and self-complacency-a mischievous weed, deep-rooted, which all my winter seasons have not yet killed. O may it at length be rooted out!' It was therefore seasonable advice of Bishop Taylor to his Clergy- Let no man preach for the praise of men. But if you meet it, instantly watch and stand upon your guard, and pray against your own vanity; and by an express act of acknowledgment and adoration return the praise to God. Remember, that Herod was, for the omission of this, smitten by an angel; and do thou tremble, fearing lest the judgment of God be otherwise than the sentence of the people.'

2

The most pernicious and debasing evil of all is, a converting our sacred office into a medium for setting forth our own excellence-prostituting the glories of the cross for the indulgence of our own pride-drawing a veil over the glories of our adorable Master-and committing a robbery against him, even in the professed business to exalt him. This is to lose sight of the great end of the Ministry-commending ourselves, instead of our Master, to the regard of our people; rather conciliating ourselves to their good-will, than our message to their consciences. This lays the foundation for a gradual departure from the truth, and proportionally deteriorates the power of our work. 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.3 Our duty is, 'not to please but to feel;' (as one of the old writers expressed it) not to stroke the ear, but to strike the heart." Mr. Rich

1 Biographical Portraiture of Rev. J. Hinton, p. 116. 'I know I ought to fit myself in the best manner I can for public service; but this is my misery-I study and prepare, that I may consume it upon my own pride and self-confidence.'-Brainerd.

2 Clergyman's Instructor, p. 108. Let all eloquent preachers beware, lest they fill any man's ears with sounding words, when they should be feeding his soul with the bread of everlasting life. Let them fear, lest, instead of honouring God, they honour themselves. If any man ascend the pulpit with the intention of uttering a fine thing, he is committing a deadly sin."-H. K. White.

3 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.

6 Pungere, non palpare'-was Jerome's direction for the Preacher's words. One

mond 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 recompense, than an investiture with the dignity and honour of an earthly crown.

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 matter; 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.3 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 selfnot 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 laboriously doing nothing.' 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. Godly simplicity is the alchemy that converts every thing it touches into gold. The paramount

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 pourtrayed, 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.) In thus spending our strength in the eloquence of words, we lose the eloquence of thought. We shall not become truly eloquent, until we have lost the desire to be so, and gain our elevation by rising with our subject, and giving up ourselves to it. 1 Richmond's Life, p. 50. 2 Hall's Sermon, p. 45.

3 Zech. xi. 17.

* 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!

desire that Christ" in all things may have the pre-eminence; and the corresponding expression of the heart-" He must increase, but I must decrease "-will compensate for a deficiency in talent and judgment. This is the true character of the "friends of the bridegroom; " to woo for him, 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 to him. Our privilege is to wait upon the gospel, and to reflect our Master's glory through the transparent medium of Christian simplicity. 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! 3

'He that intends truly to preach the Gospel, and not himself; he that is more concerned to do good to others, than 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."' 4

:

3 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. This was according to an old writer's rule, 'that the Preacher expound the sermon in a plain and common speech; not having any respect to his own commendation for his eloquence, but rather to advance the glory of God.' -N. Hemminge's Methode of preaching. 12mo. 1574.

4 Burnet's Pastoral Care, ch. ix.

VII.-LOVE-THE SPIRIT OF SCRIPTURAL PREACHING.

LOVE is the grand distinctive mark of our office. 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.

1

Speaking the truth in love" 2 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 only, 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," yet without love; he would be no better than "sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."3 How delightful is it in the tone of endearing and animated instruction, to look down from the pulpit, and regard the Christian part of our congregation in the light of " mother, and sister, and brother!" Even with the unconverted, our most fruitful seasons of conversion are, when

6 If a man has great and good news to tell me, he will not do it angrily, and in much heat and discomposure of spirit. It is not therefore easy to conceive, on what ground a scolding Minister can justify a conduct, which only proves, that he does not understand his errand.' Cowper's Letters. Paley has admirably illustrated the Epistle to the Romans, as characterized by an exquisite address of Christian love; mixing itself with the most unpalatable statements of truth, and conciliating a kind attention, as the most effectual avenue to conviction. See his Hora Paulinæ. This, as an old writer observes'doth not only serve the affections, but also (if I may so term it) maketh the oration more sharp and witty, to the end it may altogether pierce into the minds of the hearers, and so possess the whole heart itself.' Hemminge ut supra, p. 54. 31 Cor. xiii. 1.

2 Eph. iv. 15.

we are most yearning over lost sinners. This was the spirit of our Divine Pattern; and therefore, that 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!" The testimony that is borne on this particular respecting Mr. Brown of Haddington, is far more important than that of eloquence or originality. Though able to endure bodily or domestic afflictions without a tear, (we mention this unenviable exercise of self-control, 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. 3

It would add considerably to effect, if this spirit be suffered to express itself in corresponding tenderness of appellation. The Apostles were used to address their people with language, expressive of the earnest endearment. * The extant Epistles of the Primitive Fathers, the most earnest discourses of Cyprian and Augustine, and the Homilies of Chrysostom, are strongly imbued with this character. The amiable Fenelon observes- I would have every Minister of the Gospel address his audience with the zeal of a friend, with the generous energy of a father, and with the exuberant affection of a mother. This language obviously requires a chaste control; but the sober expression of heartfelt

1 Matt. ix. 36. Luke xix. 41, 42, with Deut. v. 29. Psalm lxxxi. 13. Ezekiel xviii. 31. Hosea xi. 7-9. Compare Bowles, Lib. i. c. 21.

2 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.

3 Brown's Life, p. 22. Mr. Winter tells us of his friend Mr. Whitfield-'I hardly knew him to go through his sermon without weeping more or less; and I truly believe his were the tears of sincerity. I have heard him say in the pulpit-You blame me for weeping; but how can I help it, when you will not weep for yourselves, though your immortal souls are upon the verge of destruction; and for aught you know, you are hearing your last sermon, and may never more have an opportunity to have Christ offered to you.' Jay's Life of Winter, pp. 27, 28. Constitutional causes will greatly vary the outward expression of love; nor would we insist upon tears, as a necessary evidence of a tender heart. But the spirit here was fully warranted to be genuine and fervent love to souls, and is well worthy of our imitation.

♦ Comp. Phil. iv. 1—and the Apostolic greetings of the several Epistles.