A fupreme regard to him will make you eafy at heart amid the various opinions and cenfures of men. Your clofe attention to this reasonable injunction, will contribute to your comfort, as it will infure fuccefs. The efficacy of ministerial labour is from God. Neverthelefs as he works according to an eftablished order, where he has beflowed fuch aims and excites fuch endeavours as our text recommends, it is with a defign to give fuccefs. A liberal, important, particular, and faithful ministry, will be fruitful. Let thofe Minifters whose want of visible success may incline them to dispute this fentiment try, and th y fhall not be disappointed; but bring in a fair harvest of fouls to Chrift.

3. Remember the folemn account you are to give to God of your aims, preparations, and performances, as a Minifter, Ezek. iii. 18, 19. What a reward of honor and felicity awaits the faithful Minister of Chrift! From amid the vaft affembly that fhall encompass the Throne of God at the day of final retribution, may we not conceive voices uttering acknowledgments like these? "There is the Minister whofe tongue, under the influence of the Spirit, fpake to our hearts. His awful admonitions awakened us; his tears melted us; his arguments perfuaded us; his cordials comforted us: yea, by his inftructions, entreaties, and example (under Chrift) we were prepared for and conducted to all this glory."

Jefus Chrift, on the other hand, will publicly own fuch faithful workmen, and acknowledge, that with approbation he beheld them men of holy frife, valiant for the Truth. "I faw your tears; C 2

your

your fleepless nights, your trembling knees in my fanctuary, and heard your prayers. Receive from my hands this Crown of Life. In a world of fin, you turned many to righteoufnefs. Therefore fhine as ftars in the firmament for ever and ever.” Dan. xii. 3.

4. Receive the word of exhortation, my Bro ther, that this congregation, thefe venerable Minifters, and yourself may reflect with pleasure on the folemnities of this day, and have no reason to lament, faying, "The former days were better than thefe." Good days have been known here in your worthy predeceffors time. Dr. Gibbons though dead yet lives in the memory and affections of not a few; and comparisons will be made.

The beft with my affection can dictate for you is, that you may be like him, in purity, benevolence, and fidelity; and that you may finish your course with a reputation as unblemished as his; and in your last moments be looking as he did; for everlafting life," not as a profitable fervant, but as a faved finner."

Will not this Congregation, fpectators of the order of this day's fervice, fenfible of the utility and importance of your undertaking, add their fanction to your commiffion and pray for your fuccefs?

My friends, give me leave to recommend the words of Saul (addreffed to the ftripling fon of Jeffe, when about to meet the formidable Goliah) as very fuitable to exprefs what I dare fay you feel on this occafion: "Go, and the Lord be with thee." Amen. I add, Go, and the Lord be with thee. Amen.

The

The following Account of the WEIGH-HOUSE CHARITY-SCHOOL, inftituted in the year 1780, with the Rules, are fubjoined to this Charge, published for its Benefit; with a view to ftimulate other Congregations to follow the example: which may ferve the intereft of fome poor more extensively, than the Sunday-Schools, without fuperceding them with refpect to others.

T

HE deplorable ignorance, almoft univerfally discovered amongst the children of the lower clafs of people, notwithstanding the variety of charitable Inftitutions for the prevention thereof in this metropolis; added to the confideration of the importance of knowledge even to the meaneft member of fociety; have induced a number of Ladies, to unite in forming a School, for the reception of poor female children, from nine years of age and upwards. Their prefent defign is, that the faid children may be taught to read, inftructed in the principles of the christian religion, by learning the Affembly's Catechifm, and to work at their Needles; by which means they may, under the divine bleffing, be rescued from the many awful confequences attending ignorance and idleness, and be fitted for filling up their ftations, as honeft and useful members of the community.

The Society, in order to induce the induftrious poor to fend their children to school, have farther undertaken to provide them with outward garments, that they may make a decent appearance on the Sabbath; when they are conftantly required to at

tend

tend public worship, at the Weigh-Houfe Meet ing, Eaftcheap.

The Society have upwards of twenty children now in the School, and they truft that fome confiderable benefit has already attended the inftructions given them.

When it is confidered that one principal caufe of the profligacy of the prefent age is owing to ignorance, and that the best way to reform the lower clafs of people, is by propagating the principles of useful knowledge amongst them---when the importance of the poor, as members of civil fociety, and of their temporal and eternal welfare, is further confidered; certainly fuch Inftitutions as the prefent, claim the moft liberal encouragement, from those who profess themselves christians.

In fhort, the nature and defign, of the WEIGHHOUSE CHARITY SCHOOL, carry with it fo many marks of utility, public and private, that it is unneceffary to offer any further arguments to those who have the welfare of the community at heart, to induce them to encourage, by their fupport and advice, fuch important Inftitutions.

The particular Rules of the Society, which follow this account, will more fully explain the nature of this charitable Inftitution.

RULES of the WEIGH-HOUSE CHARITY - SCHOOL.

1. That every Lady who fubfcribes One Guinca per annum, fhall in her turn, (if the think proper) nominate a child for admiffion. Every Subfcriber of Two Guineas, two children, and fo in proportion,

II. That

II. That the children be cloathed with new outward garments once a year. Any parent taking away his or her child, before the expiration of twelve months, fhall return the cloaths to the Governefs.

III. That every scholar being abfent two days without giving a fatisfactory reason, shall be reprimanded by the Governess, and after the third offence fhall be no longer confidered as under the patronage of the Society.

IV. That the School-hours be from nine o'clock in the morning, till twelve.----And from two o'clock in the afternoon, till five. Only one ftated half holiday in the week (Saturday afternoon,) and one week's holidays, at Whitsuntide and Christmas.

V. That every child do work for the Ladies who subscribe in rotation.

VI. That the children meet in the School Room,

every Lord's day morning, at a quarter before ten o'clock, and at two o'clock in the afternoon, in order to walk with the Governess to the Meeting, at the Weigh-House, to attend public worship.

VII. That there be a meeting of the Subscribers every quarter day at the School Room (if on a Sabbath day, then on the day following,) for the purpose of infpecting the affairs of the Society, and making any alterations that may be thought necessary.