if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings s."]
But far greater encouragement is given to us under the Christian dispensation —
[The Gospel is far more powerful than the law. It is, by way of eminence, " the rod of God's strength4;" and has been in every age " the power of God unto salvation, to all who truly believed itu." St. Paul, by means of it, " turned multitudes from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto Godx." To the Thessalonian Church he could make his appeal : " Ye see what manner of entering in we had unto you ; and how ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to comey." And are not we also assured, that, if we " take heed to ourselves and to our doctrine, we shall both save ourselves and them that hear usz?"
Behold, then, what encouragement is here ! Were we in- strumental only to the saving of one soul, it would well repay a whole life of labour. Yet may we hope to " turn many unto righteousness," if we faithfully discharge our high office ; and, as the fruit of our labours, to have " many for our joy and crown of rejoicing in the last daya."
Address —
1. Those who have taken, or are about to take, upon themselves the sacred office of the ministry —
[You have seen what holy and useful priests there were under the law : and shall we, whose employment is so much more spiritual, be less distinguished under the Gospel ? Think,
I pray you, of your obligations your offices
and your encouragements ; and " give yourselves wholly to these things," that your profiting may appear unto all. At the same time, bear in mind your fearful responsibility : for of all people under heaven, none are so contemptible in the sight both of God and man, as those who violate their covenant- engagements, and mind the fleece only, instead of attending to their flocks b ]
2. Those who desire to derive benefit from the ministry of the Gospel —
s Jer. xxiii. 21, 22. ' Ps. ex. 2, u Rom. i. 16.
x Acts xxvi. 18. y 1 Thess. i. 9, 10. z 1 Tim. iv. 16.
a 1 Thess. ii. 19, 20.
b ver. 8, 9. with 1 Sam. ii. 30. This subject should be touched with a due regard to the age and authority of the preacher.