selfish unhumbled heart chains him under a moral inability to come, and leaves him without excuse. For it cannot be supposed, that his inability cancels his obligation, or that God will compromise with carnal men, by requiring any thing less than his just and absolute claim. But thus man is urged to acts, for which he has no inherent power. He is pressed with

topics, which have a moral suitableness to engage the faculties, and move the natural affections; and in this constituted order of means, the sovereignty, grace, and power of God give life to the dispensation of his word.

We have enlarged upon the subject of this section, from the decided conviction, that a high standard of Christian docrine, scripturally laid down and practically enforced, is indissolubly connected with a corresponding elevation of Christian holiness and Christian privilege. An inefficient Ministry will ever be found, where the system of public instruction is lowered beneath the sacred standard. It is far more easy to bring our people to a certain stage of preliminary advancement, than to carry them one step beyond it. 'In these truths,' as Cotton Mather observes-' there are the articles, which the church either stands or falls withall. They will be the life of your Ministry, nor can the power of godliness be maintained without them. The loss of these truths will render a Ministry insipid and unfruitful; and procure this complaint about the shepherds-"The diseased ye have not strengthened, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away." The powerful influence of such a system of doctrinal instruction, as has been here recommended, consists not in the talent of eloquence, but in the

'*

* Mather's Student and Pastor, p. 185.

66

simplicity and godly sincerity," with which it is conducted. Its main character may be comprised in one short sentence-" Christ is all and in all." He is not only exhibited in the picture, but in the foreground, as the principal figure, where every part of the picture is subordinated, to give him that prominence and effect, which attracts the eye and the heart exclusively to him.*

This subject may be fitly concluded with the striking exhortation of Bishop Reynolds-Studiously and conscientiously apply yourselves to this heavenly skill of spiritual preaching. So convince of sin-the guilt, the stain, the pollution of it, the curse and malediction whereunto the soul is exposed by it, that your hearers may be awakened and humbled and effectually forewarned "to flee from the wrath to come." So convince of the all-sufficient righteousness and unsearchable riches of Christ, the excellency of his knowledge, the immeasurableness of his love, the preciousness of his promises, "the fellowship of his sufferings, the power of his resurrection," the beauties of his holiness, the easiness of his yoke, the sweetness of his peace, the joy of his salvation, the hope of his glory, that the hearts of your hearers may burn within them, and they

*Bowles gives some cogent reasons for this full exhibition of Christ in our Ministry.-1. Because in him is our only hope of salvation, Acts iv. 12; John xiv. 6. 2. because he is the scope of the whole Scripture, the whole range of truth being employedeither, like the Mosaic economy, "to bring us to him"-or to describe him as if before our eyes--or to lead us to communion with him by the outward and inward means-or lastly that we might walk worthy of him. 3. Because all the first Ministers of the Gospel unite in giving him the pre-eminence in their Ministrations-John the Baptist, (John i. 23.) Philip, (Acts viii. 5.) Paul, (Acts ix. 20. 1 Cor. ii. 2. Eph. iii. 8.) 4. Because all our works, except they be grafted on him, are no better than splendid sins. John xv. 4, 5. Past. Evang. Lib. ii. c. 8.

may "fly, like doves unto their windows," for shelter and sanctuary into the arms of such a Redeemer, who "is able" and willing to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him," that they may with all ready obedience, and by the constraining power of the love of Christ, yield up themselves to the government of this Prince of Peace, by whom "the Prince of this world is judged and cast out," his "works destroyed," and we for this end "bought with a price," that we should "not be our own," but his that bought us, nor "live any longer unto ourselves, but unto him that loved us, and died for us, and rose again."

"Preach Christ Jesus the Lord." "Determine to know nothing among your people but Christ crucified." Let his name and grace, his Spirit and love, triumph in the midst of all your sermons. Let your great end be to glorify him in the heart, to render him amiable and precious in the eyes of his people, to lead them to him, as a sanctuary to protect them, a propitiation to reconcile them, a treasure to enrich them, a physician to heal them, an advocate to present them and their services to God, as wisdom to counsel them, as righteousness to justify, as sanctification to renew, as redemption to save. Let Christ be the diamond to shine in the bosom of all your sermons.'*

* Works, pp. 1039, 1040. An uniform edition of his works has been lately presented to the public, dedicated to the present Bishop of London. The Christian Remembrancer-a periodical, whose general system is opposed to this view of Christian doctrine -justly ranks Bishop Reynolds as 'one of the most eminent among the Divines of the seventeenth century;' and marks the edition of his works just referred to, as 'forming a most valuable accession to our stores of sound and masculine theology.' November 1826.

SECTION II.

EXPERIMENTAL PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL.

'PERHAPS the theory of the Gospel was never better understood since the Apostle's days, than it is at present. But many, who preach it, or who profess it, seem to lay too much stress upon a systematical scheme of sentiments, and too little upon that life and power, that vital, experimental, and practical influence, which form the character and regulate the conduct of an established Christian.'* The fulness and simplicity, the connected and unfettered character of our Ministrations, may enlighten our people only with a cold and uninfluential knowledge, except an experimental character be added to interest and affect the heart. Our statements may embrace accuracy of detail, and correctness of proportion: but without an unctional spirit, and an application of the didactic system to the different feelings and sympathies of the heart, they will be unproductive. Not that we should be always dealing with certain trains of spiritual exercises, but that we should enter with minuteness and consistency into the varied feelings, difficulties, conflicts, and privileges, which belong to what Scougal aptly calls, 'the life of God in the soul of man.'

Much caution and experience however is required to treat this subject with advantage. It includes the different cases of our people, the various degrees of impression under the Ministry of the word, the

* Newton's Life of Grimshawe, p. 65.

power of conviction, the danger of stifling it, and the best methods of cherishing, deepening, and directing its influence. The power of temptation in its diversfied operations is a material part of the subject, both as regards the "captivity" of the multitude "at the will of Satan,"* or his active and too successful influence over Christian hearts. The incessant workings of native principles of corruption, falling in with the grand designs of the enemy, and materially aiding his operations, need to be most correctly delineated. And hence will arise some important rules for the assurance of Christian sincerity, and for a scriptural "trial of the spirits, whether they be of God."+ The different offices of the Holy Spirit, "helping infirmities" in prayer, convincing, enlightening, consoling, strengthening every part of the soul, embuing with the Divine image, and bearing witness to his own work-these will form full and interesting subjects for detailed exposition. The connexion of the work of the Holy Spirit with the exhibition of the love of Christ, his offices, the mutual interest and communion subsisting between him and his church, in every part and in every member, will present the grand subject of the atonement in its vivid application, and in all its experimental power of consolation. This view of the scheme of the Gospel widely differs from the dry and abstract statement of orthodox doctrine. Its life consists not in the exposition, but in the application of the doctrine to the heart for the suitable purposes for which it was ordained-the sanctification and comfort of the sincere Christian. Subjects of this character may occasionally and at seasonable oppor

* 2 Tim. ii. 26.

1 John iv. 1.