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in the beftowment of favors, would | be lefs vifible. Where there are no punifhments, pardons will be lefs valued, and their nature and worth ill understood.

Befides, no view of things like that, which beft fhows the eternal God to be moved purely by the goodness of his own nature, to the recovery of finners, and which attributes the whole and every part i of their falvation to the mere mercy and grace of God, as their caufe, is fo fitted eternally to bind the heart in humble obedience and love, and raise it to high and delightful admiration of the glory of God as it fhines in the face of Chrift. No other scheme of doctrine lays the finner fo low in his own view, and fo abforbs and fwallows up his whole foul in love Here a foundation is laid for the greatest nearness to God, and the higheft felicity in the enjoyment of him.

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To fet afide the Scripture doc trine of particular Election, obfcures the whole fyftem of gofpel grace, and cafts a fhade upon it. It takes away the only ground of hope from impenitent finners, and d renders it utterly uncertain whether any will ever be faved It obfcures the luftre and glory of divine

Chrift, is well termed gofpel, or good news. It may be fummed up in the concife declaration, that "Jefus Chrift came into the world to fave finners."* It is more fully expreffed in the divine teftimony, that "God fo loved the world that he gave his only begotten fon that whofoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlafting life."+ But in whatever form of words it is fummarily expreffed, a proper explanation will fhew that it involves many most interesting and important truths, relating to God, his perfections, character, government, and grace ;-relating to man, as a creature and fubject of God, and as a finner against him ;—relating to Jefus Chrift, in his wonderful perfon, the union of his divine and human natures, his mediatorial character, offices, and work;

relating to the application of redemption by the agency of the Holy Spirit, in the hearts of finners, in his renewing and fanctifying influences, by which they are made willing in the days of God's power; are brought to repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jefus Chrift; and thus become the fubjects of pardoning grace, and are kept by the power of God, through faith to falvation.

It pleafed God in the riches of

mercy, and leaves the iffue of the his mercy to finful man, to infpire

a number of chofen witneffes, to commit to writing, the fyftem of Christian truth, as far as was requifite for the communication of faving knowledge, and thus to furnifh the world with the facred fcrip

prefent ftate of things at the utmost uncertainty-depriving us of the evidence, that a good, worthy of infinite love, and anfwerable to the glorious difplays which are made of divine power, wisdom and mercy, in the creation, government, and redemption of the world, will ev-tures, which are able to make us er be accomplished.

On the best manner of preaching the gofpel.

wife to falvation, through faith in Christ Jefus.

That nothing might be wanting in point of means, he hath graciouf

THE revelation of faving mer-ly inffituted the preaching of the

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cy to finners, through Jefus

VOL. II. No. 4.

1 Timothy, i. 15. John iii. 16,

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gofpel, and appointed an order of | men, in the Chriftian church, to addrefs their fellow-finners, on the great concerns of religion, and the world to come; to explain and inculcate the truths, duties, and profpects opened in the gofpel; to proclaim, from the fcriptures, the glad tidings of falvation to penitent, believing finners through the atonement of Chrift; and to warn the impenitent and unbelieving of the wrath to come.

So important, fo glorious and awful are the effects of this minif try, that the apoftle, when fpeaking of himself and his fellow labourers fays, "We are unto God a fweet favor of Chrift in those who are faved, and in those who perish. To the one we are a favor of death unto death, and to the other of life unto life ;" and adds (in which every ferious preacher of the gofpel will join him.) "Who is fufficient for thefe things "*

I. The Chriftian minifter muft preach the gospel truly.

This is to preach it as it is revealed in the holy fcriptures, without any perverfion. God is, indeed, able to bring finners to the faving knowledge of himself, under the moft corrupt teachers. But this is not his ordinary way; neither is corrupt and false teaching an inftituted mean of grace and falvation, or adapted to the benefit of the hearers, but the contrary, for "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."+

If preaching be the proper mean of falvation to the hearers, it is by the exhibition of divine truth to their understandings and hearts, thus they are "begotten through the gofpel," and the " pastors after God's heart feed them with knowl edge and understanding." This fhews us that public, authorised preachers of the gofpel fhould be men of fuperior knowledge, in Chriftianity, fuch as are able to teach others ;" and excludes from the facred office, the weak and ig

The preceding obfervations tend to fhew the importance and foiemnity of the Chriftian miniftry, as it refpects the preachers of the gof-norant, and fhows that they are pel, and those who hear them, and are a fufficient apology for this attempt to fuggeft a few thoughts on the best manner of preaching the gofpel.

The writer is fenfible of his inability to treat the fubject as he could with. But he hopes, through divine affiftance, to offer fomething which may be useful, at least, to young minifters; and that, although he may fuggest nothing new to the more experienced, he may be inftrumental of "ftirring up their pure minds by way of renicm

brance."

The following particulars appear to belong to the beft manner of preaching the gospel.

* 2 Corrinthians, ii. 16,

not called of God, to this work, whatever their own opinion may be of their ability and their call.

It is equally manifeft that heretical teachers are not to be encour aged, whatever abilities they may poffefs. Thefe do not make manifeft the mystery of Christ as they ought to speak or testify the truth as it is in Jefus. Efpecially if their herefy refpect any of the principal doctrines of the gofpel. In that cafe, the apostle Paul reprefents them as preaching another gofpel, and denounceth against them the divine malediction.‡

This naturally excites the enquiry, what are thofe effential truths of Chriftianity which must be de

Rom. x. 17. Gal. 1. 8, 9.

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

To this it may be replied, that the Christian fyftem is connected in all its parts. Thefe may be compared to fo many links of a great chain let down from heaven. None of these truths can be denied

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 Chirst.”

II. The Chriftian minifter must preach the gospel plainly.

This implies that he prefent to his hearers the truths of Chriftian

or obfcured without injury to the|ity, in language, eafy to be underChristian system.

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

truth.

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

The being, perfections, and unity of God, and his infinitely perfect mode of existence, as a Triune 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 righteoufnefs. 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 purpofe of

God.

The nature and neceffity of Chriftian holinefs, and its unfailing connection with the faith of the gofpel, in thofe 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;

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stood by them, that instead of ufing 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 underftand 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 tongue."* He must not only avoid that ftudied ambiguity by which unfaithful teachers aim at efcaping the offence of the cross, and feek to please carnal hearers, 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.

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

But

moft of all doth the awful cenfure

fall on the faithlefs timeferver, who hides himfelf under general and ambiguous language, to avoid the truth. Such may well be ranked

with " falfe apoftles, and deceitful workers, who by good words and fair fpeeches deceive the hearts of the fimple †

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

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III. The Chriftian minifter muft | clearly stated and urged, and the whole fyftem of Chriftian truth and duty, connected with them, must be brought into view.

Divine truth, existing in the

preach the gofpel demonftratively 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 may not stand in the wisdom of the divine bleffing, to convince man, but in the power of God." and convert the finner; to detect For this purpose he needs a deep the hypocrite; and to edify the and extenfive acqaintance with the true Chriftian. It is no lefs adapChristian fyftem-much and well ted to stop the mouths of gain-faychofen reading-and much ftudy ers, to filence unruly and vain talkand prayer, that his views of truthers, and bring them to the acknowlmay be clear, and his reafoning, edgement of the truth. Not indeed conclufive; and that not merely, without a powerful divine agency to the man of fcience, and the attending the word of truth. well ftudied divine; but to his attentive and ferious hearers of common capacity. Thefe conftitute the great body of thofe who hear him, and among thefe he must look for his principal fuccefs. His arguments must therefore be 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 his thoughts.

Nothingishere mentioned touching the manner of fpeaking moft conducive to fuccefs. Books of oratory are common, and may be confulted with advantage. Among thefe, profeffor Blair's lectures, and Dr. Fordyce's art of preaching deferve particular notice.

After all, to the preacher poffeffed of proper abilities and information, and who feels the weight and importance of divine things, the fubje&t will inspire 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, must be often

+ Cor. ii. 4.

Without this Paul may plant and Apollos water, in vain. But this affords no juft objection a gainst the ufe of divinely instituted means, or the leaft ground to expect that agency in the neglect of them.

IV. The Chriftian minifter must preach the gofpel boldly. Thus the apostle Paul requested the pray.

open his mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospelthat therein he might speak boldly, as he ought to speak."*This boldnefs is effential to the right perform ance of his duty, as a preacher of the gospel, in diftinction from a governing concern to please men, or obtain the approbation of the moft refpectable hearers, (however defirable when the fruit of fidelity.).

The fear of man must never fhut his mouth, from declaring the whole counfel of God, in the most clear, folemn and demonstrative manner. He must keep back nothing, profitable to them, even whether they will hear or forbear, re membering that he is the steward of God, and to him he must shortly give an account.

* Ephef. vi. 19, 20

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This boldness however, is widely 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

ably of God and Chrift, and to addrefs his hearers in a manner adapted to imprefs their minds, and perfuade them to confider their latter end; and thus he "commends the truth to their confciences in the fight of God."

VI. The Chriftian minifter muft preach the gofpel in the fpirit of kindness.

Thepious andbenevolent preach

refult of deep impreffions of the
prefence and authority of God,
the worth of fouls, the preciouf-
nefs of gospel truth and the impor-er, in his preparations for the pub-
tance of eternity. The latter in- lic folemnites, will contemplate
dicates the abfence of all thefe, the worth of the foul of man, the
and fhews a mind puffed up with malignity of fin, the awfulness of
religious pride and felf-conceit. divine wrath, the importance of
The boldness dictated and inspired eternity, and the wonderful love
by the gofpel is that freedom of and grace of God, revealed in the
thought and expreffion which re-gofpel, and brought to us through
fults from proper views of fpiritual Jefus Chrift. All thefe fubjects
and divine objects. Thefe fill the and efpecially the laft, will pre-
mind with impreffions of their in-pare him to feel the most tender
finite importance, and lay the creat-
ure low before God, and thus de-
liver him from the fear of man by
filling him with the fear of God.

V. The Chriftian minifter muft preach the gofpel 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 gofpel.

benevolence to perifhing finners. He will therefore addrefs them from the fulness of his heart, with ardent longing for their falvation. Numerous and weighty are the mo tives to the kindeft addrefs to the fouls of his hearers. We add in the laft place,

VII. The Chriftian minifter muft preach the gofpel with folemnity.

Humility refults from right views This remark refults from all of the divine character and gov-which have preceded. The truths ernment, and of our own charac- to be proclaimed are exceedingly ter and ftate. "I have heard of folemn and weighty, as they respect thee," said an eminent faint, "by the great things of God, and his the hearing of the ear, but now wonderful love and grace to guilty mine eye feeth thee, wherefore I man; they are folemn as they reabhor myself, and repent in duft late to the wonderful work of reand ashes."* Such was the effect demption by the obedience and of a clear difplay of the divine death of our Lord Jefus Christ ; fulness to holy Job, and fuch will and as they refpect the joys and it ever be, to a heart prepared to forrows of departed fouls-the gloembrace divine truth. The preach-rious and dreadful realities of the er, deeply impreffed with a fenfe future and eternal ftate, and as of his own exceeding unworthi- they refpect the final condition nefs, is prepared to fpeak honor of the preacher and his hearers, which will be decided forever, by the abufe or improvement of this

* Job xlii. 5, 6.

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