5. While offering our general adherence to the doctrines of the Westminster Confession, opportunity might be taken to accompany this with an admonition against the straining of particular expressions in it, so as to infringe on scriptural accuracy, and even against the use of certain expressions altogether. In the same connection, a statement might be put forth of our views as churches on the use and abuse of creeds and confessions.

6. This united declaration from the churches in our communion, as it illustrates and exemplifies, would form a fit occasion of expounding at large the Intercommunity of Churches'—our capability, and use of united action.

We are one of the bodies not endowed with a supreme court, and are probably alluded to in a document recently made public, as a body having a Society or Association which is the bond of Union, and the centre of action,' that will be expected to act in behalf of the churches. Nothing seems more probable than that the committee of the Congregational Union, with their characteristic and commendable caution not to proceed ultra vires, will decline the burden thus imposed of representing the body, and demur to the honour assigned them of being the centre of action in all things to the churches. And for our parts, since the correctness of this view of the constitution of the Union committee admits of serious question, we should regret extremely if, for any cause, the simplicity of their vocation were obscured, or the harmony of their future operations disturbed, by an evil precedent. There remains, however, the expedient, actually in use, of a general meeting of the ministers and members of the churches in our communion; which is as nearly as possible a representation of the body. Let it be understood, then, that at such a meeting held, say on the Tuesday of the week on which the meetings of the Congregational Union are held, if that shall not be too late in the year, a definite proposal, such as is sketched above, will be made, and if it meet the approval of that Convention, shall be followed by the appointment of competent persons to carry out their resolutions, by preparing whatever statements it may be deemed necessary to issue, to make all the arrangements requisite, and to represent the churches in any general Convention that may be held, of various religious bodies disposed to observe this occasion.

In the interval, a series of historical notices, bearing on abovenamed peculiar uses of the occasion, will probably appear in future Numbers.

MONTROSE, Nov., 1842.

J. R. C.

PRAYER FOR PASTORS.

TO THE EDITOR.

DEAR SIR,-Although I am not a minister of the gospel, nor ever likely to be one; yet I think I can, in some measure, enter into their peculiar case, as requiring very especially the prayers of their

people; and this is a truth so very evident, that none of us will deny it, however little we may be alive to the due discharge of the duty. The great apostle of the Gentiles gives us a very striking proof of his deep humility, and the prevailing spirituality of hi character, in repeatedly soliciting the prayers of the believers to whom he wrote. One remarkable instance we have of this in Heb. xiii. 18. "Brethren," says he, " pray for us;" and the reason he assigns deserves peculiar notice, "for we trust we have a good conscience, willing in all things to live honestly;" intimating in a most delicate manner that he had the testimony of conscience, enlightened from above, that his whole conduct was directed by "simplicity and godly sincerity, and not with fleshly wisdom," 2 Cor. i. 12; that he was no deceiver, no hollow friend of Christ, making no specious pretensions to gain a name, to promote sordid or ambitious views, to gain popularity or secure followers; in short, that the grand constraining principle was love to the Lord who bought him with his blood, and commissioned him with the message of everlasting love. And to these his motives, and to his truth, honesty, and integrity in his Master's service, he did not lay claim in a blind or self-sufficient spirit. What a noble example for ministers of the gospel, and for private Christians to study! Singleness of aim and purpose, purity of motive, and entire devotedness to Christ in all we do both in the church and in civil life, so that there may be no ground for doubt or suspicion "whose we are, and whom we

serve.

But further, what a strong evidence have we here of the apostle's deep humility, and constant sense of his own weakness, and entire dependence on divine aid, thus to ask for the prayers of the meanest of his brethren, and of the churches generally. He who had been so highly-favoured of the Lord Jesus in his first calling to the work, in his eminent success, in his singular gifts, and the spiritual communications with which he was favoured, thus to solicit the supplications of fellow-Christians manifests a high degree of spirituality of mind, and affords a fine example and pattern for pastors and church members in all after-ages to the end of time. He had a daily-felt sense of his weakness and his wants. He had a full persuasion of the abundant supply for all these possessed by his exalted Head, and that "the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous" availed much to bring down all gracious influences. If, then, this great man-this most eminent saint and apostle-perhaps the most complete Christian the world ever saw, thus earnestly and often requested the prayers of the churches, how much more, exceedingly more, do pastors now stand in need of our aid at the throne of grace? Their work has lost none of its magnitude or value, and their insufficiency is still the same; but their comfort and encouragement, as well as ours in holding up their hands, is, that Christ "changeth not," his arm is not weakened,. nor his ear heavy, nor his heart unfeeling. Would we then desire to see the labours of our pastors prove an abundant blessing in the churches,-our own souls fed by their labours,-the ignorant and the young instructed,-the notional and formal awakened

among us, and the careless and ungodly truly converted to God, then let prayer for our pastors abound in sincerity, in fervency, and in faith. And here may we not venture to say, that the minister who does not feel a strong sense of the need of his people's prayers, and who is not putting them in mind of this often and earnestly, and not as a matter of mere form; and the church on the other hand, every member of which is not making conscience of holding up his case to the hearer of prayer, and that with intense desire, and not as a part of what we may call religious or professional politeness-both such, to say the least, are not in a thriving condition-and if spiritual languor and sterility, inefficiency and decay shall ensue, we need not wonder! It just comes to this, "Ye have not, because ye ask not."

In order that this subject may not be passed over slightly, and meet with that neglect with which we are all so apt to treat selfevident truths of the utmost moment, readily acknowledged, but constantly forgotten, or very feebly acted upon, permit me to bring to the view of my brethren and my own, a few brief hints on the necessities of our pastors, that so we may be stimulated more fervently to wrestle with God in their behalf, and may not be, as we too often are in this and every duty, "unfitted with an aim," as the poet says, but that our love to them "may abound in knowledge, and in all judgment," Phil. i. 9. The wants and necessities, the trials and peculiar pressures, of the Lord's faithful servants are many and weighty, calling for our prayers and sympathy. We shall notice a few only.

And we may here, first of all, keep in view what respects the outward man. We have to ask for him bodily health and mental vigour and strength. Great are the exertions, and heavy are the demands, on the physical and intellectual powers of a Congregational minister. Let us then feel for them, and pray that, " according as their day, so their strength may be." How many valuable and promising young men have we known cut off prematurely, as we would think, by labour above their ability! The pastor also requires, and is entitled to, maintenance, according to the circumstances of his flock, and some churches are sinfully parsimonious, and others truly unable; indeed most of us are guided more by worldly maxims and customs than by the divine record on this duty. Let it then be carried before the hearer of prayer, that the church may be inclined cheerfully, and enabled fully, to attend to this duty, remembering that he loves a cheerful giver, and is able to make all grace abound toward us, liberally returning into our own bosoms what we in faith and love devote to his service, giving us the "true riches" in exchange.

2. But, more particularly, let us pray the Lord to give him spiritual ability for his work, putting the invaluable treasure into the earthen vessel. That he would make him wise to win souls to Christ, and to feed them with the sincere milk of the word, enabling him to study closely and prayerfully the lively oracles, opening up the treasures there, so that he may prove the wise householder mentioned by his Master, Matt. xiii.; and Paul's "workman that need not be ashamed,"

2 Tim. ii. That he would give him grace and spiritual discernment to be a wise observer of the signs of the times, and the characters of mankind, both professors and those openly wicked. That he may be well acquainted with human nature in its various phases, -the workings of grace in the diversified characters and experience of genuine believers, as well as the manifold deceptions which mankind are constantly imposing on themselves, so as to be led captive by Satan at his will. O what a rich feast the believing soul has ! what heart-refreshing enjoyment, when, after he has been wrestling with God for his pastor and brethren in the family and closet through the week, and especially on the Lord's day morning, he comes to the assembly and finds the Lord has answered his cry, and given his servant "a word in season" just suited to his peculiar exigencies! What a contrast have we in the noisy professor, the speculative hearer, with his itching ears, and harsh criticisms, ever on the wing to be able to answer the common question, "Who is the best preacher?" while his own soul is starving in the midst of plenty. Such cases are making rapid progress to desolation and death, and none are more unwilling to be undeceived.

3. Our pastors stand in need of our prayers for spiritual prosperity to their own souls. Every godly servant of Christ is alive to the vast importance of this; and therefore, let us help them in our prayers for their thriving and progress in the divine life. Never let us forget the heart-thrilling words of the apostle, "Lest when I have preached the gospel unto others, I myself should be a cast-away.' Let us plead for our pastor that he may have a rich experience in his own soul of the truths he declares to others in their value, importance, and suitableness,-that he may have a refreshing and savoury feeding on them while studying and delivering them,-that he may ever speak because he believes, and from experience can commend the truth, saying with the beloved apostle, "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you." That he may never be left to trifle with his message, or to seek to please men or amuse his audience, but by manifestation of the truth may be enabled to have a witness in every one's conscience. In one word, let us pray that being led forward in the divine life himself, he may be a decided example of the value of the gospel in its sanctifying, humbling, transforming, and consolatory tendency, equally remote from a superficial, unfeeling system on the one hand, and mere enthusiasm on the other.

4. Again, the peculiar trials and temptations to which a godly minister is exposed demand our special sympathy and earnest supplications in their behalf. These are many, and as the situation of every individual member has such as belong, in a particular manner, to themselves, and all have their easily besetting sin, we may be well aware that pastors have a large share of such trials as are peculiar to their work. It is to be feared that Christians, even those who have made some progress in godliness, are too little alive to this, and hence the case of our pastors is not borne in mind as it ought to be; hence our prayers are hindered, and our spiritual growth is stunted; and hence an unfeeling censorious spirit is rather en

couraged than checked. They are men of like passions and infirmities as ourselves, carrying about with them a body of sin and death, they have neither wisdom nor might of their own, and neither they nor we can make head against the numerous and subtile enemies that beset them and us without hard fighting, much watchfulness, and diligence, believing prayer, and above all, copious influences of the Spirit of all grace; and, we may be sure, if they are enabled to be particularly laborious and useful, Satan will make them a certain butt of his malice, and his numerous machinations. Let us all, therefore, make conscience of holding up the hands by our prayers as well as by our combined exertions. We may just hint at a few of the pastor's trials that, on a little reflection, will occur to every Christian mind. How many are they exposed to from an ungodly world,—such as calumny and reproach, their motives to exertion in their work, and their principles mistaken and misrepresented,-their endeavours to do good resisted,-their message of truth and mercy either despised or abused, either altogether shut out, or listened to with a critical and fastidious taste, and thus becoming care hardened and sermon proof, to use an old-fashioned phrase. O how painful must it be to a tender-hearted man of God who knows something of the apostle's feeling when he speaks of travailing in birth for his beloved children, to find, after his most diligent preparation, the most solemn truths, the most important realities, treated by many of his audience as if they were idle tales, either totally unheeded, or the doctrines of free grace trifled with, and in some cases turned into licentiousness! Let him, then, have our constant fervent supplications before God. Again, what a trial for him is popularity? Pride, self-esteem, and conceit, are rank weeds in our depraved minds, and which he has to war against. This is a rock which has occasioned the shipwreck of many preachers who once promised well for extensive usefulness. If, instead of this, success should be denied, how prone to be dispirited and to despond, the hands hanging down, and Satan taking advantage to paralyze his exertions in the pulpit, and from house to house, as well as in itinerating labours. Further, a pastor is exposed to temptations, to unfaithfulness on the one hand, or to unchristian severity on the other, either to handle the word of God deceitfully from fear of man, or the indulging of his own spirit and "the wrath of man." Again, let us think of his trials with the people of his immediate charge more especially; such as offences breaking out, scandals taking place, promising blossoms blighted; tale-bearing, gossipping, heart-burnings among members; all these marring his labours, and proving very trying to the faithful and affectionate servant of Christ, who watches for souls as he who must give account; -trying to his faith and patience-to his temper, to his talents, and to his finest feelings. Some of the members are weak and low in their attainments; some are captious and unduly attached to old systems, and a peculiar phraseology; others, again, conformed to the world, either in its covetousness, or its amusements and frivolity; some expecting far too much of a minister, and others fulsome in their flattery. We find the apostle Paul exposed to all these many and opposite grounds of trial among the early churches, from his