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C^i

0f^^

^XS<SI®W!IB8I&i

DELITERGD AT THE OPENING}

■■<(•

OF THE

asymiAL assbmblt

^¥t-

or THB

SPZlBSSTTaEZ^IT OS7IlOSt«

ON THB I7TH MAY 1832.

v>..

By Nathan S. S. Beman,

Moderator of the Assembly,

FBZKTfiB l^Y jr. A, HOtSZKaTOir.
1834.

1 i.

\ .V

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-

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

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>^^^ **-- —

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

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 <lown the immortal mind, was fastened by a thou s^^^^^^
rivets The Greeks and Romans boasted of the multitude
and tho sp endour of their gods ; and it in some instances,
in more elevated minds soared above these imposing supersti-
^ io^ their systems of, /a:/o.oy.y were not less hostile to the
nXu of the ffosnel. The Stoic with his cool-blooded apathy
S^oblJnL' Mission to fate ; and the Epicnrean w^^^^

his refined selfishness, cherished an enmity to the gospel
his retinea sen , ti,at5 which inflamed the heart of

thi m: t t^p d tr^hlpjer of ?dols. In the light of those
fartsTmav be safely affirmed, the peculiar success of the
g" d n th apo^toliJage, is not to be attributed to anything
f„"t'he.piritofthatage favorable to its reception.

2. The difference, in question, is not to be ascnUea to IM

^^^'nlrS'stms to have been designed to accomplish two
obiects The first was to qualify the ppostles and their coad-

ciou. influp^nce upon the heart. 1»«P^'; " intellectual, the

80 im-

cipient

ilUcacy
primi-

effica-

stand
jstles.
lat age

in iti
el had
rhere it
oliness,
!Judicc9
ir opin-
joming,
BJection
steraat-
^or did
lie bar-
iled by
plied al-
— to the
e which
housand
lultitude
istances,
supersti-
! to the
[ apathy,
an with
! gospel
I heart of
of those
s of the
mything

d to the

plish two
eir coad-
3 gospel,
uction of
n his gra-
jtification
;tual, the
his he^rt

was not renewed, The apostles needed the spirit of inspira*
tion to imparl to them the necessary quiilification for
their work Their circumstances were such that they
could not acquire, by the ordinary means of intellectual train-
ing, the knowledge which wan actually called for in order to
carry their commission into eflect. llence the Holy Spirit
gave them instruction, in mere matters of science ; commu-
nicated new truths to their minds ; taught them to understand
and speak languages which they hud never learned, and gave
them a mental discrimination in wielding and applying the
truth, which, in their situation, they could have acquired in
no other way. The second great object of inspiration was
to furnish a written revelation which should contain all the
spiritual truth necessary for the instruction and salvation of
men ; and which should constitute, to the end of the world,
the last appeal in all matters pertaining to religion.

Ifthese are the legitimate objects of inspiration, then the
different effects of apostolic and modern preaching arc not to
be accounted for on this principle. The apostles were inspired
becaus* they could, in no other way, become personally qual-
ified for preaching the gospel ; neither could they have con-
tributed their portion in filling up the canon of Scripture. But
the ministers of the gospel now, with the providential facilities
which they enjoy of becoming qualified for their work, and
with the Bible, a permanent revelation in their hands, stand at
leastjin these respects,on a summit level with the apostles.Should
any think, that this is saying too much, I would ask, why then
are not the present race of preachers inspired of God? If
iuch a gift is essential to great success in announcing and
enforcing the message of eternal life, then we might reason-
ably infer, that it would have been made a perpetual qualifica-
tion for the ministry. But this is not all. What valuable pur-
pose could now be answered by the gift of inspiration 1 If
ministers were to be inspired to teach the languages, as were
the apostles at the day of Pentecost, it would cherish mental
indolence; if to communicate the same truths which are em-
bodied in the scriptures, this would supercede a written revela-
tion ; if to reveal new truths, on the subject of religion, this
would bring home the charge of imperfection against the Bi-
ble ; if to render revealed facts and doctrines more vivid and
powerful in their appeals to the heart, this, it should be re-
membered, is the office of the Holy Ghost, in the ordinary
work of conviction and sanctification, and not In the gift of
inspiration. It would seem, then, thatlthe spirit of inspiration
is not now required ; and although this qualification was ne-
cessary for the apostles, yet their peculiar success is not to be

attributed to this cause, nor the inefficiency of modern preach-
ing to the want ofthia glA.

3 Tilt efficacy of primitive preaching ought not to be as*
cribed to the power of miracles.

A miracle, from its very nature, must be a striking and im-
pressive event. Were we to see the helpless victim of dis-
ease arise from his couch, in perfect health ; or the dwad man
open his eyes and lift his head from the cofTm ; or the tenant
ofthe grave issue forth into the living world, and mingle in
human society, as he had been accustomed to do in former
days ; and were all these things to take place at the mere
bidding of another, our minds would be forcibly arrested and
deeply instantly recognize the finger of God in these events.
Such miracles as these were wrought at the introduction of
the gospel dispensation ; and, at the same time, the most de-
cisive moral changes were effected ; that is, sinners were
awakened and converted. Tiie Jew renounced his bigotry,
and the Gentile abjured his idols ; and those who were .t en-
mity before, became one in Christ Jesus. As these two
events — miracles and the rapid triumphs of the gospel— are as-
sociated in point of time, there is a tendency in many minds,
to blend or confound them with respect to their moral influence
Tell such persons ofthe mighty and transforming movements
of the gospel in the apostolic age — of the conversion of thou-
sands under one sermon — and you are at once met with this
declaration, *Ap5e were the days of miracles. True, these tt^cr*
the days of miracles ; and the miracles which were wrought,
were necessary to the success of the gospel. But this is n«t the
point to be settled. Were the conversions whieh occurred in
the days of the apostles, wrought by the power of miracles t
This question must be answered in the negative. Miracles
80«m to have been intended for a specific purpose. They con-
stituted the seal of heaven to the commission under which the
apostles and others acted, in introducing and establishing tlie
new dispensation among the Jews and a new religiori a-
mong the Gentiles. They furnish the necessary attestation,
that these men were sent of God. They served to arrest th«
public mind ; to elicit inquiry ; and to rivet attention long
enough to permit the trutli, in the hands of the Holy Ghost, to
find its way tn the conscience and the heart. Miracles, T say
arrested attention; and conviction and conversation were
wrought just as they are now, by the instrumentality of the
truth and the agency of the Holy Spirit. The appeal made to
the human mind, by miracles, was mearly intellectual, while
the whole moral power was embodied in the truth. These in-
terpositions of God are not essential to the nloit tr imphant

success or ihe gospel ; but were rendered necessary only by
the specific cir - .mslances in which the primitive ministers of
the cross were called to act. The moment we desire this po-
sition we are sourrounded by an ocean of dilBculties and ob-
jections. If miracles are to be clothed with converting pow-
ers, then why did not the saving effects of the gospel bear a
direct proportion to the frequency aud impressive character
of these events T This, every one knows, was far from being
the fact. If miracles art to occupy this position in the work
of saving sinners, then the gospel is an imperfect scheme with-
out them ; it is not itself "thenower of God," but only made
so by the collateral efficacy ot an extraneous circumstance.
According to this theory, the most powerful and effectual ap-
peals of God to our lost' worhl are drawn from the kingdom of
nature, and not from the kingdom of grace. But this is not
the end of the difficulty. On the supposition that apostolic
success is to be attriduted to miracles, then miracles must be
restored to the church, or the predicted triumph of the r^^pei
will never take place. The true desision of the question now
at issue appears to be this— miracles were necessary only in the
introduction of the gospel ; and with the record of these spec-
ial acts of God, in our hands, und without their actual occur-
rence before ojur eyes, the ministers of the present day, are,
to say the least, in a situation as eligible for making a saving
impression upon the world, as were the apostles with a pecular
providence of God in their favour*

4. We ought not to ascribe the diferenct under considera-
tion to the mere sovereign God,

That God is a sovereign, and that as such he governs the
world of nature and the world of grace, there can be no doubt.
And in this fact, too, every heart^ought to rejoice. But the
sovereignly of God, as well as any other doctrine of the Bible,
may be misunderstood or abused. It would, no doubt, be in-
correct to refer the existence and the loss ofthe soul to a mere
naked, sovereign act of God. The same may be said ofthe
poverty ofthe sluggard— the ruin of the prodigal— the abase-
ment ofthe intemperate— and the remorse and shameful death
ofthe murderer! All these things take'place under the gov-
ernment of a sovereign Gv. ' ; but they take place accordin;^ to
established connections between cause and effect — between
means and ends, and in such a manner, too, that man is al-
M-ays free, and never permitted logo and hang his sin on the
sovereignty of God's throne. On the same principles, it would
be an abuse of divine sovereignty, to ascribe to this cause the
coldness and death which pervade some sections of the church,
and the want of power and efficiency which generally charac-

Si';

tcrizes an uninstructed and an unfaithful ministry. Who would
ever think of asserting, that the reason why saving conversions
are not multiplied in theRoman and theUnitarian churches, is,
that God, by a pure act of sovereignty; is not pleased to grant
them a blessing/ It is, indeed, the sovereign purpose of God
to oless the ^truth, and not error, to the salvation of souls.
But this is not the point at issue. Why does he, as far as we
know, in certain circumstances grant his blessing ; and in
others, withold it. When obvious reasons can be assigned,
and those, too, belonging to the very nature of the case, or
growing out c^'the moral relations between God and his crea-
tures, we never refer the case, for solution, to his sovereignty.
If iwo cases precisely pHtallol can be presented,andin the one
a blessing is granted, and in the other withheld — if the same
means are employed; and ur^ed with the same spirit and fi-
delity — if the condition, physical, intellectual and moral, of
those to wliom the truth is addressed, is in all respects the same
then any dilference in the resultsmust be ascribed to the sov-
ereign good pleasure of God. But to infer the existence of all
these paralli.is between the apostolic and the -^-esent age, with-
o.ut establishing these positions by proof, and to attribute
the different practical efforts of the gospel upon the souls of
men, at these two periods, to divine sovereignty, is a mere
begging of the question. Till it can be proved, that as mush
is done now to, save men, as was done in the days of the apos-
tles, and that these efforts are as pure and elevated, in their
moral character, as were the efforts of that age, it is perfectly
safe to aiUrm, that we are not at libeity to ascribe the differ-
ence in question to a mere sovereign act of God

5. 2Vic opostks andJirH -preachers of the gospel were SU'
premcly devoted to their work; and in this fact, we find one of
the ekmcnts of their success.

The one great object on which they had fixed their hearts,
was the salvation of men. This was their deep and absorbing
purpose. A portion of the same spirit, and a large one too,
which animated their imaster's bosom, and which drew hiui
down from heaven, filled and fired their hearts in the enterprise
in which they had embarked. With him they could stiy, "0L.r
meat is to do the will of him that sent us, and to finish iiis
work," They consecrated themselves to the ministry, keep-
ing back uu"part of the price." They had counted the cost,
and determined to build their forcer. They had surveyed the
whole field of labor, and entered their Master's service with
the deliherate purpoae of hearing the burden and heat of the
day," till the last earthly sun should go down, and the morning

2m. Nothing could warp

rorld dawn upon

them from their purpose. They had received a commission
signed by the hand, and sealed with the blood of their Master;
and this commision they intended to execute — and this com-
mission they did execute, till they died. Their only business
was to preach the gospel ; and the perpetual breathings of their
hearts to heaven — their highest aspirations were, that this gos-
pel might be blessed to the salvation of men. If their bosoms
sometimes heaved with sighs, and their cheeks were bathed in
tears, it was not on account of their personal afflictions ; but
these sighs and tears were poured out over a world at war
with God, and obnoxious to his burning curse / If they
were forbidden by the decrees of coimsels to preach the gos-
pel, their reply was, "We ought to obey God rather than
men." — When arraigned before kings and magistrates, they
seized the opportunity to deliver their message, pressing obli-
gation upon the conscience, till their judges sometimes ac-
knowledged their convictions, and trembled in anticipation of
'their impending doom. No hardships could subdue — no per-
secutions mtimidate — no threaten ings overawe — no temporary
defeats tear away from their hearts the fond hope of future and
triumphant success — and even martyrdom, armed as she was
with fire and faggot, coud make no impression on their fear-
less spirits. They had begun a work, and they intended to
finish it. In the prosecution of their object, they were in-
different to many things which have been too eagerly sought
by ministers in other ages of the church. They stood aloof
from the clashings of politics ; they had no ambition for lite-
rary fame ; worldly titles and worldly honours they left to
worldly men ; they looked down upon the mere pomp and
show of human eloquence ; and they seem never to think of
themselves but in connection with their Master, and the sal-
vation of souls. In one word, they pursued their object with
more piety and less policy, than any other race of ministers
who ever blessed the world. They "determined," as one of
their own number has recorder' of himself, "not to know any
thing" among the people, "save Jksus Christ, and him cru-
cified." And in this Cact of exclusive devotedness to their
work, we find at Jeast one reason for their unparalleld suc-
cess.

6. The primitive preachers were more abundcnt in lahors,
than at the 'present day.

It is not inten«led here to bring an indiscriminate charge of
indolence against the ministers of the present day. That
there are many in the sacred office against whom the charge

rnirrVtf Ka ciiatnino/1 in if« full ^nrC.P ihptP: mn bp. TIA Hnilht-

Bttt extreme cas^s faU not within the limits of this discussion.

The inquiry now before us is, to ascertain, if poisible, how-
much of the marked and pecuHar success of the first preachers
of the gospel, over those of other ages, may be fairly attribu-
ted to their superior activity in the work which God had as-
signed them. A more laborious set of men never unfolded
their physical and moral energies, in our world, than the first
preachers of the gospel. Whatever may be true, of here and
there an individual, of this or any other age, no generation of
their successors, have attained, in this respect, an equal eleva-
tion. They appear to me to be the only men who have under-
taken and accomplished in religion, what other men have
done in some of the more elevated affairs of the world— in
Bcience, legislation, war, and commerce, They put their
whole hearts into their work. The entire energies of their
immortal minds, rekindled by a living flame from heaven,
were concentrated, and made to glow and burn on a single
point. They were "instant in season— out of season" Their
great business was, to <*preach the word." Wherever they
were, this object waa never forgotten. Withersoever they
were kd by Providence,- or driven, or transported by their
enemies, their hearts clung to the single purpose of living and
dying in the service of souls. It was not on the Jewish, or the
Christian Sabbath alone, or in the synagogue exclusively, that
they prosecuted this work.— Time and place were mere circum-
stances which they often compelled to yeld to the master pas-
sion of their hearts, and the governing purpose of their lives.
Take Paul as a specimen of activity in preaching the gospel.
At Ephesus, "by the space of three years" he "ceased not to
warn every one night and day with tears." During two year«
of this time he disputed daily in the school of Tyrannus. At
Athens, his spirit was so stirred within him, "when he saw the
city whoUy given to idolatry," that he not only preached the
gospel "in the synagogue," but "in the market," and to the
celeurated court, "Areopagus." Disregarding the fastidious-
ness of worldly opinions, on one occasion he "continued his
speach until midnight ;" and after a little interruption, protrac-
ted his exercises "even till break of day." When arraigned
before Felix, he ''reasoned of righteonsnesa, temperance, and
judgment to come," with such amazing moral appeals, that
the judge "trembled" before the accused. When immured in
a dungeon at Philippi, he and his fellow laborer and fellow
sufferer, Silas, prayed and sung praises'unto God ; and these
were but the introductory exercises to the successful announce-
ment of the gospel to the tenents of that prifion. In one word^,
;he first heralds of the ci-oss, exerted every energy Oi sOSi an«
body to^convert and gave th« world.— Even Alexander in his

sible, how-
preachers
ly attribu-
0(1 had as-

unfolded
in the first
f here and
leration of
3[ual eleva-
ave under-
men have
world— in

put their

s of their

1 heaven,

on a single

on" Their

rever they

>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

il I

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

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 ■

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

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

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

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-

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

(

':*

,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 bl<U of

murd.rcd souk, «n must '«^°'7 '»/» °"' He world, aa did
mark -.ur foo.-»tci« with "»°f"j"f "'■ '3u, ehuToh occasion
tl,e preachers of the gospel.a.m 8'" »!;;"'"", -„"batono8-wo
to wr.e an air«t>o.>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.

Erata.

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