above mentioned, are not well-timed. To promote his spiritual welfare, each of these hearers needs a different portion. If we turn our attention to the scriptures, and observe how Christ and his Apostles "divided the word of truth," we shall find, that they always considered the state of those, to whom they spake; and gave them a portion, the best calculated to benefit them in their peculiar circumstances. The inactive, they taught the necessity of exertion. Against the rebellious, they proclaimed the curses of the law. To the desponding penitent, they exhibited the riches of Divine mercy. To the self-righteous, they shewed the extent of the Divine commands, and the impossibility of a fallen creature's being saved, by the deeds of the law. To those, who "profess to know God, but in works deny him," they taught that "faith without works is dead." To support the hope of the trembling, and to excite his most fervent gratitude, they often brought forward the consoling truth, that all, who are in Christ, were "from the beginning chosen unto salvation." When they would show the wicked the impossibility of frustrating the designs of God-when they would inspire the righteous with confidence in his government, even in the darkest times-when they would the most effectually teach all men their absolute dependence upon himwhen they would exhibit the perfections of God, in the most illustrious and striking manner-they declared his decrees, and taught the fulfilment of them by his own agency. The example of Christ, and his Apostles, in dividing the word of truth according to the condition of their hearers, is a pattern for the imitation of every minister.

5. To please God, ministers must preach the gospel with simplicity and plainness. To preach the gospel

with simplicity, is to exhibit the truth unmixed with error. As God approves of all, which he has revealed; so he disapproves of all, which he has not revealed, when added to the gospel, and delivered in his name. "The prophet, that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he, that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat, saith the Lord?" The groundless opinions and vain speculations of men, when mixed with the truth of God, are like chaff to the wheat. As chaff mixed with wheat renders it unfit for use; so the erroneous opinions of men, mixed with the doctrines of the gospel, tend to prevent their salutary effects. Every minister should, therefore, be cautious, that he does not "teach for doctrines the commandments of men;" but endeavour to present the truth of God in its native simplicity and purity.

The simple truths of the gospel, he should declare with great plainness. It should always be an object with him, to be perfectly understood by his hearers. This object should direct him in the choice both of his style and his method. He should never speak in a style, or adopt a method, which obscures his subject, or conceals his sentiments. No truth can be of use, any farther, than it is understood. For an ambassador of Christ, sent with a message of everlasting consequence to his perishing fellow-creatures, to speak in a language, which they cannot understand, is to insult them in their wretchedness, and to degrade the office, which he fills. While such a man studiously adapts his expressions to the capacities of his hearers, he should be equally careful to arrange his thoughts in such an order, that the subject, on which he speaks, may be clearly understood, deeply impressed, and long retained.

6. If ministers would please God, they must daily seek his blessing on their labours. They know, that Paul may plant, and Apollos water; but, that God only can give the increase. This truth they ought practically to acknowledge, by accompanying all their studies, all their preaching, all their conversation, and all their other exertions to promote the spiritual welfare of their people, with fervent prayer. The neglect of this is not only an act of disobedience to the commands of God; but such a practical declaration of their own sufficiency, as is peculiarly displeasing to him. Jealous for the honour of his name, he would have creatures to know, that in a work so glorious as that of saving souls from death, his agency is neither to be denied, nor overlooked. The Apostles were in the habit of constantly imploring the blessing of God upon all their attempts to promote the salvation of men. They did not think it sufficient merely to exhort and instruct their hearers; they were never satisfied until they had commended them to God. "We pray always for you," says Paul to the Thessalonians, "that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power.

Having shown, at some length, what is implied in the exhortation in the text, I proceed to show,

II. The importance of ministers' obeying it. let us consider,

Here

1. That unless they "study to show themselves approved unto God," they will probably be instrumental of destroying, instead of saving the souls of their people. Although we cannot say, that God never makes the labours of unfaithful ministers instrumental of saving souls; yet, we know, that this is not his usual practice. He generally makes use of means suited to the nature

of the object, which he intends to accomplish. The conduct of those, who do not "study to show themselves approved unto God," is not calculated to save, but to destroy their people. They do not set that example of heavenly-mindedness, devotion to God, and disinterested regard to the spiritual welfare of their people, which is necessary to exhibit the nature and importance of true religion. They do not "declare all the counsel of God." They neither assume the labour, nor exercise the self-denial, which are necessary to make them acquainted with the spiritual wants of their people; and to enable them to divide "the word of truth" so as to meet their various circumstances. They are peculiarly liable to fail as to that simplicity and plainness, which are necessary to carry the truth to the understandings and consciences of men. They are destitute of that spirit of prayer, which is necessary to influence them constantly to seek the blessing of God on their labours. Now as it is truth, the simple truth, set home upon the consciences of men, by precept and example, and accompanied with humble prayer, that God usually renders effectual to the conviction and conversion of sinners, it is to be expected, that those ministers, who do not "study to show themselves approved unto God," will leave their people to perish in ignorance and sin. It would be departing from his usual mode of operation, and contradicting the plain intimations of his word, should he honour them as instruments of "turning many to righteousness." God clearly intimated to the prophet Ezekiel, that his unfaithfulness might be the destruction of the people; "When I say unto the wicked-thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his in

iquity." The conduct of unfaithful ministers has as direct a tendency to destroy the souls of men, as that of the faithful has to save them.

2. Unless ministers "study to shew themselves approved unto God," there is danger of their bringing both the ministry, and the gospel into contempt. The ministry can be respected no longer than those, who fill the sacred office, appear to make it their supreme object to please God. And, generally speaking, they will really appear to do this, no longer than they are influenced by that love to God, which leads them to delight in his pleasure. As selfishiness is the principle, which governs all wicked men, even the most licentious and abandoned, when ministers make their own pleasure, instead of the approbation of God, the primary object of their regard, they degrade their office. If they do not "study to show themselves approved unto God," neither their preaching, nor their conversation, nor their general conduct, will be likely to correspond with the nature of their high and holy calling. By the inconsistency which is manifest between their profession and conduct, they will, like the priests in the days of Malachi, " cause many to stumble at the law;" and God will, after his former example, make them " contemptible and base before all the people, according as they have not kept his ways.'

When the ministry is brought into contempt, by the unfaithfulness of those, who are engaged in it, the gospel, which they profess to preach, will of course be considered by many, as "a cunningly devised fable;" and all the good effects, which its influence over the minds of men is calculated to produce, will be prevented.