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low-servant the payment of a small debt; when one much more considerable had been remitted to him by his master? Is the assurance that impure persons will be tormented in that place where the worm dieth not,' and the flames 'are not quenched,' no more than a mere dream? You will pretend, perhaps, God is satisfied with these threatnings only, and will go no farther; but dare you utter so horrible a blasphemy? The contrary I have made evident to you, both by the actions and expressions of our Saviour; and if you are not sufficiently convinced by what shall happen hereafter; let at least, what is past persuade you. For can you affirm, that the judgments of God, which have hitherto appeared, and the many terrible effusions of his wrath upon mankind, are but so many bare menaces? Who was it that sent a deluge on the earth, and covered the whole world with waters? Who was it that destroyed almost the whole race of mankind? that showered down fire upon Sodom, and shot forth thunder on the cities of the wicked? Who was it that drowned the whole army of Egypt; and destroyed six hundred thousand Israelites in the desert? Who opened the earth under Korah and Dathan; and reduced to ashes the faction of Abiram? Who was it that struck seventy thousand with the pestilence, for the sin of David?

"Shall I speak here, of particular chastisements, which God hath inflicted upon different persons? Of Cain who was punished for the murder of his brother? Of Achan, who was stoned for concealing privately some of the spoils of Jericho? Of the forty children, devoured by beasts,

whom the weakness of their age could not excuse for contemning the Prophet.

"If you consider further, what God has done since the gracious dispensation of the Gospel; you will see in what manner God has treated the Jews, -that the extremities they have been reduced to, exceed all the miseries, which, till then, had been experienced in the world. And to put it out of question, that they suffered all these evils from the hands of Christ himself; but those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring them hither, and slay them before me.'

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Again. Perhaps it is your misfortune to be incredulous after so many demonstrations; and to be without belief of hell-fire. To be so you must be persuaded that the devil himself is not punished; for the express words of Jesus Christ are, depart from me into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.' If there is no such fire, there is no suffering for the devils; but if they are tormented in these flames; we too who have been disobedient and unbelieving shall suffer with them."

Such was the preaching of the christian Fathers; and can the pastors of the present day do wrong in imitating them? Certainly not.

There is no resisting a discourse like this, it steals insensibly upon the soul and acts with, (I know not what,) easy violence upon the heart and mind. So far is the Preacher from fearing to alarm and stir the consciences of men, that he makes it the principle business of his ministry; and employs all the strength and beauty of his genius, all

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the vivacity of his imagination, all the extent of his memory; in a word, all the powers of his soul, in order to accomplish this object.

The true Pastor must always keep in view the design and end of his ministry :-To "feed the flock of God;" and to "pull down strong holds." The food which he provides, therefore, must not be chaffy, nor the weapons of his warfare carnal; but, on the contrary, his food must be nutritious, and his weapons "mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds."

The Pulpit was never designed to be a pedestal on which to display the learning, genius, or even the eloquence of

man.

In the Pulpit Ministers should not seek human applause, but Divine approbation; not to entertain, but save their hearers.

It is well for those, who, before they entered the ministry were so highly favoured, as to sit under the discourses of those who were "workmen that needed not to be ashamed."

In the Methodist Connexion, we have examples of the simple and earnest;-the studied and eloquent ;—the pathetic and sublime.

Who does not rejoice to have heard the Apostolic BENSON;-the masculine CLARKE; the noble and elevated, powerful and impressive WATSON? And though these gems, have fallen from the head of our Connexion; these "burning and shining lights" quenched in death;

even now we have models of pulpit eloquence, which every young minister would do well to study.

As the "Pastoral office" is one of such vast importance, connecting itself with the spiritual and immortal interests of men, and the future triumphs and glory of the church; is it not requisite that every thing that can be done, by man and means should be done for its perfection, that our pastors may indeed be "wise Master-builders; laying a good foundation," and building upon it, not hay, straw, and stubble; but "gold and silver and precious stones;" and whose "ministrations shall be clear and full, majestic, harmonious, and efficient."*

Pastors are God's gifts to the Church: and shall we not respect the gift for the giver? They have been greatly honoured of God, by being made "the savour of life unto life" to fallen men.

1. The church was gathered out of the world by the preaching of the Gospel: "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” A Gospel Ministry is the day of God's power, the rod of God's strength, "the seed of the kingdom."

*"General declamations and reflections do little in a popular audience; the Preacher must enter into detail. Nothing can penetrate but what is pointed. He may also indulge in a certain degree of diffusiveness. He who passes rapidly from one thing to another is not likely to impress or indeed even to inform the majority of his audience. To affect them, he must commonly DWELL upon the thought a little; even with an enlargedness that may seem needless, and with a repetition in other words and exemplifications that may go for tautology with persons of quicker apprehensiveSo that what he failed to accomplish by the first stroke has often been done by the second."—JAY.

ness.

2. The Church was reformed by Preaching: in the Catholic Church, at the time of the Reformation preaching was almost set aside. Luther and his Coadjutors revived, not only frequent preaching; but the preaching of a present, Justification by Faith alone, without moral or ecclesiastical works; protesting against the corruptions of Rome, and making the Holy Scriptures the only ground for faith and confidence.

3. The Church was revived by Preaching; the preaching of the Wesleys, Whitfield and others. When they began to preach extempore, and out of doors, in a lively and simple manner, a present, free, full, and constant salvation.-God honoured the word, poured out His Spirit; and the effects of their labours continue to this day. 4. Preaching is designed to enlarge, preserve, and perfect the church.

The world is yet, in many parts, (some of which are civilized) without true religion; and that which can alone benefit them, is a preached Gospel:-For "the Gospel must first be published among all nations." And St. John in his Apocalyptical vision saw "the angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel, to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation and kindred, people and tongue."

How important then, is the "Pastoral office!" both to the Church and the world; and what necessary advice and encouragement is contained in the Apostle's exhortation! "Feed the flock of God, which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly;