2

work.1 Indeed, one of the difficulties (might we not add-one of the privileges?) of the ministry is this; that it requires the continual revolving of spiritual subjects, in order to cast our minds into the mould of those truths, which we set forth before our people. The cultivation of this habit has a most important bearing upon our general efficiency, forming "the man of God" into the character of "a good Minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of sound doctrine." For (as Quesnel observes) 'how shall any one be able to nourish others with the word, who does not first nourish himself therewith? It is one thing for a man to enlighten his understanding, to fill his imagination, and to load his memory; and another, to nourish his heart with it. A man nourishes himself with it, if he lives upon it; and he lives upon it, if he changes it as it were into his own substance; if he practises it himself; if he renders it proper and familiar to himself, so as to make it the food and nourishment, with which he ought to feed others.'4

It is most important, that our successive pulpit preparations should increase our store of matter, strengthen our tone of thinking, and direct us to the most effectual mode of communication. The solid study of our best Scriptural Divines will be of essential service; at the same time remembering, that the sermons which are drawn from other books than from God's book, will be poor and unspiritual. Let the substance of our text be first beaten out from the pure word of God, and then digested in meditation and prayer-let our matter gather clearness of arrangement, force and spirit, from human resources. This sacred exercise will bring rich results, in the enlarged strength, activity, intelligence, and joy of our faith. The superficial student indeed (if student he should be called) has read only for the exercise of his memory, and neglected the investtigation of the meaning. 'Much to be preferred' (saith Augustine) ( are those, who have had little care of retaining the words, and yet with the eyes of their hearts have beheld the very heart of Scripture.25

1 Ezekiel iii. 1, 2. 2 1 Timothy iv. 15. Comp. 2 Tim. ii. 7. 3 1 Timothy iv. 6. 4 Quesnel on 1 Tim. iv. 6. Owen Stockton remarks as one of his chief encouragements for the Ministry, 'the benefiting of his own soul in his meditations for preaching. Whilst he was studying for others, the Lord made it a word of instruction for himself. And he found it the best means of growth, to be watering of others.' See his Life.

5 Aug. de Doctr. Christian. iv. 5. In the plainest text' (as a good old writer observes) there is a world of holiness and spirituality; and if we in prayer and dependence upon God did sit down and consider it, we should behold much more than appears. to us. It may be, at once reading or looking, we see little or nothing, as Elijah's servant: he went out once, he saw nothing; therefore he was commanded to look seven times. What now? says the prophet. "I see a cloud arising, like a man's hand;" and by and by the whole surface of the heavens was covered with clouds. So you may look_lightly upon a Scripture and see nothing; look again and you will see a little; but look seven

Nor is this habit of meditation less important, in the immediate discharge of our public Ministry. It much assists our freedom, self-possession, and personal comfort in the act of delivering our message, to have our subject-matter inwrought, as it were, both in our head and heart. It also enables us pertinently to avail ourselves of any ready suggestions for the moment, and to engraft them into their proper place without hurry and confusion. Thus every way, the devoted concentration of the powers of our mind to the service of God will prove us to be "vessels unto honour, sanctified and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work."1 'Suffer me therefore,' (wrote Brainerd to a Ministerial student) to entreat you earnestly to give yourself to prayer, to reading, and meditation on Divine truths; strive to penetrate to the bottom of them, and never be content with a superficial knowledge. By this means your thoughts will gradually grow weighty and judicious; and you hereby will be possessed of a valuable treasure, out of which you may produce "things new and old" to the glory of God.*

III.-SPECIAL PRAYER.

WE cannot feel too deeply the importance of this part of pulpit preparation. To study and meditate much, and to pray little, paralyses all. On the other hand (as Dr. Doddridge found by experience) the better we pray, the better we study." Therefore (as Augustine admirably exhorts) 'let our Christian orator, who would be understood and heard with pleasure, pray before he speak. Let him lift up his thirsty soul to God, before he pronounce any thing. For since there are many things which may be said, and many modes of saying the same thing; who, but the Searcher of all hearts, knows what is most expedient to be said at the present hour? And who can make us speak as we ought, except he, in whose hands we and our words are; and by these means he may learn all that is to be taught, and may acquire a faculty of speaking as becomes a pastor. At the hour of speaking itself, the Lord's

times upon it; meditate often upon it, and there you shall see a light, like the light of the sun. Caryl on Job.

1 2 Tim. ii. 21.

2 Letter ix. appended to his Life.

3 Orton's Life, ch. viii. Sect. 8. Again-'So it is, though it may seem a riddle, that when I pray and meditate most, I work most.'-Ib. Bishop Sanderson, speaking of prayer and study going hand in hand, observes-'omit either; and the other is lost labour. Prayer without study is presumption; and study without prayer atheism. You take your books in vain into your hand, if you turn them over, and never look higher; and you take God's name in vain within your lips, if you cry-'Da, Domine'-and never stir farther.' Sermon on 1 Cor. xii. 7. 25

words will occur to a faithful spirit-" Think not how or what ye shall speak; for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father, which speaketh in you." If the Holy Spirit speaks in those, who are delivered to their persecutors for Christ, why not also to those, who deliver Christ to learners. But if any say, that, if the Holy Ghost make men teachers, they need know no rules; it might be said also, men need not pray, because the Lord saith-" Your Father knoweth what ye have need of, before ye ask him; and St. Paul's rules to Timothy and Titus might be superseded.1

The most valuable results of meditative study are essentially defective without prayer. They are the effusions of the head rather than of the heart-cold, spiritless, dead. However important it may be, that the preacher's head should be well furnished; it is of far higher moment that his heart should be deeply affected. He must himself draw nourishment from his subject in fervent prayer, that he may bring it out to his people in fulness, simplicity, and love. Indeed his success in composition mainly depends upon the state of his own soul. He cannot make an edifying sermon, when his heart is motionless. None but God can teach him to teach his people. Converse with Him in the study will give its own stamp of sanctity and energy upon his preparations for the pulpit. Our object is not to set off our talents or eloquence; but to excite and strengthen an habit of holy sensibility. Our very employment, therefore, in the word and work of God especially binds us to study our sermons in a devotional spirit; and thus only can we receive from above a blessing to impart to our people. Our message is applied with life and interest-not when it is set forth in human eloquence--but when the spirituality and unction of its delivery savours of real communion with God.

We may suggest a few distinct subjects for supplication, in reference to preparation for our public work.

Direction in the choice of texts and topics should be sought from above. This was Cotton Mather's general rule; making more solemn supplication, before he entered upon extended discursions, or undertook a large course of Scripture. This spiritual habit ena

1 De Doctr. Christian. Lib. iv. c. 15, 16. See also a beautiful quotation given in the Bishop of Winchester's work, p. 100, n. The following is the excellent advice of an eminent writer, who has never been suspected of enthusiasm-'Sub horam concionis ecclesiastes det se profunda deprecationi, et ab eo postulet sapientiam, linguam, et orationis eventum, qui linguas infantium facit disertas. Incredibile dictu, quantum lucis, quantum vigoris, quantum roboris et alacritatis hinc accedat ecclesiasta.-Erasm. Eccles. Pericles is said never to have ascended the rostrum without imploring a blessing from his gods. Are there no Christian orators who may stand condemned by this celebrated Athenian?

SPECIAL PRAYER.

195 bles us to receive direction from circumstances of Providence, or the secret guidance of the Spirit, to suitable and edifying subjects.

Much matter for supplication offers itself in entering upon and pursuing our subject. Cotton Mather's rule was, to stop at the end of every paragraph, in prayer and self-examination, and endeavour to fix upon his heart some holy impressions of the subject. Thus the seven hours, which he usually gave to a sermon, proved so many hours of devotion to his soul, and a most effectual means of infusing life, warmth, and spirituality into his compositions.1 By this rule we shall never preach a sermon to our people, which, has not been previously made a blessing to our own souls.

The frame of our own minds in the pulpit is another matter for distinct supplication-that we may "speak as the oracles of God"—that "a door of utterance may be opened unto us"—that we may have a special message to our people—that our hearts may be tenderly affected by their state-that our preaching may flow from love to their souls, and from hearts powerfully excited by zeal for our Master's glory-that we may be assisted to deliver our sermons in a suitable frame; preserved from the influence of the fear of man, and with a simple, earnest dependence on the Divine blessing—and that the Lord may preach our sermons to our own hearts, both in the study, and in the moment of delivering them.2

We must not forget the main end of our labour, in the power of our Ministry upon the hearts and consciences of our people. We need to pray for them, as well as to preach to them-to bring our Ministry on their account before God, and to entreat for them; that their attention may be engaged, and their hearts opened to receive our commission; that all hindrances of prejudice, ignorance,

P.

1 This practice he strongly recommended to his Student and Pastor. Math. Stud. 191.-'Orabit Ecclesiastes pro se, ut in suo ipsius animo vivam illam efficacem et penetrantem verbi Divini vim experiatur, et sentiat; ne videlicet ad ignem, quam aliis exsufflat et accendit, ipse frigeat; sed ignis ardens in suo ipsius corde verbum prædicatum fiat. Zepperi Ars Concion. Lib. iv.

2 While adverting to the importance of prayer for assistance in the pulpit, may we not remind ourselves, that the same assistance is equally needed in the desk? No uninspired service contains so much mind or spirituality as the Liturgy. As the service both of our understanding and of our heart, it requires the energy as well as the devotion of the spiritual habit. Mr. Cecil considered, that 'the leading defect in Christian Ministers was the want of a devotional habit'-a remark, that is too often illustrated by the contrast of the monotonous formality of the desk with the fervid energy of the pulpit; as if the exercise of communion with God in supplication, intercession, and thanksgiving, in penitential self-abasement and faith, were less spiritual than the delivery of a discourse to our fellow-sinners. We wonder not, under such circumstances, at the listlessness and want of response in our Liturgical worshippers. The mere reading of the prayers has little power of exciting a spirit of prayer throughout the congregation. It is when they are felt and prayed, that the chord of sympathy vibrates from the heart of the Minister to the hearts of his congregation" Arise, O Lord, into thy rest. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let thy saints shout for joy.” Psalm cxxxii. 8, 9.

indifference, worldliness, and unbelief, may be removed; that the spirit of humility and simplicity, sanctification and faith, may be vouchsafed unto them; in a word-(to use the beautiful language of our church) 'that it may please thee to give to all thy people increase of grace, to hear meekly thy word, and to receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit.'

Nothing will give such power to our sermons, as when they are the sermons of many prayers. The best sermons are lost, except they be watered by prayer. But if, like the ancient prophet, we "stand upon our watch, and watch to see what he will say unto us," we shall have a word to speak from his mouth; commending it in prayer, faith, and expectation for his blessing. It is easy to bring to our people the product of our own study; but the blessing belongs to the message delivered to them, as from the mouth of God. And waiting on God renews this commission from time to time, supplies our present need, strengthens our confidence; and obtains for us that Taponia-that flowing unction of grace, which gives life and power to our preaching, and unites our stammering tongues to "speak boldly, as we ought to speak."

This spirit of prayer implies the renunciation of all dependence upon our best preparations, ministerial gifts, or spiritual habits; an acknowledgment of their insufficiency to qualify us for the discharge of our commission; and a simple dependence upon our Glorious Head for his present influence. This is "simplicity and godly sincerity;" not as if we were seeking, with Saul, to be "honoured before our people," but desiring only "by, manifestation of the truth to commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." Mr. Scott speaks of the great assistance in preaching, which he derived from this spirit-The degree, in which, after the most careful preparation for the pulpit, new thoughts, new arguments, animated address, often flow into my mind, while speaking to a congregation, even on very common subjects, makes me feel as if I was quite another man, than when poring over them in my study. There will be inaccuracies: but generally the most striking things in my sermons are unpremeditated.' This testimony

1 'Your work (said Mr. Shepard of New England, on his death-bed, to some young ministers) is great, and requires great seriousness. For my own part, I never preached a sermon which in the composing of it did not cost me prayers with strong cries and tears.' 2 Hab. ii. 1.

3 Eph. vi. 19, 20. This was granted to the first apostles in an extraordinary measure, in answer to waiting and prayer. Acts i. 14, with ii. 1—13.

41 Sam. xv. 30, with 2 Cor. iv. 2.

5 Life, pp. 393, 394. We would here suggest the importance of a special reference to our work in the prayer before the sermon. If extempore prayer should be deemed inexpedient, yet several petitions might be collected into a short form, expressive of our entire