They labor among the poor, the afflicted and the tempted, and it is necessary, that they be qualified not by speculative knowledge only, but by experience for dealing with such. This caused Luther to say, that study, prayer, and temptation, were requisite to fit one for being a minister of the gospel, and his remark is agreeable to that made by an higher authority; ;"whether we are afflicted," said Paul, addressing the Corinthians, "it is for your consolation and salvation, or whether we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation."

The improvement which we ought to make of this subject, has been in some manner declared already, we shall not insist much longer upon it. From what has been said we may

see:

1. That ministers of the gospel are often exposed to trials, the severity of which they cannot well understand, who were never called to public employment in the church. The Apostle Paul, notwithstanding all his gifts and graces, thus addressed christians in his time: "Brethren pray for us." We who are so weak, have surely not less need, especially in this time of affliction and temptation, when the Lord has sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death. Our trials are not indeed to be compared with those which many of the Lord's servants before us have endured, but they are heavy to us whose strength is so small.

2. We may see that those who live in ease, are not likely to be much useful in this ministry. If we should go through the whole catalogue of those who have been most eminent in the service of the gospel, we will find that they were taught in the school of affliction. Moses suffered a long exile in the land of Midian, and after this he had a great fight of affliction to endure in leading Israel through the wilderness. Paul was in deaths often. As the Lord's gracious designs in laying heavy burdens upon them, should reconcile all his people to the cross, so especially such of them as serve him in the ministry of the word: we can ill bear affliction, but we can less bear the want of it. It is fit that seeing we are called to instruct and comfort the afflicted, we ourselves should be taught to endure, as seeing him who is invisible.

3. We may from what has been said, see that ministers of the gospel ought not to bring up an evil report, upon their master's service, as if they were employed in a disagreeable and unprofitable task. The angels neither have, nor desire a more honorable employment than to do his commandments; they count it in no wise grievous, that they are all ministering

spirits sent forth to minister for them, who shall be heirs of salvation. What then are men taken from our ruined family and sent to tell their brethren the good news of salvation through Christ, that they should murmur? This work may be despicable in the eyes of a profane generation, but in God's account it is the highest we can possibly be called unto. It may frequently happen, that through the rage of enemies and the instability of friends, through weakness in ourselves, and fierce assaults from without, our flesh has no rest, and we are troubled on every side; but God who comforteth those that · are cast down, will not suffer us to be always afflicted, and never comforted. He that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.

4. We may see that such as enter into this ministry, ought to count the cost ere they begin. They are most fully and expressly warned. What our Lord Jesus on various occasions said to his apostles, concerning the evil things which an ungodly world would do unto them for his name's sake, is to be remembered by all those whom he at any time calls to serve him in the work of the gospel. Is it to be expected, that going forth under the banner of the captain of salvation, his enemies will not assault us? No man enlists under the banner of an earthly prince or leader, but he must lay his account with fighting, and with the hardships which usually attend men engaged in a warfare. If we expect reproaches and sufferings in our Master's cause, and are through grace resolved to bear these for his sake, the day of trial will be less grievous to us.

5. We may see that love to the cause and work of Christ, will make the afflictions attending this ministry light to his servants. Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it: the prospect of suffering and death, did not make him hesitate or linger in that great service he accomplished for us: the Evangelist Luke, observes that, "when the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem;" he never went up with greater readiness to that city than he did the last time, when he knew that his hour was come, that he should be delivered into the hands of sinful men, who should scourge him and put him to death. Did he in love to the church thus yield himself to ignominy and sorrow? Did he for it become obedient unto death, even the accursed death of the cross? What then have we which is too valuable to be spent in its service? Paul did not count his life too much: "Yea," says he to the Philippians," and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy

and rejoice with you all." "Hereby," says another apostle, "perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

Let it be your prayer, that there may be a succession of faithful ministers of the gospel granted to us by the head of the church. The prophets, the apostles, the most eminent and useful servants of Christ do not continue by reason of death; but the Lord who sent them is Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. Ministers die, but the chief Shepherd lives, and by him this ministry is preserved. He takes the children instead of the fathers, and employs them in his service. He makes the spirit of those who are taken away, to rest on those who succeed them. He calls forth those who were most unlikely, and fits them for his work. Paul was once a blind Pharisee. Augustine was in his younger years an heretic of the worst kind, in his opinions, and a mere slave to the pleasures of sin in his life. Luther was for a long time, a devoted servant of Antichrist, ready as he owns to destroy any one who would have spoken but a word against that Man of Sin. Other eminent lights who labored in the great work of the reformation, were in like manner taken out of the dark kingdom of the beast. Our Lord Jesus will send, by whom he will send; from him we ought to ask the continuance of this ministry among us, and heavenly influence to accompany it.

It is most lamentable, that so many in this land live as heathens, utterly despising the ordinances of Christ; that so many are deluded by a false ministry-by teachers whom the Lord has not sent; that many are led astray by an unfaithful ministry-by men not upright and steadfast in their Master's cause; and that so many profit nothing by the word of God, though preached to them in some measure of plainness and purity. See that ye my brethren, do not provoke the Lord by sinning against the light, to take it away from you. Remember what he did unto Shiloh, for the wickedness of his people Israel. There is many a Shiloh to be seen without going so far as Palestine-places once favored of the Lord, but now in just indignation, forsaken by him. They are instructive monuments to us, calling us to take heed, lest we perish after the same example of apostacy from God.

The improvement which we all ought to make of this subject, is to rely on the mercy of the Lord as sufficient for us in all the service, and in all the sufferings to which we may be severally called, we do not glorify him while we think and

speak of him as an hard master, requiring much and giving little; he is plenteous in mercy; our afflictions may be severe, but they are of a passing nature; whereas to them who fear him, God's mercy never ends; let us therefore hope in the Lord, and when at any time we are brought into great depths, trust that he will bring us out of them, saying with the Psalmist, "thou Lord who hast showed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth."

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

OF THE REV. DAVID SOMERVILLE.

Of this eminent servant of Jesus Christ, I have been able to obtain but a very brief and general account. He was born in Scotland, west of Edinburgh, and after passing through the usual preparatory studies in the country, he entered the University of Edinburgh; having completed the usual academical course, he entered on the study of Theology, under the Rev. William Moncrief, at that time Professor of Theology for the Associate Synod of Scotland. After he was licensed to preach the gospel, he labored chiefly in the bounds of the Presbytery of Glasgow: and having received a call from the Associate congregation at Strathaven, he was ordained and installed there about the year 1769 or 1770. He labored there with distinguished success nearly twenty years; when, by a great loss of blood proceeding from the nose, he found himself unable longer to discharge the duties of the ministry in that place, he gave in the resignation of his charge to the Presbytery, which was accepted. He then took a journey to Ireland, where he remained but a short time. Having a brother, a merchant, in Baltimore, he was induced, in hopes of benefiting his health, by a change of climate and the sea voyage, to come to America. He brought his family with him. He united himself to the Associate Presbytery, on his coming here, and for some time preached, as his health permitted, in their vacancies in Pennsylvania and Virginia. But his health had been radically impaired-he survived his arrival in this country but a year or two. He died in Rockbridge county, Virginia, about the year 1793. The precise date of his coming to America, which, however, must have been in 1790 or 1791-the particulars of his death and the circumstances of his family, have not been ascertained by the writer of this sketch. All who have had any acquaint