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LETTER II.

ON SERMONS, AND THE SUBJECT-MATTER OF THEM.

My Dear Brother,

THOUGH expounding the scriptures be an important part of the public work of a minister, yet it is not the whole of it. There a great variety of subjects, both in doctrina and practical religion, which require to be illustrated, established, and improved : which cannot be done in an exposition. Discourses of this kind are properly called sermons.

You request me to give you my thoughts on this part of your work, somewhat more particularly. I will endeavour to do so, by considering what must be the matter and the manner of preaching, if we wish to do good to the souls of men. I may fill this letter, and possibly two or three more, on the former, as being by far of the greatest importance.

Unless the subject-matter of your preaching be truly evangelical, you had better be any thing than a minister. When the apostle speaks of a necessity being laid upon him to preach the gospel, he might mean that he was not at liberty to relinquish his work in favour of ease, or honour, or any other worldly object; but he was not bound to preach merely, but to preach that doctrine which had been delivered unto him. The same may be said of us; wo unto us if we preach not the gospel!

It may seem a very easy thing, with the Bible in our hands, to learn the truth clear of all impure mixtures, and to make it the subject of our ministry. But it is not so. We talk much of thinking and judging for ourselves; but who can justly pretend to be free from the influences which surround him, especially in earVOL. IV.

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ly life? We are insensibly, and almost irresistibly assimilated by the books we read, and the company with which we associate; and the principles current in our age and connexions will ordinarily influence our minds. Nor is the danger solely from without: we are slow of heart to believe in a doctrine so holy and divine, and prone to deviate at every point. If, therefore, we were wholly to think for ourselves, that were no security for our keeping to the mind of Christ.

I mention these things; not to deter you from either reading or thinking for yourself; but rather to inculcate the necessity of prayer for divine guidance, and a close adherence to the scriptures. Though we must think for ourselves, we must not depend upon ourselves, but, as little children learn at the feet of our Saviour.

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If you look over the New Testament, you will find the subjectmatter of your preaching briefly, yet fully expressed, in such language as the following: Preach THE WORD.-Preach THE GOSPEL. -Preach the gospel to every creature.―Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day, and that REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SINS should be preached in his name, among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.-I declare unto you THE GOSPEL which I preached unto you, which also have received, and wherein ye stand, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was bu ried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. We preach CHRIST CRUCIFIED.-I am determined to know nothing among you, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.—This is the record, that God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech men by us, we pray them in Christ's stead, saying, Be ye reconciled unto God.-For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. I have kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD, AND FAITH TOWARD OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Such, my brother, is the concurrent language of the New Testament. Every one of the foregoing passages contains an epitome of the gospel ministry. You will not expect me to expatiate upon their various connexions: I may, however, notice three or four particulars, which follow from them.

First In every sermon we should have an errand; and one of such importance, that if it be received, or complied with, it will issue in eternal salvation.-I say nothing of those preachers who profess to go into the pulpit without an errand, and to depend upon the Holy Spirit to furnish them with one at the time. I write not for them; but for such as make a point of thinking before they attempt to preach. Even of these I have heard some, who in studying their texts have appeared to me to have no other object in view than to find something to say, in order to fill up the time. This, however, is not preaching: but merely talking about good things. Such ministers, though they think of something beforehand, yet appear, to me, to resemble Ahimaaz, who ran without tidings. I have also heard many an ingenious discourse, in which I could not but admire the talents of the preacher; but his only object appeared to be to correct the grosser vices, and to form the manners of his audience, so as to render them useful members of civil society. Such ministers have an errand; but not of such importance as to save those who receive it, which sufficiently proves that it is not the gospel.

In preparing for the pulpit, it would be well to reflect in some such manner as this: I am expected to preach, it may be, to some hundreds of people, some of whom may come several miles to hear; and what have I to say to them? Is it for me to sit here studying a text, merely to find something to say, to fill up the hour? I may do this without imparting any useful instruction, without commending myself to any man's conscience, and without winning, or even aiming to win, one soul to Christ. It is possible there may be in the audience a poor miserable creature; labouring under the load of a guilty conscience. If he depart without being told how to obtain rest for his soul, what may be the consequence ? Or, it may be, some stranger may be there, who has never heard the way of salvation in his life. If he should depart without hear.

ing it now, and should die before another opportunity occurs, how shall I meet him at the bar of God? Possibly, some one of my constant hearers may die in the following week; and is there nothing I should wish to say to him before his departure? It may be that I myself may die before another Lord's day: this may be the last time that I shall ascend the pulpit; and have I no important testimony to leave with the people of my care?'

Secondly: Every sermon should contain a portion of the doctrine of salvation by the death of Christ.-If there be any meaning in the foregoing passages, this is emphatically called THE GOSPEL. A sermon, therefore, in which this doctrine has not a place, and I might add a prominent place, cannot be a gospel sermon. It may be ingenious, it may be eloquent: but a want of the doctrine of the cross is a defect which no pulpit excellence can supply.

Far be it from me to encourage that fastidious humour manifested by some hearers, who object to a sermon unless the cross of Christ be the immediate and direct topic of discourse. There is a a rich variety in the sacred writings, and so there ought to be in our ministrations. There are various important truths supposed, by this great doctrine; and these require to be illustrated and established. There are various branches pertaining to it, which require to be distinctly considered; various consequences arising from it, which require to be pointed out; various duties corresponding with it, which require to be inculcated; and various evils inimical to it, which may require to be exposed. All I mean to say is, that as there is a relation between these subjects and the doctrine of the cross, if we would introduce them in truly evangelical manner, it requires to be in that relation. I may establish the moral character and government of God; the holiness, justice, goodness, and perpetual obligation of the law; the evil of sin; and the exposedness of the sinner to endless punishment: but if I have any other end in view than by convincing him of his lost condition, to make him feel the need of a Saviour, I cannot be said to have preached the gospel; nor is my reasoning, however forcible, likely to produce any good effect. I may be very pointed in pressing the practical parts of religion, and in reproving the sins of the times; but if I enforce the one, or inveigh against the oth

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