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Tous las autres axempiairas originaux sont filmte an commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une smpreinte d'imprassion ou d'illustration at sn terminant par la derntire page qui comporte une telle emprelnta. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la demlAre image de cheque microfiche, seion le cas: le symbols «— ^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIIV". Las cartas, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmte A dee taux de rMuction diff«rents. Lorsque la document etit trop grand pour itre reproduit er un saui cliche, il est film* i partir da I'angia sup^rieur gauche, de gauche i droits, et do haut sn bas. sn prenant le nombre d'images n^sssairo. Lss diagrammes suivants illustrent la methods. 1 2 3 4 5 6 h 4- C^i 0f^^ ^XS.. hi h 1 By Nathan S. S. Beman, Moderator of the Assembly, FBZKTfiB l^Y jr. A, HOtSZKaTOir. 1834. 1 i. \ .V z- N. pany c the CO gospel which miracl the Lc ; and cc \ also, V ) aud bi I of thei I mighti charac DISCOURSE. Text Acts xix 20—" So mightily grew the word of God, mtd prevailed," On opening the New Testament, one of the first facts that rivits our attention, is the amazing success which followed the preaching of the gospel in primitive times. This remark IS emphatically true of that portion of christain history record* ed in ihe Acts of the Apostles. The new dispensation was now fully introduced. The twelve shosen disciples, after having been throughly instructed in the objects of their future mission, recieved the last qualification for their work, wheu they were "baptized with the Holy Ghost." Bearing the commision of the Son of God, and guided by tha divine Spir- it, they entered upon a systematic and vigorous course of ef- • forts to enlighten and save the world. Nor did they labour in vain. On the day of Penticost,three thousand souls were converted and added to the church. Up- on almost he next page of christian effort, the eye h'ghts upon this cheering fact— that "many of them which heard the word believed, and the number of the men was about five thousand.'* And again, "the Word of God increased ; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly ; and a great com- pany of the priests were obedient to the faith." We have in the context a record of the transforming powers of the same gospel at Ephesus. The occasion of the excitement was, an attempt to perform a miracle in "the name of the Lord Jesus." which led to an event more impressive, if possible, than a miracle itself, "And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified, And many that believed came, and confessed and showed their deeds. And many of them also, which used curious arts, brought their books together, aud burned them before all men : and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed." Facts of this character might be multiplied to a great extent ; but it is un- necessary. The declaration, that the gospel was clothed with pecular power, in primitive times, that it evinced a practical and saving efficacy, under apostolic administration, which it has exhibited in no other circumstances, will not be denied. From the day of Pen ticost to the death of the beloved John, embracing a period of between sixty and seventy years, the gospel was preached in the most distinguished cities and pro- 4 ^ VlflCPg of the Roman Empire. Large and flourishiftg churches were planted in Jerusalem, Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth, and Rome. Indeed, at this early period, the conquest of the gos- pel had become almost commensurate with the dominion of the Caesar*. Here, then, is a striklngf fact, which ought to impress the heart of the church. Here we see the gospel in the hands of a iew men, in a short time, producing •ffects al- together disproportionate to any thing which has been witness- ed in modern times. Why this gospel should have been, in the hands of the apostles, so emphatically "the power of God into salvation," and become comparatively inefficient under theadministrationoftheir successors, is a legitimate subject of palpit inquiry. The fact, I aprehend, will not be question- ed, that the preaching of the gospel does not produce the same powerful and speedy results, at the present day, which wore witnessed under the ministry of Peter and John, of Paul and Barnabas ; and an inquiry into the reasons of this amazing disproportion in the practical effects of the same system, may have a happy influence upon ministerial affections and effort, and thus stand connected with the best interests of the church. The single point of discussion on which I would fix your attention, isthis— T^c inefficimaj of modern preaching, token compared with the apostolic administration of the gospei. I would not here intimate, that the gospel is a dead letter, at the present day. Such an intimation would contain an in- jurious reflection upon the christain ministry and constitute a vain attempt to pluck away, from the diadem of Jesus Christ those living brilliants which are planted there by the power and the grace of the gospel. Every solitary conversion to God and every powerful revival of religion, as well as the general pervading influence of the gospel, which impresses and controles society, are so many evidences, that the sword of the spirit has not lost its heavenly temper, and that the Bible is not divested of its saving power. But a literal Pente- cost lives only in the page of the sacred historian— the sceies of Ephesus, belong to another age— and the mortal energy of the gospel, which, in the dawn of its triumphs, seemed des- tined at once to arrest, convulse, and subdue the entire pop- ulation of the world, is greatly modified in its operations. Whence this melancholy change? What has arrested the march of christian truth in our world ? Why did one sermon from an apostle's lips often accomplish more than is effected by a hundred or a thousand sermons, at the present day ? Many reasons have been assigned in order to account for this UiHerence ; ana soraeoi iiniin aic, uu uOau.., ^^/I.^.-'', «---i J lurches ti, and he gos- nion of jght to ispel in 'ects al- tvitness- )een, in of God ; under subject ucstion* lie same ;h were lul and imazing ;m, may i effort, of the [ix your ng, ichen id. d letter, in an in- [)nstitut© 13 Christ le power rsion to I as the mpresses le sword that the al Pente- le sceies Bnergy of ned des- itire pop- Derations, ested the e sermon Tected by lay? ;ount for ■vno.i nflH 4 \j>^^^ **-- — d BAine are incorrect. Let us fix cur attention upon a few par^ ticulars. I. The difference in question ought not to he attributed td any thing particularly favourable to the reception of the gospel in the spirit and genius »f primitive times. The human heart, till subdued by grace, if at enmity with God ; and this is the character of our whole world. W* are not, then, in any circumstances, to expect a moral predis- position in the hearts of men to embrace the gospel. But still there may be many tilings in the state of the public mind, ftnd in the institutions of society, which facilitate or obstruct the progress of the truth. These favorable or unfavorable circumstances may be found in the religion, the morals, the politics, and the philosophy of a people. Indeed, there are nameless modifications of human liffeand human opinions which may become the occasions of the reception or the rejection of the gospel. These things may form the Very point on which the whole matter may turn — and turn, too, both for time and eternity. But what was the state of the apostolic age in this respect? What do we find, on a minute inquiry, in the ex- isting condition of the world, vvhichcan be assigned as a reason why the gospel took such deep and fast hold of the mental and moral energies of man ? It is true, God, in his providence, had prepared the world for the coming of Chiist ; and there were certain grand traits in the features of society which had a bearing upon the means and facilities of propagating thfe gos- pel. The universality of the Roman empire was a fact of this character. By this, channels of intercourse were opened, between different nations, whose ignorance or enmities wouM Otherwise have separated them from each other, as if impas- sable mountains or unnavigable seas had intervened' An- other kindred in its operation — was the prevalence of the Greek language, in that age. It h=id become a kind of uni- versal language in the Roman empire, and by this means the early christian teachers were enabled to address a vast popu- lation originally consituling many different nations, without the Blow process of studying a variety of languages, and without the intervention of a miracle. The disperaiou of the Jews, and their final settlement, in difTerent parts of the Roman empire, and especially in the populous cities, is a i other circumstance which ought not to be omitted. Their synagogues opened the6rst pulpits for the heralds of the cross, and among ^e descendants of Abraham, the gospel, even rem(.te from Jerusa- lem, gained its earliest victories. And sometimes its rejection by the Jews, became the occasion of its reception by the Gen- tiles* But these peculiaritieiof that agCjthoUijh they cconstituted 6 facilities for the promulgation of the gospel, and were so im- portant that they may be pronounced essential to its incipient Knphs, cannoi account for iu peculiar power and efhcacy atra? period : they cannot solve the problem why the primi- tvadmnstritionV inspired truth, should be more efhca- c ous than the present ;-for. in all these respecs, we stand on more elevated ground than that occupied by the apostles But there are other circumstances pertammg to that age xvhich ought to be stated, in order to place this subject in iti true liffht There never was a period when the gospel had to ford its way through stronger moral obstrction ; where it had irencounL more deep-roofd enmity against hohne^^^^^ than in that day of its most «'g"al success. The pre^udi^^^^^ of the Jews were never more fixed and violent. Iheir opin- ions rejecting the Messiah and the objects of his coming, vere unsSal to the very foundation ; and their rejection of the gospel was not accidental and capricious, but sy^emat- ic and deliberate. It was a part of their religion. Nor did the structure of paganism ever present more formidable bar- riers to the prog?es°s of gospel truth, than when assailed by he first hera'd^'of the c^ss. This system had niu;plied al- most to infinity ; it appeals to the pride and sensualit>-to the hopes and fears 6f men. The chain of moral servitude which ' e^ghed ever they d by their living and rish, or the sively, that ?recircum- nasfer pas- their lives. the gospel, ased not to T two year« -annus. At he saw the e ached the and to the fastidious- [itinued his on,protrao« I arraigned ranee, and peals, that mmured in and fellow : and these announce- I one word, _^ 1 -~j ■Oi 5uai a»u ^iQX in his ambition to conquer the earth — and Caesar to become the mas- ter of the Roman commonwealth — and Bonaparte to overrun and consolidate the kingdoms of Europe, were never more active and laborious, than were Paul and his associates to subjugate the world to the sceptre of Jesus Christ. 7. The apostles were more simple in their manner of txhibit- ing the truth, than mosi preachers of the present day. Their first object in preaching was to give a clear exhibi- tion of their message. Mere speculations found no place in their sermons. And they not only presented the truth, but they selected such truth as was adapted to the state and cir- cumstances of those whom they addressed. The next object was to exhibit this truth in the most simple and intelligible manner. In their hands; the gospel was always left to recom- mend itself by its own intrinsic value and never borrowed an influence from the mere drapery in which it was clothed. Their figures and illustrations were drawn from sources with which their hearers were familiar ; and were so simple in their structure, that ordinary as well as elevated minds — the illiter- ate as well as the learned, could comprehend their full force. In all their public discourses, and in all theii written produc- tions, as far as the record has come down to us, we detect no laboured refinements of style— no hankerings after literary fame — no aspirings to be ranked among great men — no at- tempts to excite admiration, or dazzle the world by their elo- quence. It would have been honourable to the gospel, and happy for our lost world, if the simplicity had become here- ditary among the ministers of the cross : if the unadorned mantles of these New Testament Elijahs had fallen upon all succeeding Elishas. The refinements of literature, and the mere pomp and parade of language, have sometimes been an immence drawback upon the moral power of th« gospel. The arguments in favour of the simplicity of style and manner, in preaching the gospel, are decisive. The truth of God is too majestic to be covered up by the little trappings of mere human ornaments — and no man can devote much attention to such things, without losing sight of the grand object of preaching — the salvation of souls. There are two practical thoughts on this subject, upon which every minister of the gospel would do well to reflect. A labored style and manner, in the pulpit, require so much ef- fort in order to be understood by the hearers, that the truth by these circumstJ^nces, is divested of a portion of its influence. Great mental exertion, for the mere purpose of comprehension, must, en the first principles of intellectual philsophy, always exclude deep coiii-iction, and repress strung feeling. The B. I il I li 14 mind is too much employed to reflect upon i'^ ^^ P^^''«"^| guilt, or to be alarmed by the apprehensions of P^''''""'^^ «^"- Lr. The other thought is tliis-vvhen style and manner aro Se leading objects in preaching the gospel, the atte^no" of the hearer is always fixed en so.nethuig short of ^ef rand purpose which ought to be accomplished by ^he ex hib^^^^^^^^^^ the truth. The eye of the hearer, will follovv the heart ol the ^'eachlr! Admi/ation may be excited but the conscience .s Untouched, and the power of sin is unbroken, 'l^e delight- ed audience praise the speaker, but never condemn them- Llves The^shaft is indeed a polished one, but it does no ex- ecution- Many applaud the archer, whde no groan^^^^ wounded fall upon the ear. If a minister p^ ^^^ / ^^'^"'^ Tway the heart from all that is human-if he -ould open the eve of hisdvincr congregation on hell and heaven-ifhe would b nd the tru\h Spon L^conscience, by a chain stronger than death, and lead the trembling soul to /"q"'^^' ,^y^"' ^'-^.t do to be saved ?"-~he must preach the gospel m great smi- ^^'sThe early preachers were remarkable for their appeals to tU heart ZuLcier.ce ; and to this mode of addressing mer., they were indebted in no small degree for tf^^'.^'^''^' ^^-^ Whenever they stated tacts, it was with a v^w to their practical application ; whenever they ^^^^^"^^'//J^'^V Jr;sD purpose of fixing through tue understanding a stronge grasp Spon the moraf powers and sensibiht.es ^^ '^l^^^'^J^ n eachinsthe gospel they had nothing to do with mere abstac- don Their very d^^ccrins were divested of the formsofspecula- n "'and were e^eri mentally and practically stated and enfor- l?;en;f.o^e.^stoma^^^^^ -rw^^toS^ racier and ^>t«...on ° f"™ „"''h™ „J. by exhibi.ing the ,he,r -'y^-. a P.c'"« ,1'^' throwing around then the scene, the hopes and fears of man , t^ey derived ^ar^^^^^, ^^^^ ^^^^^^^ u:rdt^:^rctd:;theT=eaF^^^^^ personal >nal dan- lanner aro 3 attention the grand hibition of eart of the iscience is lie delight- jmn them- does no ex- ans of the would turn d open the ifhe would onger than lat must I great sim- • appeals to essing merif ss. nv to their was for the »nger grasp heart. lu ere abstrac- sofspecula- d and enfor- ff as it stood satures, and glory of the ihey preach- • truth they ing imprea- nitent, their Bxisting cha- g up before hibiting the m the scenes i'hose iaherit dl never die appealed to, jnts fiom life and plucked rary, ?ind Via i ib gerd arround the cross, and drew their pleas from its blooed and shame and agony ; they stood before the sepulchre where the mighty vict-m slept, and whence the mighty conquerer arose and inferred from its silence and desertion, both the resurrec- tion and the Godhead of the Savior ; they explored the earth, and emptied heaven, and drained hell, in order to find motives by which they might load down the conscience of the sinner, and persuade hiu) to become "reconciled to God" Their ob- ject, in all these expostulations, they never concealed. No- thing was covered up — nothing modified. They held up the human heart in sunbeams of truth, and called uppon the dying sinner to look and be instructed. Much of their power and success as preachers depended on this mode of address : and much of niinisterial success of the present day, is to be attributed to the same cause. And when the essential truths of the gospel are exhii)ited with little or no effect, the cause, no doubt, in many instances, may be found in the fact, that these truths are presented in the form of ab- stract and dry speculations. Or, in other words, God grants his signal blessing on that preaching which brings home the truth to the conscience and the heart. 9. JVic apostles and their assncintes in labour ^ depended cn- iir'cly on God for the success of their jiiission. This sentiment they distinctly acknowledged and taught. "I have planted, Apollos watered ; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any tiling, neither is he that watereth ; but God that giveth the increase." It is true, these men had been personally instructed by Jesus Christ ; they had received the gift of in^piration and the power of working miracles , but their confidence was in the arm of God and not of these qualifications. They hung their last hope on tliG cross. They well knew, that all ministerial gifts and ex- ertions would never convert without "the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven." While they thus felt their dependence, they made a practical use of this doctrine. They tore them- selves away from every earthly hope and promise, and laid themselves and the interests of their Master's kingdom at the feet of a sovereign God. They had confidence that he would bless. They seized tiie promise, and carried it up to the throne,and there su". ended. They were men of great prayer. They put their hearis. i heaven, and God heard them. They believed the recorded declarations of eternal truth, on this point, and while th»y urged ihem at the n^.orcy seat, the broad windowsof heaven were opened, and a blessing came down till there vvay hardly room to receive it. These men lived on their knees, and in this fact we find the secret of their power. r 'r ■ 16 r I B ■ tfr <' II ?i i No wonder they prevailed with men, for they had already prevailed with God. No wonder they moved the earth, for they conducted-* a co-agency with the Ktornal, and they had already moved heaven.— The minister that does not pray, can- not preach ; and if he would have a large blessing, he must pray much. This the Apostles did, aud the world bowed be- fore the truth. Read tho brief record of their doings, and you will find, that they carried every thing to God in prayer. And their hearts were in it. They had "the spirit of grace and supplications." The same may be said of the church, The whole household of faith were on their faces before the mercy seat: It was emphatically a day of intercessions with God. Read the history of the church for a few days previous to the memortble Pentecost. Review the scenes of that blessed morning. Look into the prayer meeting which was held at the house of Mary, when Peter was in prison, and the pre- va ling power of which caused the chains to fall ftom his hands, and *'the iron gale" to open before him. Listen to the sup- plications that went i\p from the dun^^con in Philippi. Prison doors, and the stocks conlined the body, but the passage to heaven was wide open, and pr ,or could not be fettered. But examples would be endless. Let any one read with attention the history of the apostolic age, and he will rise up from the perusal, deeply impressed with this consideration, that the spirit of prayer in the ministry and in the church, was one of the powerful elements of the early triumphs ofchristain truth. And when this spirit returns in full power to the earth, these scenes will be repeated. 10. There icas more union of fcelmg andrffort, in the first ages of Christianity, than at present ; and hence another reason for the peculiar blessing which attended the ministry. Oneofthe greatest hindrances to the full efTect of the gospel in our day, is the spirit oi sectarianism. Indeed, this remark may apply to every age except that of the aposdes. It is true, that the spirit, in its most fearful exhibitions, was then in the world ; but it was not permitted to enter the enclosures of the christian church. The case at the present day, is far differ- ent. The church is cut up into a uiultitude of separate com- munions; and such is ihe spirit which is too often cherished and expressed toward eachother, that the most unhappy con- sequences follow The professed disciples of Jesur. Ghrist, instead of uniting against the common enemy, expend their energies in contending with one another ; and thus infidels are emboldened, and the impeniteni of every descriptian are hardened in sin. The same may be said of alienations and party contests, which not infrequently exist in churches of f .M 17 lad already earth, for id they had >t pray, can- ^, he must i bowed be- iga, and you irayer. And grace and urch, The e the mercy with God. /ious to the hat blessed v'±3 held at id the pre- n his hands, to tho aup- )pi. Prison ! passage to ttercd. But ith attention jp from the n, that the was one of istain truth, earth, these in the first other reason of the gospel this remark It is true, then in the (sures of the s far diiTer- parate com- n cherished 3 happy con- ;sur; Ghrist, xpend their hus infidels ;riptian are lations and :hurch«3 of the same denomination. Whatever heated feeling or even honest hearted zeal may suggest, these things are doing im- mense mischief in the ivorld ; and ought to be ranked amonathe fundamental reasons why the gospel at this moment, is so tardy in Its progress. The church of Jesus Christ is marred by her own hands— she bleeds under self inflicted wounds ; and now instead of presenting to the eyes of the admi- ing world, that beautiful and vigorous body, which was seen in th^ days of the apostles, it resembles a subject under the dissector's knife • the members which were once in union, dissevered, and limb disjointed from its kindred limb. It is true, that occasional alienations entered the primitive church. Paul and Barnabas had a "contention," which "was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other ; but they entered different fields of labor, and went on with their work. Other ministers seem not to have em- barked m the contest , and separte denominations in the church was not the result. On another occasion, Paul "with- stood Peter to the face, because he was to be blamed ,-" but here the matter was dropped ;— and they both continued mem- bers and ministers, in good standing, in the same church, and fo lowed up their untiring efforts to convert the world. They leit the practical force of the injunction of Jesus Christ "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another." 1 hey experienced m their ministrations, the truth of the mo- tive by which this command is enforced— «'By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to an- other. And those who act on the same principle, will witness the same results. No earthly power could stand before the energies of a united church. And tiiose who cannot con- sent to obey the command and exemplify the Spirit of Jesua l^hrist, m this respect, are not the men whom God will greatly honour ,n giving enlargement and strength to his kingdom. Le ministers slay their animosities, and bury them at once, and then combme all their living powers to save the world and there is not the shadow of a doubt on my mind, that more rmght be aohieved in ten years, in this work, than has been accomplished during the last century. If any doubt it, let them iry ii. . II. The apostles in their preaekmg, aimed at immediate i; success. I ,,1^7 ^"5!^' ^"J^^^^^^^'-e stated, that the blessing must * Z^^'i;?''^; They acted underl he fi.ll conviction too, I that God had seected rational means, for the accomplishmen d ot apDOinted ends. Wifh tlioco j^, ^„:___ .. ,_ ' , y ^„ • • , , , . , ' ■• "^ i-iij/ir.ssiwiio iney uegan. and I prosecuted their work. They set themselves about itf as other M 18 wen, to accomplish their objeci ; that is, they applied appro- priate means — the means of God's appointment, to awaken, convert, and save men. And in this undertaking they expect- ed to succeed — not because they believed there was an inherent power in the means, nor even in revealed truth itself, to save the soul, but because God had promised his blessing. This assurance, that their labor would not be in vain, was intimately connected with the accompli>^hment of their end. This lean- ing upon heaven, honored God, and at the same time urged them forward in their work. They were precisiely in that state of mind, most favorable for spiritual action. They wore so deeply impressed with the consideration^ that they could effect nothing without the Spirit of God, tliat their eye and heart were always fixed on heaven ; and they were so confident that God would grant this influence, that they hardly commenced nn enterprize, but they saw it already accomplished. In every undertaking, whether secular or spiritual, an expectation of ■access, is one of the necessary elements of successful action. The apostles too, in preaching the gospel, aimed at making an impression at once ; their object was to bring men to an immediate decision. In tliis respect they acted as men of good sense act in other things. They wished for a decision when the subject was fidly before the mind, and its impression fresh upon the heart. They never sent men home to think of a sermon; they urged repentance for sin, and submission to the terms of salvation, as ibr the last time; they closed up the concern, under every discourse, as for the judgment seat ! And in this course, they were directed by the clearest principles of common sense, as well as the Bible. The Advocate insists on a decision when >he case is fairly before the court or the jury ; the parliamentary speaker, when the discussion has fully closed. — And the reason is obvious ; the subject is then be- fore the mind. If it is a matter which respect duty or feeling, the heart and conscience are then moat susceptible. If it tfbould be urged that the cases are not parallel, because the lefiicacy ofthe gospel depends upon the divine blessing — I re- ply, that while the fact of dependence on God is not denied no such use of this fict is justified by the Bible. And the reason is probably this : the blessing of God goes alone with the truth, and its rational applications, and not in some other wsy, mysterious in its nature, and unassociated with the in- strument. Although the truth, by its own inherent powers, or by th« appeals of moral suasion, will never convert one sinner, yet as far as it can reach, it has this tendency , and it is to be urged in the same manner, so far as man is concerned, as if tke troth itself could eftect the object proposed. In other wordg 19 the Spirit of God goes along with tlie truth, and follows up it« natural and legitimate tendency, in the conversion of sinner?'; that is, the spirit acts in conjunction with the word, and not in opposition to its nature, in saving souls. If this be true there can be nothing hazardous in pressing men to an immediate decision respecting their eternal interests nothing that implies giving up the doctrine of the Spirit's in- fluence in conversion, or the doctrines of divine sovereignty and election. So thought Peter on the day ofPentccost. ° So thought Paul in the prison at Philippi. And so thought and preached, all the apostles. In their preaching, we never dis- cover any thing of that hovering round the point— nothing of that cautious, qualified statementof the uncompromising claims of God upon the conscience— nothing of those speculating doctrinal drawbacks upon the sinner's oblicrations to drop his weapons and submit to God at once— nothing of that vir- tual announcement, from the pulpit, that it i.s not expected men will obey God and to do their duty, which, if I mistake not, are so abundant in modern sermons ; and which must greatly weaken the power of gospel appeals. Tuy or three practical remarks, will close ihis'^ discourse. I. This suhject teaches us the doctrine of ministerial re- sponsibility. If the peculiar usefulness of the first advocate of Christianity, over thosejof other ages,is not to be refered to any thing more fa- vorable^in^^their field of labor,nor to:he giftof nispiration,nor to the power of working miracles, nor to the mere acts of 'divine sovereignty, disconnected with moral causes— then, my breth- ren, we may well sigh and weep over the limited amount of good which is secured by our ministrations. If it is true, that the success even of the apostles, depended wholly, or even prin- cipally, on ^Yi'mi\i^\ causes,— on the singleness of pnrposa with which they pursued their object — their persevering and self-denying labors— the simple and naked manner in Ivhich they presented the truth of heaven— their honest and fearless appeals to the conscience— their broken-hearted dependence upon God— the union of affection and effort which pervaded the ministry and the church— and the enforcement of the claims of God upon the sinner, requiring submission without compromise and without delay— then, it becomes us,my breth- ren to inquire how far the want of the fruits under our ministry may be owing to the want of those spiritual qualifications. If the difficulty Jies here, then, we have no excuse. Enjoying- as we do, peculiar facilities for accomplishing much for th« kingdom of Jesus Christ, and living, as I trust we do, uoon the borders of a far brig era, no doubt a most fearful re- 20 sponsibility rests upon us ! It ought to bo the first object with every minister who intends to lean his dying liead u|))n the Savior's bosom, and the judgment seat without paleness and trembhng, to ascertain what are the obstacles that lie in the way of his doing a great work for Jesus Christ and the good of souls. Surely, my brethern, if we survey for one mo- ment, the elevated post of responsibility which we now occupy, we shall lift our eyes to heaven and cry, ''who h sufficient for these thitigs ? 9, IViis subject enforces upon us ministerial duty. If the views presented in this discourse are correct,then the ministers of Jesus Christ ought to adopt and pursue that course which will best promote the powerful applications,and the final triumph of the gospel. It is their duty to aim at great use- fulness in preaching. Two things ought fully to impress the 1^ , heart. One is, that we are solemly bound to avoid that course which must, on every principle of rational calculation, impede the progress of gospel truth ; and the other, to adopt that which will make the deepest and the best impression on a lost world. If these two points were constantly before the ey« of ministers, a new impulse would be given to the gospel, and the millenium would fly upon rapid wings to meet us. If the preisure of duty and of souls were to rest upon us noio, as they will rest upon us at the judgment bar, how cheerfully would we sacrifice a multiplicity of minor objects for the one sole purpose of presenting the bleeding Savior to dying men; how soon should we dissmiss our indolence, and brace up every nerve and stimulate every muscle to labor for God : how little should we amuse ourselves or others with mere pulpit speculations ; how anxious should we be to find, for the simple truth of theBible, an avenue to the conscience and heart ; How should we lean upon God for a blessing; what a death blow would be given to ministerial animosities ; with what tenderness inspired of heaven should we strengthen each others hands and encourage eacii others hearts ; and with what powers of truth and en- treaty, could we then come down upon our immortal hearers whom we shall soon meet amidist the diead Scenes of another world While I tenderly present these thoughts to my breth- ren, I would impose upon my own soul, a double injunction to be faithful. 3. T/iis subject furnishes motives to mtnisterial action. We have seen that a certain course, in the itinistry, is ne- cessary to success. It was so in the days of the apostles ; it is so at the present day. God has blessed— and he will con* tinue to bless — a certain course of moral and spiritual action. Here then is a motive which ought to enlist our last power in t ( ':* 21 ,he Ivlce of ChriH and of =oul. Thi, .abject ccmo,^ho«,. ,0 u. K.th by a »<««<.« ""^^P"" '; darand imup our ...andbcfore Ood.m the 8';=.''V^""'"8i„X^rihe blo.>ato <-P"='P'' "P°" °^, Two Lrs with „„,t begin anew the groat ^"^'""'i^J.t^^.trto obey God, God in the kingdom of his Son. i "° '"' , j dig'appoint and ccme up to the expeclafon of the chu cl , an JV^^ the twshcs of w-cked men and ^^ ^" 2a?i„„,, the minis- mencothe work new of b<^ jo-^''^ "^'l''','^" ^, be planted tcrs of the New '-''amen.. If ^^.Xttn and » Idne in holl- as .t ar. in tlu- firmament of i he t'"'"5^'J 'l^ ^ above ness, amidst the living sapphire '^' ;"™\'';f^ed afresh with the brifhtnessof the ''''"""-^.To lork as men who believe the spifit of our -Master, a'" ''<=|'" '°J»;/„ ^'Jhell 1 It is » in the threatnings ; in Cod »»'; Ji*-,^''"; "- &,o. Dan. xii5, ^a.t of divine record, that "theyjhat be '«« ■ ■^'' j^e as it %nd is another inotivo nessa y t -^ ee' mat ^°"'\7ou;br:t;:::re';'who ^etTnSd o^ labor, at rrcVro^te'l^LralAssernb,,^^ on in the work of -if ''='"»" i,^brssl»epm' victims some last year. He ha:i numbered with liia si-epinj ,.v,,,,.i, of the most venerable and beloved mmistera of o "r chu c h^ "These providenceo admonish uao^our ^'Y-. - „ "favi: nuicken us in its performance. w niie vne yui.- Sa»«^•■Bless^d are the dead which d,e m the Lord ro Cceforti. Yea,saith the Spirit that they may '^"/'""^ ''' j' Sors ; and theii works do/ollow the™ -thej- J^^otn the rnffin aid the tomb crying in our ears, wnaiaover u.j fiudetH h do,do it with thy might;for there is no work, nor de- V ce, notknowledge, nor fvisdom. in the grave thither thoa Pt." May the^e united appeals of death and heaven, reach . Ivery tlHistei's heart, and every christian s heart and every C Inl t sinner's teart in this congregation-.that wh^Uh^.e Sd J.urs shall p,ess upon their last pdlows, we may look Vp andly, "Come, Lord Jesus, come qmckly. Amen. \ THE END. 1 Erata. Page 9 lia^3 for desire read desert