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MISCELLANEOUS DEPARTMENT.

PREACHING.

A preacher should be faithful to three things: faithful to the word of God, as Samuel to Eli,-faithful to his own conscience, as Peter and John before the rulers of the Jews,-and faithful to the case of his hearers, as Nathan to David. His aim should be to have it said to him with truth at last, by THE FAITHFUL AND TRUE WITNESS, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

TESTIMONY TO THE ABILITY OF A GOOD
PREACHER.

"His sermons were things rather than words; they were the arrows of the Almighty, shot with a strong arm into men's hearts. His discourses were so rational and demonstrative, that they were able to convert an atheist to the faith; so clear and full of light, that they might turn the most ignorant soul unto wisdom; so awakening and lively they were, that it will be a wonder if he have left one soul asleep among you; so persuasive and moving, that they might charm the cup out of the hand of the drunkard, and entice a sinner out of the most delicate unlawful embraces; so cordial likewise and reviving, that if any persons droop who heard him, they never drank them down, but only licked the glass; so considerate and digested that as he beat down confidence in man's proper strength, so he roused them from their laziness and an idle indifferency about their souls; so discreet and fervent, that as he affrighted cold formality, so he tempered zeal, that it

might not be frighted out of its wits. And as the apostle hath married truth to charity, so he endeavoured to keep this bond inviolable, that they might never be divorced either in his heart or word. He was a preacher, indeed, that sought to find out acceptable words, and written upright, even words of truth, as the great preacher speaks (Eccles. xii. 10.) And whereas there are too many sermons that are full of words without matter, and not a few that have excellent matter without words to set it off, and convey it into men's minds, God had given him an excellent faculty to dive to the bottom of the truth, and then to adorn it with such rich and good expressions, that it should lose nothing for want of one to commend it. There was a sweet vein of eloquence that ran through his reason; his arguments were interlaced with handsome illustrations; and after he had drawn the picture of the truth he intended to represent, he had the art to hang it in a convenient light, so that it should look upon everybody in the house. Naziangen compares a man's mind that cannot express itself, to the motion of a man whose joints are struck with a benumbing disease. And I may compare a mind which speaks without any understanding to the motion of a puppet that frisks and skips most nimbly, but hath no soul within; but he of whom I speak was not frozen and benumbed, so that his mind could not flow forth, neither had he a flood of words, and a drop of sense; but he carried away his auditors with a double torrent of reason and rhetoric sweetly mixed together. And truly, if a Divine could stir up all kind of affections and passions by his sermons, as well as a comedian can do by a play; yet unless there be sound and substantial truth at the bottom, they will be but like the scorching flames in straw, which will quickly expire for want of something to foment and feed them. It is possible that a man may, by earnestness and violence, express and squeeze out affections from his auditors, but he will never impress them with any, unless there be the strength of reason and weight of argument to press

and persuade men's understandings into obedience. am sure his sermons were of this sort that were apt to imprint something, both upon mind and heart; and I hope he hath left some such seal upon you that will never be blotted out."

HEARERS.

If the subject of the preacher be a promise, the hearer should not rest till he understands its import, and feels a strong faith in its truth and the certainty of its accomplishment. If a privilege form the subject of the text, he should meditate upon it and pray over it, till love and joy be enkindled by the participation of the privilege. If a duty be the theme of the discourse, a mind humbled for defects, and graciously resolute to persevere in the discharge of it, is that frame best suited to improve such a subject. It is not enough to feel the words, but to feel suitably should be our constant concern. To be impressed with the present subject, to feel the impression in some degree proportioned to the importance of the subject; and to feel impressions tending to ensure not only a good design, but the very design of that special subject- this is a suitable impression. Lazy hearers, and worldly-minded hearers, and thoughtless hearers, will lose this effect, because they will not pay attention sufficient to understand and appreciate the design of that particular subject. Their general course of conduct and conversation shows that they are not edified by the privileges they enjoy. Through years they will remain the same. But a hearer who desires to profit will endeavour to catch the spirit of every text, the design of every sermon. Thus he will grow in grace daily. Honey is the pursuit of every bee, and he gathers it from every flower.

THE CLAIMS OF THE GOSPEL MINISTRY UPON YOUNG MEN.

MR. EDITOR,-Permit me to call the attention of your readers to the imperative claims which are made by the wants of the world and the command of Christ upon young men to devote themselves to the gospel ministry. Every pious and intelligent reader of God's word cannot but believe, that a glorious day is yet to be enjoyed by the church on earth, and that "the heathen shall be given to the Son for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession." Nor less is it evident from the signs of the times, that moral and political changes are taking place, which show that a great revolution of opinion and conduct is at hand. The nature and extent of this revolution is disclosed in the inspired volume. The kingdoms of this world are to become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.

But this revolution will not take place without an appropriate instrumentality. There will be a perfect adaptation of the means to the end, and a cause fully adequate to the effect to be produced. It will result from no miraculous interposition of God, from no new or unheard-of agency, but from the exercise of an instrumentality, committed to the church, for these eighteen centuries, and which, when rightly put in operation, God has promised to make effectual by his Holy Spirit. This instrumentality, in subordination to which other means are to be wisely employed, is the preaching of the gospel by men trained and qualified by the Spirit of the living God, and by moral and intellectual discipline. I say, qualified by the Spirit, for unto the wicked God says, "What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?" Nor must intellectual training be dispensed with; for it is through and by the truth, exhibited with skill, clearness, and energy, that the triumphs of the gospel

NO. VI.

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are to be achieved. An ignorant priesthood might answer for the dark ages, when the clergy had power to enforce the dogma that "ignorance is the mother of devotion." But that starless night has passed away, and the intellectual character of the present age forbids that we should lay

"Careless hands

On skulls that cannot teach, and will not learn." There is no department of the field of labour, where a thorough education is not essential to the functions of the gospel ministry. If a missionary goes among the intelligent Chinese, he ought to be an educated man. If he goes to any heathen nation, he ought to understand the philosophical structure of language, in order to translate the scriptures into the language of the natives, and form and arrange grammars, lexicons, and elementary books. He ought to be well versed in science, in order to meet and refute the errors which heathen teachers have promulgated by the application of false principles of science. If he goes out as a home missionary he will find ample scope for the exercise of the most highly cultivated intellect. And need I say that the pastors of the churches around us ought to be well-educated men? Show me the church which prefers an unlettered pastor, other things being equal, to one whose mind has been thoroughly disciplined and stored with knowledge. Such a church cannot be found. The sense of the whole community gives its suffrage in favour of a pious and well-educated ministry.

MINISTERIAL USEFULNESS.

A

IT is infinitely more delightful and gratifying to be made instrumental in saving a soul than in receiving the highest measure of admiration and applause. minister, who held for a long period a conspicuous station in the religious world, and was deservedly admired in every part of the kingdom, as one of the most eloquent preachers of his day, was often heard, with deep

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