SOME NEGATIVE RULES

GIVEN TO A

YOUNG MINISTER

GOING INTO A SITUATION OF PECULIAR DIFFICULTY.

As I kn

SI know you have received much good advice, I would suggest to you a few hints of a negative kind; with a view of admonishing you to be careful, while you are doing your work, not by any mistakes of your own to hinder your success

I. BY FORGETTING THAT YOUR SUCCESS WITH OTHERS IS VERY MUCH CONNECTED WITH YOUR PERSONAL CHARACTER.

Herod heard John gladly, and he did many things; because he knew the preacher to be a just and holy man. Words uttered from the heart find their way to the heart, by a holy sympathy. Character is

power:

"A good man seen, though silent, counsel gives."

If you would make deep impressions on others, you must use all means to have them first formed on your own mind. Avoid, at the same time, all appearances of evil-as a covetous or worldly, a

vain or assuming, a careless or indevout deportment. Never suffer jesting with sacred persons or things. Satan will employ such antidotes as these, to counteract the operation of that which is effective and gracious in a Minister's character.

II.

BY PLACING YOUR DEPENDENCE ON ANY
MEANS, QUALITIES, OR CIRCUMSTANCES, HOW-
EVER EXCELLENT IN THEMSELVES.

He

The direct way to render a thing weak, is, to lean on it as strong. God is a jealous God; and will utterly abolish idols as means of success. designs to demonstrate that men and creatures are what he makes them, and that only. This also should be your encouragement :-looking, in the diligent and humble use of means, to that Spirit of Life and Power without whose influence all your endeavours will be to no purpose, you have reason to expect help suited and adequate to all your difficulties.

III. BY

UNNECESSARILY APPEARING IN DANGEROUS OR IMPROPER SITUATIONS.

It is one thing to be humble and condescending: it is another to render yourself common, cheap, and contemptible. The men of the world know when a Minister is out of his place-when they can oppress him by numbers or circumstances- when they can make him laugh, while his office frowns. Well will it be for him, if he is only rendered

ABSURD in his future public admonitions, by his former compliances; well if, being found like St. Peter on dangerous ground, he is not seduced, virtually at least, to deny his Master.

IV. BY SUSPICIOUS APPEARANCES IN HIS FAMILY.

As the head of your household you are responsible for its appearances. Its pride, sloth, and disorder will be yours. You are accountable for your wife's conduct, dress, and manners; as well as those of your children, whose education must be peculiarly exemplary. Your family is to be a picture of what you wish other families to be: and, without the most determined resolution, in reliance on God, to finish this picture COST WHAT IT WILL, your recommending Family Religion to others will but create a smile. Your unfriendly hearers will recollect enough of Scripture to tell you that you ought, like the Primitive Bishop, to be one, that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity: for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God?

V. BY MEDDLING, BEYOND YOUR SPHERE, IN TEMPORALS.

Your aim and conversation, like your sacred call, are to be altogether heavenly. As man of God, you have no concern with politics and

parties and schemes of interest, but you are to live above them. There is a sublime spirit in a devoted Minister, which, as one says of Christianity itself, pays no more regard to these things than to the battles of rooks, the industry of ants, or the policy of bees.

VI. BY VENTURING OFF GENERAL AND ACKNOWLEDGED GROUND IN SPIRITUALS.

By giving strong meat, instead of milk, to those who are yet but babes-by giving heed to fables, which minister questions rather than godly edifying; amusing the mind, but not affecting the heart; often disturbing and bewildering, seldom convincing; frequently raising a smile, never drawing a tear.

VII. BY MAINTAINING ACKNOWLEDGED TRUTH IN YOUR OWN SPIRIT.

Both food and medicines are injurious, if administered scalding hot. The spirit of a teacher often effects more than his matter. Benevolence

is a universal language: and it will apologize for a multitude of defects, in the man who speaks it; while neither talents nor truth will apologize for pride, illiberality, or bitterness. Avoid, therefore, irritating occasions and persons, particularly disputes and disputants, by which a Minister often loses his temper and his character.

VIII. BY BEING TOO SHARP-SIGHTED, TOO QUICK

EARED, OR TOO READY-TONGUED.

Some evils are irremediable: they are best neither seen nor heard: by SEEING and HEARING things which you cannot remove, you will create implacable adversaries; who, being guilty aggressors, never forgive. Avoid SPEAKING meanly or harshly of any one: not only because this is forbidden to Christians, but because it is to declare war as by a thousand heralds.

IX.

BY THE TEMPTATIONS ARISING FROM THE
FEMALE SEX.

I need not mention what havoc Satan has made in the Church, by this means, from the Fall to this day. Your safety, when in danger from this quarter, lies in flight-to parley, is to fall. Take the first hint from conscience, or from friends.

In fine, Watch thou in all things: endure afflictions: do the work of an evangelist: make full proof of thy ministry: and then, whether those around you acknowledge your real character or not now, they shall one day know that there hath been a prophet among them!