By which marks of deceitful favour they are unwarily betrayed to go lengths highly unbecoming their profession, and indeed unbecoming any character, any profession. Hence it comes to pass, that their tempters are hardened in their own levity and wickedness; religion is brought into disrepute; the serious and good are offended -and the unhappy victims themselves are not seldom rewarded in the end with slight and ridicule from their betrayers, after they have lost, long before, the love and esteem of the sober and wise. This surely should teach us to be on our guard against the smiles, the allurements of such flatterers, to spurn with indignation their praises, their caresses. A mortal weapon lurks under them. To accept of sordid incense even for clerical good qualities, is unworthy a minister of the gospel, how much more for qualities of which a minister ought to be ashamed. It is impossible to conceive a readier way to be despised, than such a conduct, to be despised at all handswould we avoid such a requital, let us boldly stand out at the beginning." Resist the devil, " and he will flee from you," is the advice of an inspired apostle-in like manner let us refuse compliance with wicked men, and they will soon cease their solicitations.-I join together under one head, a

Third and fourth source of contempt, as from their nature they are involved together-and these are, servility in courting popular favour, and a silly haughtiness in despising the people. Nothing can be more contemptible than either of these extremes—He that endeavours to please every body is a fool; he that resolves to please nobody is something worse: usefulness, the grand object, is defeated both ways. Whoever has the approbation of the multitude for his only, or for his principal end, must submit to ten thousand unbecoming meannesses, and after all will fail of attaining it. But I would not, upon this occasion, treat the lower orders. of our fellow christians and subjects with that supercilious scurrility and abuse which is so frequently and so liberally thrown upon them: they by no means deserve it. The reproachful terms of mob, and populace, and such like, seem to come with strange impropriety from a minister's mouth. Were it not for them, our ministrations, generally speaking, would be to little purpose: it is among them, poor and despised as they are, that the spirit of christianity, and the practice of it too, though indeed with many corruptions and abuses, are chiefly to be found. By studiousness of popular favour, then, I do not understand that attention and regard which every minister ought to, and which every

good minister most certainly will pay to the real interests of all the precious souls committed to his charge, without respect of persons; but a mean compliance with the humours and prejudices of men, whether high or low, rich or poor, in order to gain their good will, at the expense of duty and conscience. There is a certain dignity of character, unconnected with pride, which all of us should endeavour to possess, and the want of which will always render a man despicable, disdaining with equal scorn the censure of a prejudiced multitude, or the frown of an overbearing great man. It is of importance to remember, that though we are appointed of God, the servants of the people for Christ's sake, yet it is in such a manner that we are at the same time to bear a kind of rule and authority over them: and this rule and authority, whoever will exercise according to the dictates of conscience, must become obnoxious to many; by the consciously guilty he will be traduced, avoided, perhaps hated, and the best may be so; but there is no fear that he will ever be despised. Let this be our rule then, in our conduct with the people, never to aim at purchasing their good-will, with the loss of a good conscience; to consult their real welfare rather than their taste; to endeavour by all means to make them truly good, rather than to give them

ground to entertain a good opinion of themselves; in a word, to try by gentle methods to dispel their prejudices, and neither fawningly fall in with them, nor haughtily scorn them. It is easy to see, that from the pride and self-love which are so natural to man, one who acts in this manner may for a season be very unacceptable, and that he who acts otherwise may be for a season caressed; but it is as easy to see what will be the case in process of time: perseverance in meaning, and in acting worthily, will meet with the due reward of reputation at last; unwearied endeavours to be agreeable may succeed for a while, but will undoubtedly be treated with just contempt in the end. But on the other hand, what can he propose to himself, who studies by every means to be unpopular?-who on all occasions must be expressing resentment and contempt of the people.-Is this the way to recommend unto them the gospel? is this the way to win them to Christ? It is scarcely possible to observe violent abuse of this kind, without suspecting that the people have begun the quarrel; that the rage of disappointment in missing popularity determines such a procedure as much as the manly freedom of sentiment which he pretends for there is not, I dare say, that person living, who would not wish to be well thought

and well spoken of, if it were consistent with justice:-a contrary method of thinking and acting, I shall hardly be brought to account a proof of very great wisdom; as indeed I can conceive nothing more unaccountable, more contemptible, than the whole of such a conduct.

The

Fifth and last source of contempt, which I shall mention, is, immoderate attachment to party and politics. Of all the men in the world, the clergy of at least this part of the kingdom*, seem, from every circumstance, placed farthest out of the circle of politics; is it not then both ridiculous and contemptible for men of this character and profession to strain and bustle out of their proper sphere, and thrust into one where they have, that is, ought to have, no manner of concern?— But the mischief is, we are involved in parties and politics of our own, in conducting which, while we are so blind as to imagine we are doing God good service, his service, strictly and truly so called, is on all hands too much neglected. I would not be thought to recommend indifference about any thing that has a relation to the church of Christ. Matters of government, of discipline, and even of form, must be attended unto: no good subject and son of the church will ever wish

*This discourse was delivered in Scotland.