cellency of our calling; we are the angels, the ambaffadors of God, Guvepyo, his fellow-workers. And, befides, this timorousness in the speaker will much hinder the efficacy and power of the word on the hearers. In brief, the most proper manner of elocution is with modefty and gravity, which will beft fuit with our calling and business.

*

To conclude, the observation of these helps and directions, together with frequent, diligent practice, will (as far as art can effect) quickly produce a good habit, and, by confequence, a facility.

* Dr BLAIR, in perfect harmony with what our author inculcates, obferves: "The chief chara&eriftics of the eloquence fuited to the pulpit, as diftinguished from the other kinds of public fpeaking, appear to me to be these two, gravity and warmth. The ferious nature of the fubjects, belonging to the pulpit, requires gravity; their importance to mankind, requires warmth." See Lect. xxix. On, The Eloquence of the Pulpit, throughout; which, perhaps, is one of the best of his admired performance, and certainly to a preacher the most interesting.

THE

CHRISTIAN PREACHER, &c..

DISCOURSE II.

OF PREACHING CHRIST.

§ 1. Introduction. § 2. (I.) What regard a minifter Should have to CHRIST in his preaching. § 3. 1. He fhould be the END of our preaching. § 4. Our ultimate end, his perfonal glory. § 5. The subordinate end, the advancement of his kingdom. § 6. To glorify the justice and long-fuffering of Chrift is alfo implied. 7. All which must be fincerely intended. § 8. 2. Chrift should be the MATTER of our preaching. § 9. 3. A continual REGARD to Chrift fhould distinguish our fermons from difcourfes on mere natural religion. § 10. Particularly on the fubject of duties. § 11. (1.) We should reprefent duty as the fruit of faith in, and love to Chrift. $12. (2.) Enforce duties with motives respecting Chrift. § 13. (3.) To be performed by his grace; and § 14. (4.) Acceptable through his merits. § 15. 4. We should express our thoughts

thoughts in a STYLE becoming the gospel of Chrift. §16. (II.) Some reafons and motives to enforce the friendly admonition. 1. It is the only way to acceptance and communion with Chrift. § 17. 2. The only way to win fouls to Chrift. Which is, 18. Confirmed by obfervation. § 19. 3. It is a direct imitation of the apostles of Chrift. § 20. As appears from fome of their difcourfes on duties the most moral. § 21. And the nature of the motives ufed. § 22. The Remonftrants reproved. § 23. 4. So only fhall we deferve the name of CHRISTIAN PREACHERS. While fome neglect the peculiarities of the gospel, and, § 24. Others do not promote holiness, § 25. The true chriftian preacher preferves both, and avoids all extremes. 26. Yet, to arrive at any tolerable perfection is no easy task.

$1. Profeffing ourselves chriftians, I hope we are fatisfied, upon careful and rational inquiry, that the religion of Jefus comes from God; and that it

is

Eminent writers on the evidences of Chriftianity are fo numerous that it is not easy to make a selection; but there is one publication, which, on account of

is a moft glorious difpenfation, no less for the sublime wonders of its doctrine, than the divine purity of its precepts. Now, in all the peculiar glories of this religion, CHRIST is interwoven like Phidias's name in the fhield, which could not be effaced without destroying the shield itself; so that preaching Chrift, and preaching the gospel, are, in fcripture ftyle, fynonimous terms.

§ 2. (I.) To preach Christ, therefore, is our charge, our business, and our glory. But "who is fufficient for these things ?" Give me leave, then, my dear brethren and friends, to remind myself and you, What regard a minister should have to our REDEEMER in his preaching.

3. 1. Let us make Chrift the END of our preaching. If we feek principally to please men, then are we not the fervants of Chrift. If we look no farther than our own reputation, or temporal

ad

its moderate fize, force of reafoning, excellency of compofition, and urbanity of manner, I with warmly to recommend to the christian student and preacher, as richly deferving repeated perufal; I mean the DISSERTATION on MIRACLES, by the late Dr. GEORGE CAMPBELL, Principal of the Marifhal college, Aberdeen; where the moft daring and fubtle objections of infidels are analysed, detected, and expofed in an interefting and mafterly manner. Third edit. one small vol. 12mo. Edinb. 1796. There is also a 4th edit. in 2 vol. 8vo. 1797, with additions, fermons, &c. price, 10s.

advantage, appropriating our talents to our own private use, how shall we make up our accounts to our divine Master?

§ 4. Our ultimate end should be the perfonal glory of Chrift. That the glory of Chrift, as God, is the ultimate end of the gospel, none can doubt; fo that it is faid of this divine Perfon, "All things are for him, as well as by him."* Is he not worth ten thousand of us? Of more worth than the world; the only begotten Son of God, whom the highest angels adore? Now if the glory of Chrift's perfon be the principal end in the divine schemes and actings, it should also be our highest view and defign. +

5. Again, as the glory of Chrift's perfon should be our ultimate end, fo the advancement of his kingdom of grace among men fhould be our fubordinate end. The immediate defign of the gospel is the recovery of fallen creatures to holiness and happiness.

E

* Col. i. 16.

Heb. ii. 10.

Chrift

+ On the subject of these two sections, the reader is referred to Dr. OWEN's treatise, on The perfon of Chrift, as a rich mine of fcriptural information; and, to his Meditations on the glory of Chrift, which contain a favour of divine things truly delightful and enriching. See a juft character of this laft book in Mr. Hervey's Theron and Afpafio, vol. iii. p. 75. Lond. 1767.