of Preaching, as the Duty and Office of a Clergyman; that you may not through Ignorance commend what is wrong and improper, or condemn what is right and becoming; you will excuse me if I trespass a few Minutes longer upon your Time and Patience for this Purpose.

Preaching the Gospel is undoubtedly of divine Appointment. Mankind being all by Nature dead and fecure in Sin; thoughtless, carelefs, giddy; loft in Bufinefs, Pleasure and Amusement; it is the Defign of Preaching to awaken them to a Senfe of their Guilt and Danger; to point out to them a Method of Salvation, honorable for GOD, and safe for the Sinner; and to entreat them by all the Bowels of tender Compaffion not to neglect their own Mercies. It is defigned to reclaim Mankind; to make them juft, good, holy, virtuous, happy. "Tis to open their Eyes, and to turn them from Darkness to Light, and from the Power of Satan unto GOD, that they may receive, Forgivenefs of Sins, and an Inheritance among them that are fanctified by Faith that is, in

Christ Jefus". It is to make the Drunkard, fober; the Whoremonger, chafte; the Covetous, liberal; the Proud and High-Minded, humble, meek and lowly; the Careless, thoughtful, ferious; the Idle and Indolent, active and diligent; the Wrathful and Paffionate, mild and gentle as Lambs: It is to make the Extortioner and Unjust, refund their ill-gotten Gain; the Tradefman, honeft; the Mafter, kind; the Servant, faithful; the Husband, love ing; the Wife, fubmiffive; the Father, tender; the Child, obedient; and GOD in all Things to be glorified through Chrift Jefus. Or, in the fine Language of St. Paul: "The Grace of GOD, which bringeth Salvation, hath appeared to all Men; teaching us, that denying Ungodlinefs and worldly Lufts, we should live foberly, righteously, and godly in this present World. Because we are affured, that the great GOD, even our Saviour Jefus Chrift, gave himself for us, with this express and direct Design, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works".

This, and this alone, is the true End and Defign of Preaching. And That Minifter is the best Preacher, by what Name foever he is diftinguished and called, who is made most effectual for these invaluable Purposes. If Sinners are converted, Souls faved, and Gọn glo, rified, by our Preaching, it is well: If not, we loose our Labor; our Hearers will die in their Sins and if we have not made use of e very Endeavor in our Power to prevent it, their Blood will be required at our Hands.

"Son of Man, I have made thee a Watch. man unto the Houfe of Ifrael; therefore hear the Word at my Mouth, and give them Warn. ing from me. When I fay unto the Wicked, Thou shalt furely die; and thou giveft him not Warning; nor fpeakest to warn the Wicked from his wicked Way to fave his Life: The fame wicked Man fhall die in his Iniquity; but his Blood will I require at thine Hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his Wickednefs, nor from his wicked Way, he shall die in his Iniquity; but thou haft delivered thy Soul".

That

That Manner of Preaching then, which is best calculated to answer these Ends; (viz) the Conviction, Converfion, Sanctification, and Salvation of the Hearers, muft certainly be That, which Minifters fhould follow, and People approve.

Give me your Attention still farther till we confider the Manner of Preaching which o thers by Precept or Example have recommended.

If we may form any Judgment of Jefus Chrift's Manner from the Opinions of those who heard him, and the Difcourfes, which he has left upon Record for the Instruction and Salvation of the World, it seems to have been

wonderfully ftriking and pathetick: Grave, ferious, fimple, fublime. "He fpoke as one having Authority". The People flocked around him from all Quarters: "They hung upon his Lips": They were all Attention. Nay, even his Enemies being Judges, "He fpake as never Man spake".

Agreeable to this most perfect Pattern for Preachers to follow, is the Advice of St. Paul

to Titus: "In all Things fhewing thyfelf a Pattern of good Works: In Doctrine shewing Uncorruptnefs, Gravity, Sincerity: Sound Speech that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary Part, may be ashamed, having no evil Thing to fay of you".

Very judiciously has the learned and pious Bishop before mentioned, treated upon this Subject. You will pardon the Number and Length of Quotations, as they seem to have greater Weight and Influence than any Thing that could poffibly be advanced of private Authority; and as I would not wish you to imagine that I am advancing my own Sentiments merely; but the Sentiments of Chrift and his Apostles; of all good Men in general, and of the Church of England in particular. His Words are these:

"Care must be taken that the Application of Sermons be useful and proper; that it make "the Hearers apprehend fome of their Sins "and Defects, and fee how to perform their Duty; that it awaken them to it, and direct "them in it. It must be clear and fhort; very weighty.