people, and press them up to the highest terms, and squeeze out of them every thing that he possibly can. By such means, he would make a most unfavorable impression, and would probably injure himself, even in a worldly point of view. Men are often too sharp for themselves. By the attempt to overreach, they not only fail of that at which they aim, but lose what otherwise had fairly belonged to them. And although I do not think that ministers, in general, are remarkable for worldly wisdom, or have much skill or success in driving bargains; still, a word of caution may not be wholly unnecessary. In all his arrangements with a people, previous to settlement, although a young man should desire and endeavor that the terms of contract may be definitely stated, and well understood; still, let him manifest (what he ought deeply to feel) that he seeks not theirs, but them; and that he is about to take the oversight of them, "not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind."

I remark once more in regard to a settlement in the ministry, that it should be arranged and consummated with a view to permanency. We live, to be sure, in a changing world. The most sacred relations cannot last always, and may continue but a little while. Circumstances may occur, which shall require the dissolution of the pastoral relation. Health may fail; unforeseen difficulties may ensue; a society may be weakened and broken up; or God in his providence may evidently call the pastor away. Still, the pastoral relation should not be entered into by either party, with the calculation or expectation that it is to be soon or easily dissolved. It should be formed, always, with a view to permanency. It should be formed with the intention and calculation that, unless the Divine hand shall interpose to dissolve it, it is to be

continued. The frequent dismissions and removals which have been taking place in our churches, during the last quarter of a century, are events greatly to be deplored. They are a departure from the primitive order of the gospel, and have gone far towards changing that invaluable ecclesiastical constitution, which has come down to us from the venerated fathers of New England. It is to be hoped that public sentiment, on this subject, is becoming more enlightened, and that the evil is already in the process of being cured.

The day of one's ordination to the ministry, and of his taking upon himself the pastoral care of a Church and people, is a very solemn day. It should never be approached, without much consideration, self-scrutiny, and prayer. Its momentous transactions should not be engaged in, especially by the individual most intimately concerned, without the deepest emotion. He now takes upon himself new and sacred obligations. He binds himself to Christ and his Church, by new and solemn vows. He becomes invested with the holiest office on earth-that of an ambassador of God, and a minister of Jesus. He undertakes the charge of souls! and places himself in a situation in which their salvation or destruction will depend very materially on his teaching and example, and on the manner in which he shall discharge the various duties of his trust. If he is spiritual, skilful, earnest, faithful; he may hope both to save himself and them that hear him. But if he is palpably the opposite of this a blind leader of the blind, both will undoubtedly be destroyed together. Such is the actual situation of every pastor; and such the circumstances into which every young man brings himself, when he assumes the pastoral relation. No wonder he trembles, as the solemn day approaches! No wonder he

is oppressed, and all but overwhelmed, in passing through its momentous scenes!

The Lord prepare all the members of this sacred Seminary, and all the young men of our land who are similarly situated, for solemn ordination vows! And when these vows shall have been made, and the consequent obligations assumed, may the Lord assist and strengthen his youthful ambassadors to be faithful; that his name be glorified, and his kingdom greatly enlarged, through their instrumentality, Amen.

4*

LECTURE III.

Relations after Settlement-to the Parish-to the Church. Every Pastor should be a member of his own Church. Not made a member by the act of Settlement. He is the highest Officer of the Church-its Bishop, its Pastor.

A MINISTER of the gospel, settled after the usual manner in our churches, comes at once to sustain a two-fold relation; first to his church, and secondly to his parish. The parish is a civil corporation, a creature of law; and his relation to it is a civil one, partaking of the nature of a contract. The parish invite him to become their religious teacher; and for his encouragement make to him certain proposals, which he accepts. They agree to pay him a certain sum of money, or to make him a stipulated compensation; and he agrees to perform for them, to the best of his ability, a certain amount of parochial, ministerial labor. This, in brief, is the connection between the settled minister and his parish.

ter.

His connection with his church is a very different matThe church is an ecclesiastical body; and his relation to it is an ecclesiastical one, formed and consummated in an ecclesiastical way. These diverse relations into which an individual, by his settlement, has been brought, are commonly expressed by different names. He is the pastor of his church; he is the minister of his parish. These relations are so diverse, that one of them may exist, without the other. Not unfrequently, one of them does exist, long after the other has been dissolved. The civil contract between a minister and his people may

cease, so that he has no longer any claim on them for pecuniary support, or they on him for ministerial service; and yet his pastoral relation may remain entire. This is commonly the case with the aged pastor, when he receives an assistant, or a colleague. On the other hand, a church may see cause to dismiss its pastor, and his ecclesiastical relation may regularly terminate; and yet the parish may continue in contract with him, and he may labor for them as before. Or what is more frequently done at the present day, a minister may enter into contract with a people to supply them for a limited time, and may renew his contract from year to year, and never sustain any proper pastoral relation to the church. I mention this practice, however, not to approve of it. It is an innovation upon our established customs, and one which, unless under very peculiar circumstances, is to be discouraged.

Of the two relations above referred to, the ecclesiastical one is obviously the more sacred, and the more important. The duties growing out of this relation involve all those resulting from the other, and many more. We will dismiss, therefore, the civil relation (having just adverted to the nature of it) and go into a consideration of the ecclesiastical relation, or that subsisting between a pastor and his church.

And here a question immediately suggests itself, and one of very considerable interest at the present time. Should the pastor become a member of the church over which he is settled? Some very excellent ministers have answered this question in the negative. And the general reason assigned for such an answer is, that by becoming a member of his own church, a minister throws himself into the hands of his church, and comes under their power. They may make him a subject of discipline, and cast him out of the church, and he has no remedy. If