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3. The deepest seriousness at all times becomes the minister of the golpel: but in the pulpit there fhould not be even the appear➡ ance of a deviation from it. An ambaffador of an earthly government, when immediately engaged in the duties of his embaffy, would be far from trifling: how much more should an ambaffador of God? "Do the work," therefore, "of an evangelif, make full proof of thy miniftry," 2 Tim. 4. 5.

4. A preacher who feeks the honour which comes from God, and not that which comes from man, will confider the fpiritual wants of his audience, and choose his text and fubject accordingly. He will not preach to fhew his own abilities, but merely to do good. And indeed, if he preach not from this pure motive alone, he has no right to expect the bleffing of God upon his labours. See Luke xii. 42-44.

5. Be cautious of allegorizing. It feldom informs the judg ment, and ftili feldomer warms the heart. It may be called a pretty way of talking. The preacher may be admired, but the hearer will be little edified. And what is applaufe, or any thing but the falvation of fouls, to the faithful minifter of Chrift? The genuine language of his heart is, I afk not riches, honours, or plafures, gain or applause; I afk only for the falvation of fouls!" "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech, or of wisdom, declaring unto you the teftimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, fave Jefus Chrift, and him crucified," 1 Cor. ii. 1, 2.

6. When the preacher has fixed upon the fubject which he judges most suitable to the ftates of the fouls he is going to addrefs, he must keep to his point. He muft labour to arrange his ideas, and to speak to the understanding as well as the heart. He must first endeavour fully to explain, and then to apply, to 'fhew" himfelf " a workman that needeth not to be afhamed, rightly dividing the word of truth," 2 Tim. ii. 15.

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7. He must take care, that his good be not evil spoken of, or laughed at, if poffible, through any awkward or unmeaninggeftures in the pulpit. When the inftruction of immortal fpirits is his employment, he should mind every thing little and great, which can affift him in this glorious work, in which angels would envy him, if it were poffible for them to indulge fo bafe a paffion. "Thefe things fpeak and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee," Tit. ii. 15.

8. Be not too forward in writing for the prefs. Nothing dif graces a caufe fo much, as to attempt to defend it in a feeble manner. Let not a few friends who are attached to you, and are not in the leaft degree judges of compofition, prevail upon you to become an author. To write well requires a life devoted in a great measure to close and fevere ftudy. Preaching the everlaft ing gofpel and spiritual inftruction in feafon and out of season,

are your grand objects. There are fo many excellent publications already in the world, which by the means of the prefs may be put into every hand, that there are fewer neceffary to be written than many imagine. A few good writers in one church are quite fufficient, efpecially in ours, which has already been' honoured with a Wesley and a Fletcher. But particularly comply with our exprefs rules on this fubject. "Of making many books there is no end," fays the wife man, Ecclef. xii. 12..

9. Scarcely any thing tends to damp divine fervice more than to be praying too long, and in a languid manner. Few things more tend to bring a congregation into a formal fpirit. Sometimes indeed the minifter is led within the vail in an unfual way, and may then juftly give full vent to the holy flame. But on other occafions let the prayer be very fervent, and of a moderate length. "When ye pray" fays our Lord, "ufe not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them,” Matt. vi. 7, 8.

10. A comment on a portion of fcripture is fometimes very profitable to the congregation, especially when a warm application is adjoined. And it is exceedingly useful for young preachers to habituate themselves to the giving of warm exhortations, otherwife they may get into a formal way of preaching without a due application of the fubject. A fervent exhortation is preferable to a fermon without application. "Till I come," fays St. Paul to Timothy, " give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doc trine," 1 Ep. iv. 13.

II. Souls are of fo much value, that we fhould improve every opportunity for their good. Shall the men of the world have carnal feftivals on their birth-days, and fhall we not commemo rate the birth-day of our Lord? The primitive fathers of the church obferved the day, which is now kept facred by most of the churches of christendom. Irenæus who was one of the fathers, was a difciple of St. John; and the mother of Jefus lived with that apoftle from the crucifixion of our Lord. There cannot therefore be a doubt but St. John knew, and of course his difciples, Irenæus, Ignatius, and Polycarp, the day of our Lord's nativity; and from them all the fathers of the church. Again, fhall ftates and nations celebrate the day of liberation from flavery or oppreffion, or fome other glorious event, from year to year? And fhall we not celebrate by a holy feftival the crucifixion and refurrection of our Lord, and the miffion of the Holy Spirit, to which we are indebted for blessings infinitely more valuable than any which the revolution of states can poffibly afford.

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SECTION XIII.

Of the Duty of Preachers to God, themselves, and one another.

Queft. 1.

WOW fhall a Preacher be qualified for

Hhis charge?

Anfw. By walking clofely with God, and having his work greatly at heart: And by understanding and loving difcipline, ours in particular.

Queft. 2. Do we fufficiently watch over each other? Anfw. We do not. Should we not frequently ask each other, Do you walk closely with God? Have you now fellowship with the Father and the Son? At what hour do you rife? Do you punctually obferve the morning and evening hour of retirement? Do you spend the day in the manner which the conference advises ? Do you converfe feriously, usefully, and closely? To be more particular: Do you ufe all the means of grace yourfelf, and enforce the ufe of them on all other perfons? They are either inftituted or prudential.

I. The infituted are,

1. Prayer; private, family, public; confifting of deprecation, petition, interceffion, and thanksgiving. Do you use each of thefe? Do you forccaft daily where ver you are, to fecure time for private devotion? Do you practise it every where? Do you ask every where, Have you family-prayer? Do you afk individuals, Do you ufe private prayer every morning and evening in particular?

2. Searching the fcriptures, by

(1) Reading; conftantly, fome part of every day; regularly, all the bible in order; carefully, with notes: feriously, with prayer before and after: fruitfully, immediately practiling what you learn there?

(2) Méditating: At fet times? By rule?

(3) Hearing: Every opportunity? With prayer be fore, at, after? Have you a bible always about you ? 3. The Lord's fupper: Do you use this at every

opportunity? With folemn prayer before? With earneft and deliberate self-devotion?

4. Fafting: Do you ufe as much abstinence and fasting every week, as your health, ftrength, and labour will permit?

5. Chriftian conference: Are you convinced how important and how difficult it is to order your converfation aright? Is it always in grace? Seafoned with falt? Meet to minifter grace to the hearers? Do you not converse too long at a time? Is not an hour commonly enough? Would it not be well always to have a determinate end in view? And to pray before and after it?

II. Prudential means we may use, either as chriftians, as Methodists, or as preachers. 1. As chriftians: What particular rules have you in order to grow in grace? What arts of holy living? 2. As Methodists: Do

band?

you never miss your class or

3. As Preachers have you thoroughly confidered. your duty? And do you make a confcience of executing every part of it? Do you meet every fociety? Alfo, the leaders and bands?

Thefe means may be used without fruit. But there are fome means which cannot; namely, watching, denying ourselves, taking up our crofs, exercife of the prefence of God.

1. Do you steadily watch against the world? Your felf? Your befetting fin?

2. Do you deny yourself every useless pleasure of fenfe? Imagination? Honour? Are you temperate in all things? Inftance in food. (1) Do you ufe only that kind, and that degree, which is beft both for your body and foul? Do you fee the neceffity of this? (2) Do you eat no more at each meal than is necessary? Are you not heavy or drowfy after dinner? (3) Do you ufe only that kind and that degree of drink which is beft both for your body and foul? (4) Do you chufe and use water for your common drink? And only take wine medicinally or facramentally 2

you

3. Wherein do you take up your crofs daily? Deyou cheerfully bear your crofs, however grievous to nature, as a gift of God, and labour to profit thereby? 4. Do endeavour to fet God always before you? To fee his eye continually fixed upon you? Never can you use these means, but a bleffing will enfue. And the more you use them, the more will you grow in grace.

NOTE S.

The prefent fection is full of matter. Sermons might be writ-ten upon it without exhaufting it. It includes the whole of christianity. We can only give a few leading ideas on each article.

1. A minifter of the gospel, who has confecrated all he is and has, and all he can do and fuffer, to the fervice of his God, fhould: confider himself as eminently called to walk with God. His peculiar calling is of the most public nature. It is a public profeffion, that he is a reformer of mankind: it fays more loudly than any words, "I am, or ought to be, one of the best of men; fol-: low me as I follow Chrift." It is the very depth of hypocrify to preach and not live the gofpel. Of all hypocrites fuch a one is the greatest. Nay, it is in vain to preach, it is in vain to fhew forth the most fhining talents, if the life of the preacher correfpond not with his doctrines. He may poffibly have the.. reward he feeks for here below but the approbation of God he never will receive. Many will fay to me in that day," obferves our Lord, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thy name? and in thy name have caft out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profefs unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity," Matt. vii. 22, 23.

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The work of God muft alfo lie near his heart: yea, his very foul must enter into it. Nor must he be contented to preach, and then leave the fouls he has been bleffed to at the mercy of the world. He muft feck out the awakened. He must fence. in the flock. He must not only love, but, according to his sphere of action, recommend and enforce chriftian difcipline, especially the discipline of that church of which he is a member; without which there would be nothing but anarchy and confusion; and the word of God would in general become "like water fpilt upon the ground.". "Neither count I my life dear unto myself," fays St. Paul, "fo that I might finish my courfe with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jefus, to teftify the gofpel of the grace of God," Acts xx. 24.

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