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er, on any other than evangelical principles, I, in so doing, preach not the gospel. All scriptural preaching is practical: but when practice is enforced in opposition to doctrine, or even to the neglect of it, it becomes anti-scriptural. The apostolic precept runs thus: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering AND DOCTRINE.

Thirdly: In preaching the gospel, we must not imitate the ORATOR, whose attention is taken up with his performance; but rather the HERALD, whose object is to publish, or proclaim, good tidings.-There is, in the one, an earnestness, a fulness of heart, a mind so interested in the subject as to be inattentive to other things, which is not in the other. We believe, and therefore speak. The emphatical meaning of the terms, xnpvoow, svayysλigw, to preach, and preach the gospel, is noticeable in the account given of the ministry of John the Baptist. The law and the prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of God is PREACHED, and every man presseth into it. Moses and the prophets spake of things at a distance; but John did more than prophesy: his was the voice of one that CRIED; he announced the fulfilment of what had been foretold, proclaiming the Messiah as being among them, and his kingdom as at hand. He opened the door of salvation, and great numbers pressed in !

Fourthly: Though the doctrine of reconciliation by the blood of Christ forms the ground-work of the gospel embassy, yet it belongs to the work of the ministry, not merely to declare that truth, but to accompany it with earnest calls, and pressing invitations to sinners to receive it, together with the most solemn warnings and threatenings to unbelivers who shall continue to reject it.-The preaching of both John and Christ is, indeed, distinguished from the calls to repentance and faith which they addressed to their hearers, as being the ground on which they rested; but the latter were no less essential to their work than the former. John came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent ye, &c. After John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand-repent ye, and believe the gospel. And thus the apostles explain the ministry of reconciliation as

comprehending not only a declaration of the doctrine, but the persuading of men, beseeching them to be reconciled to God. 2 Cor. v. 18-20.

There is nothing in all this which clashes with the most entire dependance on the influence of the Holy Spirit, to give success to our ministry. Though we invite men, yet it is not on their pliability that we must rest our hopes, but on the power and promise of God. These are à part of the weapons of our warfare; but it is through God that they become mighty to the pulling down of strong holds.

Yours, &c.

LETTER JII.

ON THE COMPOSITION OF A SERMON.

12

My dear Brother,

mon.

You have requested my thoughts on the composition of a serThere are several publications on this subject well worthy of your notice. If what I may offer have any peculiar claim to your attention, it will be on account of its familiarity.

The form, or manner, in which a sermon is composed and delivered is of some importance, inasmuch as it influences the attention, and renders the matter delivered more or less easy of being comprehended and retained.

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In general, I do not think a minister of Jesus Christ should aim at fine composition for the pulpit. We ought to use sound speech and good sense but if we aspire after great elegance of expression, or become very exact in the formation of our periods, though we may amuse and please the ears of a few, we shall not profit the many, and consequently shall not answer the great end of our ministry. Illiterate hearers may be very poor judges of preaching; yet the effect which it produces upon them is the best criterion of its real excellence.

A considerable part of the ministerial gift consists in fruitfulness of invention; but that which greatly aids in the composition and delivery of a sermon is spirituality of mind. Without this, we shall get no good ourselves, and be likely to do but little good to others. The first thing, therefore, before we sit down to study, should be to draw near to God in prayer. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned.

When a passage of scripture is fixed on as the ground of a sermon, it is necessary to read it in connexion with the context, and endeavour by your own judgment to gain a clear idea of its genuine meaning. Having formed your own judgment, I would then advise you to consult expositors, who may threw additional light upon it, or give a different sense to it; and if the sense which they give appear to have evidence in its favour, you must relinquish your own. Be satisfied, at all events, that you have the mind of the Holy Spirit, before you proceed.

In the next place, having determined on the meaning of the text, it is necessary to examine the force of each word, or term of importance in it. This may be done by examining the use of the same terms in other places of scripture, by the help of a concordance : but here a good judgment of your own is required, that you may select a few out of the many parallel texts, which will really illustrate that on which you have fixed. Some of the worst sermons are made out of a concordance, being a mere collection of similar sounds, which, instead of throwing light upon the subject, only throw it into confusion.

The force of words or terms of importance may also be examined to great advantage by a judicious use of contrast. Place all the important terms of your text, one at a time, in contrast with other things; or examine to what ideas they stand opposed. For example, let your text be Psa. cxlv. 16. Thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. Begin with the term OPENEST. Thou openest thy hand. What an idea does this convey of the paternal goodness of the great Father of his creation. How opposite to the conduct of many of his creatures one to another, whose hands and hearts are shut! What an idea also does it convey of the ease with which the wants of the whole creation are supplied! Let me pause a moment, and think of their wants. What a quantity of vegetable and animal food is daily consumed in one town: what a quantity in a large city, like London : what a quantity in a nation in the whole world. But men do not compose a hundredth part of every living thing! O what innumerable wants throughout all animate nature; in the earth, in the air, in the waters! Whence comes their supply? Thou openest thy hand,

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and all are satisfied. And can all these wants be supplied by only the opening of his hand? What then must sin be, and salvation from it? That is a work of wonderful expense. God openeth his hand, and satisfieth all creation, but he must purchase the church with his blood! God is all-sufficient as to power, in the one case as well as in the other; but there are things relative to his moral conduct which he cannot do he cannot deny himself. Here lies the great difficulty of salvation. In what a variety of ways are our wants supplied. The earth is fruitful, the air is full of life, the clouds empty themselves upon the earth, the sun pours forth its genial rays: but the operation of all these second causes is only the opening of his hand! Nay farther: look we to instruments, as well as means? Parents feed us in our childhood, and supply our youthful wants; ways are opened for our future subsistence; connexions are formed, which prove sources of comfort; friends are kind in seasons of extremity; supplies are presented from quarters that we never expected. What are all these but the opening of his hand? If his hand were shut, what a world would this be! The heavens brass, the earth iron; famine, pestilence, and death must follow! See Psalm civ. 27-29.

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Next take up the pronoun THOU. You will infer from this, If thou openest thy hand, should I shut mine against my poor brother? This important sentiment will properly occupy the place of improvement, towards the close of the discourse.

Consider next the term HAND. There is a difference between the hand and the heart. God opens his hand, in the way of providence, towards his worst enemies. He gave Nebuchadnezzar all the kingdoms of the earth. But he opens his heart in the gospel of his Son. This is the best portion of the two. While we are thankful for the one, let us not rest satisfied in it: it is merely a hand portion. Rather let us pray with Jacob, to be blessed indeed; and that we might have a Joseph's portion; not only the precious things of the earth and the fulness thereof, but the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush!

Proceed: Thou SATISFIEST THE DESIRE, &c. God, I see, does not give grudgingly. It seems to be a characteristic of the divine nature, both in the natural and moral world, to raise desires, not

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