sight to behold the expositors of his holy word, humbly but zealously engaged to unfold more and more of its glorious contents? Shall it yet be said, that the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light? Does not the declarative glory of God, demand of the present age that the investigations and discoveries of the manifold wonders of his kingdom, should equal the inventions and improvements of the political and intellectual world?

10thly. The immortal interest of a vast number of human beings may serve to show how important it is that ministers of the gospel should hold forth variety as a prominent trait in their publick discourses.

The great end of divine revelation and the preaching of the word as it relates to man, is his eternal salvation. Hence a most important inquiry naturally arises, How should the word be preached so as to be instrumental in saving the greatest number of human beings? But the various particulars which have been adduced in this discourse, do tend to make it evident, that an extensive and interesting variety of religious subjects would have the most favourable tendency to promote the immortal interest of man.

It may be replied, some ministers who have not been noted for an extensive scope and variety of discourses, have been instrumental in winning souls to Christ. Grant it: But, if an interesting and extensive variety of subjects had been held forth as a prominent trait in their publick instructions, it is highly probable that their congregations would have been greatly enlarged, and more souls converted under their ministry.

Again: It may be remarked, that some ministers of eminent talents, and whose sermons have been peculiar for variety, have had but little success as to any apparently saving effects from their labours. Let me answer, Their discourses may have had a general deficiency of striking, evangelical, and most important truths; or they may have been deficient as it respects a life of prayer and devotedness to God.

An instance of any salutary effect from an excite

ment of curiosity, may be demanded. Zaccheus, from a laudable curiosity to see the Saviour, ascended a sycamore tree, and the same day salvation came to his house. And the relation of Christian experience, in thousands of instances, attest similar glorious results.

One important design of revelation was to be an exposition of the manifold works of God, exhibited in creation and providence; to explain their nature, and to show to man the agency, purposes, wisdom, and goodness of the Supreme Being, in their formation and government. Thus explained and thus illuminated, they become means of knowledge very extensive and eminently useful. Hence, in those places where the manifold doctrines, duties, and truths of divine revelation have been the most extensively and strikingly exhibited to the minds of men, there has the greatest number of souls been savingly converted as witnesses of the marvellous grace of God in the glorious effects of an interesting variety in the preaching of the word. The interest of Zion, and the salvation of multitudes of our fallen race, call loudly upon ministers to bring forth from their treasure a variety of things new and old, proportionate to the rising wonders and additional glories of the present age.

By a continued repetition of a certain series of subjects on a few points of divinity, instead of being an occasion of additional joy to the angels of heaven in view of the conversion of sinners, there would be ground for seraphs to weep. If ministers of the gospel do not search for varied and interesting truths new and old as for hid treasures, and bring them forth to the view of their hearers, must they not be unfaithful, and guilty of the blood of souls? Surely the perishing condition of impenitent sinners, the bleeding cause of the Redeemer, the prosperity of Zion, and the immortal interest of a vast number of human beings, may serve to show how important it is that ministers of the gospel should hold forth variety as a prominent trait in their publick discourses. Amen.

SERMON XXIX.

MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL ENCOURAGED TO HOLD FORTH VARIETY, AS A PROMINENT TRAIT IN THEIR PUBLICK DISCOURSES.

MATTHEW XIII. 52.

Every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a man that is a householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure, things new and old.

THIS discourse will be illustrated by inferences from the preceding subject.

1st. It is highly important for ministers of the gospel to pay particular attention to their style in their publick discourses.

As they generally have great variety of hearers, it should be plain, easy to be understood by common capacities; and elegant, so as to interest the most refined mind. To have one part of a congregation leave the house of God, complaining of the obscurity and bombast of a discourse; and the other of its vulgarity and ungrammatical sentences, is a melancholy circumstance. Or to have a people extol an abundance of flowery expressions in a sermon, of a continued series of tropes, figures, and metaphors, is an effect equally lamentable. Hence words should be acceptable and style interesting, in that manner which is the best calculated to draw the attention of an audience to the subject for instruction, and impress their minds with a sense of the important truths delivered. The great object of a minister of the gospel should be, so to please his hearers with language as most effectually to excite in them a lively and deep interest in his discourse. And the chief end

of an interesting variety of words and sentences, should be the same as that of an interesting variety of subjects; viz. the promotion of the great and important objects of divine revelation.

As it is by words that thoughts and sentiments are conveyed to the understanding and conscience, so these should be aptly chosen, that they may communicate the particular ideas and truths designed. It is laudable for ministers of the gospel to bestow pains to find out words agreeable to the minds of their hearers, provided they be suited to convey divine truths in the plainest and most convincing manner. They are honourably employed, if they copy the example of the wise and royal preacher, by seeking out acceptable words, even those of uprightness and truth, set forth in the most forcible and persuasive arguments, so as to lead men to a knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus.

If divine truths be exhibited in suitable language, they will prove a source of peace, comfort, and consolation to saints; but of disquiet, terrour, and remorse, to sinners. Hence, says the Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Hebrews, "The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow; and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Thus when the preaching of a minister is not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, it becomes a divine sword with two sharp edges, penetrating where no other sword can reach; for it lays open to the view of men their secret thoughts and intentions, even their most hidden purposes, and sins long forgotten, as naked and open to the eyes of him with whom they have to do. Notwithstanding, the most solemn and glorious realities of eternity may be discussed in a manner so indefinite, and with a style so languid as not to interest the attention either of saints or sinners. But let the same

divine truths be exhibited with striking words and energy of expression, some will fill the souls of believers with extatick joy in view of the unspeakable glories of heaven, and others would pierce the conscience and heart of the impenitent, forcing convictions and alarms upon the most haughty and obstinate, and presenting a hell with devouring flames near to their view. How great the power of language, and how highly important for ministers of the gospel to pay particular attention to their style in their publick discourses!

*

2dly. It is highly important for ministers of the gospel to attain an interesting manner in the delivery of their publick discourses.

Eloquence in the proclaiming of the glorious truths and narrations of the word of God, is highly favourable to the promotion of the same great and desirable ends, as a good style and an interesting variety of subjects. Indeed, without an engaging or interesting delivery, the most ingenious and striking discourses generally make but little impression. How many thousands of excellent sermons have served only to lull one part of the congregation to sleep, and to render stupid those that were awake, because they were delivered in an enervate and monotonous manner! But if a speaker be eloquent, though his discourse have no peculiar merit, he commands attention; and his illustrations commend themselves with weight to the minds of his hearers. And the talent of oratory is not merely to excite the passions, but to convey light to the understanding, to penetrate the conscience, and affect the heart. Though mankind may feel indifferent, and have their thoughts roving to the ends of the earth, when an ordinary speaker addresses them with the most heavenly and divine messages; yet, who is not interested, who is not eagerly drawn to the subject, when rhetorical sounds vibrate on the ear? Shall

* See Doctor Porter's Analysis relating to Elocution, &c.