59I-. AN n1MDLE ATTEMPT, &e. belief or practice. The doctrines, the commands, the types and histories, the prophecies, the promises and threatenings of the word of God, are the brightest, and noblest part of the know- ledge of a minister. These are the things that are able to make vs and our bearers wise to salvation, and to furnish the man of Godfor every good word and work ; 2 Tim. iii. 15, 16. Let us never imagine we know enough of divine things, while we dwell in flesh and blood. God and Christ, and the things of heaven, are fruitful and inexhaustible subjects of our enquiry and knowledge,;, they are so in this world, and they will be so for ever in the world to come. The angels of God pry further into them, nor shall the sons of men ever know them to perfec- tion. These will be the glorious objects of everlasting study, and everlasting entertainment., I might add in the last place, that there are some other parts of human knowledge, which, though they are. not neces- sary, yet are greatly ornamental to a minister in the present age, which is so much enriched with knowledge, viz. some further acquaintancewith modern geography, the nations and kingdoms. of this world ; some general viewof astronomy, the appearances, and seeming or real motions of the sun and moon, stars and planets, and of this earth, which is now generally agreed to be one of the planetary worlds ; to which we may join some skill in philology, criticism on the writingsof men as well as on scrip- ture, and various parts of science which go under the name of the belles lettres,-or polite learning. These are such sort of accomplishments of the mind as will embellish the character of a minister, and render his person andhis labours more accept- able to the world. But amongst all these enquiries and studies, and these various improvements of the mind, let us take heed that none of themcarry our thoughts away too far from our chief and glo- rious design, that is, the nsinisby of the gospel of Christ. Let none of them intrencla upon those hours which should be de- voted to our study of the bible, or preparations for the pulpit and wheresoever' we find our inclinations too much attached to any particular human science, let us set a guard upon ourselves, lest it rob us of our diviner studies, and our best improvement. A minister should remember, that himself, with all his studies, is consecrated to the service of the sanctuary: let every thing be clone therefore with a view to our great end : let all the rest of our knowledge be like lines drawn from the vast circumference of uihivesal nature, pointing to that divine centre, God and religion : and let us .pursue every part of science, with a design to gain better qualifications thereby for our sacred work. For - give me, my friends, that I have dwelt so longon these general preparations for the work of the ministry. Though they are
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