The Humble Preacher The Most useful. 265 THE HUMBLE PREACHER THE MOST : USEFUL. A VERY pious man being ordained minister in Fifeshire, some of his people left hearing him, and went to other churches, in the neighbourhood. He, one day, meeting some of them, asked them whither they were going. They replied, that they were going to hear such a one of his brethren, as his own sermons did not edify them so much. He said, with great heartiness, "O yes; go always where your souls get most edification and may God's blessing and mine go with you." The people were so affected, that they resolved rather to trust their edification with the Lord than desert the ministry of such a holy and humble man. His gift of prayer was very excellent, though his sermons did not bear any marks of strong intellect: his success, however, in winning souls to Christ, and building them up in him, was great. Some of his brethren, one day, expressing their wonder how his ministrations did so much good, while their's did so little, another made answer, "That his brother, living under a deep sense of his own weakness, by the force of fervent prayer brings all that he says warm from the heart of God through his own, so that it never cools till it enters the hearts of his hearers; whereas we, being conscious of our abilities, depend on them in composing our sermons: and hence the Lord gives so little countenance to them." PREFERMENT. IT has been observed, that nothing could form a more curious collection of memoirs than anecdotes of preferment. Could the secret history of great men be traced it would appear that merit is rarely the first step to advancement. It would much oftener be found to be owing to superficial qualifications, and even vices. Sir Christopher Hatton owed his preferment to his dancing. Queen Elizabeth, with all her sagacity, could not see the future Lord Chancellor in the fine dancer. When Lord North, during the American war, sent to the Rev. Mr. Fletcher, of Medeley (who had written on the unfortunate American war in a manner that had pleased the minister,) to know what he wanted, he sent him word that he wanted but one thing (which it was not in his lordship's power to give him), and that wasmore grace. "Sit anima mea cum Fletchero." When Queen Elizabeth made an offer of the archbishoprick of Canterbury to the Rev. Mr. Whitehead (a great scholar, and a most exceltent professor of divinity), he excused himself to the queen by saying, he could live plentifully on the gospel without any preferment, and accordingly did so. The famous Bernard Gilpin was offered the bishoprick of Carlisle, and was urged to accept it by the Earl of Bedford, Bishop Sandys, and others, with the most powerful motives; but he desired to be excused, and in that resolution remained immoveable. His reasons were taken from the largenesss of the dioceses, which he thought were too great for the inspection of one person; for he was strongly possessed of the duty of bishops, and of the charges of souls that was committed to them, that he could never be persuaded to keep two livings, over both of which he could not have a personal inspection, and perform all the offices of a pastor; he added farther, that he had so many friends and relations in those parts to gratify and connive at, that he could not continue an honest man, and be their bishop. But though Mr. Gilpin would not be a bishop, he supplied the place of one by preaching, by hospitality, by erecting schools, by taking care of the poor, and providing for destitute churches. See vol. ii. p. 106, of this work. How different was the conduct of the above excellent character to that of Hamilton ! When he was about to be made Bishop of Galloway, one objecting to him, that it went against his conscience (for he had sworn to the covenant) he said, "Such medicine as could not be chewed must be swallowed whole." Fine sentiment for a bishop, truly !!! To the above we might add the names of Bates, and Baxter in former times, and Balguy and Tucker in more modern times, who have all thought proper to decline the mitre, and, of course, the employments and dignities attached to it. In the reign of that unfortunate monarch whose abdication put a period to the regal honours of the house of Stuart, Dr. Wallis was then Dean of Waterford, in Ireland, and, during the troubles of that unhappy country at that period, suffered greatly in his private fortune, from his strong attachment to the Protestant faith. After peace was restored, and our religion firmly established by the accession of King William, Dr. Wallis was presented at the court of London, as a gentleman who had well merited the royal patronage. The king had before heard the story of his sufferings, and therefore immediately, turning to the dean, desired him to choose any church preferment then vacant. Wallis (with all the modesty incident to men of real worth), after a due acknowledgment of the royal favour, requested the deanery of Derry. "How!" replied the king, in a transport of surprise," ask the deanery when you must know the bishoprick of that very place is also vacant ?” “True, my liege," replied Wallis, "I do know it, but could not in honesty demand so great a benefice; conscious there are many other gentlemen who have suffered more than myself, and deserved better at your majesty's hands; I therefore presume to repeat my former request." It is needless to add his request was granted. They parted, the dean highly satisfied with his visit, and the king astonished at the noble instance of disinterestedness he had just been a witness of -What a mind did this man possess! how praiseworthy! how laudable an example to all in the sacred office! What a reproof to the greedy pluralists! How few can lay their hand on their hearts, and say, with the Dean of Derry, "I am satisfied!" What will not some do for the sake of preferment, and that even when they are already well provided for? The shameful impropriety of pluralists is never thought of: conscience is sacrificed to interest; the value of money, and not of souls, become the prime object in view. What would the primitive Christians have said of a modern divine, who is said to be the curate of- --, supposed to be worth annually 5000/? He is sub-almoner to prebendary of- The late Bishop L rector of prebendary of archdeacon of was possessed, at the time of his decease, of ten or more different preferments. He was bishop-head of a collegeprebend-rector-librarian, &c. &c. &c. Bishop Burnet, in his charges to the clergy of his dioceses, shewed a great deal of disinterested integrity, by vehemently exclaiming against pluralities, as a most sacrilegious robbery. And, in his first visitation at Salisbury, he urged the authority of St. Bernard, who, being consulted by one of his followers whether he might accept of two benefices, replied-" And how will you be able to serve them both ?" "I intend," answered the priest, "to officiate in one of them by a deputy." "Will your deputy be damned for you too!" cried the saint. "Believe me, you may serve your cure by proxy, but you must be damned in person. This expression so affected Mr. Kelsey, a pious and worthy clergyman, then present, that he immediately resigned the rector of Bemerton, in Berkshire, worth |