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AN ESSAY ON THE

inclinations of a miser, good and bad, virtues and vices, his love and his hatred, his joy and his sorrow, respect and obey his avarice. They move or rest, act or do not act, agreeably to the orders which this criminal passion gives them. If he be naturally civil, mild, and agreeable in his conversation, he will not fail to lay aside all his civilities and good manners, when his avarice tells him he may get something by doing so ; and, on the contrary, when he has received some injury, when some insult has been offered him, which is a just ground of resentment, you may see, in an instant, his wrath is removed, and all his vehemence abated, in hope of a little money offered to appease him, or in fear of a small expense to gratify his resentment. If an object of public joy or sorrow offer itself to his view, simply considering it in a general view, he will be glad or sorry, according to the nature of the thing in question ; but should this occa- sion of public joy interest him ever so little, or in any manner prejudice his pretensions, all on a sudden you will see all his joy turned into sor- row. In like manner, when a public calamity gives him an opportunity of gaining anything, all his sorrow is turned into joy. If he ardently loves any one, he will love him no longer, if he begin to cost him anything ; avarice will turn all

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COMPOSITION OF A SERMON.

145

his love into indifference and coldness. If rea- son and common honesty oblige him to be of a party who have justice on their side, he will maintain and even exaggerate their rights, and defend the equity of them, while his purse is not engaged : engage his purse, and it is no longer the same thing : what was just is become now unjust to him, he has quickly ivhys and howevers in his mouth — but, however, we were mistaken in such a point — why should we be obstinate in such or such a thing ? &c.

In fine, his avarice gives the colour and tint to every subject, it is the sole rule and measure, it makes things good or bad, just or unjust, reasonable or unreasonable, according to its pleasure : crimes are no longer crimes, if they agree with avarice ; virtues are no longer virtues, when they oppose it : she reigns over the ideas of a miser's mind and the emotions of his heart, sole arbitress in the judgments of his mind, sole directress in the consultations of his heart, sole governess of all his passions. Aristotle's defini- tion of nature can be nowhere better applied, — she is the principle of motion and of rest : for she does all that the centurion in the gospel did ; she says to one. Go, and he goeth ; to another. Come, and he cometh. Do this, and he doeth it ; yea, she goes farther than the centurion went ; 10

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I,

AN ESSAY

\

ON THE

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON.

1 >-•

BY REV. jSim CLAUDE.

,: EDITED BY

REV. CHARLES SIMEON, M.A

SENIOR FELLOW OF KING'S COLLEv,!?, CAMBRIDQF

î3'm-î3ork

PUBLISHED BY LANE & SCOTT,

200 Mulberry-street. JOSEPH LONGKINQ, PRINTER.

1849. ^

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PREFACE.

This Essay on the Composition of a Sermon was originally written by the Reverend John Claude, a minister of the reformed rehgion in France, who preached upwards of forty years with great acceptance, first at St. Afrique, afterwards at JSismes, and lastly at Cha- renton.

The Editor has bestowed considerable pains on it to improve it. To distinguish his additions from the original, he has en- closed them in brackets.

The Editor, conceiving it of importance to illustrate the four different methods of treat- ing texts, namely, by Explication, by Ob-

4 PEEFACE.

servations, by Propositions, and by perpetual Application, here adds four distinct speci- mens, all of them upon the same text. And in the second of them he has illustrated Mr. Claude's twenty- seven topics, with a particular reference to each. He hopes this will be an acceptable addition to the student.

If any student choose to undertake the same task, 1 John v, 11, 12, will afford him good scope for the purpose.

ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAP. I.

ON THE CHOICE OF TEXTS.

Parts of a sermon five . ,

Each text must contain the complete sense

of the writer

Each text must not contain too little matter

nor too much

The end of preaching

Whether Protestants should preach on

Romish festivals

What subjects are proper for stated days

of public worship

What for occasional, as ordinations, &c. .

CHAP. n.

GENERAL RULES OF SERMONS.

Sermons should be explicit and clear . . must give the entire sense of the

text

must be wise, sober, chaste . . simple and grave . . . instructive and affecting Whether a preacher should apply as he

goes on

Preacher should avoid excess

Of genius

0Î doctrine

Of investigation

Of figures of speech

Of reasoning

Of grammatical remarks

Of criticisms

Of philosophical — historical — rhetorical

observations

Of quotations

CHAP. HI.

OF CONNEXION.

Connexion defined and how iofind it .

must seldom be enlarged on . must sometimes make a part of the discussion .... sometimes affords an exordium must be marked with precision

Examples.

2 Cor. i, 3, 4.

6 ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAP. IV.	Examples.	Page
OF DIVISION.
A text should not be divided into jnany parts		31
Two sorts of division, textual and topical		31
Division of the sermon is proper in general
for obscure subjects		31
Division a,s for prophecies	Gen. iii, 15.	32
for texts taken from disputes .	Rom. iii, 28.	32
for conclusions of long discourses	Rom.v, l,viii.	33
for quoted texts	Heb. i, 5, 6 ;	35
	ii, 6 ; iii, 7.	35
for texts treated of in different
views	Ex. xxxiv, 35.	36
	Dan. ix, 7.	36
	Heb. iii, 7, 8.	36
Division of the text after the order of the
words	Eph. i, 3.	37
	IPet.v, 10,11.	39
How to divide a text inform . .		40
	Heb. X, 10.	41
Reducing a subject to a categorical
proposition		41
Marking the character of a text .		42
	1 John iv, 18.	43
the spirit of a text . .		43
	Ps. cxlvii, 11.	44
Natural order two-fold ....		45
	James i, 18.	46
	2 Tim. ii, 10.	47
Some texts divide themselves . .	Phil, ii, 13.	48
Nothing must be put in the first branch of
division that supposes a knowledge of the
second		49 50
Division of subject and attribute ....
	John XV, 5 ;	50
	vi, 47, 56.	50
	Rom. viii, 1.	50
Sometimes the connexion of subject and ) attribute must make a distinct part . S	2 Cor. V, 17 ;	51
iv, 17, 18.	51
Sometimes it may make the entire subject .	Ps. cxxvi, 5,6.	52
How to divide when texts need much ex-
plaining	Acts ii, 27.	53
Discussion of terms Syncategorematica .	John iii, 16;	53
	XV, 15.	55
	Ex. xxxiv, 5.	56
	Deut.xxvii,26	57
How to divide texts of reasoning . . .		57
	Jdg.xiii,22,23.	57
	Rom. iv, 1.	58
	Acts vii, 48-50	59
oi objection and answer	Rom. vi, 1,2.	61

ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 1
Division of ^z^cuZ* texts	Examples.	Page
John iv, 10.	63
	Luk.vii,41-43.	65
jf texts which m;)?y something .		66
	Isa. Iv, 6.	67
	1 Cor. i, 30	68
of texts of teiory	Acts ii, 37-39.	68
Sometimes the occasion of an action may
form one part		69
Division must be expressed simply for the
sake of being remembered		70
	1 Cor. iv, 1-9.	70
Division may be arbitrary	Matt.x, 32-39.	71
	John vi, 44.	73
Subdivision		73
CHAP. V.
OF TEXTS TO BE DISCUSSED BY WAY OF
EXPLICATION.
Preacher must understand the sense of the
text		74
Preacher must comprehend the whole sub- ject together, and perceive the parts of
which it consists	— —	75
Preacher must have a general idea of
theology		75
Preacher must study the nature of his text		75
Two general ways of discussing a text :
explication and observation ....		76
Rules to determine the choice ....		77
Difficult passages must be treated of by
way of explication	— —	77
Difficulties arise from words or things . .		77
How to explain difficult words ....		77
Difficult and important subjects must be ex- plained Controverted texts, how to explain . . .		79
John xvi, 12.	79
Different ways of explaining disputed texts		80
How to explain an intricate subject, exem-
plified		81
	Col. i, 9-13.	81
	Col. ii, 10-12.	82
	John i, 17.	83
How to explain texts not difficult but im-
portant	2 Cor. iv, 7.	87
	1 Cor. iii, 11.	90
Explication with and without proof . . .		91
Proofs oifact	Phil, ii, 6 , 91
Proofs of right	ii, 14, 15. 92

ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Proofs of both fact and right

Explication of texts wliich have many parts

Explication of simple terms

of simple terras by comparison

of phrases peculiar to Scripture

of terms Syncategorematica .

Explication of terms sometimes not to be

explained

How to explain and illustrate a proposition

exemplified

Explication of propositions which contain

divers truths

Explication of propositions considerable in

divers views

Explication of propositions which have dif- ferent degrees of accomplishment . .

Inconsiderable propositions

CHAP. VI.

OF TEXTS TO BE DISCUSSED BY WAY OF OBSERVATION.

Some texts must be discussed by way of

observation

Some as clear texts

Some as historical texts

Some require both explication and observa- tion

How to arrange the discussion of passages

of this kind

Observation sometimes includes explication Observations should generally be theological But in some cases they may be taken from

other topics

Observation should neither be pedantic .

nor vulgar Topics— As

I. Genus

11. Species

Examples. Page

Phil, ii, 7-9. 1 Cor. xvi, 22.

Heb. xii, 6.

Phil, ii, 13.

Isaiah ix, 6.

1 Tim. i, 5. 2Tim.iii,16,17 Luke ii, 8-11.

Mark viii, 34. John iii, 16. Rom. viii, 1.

Eph. i, 18.

Eph. i, 18.

Ps.lxix,21. Ps. cxxix, 2.

Ex. iii, 7, 8.

Heb. ii, 13. Ez.37: 1-11. Ps.xxxvii, 3.

Prov. XV, 3.

John xii, 1,2. Heb. xi, 24-26

Acts i, 10. Acts ii, 1.

Psa. 1, 14 ; cxxiii, 2.

ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Topics (continued)— As

in. Character of a virtue or a vice .

rV. Relation

V. Implication

"VI. Persons speaking or acting . . .

VII. State

VIII. Time

IX. Place

X. Persons addressed

XI. State of persons addressed . . . XII. Principles

XIII. Consequences

XIV. End proposed

XV. Manner

XVI. Comparison of some subjects with other subjects

XVII. Differences

XVIII. Contrast

XIX. Grounds

XX. Composition

XXI. Supposition

XXII. Objections

XXIII. Character of expression ....

as of Majesty

Tenderness . . . Meanness .... Necessity ....

Utility

Evidence ....

XXIV. Degrees

XXV. Interests

XXVI. Distinction — Definition — Division XXVII. Comparison of one part of a sub- ject vFitli another part . , .

CHAP. VII.

OF APPLICATION.

Discussion by application

W^hat

What subjects should be discussed in this way

Example of this method of discussion at

large

J

Examples. Page

2 Thess. iii, 5.

Rom. xii, 17. Rom. xii, 17. 1 Thess. V, 16.

1 Tim. ii, 1. Phil, iii, 13, 14 Rom. xii, 17. Rom. xii, 17.

John V, 14.

Rom. viii, 37.

Acts i, 1 ;

vii, 22.

Rom. xiv, 3.

John i, 14 ;

V, 14.

Matt, xvi, 22.

Luke xvii, 10.

John xiv, 1. xiv, 6. Acts i, 6. John xiv, 16.

Exod. XX, 3-5.

Gal. i, 9. Matt, xii, 10. 1 Cor. XV, 14.

Rom. viii, 1. Eph. ii, 4, 5.

Zeph. ii, 1. 1 Cor. xi, 28.

Phil, ii, 12.

10 ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTKNTS.
CHAP. VIIL OF PROPOSITIONS.	Examples.	Page
Discussions of proposition, what . . .	Rom. viii, 13.	198
Example of this method		199
	John v, 23.	200
CHAP. IX.
OF THE EXORDIUM.
Exordium, what		204
Whether exordiums be necessary . . .		204
The ends proposed in exordiums . . .		210
They are principally two		210
Exordiums must be short		214
clear		215
cool and grave . . .		215
engaging and agreeable		216
connected with the text		217
simple and unadorned		218
not common ....		219
may sometimes be figurative .	John vi, 54.	220
Vices of exordiums		221
Affectation		222
Use of apothegms		222
Citations from profane authors .		223
In what cases they are proper .	Ps. xc, 12.	223
The best are taken from theology . . .		224
How to compose them		224
They may be taken from common-places
—sacred history— types, &c		225
CHAP. X.
OF THE CONCLUSION.
What conclusions ought to be in general		227
In particular, some should be
Violent . . .		228
Tender . . .		228
Elevated . . .		228
May sometimes be mixed ....		228
Must always be diversified ....		229
The best conclusions		230
THE GOSPEL MESSAGE,
(Mark xvi, 15, 16,)
Illustrated in four different modes of discussion, namely,	•
By explication	231
Observation	236
Propositions	241
Perpetual Apphcation	246

AN ESSAY

ON THE

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON.

CHAPTER I.

OK THE CHOICE OP TEXTS.

There are in general Jive parts of a sermon, the exordium, the connexion, the division, the dis- cussion, and the application : but, as connexion and division are parts which ought to be ex- tremely short, we can properly reckon only three parts ; exordium, discussion, and applica- tion. However, we will just take notice of connexion and division after we have spoken a little on the choice of texts, and on a few gene- ral rules of discussing them.

1. Never choose such texts as have not a com- plete sense; for only impertinent and foolish people will attempt to preach from one or two words which signify nothing.

2. Not only words which have a complete sense of themselves must be taken : but they

12 AN ESSAY ON THE

must also include the complete sense of the writer, whose words they are ; for it is his language, and they are his sentiments, which you explain. For example, should you take these words of 2 Cor. i, 3 : " Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort," and stop here, you would include a complete sense ; but it would not be the apostle's sense. Should you go farther, and add, " who comforteth us in all our tribulation," it would not then be the complete sense of St. Paul ; nor would his meaning be wholly taken in, imless you went on to the end of the fourth verse. When the complete sense of the sacred writer is taken, you may stop ; for there are few texts in Scripture, which do not afford matter sufficient for a sermon : and it is equally inconvenient to take too much text, or too little ; both extremes must be avoided.

When too little text is taken, you must di- gress from the subject to find something to say ; flourishes of wit and imagination must be dis- played, which are not of the genius of the pul- pit ; and, in one word, it will make the hearers think that self is more preached than Jesus Christ; and that the preacher aims rather at appearing at wit, than at instructing and edify- ing his people.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 13

When too much text is taken, either many important considerations which belong to the passage must be left out, or a tedious prolixity must follow. A proper measure, therefore, must be chosen, and neither too little nor too much matter taken. Some say preachmg is designed only to make Scripture understood, and therefore they take a great deal of text, and are content with giving the sense, and with making some principal reflections. But this is a mistake : for preaching is not only intended to give the sense of Scripture, but also of theology in general ; and, in short, to explain the whole of religion, which cannot be done if too much matter be taken; so that I think the maimer commonly used in our churches is the most rea- sonable, and the most conformable to the end of preaching. Everybody can read Scripture with notes and comments to obtain simply the sense : but we cannot instruct, solve difliculties, unfold mysteries, penetrate into the ways of di- vine wisdom, establish truth, refute error, com- fort, correct, and censure, fill the hearers with an admiration of the wonderful works and ways of God, inflame their souls with zeal, powerfully incline them to piety and holiness — which are the ends of preaching — unless we go farther than barely enabling them to understand Scripture.

14 AN ESSAY ON THE

To be more particular : regard must be paid to circumstances, times, places, and persons; and texts must be chosen relative to them. 1st. In regard to times. I do not, I cannot, approve of the custom of the late Mons. Daillé, who used to preach on the feast-days of the Church of Rome, and to choose texts on the subjects of their feasts, turning them to censure superstition. I do not blame his zeal against superstition : but as for the Romish feasts, they are for the members of the Church of Rome, and not for us ; and, it is certain, om* hearers will neither be instructed nor encom-aged by such sorts of subjects : methinks they should be preq,phed seldom, and soberly. It is not so with particular times which belong to ourselves, which are of two sorts, ord'mary, which we caU stata tempora, which every year return at the same seasons ; or extraordinary, which fall out by accident, or, to speak more properly, when it pleases God. Of the first kind are Lord's-sup- per days ; or days which are solemnized among us, as Christmas Day, Easter, Whitsuntide, Ascension Day, New- Year's Day, and Good Friday, as it is called. On these days particular texts should be chosen, which suit the service of the day; for it would discover great negli- gence to take on such days texts which have no

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 15

relation to them. It is not to be questioned but on these days peculiar efforts ought to be made, because then the hearers come with raised expectations, which, if not satisfied, turn into contempt, and a kind of indignation against the preacher.

Particular days not fixed, but occasional y are fast-days, ordination-days, days on which the flock must be extraordinarily comforted, either on account of the falling out of some great scandal, the exercise of some great afiliction, or or the inflicting of some great censure. On fast-days, it is plain, particular texts must be expressly chosen for the purpose : but on other occasions it must rest on the preacher's judg- ment ; for most texts may be used extraordi- narily, to comfort, exhort, or censure; and, except the subject in hand be extremely im- portant, the safest way is not to change the usual text.* For ordination-days extraordinary texts and agreeable to the subject in hand must be taken, whether it regards the ordainer or the ordained ; for very often he who is ordained in the morning preaches in the afternoon.

I add one word touching sermons in strange

* Perhaps by texte accoutumé Mr. Claude means such a text as would come in a precomposed set of sermons, or to a series of texts published by authority.

16 AN ESSAY ON THE

churches. 1. Do not choose a text which ap- pears odd, or the choice of which vanity may be supposed to dictate. 2. Do not choose a text of censure ; for a stranger has no business to censure a congregation which he does not in- spect: unless he have a particular call to it, being either sent by a synod, or entreated by the church itself. In such a case the censure must be conducted with wisdom and tempered with sweetness. Nor, 3, Choose a text leading to curious knotty questions ; then it would be said the man meant to preach himself. But, 4, Choose a text of ordinary doctrine, in discussing which, doctrine and morality may be mixed ; and let moral things be said rather by way of exhor- tation and consolation than by way of censure : not that the vicious should not be censured ; for reproof is essential to preaching : but it must be given soberly, and in general terms, when we are not with our own flocks.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. IT

CHAPTER IL

GENERAL RULES OF SERMONS.

Although the following general rules are well known, yet they are too Httle practised : they ought, however, to be constantly regarded.

1. A sermon should clearly and purely ex- plain a text ; make the sense easy to be compre- hended, and place things before the people's eyes, so that they may be understood without difficulty. This rule condemns embarrassment and obscurity, the most disagreeable thing in the world in a gospel-pulpit. It ought to be re- membered, that the greatest part of the hearers are simple people ; whose profit, however, must be aimed at in preaching : but it is impossible to edify them, unless you be very clear. As to learned hearers, it is certain they will always prefer a clear before an obscure sermon; for, first, they will consider the simple, nor will their benevolence be content if the illiterate be; not edified ; and, next, they will be loth to be driven to the necessity of giving too great an attention, which they cannot avoid, if the preacher be ob- scure. The minds of men, whether learned or ignorant, generally avoid pain ; and the learned 2

18 AN ESSAY ON THE

have fatigue enough in the study, without in- creasing it at church.

2. A sermon must give the entire sense of the whole text, in order to which it must be consi- dered in every view. This rule condemns dry and barren explications, wherein the preacher discovers neither study nor invention, and leaves unsaid a great number of beautiful things with which his text would have furnished him. Preachments of this kind are extremely disgust- ful ; the mind is neither elevated nor informed, nor is the heart at all moved. In matters of religion and piety, not to edify much, is to de- stroy much : and a sermon cold and poor will do more mischief in an hour, than a hundred rich sermons can do good. I do not mean that a preacher should alwaj^s use his utmost efforts, nor that he should always preach alike well; for that neither can nor ought to be. There are extraordinary occasions, for which all his vigour must be reserved. But I mean that, in ordi- nary and usual sermons, a kind of plenitude should satisfy and content the hearers. The preacher must not always labour to carry the people beyond themselves, nor to ravish them into ecstasies ; but he must always satisfy them, and maintain in them an esteem and an eager- ness for practical piety.

COMPOSITION OF A SEKMON. 19

3. The preacher must be wise, sober, chaste. I say wise, in opposition to those impertinent people who utter jests, comical comparisons, quirks, and extravagances ; and such are a great part of the preachers of the Church of Rome. I say soher, in opposition to those rash spirits who would penetrate all, and curiously dive into mysteries beyond the bounds of mod- esty. Such are those who make no difficulty of delivermg in the pulpit all the speculations of the schools, on the mystery of the Trinity, the incarnation, the eternal reprobation of mankind : such as treat of questions beyond our know- ledge; namely, what would have been if Adam had abode in innocence ; what the state of souls after death ; or what the resurrection, and our state of eternal glory in paradise. Such are they who fill their sermons with the differ- ent interpretations of a term, or the different opinions of interpreters on any passage of Scrip- ture ; who load their hearers with tedious reci- tals of ancient history; or an account of the divers heresies which have troubled the church upon any matter : all these are contrary to the sobriety of which we speak, and which is one of the most excellent pulpit virtues. I say, farther, chaste, in opposition to those bold and impudent geniuses who are not ashamed of saying many

20 AN ESSAY ON THE .

things which produce unclean ideas in the mind. A preacher cannot be called chaste, who, speak- ing of the conception of Jesus Christ in the vir- gin's womb by the power of the Holy Ghost without the intervention of man, is not careful of saying anything that may shock the modesty of some, and give occasion of discourse to the profanity of others. There are I know not how many subjects of this kind : as when the eternal genei^ation of Jesus Christ the Son of God is spoken of ; when the term regeneration is explained, which Scripture useth to express our conversion ; or when we treat of that seed of God, of which, according to St. John, we are born ; or when we enforce the duties of hus- bands to wives, or of wives to husbands ; or when we speak of the love of Jesus Christ to his church, under the notion of a conjugal relation ; or when eternal felicity is spoken of, under the image of a banquet, or of a marriage-feast. On all such subjects, chastity should weigh the ex- pressions, and make a judicious choice, in order to keep the hearers' minds at the greatest dis- tance from all sorts of carnal and terrestrial ideas. The likeliest way of succeeding in these cases is to beware of pressing metaphorical terms too far ; to adhere to general considerations, and if possible to explain the metaphorical terms

COMPOSITION OP A SERMON. 21

in few words, and afterward to cleave entirely to the thing itself.

4. A preacher must be simple and grave. Simple, speaking things full of good natural sense without metaphysical speculations ; for none are more impertinent than they who de- liver in the pulpit abstract speculations, defini- tions in form, and scholastic questions, which they pretend to derive from their texts — as, on the manner of the existence of angels ; the means whereby they communicate their ideas to each other ; the manner in which ideas eternally subsist in the divine understanding ; with many more of the same class, all certainly opposite to simphcity. To simple I add grave, because all sorts of mean thoughts and expressions, all sorts of vulgar and proverbial sayings, ought to be avoided. The pulpit is the seat of good natural sense ; and the good sense of good men. On the one hand, then, you are not to philosophize too much, and refine your subject out of sight ; nor, on the other, to abase yourself to the lan- guage and thoughts of the dregs of the people.

5. The understanding must be informed, but in a manner, however, which affects the heart ; either to comfort the hearers, or to excite them to acts of piety, repentance, or holiness. There are two ways of doing this, one formal, in turn-

22 AN ESSAY ON THE

ing the subject to moral uses, and so applying it to the hearers ; the other in the simple choice of the things spoken : for if they be good, solid, evangelic, and edifying of themselves, should no application be formally made, the auditors would make it themselves; because subjects of this kind are of such a nature that they cannot en- ter the understanding without penetrating the heart. I do not blame the method of some preachers, who, when they have opened some point of doctrine, or made some important ob- servation, immediately turn it into a brief moral application to the hearers ; this M. D aillé fre- quently did : yet I think it should not be made a constant practice, because, 1st, What the hearer is used to, he will be prepared for, and so it will lose its effect ; and, 2dly, Because you would thereby interrupt your explication, and consequently also the attention of the hearer, which is a great inconvenience. Nevertheless, when it is done but seldom, and seasonably, great advantage may be reaped.

But there is another way of turning doctrines to moral uses, which in my opmion is far more excellent, authoritative, grand, and effectual; that is, by treating the doctrine contained in the text in a way of jjerpetual application. This way produces excellent effects ; for it pleases.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 23

instructs, and affects, all together. But neither must this be made habitual, for it would fatigue the hearer; nothing being more delicate, nor sooner discouraged, than the human mind. There are fast-days, Lord's-supper days, and many such seasonable times for this method. This way, as I have said, is full of admirable fruits ; but it must be well executed, with power and address, with choice of thoughts and expressions, otherwise the preacher will make himself ridi- culous, and provoke the people to say,

" Quid dignum tanto feret hie promissor hiatu 1 Parturiunt montes ; nascetttr ridiculus mus."

6. One of the most important precepts for the discussion of a text, and the composition of a sermon, is, above all things, to avoid excess: iVe quid nimis.

(1.) There must not be too much genius. I mean not too many brilliant, sparkhng, and strik- ing things ; for they would produce very bad ef- fects. The auditor will never fail to say, The man preaches himself, aims to display his genius, and is not animated by the Spirit of God, but by that of the world. Besides, the hearer would be overcharged ; the mind of man has its bounds and measures, and as the eye is dazzled with too strong a light, so is the mind offended with the glare of too great an assemblage of

24 AN ESSAY ON THE

beauties. Farther, it would destroy the princi- pal end of preaching, which is to sanctify the conscience; for when the mind is overloaded with too many agreeable ideas, it has not leisure to reflect on the objects ; and without reflection the heart is unaffected. Moreover, ideas which divert the mind, are not very proper to move the conscience ; they flatter the imagination, and that is all. Such a preacher will oblige people to say of him, He has genius, a lively and fruit- fid imagination : but he is not solid. In fine, it is not possible for a man, who piques himself on filling his sermons with vivacities of imagi- nation, to maintain the spirit all along ; he will therefore become a tiresome tautologist : nor is it hard in such sermons to discover many false brilHancies, as we see daily.

(2.) A sermon must not be overcharged with doctrine; because the hearers' memories cannot retain it all, and by aiming to keep all, they will lose all ; and because you will be obliged either to be excessively tedious, or to propose the doc- trine in a dry, barren, scholastic manner, which will deprive it of all its beauty and efficacy. A sermon should instruct, please, and affect ; that is, it should always do these as much as possible. As the doctrinal part, which is instructive, should always be proposed in an agreeable and

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 25

affecting manner ; so the agreeable parts should be proposed in an instructive manner : and even in the conclusion, which is designed wholly to affect, agreeableness must not be neglected, nor altogether instruction. Take care then not to charge your sermon with too much matter.

(3.) Care must also be taken never to strain any particular part, either in attempting to ex- haust it, or to penetrate too far into it. If you aim at exhausting a subject, you will be obliged to heap up a number of common things without choice or discernment: if at penetrating, you cannot avoid falling into many curious questions, and unedifying subtilties ; and frequently in at- tempting it you will distil the subject till it evaporates.

(4.) Figures must not he overstrained. This is done by stretching metaphor into allegory, or by carrying a parallel too far. A metaphor is changed into an allegory, when a number of things are heaped up, which agree to the sub- ject, in keeping close to the metaphor. As in explaining this text, God is a sun and a shield ; it would be stretching the metaphor into an al- legory to make a great collection of what God is in himself ; what to us ; what he does in the understanding and conscience of the believer; what he operates on the wicked; what his

26 AN ESSAY ON THE -

absence causeth: and all these under terms, which had a perpetual relation to the sun. Al- legories may be sometimes used very agreeably : but they must not be strained, that is, all that can be said on them must not be said. A par- allel is run too far when a great number of conformities between the figure, and the thing represented by the figure, are heaped together. This is almost the perpetual -vdce of mean and low preachers ; for when they catch a figurative word, or a metaphor — as when God's word is called a fire, or a sword ; or the church a house, or a dove ; or Jesus Christ a light, a sun, a vine, or a door — they never fail making a long detail of conformities between the figiu-es and the subjects themselves, and frequently say ridiculous things. This vice must be avoided, and you must be content to explain the meta- phor in a few words, and to mark the principal agreements, in order afterward to cleave to the thing itself.

(5.) Reasmiing must not he car?'ied too far. This may be done many ways : either by long trains of reasons, composed of a quantity of propositions chained together, or principles and consequences, which way of reasoning is em- barrassing and painful to the auditor; or by making many branches of reasons, and establish-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 27

ing them one after another, which is tiresome and fatiguing to the mind. The mind of man loves to be conducted in a more smooth and easy way : all must not be proved at once ; but supposing principles which are true and plain, and which you, when it is necessary, are capa- ble of proving and supporting, you must be content with using them to prove what you have in hand. Yet I do not mean that in rea- soning, arguments should be so short and dry, and proposed in so brief a manner, as to divest the truth of half its force, as many authors leave them. I only mean that a due medium should be preserved ; that is, that without fatiguing the mind and attention of the hearer, reasons should be placed in just as much force and clearness as are necessary to produce the efifect.

Reasoning also may be overstrained by heaping great mmiber of proofs on the same subject. Numerous proofs are intolerable, except in a principal matter which is like to be much ques- tioned or controverted by the hearers. In such a case you would be obhged to treat the subject fully and ex professa; otherwise the hearers would consider your attempt to prove the matter as a useless digression. But when you are obliged to treat the subject fully, when

28 AN ESSAY ON THE

that subject is very important, when it is doubted and controverted, then a great number of proofs are proper. In such a case you must propose to convince and bear down the opponent's judgment, by making truth triumph in many different manners. In such a case, many proofs associated together to produce one effect, are hke many rays of hght, which naturally strength- en each other, and which altogether form a body of brightness which is irresistible.

(6.) You must, as much as possible, abstain from all sorts of observations foreign from theo- logy. In this class I place,

First. Grammatical observations of every kind, which, not being within the people's knowledge, can only weary and disgust them. They may, nevertheless, be used when they furnish an agree- able sense of the word, or open some important observation on the subject itself, provided it be done very seldom and very pertinently.

Secondly. Critical observations about different readings, different punctuations, &c., must be avoided. Make all the use you can of critical knowledge yourself; but spare the people the account, for it must needs be very disagreeable to them.

I add, thirdly. Avoid philosophical and histo- rical observations, and all such as belong to rhe-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 29

toric : or, if you do use them, do not insist on them, and choose only those which give either some hght to the text, or heighten its pathos and beauty ; all others must be rejected.

Lastly. I say the same of passages from pro- fane authors, or rahhies, or fathers, with which many think they enrich their sermons. This farrago is only a vain ostentation of learning, and very often they who fill their sermons with such quotations, know them only by relation of others. However, I would not blame a man who should use them discretely. A quotation not common, and properly made, has a very good effect.

CHAPTER in.

OF CONNEXION.

The connexion is the relation of your text to the foregoing or following verses. To find this, con- sider the scope of the discourse, and consult commentators: particularly exercise your own good sense ; for commentators frequently trifle, and give forced and far-fetched connexions, all which ought to be avoided, for they are not na- tural : and sometimes good sense will discover the scope and design of a passage far better than this kind of writers.

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There are texts, the connexions of which (I own) it will be sometimes difficult to perceive. In such a case endeavour to discover them by fre- quent and intense meditation, or take that which commentators furnish ; and among many which they give, choose that which appears most natu- ral ; and if you can find none hkely, the best way will be to let the passage alone. The connexion is a part which must be very little insisted on, because the hearers almost always pass it over, and receive but little instruction from it.

When the coherence will furnish any agreeable considerations for the illustration of the text, they must be put in the discussion ; and this will very often happen. Sometimes also you may draw thence an exordium : in such a case the exordium and connexion will be confounded together.

[There is, however, one point in relation to the connexion to which very especial attention should be paid ; and it is this : the text should always be taken according to the precise sense which it hears in connexion with the context ; and he always treated in that precise view. For, in addition to this being far more satisfactory to the audience, it will give an inexhaustible varie- ty to the subjects, and infuse into every one of them a force and a spirit which nothing else could impart.]

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CHAPTER IV.

OF DIVISION.

Division, in general, ought to be restrained to a small number of parts : tbey should never ex- ceed four or five at the most ; the more admired sermons have only two or three parts.

There are two sorts of divisions which we may very properly make : the first, which is the most common, is the division of the text into its parts ; the other is of the discmirse, or sermon itself, which is made on the text.

This last, that is to say, the division of a dis- course, is proper, when, to give light to a text, it is necessary to mention many things, which the text supposes but does not formally express; and which must be collected elsewhere, in order to enable you to give in the end a just explica- tion of the text. In such a case you may divide your discourse into two parts, the first containing some general considerations necessary for under- standing the text ; and the second, the particular explication of the text itself.

1. This method is proper when a, prophecy of the Old Testament^ handled ; for, generally, the understanding of these prophecies depends on many general considerations, which, by exposing

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and refuting false senses, open a way to the true explication, as appears, for instance, in Gen. iii, 15 ; "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel ;" and on the covenant made with Abraham, &c., <fec.*

[Agreeably to the different description given to this mode of treating subjects, namely, as be- ing topical in contradistinction to textual, I would call this topic " TJie Jirst prophecy relating to the redemption of fallen man.'" And, in order to bring forward the general considerations proper for the elucidation of the text, (Gen. iii, 15,) it might be treated in some such way as this : (1.) The occasion on which this prophecy was given. (Here state the fall of Adam, and the con- dition of guilt, and misery, and helplessness, to which he was reduced.) (2.) The prophecy itself ; in which must be marked, first, the import of it ; and then its accomplishment in the death of Christ.]

2. This method is also proper on a text taken from a dispute, the understanding of which must depend on the state of the question, the hypo- theses of adversaries, and the principles of the

* These genera! considerations miglit properly enougli form tlie exordium.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 33

inspired writers. All these lights are previously necessary, and they can only be given by general considerations; for example, Rom. iii, 28 : ''We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." Some general considera- tions must precede, which clear up the state of the question between St. Paul and the Jews, touching justification ; which mark the hypothe- sis of the Jews upon that subject; and which discover the true principle which St. Paul would establish: so that in the end the text may be clearly understood.

[This topic might be called, St. PauVs argu- ment on the subject of justification hy faith. And the text (Rom. iii, 28) might be treated thus : 1. The argument of St. Paul on this all- important subject. (Here the grounds of his argument and the various steps of it might be stated.) 2. The conclusion founded upon it. (In this the truth and importance of the conclusion might be opened and enforced.)]

3. This method also is proper in a conclusion drawn from a long preceding discourse ; as for example, Rom. v, 1 : " Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." Some think that, to manage this text well, we ought not to speak oî justifica- tion by faith ; but only of that peace which we 3

34 AN ESSAY ON THE

have with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. I grant, we ought not to make justification the chief part of the sermon : but the text is a con- chision drawn by the apostle from the preced- ing discourse ; and we shall deceive ourselves, if we imagine this dispute between St. Paul and the Jews so well known to the people, that it is needless to speak of it ; they are not, in general, so well acquainted with Scripture. The dis- course then must be divided into two parts, the first consisting of some general considerations on the doctrine of justification, which St. Paul establishes in the preceding chapters ; and the second, of his conclusion, " That," being thus justified, " we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

[A more simple way would be to consider, 1. The apostle's argument, That all were fallen and needed a Saviour ; that God had provided such a Saviour as was wanted ; that all the most eminent saints had been justified solely by faith in him. 2. His conclusion. That there is peace for us through Christ ; arid that that peace must be obtained simply by faith, both in our first accept- ance with him, and in our subsequent life and conversation.]

The same may be said of the first verse of the eighth of Romans : " There is therefore now no

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 35

condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit ;" for it is a consequence drawn from what he had been establishing before, [or of Rom. ix, 19-23. Which might be treated thus: 1. The point at issue between the objector and St. Paul. 2. The apostle's determination of it, (in a way of just re- prehension, and of sound argimient.) 3. The proper improvement of it.]

4. The same method is proper for texts which are quoted in the New Testament from the Old. You must prove, by general considerations, that the text is properly produced, and then you may come clearly to its explication. Of this kind are Heb. i, 5, 6, " I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son :" ii, 6, '' One in a cer- tain place testified, saying. What is man, that thou art mindful of him ?" iii, *1, " Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith. To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." There are many passages of this kind in the New Testament. [So, €. g., Heb. ii, 6-8.]

5. In this class must be placed divisions into different respects, or different views. These, to speak properly, are not divisions of a text into its parts, but rather different applications which are made of the same text to divers subjects. Typical texts should be divided thus. And a great

36 AN ESSAY ON THE

number of passages in the Psalms, which relate not only to David, but also to Jesus Christ : such should be considered first hterally, as they relate to David ; and then in their mystical sense, as they refer to the Lord Jesus. [So, e. g., Exodus xxxiv, 35, where Moses puts on the veil, 1. As a kind expedient; 2. As an instructive em- blem.]

There are also typical passages, which, besides their literal senses, have also figurative meanings, relating not only to Jesus Christ, but also to the church in general, and to every believer in par- ticular ; or which have different degrees of their mystical accomphshment.

For example, Dan. ix, 7: "0 Lord, righte- ousness belongetli unto thee, but unto us confusion of face as at this day," (which is a very proper text for a fast-day,) must not be divided into parts, but considered in differ- ent views. 1. In regard to all men in general. 2. In resfard to the Jewish Church in Daniel's time. And 3. In regard to ourselves at this present day.

So again, Heb. iii, 7, 8 : '' To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the day of temptation in the wilderness," (which is taken from the ninety-fifth Psalm, and which also is very proper for a day of censure or fast-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 37

ing,) cannot be better divided than by referring it, 1. To David's time. 2, St. Paul's. And, lastly, to our own.

As to the division of the text itself : sometimes the order of the words is so clear and natural, that no division is necessary ; you need only follow simply the order of the words. As, for example, Eph. i, 3 : " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath bless- ed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." It is not necessary to divide this text, because the words divide themselves ; and to explain them we need only follow them. Here is a grateful acknowledgment, " Blessed be God." The title under which the apostle blesses God, " The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." The reason for which he blesses him, because "he hath blessed us." The plenitude of this blessing, "with all blessings." The nature or kind, signified by the term "spiritual." The place, where he hath blessed us, " in heavenly places." In whom he hath blessed us, "in Christ." Remark, as you go on, that there is a manifest allusion to the first blessing, wherewith God blessed his creatures, when he first created them. Gen. i. For as in the first creation he made all things for his own glory, Prov. xvi, 4 : "The Lord hath made all things for himself:"

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SO in this new creation, the end, and perpetual exercise of the believer, ought to be to " bless and glorify God." All things in nature bless God as their Creator : but we bless him as " the Fa- ther of our Lord Jesus Christ." God blessed the creation immediately, because it was his own work : here, in like manner, he blesses us, be- cause we are his own new creation : " We are," says the apostle, " his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." Chapter ii, 10. There the Lord divided his blessing, giving to every creature a different blessing : he said to the earth, " Bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit-tree yielding fruit ;" to the fishes of the sea and to the fowls of the air, " Be fruit- ful and multiply;" and to man he said, "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion:" here be- lievers have every one his whole blessing, for each possesseth it entirely. The creatures then received but an imperfect blessing : but we have received one as full and entire as God could communicate to creatures. Their blessing was in the order of nature a temporal blessing : ours in the order of grace a spiritual blessing. There upon earth ; here in heavenly places. There in Adam ; h&re in Christ.

It may also be remarked, that the apostle al-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 39

ludes to the blessing of Abraham, to whom God said, " In thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed ;" and a comparison may very well be made of the temporal blessings of the Israelites, with those spiritual benefits, which we receive by Jesus Christ.

[The editor considers the preceding illustra- tion as by no means proper, because the subject is lost sight of through an undue attention to the words. He would never on any consideration whatever have the subject frittered away in this manner : he would substitute in its place such an exposition as is briefly given in the fol- lowing on 1 Peter v, 10, 11: "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

We would call your attention to this most en- dearing character of God. (Whatever grace you need, he is the God of that very grace as much as if his whole nature consisted in it.) But, not to rest in this view of what he is in himself, we would lead you especially to contemplate the dis- plays which he has already given you of his grace. (Go, my Son, and die for them, and invite them to a participation of my glory : and, Go, my Spirit,

40 AN ESSAY ON THE

reveal my Son in them, and by thine influence draw them unto me.) Do not however imagine thai any sufferings you may experience in the way to glory, at all derogate from his grace. (They are permitted for your good : and they are even sent as tokens of his love, and as most honourable marks of distinction.) See what is the end he aims at in all his dispensations toward you, (as the oak by tempests is made to take root, so are you strengthened by your trials, and by the grace imparted under them.) And now, what is the disposition of your minds toivard this gracious God ? (Methinks, it accords with the apostle's ; " To him be," &c. Methinks, every mouth and every heart abeady attests this by a silent, but devout, Amen.)

Here it will be perceived, the subject is adhered to, at the same time that the order of the words is followed. If this be not done, the whole ser- mon will be mere rhapsody.]

Most texts, however, ought to be formally di- vided; for which purpose you must principally have regard to the order of nature, and put that division, which naturally precedes, in the first place ; and the rest must follow, each in its pro- per order. This may easily be done by reducing the text to a categorical proposition, beginning with the subject, passing to the attribute, and

COMPOSITION OF A SEKMON. 41

then to the other terms : your judgment will direct you how to place them.

If, for example, I were to preach from Heb. X, 10: "By the which will we are sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all ;" I should not think it proper to speak first of the will of God, then of our sanc- tification, and lastly of the cause of our sanctifi- cation, which is, the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ. It would be much better to re- duce the text to a categorical proposition ; thus. The offering of the hodij of Jesus Christ, once made, sanctifies us hy the loill of God. For it is more natural to consider, 1. The nearer and more immediate cause of our acceptance, which is, the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ. 2. Its effect, our sanctification. 3. Its first and more remote cause, which makes it produce this effect, the tvill of God.

[The editor wishes the student to pause here, and to avail himself fully of the hint just thrown out, of reducing a subject to a categoriccd proposi- tion, and then treating it in its natural order.

This is, in fact, the great secret (so to speak) of all composition for the pulpit. Every text, whether long or short, must be reduced to a categorical proposition : 1st. In order to preserve a perfect unity in the subject; and, 2dly. In

42 AN ESSAY ON THE

order to take it up and prosecute it in an orderly manner.

The manner of reducing everything to a simple proposition is here well illustrated. If the pas- sage contain a great diversity of matter, the simple proposition should declare its main scope only ; and the other points which are contained in the text should be no farther noticed than as they elucidate the one great point which is in- tended to be considered.

The Rules which the Editor would give for the Coin- position of a Sermon are these : —

1. Take for your subject that which you believe to be the mind of God in the passage before you.

(Be careful to understand the passage thorough- ly ; and regard nothing but the mind of God in it.)

2. Mark the character of the passage.

(It may be more simple, as a declaration, a pre- cept, a promise, a threatening^ an invitation, an appeal ; or more complex, as a cause and effect, a principle and a consequence, an ac- tion and a motive to that action : and, what- ever be the character of the text, (especially if it be clearly marked,) let that direct you in the arrangement of your discourse upon it. (See

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 43

what Mr. Claude says near the beginning of chap. V.)

For instance, 1 John iv, 18 : ''There is no fear in love ; but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

This passage should not be treated in a common-place way of showing, 1st. What this love is ; 2d. What is the fear which it casts out ; and, 3d, How it casts out this fear. The passage is intended to show the influence of the love of God upon the soul, and to set it forth as a test of our attainments in true piety ; and therefore the scope and intent of it should be seized as the groundwork of the division. Thus : Consider the love of God ; 1. Its influence as a principle, (casting out all slavish fear ;) ^nd, 2. Its importance as a test, (enabling us, by means of its influence in this respect, to estimate the precise measure of our attainments.)

3. Mark the spirit of the passage.

(It may be tender and compassionate, or indig- nant, or menacing ; but whatever it be, let that he the spirit of your discourse. To be tender on an indignant passage, or indignant on one that is tender, would destroy half the force and beauty of the discourse. The soul

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should be filled with the subject, and breathe out the very spirit of it before the people. As God's ambassadors, we should speak all that he speaks, and «5 he sjwaTcs it. God him- self should be heard in us and through us.)

The true meaning of the text should he the warp, which pervades the whole piece ; and the words should he the woof that is to be in- terwoven, so as to form one connected and continued whole.

The spirit of the words should pervade the discourse upon them. Whatever peculiarity- there be either in the matter or manner of the text, that should be transfused into the dis- course, and bear the same measure of pro- minence in the sermon as it bears in the text itself.

Take for instance, Psa. cxlvii, 11:'' The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy ;" you would give the sense of the text, if you were to set forth, 1st. The characters described ; and, 2d. God's favour toward them : but if you were to show from that text, 1st. How low God descends for the ohjects of his favour ; and, 2d. How high he soars in his regards toward them; you would mark, and every one of your audience would feel, the spirit of them. If the reader

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 45

consult the editor's discourse on Johni, 45, he ^will find that the spirit of the text, that is, the joy expressed in it, serves as a foundation for one- half of the discourse. So also, if he will con- sult the discourse on Jer. v, 23, 24, he will find that the spirit of that text gives the en- tire tone to the subject. The common way of treating that text would be to consider, 1. The mercies which God has vouchsafed to us; and 2. The effect which they ought to produce upon us. But with such a division of the subject, the vituperative spirit of it would be comparatively lost.

If these few hints be thoroughly understood and duly attended to, the composition of a sermon, which is supposed to be so difficult, will become extremely easy. And the editor cannot render the student a greater service, than by entreating him to fix these short rules deeply in his mind ; and when studying for the pulpit, carefully to seize the sense, the charac- ter, and the spirit of his text.] It remains to be observed, that there are two natural orders, one natural in regard to subjects themselves, the other natural in regard to us. The first considers everything in its natural situa- tion, as things are in themselves, without any re- gard to our knowledge of them ; the other, which

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I call natural in regard to us, observes the situa- ation which things have as they appear in our minds, or enter into our thoughts. For example ; in the last-mentioned text, the natural order of things would require the proposition thus : By the will of God the offering of the body of Christ sanctifies us; for, 1. The will of God is the de- cree of his good pleasure to send his Son into the world. 2. The oblation of Jesus Christ is the first effect of this will. And 3. Our satisfac- tion is the last effect of his oblation by the will of God. On the contrary, the natural order in regard to us is, 1. The offering. 2. The sanctifi- cation, which it produces. And, lastly, the will of God, which gives it this efficacy.

When in any text the natural order of things differs from that which regards our knowledge of them, we may take that way which we like best; however, I believe, it would be best to follow that of our knowledge, because it is easiest, and clearest for the common people.

[James i, 18, "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures," speaks of the con- version of souls to God : and it might be taken in either way, — In its natural order as it is in itself, thus : 1 . The source from whence conver- sion flows. 2. The means by which it is effected.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 47

3. The end for which it is wrought. Or, — In the order which is natural in regard to us, thus : 1. God's design respecting his people. (That they may be consecrated to him, as the first- fruits were.) 2. The way in which he effects it. (He begets them by his word and Spirit.) 3. The true source and origin of this mercy. (His own sovereign will and pleasure.) But the order which is natural with regard to us is preferable ; and will be found both more easy and more in- structive than the other.]

There are texts Avhich contain the end and the means ; the cause and the effect ; the principle, and the consequence deduced from the principle ; the action, and the principle of the action ; the occasion, and the motive of the occasion: in these cases it is arbitrary either to begin with the means, and afterward treat of the end ; with the effect, and proceed to the cause, and so on ; or to follow the contrary order. For instance, 2 Tim. ii, 10 : " Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ, with eternal glory." It is plain that the text has three parts : the sufferings of the apostle ; the end he proposes ; and the principle, from which he proposes this end. The order is then arbitrary : you may either speak, first, of St, Paul's love to the elect ;

48 AN ESSAY ON THE

secondly, of the salvation which he desired they might obtain in Jesus Christ; and, thirdly, of the sufferings which he endured in order to their obtaining it : or, first, of his sufferings ; secondly, of the end which he proposed in them, the salva- tion of the elect with eternal glory ; and, thirdly, of his love for the elect, w^hich is the principle.

But though, in general, you may follow which of the two orders you please, yet there are some texts that determine the division, as Phil, ii, 1 3 : " It is God who worketh effectually in you, both to will and to do, of his own good pleasure." There are, it is plain, three things to be discuss- ed: the action of God's grace upon men — God worketh effectuallg in you ; the effect of his grace — to will and to do ; and the spring or source of the action — according to his good pleasure. I think the division would not be proper if we were to treat, 1. Oi (joài!^ pleasure. 2. Of his ^race. And, 3. Of the will and works of men. I should rather begin with volition and action, which are the effects of grace ; then I should speak of the grace itself, which produces willing and doing in us effectually ; and, lastly, of the source of this grace, which is the good pleasure of God. In short, it is always necessary to consult good sense, and never to be so conducted by general rules as not to attend to particular circumstances.

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ALbove ail things, in divisions, take care of put- ting anything in the first part which supposes the understanding of the second, or which obliges you to treat of the second to make the first un- derstood ; for by these means you will throw yourself into a great confusion, and be obliged to make many tedious repetitions. You must endea- vour to disengage the one from the other as well as you can ; and when your parts are too closely connected with each other, place the most de- tached first, and endeavour to make that serve for a foundation to the explication of the second, and the second to the third ; so that at the end of your explication the hearer may with a glance perceive, as it were, a perfect body, or a finish- ed building : for one of the greatest excellences of a sermon is, the harmony of its component parts, — that the first leads to the second, the second serves to introduce the third I that they which go before, excite a desire for those which are to follow ; and, in a word, that the last has a special relation to all the others, in order to form in the hearers' minds a complete idea of the whole. This cannot be done with all sorts of texts, but with those only which are proper to form such a design upon. Remember, too, it is not enough to form such a plan, it must also be hap- pily executed.

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You will often find it necessary in texts which you reduce to categorical propositions, to treat of the subject, as well as of the attribute : then you must make of the subject one part. This will always happen when the subject of the proposition is expressed in terms that want ex- plaining, or which furnish many considerations. For example : "He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit," This is a categorical proposition, and you must needs treat of the subject — he ivho abides in Jesus Christ, and in ivhom Jesus Christ abides. So again : " He that belie veth in me, hath everlasting life." " He that eatetli my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him." " There is, there- fore, now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the -Spirit." " If any man be in Christ, he- is a new creature." The two last ought to be reduced to categorical propositions, the subjects of which are, they who are in Christ. In these, and in all others of the same kind, the subject must make one part, and must also be consider- ed first ; for it is more natural, as Avell as most agreeable to the rules of logic, to begin with the subject of a proposition. Sometimes it is neces- sary not only to make one part of the subject, and another of the attribute : but also to make a

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 51

third of the connexion of the subject toith the attri- bute. In this case, you may say, after you have observed in the first place the subject, and in the second the attribute, that you will consider in the third the entire sense of the whole proposition : this must be done in these texts : ''If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature." *' He that beheveth in me hath eternal life," &c.

[This needs clearer elucidation. Take 2 Cor. iv, lY, 18: "Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceed- ing and eternal weight of glory ; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen : for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Here is delineated the Christian's character : and it would be proper to consider: 1. The disposition he cultivates — heavenly-mindedness, 2. The privilege he enjoys — to have his afflictions sanctified. 3. The connexion — it is the disposition that makes the affliction light, which would other- wise be heavy ; and that brings the blessing of God upon it, which otherwise it would not have.

The two first heads alone are expressly men- tioned in the text, but without the third they would have no unity : whereas the third head consolidates them into one important subject.

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There are occasions whereon the connexion between the parts of a text may make the entire subject of the discourse. For instance, Psa. cxxxvi, 5,Q\ " They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth on his way weeping, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Here you might notice, 1. The events connected ; and, 2. The certainty and blessedness of this connexion. Under the first head you might show that tears are the proper seed for a Christian to sow, and that he is constantly sowing them; and in the second head you might show that in the text the affirmation is repeated, and then confirmed by the word " doubtless," and that the joys of heaven would amply recompense the sorrows of this transient world.

Sometimes there are, in texts reduced to cate- gorical propositions, terms which in the schools are called syncategorematica ; and they relate sometimes to the subject, and sometimes to the attribute.^

When in a text there are several terms which need a particular explanation, and which cannot be explained without confusion, or without di-

* Syncategorematica. Of this kind are those words which of themselves signify nothing, but in conjunction with otliers in a proposition are very significant.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 53

viding tlie text into too many parts, then I would not divide the text at all : but I would divide the discourse into two or three parts ; and I would propose, first, to explain the terms, and then the subject itself. This would be necessary on Acts ii, 27: "Thou wilt not leave my soul in the grave, neither wilt thou suflFer thy Holy One to see corruption." To discuss this text properly, I think, the discourse should be divided into three parts : the first consisting of some general con- siderations, to prove that the text relates to Jesus Christ, and that Peter alleged it properly ; the second, of some particular considerations on the terms — soul, which signifies life; grave, which also signifies hell, (on which the Church of Rome grounds her opinion of Christ's descent into what her divines call limhus patrum f) holy, which in this place signifies immortal, unalterable, inde- structible ; corruption, which means not the moral corruption of sin, but the natural corruption of the body : finally, we must examine the subject itself — the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

There are many texts in discussing which it is not necessary to treat of either subject or attri- bute; but all the discussion depends on the terms syncategorematica. For example, John iii, 16 : <* God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth

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in him should not perish, but have eternal Hfe." The categorical proposition is, God loved the world ; yet it is neither necessary to insist much on the term God, nor to speak in a common- place way of the love of God : but di\'ide the text into two parts ; first, the gift which God in his love hath made of his Son; secondly, the end for which he gave him — " that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." In the first, you must show how Jesus Christ is the gift of God : 1. In that he did not come by principles of nature. 2. In- asmuch as there was nothing among men to merit it. 3. In that there was nothing among men to excite even the least regard of any kind. 4. There was not the least proportion between us and so great a gift. But, 5. There was, on the contrary, an infinite disproportion ; and not only a dispro- portion, but an opposition and a contrariety. vThen pass to the cause of this gift, which is love ; and after having observed that it was a love of complacence, for which, on the creature's part, no reason can be rendered, particularly press the term so, and display the greatness of this love by many considerations. Then go to the second point, and examine, 1. The fruit of Christ's mission — the salvation of man; ex- pressed negatively, that he should 7iot perish;

COMPOSITION OF A SEEMON. 55

ând positively, that he should have eternal life. Speak of these one after another. After this observe, 2. For whom the benefit of Christ's mission is ordained — believers. And, lastly, en- large on the word whosoever, which signifies two things : 1. That no believer is excluded from the benefits of Jesus Christ ; and, 2. That no man, as such, is excluded from faith ; for all are in- differently called.

[This being, if not a very important, yet some- what of a curious, rule, the editor thinks it not inexpedient to add one or two more illustrations of it. John XV, 15 : " Henceforth I call you not servants — but friends," &c. The force of this passage depends on the word Henceforth. To mark it, show, I. The privileges of the Jewish Church, (As his servants, they were admitted into his house, instructed in their duty, protected in the discharge of it, and rewarded for their services ; and these were great, inestimable pri- vileges, when compared with the blindness, rebellion, and misery, of the heathen world.) II. The superior privileges of the Christian Church. Great as were the privileges of the Jewish Church, they were nothing in comparison of ours. Consider, 1. Our superior liff ht. What the Jews were taught was dark, shadowy, typical: the prophets themselves understood not their own,

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prophecies. 1 Pet. i, 10, 11. But the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth ; and the whole mystery of godliness is fully revealed. 2. Our superior liberty. The Jews were kept at a distance from (rod, Heb. xii, 18-22; but we have the nearest access to him. Verses 22-24. The high priest alone could enter the most holy place ; but now every one of us may. Compare Heb. ix, 7, 8, with x, 19-22. On this may be founded an exhortation to all : 1. To seek to be brought into this relation to Christ. 2. To im- prove it for their own highest interests. And, 8. To walk worthy of it.

Another passage to be treated in this way may be Exod. xxxiv, 5 : " The Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord." By comparing this with Exod. xxxiii, 21, 22, it will be seen that very pe- culiar stress is to be laid on the word there ; and the proper mode of treating it would be this :

1. The situation in which Moses was placed. (Here it would be proper to show that the place was the rock in Horeb ; which rock typified the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom alone a fallen crea- ture can ever behold the face of God and live.)

2. The revelation which God gave of himself to him, (as a God of infinite majesty, unbounded mercy, and inflexible justice.)

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 57

In another passage, Deut. xxvii, 26, " Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say. Amen ;" the whole force of the passage lies in the word Amen.']

In texts of reasoning, the propositions which compose the syllogism must be examined one after another, and each apart.

Sometimes it will be even necessary to con- sider the force of the reasoning, and to make one part of that also.

[In discoursing on Judg. xiii, 22, 23 : " Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. But his wife said unto him, If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat- oJBFering at our hands, neither would he have showed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these :" it would be proper to consider, I. Her argument. In doing which you would notice particularly, 1 . The facts on which she argued, (which you would state from the history, interspersing them with pertinent remarks.) 2. The argument she founded on them (which, while it showed the penetration of her own mind, and the strength of her faith, was well calculated to allay Manoah's fears.) II. The force and conclusiveness of it. It was

58 AN ESSAY ON THE

founded, 1. On the goodness of God, (who had given to her such manifestations of himself, and such promises to her: which could never be a prelude to the exercise of his wrath.) 2. On the tiTith of God, (who had promised them a child, and given them directions in reference to his education, &c. ; who therefore would defeat his own purposes if he were to destroy them at this time.) 3. On the immutability of God, (who, having given them such tokens of his love, would love them to the end.) In improving which subject you might point out, 1. The grounds of faith — the promises and perfections of God. 2. The nature of faith — a simple reli- ance on God, and an expectation of his promised blessings. 3. The excellence of faith — tranquil- lizing the mind.

I would add, that in some cases the force of the reasoning may even constitute the c/we/part.]

Sometimes we shall find a iwoi^sition conceal- ed, which it will be proper to supply. You must in such a case consider whether the hidden pro- position be important enough to make a part, which it will sometimes be, as in Rom. iv, 1 : "What shall we then say that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found ? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God/' Divide

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 59

this text into two parts. 1. Consider the ques- tion, " What shall we then say that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found ?" And, 2. The solution.

[I would rather say, (for Mr Claude's whole illustration of this is but dark, and has been ren- dered still more so by the translator,) Consider, 1. His unquestionable statement. 2. His obvi- ous, though hidden, conclusion. Under the first head I would mark the force of his appeal. Thus : You acknowledge that you must be jus- tified in the same way that your father Abraham was. But how was he justified ? By works ? If so, he had whereof to glory. But whatever he might have to glory of before men, he had nothing before God ; as the Scripture testifies, when it declares that " his faith was counted to him for righteousness."

Then, under the second head, the hidden con- clusion might be fully and firmly stated, that neither could they, nor any child of man, be jus- tified by works.

Another example will elucidate this more fully. Take Acts vii, 48-50 : " Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands ; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool : what house will ye build me ? saith the Lord : or what is the place of my rest ?

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Hath not my hand made all these things?'* Here is a hidden conclusion, which it would be proper to bring forth. Stephen, with exquisite tenderness and caution, had for a long time kept out of view the ultimate scope of his discourse. But now it began indistinctly to appear : and the very anticipation of it filled all his audience with rage and madness against him. Hence, in dis- coursing on these words, it would be proper to open, 1. The passage cited : and, 2. The unques- tionable inference to be drawn from it. For, if while the Mosaic economy was yet in all its glory, God poured contempt upon the temple, which was his own more immediate residence, and the place in which above all he was glorified, it was clear, that his glory did not depend on that, or on the economy connected with it ; but that it might equally be advanced among the Gentiles who could have no access to that tem- ple, and be equally maintained by the simpler institutions of Christianity, when the whole Mo- saic economy should be swept away. This was the hidden proposition which Stephen intended to establish: and in order to treat the above passage with effect, it would be necessary to bring it to light, and to give it a considerable prominence in the discussion.]

There are texts of reasonmg which are com-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 61

posed of an objection and the answer, and the division of such is plain ; for they naturally divide into the objection and the solution. As Rom. vi, 1, 2 : " What shall we say then ? Shall ^q continue in sin, that grace may abound ? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, hve any longer therein ?" Divide this into two parts, the objection and the answer. The objection is, first, proposed in general terms, *' What shall we say then?" 2. In more particular terms, " Shall we continue in sin ?" And, 3. The rea- son and ground of the objection, *' because grace abounds," The solution of the question is the same. In general, " God forbid." In particular, *' How shall we live in sin ?" And the reason, ''We are dead to sin."

[This arrangement of Mr. Claude's is too tech- nical ; and would be incapable of being formed into a profitable discourse. The following may perhaps answer the end somewhat better. I. The objection.

1. The ground of it — (It arises from the apos- tle's magnifying the super-abounding grace of God.)

2. The validity of it — (Were it well founded, it would utterly subvert the apostle's statement.)

II. The answer.

The character of the true Christian is, that " he

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is dead to sin." (He is dead to sin hxj profes- sion— inasmuch as he professes both obedience to Christ ; who died to redeem us from it : and conformity to Christ ; who in all that he did or suffered is a pattern to us, verses 4-11. He is dead to sin also hy experience — as appears, by the promises made to him, ver. 14 ; by the lives of the first Christians ; and by the objec- tions urged against him as righteous over- much.) From this very character it appears that he cannot live in sin (allowed sin would shock all his feelings ; give the lie to all his professions ; and prove that he had no part in Christ. Tlie apioeal is stronger than the strongest affirmation.) Observe, —

1. What is the only true mode of stating the gospel.

(If we clog it in such a manner as to preclude a possibility of such a cavil as this, we do not state it as St. Paul did. We must not indeed be unguarded ; yet must we declare the gos- pel in all its freeness and in all its fulness.)

2. How diligently we should all consider our obligations and professions.

(By not attending to these, we are tempted to act unworthily. But we should treat tempta- tions to sin, as a prince would an overture or

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 63

proposal to do any thing that would disgrace

even a common beggar.)]

There are some texts of reasoning which are extremely difficult to divide, because they can- not be reduced to many propositions without confusion, or savouring too much of the schools, or having a defect in the division ; in short, with- out being unsatisfactory. In such a case, let ingenuity and good sense contrive some extraor- dinary way, which, if proper and agreeable, cannot fail of producing a good effect. For ex- ample, John iv, 10: "If thou Imewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee. Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water ;" I think it might not be improper to divide it into two parts ; the first including the general jyropositions contained in the words ; and the second, the particular application of these to the Samaritan woman. In the first, observe these following propositions : That Jesus Christ is the gift of God — That though he asked for drink, he is the fountain of living water himself — That he is the object of our knowledge, both as the gift of God, and as the fount of living water — That an appli- cation to him for this living water, flows from our knowledge of him — That he gives the water of life to all who ask it. In the second part you

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may observe, that Jesus Christ did not disdain to converse with a woman, a Samaritan woman, a schismatic, out of the communion of the visible church, a very îvicked woman, a woman who in her schism and sin disjncted against the truth — That Jesus Christ ijuproved this opportunity to teach her his grace, without amusing himself with directly answering what she said. You may remark the ignorance of this woman in re- gard to the Lord Jesus : she saw him ; she heard him ; but she did not know him : from which you may observe, that this is the general condi- tion of sinners, who have God always before their eyes, yet never perceive him — That from the woman's ignorance arose her negligence and loss of such a fair opportunity of being instruct- ed. Observe also the mercy of Jesus Christ to- ward her; for he even promised to save her. When he said, " If thou wouldest have asked of him, he would have given thee hving water ;" it was as much as if he had offered to instruct her. Remark, too, that Jesus Christ went even so far as to command her to ask him for living water ; for when he said, " If thou wouldest have asked him," he did as much as say. Ask him now. — Observe, finally, that he excited her to seek and to know him, and removed her iornorance, the cause of all her mistakes and miseries.

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[Another text will elucidate this matter more fully. Take Luke vii, 41-43: ''There was a certain creditor which had two debtors : the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most ? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him. Thou hast rightly judged." Now, in treating this text agreeably to the suggestion of Mr. Claude, one might either take broad ground, (as I would call it,) or narrow ground, according as might appear most suitable to the persons to be addressed.

If broad ground were preferred, (and it would be preferable for common congregations,) one might consider, I. The occasion. II. The scope. And, III. The application of the parable.

I. The occasion. — It arose from the Pharisee condemning the woman for this exercise of her piety. And similar occasion arises daily ; since there is no exercise of piety which men will not condemn.

II. The scope — Which was to vindicate the wo- man, (and all who are like her shall be vindi- cated by God at the last day.)

III. The application — Which was to show the Pharisee that his readiness to condemn the

5

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woman arose from an ignorance of his own

deserts ; and that he himself ought to seek

after the very graces which she had exercised.

If, on the contrary, narrow ground were

preferred, and only one or two points in the

parable were seized, (which would be better for

a learned congregation,) it might be treated thus :

Observe, —

I. Men will condemn every exercise of religion. Kone could have been more blameless than hers ;

yet it provoked hostility ; even as Christ him- self did, and we also must expect to do.

II. They themselves may be condemned on their own principles.

Ought oiiY Maker to be served ? our Redeemer to be loved? our obligations to be acknow- ledged ? Then such religion as hers is right.] There are sometimes texts which imply many important truths without expressing them; and yet it will be necessary to mention and enlarge upon them, either because they are useful on some important occasion, or because they are important of themselves. Then the text must be divided into two parts, one implied, and the other expressed. I own this way of division is bold, and must neither be abused, nor too often used ; but there are occasions, it is certain, on which it may be very justly and agreeably taken.

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A certain preaclier, on a fast-day, having taken for his subject these words of Isaiah, " Seek the Lord while he may be found," divided his text into two parts, one implied, the other expressed. In the Jirst he said, that there were three im- portant truths, of which he was obliged to speak.

1. That God was far from us. 2. That ?ye were far from him. And, 3. That there was a time in which God would not be found, although we sought him. He spoke of these one after an- other. In the first, he enumerated the afflictions of the church, in a most affecting manner; ob- serving, that all these sad events did but too plainly prove the absence of the favour of God.

2. He enumerated the sins of the church, and showed how distant we were from God. And, in the third place, he represented that sad time, when God's patience was, as it were, wearied out; and added, that then he displayed his heaviest judgments without speaking any more the language of mercy. At length, coming to the part expressed, he explained what it was to seek the Lord; and by a pathetic exhortation, stirred up his hearers to make that search. Final- ly, he explained what was the time in which God would be found, and renewed his exhortations to repentance, mixing therewith hopes of par- don, and of the blessing of God. His sermon

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was very much admired, particularly for its order.

[It may not be amiss to suggest another illus- tration of this also. Take 1 Cor. i, 30 : " Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." Here we may notice, I. What is implied —

1. That we are destitute of all good (being ig- norant, guilty, polluted, and enslaved :)

2. That we are incapable of acquiring it by any powers of our own.

II. What is expressed —

1. We must receive all from God in Christ Jesus. We must be in Christ as a branch in the vine.

But it is Uod only that can ingraft us into him, and make him a perfect Saviour to us. This is twice expressly declared.

2. In Christ Jesus we may have all the blessings that we stand in need of. He will be to us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.]

In texts of history divisions are easy. [Take for instance Acts ii, 37-39: "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said imto Peter and to the rest of the apostles. Men and brethren, what shall we do ? Then Peter said imto them, Repent, and be baptized

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 69

every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins ; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is imto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Here observe, — I. The inquiry — Mark,

1. The importance of it — which is infinite and universal.

2. The manner in which it should be made — namely, with compunction ; with earnestness ; with a readiness to receive instruction.

II. The answer — This consists of,

1. Direction — repent — believe — confess Christ openly.

2. Encouragement — This promise is necessary for all — and made to all. Isa. xliv, 3, and lix, 21 ; John vii, 37-39 ; Gal. iii, 14.] Sometimes an action is related in all its cir- cumstances, and then you may consider the action in itself first, and afterward the circumstances of the action.

Sometimes it is necessary to remark the occa- sion of an action, and to make one part of it.

Sometimes there are actions and words which must be considered separately/.

Sometimes it is not necessary to make any di- vision at all : but the order of the history must

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be followed. In short, it depends on the state of each text in particular.

To render a division agreeable, and easy to be remembered by the hearer, endeavour to reduce it as often as possible to simple terms. By a simple term I mean a single word, in the same sense as in logic what they call terminus simplex is distinguished from what they call terminus complex. Indeed, when the parts of a discourse are expressed in abundance of words, they are not only embarrassing, but also useless to the hearers, for they camiot retain them. Reduce them then, as often as you can, to a single term.

[To illustrate the way of simplifying a subject, which, if ill divided, would be very complex, and of making the connexion of the parts clear, take the following : — 1 Cor. i, 4-9 : " I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ ; that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utter- ance, and in all knowledge; even as the testi- mony of Christ was confirmed in you : so that ye come behind in no gift ; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ ; who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faith- ful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship

COMPOiSiTlOis OF A bEEMON. 71

of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." In these words see,

I, The blessings which the gospel imjmrts — an enlightened mind ; and a waiting spirit.

II. The blessings which it secures — our continued - preservation ; and our ultimate acceptance.]

Observe also, as often as possible, to connect the parts of your division together; either by- way of opposition, or of cause and effect, or of action and end, or action and motive, or in some way or other ; for to make a division of many parts, which have no connexion, is exceedingly offensive to the hearers, who will be apt to think that all you say, after such a division, is nonsense : besides, the human mmd naturally loving order, it will much more easily retain a division in which there appears a connexion.

[Division may sometimes be altogether m'hi- trary, provided you attend to the words and matter of the text in the discussion. For in- stance, on Matt. X, 32-39 : "Whosoever there- fore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth : I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at vari-

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ance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man's foes shall be they of his oAvn household. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me ; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it : and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." It would be proper to treat this passage loWiout any division at all, or in an arbitrary way, thus : —

We have here the rule of Christ's procedure in the day of judgment — I. Stated : (He will confess or deny us then, according as we confess or deny him now.) II. Vindicated : (from the objections, that such a rule is unnecessary and unjust ; unnecessary, since Christianity can pro- duce nothing but peace ; (which is not true :) and unjust, because such negative sinfulness can never deserve such heavy punishment ; whereas a person whose love will not enable him to lay down his life for Christ, is not worthy of him.) III. Confirmed : (for he only who will lose his life for Christ, shall find it imto life eternal.)

' This subject will further illustrate what was said before, and v/hat the reader should perfectly un-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 73

derstand, namely, the marking of the character of the text. Many good and profitable things might be said on this passage, though it should be treated in a loose and immethodical way ; but by marking the text as an announcement of the rule of Christ's procedure in the last day, the arrange- ment is made easy, and perfect unity is intro- duced into the whole discourse. That I call the character of the text.

But take another example of arhitrary divi- sion ; John vi, 44 : '' No man can come unto me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him." Instead of showing, I. What is meant by the Drawings of the Father ; and, II. Why we cannot come to Christ without them ; it would be far better to strike out an arhitrary division, and to treat the subject thus : —

I. It is difficult ; and therefore I will explain it.

II. It is deemed objectionable ; and therefore I will assign the reasons of it.

III. It is liable to abuse ; and therefore I will guard it.

A subject so presented to the minds of an audience would arrest their attention more than if it were set before them in a hackneyed way, and would open a better field for discussion.]

As to subdivisions, it is always necessary to make them ; for they very much assist composi-

74 AN EiSiSAY ON THE

tion, and diffuse perspicuity through a discourse : but it is not always needful to mention them ; on the contrary, they must be very seldom men- tioned ; because it would load the hearers' mind with a multitude of particulars. Nevertheless, when subdivisions can be made agreeably, either on account of the excellence of the matter, or when it will raise the hearers' attention, or when the justness of parts harmonize agreeably one with another, you may formally mention them : but this must be done very seldom ; for the hearers Avould be presently tired of such a method, and by that means cloyed of the whole.

CHAPTER V.

OF TEXTS TO BE DISCUSSED BY WAY OF EXPLICATION.

I PROCEED now from general to more particular rules, and will endeavour to give some precepts for invention and disposition.

I suppose then, in the first place, that no man will be so rash as to put pen to paper, or begin to discuss a text, till he has well comprehended the sense of it. I have given no rule about tliis before ; for a man who wants to be told that he ought not to preach on a text before he under-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 75

stands it, ought at the same time to be informed, that he is fitter for any other profession than that of a minister.

I suppose, secondly, that the student, having well understood the sense of his text, begins by dividing it; and that, having the several parts before his eyes, he very nearly sees what are the subjects which he will have to discuss,^ and, con- sequently, what ought to enter into his compo- sition,

I suppose, further, that he is a man not alto- ' < gether a novice in divhiity ; but that he is ac- quainted with common-places, and the principal questions of which they treat.

Supposing all these, the first thing that I would have such a man do, is to observe the nature of his text ; for there are doctrinal, historical, pro- phetical, and typical texts. Some contain a com- mand, others a prohibition; some a promise, others a threatening ; some a wish, others an ex- hortation ; some a censure," others a motive to action ; some a parable, some a reason ; some a comparison of two things together, some a vision, some a thanksgiving ; some a description of the wrath or majesty of God, of the sun, or some other thing ; a commendation of the law, or of some person ; a prayer ; an amplification of joy or affliction ; a pathetic exclamation of anger,

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sorrow, admiration, imprecation, repentance, con- fession of faith, patriarchal or pastoral benedic- tion, consolation, &c. I take the greatest part to be mixed, containing different kinds of things. It is very important for a man who would com- pose, to examine his text well upon these articles, and carefully to distinguish all its characters, for in so doing he will presently see what way he ought to take.

Having well examined of what kind the text is, enter into the jnatter, and begin the composi- tion ; for which purpose you must observe, there are two general ways, or two manners of com- posing. One is the way of explication, the other of observations: nor must it be imagined that you may take which of the two ways you please on every text, for some texts must be treated in the exphcatory method, and others necessarily require the way of observations. When you have a point of doctrine to treat of, you must have re- course to exphcation ; and when a text of historic, the only way is observation.

In discernment upon this article the judgment of a man consists ; for, as texts of Scripture are almost infinite, it is impossible to give perfect rules thereupon ; it depends in general on good sense : only this I say, when we treat of a plain subject, common and known to all the world, it

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 77

is a great absurdity to take the way of explica- tion ; and when we have to treat of a difficult or important subject, which requires explaining, it would be equally ridiculous to take the way of observations.

The difficulty of which we speak may be con- sidered, either in regard to the terms of the text only, the subject itself being clear, after the words are explained ; or in regard to the subject only, the terms themselves being very intelligible ; or in regard to both terms and things.

If the terms be obscure, we must endeavour to give the true sense : but if they be clear, it would be trifling to affect to make them so ; and we must pass on to the difficulty, which is in the subject itself. If the subject be clear, we must explain the terms, and give the true sense of the words. If there appear any absurdity or diffi- culty in both, both must be explained ; but always begin with the explanation of the terms.

In the explication of the terms, first propose what they 'call ratio dubitandi, that is, whatever makes the difficulty. The reason of doubting, or the intricacy, arises often from several causes. Either the terms do not seem to make any sense at all ; or they are equivocal, forming different senses ; or the sense which they seem at first to make, may be perplexed, improper, or contra-

78 AN ESSAY ON THE

dictory ; or the meaning, though clear in itself, may be controverted, and exposed to cavaliers. In all these cases, after you have proposed the difficulty, determine it as briefly as you can ; for which purpose avail yourself of criticisms, notes, comments, paraphrases, &c., and, in one word, of the labours of other persons.

If none of these answer your expectation, en- deavour to find something better yourself; to which purpose, examine all the circumstances of the text, what precedes, what follows, the general scope of the discourse, the particular design of the writer in the place where vour text is, the subject of Avhich it treats, parallel passages of Scripture, which treat of the same subject, or those in which the same expressions are used, &c. ; and by these means it is almost impossible that you should not content yourself. Above all, take care not to make of grammatical matters a principal part ; but only treat of them as previously necessary for imderstanding the text.

To proceed from terms to tilings. They must, as I have said, be explained, when they are either difficult or important. There are several ways of exphcation. You may begin by refut- ing errors, into which people have fallen ; or you may fall upon the subject immediately, and so

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 79

come to a fair and precise declaration of the truth ; and, after this, you may dilate (if I may venture to say so) by a deduction of the princi- ples on which the text depends, and on the essential relations in which it ought to be con- sidered.

The same method must be taken when texts are misunderstood, and gross and pernicious er- rors adduced. In such a case, first reject the erroneous sense, and (if necessary) even refute it, as well by reasons taken from the texts, as by arguments from other topics ; and at length establish the true sense.

Take, for example, John xvi, 12, "I have yet many things to say unto you; but ye cannot bear them now." You must begin by proposing and rejecting the false senses which some an- cient heretics gave of these words. They said, Jesus Christ spoke here of many unwritten tra- ditions, which he gave his disciples by word of mouth after his resurrection; an argument which the Church of Rome has borrowed, to colour her pretended traditions. After you have thus proposed the false sense, and solidly refuted it, pass on to establish the true, and show what were the things which Jesus Christ had yet to say to his disciples, and which they could not then hear.

-i

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I would advise the same method for all dispu- ted texts. Hold it as a maxim, to begin to open the y^j to a truth by rejecting a falsehood. Not that it can be always done ; sometimes you must begin by explaining the truth, and after- wards reject the error ; because there are cer- tain occasions, on which the hearers' minds mtSst be pre-occupied ; and because also truth, W(^i pro^posed and fully estabhshed, naturally destroys error: but, notwithstanding this, the most approved method is to begin by rejecting error. After all, it must be left to a man's judgment when he ought to take different courses.

There are texts of explication, in which the difficulty arises neither from equivocal terms, nor from the different senses in which they may be taken, nor from objections which may be formed against them, nor from the abuse which heretics have made of them ; but from the intricacy of the subject itself, which may be diffi- cult to comprehend, and may require great study and meditation. On such texts you need not, you must not, amuse yourself in proposing difficulties, nor in making objections ; but you must enter immediately into the explication of the matter, and take particular care to arrange your ideas well, that is to say, in a natural and

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 81

easy order, beginning where you ought to be- gin ; for if you do not begin right, you can do nothing to the purpose ; and, on the contrary, if you take a right road, all will appear easy as you go on to the end,

[The editor, though not wholly approving of Mr. Claude's elucidation of John i, 17, does not think it expedient to omit it ; because he wishes the reader to see the difference between a sub- ject treated with too great a variety of subdivi- sions, and one in which a more simple and contracted view of the text is taken. Previously therefore to the considering of Mr. Claude's elucidation of this topic, the editor would submit to the reader two brief expositions of intricate subjects.

In treating Col. i, 9-13, "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wis- dom and spiritual imderstanding ; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God ; strengthened with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness ; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the

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saints in light : who hath dehvered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son;" he would open the passage thus: Here we see, 1. What the Christian sliould desire, (A knowledge of God's will ; A life conformed to it ; An ability to bear cheerfully whatever he may meet with in his Christian course :) 2. What he has to be thank- ful for, (His change of state ; His change of nature ;) For improvement, observe what an exalted character the Christian is ; how benevo- lent ; how happy.

Again: In treating Col. ii, 10-12, "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principahty and power: in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ : buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." Complex as the passage is, it may be made extremely simple. The great point is to mark distinctly the great scope of the passage. The Apostle is guarding the Colossians against philosophy and vain deceit : and, to show them how little philo- sophy can add to them, he asserts, I. Our com- pleteness in Christ, (In him we have everything ;

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 83

wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and re- demption. What can philosophy add even to the weakest behever, in any one of these re- spects?) II. Our conformity to Christ, (The whole worTc of Christ, as well as his life, is a pattern for us, and his faithful followers are conformed to it ; that is, to his circumcision, his baptism, &c. What was done to him externally, is done internally in us.) The whole of this is capable of easy and profitable enlargement.]

If, for example, I were to preach from this text, " The law was given by Moses ; but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ ;" I would di- vide this text into two parts. The first should regard the ministry of the law : the second, that of the gospel : the one expressed in these words, " The law was given by Moses ;" the other in these, " Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

[This literal method of explication is very justly accounted the best way of interpreting Scripture. The Editor however takes the liberty of observing, that it might have been better if Mr. C. had made fewer subdivisions, and had been more particular in his choice of them. It seems best to adopt those which give a just view of the subject, and to reject everything which appears forced or fanciful. The editor is extremely anxious that all who read this book

84 AN ESSAY ON THE

with a view to instruction in the composition of a sermon, should attend to this hint.

The specimen however that is here exhibited, though not altogether free from exception, is by no means unworthy of attention. And, as it may help to give the reader some insight into the nature and use of the author's own discour- ses, it is here drawn out in the form of a skele- ton. The reader is requested to cast his eye over it first, omittinr/ what is contained in the brackets.

I. The Ministry of the Law.

The law may he considered as a ministry of Rigor, as opioosed to Grace.

[Man knew neither himself nor his God —

It was necessary therefore to discover to him his misery, and his duty —

This was the end which God proposed in the ministry of the law —

The ministration of the law was well calcula- ted to answer this end — ]

It may he considered also as a ministry of Shadows, as opposed to Truth.

[It held out Promises of what was afterwards to be accomplished —

It exhibited in Types the mercies which God had in reserve for them —

It imparted the Beginnings of that salvation

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 85

which was to be afterwards more largely be- stowed—

Yet it could only be called " Latv,''^ because, however the grace of the gospel was blended with that economy, the legal part was predominant.]

The author, or dispenser, of this law was Moses.

[God indeed was the first and principal author of this law —

Moses was only the mediator by whom God dispensed it —

Nor as a mediator was he a real, but only a typical mediator.]

As the dispenser of it, he was greatly honoured hy God.

[He was the Interpreter of the Israelites to God, and of God to them —

He was employed to show forth the mighty power of Jehovah —

He was inspired to transmit in writing the history of his own nation.] II. The Ministry of the Gospel.

* Grace and truth " are here put for the gospel of Jesus Christ —

iTAe gospel is called grace, in opposition to

the RIGORS OF THE LAW.

[God manifested himself in it, not as on Mount Sinai, with thunderings, but in a gentle manner, under a veil of human flesh —

86 AN ESSAY ON THE

In it he reveals his mercy and parental love —

It is his free gift, according to his own good pleasure —

It is accompanied with a divine efficacy to the souls of men —

It operates on us, not enthusiastically, but in a rational rnanner.]

It is called truth, in opposition to falsehood.

[It is the Accomplishment of what existed only in Promises before —

It is the Substance of what was before ex- hibited in Tyjyes —

It is the Completion of what, under the law, was only begun.']

The author of this Gospel was Jesus Christ.

[He, like Moses, was an Interpreter between God and men —

His ministry also, like Moses's, was accom- panied with miracles —

He moreover caused his gospel to be written for a perpetual rule.]

As such he was honoured infinitely above Moses.

[Moses was only the Dispenser of the law, but Christ was the Author of grace and truth —

Moses did not procure the covenant of which he was mediator ; whereas the covenant of grace was given, not only through Christy but on his account —

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. b7

Moses could only report God's will to men ; but Jesus Christ both reported it to them and became a Guarantee for their performance of it —

Moses was not the Source, nor even the Dis- penser, of the Spirit that accompanied the legal economy; but Christ communicates the Spirit out of his own fulness — "^'

Moses wrought miracles by a foreign power ; but Jesus Christ by his own —

Moses was established over God^s house as a Servant ; but Jesus Christ as a Son (i. e., a master and heir) over his own house.~\

There are some texts which must be discussed by way of exphcation, although neither terms nor things are difficult ; but because the matter is important, and a meditation of it beautiful and full of edifi-cation. Passages of this kind must needs be proposed in all their extent.

Take, for example, these words of St. Paul, 2 Cor. iv, T : " We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." This passage is of this sort; the terms are easy, and the subject of which St. Paul speaks has no difficulty; but yet, on account of the importance of the matter, it must needs be explained, or, to speak more properly, extensively proposed,

* John i, 16,

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I would then divide this text into two parts : the first should be the apostle's proposition ; and the second, the reason which he gives for it. His proposition is contained in these words : "We have this treasure in earthen vessels." The reason which he assigns is contained in the following words : " That the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."

[The editor left this discourse in many of the former editions, in order to illustrate his reason for altering or omitting some that follow; but he has expunged it as imworthy of the author. Mr. Claude's rules are so good as scarcely to admit of any improvement, and he is for the most part happy in his illustration of them. But in some of the longer discourses he multiplies subdivisions, so as to obscure and almost destroy the unity of the subject. This was the case in the discourse here omitted. Under the first subdivision of the first general head, he had no less than eight subdivisions more ; (the four last of which, at best, were superfluous, and tended to perplex rather than elucidate the subject ;) and under the second subdivision of the same head, he had subdivision after subdivision. The same fault obtained under the second general head also ; and in some other of his discourses he seems (in opposition to his own rule, p. 25,

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 89

§ 3,) studious to say all that can be said, instead of selecting what is most pertinent and proper. The editor conceives the present discourse would have been more perspicuous and instructive, if the more select parts of the latter subdivisions had been compressed into one continued illustra- tion of the former subdivision : thus —

I. The Proposition : " We have this Treasure

IN Earthen Vessels."

The gospel is here justly represented under the image of a treasure.

[There is no other treasure so valuable, so abundant, so substantial ;

Nor can it be possessed without joy, without jealousy, without caution.]

And it îoas in the apostles as " in earthen vessels.''

[They were not authors of the gospel, but mere instruments to receive and dispense it.

Though honoured thus, they were still mean, £ind full of infirmities^

II. The Reason which he gives for it ; " That

THE Excellency," &c.

There is an excellency of power in the gospel.

[There is a divine virtue in the doctrine of the gospel to humble and comfort men ;

And when confirmed by miracles, and applied

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by the Holy Ghost, it had wonderful success in their conversion.']

God's design in committing such a treasure to earthen vessels, was that this power might appear

TO BE OF HIM, AND NOT OP MEN.

[Men are ever inclined to ascribe to second causes, efiects which belong only to the first cause, e. g., The heathens, the Lycaonians, the Jews, and even St. John himself ;

And it was to preclude such an abuse of his gospel, that he employed such weak instruments to propagate it throughout the world.]

If the reader will only bear in mind that Mr. Claude's discourses are introduced solely with a view to illustrate the rules, he will require no further apology for the alteration or omission of such as obstruct rather than advance the gene- ral design of this Essay,

Another text to elucidate this mode of expU- cation may be, 1 Cor. iii, 11 : " Other founda- tion can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." Show —

I. What Foundations Men lay for them-

selves— [1. Their own works. 2. Their own works and Christ's merits united.]

II. What is the Foundation that God has

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 91

[Not any of the foregoing, but the Lord Jesus Christ.] III. Why no other can be laid —

[1. No other would be worthy of the divine Architect. 2. No other would support the weight that is laid upon it.]

Observe, farther, there are two sorts of expli- cations. The first is simple and plain, and needs only to be proposed, and enUvened with clear and agreeable elucidations.

The other kind of explications must not only be stated and explained, but they must also be confirmed by sufficient evidence. Sometimes a text speaks of a fact, which can be confirmed only by proofs of fact : sometimes it is a matter of right, that must be established by proofs of right : and sometimes it is a subject made up of hoth fact and right ; and consequently proofs of right, as well as proofs of fact, must be ad- duced. We will give an example of each.

For the first, take this text, Phil, ii, 6 : "Jesus Christ, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." Having ex- plained what it is to be in the ''form of God," and to " count it not robbery to be equal with God," namely, that it is to be God, essentially equal with the Father, and co-eternal with him, (fee, you must needs make use of proofs oî fact

92 AN ESSAY ON THE

on this occasion ; for every one sees it is a fact which it is necessary to iwove, not merely by the force of St. Paul's terms, but also by many other Scripture proofs, which establish the di- vinity of Jesus Christ.

But were you to preach from the 14th and 15th verses of the same chapter — " Do all thing's without murmurings and disputings ; that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life " — it is evident that, after you have explained the vices which St. Paul forbids, and the virtues which he recommends, the exhortation must be confirmed by reasons of riglit, which show how unworthy and contrary to our calling these vices are ; how much beauty and propriety in the vir- tues enjoined ; and how strong our obligations are to abstain from the one and to practise the other.

Our third example includes proofs of hoth kinds. Take the Yth verse of the same chapter ; "Jesus Christ made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:" or the 8th verse ; " And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to the

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 93

death of the cross:" or the 9th verse, which speaks of Christ's exaltation. Having explained the subject, you must endeavour to confirm it, not only by proofs of fact, but also by proofs of right : to which purpose you must prove,

1. That the fact is as St. Paul says. And,

2. That it ouffht to be as it is, by reasons taken from the wisdom of God, &c.

[This may be more clearly illustrated by 1 Cor. xvi, 22 : "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema, Maran-atha." To treat this, show, I. The import. II. The certainty. III. The reasonableness — of this de- nunciation.]

In like manner, in discussing this text, " Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receive th ;" after you have proposed in a few words the apostle's doctrine, it ought to be confirmed, as well by proofs of fact (which make it plain that God has always been pleased to observe this method) as by proofs of right, (which show that he does thus with a great deal of wisdom.) You will meet with an almost infinite number of texts of this nature.

There are some texts of exphcation, in which we are obliged to explain some one great and important article consisting of many branches : as for example, predestination and efficacious con-

94 AN ESSAY ON THE

verting grace. In this case you may either reduce the matter to a certain number of propositions, and discuss them one after another ; or you may reduce them to a certain number of questions, and discuss them in a hke manner: but you ought (choose which way you will) to take par- ticular care not to lay down any proposition, or any question, which is not formally contained in your text, or which does not follow by a near and easy consequence ; for otherwise you would discuss the matter in a common-place way.

For example : " It is God who worketh efifec- tually in you, both to Avill and to do of his own good pleasure." After you have explained what it is to will, and what to do, and have observed in a few words that St. Paul's meaning is, that God is the author of both in us by the power of his grace, you may reduce the whole explication of the operation of his grace to five or six pro- positions. 1. God by his Holy Spirit illuminates the understandings of men ; for working in us to will must necessarily be by illuminating the un- derstanding. 2. That operation of grace which illuminates the understanding is practical, and not barely speculative, but descends even to the heart : St. Paul says, God works in us to do. 3. The first dispositions to conversion are effects of grace as well as conversion itself ; for St. Paul

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 95

not only says, God worketh in us to do, but he adds, he worketh in us to will : now this will consists in dispositions to conversion. 4. This operation of grace does not consist in putting us in a state capable of converting ourselves, as the admirers of sufficient grace say, but it actually converts us ; for the apostle says, " God worketh in us to will and to do." 5. The operation of this grace which converts us is of victorious efficacy, and obtains its end in spite of all the resistances of nature ; for St. Paul says, " God effectually worketh in us to will and to do :" which means, that when he displays this grace nothing can resist him. 6. When God converts us, whatever irresistibility there is in his grace, he displays it nevertheless in us, in a way which neither destroys our nature nor offers any violence to our will ; for St. Paul says, " God worketh in us to will," that is to say, he converts us by in- spiring us with love for his gospel, in gentle ways suited to the faculties of our souls.*

* The editor takes the liberty of observing, that this mode of illustrating a subject appears to liim too refined and com- plex. He would rather recommend a more simple method. The tiling to be explained is, the operation of divine grace ; and it is to be explained in immediate reference to the text. It might be said then, that its operation is sovereign, rational, effica- cious. It is sovereign, the result of " God's good pleasure," since man has not so much as a disposition to good till God has given it him ; and therefore can have nothing in himself that can induce God to give it him. It is rational ; for God influences us

Ô6 AN ESSAY ON THE

Above all, take care to arrange your proposi- tions well, when you take this method. Place the most general first, and follow the order of your knowledge, so that the first propositions may serve as steps to the second, the second to the third, and so of the rest.*

Sometimes, what you have to explain in a text will consist of one or more simple terms; sometimes in certain ways of speaking peculiar to Scripture, or at least of such great importance that they will deserve to be particularly weighed and explained ; sometimes in particles which they call syncategorematica ; and sometimes in propositions. For example : simple terms are, the divine attributes — goodness, merc}^, wisdom, &c. ; the virtues of men — faith, hope, love, &c. ; their vices and passions — ambition, avarice, ven- geance, wrath, &c. In short, simple terms are single words, and they are either p)roper or figurative. In order to explain figurative words,

to action, not as mere machines, but by illuminating our under- standing, and inclining our "will." It is efficacious; for if he work in us " to will," he will surely work in us " to do ;" nor, however separate in idea A'olition and action may be, shall they ever be separated in his people's experience.

This would include the principal observations of Mr. Claude, and render them both more inteUigible and viore easy to he re- membered.

* Arrange your propositions well. Nothing elucidates a subject more than a conformity to this rule. Cicero's tluee words are well known— ap^e, distincte, ornate.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 97

you must give the meaning of tlie figure in a few words ; and without stopping long upon the figure, pass to the thing itself. And in general observe this rule, never insist long on a simple term unless it be absolutely/ necessary ; for to aim at exhausting, (as it were,) and saying all that can be said on a single word, is imprudent in a preacher, especially when there are many im- portant matters in the text to be explained. Should any one (for example) in explaining these words of Isaiah, *' His name shall be called Won- derful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Ever- lasting Father, the Prince of Peace ;" should a preacher, I say, insist on each term, and endea- vour to exhaust each word, he would handle the text in a common-place way, and quite tire the hearer. You ought, then, in discussing such passages, to select the most obvious articles, and to enlarge principally on essential remarks.

Sometimes there are simple terms of which you must only take notice cursorily, and en pas- sant, as it were, just as thtj relate to the inten- tion of the sacred author. For example : in St. Paul's ordinary salutations, " Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ," it must not be imagined that each of the terms or phrases is to be con- sidered ex professoy either grace, or peojce, or Qod 7

98 AN ESSAY ON THE

the Father y or Jesus Christ : but the whole text is to be considered as a salutation, a benediction, an introduction to the epistle ; and in these views make necessary remarks on the terms. Observe the method of Mons. D aillé in his expositions of the Epistles to the Philippians and Colossians. In one word, take care to explain simple terms as much as possible in relation to the present design of the sacred author, and to the circumstances of the text ; for by these means you will avoid com- mon-places, and say proper and agreeable things.

Sometimes you vf ill meet with texts, the simple terms of which must be discussed professedl}^ ; and in order to give a clear and full view of the subject, you must give a clear and distinct idea of the terms.

For example, 1 Tim. i, 5 : " Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned." Divide the text into three parts : the Jirst of "which may be the commandment of which the apostle speaks ; the second, its end, charity ; and the third, the 2^^'inciples from which this charity or love proceeds, from a pure heart, a good con- science, and faith unfeigned.

When there are many simple terms in a text, you must consider whether it would not be more proper to treat of them comparatively, or hy

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 99

marTcing their relation to each other, than to dis- cuss them separately, or each apart ; for some- times it would be very injudicious to discuss them separately, and very agreeable to do it by comparison.

[Not thinking Mr. Claude's illustration of this so simple as it might be, the editor would sug- gest another. Say, on 2 Tim. iii, 16, 17, to show, The excellency of the inspired volume.

I. Its real origin, given by inspiration of God.

II. Its immediate uses. — The establishment of truth, by making known sound doctrines, and refuting false. — The promotion of virtue, by correcting evil ways, and directing to such as are good.

III. Its ultimate end. — The making the man of God perfect, in mind and judgment, teaching him to view everything as God views it ; and in heart and life, stimulating him to a perfect conformity to the mind and will of God.

N. B. Under this last head the topic before us would be illustrated by showing how admira- bly calculated the Scripture is by its imme- diate uses to produce its ultimate end.'] Take for example St. Luke's words, chap, ii, 8-1 1 : " And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo ! the angel

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of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them. Fear not ; for behold ! I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." In my opinion it would be very absurd to pretend to treat separately these simple terms, in order to explain what is a Hliepkerd, and what is an angel, &c. But a comparison of these terms with each other would afford very beautiful and agreeable considerations, as -will appear by the following analysis of the text. Let it then be divided into two parts : let the first be the appearance of the angels to the shepherds, with all the circum- stances which the history remarks : and the second, the angels' message to them. The first is contained in the eighth and ninth verses, and the second in the tenth and eleventh.

Having spoken of simple terms, I proceed to add something concerning ex^jressions peculiar to Scripture. These deserve a particular exphca- tion, and should be discussed and urged with great diligence, as well because they are peculiar modes of speaking, as because they are rich with meaning. In this class I put such forms of speaking as these: "To be in Christ Jesus."

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**To corne to Jesus Christ." "To come after Jesus Christ." ''To live in the flesh." "To live after the flesh." " From faith to faith." *' From glory to glory." " To walk after the flesh." " To walk after the Spirit." " The old man." "The new man." "Jesus Christ lives in you." " To live to Jesus Christ." " To live to ourselves." "To die to the world." "To die to ourselves." " To be crucified to the world." "The world to be crucified to us." "Jesus Christ made sin for us ; and we made the right- eousness of God in him." " Christ put to death in the flesh, quickened by the Spirit." "Die unto sin." " Live unto righteousness." "Quench the Spirit." " Grieve the Spirit." " Resist the Holy Ghost." " Sin against the Holy Ghost ;" and I know not how many more such expres- sions, which are found almost nowhere but in Scripture. Whenever you meet with such forms of speech as these, you must not pass them over lightly, but you must fully explain them, enter- ing well into the spirit and meaning of them. It would be very convenient for a young man to procure for this purpose an exact collection, and endeavour to inform himself of the sense of each. This subject would require, as it well deserves, a particular treatise ; however, I will briefly give an example of the manner in which expressions

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of this kind should be discussed. Let us take these words, — Mark viii, 34: "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me."

Methinks it would not be improper to divide the sermon into two parts. In the first we would treat of the expressions which Jesus uses, " Come after me" — "deny himself" — "take up his cross " — " and follow me." And in the second we would examine the entire sense of our Saviour's whole pro'position.

[The editor cannot recommend this formal way of explaining all the terms first : he would rather cast the subject itself into some easy form, and explain the terms belonging to each part of the subject when that particular part comes to be discussed. Thus, Mark viii, 34.

I. The duties required of us in this injunction — to deny, &c., take, &c.

II. The universal and indispensable importance of it — None can be his without performing them.]

We have before observed, that, beside simple terms, and singular expressions peculiar to Scrip- ture, there are also sometimes in texts, particles, that are called syncategorematica, which serve either for the augmentation or limitation of the meaning of the proposition: as the word so in

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John iii, 16, "God so loved the world:" — the word now in the eighth of Romans : " There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus :" and in many more passages of the same kind.

Whenever you meet with these terms, care- fully examine them ; for sometimes the greatest part, and very often the whole of the expUcation, depends upon them, as we have already remark- ed on that passage just now mentioned, " God so loved the world :" for the chief article in the doctrine of the love of God is its greatness, ex- pressed by the word so. It is the same with that other term now, " There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus ;" for the word now shows, that it is a conclusion drawn from the doctrine of justification, which the apostle had taught in the preceding chapters ; and it is as if he had said, " From the principles which I have established, it follows, that ' there is now no condemnation,' " &c. Having then explained, 1. What it is to le in Christ Jesus ; 2. What it is to be no more subject to condemna- tion ; chiefly insist, in the third place, on the word now ; and show that it is a doctrine which necessarily follows from what St. Paul had es- tablished touching justification, in the foregoing chapters : so that this term makes a real part of

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the explication, and indeed the most important part.

Sometimes these terms in question are not of consequence enough to be much dwelt on, but may be more properly passed with a slight re- mark. The word Behold, with which many pro- positions in Scripture begin, must be treated so ; you must not make one part of this, nor insist on it too long. The same may be said of that familiar expression of Jesus Christ, Verily, verily, which is an asseveration, or, if you will, an oath : but neither on this must you insist much. So again. Amen, or so he it, which closes some texts ; Woe he to you, which Jesus Christ often repeats in the gospel ; with many more of the same kind. I know no certain rule to distinguish when they are important ; but it must be left to the preach- er's taste, and a little attention will make the necessary discernment very easy.

When the matter to be explained in a text consists of a proposition, you must, 1 . Give the sense clearly and neatly, taking care to divest it of all sorts of ambiguity.

2. If it be requisite, show how importmit in religion it is to be acquainted with the truth in hand; and for this purpose open its connexion with other important truths, and its dependence on them ; the inconveniences that arise from neg-

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ligence ; the advantageous succours which piety derives thence ; with other things of the same nature.

3. Having placed it in a clear light, and shown its importance, if it require confirmation, confirm it. In all cases endeavour to illustrate, either by reasons or examples, or comparisons of the subjects with each other, or by remarking their relation to each other, or by showing their confonyiities or differences, all with a view to illustrate the matter that you are discussing. You may also illustrate a proposition by its consequences, by showing how many import- ant inferences are included in it, and flow from it.

You may beautify a proposition by its evidence, by showing that the truth, of which you speak, is discoverable by the light of nature ; or by its inevidence, observing that it is not discoverable by the light of nature, but is a pure doctrine of revelation.

In fine, you may illustrate by the person who proposes the subject; by the state in which he was when he proposed it; by the persons to whom it is proposed ; by circumstances of time and place, &c. All these may give great open- ings ; but they must be judiciously and discreetly used ; for to attempt to make an assemblage of

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all these in the discussion of one proposition, would be trifling, endless, and pedantic.

Sometimes one single proposition includes many truths, which it will be necessary to dis- tinguish ; but, in doing this, take care that each truth, on which you intend to insist, be of some importance in religion, not too common, nor too much known. This your own good sense must discern.

Sometimes one proposition must be discussed in the different views in which it may be taken ; and in this case you must remark those different relations.

Sometimes the doctrine contained in the pro- position has different degrees, which it will also be necessary to remark.

Sometimes the proposition is general, and this generality seems to make it of little importance. In this case you must examine whether some of its parts be not more considerable : if they be, you will be obliged to discuss these parts by a particular application. But I will give you examples of each.

First, To give the sense of a proposition neat and clear, and afterward to confirm and illus- trate it, let us take Eph. i, 18 : "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, may ye know what is the hope of his calling, and what

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the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints."

This text must be divided into two parts. The first is the Apostle's prayer, May God enlighten the eyes of your understanding ! The second is the end of this illumination, " that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints."

Secondly, To give an example oî propositions, including divers truths, which must be distin- guished from each other. We cannot choose a more proper text than the remaining part of the passage which was just now explained : " That you may know," says St. Paul, "what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." The Apostle's proposition is, that by the illumination of grace, we understand the innumerable bless- ings to the enjoyment of which God calls us by his gospel. Now this proposition includes many truths, which it will be necessary to dis- tinguish.

1. That the gospel is a divine vocation, a loud voice, which cries, ** Awake, thou that sleepest, arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Therefore it is said in the fiftieth Psalm, ** The Lord hath called the earth, from the ris-

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ing of the sun, unto the going down thereof." The Church is not a rash, tumultuous assembly, produced by hazard, as many societies seem to be. It is not a human society, which reason and natural interests have associated. It is a society that has God for its author ; for it is his word which calls, and his command that assem- bles us.

2. It is a vocation wherein God proposes something to our hope ; for which reason we are said to be " begotten again to a lively hope." This may be discussed, either in opposition to a vocation of simple authority, where we are called to service without any recompense pro- posed, (thus princes frequently command their subjects ;) or in opposition to a seduction to sin, which punishes our services with death : "The wages of sin is death," says St. Paul. (These words represent sin as a tyi*ant, who calls us to obey him in order to destroy us.) Or it may be considered in opposition to our natural hirth, which introduces us to a scene of numberless distresses and miseries. All these vocations are either uncomfortable, or hopeless, or dangerous, and tending to despair : but the call of the gospel is a call to hope ; not like Adam's, when God called him to be judged and condemned; ''Adam, where art thou?" but

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like Abraham's, when the Lord said to him, *' Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and I will give thee the land whither thou goest:" not like that which Isaiah ad- dressed to Hezekiah, *'Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die ;" but Hke that which Jesus sounded to Lazarus, " Lazarus, come forth !"

3. That this call proposes to our hope an inheritance ; not a recompense proportioned to our merit ; but a good, which God, as a father, bestows on us in virtue of adopting grace ; a good which we have by communion with Jesus Christ ; for we are " heirs of God " only as we are "joint-heirs of Jesus Christ." Farther, this is an unalienable inheritance, which we ourselves can never lose, and of which no other can de- prive us. The ancient Jewish inheritances could never pass from families into foreign hands. This is an inheritance, in fine, in oppo- sition to that felicity which God gave Adam as a hireling, under the title of wages ; and not as a son, under the title of inheritance.

4. That this is a heavenly inheritance, (for so must the last word saints be understood ; in Sanctis, in holy, or heavenly places.) The Apos- tle intends, not only to point out the nature of divine blessings, which are spiritual and heavenly.

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but to signify the place where we shall possess them, heaven, the mansion of the majesty of God.

5. That these are blessings of an infinité abundance, of an inexpressible value, for this is the meaning of these terms, ** The riches of the glory of his inheritance," a way of speaking proper to the Hebrews, who, to express the grandeur or excellence of a thing, heap many synonymous expressions on each other. Thus the Apostle, to represent to the Corinthians this same felicity of which he speaks here, calls it "A weight of glory excellently excellent." And in this chapter, a little after our text, he speaks of " the exceeding greatness of his power, the working of his mighty power." Here then the " riches of the glory of his inheritance " sig- nifies the value, the excellence, the abundance, the plenitude of this inheritance.

6. The Apostle would have us know the ad- mirable greatness of this hope ; for all our de- viations from virtue, and attachments to the world, arise only from our ignorance of this glory : when we become acquainted with it, it is a chain that fastens, an attractive which allures, an invincible force that renders itself governess of all our affections. Ap. ancient poet tells us of a golden chain which his Jupiter let doAvn

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from heaven to earth : this thought may be sanctified, and appHed to this subject, by saying, that the divine hope of our calling, and the riches of the glory of this inheritance, which God has prepared for us, is a golden chain de- scending from heaven to us. Similar to this is Christ's saying to his Apostles, "I will make you fishers of men." When they cast their mystical line into the sea, the wide world, they took an infinite number of fishes : but the hook, which alone rendered them successful in their divine fishing, was this great " hope of the call- ing of God, these riches of the glory of his inheritance in the" heavens.

Y. Finally, the Apostle means that the know- ledge which we have of this matter comes from divine illumination. It can come from no other influence, as we have already seen. It comes also infallibly from this : and when God illumi- nates us, it is not possible that we should be ignorant of what he designs to inform us of.*

There are some propositions which must be considered in different views. For example, let us take these words, Psal. Ixix, 21 : " They gave

* Perhaps these seven heads might have been more profitably included in the three following : 1. That Christians have a very- glorious portion. 2. That it is their privilege to know their title to it. 3. That they must attain their knowledge by spiritual illumination.

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me gall for my meat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink." This passage must be considered in four different views : 1 . In regard to David. 2. In regard to Jesus Christ. 3. In regard to the Church in general. 4. In regard to every believer in particular.

So agam in these words, Psalm cxxix, 2 : " Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth ; yet have they not prevailed against me." These words belong, as to the Jewish, so to the Christian Church ; and must be applied to both. In short, it is the same with all typical prophe- cies.

Of propositions, which have degrees to be re- marked, take this example : " And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my peo- ple, which are in Egypt ; and have heard their cry by reason of their task-masters : for I know their sorrows, and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians." Exod. iii, Y, 8. The propositions contained in this text, one touching the affiiction, and the other concerning the deliverance of the people of God, must be considered according to their different degrees of accomplishment. For,

1. They were accomplished in the servitude and deliverance of Israel from Egypt.

2. In the divers servitudes and deliverances

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whicli afterward befell Israel, particularly in that of Babylon, which was a second Egypt.

3. They have been accomplished in a more excellent sense, in the servitude and deliverance of the Church at the coming of Jesus Christ, and at the preaching of the Gospel.

4. In the deliverance of the Church from the bondage of antichrist.

5. And, finally, they are yet to be fulfilled in the last and great deliverance at Jesus Christ's second coming.

In like manner discuss these words of Isaiah, quoted by St. Paul : *' Behold me and the chil- dren whom the Lord hath given me." Heb. ii, 13. The first degree of the accomphshment of these words was in Isaiah and his children ; the second, in Jesus Christ and his disciples at the f-rst preaching of the gospel ; and the third, in Jesus and his followers at the last day, when he shall present us to his Father to be glorified.

The same may be said of Ezekiel's vision of the bones which rose from the dead, for it has three degrees of accomplishment. 1. In the deliverance of the Jews from their Babylonian captivity. 2. In the deliverance of the Church by the ministry of the gospel. 3. In the last resurrection. There are many passages of Scrip- ture which must be explained in this manner.

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In regard to those propositions which seem inconsiderable, when taken in a general sense, but which are very important in a particular explication, they may be exemplified by these two passages :

Psalm XXX vii, 3: "Inhabit the land." At first sight, it seems as if there w^as nothing in these words ; nevertheless, a particular expla- nation will discover many excellent truths in them.

So again. Pro v. xv, 3 : "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the e\i\ and the good." In the general notion of this proposi- tion, which only regards the omniscience of God, there does not seem to be anything extremely important : but if you descend, as you ought, to particulars, you will perceive,

1. A providential knowledge regulating and determining all events, and directing them to their ends.

2. A knowledge of apiyrohation in regard to the good, and of condemnation in regard to the wicked.

3. A knowledge of protection and recompense on the one side, and of chastisement and pun- ishment on the other. So that this passage contains the whole doctrine of providence, the punishments of the wicked, and the benedictions which accompany the just.

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CHAPTER VI.

OF TEXTS TO BE DISCUSSED BY WAY OF OBSERVATION.

Some texts require a discussion by way of con- sideration, or observation. The following hints may serve for a general direction :

1. When texts are clear of themselves, and the matter well known to the hearers, it would be trifling to amuse the people with explication. Such texts must be taken as they are, that is, clear, plain, and evident, and only observations should be made on them.

2. Most historical texts must be discussed in this way ; for, in a way of explication, there would be very little to say. For example, what is there to explain in this passage ? " Then Jesus, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper, and Martha served : but Lazarus was one of them that sat at table with him." John xii. Would it not be a loss of time and labour to attempt to explain these words ? and are they not clearer than any com- ments can make them ? The way of observation, then, must be taken.

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3. There are some texts which require both expHcation and observation, as when some parts may need explaining.

[Thus, Heb. xi, 24-26.

I. The choice of Moses. 1. The choice itself.

2. The principle by which he was actuated.

3. The end at which he aimed.

II. The excellency of that choice. It was, 1. Consonant with reason. 2. Conducive to his interests. 3. Honourable to his profes- sion.]

For example, Acts i, 10, "And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel." Here it will be necessary to exjylain in a few words the cause of their " looking steadfastly toward heaven ;" for by lifting their eyes after their Divine Master, they expressed the inward emotions of their minds. It will be needful also to explain this other expression, "as he went up," and to observe, that it must be taken in its plain popular sense ; and that it signifies not merely the removal of his visible presence, while he remained invisibly upon earth ; but the absolute absence of his humanity. This is the natural sense of the words, and the observation is necessary to guard us against that sense which the Church of Rome imposes on

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them for the sake of transubstantiation. You may also briefly explain this other expression, *' behold ! two men," and show that they were angels in human shapes. Here you may dis- cuss the question of angelical appearances under human forms. Notwithstanding these brief ex- phcations, this is a text that must be discussed by way of observation.

Observe, in general, when explication and observation meet in one text, you must always explain the part that needs explaining, lefore you make any observations ; for observations must not be made till you have established the sense plain and clear.

4. Sometimes an observation may he made hy way of explication, as when you would infer something important from the meaning of an original term in the text. For example ; Acts ii, 1, "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place."

It will be proper here to explain and enforce the Greek word diiodvjxaôdv, which is translated *' with one accord," for it signifies, that they had the same hope, the same opinions, the same judgment ; and thus their unanimity is distin- guished from an exterior and negative agree- ment, which consists in a mere profession of

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having no different sentiments, and in not falling out ; but this may proceed from negligence, ignorance, or fear of a tyrannical authority. The uniformity of which the Church of Rome boasts, is of this kind ; for, if they have not dis- putes and quarrels among them on religious matters, (which, however, is not granted,) it is owing to the stupidity and ignorance in which the people are kept, or to that indifference and neghgence which the greatest part of that com- munity discover toward religion, concerning which they seldom trouble themselves ; or to the fear of that tyrannical domination of their prelates, with which the constitution of their Church arms them. Now, consider such a uniformity how you will, it will appear a false peace. If ignorance or negligence produce it, it resembles the quiet of dead carcasses in a bu- rying-ground, or the profound silence of night, when all are asleep ; and, if it be owing to fear, it is the stillness of a galley-slave under the strokes of his officer, a mere shadow of acqui- escence produced by timidity, and unworthy of the name of unanimity. The disciples of Jesus Christ were not uniform in this sense : but their unanimity was inward and positive, they " were of one heart, and one soul." This explication, you perceive, is itself a very just observation,

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and there are very many passages of Scrip- ture which may be treated of in the same manner.

5. Observations, for the most part, ought to be theological ; that is to say, they should be- long to a system of religion. Sometimes, indeed, we may make use of observations historical, phi- losophical, and critical ; but these should be used sparingly and seldom ; on necessary occasions, and when they cannot well be avoided ; and even then they ought to be pertinent, and not common, that they may be heard with satisfac- tion. Make it a law to be generally very brief on observations of these kinds, and to inform your audience that you only make them en passant.

There are, I allow, some cases, in which ob- servations remote from theology are necessary to the elucidating of a text. When these hap- pen, make your observations professedly, and explain and prove them. But I repeat it again, in general, observations should be purely theo- logical ; either speculative, which regard the mysteries of Christianity, or practical, which re- gard morality: for the pulpit was erected to instruct the minds of men in religious subjects, and not to gratify curiosity ; to inflame the heart, and not to find play for imagination.

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6. Observations sliould not be proposed in scbolastic style, nor in common-place guise. They should be seasoned with a sweet urbanity, accommodated to the capacities of the people, and adapted to the manners of good men. One of the best expedients for this purpose is a re- duction of obscure matters to a natural, popular, modern air. You can never attain this ability, unless you acquire a habit of conceiving clearly of subjects yourself, and of expressing them in a free, familiar, easy manner, remote from every- thing forced and far-fetched. All long trains of arguments, all embarrassments of divisions and subdivisions, all metaphysical investigations, which are mostly impertinent, and, like the fields, the cities, and the houses, which we ima- gine in the clouds, the mere creatures of fancy, all these should be avoided.

1. Care, however, must be taken to avoid the opposite extreme, which consists in making only poor, dry, spiritless observations, frequently said under pretence of avoiding school-divinity, and of speaking only popular things. Endeavour to think clearly, and try also to think nobly. Let your observations be replete with beauty as well as propriety, the fruits of a fine fancy un- der the direction of a sober judgment. If you be inattentive to this article, you Avill pass for a

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contemptible declaimer, of mean and shallow capacity, exhausting yourself, and not edifying your hearers ; a very ridiculous character !*

To open more particularly some sources of observations, remark every thing that may help you to think and facilitate invention. You may rise from species to genus, or descend from genus to species. You may remark the different characters of a virtue commanded, or of a vice prohibited. You may inquire whether the sub- ject in question be relative to any other, or whether it do not suppose something not ex- pressed. You may reflect on the person speak- ing or acting, or on the condition of the person speaking or acting. You may observe time, place, persons addressed, and see whether there be any useful considerations arising from either. You may consider the principles of a word or action, or the good or bad consequences that follow. You may attend to the end proposed in a speech or action, and see if there be any- thing remarkable in the manner of speaking or acting. You may compare words or actions with others similar, and remark the differences

* The reader may form a pretty accurate idea of these, by reading the second of the annexed Skeletons, which was writ- ten on purpose to illustrate them. For a general and popular view of them he may consult the Discourse on John xix, 31-37.

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of words and actions on different occasions. You may oppose words and actions to contrary words and actions, either by contrasting speakers or hearers. You may examine the foundations and causes of words or actions, in order to develop the truth or falsehood, equity or iniquity, of them. You may sometimes make suppositions, refute objections, and distinguish characters of grandeur, majesty, meanness, infirmity, necessity, utility, evidence, and so on. You may advert to degrees of more or less, and to different inte- rests. You may distinguish, define, divide, and, in a word, by turning your text on every side, you may obtain various methods of elucidating it. I will give you examples of all.

I. — Rise from Species to Genus.*

Psalm 1, 14 : *' Sacrifice to God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the Most High." In discussing this text, I would observe first the terms Sacrifice thanksgiving, and would eluci- date them by going from the species to the genus. The dignity of sacrifice in general would lead me to observe — that it is the immediate commerce of a creature with his God ; an action, in which it is difficult to judge whether earth ascend to heaven, or heaven descend to earth — that in

* This is a topic peculiarly proper in an exordium.

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almost all the other acts of religion the creature receives of his Creator ; but in this the Creator receives of his creature — that the Lord of the universe, who needs nothing, and who eternally lives in a rich abundance, hath such a condescen- sion as to be willing to receive offerings at our hands — that, of all dignities, that of the priest- hood was the highest, for which reason the an- cient priests dwelt in the tabernacle, or temple of God — that, when God divided Canaan among the children of Israel, each tribe had its portion except that of Levi, to which God assigned nothing. Why? because he loved them less? No, but because he gave them the priesthood, and because he who had the priesthood, the altar, and the censer, had God for his por- tion, and, consequently, could have no need of temporal things. This is, you see, to rise from species to genus ; for the text does not speak of sacrifice in general, but of the sacrifice of praise in particular : yet when these general conside- rations are pertinent, they cannot fail of being well received.

n. — Descend from Genus to Species.

An example may be taken from Psa. cxxiii, 2 : *' Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, so our eyes wait upon the

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Lord our God." Here you may aptly observe, in masters with regard to servants, and in God with regard to us, three senses of the phrase. There is a hand of beneficence, a hand of protec- tion or dehverance, and a hand of correction. A servant expects favours from the hand of his master, not from that of a stranger. He looks to him for protection and deliverance in threaten- ing dangers, and refuses all help, except that of his master. He expects correction from him when he commits a fault, and, when corrected, humbles himself under his master's frown, in order to disarm him by tears of repentance. The application of these to the servants of God is easy. The word succour is general, and may very well be considered by descending from the genus to the species, and by observing the differ- ent occasions which we have for divine assist- ance, and, consequently, the different assistances and succours which God aftbrds us — as the help of his ivord, to remove our ignorance, doubts, or errors — the help of his providence, to deliver us out of afflictions — the help of his grace and Spirit, to guard us from the temptations of the world, and to aid us against the weaknesses of nature — the help of divine consolations, to sweeten the bitterness of our exercises under distressing circumstances, and to give us courage to bear

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afflictions — the help of his mercy, to pardon our sins, and to restore to our consciences that tran- quilhty which they have lost by offending God. You will meet with a great number of texts which may be discussed in this manner: but great care must be taken not to strain the sub- ject ; for that would make you look like a school- boy. The best way is, to make only one general observation, and then to apply it to several par- ticular subjects, collecting all at last into one general point of view.

m. — Remark the divers Characters of a Vice which is forbidden, or of a Virtue which is commanded.

For example, 2 Thess. iii, 5 : " The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ." Here I should de- scribe the characters of true love to God ; and, perhaps, it might not be improper to subjoin the characters of expectation of Christ ; and, that I might not seem to travel the same road twice, I would call the latter, emotions, which accompany hope in Christ.

To begin with the characters of true love to God.

1. The seat of it is the heart, which it pene- trates and possesses. This distinguishes it from the feigned love of hypocrites, which is only in

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■word, or in external actions, while their hearts are full of sinful self-love ; so that it may be said of them as God once said of the Israelites, " This people honour me with their hps, but their heart is far from me."

2. It is a love that possesses the whole heart, without allowing a partition among different ob- jects. Thus it is distinguished from that partial love which almost- Christians have, who have sometimes good desires toward zeal and repent- ance; but they are transient only, and never come to perfection ; because the soul is divided, and occupied with various worldly objects ; and because the love of God, from which true re- pentance and zeal proceed, is not rooted in the heart : it is for this reason that Scripture com- mands us to love God with all our hearts, or, as David speaks, to love him with a cordial affec- tion.

3. The love of God is not indeed alone in the heart of a good man ; he may also love crea- tures ; a father loves his children, a friend his friend, a master his servant, a king his subjects, a wife her husband ; but the character of divine love in us is, on the one hand, to suffer no love contrary to itself in the heart, (for " no man can serve two masters," and the " love of the world is enmity against God,") and, on the other hand.

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love of God does not suffer any of the objects, the love of which is compatible with itself, to hold the chief place in the heart. This chief place is for God ; to put him in a second place is to treat him opprobriously. Even to equal another object with him is to insult him ; wherever he is, he must fill the throne himself; and if a holy heart be an image of heaven, as it is in effect, God must reign there, and all must be submis- sive to him.

4. The emotions and acts of this love must be infinite, without measure as well as without sub- ordination ; without bounds, as well as without partition. The reason is, our love must resemble its object : and its object is infinite ; and this is one sense of this command, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul." But how, say you, can we, who are finite creatures, per- form infinite acts ? I answer, the acts of the creature are, in a manner, infinite. This infinity consists, in my opinion, in two things. First, our emotions go to the utmost extent of our power, without coolness or caution ; and, secondly, when we have stretched our souls to the utmost of our power, we cannot be content with ourselves, and we acknowledge our duty goes infinitely beyond our emotions and actions. Thus we ought to love with all the powers of our hearts, giving up

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(if I may so speak) our whole souls to him, and at the same time we shall feel a secret dissatis- faction with ourselves for not being able to love him enough.

5. This love, which has no bounds itself, sets bounds to every emotion toward other objects. It is, as it were, an immense fire, emitting a few sparks, a few comparatively faint emotions to- ward inferior objects. So a king collects in his own person all the honours of his kingdom, and communicates some lucid titles to inferior sub- jects ; so the sea distributes of its boundless w^aters to rivers, fountains, and rills. Not only must we refuse to love what God has forbidden, and choose to respect what he allows us to love, but, to speak properly, we ought to love only what he commands us to love. This love should be in our hearts, amidst all our other affections, as a prince is among the officers of his arm}^ or, to speak more strongly, as God himself is amongst all the creatures of the whole universe, giving to all life, motion, and being.

6. The love of God is accompanied with humility/ and fear, as a salt to prevent corrup- tion ; and by this means we are kept from degrad- ing liberty into licentiousness. In effect, how great mercy soever God has for us, it is the mercy of a master. How great soever his pa-

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temal tenderness is, it is the tenderness of a sovereign judge. His mercy, which is so amia- ble to us, is never separated from his infinite justice and power; and one of the most essen- tial marks of our love to him is, to tremble and become nothing in bis presence. These two things always go together. To fear him rightly, we must fear him as a father ; and to love him rightly, we must love him as a sovereign Lord.

Y. This love must in one respect imitate the love of God, from which ours proceeds ; but in another respect it must not imitate his. It must imitate his, by diffusing itself where his diffuses itself ; and follow it, even when it is bestowed upon enemies, according to our Lord's precept : '' Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven ; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." But in another respect we must not imitate his love ; for God's love to us is a jealous love, which cannot consent to our having any other object of supreme love besides himself : but our love to him can have no greater perfection than that which arises 9

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from a multiplicity of objects : om* jealousy re- sembles that of the prophet Elijah, who, being asked, when he was in the cave of Beer-sheba, what he did there, answered, " I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts ; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, and thrown down thine altars." This was St. Paul's jealousy, when he saw the Corinthians turned from the purity of his gospel : " I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy ; for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." In- deed, one of the most indubitable marks of our love to God is, to lament when his name is dis- honoured, his word neglected or despised, and his commands violated.

8. A Christian's love to God principally con- sists in obedience. This, I grant, is not always a certain character ; for how many persons are there who abstain from evil and do good, from principles of interest or fear rather than of love ! but, however, it is as a negative character al- ways sure ; because it may always be concluded, that they, who do not obey God, do not love him ; for all, who do love God, obey his laws. The reason is evident : all, who truly love God, have an ardent desire of being loved by him ; and it is essential to love to desire a return of

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affection from its object. We cannot expect to be beloved of God, unless we strive to please him ; nor can we please him without keeping his commandments. The love of God is always accompanied with a holy diligence to please him, and an awful fear of offending him. A true believer is always afraid lest anything, through negligence or infirmity, should escape him, and clash with his duty, or provoke his God. This made St. Paul say, " Work out your own salva- tion with fear and trembling ;" and elsewhere, ** I keep under my body, and bring it into sub- jection ; lest, after I have preached to others, I myself should become a cast-away ;" and hence those prayers of holy men, " Teach me thy ways, 0 Lord, I will walk in thy truth." " Unite my heart to fear thy name." " May God make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ !"

9. The love of God is not only continued in a Christian, but it is also inflamed under the rod of correction, contrary to that false love which subsists only in prosperity, and is quite extinct in adversity : for false love in religion flows from temporal interest, and is dependent on irregular self-love ; but true love to God regards his glory and our salvation, two things which

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can never be separated, because God has united tbem so, that they constitute the very essence of religion. Whenever, then, it pleases God to chastise us, these two great interests (I mean his glory and our salvation) present themselves before our eyes ; and whether we consider chas- tisements as the fruits of our own sins which have offended God, or as paternal strokes to es- tablish us in holiness, they cannot but inflame our love. Add to these, that when a believer sees his God frown, he cannot help apprehend- ing, in some sense, that his wrath will go farther, that the Lord will forsake, and entirely leave him. Hence these expressions of David, " For- sake me not, O Lord : 0 my God, be not far from me !" " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring ?" And hence Asaph says, " Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever ? Doth his prom- ise fail for evermore ?"

The Tyrians, it seems, when Alexander be- sieged them, imagined they saw, by some extra- ordinary motion, that the image of Apollo, in which all their hopes of protection were placed, intended to quit their city : to prevent this mis- fortune, they fastened their god with chains of

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gold. This I own was a foolish superstition: but methinks we may sanctify the thought, and almost learn a believer's conduct from it. When he imagines his God means to forsake him, he holds him (if I may be allowed to say so) with chains of love ; he throws around him the ten- der arms of his piety ; he weeps on his bosom, and, to make use of a better example than that of the Tyrians, he constrains him, as the disciples did at Emmaus, "Abide with me, for the day is far spent, and it is toward evening."

10. True love to God is not superstitious. Superstition usually springs from one of these four pruiciples. Either, first, from servile fear, which makes people believe that God is always wrathful ; and which invents means to appease him, employing for this piu^ose ridiculous prac- tices unworthy of humanity itself; or, 2dly,. from a natural inclination, which we all have,. to idolatry, which makes men think they see some ray of the divinity in extraordinary crea- tures, and, on this account, they transfer a part of their devotion to them ; or, 3dly, from hypo- crisy, which makes men willing to discharge their obligations to God by grimace, and by zeal for external services ; for which purpose they caa perform a great number of any kind. Fi-

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nally, from presumption, whicli makes men serve God after their own fancies, and establish such a worship as pleases and flatters themselves, without regarding whether they please God. All these appear in the superstitions of the Church of Rome, the greatest part of which sprang from fear of the fire of purgatory ; as mortifications, masses, jubilees, indulgences, penal satisfactions, and many more of the same kind. It is also e\ident, that some came from that dreadful propensity natural to all mankind to deify creatures ; to this may be referred the worshipping of images, the invocations of saints and angels, the custom of swearing by creatures, the adoration of relics, pilgrimages, the adora- tion of the host, and many such things. Nor is it less true that liypocrhy produced others, as beads, chaplets, rosaries, prayers by tale, fre- quent fasts, visiting holy places, &c. And, finally, some came from human vanity and pre- sumption, as festivals, processions, the magnifi- cence of churches ; and, in general, all pompous ceremonies in the worship of God. All these are contrary to the love of God, which is free from superstition. It is superior to servile fear, and accompanied with a persuasion that God is good, and that he loves us. It has only God for its object; it acknowledges between God

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and his creatures, however amiable the latter may be, an infinite distance, and, consequently, cannot bestow any part of that worship upon them, which is due to him alone. It is sincere and soHd, more attentive to the interior than to the outward appearance ; for, having its prin- cipal seat in the heart, it rectifies a man's senti- ments, whence, as from a sacred source, good works flow. In a word, it is humble and sub- missive to the will of God, which it regards as the only rule of its duty, without paying any respect to the vanity of sense, or the caprice of the human mind,

1 1 . Genuine love to God is tranquil and peace- able, acquiescing in the ways of Providence with- out complaining, happy in itself, without inquie- tude and without chagrin, flying from quarrels and divisions, easy and gentle in all things, yielding in everything, except in the service of God and the grand interest of salvation, in which love itself is inflexible, and incapable of compounding.

1 2. Real love is always active. Its tranquillity is not negligence ; it is lively and energetical, always in peace, but always in action ; like the heavens, whence it came, without noise, in pro- found silence, perpetually moving, and inces- santly shedding benign influences : it is not

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content to seek God in his temples only, but it pursues him in houses, chambers, and closets ; it rises after him to heaven ; it enjoys him in the heart, where it entertains and adores him ; it goes even to seek him in his members, and chiefly in the poor, whose secret necessities it inquires after, and endeavours to relieve.

Finally, one of the greatest evidences of love to God is, spontayieous obedience, not waiting for chastisements to awake us, after we have fallen into sin, but returning immediately to repentance. Indeed, tardy repentances, which come after we have exhausted the patience of God, and drawn the strokes of his rod upon us, are much more likely to be effects of nature, than of love to God. Self-love has so great a share in such a conduct, that, if we do not attribute our repent- ance wholly to it, we must in great part. Yet it is certain, when repentance does not flow wholly from love to God, it is not wholly hea- venly and spiritual ; it is a compound of heaven and earth, divine faith and human prudence ; and so much as it has of nature and sinful self-inte- rest, so much it loses of its worth and excellence. Genuine love does not then wait for carnal soli- citations, nor till afflictions inform us of our state ; it freely comes to our aid, and constrains us to return to God, even before we feel the efi'ects

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of his indignation. So much for the characters of love."^

In regard to the emotions included in the words patient waiting, you may remark, 1. That the coming of Jesus Christ being the subject in ques- tion, the expectation of a believer is a true and real hope, du'ectly opposite to the expectation of the wicked, which is a fear. The latter con- sider Jesus Christ on this occasion as their judge, and enemy, who will avenge himself, punish all their sins, and plunge them for ever into perdi- tion, Behevers, on the contrary, consider him as their Head, their Husband, their Saviour, who will come to raise them from dust and misery, and to exalt them to his glorious kingdom. The wicked, in their fore-views, resemble the devils, who, at Christ's first appearance, exclaimed, " Let us alone ! what have we to do with thee* thou Jesus of Nazareth ? Art thou come to de- stroy us ?" but the righteous imitate those who. attended his public entry into Jerusalem : " Ho-

* The multiplying of divisions and subdivisions is, in the editor's judgment, a great fault in composition. They should consist only of such a number as vi^ill fairly embrace the whole subject, and may easily be remembered. AU that really belongs to the subject in these thirteen heads might have been introduced under the three following: — True love to God is, I. Supreme, possess- ing the heart, the wliole heart, &c. 2. Uniform, as well under his corrections as under his smiles. 3. Obediential, instigating us not to an observance of superstitious rites, but to an humble and active performance of his revealed will.

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sanna," said they, "blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lford."

2. This expectation is accompanied with a holy and ardent desire, as being an expectation of the greatest blessings. " Come, Lord Jesus," says the Church, "Lord Jesus, come." Such was David's expectation, when he was among the Philistines ; "As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." The desire of a believer is not less fer- vent, or (to speak more properly) it is far more ardent, when he meditates on his entrance into the heavenly Jerusalem, where we shall " hun- ger and thirst no more, for the Lamb shall feed us, and lead us to foim tains of living waters." What the first appearance of Christ in the flesh was to the ancient church, that his second mani- festation is to us, with this difference, that then he was to appear in grace, whereas now we ex- pect him in glory — then he was to appear in the " form of a servant," and in the " likeness of sin- ful flesh ;" but hereafter he will appear in the " form of God," thinking it " not robbery to be equal with God." As he was then "the desire of all nations," how should he not now be the desire of all believers ?

3. This desire is accompanied with a holy in- quietude, almost like what we feel when we ex-

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pect an intimate friend, of whose coming we are sure, but are uncertain about the time: or, if you will, such as an oppressed and enslaved people feel, while they wait for a deliverer ; or, such as an affectionate consort feels, while she waits for the return of her lord. On these occa- sions days and hours move slowly, time is anti- cipated, futurity is enjoyed, and there is a pre- hbation of the expected pleasure. This is the holy inquietude which St. Paul attributes to the creatures in general, saying, They *' groan and travail in pain together with the earnest expecta- tion of the manifestation of the sons of God." How much more then must behevers do so !

4. But this inquietude does not prevent our possessing our souls in patience ; for it does not proceed to murmuring, but submits to the will of God ; knowing that times and seasons are in his own power : " if he tarry, wait for him," as St. Paul after Habakkuk says, Heb. x, 37 ; that is, be not impatient, do not murmur, for he will certainly come, and will not tarry. They are the profane only who say, ''Where is the promise of his coming ? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." We feel then an inquietude, but an inquietude blended with submission to the will of God. " Why," says the believer, " art

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thou cast down, 0 my soul ? why art thou dis- quieted within me ? hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my counte- nance and my God."

5. This expectation necessarily includes a holy preparation, and such a preparation as relates to the majesty of Him whom we expect, the great- ness of the judgment that he will come to exe- cute, and the eternal benefits of which we hope to partake. We must not imitate that wicked servant in the parable, who said, " My Lord de- lays his coming," and who, under cover of that delay, beat his fellow-servants. When Esther was to appear before Ahasuerus, she spent many days beforehand in preparing herself, adorning herself with her most costly habits, that she might appear before him in a proper manner. Such is the waiting of a believer ; he employs all his life-time to prepare for that solemn, horn*, when eternity will begin.

You might easily take the characters of vices from this pattern of characterizing virtues : how- ever, I will add an example on avarice, taking for a text Heb. xiii, 5 : " Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have."

1. Avarice is a disposition so gross, that it obscures the understanding and reason of a man,

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even so far as to make liim think of profit where there is nothing but loss, and imagine that to be economy which is nothing but ruin. Is it not in this manner that a covetous man, instead of preventing maladies, by an honest and frugal ex- pense, draws them upon himself, by a sordid and niggardly way of living ; and, by this means, brings himself under an unavoidable necessity of con- suming one part of his substance to recover a health, which, by an excessive parsimony, he has lost ? There are even some who bring inevitable death upon themselves, rather than spend any- thing to procure necessary relief; and are im- pertinent enough to imagine, that riches had better be without a possessor, than a possessor without riches ; as if man were made for money,, and not money for man.

But, 2. This would be but little, if avarice affect- ed only the avaricious themselves ; it goes much further ; it renders a man useless to society. It subverts the idea of our living to assist one an- other ; for a covetous man is useless to the whole world. He resembles that earth, of which St. Paul speaks, which " drinketh in the rain, that comes often upon it, and beareth only thorns and briers." He is an unfruitful tree, a gulf which draws in waters from all parts, but from which no stream runs ; or, if you will, an avaricious

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man is like death, that devours all, and restores nothing ; whence it comes to pass, that no man is in general so much despised, while he hves, as a miser ; and no man's death is so much desired as his. He never opens his treasures till he is leaving the world ; he, therefore, can never re- ceive the fruits of gratitude, because his favours are never conferred till his death.

3. Further, this vice not only renders a man useless to society, but it' even makes him hm'tful and pernicious to it. There is no right so invio- lable, no law so holy, which he will not violate greedily to amass riches, and cautiously to pre- serve them. How many violent encroachments, how many criminal designs, how many dark and treasonable practices, how many infamies and wickednesses, have proceeded from this perverse inclination ! If a covetous man is barren in kind- nesses, he is fruitful in sins and iniquities. There are no boundaries which he cannot pass, no bar- riers which he cannot readily go over, to satisfy his base passion for money.

4. By this we may already perceive liow in- co77ipatihle this vice is with true faith, and with the genius of Christianity/. The spirit of Chris- tianity is a spirit of love and charity, always benefi- cent, always ready to prevent the necessities of our Christian brethren ; kind and full of compas-

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sion, inquiring into the wants of others, and, without asking, seeking means to prevent them. But avarice, on the contrary, makes a man hard, cruel, pitiless, beyond the reach of complaints and tears, rendering the miser not only jealous of the prosperity of his neighbour, but even making him consider the pittances of the miser- able as objects of his covetous desires.

5. It is not without reason that St. Paul calls avarice idolatry ; for one of the principal cha- racters of this cursed inclination is a making gold and silver one's god. It is money, in effect, which the covetous adores, it is this that he su- premely loves, this he prefers above all other things ; it is his last end, his life, his confidence, and all his happiness. He who fears God, con- secrates to him his first thoughts, and devotes to his glory and service the chief of his cares ; to his interests, the whole of his heart ; and for the rest, commits himself to the care of his providence. It is the same with a covetous man in regard to his treasures ; he thinks only of them, he labours only to increase and preserve them, he feels only for them ; he has neither rest nor hope which is not founded on his riches; he would offer incense to them, could he do it without expense.

6. It is surprising, and sometimes sufficiently diverting^ to see in what manner all the other

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inclinations of a miser, good and bad, virtues and vices, his love and his hatred, his joy and his sorrow, respect and obey his avarice. They move or rest, act or do not act, agreeably to the orders which this criminal passion gives them. If he be naturally civil, mild, and agreeable in his conversation, he will not fail to lay aside all his civilities and good manners, when his avarice tells him he may get something by doing so ; and, on the contrary, when he has received some injury, when some insult has been offered him, which is a just ground of resentment, you may see, in an instant, his wrath is removed, and all his vehemence abated, in hope of a little money ofl'ered to appease him, or in fear of a small expense to gratify his resentment. If an object of public joy or sorrow offer itself to his view, simply considering it in a general view, he will be glad or sorry, according to the nature of the thing in question ; but should this occa- sion of public joy interest him ever so little, or in any manner prejudice his pretensions, all on a sudden you will see all his joy turned into sor- row. In like manner, when a public calamity gives him an opportunity of gaining anything, all his sorrow is turned into joy. If he ardently loves any one, he will love him no longer, if he begin to cost him anything ; avarice will turn all

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his love into indifference and coldness. If rea- son and common honesty oblige him to be of a party who have justice on their side, he will maintain and even exaggerate their rights, and defend the equity of them, while his purse is not engaged : engage his purse, and it is no longer the same thing : what was just is become now unjust to him, he has quickly ^vhys and hoivevers in his mouth — but, however, we were mistaken in such a point — why should we be obstinate in such or such a thing ? (fee.

In fine, his avarice gives the colour and tint to every subject, it is the sole rule and measure, it makes things good or bad, just or unjust, reasonable or unreasonable, according to its pleasure : crimes are no longer crimes, if they agree with avarice ; virtues are no longer virtues, when they oppose it : she reigns over the ideas of a miser's mind and the emotions of his heart, sole arbitress in the judgments of his mind, sole directress in the consultations of his heart, sole governess of all his passions. Aristotle's defini- tion of nature can be nowhere better applied, — she is the principle of motion and of rest : for she does all that the centurion in the gospel did ; she says to one. Go, and he goeth ; to another. Come, and he cometh. Do this, and he doeth it ; yea, she goes farther than the centurion went ; 10

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for she says, Pause, and all things pause, Cease, and all things cease to be.*

IV. — Observe the Relation of one Subject to another. For example, always when in Scripture God is called a Father, the relation of that term to children is evident, and we are obliged not only to remark the paternal inclinations which are in God toward us, and the advantages which w^e receive from his love, but also the duties to which we are boimd as children of such a Fa- ther. The same may be said of all these ex- pressions of Scripture, " God is our God," w^e are " his people " — he is our '' portion," we are his "heritage" — he is our "master," we are his "servants" — he is our "king," we are the " subjects of his kingdom" — he is our " prophet or teacher," we are his " disciples" — with many more of the same kind. When we meet with such single and separate, they must be discussed in relation to one another, and this relation must be particularly considered. Thus, when the "kingdom" of God, or of Jesus Christ, is spoken of, all things relative to this kingdom must be considered — as, its laws — arms — throne

* These seven heads might, as in the foreg-oing instance, have been reduced tp three. Avarice, 1. Perverts our judgment; 2. Destro s our happiness ; 3. Is incompatible with true reli- gion.

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— crown — subjects — extent of dominion — palace where the king resides, &c. So when our mys- tical " marriage " with Jesus Christ is spoken of, whether it be where he is called a bridegroom, or his Church a bride, you should, after you have explained these expressions, turn your at- tention to relative things — as the love of Jesus Christ to us, which made him consent to this mystical marriage — the dowry that we bring him, our sins and miseries — the communication which he makes to us, both of his name and benefits — the rest that he grants us in his house, changing our abode — the banquet at his divine nuptials — ^the inviolable fidehty which he requires of us — the right and power he acquires over us — the defence and protection which he engages to afford us : but when these relative things are discussed, great care must be taken neither to insist on them too much, nor to de- scend to mean ideas, nor even to treat of them one after another, in form of a parallel ; for nothing is more tiresome than treating these apart, and one after another. They must, then, be associated together; a body composed of many images must be formed ; and the whole must be always animated with the sensible, and the spiritual. I think a preacher ought to con- tent himself with making one single observation,

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or, at the most, two, in case the relative things are too numerous to be collected into one point of view. In such a case, you must endeavour to reduce them to two classes, but in two dif- ferent orders ; and always make the difference perceptible, so that it may not be said you have made two observations of what was naturally but one.

V. — Observe tvJiether some Things he not Supposed^ which are not Expressed.

This is a source of invention different from the former ; for the former is confined to things really relative ; but this speaks in general of things supposed, which have no relation to each other. For example, when we speak of a change, what they call the terminus a quo ne- cessarily supposes the terminus ad quern ; and the terminus ad quern supposes the terminus a quo.

A covenant supposes two contracting parties — a reconcihation effected, or a peace made, supposes war and enmity — a victory supposes enemies, arms, and a combat — life supposes death, and death life — the day supposes night, and the night day : sometimes there are propo- sitions, which necessarily suppose others, either because they are consequences, depending on their principles, or because they are truths na-

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turally connected with others. It is always very important to understand well what things are supposed in a text : for sometimes several useful considerations may be drawn from them, and not unfrequently the very expressions in the text include them.

For example, Rom. xii, 11 : " Recompense to no man evil for evil." In discussing this text, you may very properly observe the truths which are implied, or supposed in the words ; as, 1. The disorder into which sin has thrown mankind, so that men are exposed to receive in- juries and insults from each other. A society of sinners is only a shadow of society ; they are actually at war with each other, and, like the Midianitish army, turning every one his sword against his companion. The spirit of the world is a spirit of dispersion rather than of association. Different interests, diversities of sentiments, va- rieties of opinions, contrarieties of passion, make a perpetual division ; and the fruits of this divi- sion are insults and injuries. It may be said of each in such societies, as of Ishmael in the pro- phecy, "His hand is against every man, and every man's hand against him."

2. We must not imagine that faith, and the dignity of a Christian calling, raise the disciple of Christ above injuries : on the contrary, they

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expose him oftener to evils than others ; as well because God himself will have our faith tried, that we may arrive at heaven through many tri- bulations, as because a Christian profession ne- cessarily divides believers from infidels. The world and sin form a kind of communion be- tween the wicked and worldly, which produces a mutual forbearance and friendship : but there is no communion between a believer and an un- believer, any more than between light and dark- ness, Christ and Behal. Thence come all the persecutions of the Church, and thence will good men continue to meet with opposition from the wicked, to the end of time. Jesus Christ, when he sent his Apostles, did not fail to apprize them of this : he said, " I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves ;" and again, " If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, therefore the world hateth you."

You may make an observation on each of these supposed truths ; and, having established the Apostle's precept, by showing that private revenge is contrary to the laws of Christianity, and incompatible with true piety, you may ob- serve a third supposed truth :

3. That the gospel not only forbids resent- ment and revenge; it even commands us to

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pardcm offences : and, farther, obliges us to do good to our enemies, and to pray for our perse- cutors, according to the precept of Jesus Christ, " Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you :'* and, according to the doctrine of St. Paul in another place, " If thine enemy hunger, feed him ; if he thirst, give him drink."

It remains that you take care, in treating sup- posed truths —

1. Not to fetch them too /ar, or to bring them ' about by long circuits of reasoning. Avoid this for two reasons : first, because you would render your discourse obscure by it, for everybody is not capable of seeing truths which are very dis- tant from the text; and, secondly, because by this means you might bring in all the whole body of divinity into your text, which attempt would be vicious, and contrary to the rules of good sense. Of supposed truths, you must choose the most natural, and those which lie nearest the text.

In the 2d place, do not enlarge on implied truths. It is proper, indeed, that hearers should know them ; but they are not principal articles.

And, 3dly, take care also that these supposed things be im,portant, either for instruction in general, or for casting light particularly on the text, or for consolation, or for the correction of

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vice, or practice of piety, or some useful pur- pose; otherwise you would deliver trifling im- pertinencies under the name of implied truths.

VI. — Reflect on the Persons Speaking or Acting. For an example let us take the last-mentioned text of St. Paul, " Recompense to no man evil for evil." Here you may very pertinently re- mark, 1. That this precept is more beautiful in the mouth of St. Paul than it could have been in that of any other man. The reason is this : he, of all the men in the world, had the greatest reason for resentment upon worldly principles ; for never was there a man more persecuted, never a man more unjustly persecuted, than he. He was persecuted by his own countrymen the Jews, persecuted by the Gentiles, persecuted by false brethren, persecuted by false apostles, per- secuted when he preached the gospel, persecuted even by those for whose salvation he was labour- ing ; persecuted to prison, to banishment, to bonds, to blood. How amiable, then, is such a precept in the mouth of such a man ! How for- cible is such a precept, supported by one of the greatest examples we can conceive ! by the ex- ample of a man whose interest seems to dictate a quite contrary practice ! When we give such precepts to the worldly, they never fail to say

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to US, " Yes, yes : you talk finely : you have never been insulted as we have. Had you met with what we have, you would talk otherwise." But there is no reason to say so to St. Paul, any more than to Jesus Christ, his Master, the Author of this divine morality ; for who was ever so per- secuted as Jesus Christ? and, after him, who suffered more than his servant St. Paul ?

2. You may also very properly remark, that, to take a different view of the apostle Paul, no man was more obliged to teach and love such a morality than Mmself. Why ? Because of all those whom God in his ineffable mercy had called to the knowledge of the truth, he had been the most concerned in cruel efforts of rage against God and his church. All inflamed with fury, he went from Jerusalem to Damascus, to ravage the flock of Jesus Christ. In this raging violence of his hatred, God made him feel his love, pardoned his sins, softened his heart, and from heaven cried to him, " Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Who, then, could be more obliged to preach mercy than this man, to whom God had showed so much mercy ? Might he not say, when he gave these rules of morality, what he said on another subject, *' I have received of the Lord that which I deliver unto you :" I have received the same mercy which I teach you.

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Add to this, the apostle had not only met with pardoning love to an enemy on God's part, but he had also experienced it from the church. Far from rendering him evil for evil, far from avenging his persecutions, the disciples of Christ reached out the arms of their love to him, received him into their communion, and numbered him with the apostles of Jesus Christ.

Vn. — Reflect on the State of the Person Speaking or Acting.

Thus, in explaining 1 Thess. v, 16, ''Rejoice evermore," you must not fail to consider the state of St. Paul when he wrote that epistle ; for he was at Athens, engaged in that superstitious city, where, as it is said in the seventeenth of Acts, his spirit was " stirred in him," observing " the city wholly given to idolatry;" where he was treated as "a babbler, a setter forth of strange gods;" and where, in short, he was the object of Athenian ridicule and raillery. Yet, amid so many just causes of grief, he exhorts the Thes- salonians always to preserve their spiritual joy. Not that he 'meant to render them insensible to the evils which he suffered, nor to the afflictions of the new-born church ; but because our spiritual afflictions (I mean those which we suffer for the glory of God and the good of his church) are not

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incompatible with peace and joy of conscience : on the contrary, it is particularly in these afflic- tions that God gives the most lively joys, because then he bestows on his children more abundant measures of his grace, and more intimate com- munion with himself. Moreover, on these sad occasions we generally become better acquainted with the providence of God ; we feel an assurance that nothing happens without his order, and that, happen what will, " all things work together for good to them that love God," This gives us true rest, a joy which nothing is capable of dis- turbing.

Vni. — Remark the Time of a Word or Action.

For example : St. Paul, in his first Epistle to Timothy, requires that in the public services of the church, prayers should be made for " all men ;" but " first for kings, and for those that were in authority." Here it is very natural to remark the time. It was when the church and the apostles were everywhere persecuted ; when the faithful were the objects of the hatred and calumny of all mankind, and in particular of the cruelty of these tyrants. Yet none of this rough treatment could stop the course of Christian charity. St. Paul not only requires every be- liever to pray for all men ; but he would have

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it done in public, that all the world might know the maxims of Christianity — always kind, patient, and benevolent. Believers consider themselves as bound in duty to all men, though men do no- thing to oblige them to it. He was aware, ma- licious slanderers would call this worldly policy and human prudence, and would say, Christians only meant to flatter the great, and to court their favour ; yet even this calumny does not prevent St. Paul ; he orders them to pray pub- licly, and Jirst, for civil governors. We ought always to discharge our duty, and, for the rest, submit to the unjust accounts that men give of our conduct.

IX. — Observe Place.

St. Paul says to the Philippians, " Forgetting the things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press to- ward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." The place where he writes this, furnishes a very beautiful considera- tion. He was then in prison at Rome, loaded with chains, and deprived of his liberty ; yet he speaks as if he were as much at liberty as any man in the world ; as able to act as he pleased, and to dispose of himself, as ever. He talks of having entered a course, running a race, forgetting

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things behind, pressing toward those that were before, and, in short, of hoping to gain a prize : all these are actions of a man enjoying full liberty. How could he, who was in prison, be at the same time on a race-com-se ? How could he run who was loaded with irons ? How could he hope to win a prize, who every day expected a sentence of death? But it is not difficult to reconcile these things : his bonds and imprisonment did not hinder the course of his faith and obedience. His prison was converted into an agreeable sta- dium ; and death for the gospel might well be considered under the image of a complete vic- tory, for a martyr gains an unfading crown as a reward of his sufferings.

X. — Consider the Persons Addressed.

Let us again take St. Paul's words for an ex- ample. " Recompense to no man evil fqr evil." Rom, xii, lY. They to whom the apostle ad- dressed these words were Romans, whose per- petual maxim was violently to revenge public injuries, and totally to destroy those who intended to destroy them, or had offered them any affronts : witness the Carthaginians and Corinthians. They totally destroyed Carthage, because she had car- ried her arms into Italy by Hannibal's means, and had been upon the point of ruining Rome.

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Corintli they sacked and burnt, for having af- fronted their ambassadors. You may also re- mark this particular circumstance — that although the Romans had succeeded in avenging their injuries, and the empire owed its grandeur to such excesses, yet their success did not hinder the apostle from saying, *' Recompense to no man evil for evil ;" because neither examples nor successes ought to be the rules of our conduct, but solely the will of God and the law of Chris- tianity.

XI. — Examine tlie particular State of Persons Ad- dressed.

For example, " Recompense to no man evil

for evil." St. Paul writes to Romans; but to

Roman Christians, who saw themselves hated

and persecuted by their fellow-citizens, and, in

general, abused by the whole world. Yet,

however, reasonable resentment might appear

at first sight, the Apostle would not have them

obey such passions as the light of reason, the

instinct of nature, and the desire of their own

preservation, might seem to excite : he exhorted

them to leave vengeance to God, and advised

them only to follow the dictates of love. Thé

greatest persecutors of the primitive Christians

were the Jews, on whom the Roman Christians

could easily have avenged themselves under

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various pretexts ; for the Jews were generally- hated and despised by all other nations, and nothing could be easier than to avail themselves of that pubhc hatred to which the religion of the Jews exposed them. Nevertheless, St. Paul not only says in general, " Render not evil for evil ;" but, in particular, " Recompense to no man evil for evil ;" — as if he had said, Do not injure those on whom you could most easily avenge yourselves ; hurt not the most violent enemies of the name of Jesus Christ, and of the Chris- tian profession ; not even those who have cruci- fied your Saviour, and every day strive to de- stroy his gospel.

Xn. — Consider the Principles of a Word or Action.

For example, John v, 14 : " Behold, thou art made whole : sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto theé." This was the language of Jesus Christ to the man whom he had just be- fore healed of an infirmity of thirty-eight years' standing. Him Jesus now found in the temple. It is not imaginable that this meeting was for- tuitous, and unforeseen to Jesus Christ : his pro- vidence, no doubt, conducted the man that way, directed him to the temple, whither he himself went to seek him. Examine, then, upon what principles Jesus Christ went to seek this misera-

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ble sinner; and you will find, 1, He went in great love to the poor man : he went in that same benevolence which inclined him to do good to all who had need, and in every place that he honoured with his presence. Jesus was, as it were, a public source of benefits ; his hands everywhere bestowed beneficent gifts, and he even sought occasions when they did not present themselves. 2. He went by an engagement of ancient love, which he had made on behalf of this paralytic : his second favour flowed from his first ; nor would he leave his work imperfect. Thus, it is said, in regard to his disciples, " Hav- ing loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them to the end." The bounty of Jesus Christ resembles that of his eternal Father, who calls, justifies, and, in the end, glorifies those whom he first predestinated : and on this, as on one of the principal foundations, St. Paul esta- blisheth our hope for the future ; '' God having begun a good work in us, will perform it to the day of Christ :" and elsewhere, " God is faith- ful, who hath called you to the fellowship of his Son." 3. It was by a principle of wisdom and foreknowledge, that Jesus Christ sought this paralytic patient in the temple, in order to teach him his duty, to furnish him with the means of doing it, and to give him a more particular

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knowledge of the Friend who had healed him ; for he well knew that a tender faith, such as that of this man was, had need of fresh and continual aid, as a young plant needs a prop to support it against winds and storms.

In like manner, if you had to examine these words of Jesus Christ to the Samaritan woman, " Go and call thy husband," (John iv,) you might examine the intention of Jesus Christ in this expression. He did not speak thus because he was ignorant what sort of a life this woman lived ; he knew that, to speak properly, she had no husband. It was, then, 1. A word of trial ; for the Lord said this to give her an opportunity of making a free confession, " I have no hus- band." 2. It was also a word of kind reproof ; for he intended to convince her of the sin in which she lived. 3. It was also a word of grace ; for the censure tended to the woman's consolation. 4. It was, further, a word of wis- dom ; for our Lord intended to take occasion at this meeting to discover himself to her, and more clearly to convince her that he had a per- fect knowledge of all the secrets of her life ; as he presently proved, by saying, *'Thou hast well said, ITiave no husband ; for thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou hast now is not thy husband."

11

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Were you going to explain the ninth verse of the first of Acts, where it is said, " When Jesus was taken up, his disciples beheld him," it would be proper to remark the sentiments of the disciples in that moment, and to show from what principles proceeded that attentive and earnest looking after their Divine Master, while he ascended to heaven.

XIII. — Consider Consequences.

Thus, when you explain the doctrine of God's mercy, it is expedient (at least sometimes) to remark the good and lawful uses which we ought to make of it. These uses are, to re- nounce ourselves — to be sensible of our infinite obligations to God, who pardons so many sins with so much bounty — to consecrate ourselves entirely to his service, as persons over whom he has acquired a new right — and to labour inces- santly for his glory, in gratitude for what he has done for our salvation.

You may also observe the false and 2^^rnicious consequences which ungrateful and wicked men, who sin that grace may abound, pretend to de- rive from this doctrine. They say. We are no longer to consider justice, now we are under grace ; the more we sin, the more God will be glorified in pardoning us— this mercy will en-

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dure ail the time of our lives, and therefore it will be enough to apply to it at the hour of death — with many more such false consequen- ces, which must be both clearly stated, and fully refuted.

It is much the same with the doctrine of the efiScacious grace of the Holy Ghost in our con- version ; for the just and lawful consequences which are drawn from it, are, 1. That such is the greatness of our depravity, it can be rectified only by Almighty aid ; 2. That we should be humble, because there is nothing good in us ;

3. That we should ascribe all the glory of our salvation to God, who is the only author of it ;

4. That we must adore the depths of the great mercy of our God, who freely gave his Holy Spirit to convert us.

You must remark at the same time the abuses and false consequences which insidious sophis- ters draw from this doctrine ; as, that since the conversion of men is by the almighty power of God, it is needless to preach his word, and to address to them, on God's part, exhortations, promises, and threatenings — that it is in vain to tell a sinner it is his duty to turn to God, as without efficacious grace (which does not depend upon the sinner) he cannot do it — that it has a tendency to make men negligent about their

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salvation to tell them it does not depend on their power. These, and such like abuses, must be proposed and solidly refuted.

Moreover, this method must be taken when you have occasion to treat of the doctrines of election and reprobation — the propitiatory sacri- fice of Christ's blood — and, in general, almost all religious subjects require it ; for there is not one of them all which is not subject to use and abuse. Take care, however, when you propose these good and bad consequences, that you do it properly, and when an occasion naturally pre- sents itself ; for were they introduced with any kind of affectation and force, it must be disa- greeable.

In general, then, this way of good and bad consequences ought to be used when there is reason to fear some may infer bad consequen- ces, and when they seem to flow from the text itself ; for in this case they ought to be prevented and refuted, and contrary consequences opposed against them.

XIV. — Reflect on the End proposed in an Expres- sion or an Action.

Although this is not very different from the way of principles, of which we have already spoken, yet it may afford a variety in discussing them.

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If, for example, you were speaking of justifi- cation, in the sense in which St. Paul taught it, you must observe the ends which the Apostle proposed, as, 1. To put a just difference be- tween Jesus Christ and Moses, the Law and the Gospel, and to show against those who would blend them together, and so confound both in one body of religion, that they cannot be so united. 2. To preserve men from that Phari- saical pride which reigned among the Jews, who ** sought to estabhsh their own righteousness, and not the righteousness of God." 3. To take away such inadequate remedies as the law, by way of shadow, exhibited for the expiation of sins, as sacrifices and purifications ; as well as those which Pagan superstition proposed, such as washing in spring water, offering victims to their gods, &c. 4. To bring men to the true and only atonement for sin, which is the blood of Jesus Christ.

XV. — Consider whether there he anything Remarb- able in the Manner of the Speech or Action.

For example: "In all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us.'* Rom. viii, 37. You may remark, that there is a more than ordinary force in these words, " more than conquerors ;" for they express an heroical

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triumph. He does not simply say, We bear our trials with patience ; lie not only says, We shall conquer in this conflict ; but he affirms, " We are more than conquerors," It is much, that faith resists trials without being oppressed ; it is more to conquer these trials after a rude combat ; but to affirm, the believer shall be more than a con- queror, is as much as to say, he shall conquer without a combat, and triumph without resist- ance ; it is as much as to say, he shall make trials the matter of his joy and glory, (as the apostle says, " We glory in tribulation,") considering them not as afflictions and sorrows, but as divine honours and favours. This was also the apostle's mind when he wrote to the Philippians, " Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake." He considers sufferings as gifts of the liberality of God, for which the faithful are obliged to be thankful. So in this other passage, " I am per- suaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." You may here remark the heroism and magnanimity of St. Paul. His faith seems to defy all the powers of nature. He assembles

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them all — life — death — angels, &c., to triumph over them, and to exult in their defeat. This language marks a full persuasion of the favour of God, and an invincible confidence in his love. Such remarks as these may be made upon many expressions of Jesus Christ, wherein are discovered dignity and majesty, which cannot belong to any mere creature ; as when he says, " Before Abraham was, I am." " Whilst I am in the world, I am the light of the world." " All mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them." " Ye believe in God, believe also in me." " Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do." There are many passages of the same kind.

XVI. — Compare Words and Actions with similar Words and Actions.

The evangelist speaks of the things " that Jesus began to do and to teach." Acts i, 1. Now he says the same of Moses, *'He was mighty in words and in deeds." Acts vii, 22. Here you may observe, that these two things joined to- gether, doing and teaching, are distinguishing characters of a true prophet, who never separates practice from doctrine. You may then make an edifying comparison between Moses and Jesus Christ : both did and taught ; but there was a

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great difference between the teaching of one and that of the other. One taught justice, the other mercy — one abased, the other exalted — one ter- rified, the other comforted. There was also a great difference between the deeds of the one, and those of the other. Most of the miracles of Moses were miracles of destruction, insects, frogs, hail, and others of the same kind, with which he chastised the Egyptians. But the miracles of Jesus Christ were always miracles of benevolence, raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, &c.

So again, when the infidelity of the Jews, in rejecting the Messiah, is discussed, you may ex- amine their prejudices and their maxims, as they are narrated in the gospel ; and these you may compare with those of the Church of Rome in rejecting the Reformation ; for they are very much alike.

So again, when you consider St. Paul's answers to the objections of tlie Jews, who pleaded that they were the people of God, and that his cove- nant belonged to Abraham and his posterity, you may observe, that these answers are like ours to the Roman Church, when they affirm they are the Church of God. As the apostle distinguisheth two Israels, one after the flesh, and the other after the Spirit, so we distinguish two churches ; one, which is only so in outward pro-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 169

fession before men, possessing the pulpits, the churches, and the schools ; and the other, which is the church in the sight of God, having a holy- doctrine, and a lively faith. These answer precise- ly to the apostle's Israel after the flesh, and Israel after the Spirit. As the apostle applies the pro- mises of God, and their accomplishment, not to Israel after the flesh, but to the Israelites after the Spirit, so we also apply the promises which God has made to his church, not to those who occupy the pulpits, the churches, and the schools, but to those who believe and practise the pure doctrine of the gospel. As St. Paul defines the true people of God to be those whom God, by his electing love, hath taken from among men, so we define the true church by the same elect- ing grace, maintaining that the Lord has made all the excellent promises, with which Scripture abounds, to his elect only ; and that his elect are such as he has chosen according to his good pleasure, without any regard to particular places, conditions, or qualifications among men.

XVn. — Remark the Differences of Words and AC' tions on Different Occasions.

When a weak scrupulosity or a tenderness of conscience was in question, which put some of the faithful upon eating only herbs, St. Paul ex-

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horted the strong to bear the infirmities of the weak: "Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not ; and let not him which eateth not, judge him that eateth ; for God hath received him." Rom, xiv, 3. But when the same St. Paul speaks of false teachers, who wanted to impose a yoke on conscience, and who, under pretext of meats and days, were attempting to join Moses with Jesus Christ, as if Christians were yet obhged to observe the ceremonial law ; then the apostle has no patience with them, but con- demns and anathematizes them, as people who preached another gospel, and exhorts the faith- ful to " stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ had made them free, and not to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Gal. v, 1.

So again, when you find in the gospel that Jesus Christ sometimes forbade his disciples to publish the miracles that he wrought, and to declare his divinity, and, at other times, that he ordered them to publish upon the liouse-toios what they had heard in private, and to preach to all nations the mysteries of his kingdom, you must remark, that this difference is owing to dif- ferent occasions. While Jesus Christ was upon earth, the mysteries of his kingdom were covered with the veil of his humiliation, it being necessary in some sense to conceal them ; but after his ex-

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altation, it became proper to publish tbem to the whole earth.

The same diversity may be remarked in what the Lord Jesus said to the Canaanitish woman — that he was " only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel;" and that it was "not meet to give the children's bread to dogs." This seems contrary to an almost infinite number of passages of Scripture, which affirm, Jesus Christ is " the light of the Gentiles ;" ''to him shall the gather- ing of the people be." These, and all other such passages, will perfectly agree, if you dis- tinguish time and occasion. While Jesus Christ was upon earth, he was " the minister of the cir- cumcision," as St. Paul speaks ; that is, his per- sonal ministerial commission was only to the Jews : but when he was exalted to glory, his ministry extended over the whole earth.

XVin. — Contrast Words and Actions. Thus you may oppose the agonies and terrors which seized Jesus Christ at the approach of death, against the constancy and joy of the mar- tyrs, who flew to martyrdom as to a victory. This contrariety of emotions is accounted for by the difi'erence of the persons. Jesus Christ was the Mediator of men toward God, bearing their sins, and engaging with the eternal justice of his

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Father : but the martyrs were behevers, recon- ciled to God, fighting under Christ's banner, and, as mystical soldiers, maintaining his righteous claims. One was filled with a sense of God's wrath against men : the others were filled with a sense of his love. Christ met death as an armed enemy, and as one who, till that time, had a right to triumph over mankind : but martyrs approached him as a vanquished enemy, or rather as an enemy reconciled, who, having changed his nature, was become favourable to men. In one word, Jesus Christ was at war with death ; whereas death was at peace and in friendship with the martyrs.

In general, we may affiim, that contrast is one of the most beautiful topics of Christian rhetoric, and that which furnishes the most striking illus- trations. Great care, however, must be taken that the oppositions be natural, easy to compre- hend, and properly placed in a full, clear light.

XIX. — Examine the Grounds, or Causes of an Ac- tion or an Expression ; and show the Truth or Equity of it.

For example. When the incarnation of Jesus Christ is in question, as in this text, " The Word was made flesh," you may recur to the founda- tions of this truth, as revealed in Scripture, in

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order to show that a divine Person did take upon him real true humanity, in opposition to the no- tions of some ancient heretics, who imagined that the human nature of Christ was only appa- rent. For this purpose you must look into the ancient prophecies for such passages as attribute two natures, the human and divine, to the one person of the Messiah. To the same purpose you may also apply New Testament texts, which speak of the same subject ; and you may further observe such reasons of this singular economy as theology furnisheth, and which are taken from the design of our salvation.

In hke manner, when you treat of the resur- rection of Christ, or his ascension to heaven, you must take this topic, and show the fidelity and credibility of the testimony borne by his apostles. Yom* argument may be established by observing what followed his resurrection and ascension ; as the effusion of the Spirit, the abolition of the em- pire of the devil and his idols, the conversion of whole nations to the worship of the one true God, miracles, prophecies, &c.

The same method is proper when some ^:>re- dictions are your subjects ; as the destruction of Jerusalem, and the rejection of the Jews : for you may either narrate history to show the exe- cution, or you may reason upon the subject to

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show how wonderful the divine wisdom was in that dispensation : the whole will evince the truth of the predictions.

I said also, the grounds and causes of an ac- tion or expression might be examined, to show the equity and truth of either. This principally takes place when anything surprising and un- common is in question, for such things at first seem to shock the minds of auditors ; or when you are pressing home an exhortation to the practice of any duty which cannot be performed without difficulty. For example : The Pharisees complain in the gospel, that the disciples of Christ did not Tceep the traditions of the eldet's. In order to justify the disciples, show the foun- dations of Christian liberty; and remark, that the true worship of God does not consist in the observation of external ceremonies, much less in the observation of human traditions and customs ; but it consists of true piety, real inward holi- ness, and actual obedience to the commandments of God.

So again, when Jesus Christ, after he had healed the paralytic man, commanded him to sin no more, lest a ivorse thing should come unto hiîn. You must go to the grounds of the ex- pression to show its equity. Now these are, that some sins had dra^vn the wrath of God upon

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him before — that, if he continued in them, that wrath would certainly return — that the favours which we receive from God engage us to glorify him by good works, (fee. This topic is of great use in explaining the commandments of the law, the equity of which must be made to appear ; for it must be proved that they are all founded in nature, and have an inviolable fitness in the order of things.

In short, it is proper to take this method, with all exhortations to piety, charity, &c., which are found in Scripture. In order to persuade people to the practice of them, their fitness must be shown, by opening the grounds, reasons, and principles of our obligations to the practice of all these virtues.

XX. — Remark the Good and Bad in Expressions and Actions.

This topic is of very great use in explaining the histories recorded in the gospel, where you will frequently find actions and words which may be called mixed ; because, in general, they pro- ceed from some good principles, and, in particu- lar, they have a good deal of weakness and in- firmity in them. If you would explain Matt, xvi, 22, " Then Peter took him and began to re- buke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord;

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this shall not be unto thee ;" you may observée what there is good, and what bad, in this ex- pression of St. Peter. 1. You see herein his love to his Master ; for his not being able to bear the discourse of Jesus Christ concerning his suffer- ings at Jerusalem could only proceed from his ardent affection to him. 2. Herein appears not that cold and lukewarm regard which most men have for one another, but a most lively affection, interesting him for his Master ; an affection full of tenderness, which could not even bear to hear a word, or entertain a thought, about the death of Jesus Christ. 3. You may observe an honest freedom, which put him upon freely addressing Jesus Christ himself, using that familiar access which his condescen:>ion allowed his disciples, without a mixture of mean and despicable timidi- ty. 4. You see, in fine, a strong faith in his Master's power, as by addressing him he seems persuaded that it depended only on himself to suffer or not to sufïer; "Lord, be it far from thee; this shall not be unto thee." Now all these are good dispositions. Here follow the had ones. 1 . Peter discovers gross ignorance of the ways of divine wisdom in sending Jesus Christ into the world; for he does not seem yet to know that Jesus Christ must needs suffer : and with this ignorance the Lord reproaches him in

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the next verse, " Thou savourest not the things which are of God, but those which are of men." 2. His love to his Master had something merely human and carnal in it, since he only considered the preservation of his temporal life, and con- cerned himself only about his body, instead of elevating his mind to that superior glory of Jesus Christ, which was to follow his sufferings, or con- sidering the great work of man's salvation, to perform which he came into the world. 3. You may also remark a troublesome and criminal holdiiess. He means to be wiser than Jesus Christ. " Peter took him," says the Evangelist, *'and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee." Rash attempt ! as if Peter were called into the council of God and Jesus Christ his Son, to give his opinion concerning this grand affair. 4. It even seems as if Peter, hearing Christ speak of his sufferings, imagined this dis- course proceeded only from his fear of death, and from a mean timidity ; for he aims to en- courage and comfort him, as we do persons whose fears exceed the bounds of reason. "Lord," says he, " be it far from thee ; this shall not be to thee :" as if he had said to him. Do not affect yourself, your apprehensions of death are ground- less, nothing of this is like to happen to you.

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XXI. — Suppose Things. This topic is principally used in controversy. For example: When you are speaking of the merit of good works, you may take this way of supposition, and say, Let us suppose that Jesus Christ and his apostles held the doctrines of the Church of Rome, and that they believed men merited eternal life by their good works : let us suppose that they intended to teach us this doc- trine in the Gospels and Epistles. Tell me, I beseech you, if upon this supposition (which is precisely what our adversaries pretend) they ought to have affirmed what they have. Tell me, pray, do you believe yourself well and suffi- ciently instructed in the doctrine of the merit of good works, when you are told, "When you have done all these things ye are unprofitable servants ?" Again, when the example of a miser- able publican is proposed to you, who prays, " God be merciful to me a sinner !" who smites his breast, and dares not lift his eyes to heaven ; when he is placed in opposition to a Pharisee glorying in his works : and when you are inform- ed, the first " went down to his house justified rather than the other" — when you are told, "if it be by grace, it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace ; if it be by works, it is

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 179

no more grace, otherwise work is no more work" — when you are told, " you are saved by grace through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God " — when you are assured, you are "justified freely by grace, through the re- demption that is in Christ Jesus, not of works, lest any man should boast" — when you hear, that " to him that worketh not, but belie veth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is count- ed for righteousness" — when you are taught to believe " the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life" — tell me, I once more entreat you, can you persuade yourself that Je- sus Christ and his apostles, by all these means, intended to teach you, that man acquires justi- fication, and a right to eternal life, by the merit of his works ?

You may also make such suppositions in morality as well as in controversy, in order to give greater weight to your exhortations.

XXII. — Guard against Objections.

There are very few texts of Scripture where this topic may not be made use of ; and it is needless to mention examples ; they will occur to every one without much reflection.

Remark, however, objections must be natural and popular, not far-fetched, nor too philoso-

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phical ; in a word, they must be such as it is absolutely necessary to observe and refute.

They must be proposed in a clear and simple style, without rhetorical exaggerations ; yet not unadorned nor unaffecting.

I think it is never advisable to state objec- tions, and defer the answers to them till another opportunity ; answer them directly, forcibly, and fully.

Here it may be asked, whether, in stating objections to be answered, it be proper to pro- pose them all together at once, and then come to the answers ; or whether they should be pro- posed and answered one by one? I suppose discretional good sense must serve for both guide and law upon this subject. If three or four objections regard only 07ie part of the text, if each may be proposed and answered in a few words, it would not be amiss to propose these objections all together, distinguishing them, however, by first — second — third ; — this may be done agreeably : but if these objections regard different parts of the text, or different matters, if they require to be proposed at full length, and if it would also take some time to answer them, it would be impertinence to propose them all together: in such a case they must be proposed and answered apart.

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XXTTT. — Consider Characters of— Majesty — Mean- ness — Infirmity — Necessity — Utility — Evidence^ —Sfc.

MAJESTY AND MAGNANIMITY.

Take an example of this from John xiv, 1 ; " Let not your heart be troubled ; you beheve in God, beheve also in me." These words are characterized by a majesty, which exalts Jesus Christ above all ordinary pastors, and above all the prophets ; for who beside the Son of God could say, " Ye believe in God, beheve also in me ?" These words equal Jesus Christ to the eternal Father, and make him the object of our faith and confidence as well as the Father ; for they imply that faithful souls may repose an entire confidence in his power, protection, and government, and that the shadow of his wings will dissipate the sorrows of their minds, and leave no more room for fear.

You see also a character of tenderness and in- finite love towards his disciples, which appears in the assurance with which he inspires them, and in the promise which he tacitly makes them, of always powerfully supporting, and never for- saking them. The same characters, or others like them, may be observed in all this discourse of our Saviour, which goes on to the end of the

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sixteenth chapter: as in these words, "I am the way, the truth, and the Hfe;" — in these, " He that hath seen me, Phihp, hath seen the Father ;" — in these, "Whatsoever ye ask in my name, I will do it;" — and again, in these, "I will not leave you orphans ; I will come to you." In general, we see almost in every verse, ma- jesty, tenderness, love of holiness, confidence of victory, and other such characters, which it is important to remark.

MEANNESS AND INFIRMITY.

You will very often observe characters of meanness and infirmity in the words and actions of the disciples of Jesus Christ : as when they asked him, " Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ?" Acts i, 6. You see, even after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, they were full of that low and carnal idea which they had entertained of a temporal Messiah.

You also see a rash curiosity in their desiring to know the times and seasons of those great events which God thought fit to conceal.

Observe, again, Peter's vision. A great sheet was let down from heaven, and filled with all sorts of animals ; a voice said to him, *' Rise, Pe- ter, kill and eat ;" to which he answered, " Not so, Lord ; for I have never eaten anything that

COMPOSITI(55sf OF A SERMON. 183

is common and unclean." You see in this an- swer an over-scrujyulous conscience, all embar- rassed with legal ceremonies ; and a very defective, imperfect knowledge of gospel liberty.

There is almost an infinite number of texts in the New Testament where such infirmities ap- pear ; and you must not fail to remark them, in order to prove— 1. That grace is compatible with much human weakness ; — 2. That heavenly light arises by degrees upon the mind, and that it is with the new man as with the natural man, who is born an infant, lisps in his childhood, and arrives at perfection insensibly and by little and little ; — 3. That the strongest and farthest ad- vanced Christians ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, since God himself does not " break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax.'* This he was pleased to exemplify in the most ample manner, in the person of Jesus Christ, when he was upon earth. #

NECESSITY.

In regard to necessity, you may very often re- jiark this in explaining the doctrines of religion ; as when you speak of the mission of Jesus Christ into the world — of his familiar conversa- tion with men — of his death — resurrection — and

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ascension to heaven, &c. ; for you may not only consider the truth, but also the necessity of each ; and by this means open a most beautiful field of theological argument and elucidation.

The same may be affirmed of sending the Comforter, that is, the Holy Ghost, into the world ; in explaining these words, " I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Com- forter," (John xiv, 16,) you may very properly consider the necessity of this comforter ; either because without his light and help we can never release ourselves from the bondage of sin and Satan — or because without his assistance all that Jesus Christ has done in the economy of salva- tion would be entirely useless to us. You may also observe the necessity of his eternal abode with us ; — because it is not enough to be once converted by his efficacious power ; we need his continual presence and efficacy, to carry on and finish the work of sanctification ; otherwise we should quickly relapse into our first condition.

UTILITY.

Where a thing does not appear absolutely ne- cessary, you may remark its utility ; as, in some particular miracles of Jesus Christ — m some pecuhar afflictions of the faithful — in the manner in which St. Paul was converted — and

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 185

in an infinite number of subjects which present themselves to a preacher to be discussed.

EVIDENCE.

Evidence must be particularly pressed in ar- ticles which are disputed, or which are likely to be controverted. For example : Were you to treat of the second commandment, in opposition to the custom and practice of worshipping images in the Church of Rome, you should press the evidence of the words. As, 1. It has pleased God to place this command not in some obscure part of revelation, but in the moral law ; in that law, every word of which he caused to proceed from the midst of the flames. 2. He uses not only the term image, but likeness, and specifies even the likenesses of all the things in the world, of those which are " in heaven above," of those which are " in the earth beneath," and of those which are "under the earth." 3. In order to prevent all the frivolous objections of the hu- man mind, he goes yet farther, not only forbid- ding the worshipping of them, but also the making use of them in any manner of way ; and, which is more, he even forbids the making of them : " Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them. Thou shalt not serve them. Thou shalt pot make unto thee any graven image," <fec.

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4. Add to all this, that the Lord subjoined the highest interests to enforce it. He interested herein his majesty, his covenant, and his infinite power; "for," says he, "I am Jehovah thy God." He goes farther, and interests his jeal- ousy, that is, that inexorable justice, which avenges affronts ofiered to his love. Yea, in order to touch us still more sensibly, he even goes so far as to interest our children, threaten- ing us with that terrible wrath, which does not end with the parents, but passes down to their posterity. What could the Lord say more plainly and evidently, to show that he would suffer no image in his religious worship ? After all this, is it not the most criminal presumption to un- dertake to distinguish, in order to elude the force of this commandment ?

You may, if you choose, over and above all this, add Moses's explication of this command in the fourth of Deuteronomy.

You may also use the same character of evi- dence when you explain several passages which adversaries abuse ; as these words, " This is my body, which is broken for you;" and these in the sixth of John, " Eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood ;" and those passages also in St, James, which speak of justification by works : for in treating these passages in opposi-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 187

tion to the false senses which the Church of Rome gives of them, you must assemble many circumstances, and place each in its proper light, so that all together they may diffuse a great brightness upon the text, and clearly show its true sense.

XXIV. — Remark Degrees.

For example, Gal. i : "If we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." After you have remarked the extreme force and significancy of the words, observe that the apostle denounced an anathema twice, even denouncing it against himself, should he ever be guilty of what he condemns, denounc- ing it even against an angel from heaven in the same case.

You must observe, the apostle does not always use the same vehemence when he speaks against error. In the fourteenth of the Epistle to the Romans, he contents himself with calling those *' weak in the faith " who would eat only herbs, and exhorts the other believers to bear with them. In the third chapter of the first to the Corinthians, he protests to those who build with wood, hay, and stubble, upon Christ the foundation, that their work should be burnt, but

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that they should he saved, though it should be as hy fire. In the seventeenth of Acts, we are told, *' his spirit was stirred " when he saw the idolatry and superstition of the Athenians. Else- where he says, " If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy." In all these there is a force ; but nothing like what appears in these reiterated words, "Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again. If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." Why so ? Because the apostle speaks here of an essential corruption of the gos- pel, which the false apostles aimed at in the churches of Galatia ; they were annihilating the grace of Christ by associating it with the Mosaic economy; they aimed at the entire ruin of the church, by debasing the purity of the gospel. In this case, the conscience of this good man could contain no longer; he stretched his zeal and vehemence as far as possible ; he became inexorable, and pronounced anathemas ; nothing prevented him, neither the authority of the greatest men, no, nor yet the dignity -of the glo- rious angels : " If we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel, let him be accursed."

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 189

XXV. — Observe Different Interests.

Thus, if you are explaining the miracle which Jesus Christ wrought in the synagogue on the Sabbath-day, when he healed the withered hand in the presence of the Herodians and Pharisees, you may remark the different interests of the spectators in that act of our Lord Jesus ; for, on the one hand, Moses and his religion seemed interested therein two ways: 1. This miracle was done on a day in which Moses had com- manded them to do no manner of work ; and, 2, This was done in a synagogue consecrated to the Mosaic worship, so that it was in a manner insulting Moses in his own house. Further, the Herodians, who were particularly attached to the person of Herod, either for poUtical reasons, or for some others unknown, were obliged to be offended; for this miracle had a tendency to prove Christ's Messiahship, and thereby (as was commonly thought) his right to the kingdom of Israel ; and consequently this must blacken the memory of Herod, who endeavoured to kill him in his infancy. The Pharisees were no less in- terested ; for they considered Christ as their re- prover and enemy, and could not help being very much troubled whenever they saw Jesus Christ work a miracle. Observe the interest of

190 AN ESSAY ON THE

our Lord Jesus Christ — his concern was to do good wherever he had an opportunity, and to glorify God his Father, by confirming the word of his gospel by acts of infinite power. The poor ajffiicted man had a double interest in it — the healing of his body, and the improvement of his mind.

Thus this action of Jesus Christ, having divers relations, becomes, as it were, a point, whence many lines may be drawn, one on this side, another on that; and hence arise the diflferent remarks which may be made upon it.

XXVI. — Distinguish — Define — Divide.

To speak properly, we distinguish when we consider a thing in different views. As for ex- ample. Faith is considerable either objectively or subjectively. In the view of its object, faith is the work of Jesus Christ ; his word and cross produce it ; for take away the death of Jesus Christ, and there is no more faith. His resurrec- tion also is the cause of it : " If Jesus Christ be not risen, our faith is vain, we are yet in our sins." But if you consider faith in regard to its subject, or, to speak more properly, in regard to its efficient cause producing it in the subject, it is the work of the Holy Ghost. So again (to use the same example) faith may be considered

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 191

with a view to justification, or with a view to sanctification. In the first view, it is opposed to works ; in the second, it is the principle and cause of good works — it contains them in sum- mary and abridgment.

Thus man may be considered with a view to civil society ; so he is obhged to such and such duties, and partakes of such and such advantages. Or he may be considered with regard to church fellowship ; and so he is subject to other laws, and enjoys other pri\ileges. This custom of distinguishing into different views is very com- mon in preaching.

DEFINITION.

This is sometimes used when an act of God is spoken of : as the pardon of our sins ; the justi- fication of our persons, &c. Or when a virtue or a vice is in question ; for then it may not be improper to define.

DIVISION.

This either regards different species of the genus, or different parts of a whole ; and it may sometimes be used profitably. Thus, in speak- ing of God's providence in general, you may consider the extent of that providence ; to which are subject, 1. Natural causes. 2. Contingent.

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3. Independent. 4. Good and bad. 5. Great and small.

XXVn. — Compare the different Parts of the Texts together.

This is a very useful topic ; and it will often furnish very beautiful considerations, if we know how to make a proper use of it. For example, in this text of St. Paul to the Romans, '' There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." You may make a very edifying comparison between this last part, " who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit," with the first part, " there is no con- demnation;" and you may remark, that in the one the apostle expresses what God does in fa- vour of the faithful, and in the other what the faithful do for the glory of God. God absolves them ; and they live holily, and devoTe them- selves to good works. God imposes holiness upon us in justification ; and justification is the parent of holiness : take away justification, and there cannot possibly be any good works ; take away good works, and there is no more justifi- cation.

You may also compare this last part with the condition in which the believer is here considered

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 193

— he is " in Christ Jesus ;" and remark that these two things perfectly agree together, because Jesus Christ is the true cause of our justification; and sanctification is the principal effect of our communion with Jesus Christ.

So again, in this beautiful passage in the second of Ephesians : " God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ : by grace are ye saved." You may oppose and compare these two subjects in the text, ''dead in sin," and "rich in mercy," as being two extremes — extreme misery and ex- treme mercy — one in us and the other in God. The greatness of our crimes manifests the riches of God's mercy; and the riches of his mercy ab- sorb the greatness of our crimes. Had our sins been less, it must indeed have been mercy to pardon our sins, but not riches of mercy. If God had been only lightly inclined to mercy, he might indeed have pardoned smaller sins; but this would never have extended to persons dead in their sins ; this belongs only to extra- ordinary and abounding mercy.'^

* The editor has omitted in this place a long discoiirse upon 1 Thess. iv, 7, which Mr. Claude had subjoined, with a view to exemplify the discussion of a text by way of observations. But it was not altogether calculated to answer the end proposed, because it exemplified very few of the preceding topics, and

13

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CHAPTER YII.

OF TEXTS TO BE DISCUSSED IN A WAY OF CONTINUED APPLICATION.

We have said there are two general ways of discussing a text, that of explication and that of observation. These two ways of preaching we call textuary, because, in effect, they keep to the text without digression, they regard it as the subject matter of the whole discussion ; or, if you please, as the field which they have to cul- tivate or to reap. But besides these, there is a third way, which is, witliout explaining or mak-

Ihose without any attention to their order, or any intimation what topics he intended to exemplify. Though, therefore, the discourse contained, as every production of Mr. Claude's must, many striking and useful sentiments, the reader who seeks in- formation respecting the composition of a sermon, has no occa- sion to regret the omission of it ; more especially as the discourse was at least one-third as long as all the twenty-seven topics taken together. To supply this defect, the editor (who, from Mr. Claude's failure, supposed at first tlie object was unattain- able) has been induced to attempt it in four sketches upon The Gospel Message. They will be found at the end of this Essay. It should be remembered, however, that these topics are subject both to use and abuse. They are suggested in order to aid in- vention ; but they require judgment and discretion in the use of them. An observation of a learned writer on this subject deserves attention : " Constat scopum et finem hujusce hei,

ESSE PROMPTITUDINEM QUANDAM, ET EXPEDITUM USUM COGNI- TIONIS NOSTRiE, POTIUS QUAM EJUSDEM AMPLIFICATIONEM AUT

INCREMENTUM." — Bacon da Augment. Snent., lib. v, c. 3.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 195

ing observations, the making of a continual ap- plication of it, and the reducing of it immediately to practice.

In this manner we must principally manage texts exhorting to holiness and repentance, as this of Zephaniah, " Examine yourselves diligent- ly, O nation not desirable ;" for instead of ex- plaining the terms, or making observations on the necessity of the exhortation, the prophet vrho spoke it, the Jews to whom it is addressed, the description of the nation not desirable, the mercy of God in calling these sinners to repentance, &c. — the whole may very iisefully be turned into practice, and we may enter upon that serious self-examination which the prophet commands.

The same may be said of 1 Cor. xi, 28 : " Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup;" for, laying aside all theological observations, you may actually enter upon self-examination.

This manner, well and wisely disposed, by choosing proper occasions, will produce (as I have elsewhere said) an excellent effect : but always remember on this rule, that, in using this method, something searching and powerful must be said, or it would be better let alone.

We will exemplify one of the texts which may be discussed by way of perpetual application.

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Let us take St. Paul's words to the Philippians : *'Work out your own salvation with fear and trembhng." Begin with a tender exordium, la- menting the condition of mankind, that so few know the truth ; for there is almost an infinite number, to whom it is not preached, who are left in the thickest darkness ; almost an infinite number, to whom it is preached, who corrupt it with errors and superstitions, and who almost never hear it but with a confused mixture of falsehoods and human inventions ; almost an in- finite number of such as know it clearly, but yet neglect it, and by their negligence preclude the admirable fruits which it ought to produce. Having expressed astonishment that so "few will be saved ;" and, finally, having showed the true causes why so few apply to it in the manner they ought ; the exordium must be finished by an exhortation to profit by this time of our call- ing, and not when we go out of the world to have to ask ourselves what we have been doing in it, and to reproach oui'selves with having abused the patience and mercy of God. " Let us NOW work out our salvation with fear and trembling," &;c. This exordium must be rendered lively and agreeable, and execvited so that it may awaken the hearer, and obtain a particular attention.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 197

This being done, you must observe, that, were you about to treat of these words in the ordinary way, you could not fail to make several reflec- tions on the doctrines. 1. On these terms, "your own salvation ;" which are very weighty, and of great importance. 2. On St. Paul's command, that we should "work it out;" on which you would have many things to say. And, finally, on that "fear and trembling " which must accompany our labour ; for many important ques- tions would also arise from that — but you may add, that laying apart all doctrines, which very often serve only for amusement through our levity, your design is to enable your auditors to do what St. Paul commands, and to assist them actually in labouring during this hour devoted to piety, and in " working out their salvation with that fear and trembhng" which so great a work demands.

CHAPTER VIIL

OF TEXTS TO BE DISCUSSED IN PROPOSITIONS.

To these three a fourth may be added, which consists in reducing the texts to a number of propositions, two at least, and three or four at most, having mutual dependence and connexion.

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Thus, for example, Rom. viii, 13: " It ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Without pretending to explain the terms, jiesh — spirit — death — life, or the phrases, "Hve after the flesh" — "mortify the deeds of the body," (which is the usual method,) you may reduce the whole to two propositions : the one, that the damnation of sinners is inevitable ; and the other, that a good and holy life is both a principal end of the gospel, and an inseparable character of Christianity. When this method is taken, there is much more liberty than in the former, and a more extensive field opens. In the former methods you are restrained to your text, and you can only explain and apply that ; you can make no other observations than such as precisely belong to it ; but here your subject is the matter contained in your propositions, and you may treat of them thoroughly, and extend them as far as you please, provided you do not violate the general rules of a sermon. Here you must propose not to treat of the text, but of those subjects which you have chosen from several con- tained in the text. The way of explication is most proper to give the meaning of Scripture ; and this, of systematical divinity. The way of application rather regards practice than theoiy ;

COMPOSITION OP A SERMON. 199

but this, which we call the way of propositions, or points, is more proper to produce an acquaint- ance with systematical divinity, and it will equally serve theory and practice.

For example, let us take the text just now quoted : " If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." After saying in a few words, that by those who "live after the flesh " the apostle means the worldly and wicked, such as are governed by worldly interests and carnal passions ; and that by the death with which he threatens them, he means eternal dam- nation ; and that, on the contrary, by life he in- tends that eternal salvation and heavenly glory which the gospel promises ; and that by the ''mortification of the deeds of the body" of which he speaks, and of which he says the Holy Spirit is the author, he intends a holy life, spent in the exercise of virtues and practice of good works : after briefly saying this, reduce the whole discourse to two propositions. First, The damnation of the wicked is inevitable. Secondly, The practice of good works, and a holy and religious hfe, is the principal end proposed in the gospel, and a principal character of a true Christian.

[The discourse of Mr. Claude's in this place

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being much longer than was necessary to illus- trate the rule of discussion by propositions, the author judges it expedient to give a shorter, which on account of its brevity may answer the purpose better.

John V, 23 : ''All men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that hon- oureth not the Son, honoiu^eth not the Father which hath sent him."

Here, after mentioning the opposition which many have made to the doctrine of the divinity of Christ, and the vast importance of being well established in it, you may undertake to estabhsh it from these words ; and to show —

I. That the Son is in every respect to be honom*ed as the Father.

II. That every one who refuseth this honour to the Son, does by that very act withhold it from the Father also.

In establishing the first proposition, you pro- ceed to mark the grounds on which it stands.

1. That he is altogether entitled to it — (There is no ground on which the Father is en- titled to honour, but the same is found in Christ also ; seeing that he has equally the names and attributes of Deity ascribed to him, and his works equally bear witness to him.)

2. That he actually claims it —

COMPOSITION OP A SERMON. 201

(The words of the text are so strong, that no mere creature could use them without blas- phemy : and we cannot account for Christ's using them on any other hypothesis, than that he was God equal with the Father. And his command to us to exercise faith in him precisely as we do in the Father, (John xiv, 1,) is a clear and strong confirmation of it.)

3. That it is paid to him both in heaven and earth —

(Stephen, when he saw the Father, and Jesus standing at his right hand, worshipped Jesus exactly in the way that Jesus in his d5nng hour had worshipped the Father. And Paul repeatedly prayed to Jesus to take away from him the thorn in the flesh ; which prayer Je- sus answered, saying, ''My grace is sufficient for thee." In heaven, too, all the glorified saints and angels adore him exactly as they adore the Father. Can we doubt, then, whether this honour be due to him ?) To prove the second proposition, you may

show, that a refusal of honour to Christ is a

withholding of it from the Father ;

1. Because the Father and Christ are one —

(This the Lord has repeatedly affirmed : John X, 30, and xiv, 7-9 : and the whole Scripture

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attests it ; John i, 1, 14 ; Col. i, 19, and ii, 9 ; Heb. i, 3 ; Rom. ix, 5 ; so that a denial or ac- knowledgment of Christ necessarily involves in it a similar treatment of the Father. 1 John ii, 22, 23.)

2. Because the Father has absolutely required it at OUI' hands —

(God has commanded it, Jer. xxiii, 6 ; Isai. xlv, 23, 24 ; and if we withhold it from Christ, the Father will resent it as an indignity offered to himself. Deut. xviii, 18.)

3. Because in withholding honour from Christ we defeat, as far as in us lies, the eternal counsels of the Father —

(From eternity did the Father determine to re- concile the world unto himself in and by Christ : and his whole honour and authority were vested in Christ on purpose that he might be glorified in his Son. Phil, ii, 9-11 ; John xiv, 13.)

But this whole plan is defeated, when we refuse to acknowledge God in Christ, or withhold from him any portion of that honour which is due to his name.]

It must not be thought that these four ways of discussing texts are so heterogeneous that they can never be mixed together ; on the con- trary, there are a great many texts in which it

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 203

will be necessary to make use of two, or three, and sometimes even of all the four ways. "When a text is explained, it will be very often needful to make some observations also, and the matter will require as long an application. Sometimes, to explain a text well, the matter must be re- duced into many propositions, as we have ob- served on these words, *• It is God that worketh in you to will and do of his good pleasure." In like manner, when the method of observation is used, it very often happens that some part of the text needs explaining, and so of the rest. These four ways must be distinguished, for two reasons: 1st. Because they are very different from one another ; to explain, to make observa- tions, to apply, and to reduce to propositions, are four very different ways of treating texts. A composer, then, must not confound them to- gether ; but he must observe the difference well, that he may use them properly. 2d. Because it is customary to give the discussion of a text the name of the prevailing manner of handhng it. We call that the way of exphcation, in which there is more explication than observation. We not only call that the way of observation which has only observations, but that in which there is more observation than explication, or application ; and so of the rest.

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CHAPTER IX.

OF THE EXORDIUM.

The Exordium is that part, in which the minds of the hearers are 'prepared, and a natural and easy way opened to the discussion.

But, first, a question presents itself (on which opinions are much divided) whether exordiums be necessary ? or even whether they be not in all cases quite useless, and in some hurtful? Whether it would not be better entirely to omit them, to begin immediately with the connection of the text with the preceding verses, pass to the division, and so enter on the discussion ? There are many of this opinion, and their reasons are, 1st, That there appears too much artifice in an exordium, which is more likely to dissipate, than to conciliate, the attention of your hearers. " It is evident (say they) to the auditors, that you design to come insensibly, and by a kind of art- ful manœuvre, to your matter, and to lead your hearers almost imperceptibly to it; but this seems a finesse altogether unworthy of the gos- pel, and contrary to that sincerity, ingenuous- ness, gravity, and simplicity, which should reign in the pulpit. Indeed, when a wise hearer

COMPOSITION OF A SEBMON. 206

perceives you design to deceive him, lie con- ceives a strong prejudice against you, and that prejudice will certainly be hurtful in the follow- ing part of the discourse.''

They add, in the second place, that " exordiums are extremely difficult to compose, and justly styled the crosses of preacliers. Should some small advantage be gained by exordiums, it would not be of consequence enough to induce us to compose them. In so doing we should waste a part of our time and strength, which might be much more usefully employed."

They say, thirdly, that "the principal end proposed in an exordium is, either to conciliate the hearer's affection, or to excite his attention, or to prepare the way to the matters to be treated of: but all these are to be supposed. As to their affection, pastors, who preach to their own flocks, ought not to doubt that. We speak of Christians, to persons who consider us as the ministers of Jesus Christ, whom, conse- quently, they respect and love. As to attention, it ought also to be supposed ; not only because pulpit-subjects are divine and salutary to men, but also because such only come to pubhc wor- ship as desire to hear the word of God atten- tively ; and, indeed, if the auditors have not that disposition of themselves, an exordium cannot

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give it them. Such a disposition is an effect of a man's faith and piety ; and it is not to be thought, that an exordium of eight or ten peri- ods can convert the worldly and profane, or give faith and piety to those who have them not. As to what regards the introducing of the matter to be treated of, the bare reading of the text sufficiently does that ; for according to the common way of preaching, the text contains the subject to be discussed."

Finally, they add, " delivering an exordium is only misspending time, uselessly dissipating a part of the hearers' attention, so that afterward they frequently sleep very quietly when you en- ter on the discussion. Would it not be better, then, immediately to engage them in the matter, so that their attachment may afterward serve to maintain their attention, according to the natural inclination which all men have to finish what they have once begun ?"

But none of these reasons are weighty enough to persuade us to reject exordiums, or to be careless about them. As to the first ; The art which appears in an exordium, so far from being odious in itself, and seeming unnatural to the hearers, is, on the contrary, altogether natural. It is disagreeable to enter abruptly into theolo- gical matters without any preparation. It would

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 207

not be necessary, were our minds all exercised about divine things : but as, alas ! we are in general too little versed in such exercises, it is good to be conducted to them without violence, and to have emotions excited in us in a soft and insensible manner. It is not finesse and deceit, since in doing it we only accommodate ourselves to the weakness of man's mind, and, indeed, it is what he himself desires. Moreover, it is to be observed, that hearers are now so habituated to an exordium, that if they heard a preacher enter abruptly into his matter, they would be extremely disgusted, and would imagine the man was aim- ing to do with them what the angel did with Habakkuk, when he took him by the hair of his head, and transported him in an instant from Judaea to Babylon. Some time, then, ought to be employed gently to lead the mind of the hearer to the subjects of which you are going to treat. You are not to suppose that he already understands them, nor that he is thinking on what you have been meditating, nor that he can apply himself to it incessantly without pre- paration.

The second reason may have some weight with weak and lazy preachers ; but it has none with wise and diligent students : and, after all, exordiums are not so difficult as to be impracti-

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cable : a little pains -taking is sufficient, as we every day experience.

The third is not more considerable. I grant, preachers ought to suppose the love and affec- tion of their hearers ; yet it does not follow, that they ought not to excite it, when they preach to them. Perhaps their afifection is not always in exercise ; it may be sometimes suspended, and even opposed by contrary sentiments, by cool- ness and indifference, by hatred or envy, arising from the defects of the pastor (for, however able, he is not perfect) or from the depravity of the hearers. The same may be said of atten- tion, although they ought to have it entirely for the divine truths which the preacher speaks; yet, it is certain, they have it not : and all that a preacher can desire is, that his hearers have a general disposition to hear the gospel. The preacher must endeavour to give them a pecul- iar attention to such matters as he has to dis- cuss. As to the rest, it must not be thought that the bare reading of the text, or the connex- ion, or the division only, can produce that effect : a greater compass must be taken, to move the human mind, and apply the subject. And this also may be said of preparation, for which an exordium is principally designed. The reading of the text may do something ; connexion and

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 209

division may contribute more: but all this, without an exordium, will be useless.

Nor is it difficult to answer the fourth reason ; for, besides the advantages of an exordium, which are great enough to prevent our calling it lost time, its parts are ordinarily so short, that they cannot justly be accused of dissipating or fatigu- ing the hearers' minds. To which I add, that the exordium itself, if well chosen, will always contain agreeable and instructive matter, so that, considered in itself, something good is always to be learned from it.

We cannot approve, then, of the custom of those preachers, who enter immediately into the literal explication of the text, and make it serve for an exordium ; after which they divide their discourses into several parts, which they discuss as they go on. Surely the hearer is not sud- denly able to comprehend their explications, having yet neither emotions nor preparation. Me- thinks it would be much better gently to stir them up, and move them by something which gives them no pain, than to load them all on a sudden with an explication, which they can neither clearly comprehend, nor perhaps dis- tinctly hear.

Least of all do we approve of the custom of some other preachers, who, intending to explain 14

210 AN ESSAY ON THE

the text, or to make some reflections throughout the whole sermon, enter immediately into the matter without any exordiums at all. I am per- suaded they are induced to do thus only for the sake of avoiding the difficulty of composing an exordium, that is, in one word, only for the sake of indulging their idleness and negligence.

Taking it for granted, then, that an exordium must be used, it may be asked what are the principal benefits we expect to receive from them ? and with what general views ought they to be composed ? In answer, we say, the prin- cipal design of an exordium is, to attract or ex- cite the affections of the audience — to stir up their attention — and to prepare them for the par- ticular matters of which we are about to treat.

The two first of these must only be proposed ifidirectly. A preacher would render himself ridiculous, if in ordinary discourses, and without cases of extreme necessity, he should labour by this means to acquire the esteem and aflfection of his congregation. This method would be more likely to make them rather despise than esteem him.

You must not, then, compliment the people, nor praise yourself, nor indeed speak of yourself in any manner of way. These are affectations which never succeed ; and yet some able preach-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 211

ers slip into this weakness, especially when they preach to strange congregations, and, above all, when they address assembhes of the rich, the learned, or the noble.

Then they never fail to interlard their exor- diums with some common-place saws — either the pleasm-e it gives them to be called to that pulpit — or an affectation of self-contempt — a confes- sion of their great weakness — or something of this kind. To speak my opinion freely, I think these are pedantic airs, which have a very bad effect. Sensible auditors do not hke to hear such fantastical pretences, which are both con- trary to the gravity of the pulpit, and to the de- cency of a modest man.

How then, you will ask, must the affections of the hearers be attracted ? I answer, indirect- ly, by an exordium well chosen, and well spoken : and this is the surest way of succeeding.

In regard to attention, it is certain it ought to be awakened and fixed in the same manner, that is, by something agreeable and worthy of being heard, a composition of piety and good sense. I do not disapprove of asking sometimes for at- tention, either on account of the importance of the matter, the solemnity of the day, the state of the church, or, in short, of any other particu- lar occasion ; but it must not be done often ; for

212 AN ESSAY ON THE

then it would never be minded ; and, when it is done, the fewer words the better.

The principal use of an exordium is, to pre- pare the hearer's mind for the particular matters you have to treat of, and insensibly to conduct him to it. If this end be not obtained, the ex- ordium cannot but be impertinent ; and, on the contrary, if this end be answered, the exordium cannot be improper.

When I say the hearer's mind must be pre- pared for, and conducted to the matter, I mean to say, these are two different things. You pre- pare the hearer for the matter, when you stir up in him such dispositions as he ought to have, to hear well, and to profit much. You insensibly conduct your hearer to the matter, when, by the natural connexion of the subjects of which you speak, you lead him from one thing to another, and enable him to enter into the doctrine of your sermon.

Let us advert a moment to each. The prepa- ration must be determined by the subject of which you are going to speak ; for if it be a sad and afflicting subject, in which you aim to excite the compassion, the grief, and the tears of your audience, you must begin the exordium by im- parting such a disposition.

If you have to treat of a profound and difficult

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 213

mystery, aim to diffuse elevation and admiration among the hearers. If some terrible example of God's justice be the subject, endeavour to stir up fear. If some enormous crime, prepare the mind for horror, by a meditation on the enor- mity of human corruption If you have to treat of repentance, and in an extraordinary manner to interest your hearers in it, you must begin to dispose them to it by general ideas of God's wrath, which we have deserved — of the little fruit we have borne to his glory — or something of a like nature. If, on the contrary, the matter you have to treat of be common and tranquil, aim in your exordium to place the mind in its natural state, and only endeavour to excite honest and Christian tempers, which we all ought al- ways to have. In a word, the exordium must always participate the spirit of the subject that vou mean to discuss, in order to dispose your hearers for it. ISTot to speak in this manner, is to lose all the benefit of an exordium ; and to use it to an opposite purpose, would be to renounce common sense, and to act like an idiot.

The second use of an introduction is, to con- duct the hearer gradually to the subject of which you are about to treat. This (as I have said) depends on the connexion between the subjects of the exordium with themselves, and with the

214 AN ESSAY ON THE

matter of the discussion. I say first with them,' selves ; for they must, as it were, hold each other by the hand, and have a mutual dependence and subordination ; otherwise the auditor will be sur- prised to find himself suddenly transported from one topic to another. I say also with the dis- cussion ; for the exordium is principally intended to introduce that.

The first quahty of an exordium is brevity. This, however, has a proper measure ; for as it ought not to be excessively long, so neither should it be too short ; the middle way is the best. The longest exordium may have ten or twelve periods, and the shortest six or seven, provided the periods be not too long. The rea- son is, that, on the one hand, proper time may be given the hearer to prepare himself to hear you with attention, and to follow you in the dis- cussion of the matter ; and, on the other, that in giving time sufficient for that, you may prevent his wandering out of the subject, wearying him- self, and becoming impatient. If the exordium were too short, it would oblige the hearer to en- ter too soon into the matter, without preparation enough ; and excessive length would weary him ; for it is with an auditor as with a man who visits a palace, he does not like to stay too long in the court, or first avenues ; he would only view

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 215

'Ihem transiently without stopping, and proceed as soon as possible to gratify his principal curiosity.

2. An exordium must be clear, and conse- quently disengaged from all sorts of abstruse and metaphysical thoughts. It should be ex- pressed in natural and popular terms, and not overcharged with matter. Indeed, as the audi- tors are neither enlivened nor moved yet, you must not expect of them at first a great degree of penetration and elevation, nor even a great attempt toward these, though they may be ca- pable of them when they are animated. You must, therefore, in an exordium, avoid all that can give pain to the mind, such as physical questions, long trains of reasoning, and such like. However, do not imagine, that, under pretence of great clearness, an exordium must have only theological matter, or consist rather of words than things. This would be falling into the other extreme. An exordium, then, must con- tain matter capable of nourishing and satisfying the mind ; to do which, it must be clear, easy to comprehend, and expressed in a very natural manner.

3. An exordium must be cool and grave*

* An exordium must be cool. Mr. Claude's rule is undoubtedly good in general, and his reason weighty. This, however, is a rule sometimes dispensed with. Cicero

216 A]S ESSAY ON THE

Consequently no grand figures may be admitted, as apostrophes, violent exclamations, reiterated interrogations, nor, in a word, anything that tends to give vehement emotions to the hearers : for as the discourse must be accommodated to the state of the hearer, he, in the beginning, be- ing cool, and free from agitations, the speaker ought to be so too. No wise man will approve exordiums full of enthusiasms and poetical rap- tures, full of impetuous or angry emotions, or of bold interrogations, or surprising paradoxes to excite admiration. You must, in the beginning, speak gently, remembering that your auditors are neither yet in heaven, nor in the air, nor at all elevated in their way thither, but upon earth, and in a place of worship,

4. An exordium, however, ought not to be so cool and grave, as not to be at the same time engaging and agreeable. There are three princi- ple ends which a preacher should propose, name- ly, to instruct, to please, and to affect ; but, of these three, that which should reign in an exor- dium is, to please. I own, you should also aim to instruct and affect ; but less to instruct than to please, and less still to affect than to instruct.

begins an oration thus : — " Quousque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra? Quamdiu etiam furor iste tuus nos illudet? Quemad finenfi sese effrenata jactabit audàcia?" &c

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 217

Indeed, if you can judiciously and properly in- troduce anything tender into an exordium, (espe- cially on extraordinary occasions,) you may to good purpose ; but, be that as it may, the agree- able should reign in this part. You easily see by this, that you must banish from the exordium all ill-natured censures, terrible threatenings, bitter reproaches, and, in general, all that savours of anger, contempt, hatred, or indifference, and, in short, everything that has the air of quarrel- ling with the hearers. Their attention must not only be excited, (you may sufficiently do so by censures and reproaches,) but you must softly insinuate yourself into their esteem, so that they may not only not oppose what you say, but be well satisfied you are an honest and well-mean- ing man.

5. The whole of the exordium must he natu- rally connected with all the matter of the text. I say first the whole of the exordium ; for great care must be taken to put nothing there foreign to your subject : therefore the best exordiums are those which are composed of two proposi- tions, the first of which is naturally and imme- diately connected with the second, and the second naturally and immediately with the text. Each of these propositions may be either proved or amplified ; but the last must always conduct you

218 AN ESSAY ON THE

with ease to the subject in question, nor must the first be very distant. According to this maxim, all exordiums must be condemned, which, instead of leading you into the text, make you, as it were, tumble from a precipice into it, which is intolerable. Those also are to be condemned which conduct to the text by many long circuits, that is, by many propositions chained together, which is certainly vicious, and can only fatigue the hearer. I add, in the second place, the ex- ordium must be connected with the whole mat- ter of the text. It ought not merely to relate to one of its parts, (or to one view only, if you in- tend to consider it in different views,) but to all. One of the principal uses of an exordium is to prepare the mind of the hearer for the matter to be discussed. If, therefore, the exordium refer only to one of its parts, or to one view only, it will prepare the mind of the hearer for that one part, for that one view only, and not for the rest. 6. An exordium must he simple. We would not entirely banish figures : on the contrary, we would always employ such as may render the discourse pleasant and agreeable : but pompous and magnificent expressions must be avoided, as far as the things spoken will permit. Do not use a style too elevated, bordering on bombast — nor periods too harmonious — ^nor overstrained

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 219

allegories — nor even metaphors too common or too bold ; for indeed the hearer's mind, yet cool and in its natural state, can bear nothing of this kind.

v. An exordium must not he common. As this is a rule much abused, it will be needful to ex- plain it. By a common exordium, I do not mean an exordium which will suit many texts ; for if the texts are parallel, and the subject be managed with the same views, and in the same circum- stances, what occasion" is there to compose differ- ent exordiums ? By a common exordium, I mean, in the first place, one taken from trivial things, and which have been said over and over again ; these the people already know, and your labour will be infallibly thrown away. Such are exor- diums taken from comparisons of the sun — of kings — of conquerors — of the ancient Romans, &c. — or from some histories of the Old Testa- ment, which have been often repeated — or of some well-known types, as the Israelites' pas- sage through the Red Sea — and many more of the same kind. In the second place, I mean, by a common or general exordium, one which may be alike applied to two texts of different matter, or to two contrary interpretations of the same text. It is in this sense that common exor- diums are vicious and distasteful.

220 AN ESSAY ON THE

8, Even in metaphorical or figurative texts, it is quite puerile to make an exordium join the text by a metaphor ; for, whatever in- genuity there may seem to be in it, it is certain there is no taste, no judgment discovered in the practice ; and, however it may pass in college declamations, it would appear too trifling in the pulpit. The exordium, then, must be connected with the text by the matter itself, that is, not by the figure, but by the subject intended to be conveyed by the figure. I would not, however, forbid the joining of the exordium to the text sometimes by the figure, provided it be done in a chaste and prudent manner.

Let us give one example : " He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life." John vi, 54. An exordium to a sermon from this text may be taken from the idea which Holy Scripture teaches us to form of our con- version, as if it were a new hirth, which begins a new life — that, for this purpose, it speaks of a new man, a new heaven, which illuminates, and a new earth, which supports him — that, attribut- ing to this new man the same senses which na- ture has formed in us, as sight, hearing, feeling, smelling, tasting, it attributes also to him objects proportioned to each of these mystical senses, and ascribes to them effects like those which our

COMPOSITION OF A SEUMON. 221

senses produce by their natural operations. It tells us, that our eyes contemplate the celestial light, which illuminates and guides us in the ways of righteousness— that our ears hear the voice of God, who calls us, and who, by these means, makes us obey our vocation. It tells us that the gospel is a savour of life, which com- municates salvation to us. And, finally, it at- tributes to us a mouth, to eat the Jiesh and drink the hlood of the Son of God, in order to nourish us to hfe eternal. It is this last expres- sion which Jesus Christ has made use of in the sixth of John, and which says in my text, " He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life."

This exordium joins itself to the text by the figure made use of in the text, but in such a manner as not to be chargeable with affectation or witticism ; for it is by a serious reflection on the Scripture use of the figure, acknowledging it to be a figure, and preparing the hearer to attend to the explication.

To these rules I subjoin a word or two on the vices of exordiums. 1. There are some preach- ers who imagine it a fine thing to take exordi- ums from the persons of their hearers, ^or the circumstances of times, places, general afl'airs, or news of the world : but I beheve this is alto-

222 AN ESSAY ON THE

gether a vicious method, and should never be used but on extraordinary occasions. First, there is too much affectation in it. Is it not a vain parade to begin a discourse with things which have no relation to the matter? — It is certainly contrary to the chastity and modesty of a Christian pulpit. Secondly, exordiums of this sort are usually pulled in by head and shoulders. How should it be otherwise, when the articles of which they are composed have, if any, only a very distant relation to the text ? By such means you defeat the principal design of an exordium, which is to prepare the hearers* minds, and to conduct them insensibly to the subject. And, finally, it is very difficult in such exordiums to avoid saying impertinencies ; for what, in a public discourse, can be more indeli- cate, than to speak of yourself, or hearers, or times, or news ? In my opinion, such exordiums ought to be entirely rejected.

2. You must also, for the most part, reject exordiums taken from profane history, or what they call the apothegms of illustrious men. This method savours too much of the college, and is by no means in the taste of pious, well- bred men. Alexander, Caesar, Pompey, all the great names of antiquity, have no business to ascend the pulpit ; and if they are not suflfered

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 223

now-a-days, either in orations in the senate, or in pleas of the bar, much less ought they to be allowed in Christian sermons. It may not be amiss if they appear now and then in the dis- cussion, or in the application; but even there we ought to see them but seldom, not oftener than once a year at most : but to introduce them at the beginning of a sermon is intolerable. I say much the same of citations from profane authors ; they must be forborne, unless it be something so particular, so agreeable, and so apt to the text, as to carry its own recommen- dation along with it. Of this kind, I think, was the exordium of a sermon on this text : " So teach us to number our days, that we may ap- ply our hearts unto wisdom." It was taken from Plutarch, who relates, that Alcibiades called one day to see Pericles, and was told by his domestics that their master was busy in preparing his accounts to lay before the republic: to which he immediately rephed. Instead of labouring to make up his ac- counts, it would be incomparably better to ren- der himself not accountable to them at all. It was added, that this is the notion of almost all wicked men, who, being ignorant of God their governor, and feehng their consciences charged with a thousand crimes, think only of eluding

224 AN ESSAY ON THE

the judgment of God, and of avoiding that ac- count which they will one day be obliged to give to the Master of all creatures — that if only one man, or two men, were in question, the attempt of Alcibiades might succeed ; but as it was God with whom they had to do, it must be worse than foolish to imagine his tribunal could be avoided — that there was no other way to take, than to prepare to give an account to God ; nor any advice more reasonable, than to labour continually to do it well — and that, for this purpose, even self-interest should oblige us to have recourse to God to assist us by his grace — this is what the Church aims to teach us in the words of the prophet, — " So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

In general, the best exordiums are taken from theology ; for as, on the one hand, they have always more relation to the matter of the text, so, on the other, they much better prepare the hearers' minds, being more grave, and free from the puerile pedantries of the college.

In order to compose an exordium, after you have well considered the senses of the text, and observed what are the principal matters which ought to enter into the discussion, and after you have made the division, endeavour to reduce

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 226

the whole to one common idea, and then choose some other idea naturally connected with that common idea, either immediately, or by means of another. If it be immediately connected with the subject, endeavour to reduce it to one proposition, which may be cleared and proved as you go on ; or if it have parts, which require separate explications and proofs, it must be managed so as to include them ; and, finally, by the natural connexion of that proposition with the discussion, enter into the text. If the proposition be connected with the text only re- motely, then establish the first, pass on to the second, and so proceed from the second to the text.

Exordiums may be taken from almost all the same topics as observations, that is, from genus, species, contraries, &c. For there are but few good exordiums which might not go into the discussion, under the title of general observa- tions. Of such observations, that must be cho- sen for an exordium which is least essential, or least necessary to the discussion, and which, besides, is clear, agreeable, and entertaining. A comparison may sometimes be employed in an exordium, but not often ; nor must trivial com- parisons be used, which all the world know, or which are taken from anything mean ; nor must 15

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they be embarrassing, taken from things iniknown to the people, as those are which are borrowed from mechanics, astronomy, &c., of which the people know nothing at all.

Bible history may be used, but sparingly; and the application must be always just, agree- able, and, in some sort, new and remarkable.

Types may also be employed, but with the same precautions, always consulting good sense and taste.

The best method is, to compose several exor- diums for the same text, by turning your imagi- nation divers ways, by taking it in all its differ- ent relations ; for by such means you may choose the most proper. But after all these general precepts, which indeed ought to be known, and by which exordiums must be regu- lated, it is certain, the invention and comjwsition of an exordium can only become easy by practice. A young preacher ought not to complain of trouble, nor to be any way negligent in the mat- ter; for he may be sure of succeeding by attention and application.

COMPOSITION OF A SEBMON. 227

CHAPTER X. OF THE CONCLUSION.*

The conclusion ought to be lively and ani- mating, full of great and beautiful figures, aim- ing to move Christian affections — as the love of God — hope — zeal — repentance — self-condem- nation— a desire of self-correction — consolation — admiration of eternal benefits — hope of felicity — courage and constancy in afilictions — steadi- ness in temptations — gratitude to God — recourse to him by prayer—and other such dispositions.!

* Conclusion. This in a sermon answers to what in an oration is called the peroration. " It recapitulates, or sums up, the strongest and chief arguments, and, by moving the passions, endeavours to persuade the hearers to yield to the force of them." — Arist. Rhet.

The fire of the preacher should blaze here ; he should collect the ideas of his whole sermon into this part, as rays are col- lected in the focus of a burning-glass, and inflame the hearts of his auditors.

t A conclusion should excite Christian dispositions. If the reader attend to these observations of Mr. Claude, he will see more clearly the use that is to be made of the applications and iNï'ERENCEs that are contained in the " Horse Homileticse."'

Bishop Burnet says, " A sermon, the conclusion whereof makes the auditory look pleased, and sets them aU talking with one another, was certainly either not rightly spoken, or not rightly heard ; it has been fine, and has probably delighted the congi^egation rather than edified it : but that sermon that makes every one go away silent, and grave, and hastening to be alone to meditate, and pray the matter over in secret, has had a true effect." — Past. Care, chap. ix.

228 AN ESSAY ON THE

There are three sorts of dispositions, or emo- tions ; the violent — the tender — and the ele- vated. The violent are, for example, indignation, fear, zeal, courage, firmness against temptations, repentance, self-loathing, &c.

The tender emotions are, joy, consolation, gratitude ; tender subjects are, pardon, pity, prayer, &c. The elevated are, admiration of the majesty of God, the ways of Providence, the glory of Paradise, the expectation of benefits, &c.

There are some Christian passions which may be excited either by a tender or violent method. Repentance is of this kind ; for which extremely tender motives may be employed, as the love and bounty of God, which we have so unwor- thily treated. Violent motives may also be used, as censure, an enumeration and description of the enormity of the sins reigning among us, the horror of our ingratitude, the fear of God's judgments, the justice of his scourges and chastisements, &c.

In like manner, firmness against temptations may be discussed ; for tender motives may be used, as — the vanity of the promises and hopes of this world, which are only false and delusive appearances — the consideration of the miserable state of backsliders and apostates — the dignity to which God calls his children — the eternal re-

COMPOSITION OE A SERMON. 229

wards which attend perseverance — the joy of a good man when he has gamed a signal victory over temptations. Violent methods may also be employed, as — inspiring a holy ambition to de- feat the designs of the world — a contempt of the plots and powers against us — the hope, or rather the inviolable assurance we have, that all the powers of earth joined together cannot shake us, St. Paul uses mixed motives at the end of the eighth of Romans : " Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword ? Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

A conclusion should be diversified. I mean, we should not be content to move one single Christian passion ; many must be touched, and a proper length of discourse assigned to each, in order to stir up the passion. Too long time, however must not be spent ; but when the ef- fect is evidently produced, pass to another pas- sion. As the conclusion ought to be composed

230 AN ESSAY ON THE

at least of four or five^' reflections, (naturally- arising from the text, either general, from the whole text, or particular, from some of the parts into which it is divided ;) so, if possible, these reflections must be placed in prudent order, so that the weakest and least powerful may be the first, and the strongest last; and so that the discourse may become more rapid as it runs.

I think, however, it would be vicious to finish with motives too violent, as subjects tending to horror — indignation — or heavy censure. It would be much better, in general, to close with a tender, or even with an elevating motive. Different motives may be (and indeed they ought to be) mixed in the same conclusion, that is, violent, tender, and elevated, in order to stir up many passions of different kinds.

Conclusion sometimes delights in examples, similitudes, short and weighty sentences, the in- ventions of a fine imagination, and, in one word, it need not be either so chaste or so regular as the body of the sermon, where more accuracy must be observed. There is no danger when a preacher, in a conclusion, gives himself up to the fire of his genius, provided he say nothing ex- travagant or capricious, nothing that savours of enthusiasm or declamation.

* Perhaps two or three would be preferable.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 231

DISCUSSION BY EXPLICATION,

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE.

Mark xvi, 15, 16 : He said unto tliem, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature : he that helieveth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth not, shall be damned.

Many are prejudiced against the fundamental doctrines of Christianity —

Hence, while its authority is maintained, its mysteries are suppressed —

But the declaration before us is of infinite im- portance, I. Explain its import.

The meaning of the terms being fixed, the whole will be clear —

Salvation comprehends the everlasting happi- ness of the soul.

[It cannot be limited to any temporal deliverance- Believers have been often subjected to persecutions and cruel deaths —

Nor was the deliverance of the saints in Jerusalem a matter of universal concern —

Its import is properly expressed by St. Paul * — ]

This is to be obtained by " believing" in Christ. [The faith here spoken of is not a mere assent to the gospel —

The devils themselves assent to truths at which they tremble^ —

a 2 Tim. ii, 10. b Acts viii, 13, 23 ; Jam. ii, 19;

232 AN ESSAY OX THE

To believe aright, is to receive Christ in all his offices'^ — And such faith has the promise of eternal life'' — Not that it is more meritorious than other graces; but it unites the soul to Christ — ]

Damnation, on the contrary, imports everlast- ing misery.

[The punishment of the wicked is elsewhere said to be eternal —

And the contrast in the text fully expresses its dura- tion—

Our Lord himself puts this point beyond a doubt^ — ]

This will be our portion if we " believe not " in Christ.

[It is not reserved only for avoAved infidels and scoffers —

They are in unbelief, who are destitute of saving faith — And therefore must want that salvation that is annex- ed to faith?—]

To faith, baptism, when practicable, must be added.

[The believer must openly profess his allegiance to Christ—

But no observance of outward ordinances will profit an unbeliever'^ — ]

The objections ignorantly urged against this gospel lead us to, II. Vindicate its reasonableness.

To ascribe salvation to good works, and dam- nation to evil works, would be thought reason- able enough —

But to connect the former with faith, and the latter with unbelief, is deemed absurd and de- lusive—

c John i, 12 ; 1 Cor. i, 3. d John iii, 14-16, 18, 36.

e M.irk ix, 43-48. i Matt, xxv, 46. s 2 Thess. i, 8.

h This is intimated by the onaission of baptism in the latter clause of the text.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 233

Nevertheless, the reasonableness of the gospel in both these points may be clearly evinced —

It is not unreasonable that a man should be saved by faith.

[If faith were a mere assent to any doctrines, it would indeed be unreasonable to ascribe salvation to it —

But it is an humble reliance on the promises of God in Christ Jesus' —

Is it unreasonable then that he who trusts in the death of Christ should feel its saving efficacy ? —

Or that he who relies on God's promise, should expe- rience his fidelity ? — ]

Nor is it unreasonable that a man should be damned for unbelief.

[If unbelief were a mere dissent from any doctrine, on account of its wanting sufficient evidence, such unbe- lief would be comparatively innocent —

But the unbeliever rejects what has been established by the strongest evidence —

Through pride he denies God's representation of his fallen state*^ —

He accounts the wisdom of God to be foolishness,' and his truth a lie'" —

He pours contempt on the richest displays of love and mercy" —

Such treatment tve could not endure from a fellow- creature —

How then can we expect to treat GOD thus with im- punity ? —

Surely, if the wages of every sin is death, much more may it be the reward of so complicated a sin as unbe- lief—]

This point satisfactorily established, we shall, III. Display its excellency.

Angels admire the gospel, as we also should, if we understood its excellences —

i Heb. xi, 13. k Rev. iii, 17. 1 1 Cor. i, 18, 23.

m 1 John V, 10. n Eph. ii, 7.

234 AN ESSAY ON THE

1. It clearly defines the way of salvation. [All other ways of salvation are indefinite —

Who can say what portion of repentance will expiate sin and purchase heaven? —

Or what sincere obedience is ? or by whom perform- ed ?—

Or what degrees of insincerity will consist with it ? — But every one may know whether he believe in Christ — Hence every one may form a judgment of his state before God —

Surely this may well recommend the gospel to our acceptance — ]

2. It is equally suited to all persons in all conditions.

[How ill suited would any other way have been to the dying thief! —

How long must it have been before the murderers of our Lord could have entertained a comfortable hope of acceptance ! —

But the gospel affords a prospect of salvation to all, however vile° —

And is calculated to comfort us under every afflic- tion—

What excellency can it possess that should more en- dear it to us ? — ]

3. It refers all the glory of our salvation to Christ alone.

[Every other way of salvation leaves room for man to boast 1 1' —

But, on the plan of the gospel, all are equally indebted to Christ^—

All on earth and in heaven ascribe salvation to him alone'" —

Their happiness is the more dear to them as being the purchase of his blood —

Nor would any consent for an instant to rob him of his glory^ — ]

o John vi, 37 ; Matt, xx, 9. P Rom. iii, 27. q 1 Tim. iv, 10. r Rev. i, 5, and v, 12, 13. s Comp. Gal. vi, 14, with Rev. iv, 10.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 235

4. It most secures the practice of good works. [If the gospel really gave a license to sin it might well be rejected —

But it teaches us to mortify all sin, and to delight in good works' —

This effect has, in every age, been manifested in the lives of God's people —

St. Paul, the great champion of the faith, was inferior to none in holiness" —

And the contradictory objections, now urged against the preachers and professors of the gospel, afford a strong testimony in their favour — ]

Application —

1. To ministers.

[They who preach the gospel ought, above all, to experience its power —

If they do not, their condemnation will be greatly ag- gravated—

Let us then examine whether we have truly, and in- deed believed —

And let us comply with that solemn, but encouraging injunction^ — ]

2. To Christians in general.

[Baptism does not supersede, but increase our obli- gation to believe^ —

However humiliating it be to seek salvation in another, we must submit^ —

The decree in the text is irreversible, and shall be ex- ecuted in its season —

t Tit. ii, 11, 12. u 2 Cor. xii, 11. « 1 Tim. iv, 16.

y 1 Pet. iii, 21, and Rom. vi, 4. z Rom. x, 3.

236 AN ESSAY ON THE

DISCUSSION BY WAY OF OBSERVATION.

MARK XVI, 15, 16. — THE GOSPEL MESSAGE."^

I. Jesus Christ has plainly revealed to us the terms of salvation —

([God has sent various messages to our guilty world, Sometimes he has used the ministry of men, and sometimes of angels ; [ But m the text he speaks to us by his only Son.'' Ç ( His words contain a command, a promise, and a \ threatening. fyr. I The duty lie enjoins imports a simple reliance upon '^^ \ Clirist ; o \ Yet is it such a reliance as includes a penitent, obe- \ diential frame.

r To faith thus exercised is annexed a promise of 13-^ eternal life f

[ To the want of it, a threatening of eternal death.^ f Not that this was a new method of salvation — I It had been made known in types and prophecies from 19-< the beginning ;

revealed by Christ with more abundant evidence.]

II. Those he has prescribed are honourable to God and suitable to man.

a Mr. Claude's topics, which are here illustrated and referred to, are subjoined for the convenience of the reader. See page 251. The words in italics mark the precise idea that illustrates the particular topic referred to.

b Heb. i, 1. c Acts ii, 38. <* John viii, 24.

I It naa oeen

Ithe begini But it was 1 light and

23 J

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 237

' [Any other method of salvation would have set the

divine perfections, as it were, at variance. Justice required satisfaction for our breaches of

God's law ; Truth demanded the execution of the penalty which

the law denounced ; Holiness forbade any thing unclean to enter into

heaven — But Christ has borne the penalty, and satisfied

divine justice ; And by faith we are interested in all that he has

done and suifered.^ Thus mercy may be exercised in consistency with

truth and justice ; And every perfection of the Deity be glorified in

our salvation. ^ Surely such a plan was worthy of an all-wise God — ' Nor could any other have been so suitable for fallen

man. What could ive have hoped for from our obedience to

the laiv ? We are utterly incapable of fulfilling its strict

demands ; Yet, if we could do this in future, it would avail us

nothing, unless we could also expiate the guilt

of our past transgressions. But by believing in Christ we obtain a perfect righte- ousness ;f And are made spotless in the sight of God himself.e , „ ( Nor are there any so good but they need this remedy ; I Nor any so vile but they may be saved by it.]

III. All attempts to substitute any other will be vain. [Many are the refuges to which men flee, in a

season of conviction. They substitute their own repentance, reformation,

&c., in the place of faith ; But Christ is the only foundation of a sinner's hope.'»

• Acts xiii, 39. f Rom. iii, 22. S Eph. v, 27. h l Cor. 3, 11.

16^

21

•238 AN ESSAY ON THE

4 The very offer of a Saviour supposes that we are lost ;

5 Nor need this gospel have been published, if men

could have saved themselves. Can we suppose that Christ would have purchased this salvation at the price of his own blood, if men could have been saved without him 1 Or that, when he delivered so peremptory a mes- sage, he intended to leave men at liberty to substitute any plans of their own devising ? Or that he will violate his own declarations to

favour us ?

We may be sure that, whether we approve it or not, his counsel shall stand — - ( He, who is " the true and faithful Witness,'''' will cer- l tainly fulfil his own word —

f What he so solemnly pronounced at the very hour 8 -j of his ascension, he will infaUibly execute at his

[ second coming — r. { What he had then authority to publish, he will here- I after have power to enforce.]

IV. To embrace them will be to secure ever- lasting happiness.

[The promise of eternal life is unequivocally made to faith."

As soon as we believe in Christ, all our sins are forgiven,"^

And we have a title to an heavenly inheritance ■}

Nor shall we be deprived of the blessing on account either of the weakness of our faith or the great- ness of our conflicts.

The person who is most strong in faith will have most comfort in his way ;

But the iveakest believer shall not lose his reward.™

His faith indeed will be tried by many con- flicts."

But He who has been the Author of it, will also be the Finisher."]

" Acts xvi, 31. k Acts x, 43. 1 Rom. viii, 17.

m In the text, respect is had, not to the strength, but to the reality of our faith, d i Tim. vi, \%, o Heb. xii, 2.

11

27 24 i

22

COMPOSITION OE A SERMON. 239

V. To reject tliem will be to involve ourselves

in everlasting misery. ,2 i [The gospel is the brightest display of God'' s wisdom

\ and goodness ;P , . ( And Ms intention in it is. to deliver men from destnic- 14] tion.

But while it is a means of life to some, it will prove

an occasion of death to others.'î We maij en\ and that materially, in some things, and

yet he saved at last ;■■ _ But if we reject or adulterate the gospel, ive must perish.' ' Nor should this be thought " an hard saying.^^ We have ruined ourselves by manifold transgres- sions ; Nor can we possibly restore ourselves to the divine

favour. But God has provided an adequate remedy for us. The rejection of that cannot but aggravate our guilt : Well therefore may it aggravate our condemnation

also. He 7iever offered such mercy to the fallen angels, Nor had he been unjust if he had withheld it from us ; But it pleased him to deliver up his Son for us. Shall he not then punish the despisers of his mercy? Surely his patience shall at last give way to wrath ;^ And compassionate invitations be turned into indignant

rej)roofs ;"

Nor shall the damned themselves deny the equity of his procedure.-^l yi. To spread the knowledge of them should be the labour and ambition of all Christians, f [The benevolence and dignity of our Saviour, while 20 \ giving this last commission, are equally worthy [ our notice and admiration. Q j In obedience to his commands, the apostles went I forth into all the ivorld, And delivered their message at the peril of their lives.

p 1 Cor. ii, 7. q 2 Cor. ii, 15, 16. r 1 Cor. iii, 15.

6 Gal. i, 8, 9. t Ileb. iii, 9, 11. " Compare John vii, 37,

with Matt. XXV, 26, 30, 41, » Matt, xxii, 12.

17^

240 AN ESSAY ON THE

25

To them are we indebted for all the light we enjoy.

And is not their message still as interesti?ig as ever?

Is it not still the Christian ministères icarrant and directory ?

\ Is it not the believer's chief solace and sxippm-t ? 15 Yes ; the Saviour's voice is still somuling in our ears.

Should we then regard it with indifference î

Should we imitate those who took away the key of knowledge ?>'

Or those who forbade the apostles to speak to the Gentiles 1^

Let us rather labour to spread fAe joyful sound;

And to diffuse the blessings of salvation through hea- then lands ;

Nor ever rest till that glorious promise be accom- plished.^]

y Luke xi, 52. z 1 Tliess. ii, 16. a Isaiah xi, 9.

18-^

^J-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 241

DISCUSSION BY PROPOSITIONS.

MARK XVI, 15, 16. — THE GOSPEL MESSAGE.

I. There will be an awful difference between the states of different men in the day of judgment.

It cannot be that the same portion should be reserved for all.

[God, as our Lawgiver, must manifest a regard to his own law —

And, as oui- King, must distinguish between his faith- ful and rebellious subjects —

But there is no sufficient difference put between them in this world^ —

The wicked have no certain punishment, nor the righteous any adequate reward —

On the contrary, they often riot in ease, affluence, and honour, while these languish in pain, want, and infamy.*"

The notices, also, Avhich are on the consciences of men, afford reason to expect a future day of retribution.":]

Some will be exalted to a state of unspeak- able felicity.

[They will be delivered from the corruption which here cleaved to them —

They will be admitted to the blissful regions of paradise —

Their capacity of comprehension and enjoyment will be greatly enlarged —

They will join an assembly of most pure and blessed spirits —

a Eccles. ix, 2. b Ps. ixxiii, 3-14. <•■ Rom. i, 32, and ii, 15, 16

242 AN ESSAY ON THE

Above all, they will behold their God and Saviour.<i

They will receive public testimonies of his approba- tion^—

An unfading crown of righteousness will be given to them^ —

They will be seated with him on his throne of glory? —

They will praise and adore him with all their powers —

Nor shall their happiness know either intermission or end.hj

Others will be cast down to a state of incon- ceivable misery.

[They will not be permitted to stand in the con- gregation of the righteous^ —

The Judge will banish them with indignation from his presence'* —

Shame and contempt shall be poured upon them before all' —

They will be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone'" —

God himself will pour out upon them the vials of his wrath" —

Their own consciences also will bitterly reproach them'' —

They will have a distant view of the happiness they have lostf —

And an enlarged capacity to endure the torment in- flicted on them —

Nor shall they have anything to assuage their an- guishT —

Not one moment's intermission of pain will be grant- ed them —

Nor shall millions of ages terminate their misery/]

There will be no intermediate state between these.

[The idea of purgatory is an absurd fiction.

Punishment, in this world, does not change the nature of man —

d 1 Cor. xiii, 12. e Matt, xxv, 21. i 2 Tim. iv, 8.

e Rev. iii, 21. h Rev. iv, 8, and iii, 12. i Psalm i, 5.

k Matt. XXV, 41. 1 Dan. xii, 2. m Rev. xx, 10.

n Psalm xi, 6- " Wisd. v, 4. P Luke xvi, 23.

q Luke xvi, 24, 25. r Rev. xiv, 11.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 248

Pharaoh was more and more hardened under ten successive plagues^ —

And in hell, so far from repenting, they blaspheme God' —

The Scripture assures us that no change shall taie place after death'^ —

If Judas ever were brought to heaven, our Lord's assertion would be false'^ —

Nor have the dead any prospect of annihilationy —

Not the remotest period shall determine the existence of one single soul.]

II. These states will be fixed according to men's acceptance or rejection of the gospel.

It is certainly true that our works will be the criterion whereby Ave shall be judged in the last day.

[This is frequently asserted in the Holy Scriptures.'

Our Lord has declared it in his account of the judicial process^ —

Nor can the smallest doubt be entertained respect- ing it.]

But a due reception of the gospel is a very important work.

[God has given it as his special command, that we believe on his Son'' —

And this command is as important as any in the decalogue —

Cognizance, therefore, will be taken of our violatioiis of this, as well as of any other duty.]

Indeed this work must be performed before we can do any other with acceptance.

[Without faith in Christ we cannot do anything that is good<= —

» Exod. viii, 32. « Rev. xvi, 9. u Eccles. ix, 10;

Rev. xxii, 11. Jf Mark xiv, 21. y Luke xx, 36, 38.

z Eccles. xii, 14 ; 2 Cor. v, 10. a Matt. xxv. 34-45.

b 1 John iii, 23. » John xv. 0.

244 AN ESSAY ON THE

Nor can we derive anything from him unless we be united to him'^ —

But faith is the only bond by which that union can be effected'^ —

Till we believe, therefore, we can be only as withered branche s f —

Hence that striking and positive declaration of the apostle.s]

There is an inseparable connexion between our faith and our works.

[We may disthiguish between them as between the cause and effect —

But we cannot possibly separate them in our practice.

Our works are the fruits and evidences of our faith"—

God, who searcheth the heart, might indeed decide upon our faith, as it is seated there —

But man can judge of it only by the fruit it produces —

The day of judgment is for the purpose of displaying to the whole creation the equity of the divine procedure' —

On this account our works will be brought forth as the ground of God's decision —

But, as he Avho judges of the fruit of a tree, judges of the tree itself, so God, in deciding on the fruits of our faith, decides eventually on the faith that produced them.]

Nor shall this connexion be forgotten in the day of judgment.

[Our Lord will surely not forget his own repeated declarations'^' —

In inquiring into our works, he will never overlook that which is the root and principle of all other works —

In considering how we acted toAvard each other, he will not be indifferent about our conduct towai-d himself —

We may be sure therefore that the text shall be ful- filled in that day —

And that, while the rejecters of his gospel shall perish, the true believer alone shall be saved — ]

<l John XV, 4. e John vi. Compare ver. 35 and 56. { John XV. 6. s Ileb. xi, 6. h James ii, 18.

i Rom. ii,' 5. t John iii, 18, 36.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 245

Infer-—

1. The folly of neglecting the gospel.

[Men usually respect the sanctions of human laws— What effect then should not the sanctions of the gos- pel have upon us ? —

When the sentence shall be passed, can we reverse it?i—

If not, it must be madness to neglect this warning — Such folly degrades us below the beasts that perish"' — ■ Let the past time suflSce for such base and fatal con- duct—]

2. The wisdom of embracing it with our whole hearts —

pt is wisdom to regard things in proportion to their importance —

But what so important as the declarations of the gospel ? —

Temporal things are nothing in comparison of heaven and hell —

Every temporal consideration therefore should be as nothing in our eyes" —

We should " buy the truth, and not part with it" at any price° —

This is true wisdom, however it may be accounted folly-

And " wisdom, ere long, shall be justified of all her children " — ]

1 Isai. X, 3 ; 1 Cor. x, 22. »» Isai. i, 3.

n Luke ix, 25, and xii, 4. o Prov. xxiii, 23.

246 AN ESSAY ON THE

DISCUSSION BY PERPETUAL APPLICATION.

MARK XVI, 15, 16. — THE GOSPEL MESSAGE.

Incessant was our Lord's attention to the wel- fare of his church —

Regardless both of his own sufferings and glory, he was ever occupied in that one concern —

On the very eve of his crucifixion he instituted the memorials of his dying love —

And, at the moment of his ascension, provided for the instruction of the world to the remotest period of time —

He had an eye to us, no less than to those of his own age and nation —

Shall we not then pay attention to his parting words ? —

Shall we not consider them in reference to ourselves ? —

The most important truths contained in them are obvious and acknowledged —

Let us then consider them in a way of practi- cal inquiry, I. What knowledge have we of the gospel ?

The gospel is a most stupendous display of the divine mercy.

[It reveals salvation to a ruined world'' —

a 1 Tim. i, 15.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 247

It discovers God himself as manifest in the flesh, and dying for sin*^ —

It ofFers, and entreats us to accept, redemption through his blood" —

It requires nothing to be done on our part to merit his favour^ —

But teaches us to improve carefully what we receive freely" — ]

But its true nature and design are not gene- rally understood.

[Some take up prejudices against it as a licentious system —

Nor will they be at any pains to acquire just views of its doctrines —

Others adulterate it with a mixture of human inven- tions''—

Or destroy its efficacy by a self-righteous depend- ence?— ]

Let us however inquire what are our views re- specting it —

[Do we indeed see it to be " worthy of all accepta- tion V'—-

Does the remedy it proposes appear suited to our ne- cessities ? —

Is it considered by us as " the power of God and the wisdom of God ?'"»—

Do we " count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of it '?"' —

Has God shined in our hearts to give us these views V^ —

Or does Satan yet blind our eyes that we cannot see them ?'—

Let us search whether the veil be yet taken from our hearts™ — ]

IL What effect have its sanctions produced upon us ?

b 1 Tim. iii, 16 ; Acts xx, 28. c 2 Cor. v, 19, 20. d Isa. Iv, 1, e Tit. ii, 11, 12. f 2 Cor. ii, 17. s Gal. v, 2, 4.

h 1 Cor. i, 24 ; Rom. i, 16. i Phil. iii. 8. ^ 2 Gor. iv, 6. l2Cor. iv, 4. «2CQr. iii, 14.

248 AN ESSAY ON THE

We are astonished to see how Httle the sanc- tions of the gospel are regarded.

[We can form reiy little idea of the felicity of hea- ven—

Nor have we any adequate conceptions of the torments of hell- But there is nothing grand, which is not used to re- present the one —

Or terrible, which does not serve to describe the other — Yet, awful as they are, few are suitably affected with them —

Motives taken from temporal and visible things have Weight —

But eternal things, because invisible, engage no at* tention —

They are esteemed, in great measure, as " cunningly devised fables "" — ]

We ask then what effect they have produced on us?

[Are we stimulated to diligence by a prospect of heaven ? —

Does the thought of hell impress us with holy fear? —

Does a dread of the destroying angel induce us to keep our hearts sprinkled with the blood of Jesus ?« —

How obdurate must we be if we be not thus influ- enced ! — ]

III. What evidence have we that our faith is Scriptural and saving ?

We are apt to mistake the nature of saving faith.

[Some suppose it to be no more than an assent to the gospel —

Others imagine it to consist in assurance of our interest in Christ —

But both of these are equally remote from the truth —

The former may accord with the indulgence of every sin —

n 2 Pet. i, 16. » Heb. ix, 14, and », 28.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 249

The latter is nowhere declared necessary to salvation — It is indeed a high privilege to know our sins for- given?—

But Ave must be pardoned before we can know that we are pardoned — ]

But the Scripture account of faith is clear and precise.

[Faith, with respect to its nature, is a simple reliance on Chrisfi —

In its origin, it is a free, unmerited gift of God"" —

And in its effects, it is invariably productive of good works' —

Such was the faith of the first converts and the Jailer' — ]

Let us then inquire whether we be really pos- sessed of it.

[Have we ever found the difficulty of believing ? —

And under a sense of our weakness cried to God for faith ?"—

Has God in answer to our prayer wrought faith in our hearts 1^

Are we enabled by it to overcome the maxims and habits of the world V—

Are we filled by means of it with love to the bre- thren?^—

And are we purified by it from earthly, sensual, devil- ish aff'ections 1^ —

Let us thus examine ourselves whether we be in the faith"—

We may deceive ourselves; but we cannot deceive God-^-

Address —

1. To those that are in unbehef. [The gospel was to be " preached to every creature in the world ;"

P 1 John v, 13. q 1 Pet. ii, 6. r Phil. i, 29.

8 Jam. ii, 26 ; Col. i, 6. t Acts ii, 37-47 ; xvi, 30-34.

u Mark ix, 24. x Ephes. i, 19. y 1 John v, 5.

z Gal. V, 6 ; 1 Pet. i, 22. a Acts xv, 9. b 2 Cor. xiii, 5. c Gal. vi, 7,

250 AN ESSAY ON THE

And a wo is denounced against the ministers who preach it not.'^

What it is their duty to preach, it must be our duty to hear" —

Know, then, to you is the word of this salvation sent*^—

Put it not from you, nor adjudge yourselves un- worthy of eternal life' —

A time will come when you will wish that you had received it —

" Consider this ; and the Lord give you understanding in all things .'"»]

2. To those who are Aveak in faith.

[You dishonour God by your doubts and fears —

What could the Saviour have done more for you than he has doneî'

What reason can you have to doubt his power or willingness to save ?

Does the guilt of sin dismay, or its power oppress, your soul ?

Christ will both expiate its guilt,'' and subdue its power' —

Plead the promise in the text, and it shall be fulfilled to you.]

3. To those who are strong in faith.

[How glorious is the prospect opened to you by the

Lord Jesus !

Let it fill you with holy gratitude and joy —

And now show a concern for the honour of your

Lord and Saviour —

Show what is the genuine scope and tendency of the

gospel'" —

Silence by your lives the calumnies of the ungodly — Let the efficacy of faith be seen in the excellence of

your works —

And the Lord grant that you may ever be able to say

with the apostle" — ]

d 1 Cor. ix, 16. Ezek. xxxiv, 2. e Matt, x, 14, 15. 1 Thess. iv, 8. f Acts xiii, 26. e Acts xiii, 46. h 2 Tim. ii, 7.

> Isaiah v, 4. k i John ii, 1,2. l Mic. vii, 19. Rom. vi, 14. n> Tit. iii, 8, as connected with the foregoing: verses, 4-7. n Heb. x, 39.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 251

MR. CLAUDE'S TOPICS

Referred to in the Skeleton, pages 236-240.

1. Rise from species to genus.

2. Descend from genus to species.

3. Remark the divers characters of a vice which

is forbidden, or of a virtue which is com- manded.

4. Observe the relation of one subject to another.

5. Observe whether some things be not sup-

posed, which are not expressed.

6. Reflect on the person speaking or acting.

V. Reflect on the state of the person speaking or acting.

8. Remark the time of a word or action.

9. Observe place.

10. Consider the persons addressed.

11. Examine the particular state of persons ad-

dressed.

12. Consider the principles of a word or action.

13. Consider consequences.

14. Reflect on the end proposed in an expression

or an action.

252 COMPOSITION OF A SERMON.

15. Consider whether there be anything re-

markable in the manner of the speech or action.

16. Compare words and actions with similar

words and actions.

17. Remark the differences of words and actions

on different occasions.

18. Contrast words and actions.

19. Examine the grounds or causes of an action

or expression, and show the truth or equity of it,

20. Remark the good and bad in expressions

and actions.

21. Suppose things.

22. Guard against objections.

23. Consider characters of — Majesty — Meanness

— Infirm ity — Necessity — Utihty — Evi- dence, (fcc.

24. Remark degrees.

25. Observe different interests.

26. Distinguish — Define — Divide.

27. Compare the different parts of the text to-

gether.

THE END.

n

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