as are duly prepared; and in
the simple manner prescribed by Christ. Tenderly is he to take care of
the poor; to sympathize with the afflicted; impartially to visit the
sick; to deal plainly with their consciences, and to exhort and pray
over them in the name of the Lord. With impartiality, zeal, meekness,
and prudence, he is to rule and govern the church, to admonish the
unruly, to rebuke offenders, to excommunicate the incorrigible, and to
absolve the penitent. Habitually is he to give himself to effectual
fervent prayer, for his flock, and for the Church of God, travailing as
in birth till Jesus be formed in the souls of men. Be a man's parts,
diligence, and apparent piety what they will, negligence in this will
blast his ministrations, and too clearly mark, that he is therein
chiefly influenced by some carnal motive of honor or gain. Finally, he
is constantly to walk before his flock a distinguished pattern of
sobriety, righteousness, holiness, humility, heavenliness, temperance,
charity, brotherly kindness, and every good word and work. Without this
his ministrations appear but a solemn farce of deceit, 2 Tim. ii. 4; 1
Tim. iv. 15; 2 Tim. iv. 2.

Can ministers' reading of sermons consist with the dignity of their
office? Did Jesus or his apostles ever show them an example of this? No.
At Nazareth, when he read his text in the book of Esaias, he _closed his
book_, and discoursed to the people. On the mount _he opened his mouth,
and taught_: we hear not that he took out his papers and read. Peter, in
his sermon at Pentecost, _lifted up his voice, and said_: his papers and
reading we hear nothing of. After reading of the law and the prophets,
the rulers of the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia, desired Paul and
Barnabas, not to _read_, but to _say on_. Our adored Saviour knew well
enough how to direct his ambassadors; yet he ordered them to _go and
preach_, not _read_, the gospel to every creature, Luke iv. 20, 21;
Matt. v. 2; Acts ii. 14, and xiii. 15. How hard to believe, that he who
gives gifts to men, for the edifying of his body, would send the
sermonist, whose memory and judgment are so insufficient, that from
neither he can produce an half hour's discourse without reading it! How
dull and insipid the manner! How absurdly it hinders the Spirit's
assistance, as to matter during the discourse! How shameful! Shall the
bookless lawyer warmly and sensibly plead almost insignificant trifles,
and shall the ambassador of