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and self-exaltation-rather to commend ourselves to the regard of our people, than our message to their consciences! Our business is to make men think, not of our eloquence, but of their own souls; to attend, not to our fine language, but to their own everlasting interest.'1 Our duty is, not to please but to feed ; ' (as one of the old writers expressed it) not to stroke the ear, but to strike the heart.' Mr. Richmond well said I have no wish to be a popular preacher in any sense but one, viz. a preacher to the hearts of the people.' Indeed the Gospel was never meant as an occasion of display, but as a treasure to dispense for the benefit of the world. And as far as we are imbued with the spirit of our office, we shall esteem the enriching of one soul with the unsearchable riches of Christ, a more durable recompence than an investiture with the dignity and honour of an earthly crown.

1 Smith on the Sacred Office, Lect. xviii. It was a subject of bitter regret to Augustine, that his early Ministry had been distinguished by this character- ut placeret, non ut doceret.' Jerome complained of many in his time-' Id habent curæ, non quomodo scripturarum medullas ebibant, sed quomodo aures populi declamatorum flosculis mulceant.' 'Do not say within yourself— How much or how elegantly I can talk upon such a text: but what can I say more usefully to those who hear me, for the instruction of their minds, for the conviction of their consciences, and for the persuasion of their hearts? Let not your chief design be to work out a sheet, or to hold out an hour, but to save a soul.'Watts's Humble Attempt, pp. 19, 20.

2 Pungere non palpare'-was Jerome's direction for the Preacher's words. One among the evils of this selfish spirit, is the encouragement of a critical spirit among our hearers-a chief bane of the Ministry. Besides this desire of appearing a fine speaker (as Dr. Macgill tells his young friend) unfits you for attaining even that kind of excellence, which you desire. Your style, instead of presenting the just expression of thoughts and feelings suited to your objects, presents an exhibition of artificial beauties, unsuitably introduced, laboriously and affectedly portrayed; while the higher order of beauties in thought and language are neglected, or lost in the gaudy colouring, which surrounds them.' Considerations to a Young Clergyman.

3 Richmond's Life, p. 50.

Without this singleness of spirit there is no warranted expectation of success. The matter indeed is from God; but the manner and the dress, the principle, and the exhibition, may be but incense thrown upon the altar of vanity.'' We may preach clearly in statement, and forcibly in manner; but habitual defect in “ doing all” with a single eye" to the glory of God," brings upon us the awful" woe to the idol shepherd" (his own idol, and wishing to be the idol of his people) whose ministry is blasted, and his judgment blinded. 2 However diligently we may be employed in his service, yet nothing is really done, done to any purpose, or with any acceptance, that is done for self-not for God. So that a pains-taking Minister, who has been engaged in the service of God for selfish ends, may at last sink into the grave with Grotius's affecting lamentation- Alas! I have lost my life in doing nothing, with great labour.' Or should he be used as an instrument in the work of God, it will be only as the servant, who never tastes the provision which he dispenses to his Master's guests; or as the physician, who heals others, but is unhealed himself.3 Godly simplicity is the alchemy, that converts every thing it touches into gold. A deficiency in talent or judgment may be compensated for, where the paramount desire is, that Christ" in all things may have the pre-eminence;" and where it is the corresponding expression of the heart- -"He must increase, but I must decrease." 4 This indeed is the true character of the “friends of the bridegroom ;" 5 to woo for him,

1 Hall's Sermon, p. 45.

2 Zech. xi. 17.

3 It is a solemn remark of Massillon, that God sometimes, in saving his elect, makes use of instruments which he afterwards casts away.' A thought, that may well call to mind 1 Cor. ix. 27. with deep and serious personal application !

4 John iii. 30.

5 Ibid. 29.

not for ourselves; to seek his honour, not our own; and to adopt an earnest tone of preaching, not as gaining more regard to ourselves, but as bringing sinners into union with their heavenly Saviour. This usefulness is quite distinct from popularity. But how poor a thing is the admiration of man, compared with this success in winning souls to Christ! 1

6

He that intends truly to preach the Gospel and not himself; he that is more concerned to do good to others, that to raise his own fame, or to procure a following to himself; and that makes this the measure of all his meditations and sermons, that he may put things in the best light, and recommend them with the most advantage to his people-this man so made and so moulded, cannot miscarry in his work. He will certainly succeed to some degree. The word spoken by him shall not return again. He shall have his crown, and his reward from his labours. And to say all that can be said; in one word, with St. Paul; he "shall both save himself, and them that hear him."' 2

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1 Mr. Cotton preached an university sermon at Cambridge, much approved by those, who relished the wisdom of words more than the words of wisdom;' which however, upon a clearer understanding of the true principles of the Ministry, he committed to the flames. Subsequently preaching in the same pulpit in a more Scriptural tone, his sermon was attended with the Divine blessing to one of the most eminent divines of that day-Dr. Preston. Mather's New England, Book iii. pp. 15, 16.

2 Burnet's Pastoral Care, ch. ix.

SECTION VII.

LOVE THE SPIRIT OF SCRIPTURAL PREACHING.

THE Christian Ministry bears upon it the grand distinctive mark of Love. It exhibits salvation flowing from the bosom of Divine mercy. It sets forth a most tender Father, a bleeding Saviour, and a faithful Comforter; so that the spirit of every discourse should be-" God is love." Thus therefore should we so cast ourselves into the mould of our commission, that we may infuse its very life and character throughout our Ministry. Paley has admirably illustrated the exquisite address of Christian love, which characterizes the Epistle to the Romans, mixing itself with the most unpalatable statements of truth, and conciliating a kind attention, as the most effectual avenue to conviction. 1

"Speaking the truth in love," is perhaps in few words the most complete description of our office. Some, from a false charity, would keep back offensive truth. Some again speak it in fear, from the apprehension of inconvenient consequences to themselves. Some also speak in faithfulness, as if their responsibility was simply to deliver their own souls, and not rather to win souls to Christ.

Love should pervade the whole tone of our Ministry. The cause of truth may be weakened by an inaccurate exhibition of its spirit. The Scripture marks the temper as well as the subject-matter of our Ministry. An Apostle assures us in his own case, that if he" were to speak with the tongues of men and of angels,"

1 Horæ Paulinæ.

2 Eph. iv. 15.

yet without love; he would be no better than " sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."1 How delightful is it to assume the tone of endearing instruction and animated condescension, when we can look down from the pulpit, and regard the Christian part of our congregation in the tender light of "mother, and sister, and brother!" Even as it respects the unconverted, our most fruitful seasons in winning souls to Christ, are, when we are most yearning over lost sinners. This was the spirit of our Divine Pattern, and therefore that spirit, which he most "delighteth to honour." Besides who does not feel the force of such a Ministry? What power does that affecting declaration carry with it" Of whom I tell you even weeping!" 3 The testimony that is borne on this particular respecting Mr. Brown of Haddington, is far more important than that of eloquence or originality. Though not deficient in the exercise of Christian sympathy, and able to endure bodily or domestic afflictions without a tear, (an unenviable exercise of self-controul, mentioned only for the sake of the contrast) yet, when warning sinners of their danger, and "beseeching them to be reconciled unto God," he is said to have been often unable to restrain his emotions. 4

1 1 Cor. xiii. 1.

2 Matt. ix. 36. Luke xix. 41, 42. with Deut. v. 29. Psalm lxxxi. 13. Ezek. xviii. 31. Hos. xi. 7-9. Comp. Bowles,

Lib. i. c. 21.

3 Phil. iii. 18. 'Oh how deep into the heart go those periods, that are sown in the unforced, uninvited tears of the preacher,'Robinson on Claude. Calvin writes excellently on this point'Sunt multi clamosi reprehensores, qui in vitia declamitando, vel potius fulminando, mirum zeli ardorem præ se ferunt ; interea securo sunt animo, ut videantur per lusum guttur et latera exercere velle. At pii pastoris est, flere secum, priusquam alios ad fletum provocet; tacita cogitatione discruciari, priusquam indignationis signa edat ; et plus retinere apud se doloris, quam aliis faciat.' In 2 Cor. ii. 4.

4 Brown's Life, p. 22. Mr Winter tell us of his friend Mr.

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