once in the week. It also preserves from the dangerous situation, of drawing nigh unto God with the mouth, and honouring Him with the lips, whilst the heart is far from Him; and it is peculiarly adapted to the performance of that worship in spirit and in truth, concerning which our blessed Redeemer has given this memorable testimony: "The hour cometh and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and in truth."*

In addition to the foregoing reasons, many passages may be adduced from the Scriptures, pointing out the advantage of silent waiting upon God. In reading those devotional effusions, which have been transmitted to us in the book of Psalms, we find this waiting strongly and frequently inculcated. The evangelical prophet likewise speaks frequently of the benefit of such a state of waiting, in which silence is either expressed, or necessarily implied. The latter part of the fortieth chapter, and the beginning of the forty-first, are so

* John iv. 23, 24.

apposite to the present subject, and, at the same time, so replete with religious instruction and consolation, that it may be useful to give them at large: "Why sayest thou, O Jacob! and speakest, O Israel! My way is hid from the Lord; and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men utterly fall but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint. Keep silence before me, O islands! and let the people renew their strength; let them come near, then let them speak; let us come near together to judgment."*

But, whilst we are laying aside the outward forms, we are far, very far indeed, from desiring to discourage the practice of true prayer. It is a duty which we owe to our great Creator; and which the feelings of our own manifold

*Isaiah xl. 27 to 31. and xli. 1.

"*

wants and dangers, will often draw from the rightly concerned mind. It is indeed difficult to conceive, how any thing deserving the name of religion can be preserved without it.— "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation," is an injunction delivered by our Holy Head and High Priest, who in this, as in many other instances, has shown, that He was, as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews expresses it, "touched with the feeling of our infirmities;"+ for He immediately adds: “The spirit indeed is willing ; but the flesh is weak.”

In this command, our blessed Lord sets forth both the necessity and the preparation for this great duty, which constitutes a very important part of religious worship. We are not to rush hastily or unpreparedly either into private or public prayer; but, having our minds engaged in true watchfulness, or waiting for the influence of the Holy Spirit upon the soul, we thereby become qualified to put up our petitions to the Father of Spirits, in such a manner as the impressions which He affords us of our wants shall indicate. And when we are brought into a humbling consideration of the many

* Matt. xxvi. 41.

+ Heb. iv. 15.

mercies and favours, of which we are unworthy partakers; as the objects of creation, of redemption, and of that bountiful provision which is made for us; we shall find abundant cause frequently to offer that praise, by which the Almighty is glorified; and of which He is, with the Son of his love, through the eternal Spirit, for ever worthy.

After these remarks on religious worship, we proceed to the consideration of the subject of Gospel Ministry.

The right qualification of those who occupy the station of ministers, is of great importance to every religious society. It will, I presume, be universally agreed to be, in the first place, necessary, that the principles and practice of these, should correspond with their profession and station; and next, that they be called and qualified, according to the nature and principles of that religion, which they stand forth to espouse. To apply these self-evident rules to the Christian religion, under its various divisions, it must be deemed necessary for a gospel minister, that he possesses a heartfelt conviction of the truths of Christianity, as well as of the principles of that particular society, of which he is a member; also that his moral conduct be

such as the gospel of Christ requires. When there is any material deficiency either in principle or practice, there is reason to fear that such will do more injury than benefit to the cause of religion ; as well as render themselves objects of disgust and contempt. "Unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes; or that thou shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth; seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee?

As to the further qualification for a gospel minister, although the definition already given may be generally agreed to, yet, in the application of it, there exists some diversity of sentiment. As the nature and principles of the Christian religion are the same now as formerly, we conceive that the same Divine call and influence, which qualified the early ministers and promulgators of the Gospel, should be, in a degree at least, experienced by its ministers to the end of the world: especially as we have no other qualification pointed out in the Holy Scriptures. This call was "not of men, neither by man; but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father."+ We believe that the same is inwardly and immediately received, by the true

*Psal 1. 16, 17.

+ Gal. i. 1.