clared if the preacher would, in any good meafure, fpeak as he ought?

To this it may be replied, that the Chriftian fyftem is connected in all its parts. These may be compared to so many links of a great chain let down from heaven. None of these truths can be denied or obfcured without injury to the Christian system.

Some are, however, more important and fundamental than others. These may be differently stated and enumerated by different perfons, who equally regard divine truth.

To the writer, the following truths seem to be the most effential, in the foundation of Chriftianity, viz.

and the hearer whofe principles and manners are formed on them, will go on in grace, and in the knowledge, of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chirft.”

II. The Chriftian minifter muft preach the gospel plainly.

This implies that he prefent to his hearers the truths of Christianity, in language, eafy to be understood by them, that instead of using ambiguity of language, or general and indeterminate affertions, he make it a leading object, next to preaching the fimple truths of the gofpel, to do it in a manner adapted to the capacity of his hearers, that they may understand him. With the apostle Paul, he will prefer fpeaking "five words, in the church, with his understanding, that he may edify others, to ten thoufand words in an unknown

that ftudied ambiguity by which unfaithful teachers aim at efcaping the offence of the crofs, and feek to please carnal hèarers, but he muft ftudy that plainnefs of addrefs which will render his meaningintelligible to his common hearers, that they may be inftructed, convinced and edified.

The being, perfections, and unity of God, and his infinitely perfect mode of existence, as a Tri-tongue." He must not only avoid une Deity. The truth and divinity of the holy fcriptures, of the old and new teftament. The divinity and atonement of Chrift. The juftification of penitent, believing finners, through his mediatorial righteousness. The total depravity of man, in confequence of the original lapfe. The fupernatural change of heart, by the agency of the Holy Spirit, in thofe who believe to the faving of the foul, the fovereignty and freedom of divine grace, in the falvation of finners, difplayed in time, according to the eternal purpose of God.

The nature and neceffity of Christian holiness, and its unfailing connection with the faith of the gofpel, in those who are faved. And the retributions of eternity, to the righteous and the wicked.

The preacher who enters deeply into thefe important truths of the gospel, will not, it may be hoped, effentially pervert any other;

Cutting is the reproof of the apoftle in the paffage just mentioned, to the preacher who is more concerned to commend himself to his hearers, as an able, learned, or eloquent man, than to commend the truth as it is in Jefus. moft of all doth the awful cenfure fall on the faithless timeserver, who hides himself under general and ambiguous language, to avoid the truth.

But

Such may well be ranked with "falfe apostles, and deceitful workers, who by good words and fair fpeeches deceive the hearts of the fimple +

I Cor. xiv. 19. † Rom. xvi. 18. and 2 Cor xi. 13.

whole fyftem of Chriftian truth and duty, connected with them, muk be brought into view.

Divine truth, exifting in the

III. The Chriftian minister muft | clearly stated and urged, and the preach the gospel demonflratively. His preaching fhould be " in the demonftration of the fpirit, and of power," as diftinguished from the enticing words of human wif-mind and refting on its mere evidom, that the faith of his hearers dence, is inftrumental, through 66 may not stand in the wisdom of the divine bleffing, to convince man, but in the power of God." and convert the finner; to dete& For this purpose he needs a deep the hypocrite; and to edify the and extenfive acqaintance with the true Chriftian. It is no lefs adapChriftian fyftem-much and well ted to stop the mouths of gain-faychofen reading and much studyers, to filence unruly and vain talkand prayer, that his views of truthers, and bring them to the acknowl may be clear, and his reafoning, conclufive; and that not merely, to the man of fcience, and the well ftudied divine; but to his attentive and serious hearers of comand Apollos water, in vain. But mon capacity. Thefe conftitute this affords no just objection a the great body of thofe who hear gainft the ufe of divinely instituted him, and among these he muft means, or the leaft ground to exlook for his principal fuccefs. pect that agency in the neglect of His arguments must therefore be them. both conclufive and plain. Το this end, much depends on the connexion of the parts of his difcourse, and the due arrangementers of the Ephefians, that he might of thoughts.

edgement of the truth. Not indeed without a powerful divine agency attending the word of truth.

Without this Paul may plant

IV. The Chriftian minister mult preach the gofpel boldly. Thus the apoftle Paul requested the pray

"open his mouth boldly, to make known the my ery of the gofpelthat therein he might fpeak boldly, as he ought to fpeak."*—This boldnefs is effential to the right perform

Nothingishere mentioned touching the manner of fpeaking moft conducive to fuccefs. Books of oratory are common, and may be confulted with advantage. Amongance of his duty, as a preacher of thefe, profeffor Blair's lectures, and Dr. Fordyce's art of preaching ferve particular notice.

the gofpel, in diftinction from a de-governing concern to please men, or obtain the approbation of the most respectable hearers, (however defirable when the fruit of fidelity.)

After all, to the preacher pof feffed of proper abilities and information, and who feels the weight and importance of divine things, the fubject will infpire an ardor and pathos, more adapted to imprefs the truth on the minds of his hearers, and affect their hearts. than all the accomplishments of art, without it.

The leading truths of religion already named, mult be often

+1 Cor. ii. 4.

The fear of man must never ut his mouth, from declaring the whole counsel of God, in the most near, folemn and demonftrative Manner He must keep back noth

g, profitable to them, even wheth er they will hear or forbear, rẹmembering that he is the steward of God, and to him he must shortly give an account.

Ephef. vi. 19, 20.

This boldness however, is wide-ably of God and Chrift, and to addrefs his hearers in a manner adapted to imprefs their minds, and perfuade them to confider their lat ter end; and thus he "commends the truth to their confciences in the fight of God."

VI. The Chriftian minifter muft preach the gospel in the spirit of kindness.

ly different from that felf-fufficiency and overbearing authority which have been, in fome inftances miftaken for it, and by which evil men have done much hurt to the caufe of God and the fouls of their hearers. The former is the refult of deep impreffons of the prefence and authority of God, the worth of fouls, the preciouf- The pious and benevolent preachnefs of gofel truth and the impor-er, in his preparations for the pubtance of eternity. The latter in-lic folemnites, will contemplate dicates the absence of all thefe, and fhews a mind puffed up with religious pride and felf-conceit. The boldness dictated and infpired by the gospel is that freedom of thought and expreffion which refults from proper views of fpiritual and divine objects. Thefe fill the mind with impreffions of their infinite importance, and lay the creature low before Cod, and thus deliver him from the fear of man by filling him with the fear of God.

V. The Chriftian minifter muft preach the gospel with humility.

With this, indeed, he muft do all things; it is an effential branch of genuine Chriftianity. But it is peculiarly important in preaching the gufpel.

the worth of the foul of man, the malignity of fin, the awfulness of divine wrath, the importance of eternity, and the wonderful love and grace of God, revealed in the gofpel, and brought to us through Jefus Chrift. All thefe fubjects and efpecially the laft, will prepare him to feel the moft tender benevolence to perishing finners. He will therefore addrefs them from the fulness of his heart, with ardent longing for their falvation. Numerous and weighty are the motives to the kindeft addrefs to the fouls of his hearers. We add in the laft place,

VII. The Chriftian minifter must preach the gospel with folem nity.

This remark refults from all which have preceded. The truths to be proclaimed are exceedingly folemn and weighty, as they refpec the great things of God, and his wonderful love and grace to guilty man; they are folemn as they re late to the wonderful work of redemption by the obedience and death of our Lord Jefus Chrift; and as they refpect the joys and forrows of departed fouls-the glo

Humility refults from right views of the divine character and government, and of our own character and ftate. "I have heard of thee," faid an eminent faint, "by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye feeth thee, wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in duft and afhes."* Such was the effect of a clear difplay of the divine fulness to holy Job, and fuch will it ever be, to a heart prepared to embrace divine truth. Thepreach-rious and dreadful realities of the er, deeply impreffed with a fenfe of his own exceeding unworthinefs, is prepared to fpeak honor

Job xlii. 5, 6.

future and eternal state, and as they refpect the final condition of the preacher and his hearers, which will be decided forever, by the abufe or improvement of this

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momentary fate, for "Behold the entertains the moft heart-felt is the accepted time. Behold loathing of his own original char

DOW now is the

The

day of falvation."

How folemn and weighty is the minifterial charge! May all who take it on them feel its importance, and be qualified for its duties; and may the chief fhepherd and bishop of fouls affift them in their arduous work, and crown their labours with abundant fuccefs! PHILANDER.

An attempt to diflinguifh fach exercifes as are the refult of genuine religion, from fuch as are falfe.

acter, beholds, with ineffable com

aithful watchman will pre-placence, the character of God, fers own foul, and may hope as forming a most perfect contraft the falvation of fome, at least, with his own. He is pained while of his hearers, even all who re- his thoughts turn on himself as fo ceive the truth in love, and fly for vile and loathfome, but his heart is refuge to the hope fet before them. filled with exhilerating joy when But the people of the unfaithful he adverts to the tranfporting idea, minifter, who were not warned by that finite perfection fills the unihim it is much to be feared, will verfe! And that all this fin and die in their fins, but their blood evil, fhall be over-ruled, and its will be required at his hand. natural tendency fo counteracted, as that infinite good shall be the glorious refult. His foul is revived, his heart leaps within him; that he is encircled by fuch a God; and he with unspeakable delight yields himself to be difpofed of according to the dictates of this infinite perfection. While the fondly deceived and warm-hearted hypocrite, is delighted too, with the character of his God, (for there ten the idea which is inwrought are "lords many.") He has gotinto the conftitution of the heart, 1. Tel-acquaintance, or a RUE religion implies that we are offenders. He therefelf-acquaintance, or a fore feels hinfelf expofed to the rethorough conviction of the total fentment of an angry God; he is depravity and ruin of human na- told that there is a door of relief ture; and is the fruit of a new opened for fuch in the gofpel; talte, which takes a decided part and exclaims "what marvellous— against felf-exaltation, in favor of what aftonishing goodness that thus the divine perfections and govern- appears to refcue from this infinite ment; while that counterfeit reli-threatened evil!" While his foul gion, which is felf-delufive prefup- melts with grateful affection toward pofes ignorance of the human his deliverer and benefactor. heart, confequently is entirely def titute of humility, which flows from nothing but felf-acquaintance. The divine law, has never come with power to the confcience, fo that the fubject is yet alive to himfelf, and dead to all proper views of God; and thofe affections which he exercifes are toward an imaginary being, an idol-God of his own preating.

2d. The true Chriftian, while

3d. The true faint poffeffes a large, capacious benevolence, and embraces the univerfe in his bofom. His language is, let the lord govern, and make fuch arrangements as will iffae in the higheft poffible good of his kingdom; let me be an happy inftrument of promoting this bleffed intereft, be difpofed of in that very way, that will beft anfwer that moft benevolent purpose: here is my happiocfs, in this

"fave me and mine, and do as thou Queflions and Answers-by Amæ-