against which sin, the world, and the devil, have ever directed their deadliest attacks, and applied their subtlest arts.

It has been the character, doubtless, of all times, no less than our own; it has been an attempt coeval with the fall itself, to substitute something else in the place of those true Regenerating acts which restore the soul to God, and qualify it for the everlasting presence and enjoyment of its Maker. With this view have been framed all the idolatries of the heathen, and all the superstitions of the christian world. In the present day, the faithful Watchman has to guard much against the error of supposing even a sound and clear exposition of the truth itself, " as it is in Jesus Christ," to be the whole (though a necessary part) of vital religion. Nor will he be less jealous of a certain tendency, now abroad, to by-gone superstitions, which would seem to mistake the Sacraments of grace for the Grace itself which they represent; or which would describe the blessings of Justification, and even Sanctification also, as changes into which we pass unconsciously; transitions of soul conducted independently of that one great personal act of justifying "faith," by which our Church expressly declares "we first come to God." Mistakes or misstatements of this nature lie at the root of all error; and they essentially weaken the force of those so

lemn appeals, made by the most faithful of all human Watchmen: "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace: For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith"-adding, "Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?" And the Apostle ends his address in the same strain: For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God."*

I can here only hint at these and similar dangers, against which I am persuaded all now present have been sufficiently warned. I do so, mainly to illustrate the nature of our spiritual Watchmanship-an office of trust over conscious and immortal Souls; over Souls, redeemed by "the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot ;" and needing the most effective and most conclusive of all changes, in order to be restored to the favour and the image of the great Father of all.

II. What further remains, in the Second place, to be stated from the text, may be very obviously gathered from the foregoing remarks; and may God write it upon the hearts of all who now are,

* Gal. v. 4. 5.7. and vi. 15. 16.

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or shall hereafter be entrusted with this ministry! They watch for your souls, as they that must give account." In other words, We are THE

SUBJECTS OF A FINAL AND MOST SOLEMN ACCOUNT.

The minister, in common with the least of his flock, has in keeping his own soul. In urging others around him to work in the vineyard, he must not have to say at last, "Mine own vineyard have I not kept." It is impossible that he should effectually watch for others, except he first attend to his own spiritual state. "Take heed unto yourselves" and to all the flock." As it has been said, we must often converse with others, in order well to know ourselves; so must we converse with ourselves, and well understand the secrecies of our own heart, if we would know with effect the hearts of others. By thus entering upon a due estimate of our own character in private, we may fitly measure Our public influence-the influence of our example, of our studies, of our prayers-for the general good.

Not that success, whether real, or much less, apparent—for much is apparent which is not real, and some may be real which is not apparent is to be reckoned as the test of our own state of acceptance with God. Far from it. That, rather, which may serve the most to disappoint, to humble, to bring us to prayer, and even to the very dust before God, may be that which

shall in the end most surely work to "save ourselves, and them that hear us." For the number of those who shall prove our "joy and crown of rejoicing" at the great day, blessed be God, we are not responsible. We are but instruments ordained for the purposes of His secret and sovereign grace; and if but one Soul be gained to the chief Shepherd by our instrumentality, it might well repay the labours and cares, the watching and the praying hours of a whole life.

But there is an affection of soul, there is an earnestness of desire, an energy of zeal, a firmness of purpose on the one hand, and a patience and long-suffering on the other, due from us to this our great and solemn, this our most interesting and engaging work; and for these our own awakened hearts will prove our surest warrant, and all I have described will afford the loudest demand. Can any call be greater than to know, that it is for immortal Souls that we are watching; and that, in the discharge of our sacred office, the dispositions above mentioned form the very standard and measure of our "account" at last? In this work it were difficult to say, whether the love of Souls, or the love of Christ, will be the predominant incentive of the Christian Watchman. But say, that the love of Christ constrains us as our first and all-commanding motive; then will zeal for our Master's honour, and

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love for our Master's work, draw us forth into an affection more like His, in behalf of those for whom He died and as ambassadors for Christ, we shall reiterate in loudest strains the fervent

call, "Be ye reconciled to God."

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Then shall we properly assume the authority, no less than display the earnestness of the Watchman for souls. "Let a man so account of us," says St. Paul in the Epistle of this day, "as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful." To which he immediately adds" But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment. . . He that judgeth me is the Lord." "We then "watch for souls, as they thatt mus give account;" but our accountableness, like the Apostle's, is to God. There it begins; there also it ends. We exercise an office amenable to no human judgment. Those who, on this day, having "used well the office of a Deacon, purchase to themselves" the order of the Priesthood, will feel,-as they hereafter pronounce the sentence, "He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel,"-that in those signal words are contained their own sacred delegated powers. Each will limit the appli

* 1 Cor. iv. 1-4.