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v,„A''^VA

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. ^

r «^*»\ . ^ % *N»

»i •'«''■ ',"

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

Two sorts of division, textual and topical

Division of the sermon is proper in general

for obscure subjects

Division a,s for prophecies

Gen. iii, 15.

for texts taken from disputes .

Rom. iii, 28.

for conclusions of long discourses

Rom.v, l,viii.

for quoted texts

Heb. i, 5, 6 ;

ii, 6 ; iii, 7.

for texts treated of in different

views

Ex. xxxiv, 35.

Dan. ix, 7.

Heb. iii, 7, 8.

Division of the text after the order of the

words

Eph. i, 3.

IPet.v, 10,11.

How to divide a text inform . .

Heb. X, 10.

Reducing a subject to a categorical

proposition

Marking the character of a text .

1 John iv, 18.

the spirit of a text . .

Ps. cxlvii, 11.

Natural order two-fold ....

James i, 18.

2 Tim. ii, 10.

Some texts divide themselves . .

Phil, ii, 13.

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 ;

vi, 47, 56.

Rom. viii, 1.

Sometimes the connexion of subject and )
attribute must make a distinct part . S

2 Cor. V, 17 ;

iv, 17, 18.

Sometimes it may make the entire subject .

Ps. cxxvi, 5,6.

How to divide when texts need much ex-

plaining

Acts ii, 27.

Discussion of terms Syncategorematica .

John iii, 16;

XV, 15.

Ex. xxxiv, 5.

Deut.xxvii,26

How to divide texts of reasoning . . .

Jdg.xiii,22,23.

Rom. iv, 1.

Acts vii, 48-50

oi objection and answer

Rom. vi, 1,2.

ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 1

Division of ^z^cuZ* texts

Examples.

Page

John iv, 10.

Luk.vii,41-43.

jf texts which m;)?y something .

Isa. Iv, 6.

1 Cor. i, 30

of texts of teiory

Acts ii, 37-39.

Sometimes the occasion of an action may

form one part

Division must be expressed simply for the

sake of being remembered

1 Cor. iv, 1-9.

Division may be arbitrary

Matt.x, 32-39.

John vi, 44.

Subdivision

CHAP. V.

OF TEXTS TO BE DISCUSSED BY WAY OF

EXPLICATION.

Preacher must understand the sense of the

text

Preacher must comprehend the whole sub-
ject together, and perceive the parts of

which it consists

— —

Preacher must have a general idea of

theology

Preacher must study the nature of his text

Two general ways of discussing a text :

explication and observation ....

Rules to determine the choice ....

Difficult passages must be treated of by

way of explication

— —

Difficulties arise from words or things . .

How to explain difficult words ....

Difficult and important subjects must be ex-
plained

Controverted texts, how to explain . . .

John xvi, 12.

Different ways of explaining disputed texts

How to explain an intricate subject, exem-

plified

Col. i, 9-13.

Col. ii, 10-12.

John i, 17.

How to explain texts not difficult but im-

portant

2 Cor. iv, 7.

1 Cor. iii, 11.

Explication with and without proof . . .

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.

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

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.

30 AN ESSAY ON THE

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.]

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 31

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

32 AN ESSAY ON THE

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:"

88 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

44 AN' -SSAY ON THE

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

46 AN ESSAY ON THE

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.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 49

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.

60 AN ESSAY ON THE

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.

62 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

54 AN ESSAY ON THE

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,

56 AN ESSAY ON THE

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 ?

60 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

62 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

64 AN ESSAY ON THE

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.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 65

[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

66 AN ESSAY ON THE

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.

COMPOSITION OF A SEKMON. 67

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

68 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

70 AN ESSAY u:n the

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-

72 AN ESSAY ON THE

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,

76 AE '^^SSAY ON THE

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

80 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

82 AN ESSAY ON THE

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,

88 AN E^SAY ON THE

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

90 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

100 AN ESSAY ON THE

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."

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 101

**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

102 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 103

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

104 AN ESSAY ON THE

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-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 105

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

106 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 107

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-

108 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 109

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.

110 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. Ill

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.

112 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SEKMON. 113

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.

114 AN ESSAY ON THE

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.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 115

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.

116 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 117

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

118 AN ESSAY ON THE

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,

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 119

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.

120 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 121

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.

122 AN ESSAY ON THE

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.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 123

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

124 A-Ê 17SSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 125

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

126 AN ESSAY ON THE

■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.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 127

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

128 AN ESSAY ON THE

(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-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 129

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

130 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 131

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

132 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 133

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-

134 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 135

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

136 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 137

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.

138 AN ESSAY ON THE

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-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 139

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

140 AN ESSAY ON THE

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,

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON, 141

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

142 AN ESSAY ON THE

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-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 143

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

144 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 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

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 ^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

146 AN ESSAY ON THE

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.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 147

— 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,

148 AN ESSAY ON THE

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-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 149

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

150 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 151

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

162 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 153

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.

154 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 155

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

156 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 157

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.

158 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 159

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-

160 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 161

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."

162 AN ESSAY ON THE

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-

COMPOSITION OF A SEUMON. 163

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

164 AN ESSAY ON THE

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.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 165

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

166 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 167

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

168 AN ESSAY ON THE

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-

170 AN ESSAY ON THE

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-

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 171

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

172 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 173

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

174 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 175

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;

176 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 177

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.

178 AN ESSAY ON THE

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-

180 AN ESSAY ON THE

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.

COMPOSITION OF A SERMON. 181

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

182 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

184 AN ESSAY ON THE

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.

186 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

188 AN ESSAY OX THE

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.

192 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

194 AN ESSAY ON THE

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.

196 • AN ESSAY ON THE

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.

198 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

200 AY ESSAY ON THE

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

202 AN ESSAY ON THE

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.

204 ^ AN ESSAY ON THE

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

206 AN ESSAY ON THE

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-

208 AN ESSAY ON THE

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

226 ' AN ESSAY ON THE

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^

•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.

27
24 i

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

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.

THE NEW
REFE

This book is i
take

YORK PUBLIC
RENGE DEPARTM

LIBRARY
ENT

tances to ♦be
ng

under no circums
n from the Buildi

1
■ 1

—

form 410

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