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shall neither recover them from the extravagancies, into which they have run; nor keep more from going over to them, but by returning to the right way, "declaring all the counsel of God;" and that principally, "not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth." And again If you have preached a considerable time in a place, and done little or no good, there must in all probability be some fault, not only in your hearers, but in you, or your sermons: "For the Word of God," when duly dispensed, is to this day, as it was originally, "powerful, and sharper than a twoedged sword." Inquire then where the fault may be.' The importance of this Scriptural preaching of the Gospel, will fully justify us in pursuing the subject into some of its points of detail.

SECTION I.

DOCTRINAL PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL.

It has been already shown, that the death of Christ is the soul, which must give life to the whole system of Christian doctrine. We remark, therefore, in connexion with this point, that our doctrinal preaching

meaning Christians of this time thirst after the doctrine of the gospel, and think they have heard nothing, unless they have heard of salvation by Jesus Christ, which is what we properly call the Gospel; and if they do not hear it in the discourses from our pulpits, where they expect to hear it, they are tempted to wander in search of it to other places of worship!' Qu. Is the defalcation of our people to sectaries, however to be lamented, the whole, or even the chief, responsibility connected with a defective tone of preaching? My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Hos. iv. 6.

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1 Charges, pp. 276, 296. The Charges of the late Bishops Porteus and Barrington distinctly advert to the same point.

should be full and explicit. Let it comprehend within its circle the whole mystery of Christ, in his person, offices, and work; connecting itself with the love of the Father, and the work of the Spirit, in every department of Evangelical privilege, duty, promise, and hope. We do not always observe this large compass in Christian Ministrations. Many confine themselves to favourite doctrines, to the neglect of others of at least equal importance. Some are continually employed in detecting the delusions of a false profession; others, in fulminating the terrors of the law; others, in painting the awful condition of the unconverted; others in general invitations to Christ, irrespective of spiritual conviction; others, in an indiscriminate application of the promises and consolations of the Gospel. Some seem to forget, that the Church as well as the world needs a quickening and directing Ministry. Some withhold "the deep things of God, revealed by the Spirit-if not altogether from their system-at least from their scriptural prominence. Now in all these cases, there is a want of that entireness, on which so much stress has always been laid, in the statement of the Divine commission.' We forget the obligation bound up in our officeas angels, to keep close to our message; as ambassadors, to discharge our commission; as depositories, to be faithful to our trust. Our testimony, therefore,

1 Mark the instances of Joshua, (viii. 35.) Jeremiah's commission, (xxvi. 2. with lii. 4.)—our Lord's appeals concerning his public Ministry, (Psalm xl. 9, 10. John xv. 15. xvii. 8.)-the angel's message to the apostles, (Acts v. 20.) Paul's testimony before the church, (Acts xx. 26, 27.)

2 'Who is a true and faithful steward?' (asks Latimer in his honest plainness of speech) He is true, he is faithful, that coineth no new money, but seeketh it ready coined of the good man of the house; and neither changeth it, nor clippeth it, after it is taken to him to spend, but spendeth even the self-same that he had

must be declared without concealment-not indeed forcing offensive truths into undue prominence; yet not daring to withhold them in their Scriptural proportion-adapting our statements to the spiritual capacities of our people;' yet jealous, that nothing be omitted from fear of offence, or from disgust to particular doctrines, either in our own, or in our hearers' minds-"not handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." 2

The guilt, corruption, and ruin of man by the fall-his free and full justification through faith in the atoning blood and meritorious obedience of the Redeemer - his adoption by faith into the family of God—the holy nature and evidences of this faith— the immediate agency of the Holy Spirit in the work of regeneration, progressive sanctification, and in all his offices of holy and heavenly consolation-these are cardinal points of a full and explicit declaration of the Gospel, which no "scribe instructed unto the kingdom of heaven” can fail to set forth. It is material also to shew, that in this great work of salvation, the three persons of the Deity coincide, though their several acts may be differently denominated, as one person is made more prominent, according to his specific office in the economy of redemption.3

These will be generally admitted as important and glorious views of the Gospel. But to affirm, that

of his Lord, and spendeth it as his Lord commanded him.' Sermon on Luke xvi. 1, 2.

1 Comp. Mark iv. 33. with 1 Cor. iii. 1-3. Heb. v. 11-14. 2 2 Cor. iv. 2.

3 It may be doubted in this view, whether the offices of the Spirit are generally set forth in their full scriptural glory and necessity, especially as the originator of a believing reception of the Saviour; in which character if we duly honour him, we may

they comprize the entire Gospel, is, in the Writer's judgment, to put a part (though indeed a very considerable part) for the whole. Much of the Divine revelation is withheld from our people, and we leave our statement on this head very much below the Scriptural standard of truth, if we stop here. The calling of us by God is said to be "according to his own purpose and grace given unto us in Christ Jesus before the world began." 1 Thus is this eternal purpose not only an integral part of the scheme of salvation, but the fountain, from which all springs-the foundation, on which all rests and turns-the assurance, by which all is confirmed. All the rest, however desirable and however desired, present nothing to secure their attainment, but the mutable will of the creature -the will of a mind that is "enmity against God" to secure reconciliation with him and happiness in him. Our blessed Lord in his public Ministry referred every thing to his heavenly Father, as the source, from whence all blessings flow, and as the Sovereign dispenser of them to whomsoever he would. Apostles, in their system of didactic instruction to the Churches, set forth the same views, though with greater clearness of detail.3 And therefore they should be followed by us, with the steady exhibition of these subjects in the same manner, and in accordance with their statements. Hence in declaring the freeness of the invitations of the Gospel, we must not hide the basis of our effectual calling. In displaying hope that he will honour us, by exerting that power, which we have distinctly and dutifully ascribed to him. 2 John vi. 24-65; x. 24-30. In the former Epistle (the most systematic scheme of Evangelical doctrine)—and especially in the chapter of Christian privilege (viii.) electing love is exhibited in its full and prominent proportion.

1 2 Tim. i. 9.

3 See Epistles to the Romans and Ephesians.

4 John vi. 37.

The

the riches of grace, we must not forget to trace it to the sovereign pleasure of God. We must enforce the obligations of holiness as connected with, and resulting from the eternal designs of God. Thus must we set forth these doctrines in their due place, and with that strength and distinctness of statement, in which we find them in the sacred volume; avoiding indeed forced and needless repetition, yet not shrinking from the manly tone of Scriptural decision; connecting these truths with every link in the chain of salvation, yea-with every step of Divine mercy, from its first origin in the mind of God to its final eternal consummation, in order that God may be glorified in all.

And is not the mind of our Church upon this subject (we might ask) clearly demonstrated? Let any one consult diligently the Seventeenth Article, and what will he find in it but a full picture of electing love— as the source of our calling 3—of our obedience to the call 4 of our justification 5 - our adoption 6. our holiness our Christian walk 8—and our final happiness ? 9 Surely she must have given this elaborate and accurate - this cautious but uncompromising statement-as a model to her Ministers for the presentment of this high and holy doctrine. And if it be (as she has described it) full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons' — will not the exhibition of it be connected with a large flow of Christian privilege and holy devotedness.10 And will not the want of its cheering beams and

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7 Rom. viii. 29.

2 Tim. i. 9.

2 Thess. ii. 13. 1 Pet. i. 2.
4 1 Pet. i. 2.

6 Eph. i. 5.

Eph. i. 4. 2 Thess. ii. 13. 8 Eph. ii. 10.

9 John vi. 39. x. 28, 29. xvii. 24. Rom. viii. 30.

10 See the prominent place, which this doctrine seems to occupy

in that magnificent passage, Rom. viii. 33—39.

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