army of Sennacherib. St. John has thrown some light upon this profound mystery, by asserting, "There is a sin unto death;" (1 John v. 16;) and the case of Ahab is fully in point; for when that king had committed this sin, a spirit of error received immediate orders to lead him forth to execution upon the plains of Ramoth-Gilead. 1 Kings xxii. 20, 22. This awful doctrine is further confirmed by St. Luke, when he relates, that in the same instant when the people, in honour of Herod, "gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man, the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory; and he was eaten up of worms, and gave up the ghost." Acts xii. 22, 23. The punishment thus inflicted by the immediate order of God was always proportioned to the nature of the offence. If the sin was not unto death, it was followed by some temporary affliction, as in the cases of Elymas and the incestuous Corinthian. If the crime committed was of such a nature that the death of the sinner became necessary, either for the salvation of his soul, for the reparation of his crime, or to alarm those who might probably be corrupted by his pernicious example, he was then either smitten with some incurable disease, as in the case of Herod, or struck with immediate death, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, who sought to veil their hypocrisy with appearances of piety, and their double-dealing with a lie. Had M. Voltaire considered the Christian church as a wellregulated species of theocracy, he would have seen the folly of his whole reasoning, with respect to the authority of that church in its primitive state. And, convinced that God has a much greater right to pronounce by his ministers a just sentence of corporeal punishment, and even death itself, than any temporal prince can claim to pronounce such sentence by his officers, that daring philosopher, instead of pointing his sarcasms against an institution so reasonable and holy, would have been constrained to tremble before the Judge of all the earth.

Finally it is to be observed, that when this kind of jurisdiction was exercised in the church, the followers of Christ, not having any magistrates of their own reli

gion, lived altogether under the government of heathenish rulers, who frequently tolerated those very crimes which were peculiarly offensive to the pure spirit of the gospel. And on this account God was pleased to permit the most eminent among his people, on some extraordinary occasions, to exercise that terrible power, which humbled the offending church of Corinth, and overthrew the sorcerer Elymas in his wicked career. If it be inquired, "What would become of mankind, were the clergy of this day possessed of the extraordinary power of St. Paul?" we answer: The terrible manner in which St. Paul sometimes exercised the authority he had received, with respect to impenitent sinners, is not left as an example to the ecclesiastics of the present day, unless they should come (which is almost impossible) into similar circumstances, and attain to equal degrees of discernment, faith, and charity with this apostle himself.

TRAIT XXVII.

HIS PERFECT DISINTERESTEDNESS.

IF "charity seeketh not her own," and if it is required that the "conversation" of the faithful should "be without covetousness," it becomes the true minister, in an especial manner, to maintain an upright and disinterested conduct in the world.

Though it be true, that "they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar," yet nothing is so detestable to the faithful pastor as the idea of enriching himself with the sacred spoils of that altar. Observe how St. Paul expresses himself upon this subject: "We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. Having," therefore, "food and raiment, let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in perdition. For the

love of money is the root of all evil: which while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God," who art set apart as a minister of the everlasting gospel, "flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness." 1 Tim. vi. 7-11. With regard to myself, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Phil. iv. 11, 12. "Neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness. For ye remember our labour and travail, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you. Ye are our witnesses, and God also, how holily, and justly, and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe." 1 Thess. ii. 5, 9, 10. "Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you." 2 Cor. xii. 14, 15. Behold the disinterestedness of the faithful shepherd, who is ever less ready to receive food and clothing from the flock, than to labour for its protection and support. Behold the spirit of Christ! And let the pastor who is influenced by a different spirit draw that alarming inference from his state which he is taught to do by the following expression of St. Paul :---"If any man hath not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Rom. viii. 9.

Happy would be the Christian church were it blessed with disinterested pastors! Avaricious ministers, who are more taken up with the concerns of earth than with the things of heaven, who are more disposed to enrich their families than to supply the necessities of the poor, who are more eager to multiply their benefices or to augment their salaries, than to improve their talents and increase the number of the faithful; such ministers, instead of benefiting the church, harden the impenitent, aggravate their own condemnation, and force infidels to believe

that the holy ministry is used, by the generality of its professors, as a comfortable means of securing to themselves the perishable bread, if not the fading honours, of the present life.

TRAIT XXVIII.

HIS CONDESCENSION IN LABOURING, AT TIMES, WITH HIS OWN HANDS, THAT HE MIGHT PREACH INDUSTRY BY EXAMPLE, AS WELL AS BY PRECEPT.

SUCH is the disinterestedness of the true minister, that though he might claim a subsistence from the sacred office to which he has been solemnly consecrated, yet he generously chooses to sacrifice his rights when he cannot enjoy them without giving some occasion for reproach. To supply his daily wants, he is not ashamed to labour with his own hands, when he is called to publish the gospel, either among the poor, or in those countries where the law has not appointed him a maintenance, as among heathen nations and savage tribes; nor will he refuse to do this when his lot falls among a slothful people, animating them to diligence in their several vocations by his prudent condescension, that the gospel may not be blamed. In such circumstances, if his own patrimony is insufficient for his support, no disciple of Jesus will blush to follow the example of St. Paul, who gives the following representation of his own conduct in cases of a like nature:"Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that you might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? When I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. But that I may cut off occasion from them that desire occasion," and who would not fail to represent

me as a self-interested person, were they able to charge me with the enjoyment of my just rights among you 2 Cor. xi. 7-12. "I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have showed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of our Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts xx. 33-35. "Ye know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busy-bodies." 2 Thess. iii. 7—11. Happy were those times of Christian simplicity, when the apostles of Christ thought it no disgrace to follow some useful occupation, for the relief of their temporal necessities; when, instead of eating the bread of idleness, they cast their nets alternately for fishes and for men; when they quitted the tabernacles in which they were wont to labour, for the sacred recreation of setting before sinners " a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." Of how much greater value were the nets of St. Peter, than dogs of the chase; and the working implements of St. Paul, than those tables of play, at which many of his unworthy successors are now seeking amusement!

But notwithstanding all the circumspection and prudence of the faithful pastor, even though he should think it necessary to preach industry by example, as well as by precept; yet if his exhortations are more frequent than those of his lukewarm brethren, he will be reproached by the irreligious part of the world, as an indirect advocate for indolence. The enemies of piety and truth are still ready to renew the old objection of Pharaoh against the