. m of his heart, in the view of the world. The beauties of a mess never fade; they adorn the Christian minister, as

h as they did the Jewish priest. And since God has decard holiness to be the supreme ornament of his ministers, y cannot aspire after any higher attainment than to be holy as he is holy.

The subject suggests, in the second place, that a good minisal character will always justly deserve and command the -p respect and veneration of mankind. The excellences of

ess may be more clearly and advantageously displayed by the ministers of the gospel, than by any other order or profesa of men. A king may reign in righteousness, and a general may discover the benevolence of his heart, in conquering the enemies of his country. But a prince or a hero cannot dis