ADDRESS OF THE REV. PETER ROE.

A Christian friend who was present during the week of our Annual Meetings, and who took a report of the Rev. Peter Roe's address to the Clergymen assembled in Dublin on that occasion, has forwarded it to us for publication. We gladly avail ourselves of an opportunity thus afforded of giving a greater publicity to a speech which so powerfully impressed those who heard it delivered, and consequently present it to our readers, as well deserving the most attentive perusal.

"I believe that the oldest minister, or the oldest man now living, has never witnessed a period in the history of Ireland, filled with circumstances of more overwhelming interest to every man who bears the Christian name, than those which are now passing in our country. And whether we direct our attention to the aspect of our political affairs, which lower with dark forebodings to many, though relieved occasionally with a gleam of happiness, promised by those who assent to the measures which are adopted; or whether we turn our view to the all-important religious circumstances of our land-poor, pillaged, degraded, and insulted as she is, we must at once acknowledge that there is a spirit of inquiry now afloat, which the great Arch-enemy, aided by all the powers of darkness that he ever has at hand to do his pleasure, shall not be able to control. God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform; his ways are in the sea, and his footsteps in dark waters he does as he pleases among the children of men, and gives no account of his matters; but we may rest assured, that He will overrule all that has passed, or is passing, to the furtherance of his own glory, the good of his church, and the salvation of his people. And the blessings which, day by day, are poured out upon the country, in the circulation of the Scriptures, in the scriptural education of the people, and, in the faithful statements of divine truth from the pulpit and platform, manifest, beyond a

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doubt, that goodness and mercy are following us all the days of our life, and that God makes even the "wrath of man to praise him."

Amidst all the conflicting elements with which we are surrounded, surely duties of no ordinary nature devolve upon him who has undertaken to minister in holy things, and who has the care of souls committed to him, that he may both

"Allure to brighter worlds, and lead the way.”

For if the watchman slumbers, and does not warn his people, the enemy will enter and lead them captive at his will; and if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for the battle?

I am persuaded that some remarks upon the conduct to be observed in these troublous times by ministers of the Gospel, should be peculiarly acceptable at this season: and, as I had the great happiness of being in Dublin during the week of our Annual Jubilee, and hearing the impressive and affectionate admonition of our dear and respected brother and fellow-minister, who was called to address his clerical brethren at our private meeting, I have been led to believe, that giving publicity to what he said upon that occasion would afford a high gratification to those who were not present, as well as those who were; and I rejoice at being enabled, however imperfectly, to transmit to you for insertion in your valuable publication, the chief points touched upon, at the time to which I have alluded.

The portion of Scripture which he selected for the occasion was the commencement of the 4th chapter of 2d Timothy-" I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand."

The first thing which presents itself to our notice is the great solemnity of the address of the apostle,-"I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom." The same solemnity should ever characterize our addresses to our people: we should charge them before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who soon shall make his appearance for the establishment of his kingdom, and shall pass upon the quick and the dead, a judgment which shall fix their doom for all eternity; and we should not only tell them that there is an eternity, but that that eternity is near. We should exhibit a like solemnity in our actions as in our words; we should manifest in our outward conduct that we are the Lord's servants, that we

are not our own, but are bought with a price: for as there may be many to whom we cannot address ourselves, we should let our light shine before them, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven. And still let us remember, as a good man once said, that "all our words will be of no use, without the note and comment of a holy life."

"Preach the word "-preach the whole of God's revealed will as He was pleased to give it to us, not dwelling on threatening to the exclusion of promise, nor on promise to the exclusion of threatening; not exalting doctrine above practice, nor practice above doctrine, nor one doctrine above another; but rightly dividing the word of truth, let us give every man his portion of meat in due season. Let us remember that all men are sinners: that, as sinners, we bear about with us all the infirmities of our fallen nature; and one of those against which we, as ministers, should ever be on the watch, is self-confidence, that of thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. And let us pray that the grace of the Spirit may be out-poured upon us, that we may be enabled to lie low at the feet of Jesus, content to become mere learners in the school of Christ.

"Preach the word." In the first place, preach that man is a totally fallen creature-not partially but totally fallen; for if we are not fully persuaded of this fundamental doctrine of Christianity, we never can understand the manifestation of the grace of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. If we err in this grand point, we err throughout: if this link of the chain is deficient, we shall never know any thing as we ought to know, of the spirituality of the law, or the holiness of that God with whom we have to do.

Secondly. Preach the obedience unto death of the Lord Jesus Christ; that by the one oblation of himself once offered, he has made a full, perfect, and sufficient satisfaction for the sins of the whole world. Present that Saviour as near to every one of us; that we need not ascend into heaven, as if Christ was to be brought down from above: that we need not descend into the deep as if Christ was to be brought up again from the dead: but if we confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and shall believe in our hearts that God has raised him from the dead, we shall be saved. But let us, at the same time, tell our people, that "if we have not the Spirit of Christ, we are none of his ;" that "except a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Let us tell them, that "where the Spirit of Christ is, there is liberty;" and, that "if any man be in Christ he is a new creature, that old things pass away, and all becomes new."

"Preach the word," in reference to holiness; for though the declaration of the Apostle, "by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast," is that which alone can give comfort to the guilty sinner; yet that faith is the operation of God, it descendeth from above, and is the work of the Holy Spirit. And while we say, "behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the

world;" that "the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin," and, that sprinkled on the heart, it cleanseth it from an evil conscience, yet that faith is a continually influencing principle, exciting the believer to bring forth works to the glory and the praise of God.

In the discharge of those great duties, there will ever be a variety of success proportioned to the various dispositions and qualifications of ministers. Some are Boanergeses, or sons of thunder, while others are, like Barnabas, sons of consolation; but it is only by profound humility on our part, a looking out of self as if we were anything, and a simple dependance on the divine blessing, that we can hope to be made the honoured instruments of turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just. But there is one grand object which we should always seek, that is, the conversion of those to whom we speak. Let us not think, when we have preached to them, that our work is done; we must then pray for a blessing upon our labours, and should earnestly desire to see some fruits of our ministry, not, however, with any unscriptural anxiety, lest it should tend to self-complacency, but to see that God's word is running and is glorified, and that they who were lying in nature's darkness are brought to the light and liberty of the gospel. O what an honour if we are allowed to see that we are winning souls to Christ! It is our duty, however, to act as husbandmen, to give all diligence in sowing the seed and if we are not permitted to reap, let our record be on high; for "herein is that saying true, one soweth and another reapeth," but all shall rejoice together before the Lord Jesus Christ, at his appearing and his kingdom.

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To excite ministers to earnestness in the great work in which we are engaged, it is well for us to remember our ordination vow, that we will be diligent to frame and fashion ourselves and our families according to the doctrine of Christ: and to make both ourselves and them, as much as in us lieth, wholesome examples and patterns to the flock of Christ." And that we may be enabled to give ourselves wholly to these things, it will be necessary for us to withdraw ourselves as much as possible from the world and the things of the world. We shall find, from sad experience, if we look to ourselves, our families, or our rank in society, and the customs usual in such rank, that the world presents many images, all calculated to withdraw our minds from the great object which we should have in view, to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, to be conformed as much as possible to His image, and to say as the apostle, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom (he adds) the world is crucified to me, and I to the world." One of the great things which Christ came to do for his people is, to deliver them from this present evil world: "and who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Christ: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." We must not then be conformed to this world, but we must be transformed by the renewing of our mind: for we cannot " reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine," if any of those amongst whom

we minister can point the finger at us and say, "physician, heal thyself: you preach to us the necessity of our being separated from the world, and the things of the world, in that station of life in which we are placed, and yet you yourself are conformed to the world, and are not transformed in the renewing of your mind."Whatever we say should appear manifestly to come from hearts filled with the importance of what we declare; else the preaching of the most eloquent will, in truth, be found to be a mere sounding brass and tinkling cymbal," whilst the greatest stammerer, who is slow of speech and of a slow tongue, if the light of Christ shines in him, shall find his message blessed above that of the doubleminded man, who is unstable in all his ways.

It is not possible we can notice all the points brought forward by the apostle in the passage before us. In the 5th verse he exhorts us to "watch in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, and make full proof of our ministry." This is peculiarly applicable to our circumstances at the present instant; while we watch in all things to make full proof of our ministry, let us remember that man is a thinking being, that the people amongst whom we are placed are a thinking people; and as one of those subjects which so long has agitated their minds is about being removed, let us be the first in the field to present new matter for the exercise of their minds; and let us direct their attention to the consideration of those things which concern their everlasting peace. Whilst we feel our own weakness and ignorance, let us ever be found supplicating for the directing influences of God's Spirit: let us pray "what I see not, teach thou me." Let us set our affections on things above, not on things of the earth, for where our treasure is, there should our heart be also; and the treasure of the true servant of God is in heaven, for his treasure is Christ. Then we shall increase in happiness as we increase in knowledge: for as there are chambers of imagery in the heart of man, which one after another lead us to further discoveries of the iniquity which is within them, so also in the things of God, there are chambers within chambers: as you have entered one, you find another conducting to new beauties; still greater and greater treasures are discovered to those who are pressing forward; and yet after a life spent in their enjoyment, our tongues would fail in attempting to describe them, and we should be constrained to say, "behold the half is not told."

How happy is it, that Christian ministers have thus an opportunity of assembling together! How thankful should we be for this as well as the other blessings of providence! And indeed we may say, in the words of an eminent Christian, "if we are thankful for the providences of God in our daily walk, we shall never want providences for which to be thankful." In the time of our separation during the coming year, may all men be enabled to take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus; and if we are granted the privilege of meeting again, may each of us be enabled to say that Christ is precious to us, "whom having not seen, we love; in whom, though now we see him not, yet believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”

R. F.