I should have succeeded." This is a carnal spirit. If God bless the simple manner in which you spoke, that will do good; if not, no manner of speaking could have done it.

There is such a thing in the religious world as a cold, carnal wisdom: every thing must be nicely weighed in the scales; every thing must be exactly measured by the rule. I question if this is not worse, in its consequences, than the enthusiasm which it opposes. Both are evil, and to be shunned. But I scarcely ever knew a preacher or writer of this class. who did much good.

We are to go forth, expecting the excellency of God's power to accompany us, since we are but earthen vessels and if, in the apostolic days, diligence was necessary, how much more requisite is it now!

But to the exercise of this diligence, a sufficiency in all things is promised. What does a minister require ? In all these respects the promise is applicable to him. He needs, for instance, courage and patience: he may, therefore, expect that the Holy Spirit will enable him for the exercise of these graces.

A minister may expect more superintendence, more elevation, than a hearer. It can scarcely be questioned that he ought to pray for this; if so, he has a ground in Scripture thus to pray.

I have been cured of expecting the Holy Spirit's influence without due preparation on our part, by observing how men preach who take up that error. I have heard such men talk nonsense by the hour.

We must combine Luther with St. Paul-"Bene orasse est bene studuisse," must be united with St.

Paul's Meditate upon these things: give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all. One errs who says, "I will preach a reputable sermon:" and another errs who says, "I will leave all to the assistance of the Holy Spirit," while he has neglected a diligent preparation.

ON PREACHING CHRIST.

We preach Christ crucified-1 Cor. i. 23. CHRIST is God's great ordinance. Nothing ever has been done, or will be done to purpose, but so far as he is held forth with simplicity. All the lines must centre in him. I feel this in my own experience, and therefore I govern my ministry by it: but then this is to be done according to the analogy of faith-not ignorantly, absurdly, and falsely. I doubt not, indeed, but that excess on this side is less pernicious than excess on the other; because God will bless his own especial ordinance, though partially understood and partially exhibited.

THERE are many weighty reasons for rendering Christ prominent in our ministry :

1. Christ cheers the prospect. Every thing connected with him has light and gladness thrown round it. I look out of my window :-the scene is scowlingdark-frigid-forbidding: I shudder-my heart is chilled. But let the sun break forth from the cloud-I can feel-I can act-I can spring.

2. God descending and dwelling with man, is a

truth so infinitely grand, that it must absorb all others. "You are his attendants! Well! but the KING! There he is!-the KING !"

3. Out of Christ God is not intelligible, much less amiable. Such men as Clarke and Abernethy talk sublime nonsense. A sick woman said to me- Sir!

I have no notion of God. I can form no notion of him. You talk to me about him, but I cannot get a single idea that seems to contain any thing.' But you know how to conceive of Jesus Christ as a man! God comes down to you in him, full of kindness and condescension.' -Ah! Sir, that gives me something to lay hold on. There I can rest. I understand God in his Son.' But if God is not intelligible out of Christ, much less is he amiable, though I ought to feel him so. He is an object of horror and aversion to me, corrupted as I am! I fear I tremble-I resist-I hate-I rebel.

4. A preacher may pursue his topic, without being led by it to Christ. A man who is accustomed to investigate topics is in danger. He takes up his topic and pursues it. He takes up another and pursues it. At length Jesus Christ becomes his topic, and then he pursues that. If he cannot so feel and think as to bend all subjects naturally and gracefully to Christ, he must seek his remedy in selecting such as are more evangelical.

5. God puts peculiar honor on the preaching of Christ crucified. A philosopher may philosophize his hearers, but the preaching of Christ must convert them. John the Baptist will make his hearers tremble; but, it the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he, let him exhibit that peculiar feature of his superiority

-Jesus Christ. Men may preach Christ ignorantlyblunderingly-absurdly : yet God will give it efficacy, because he is determined to magnify his own ordinance.

6. God seems, in the doctrine of the cross, to design the destruction of man's pride. Even the murderer and the adulterer sometimes become subjects of the grace of the Gospel, because the murderer and adulterer are more easily convinced and humbled: but the man of virtue is seldom reached, because the man of virtue disdains to descend. Remember me, saved a dying malefactor !-God, I thank Thee, condemned a proud Pharisee!

EVERY minister should therefore enquire, "what is

FOR ME THE WISEST WAY OF PREACHING CHRIST TO MEN ?”

Some seem to think that in the choice of a wise way, there lurks always a TRIMMING disposition. There are men, doubtless, who will sacrifice to self, even Christ Jesus the Lord: but they, of all men, are farthest from the thing. There is a secret in doing it, which none but an honest man can discover. The knave is not half wise enough.

WE are not to judge one another in these things. Sufficient it is, to us, to know what we have to do. There are different ways of doing the same thing, and that with success and acceptance. We see this in the apostles themselves. They not only preached Christ in different ways; but, what is more, they could not do this like one another. They declare this fact themselves; and acknowledge the grace of God in their respective gifts. Our beloved brother Paul writes, says St. Peter, according to the wisdom given unto

him. But there are Peters, in our days, who would say-" Paul is too learned. Away with these things, which are hard to be understood. He should be more simple. I dislike all this reasoning." And there are Pauls, who would say, "Peter is rash and unguarded. He should put a curb on his impetuosity." And there are Johns, who would say, "They should both discharge their offices in my soft and winning manner. No good will come of this fire and noise." Nothing of this sort! Each hath his proper gift of God; one after this manner, and another after that: and each seems only desirous to occupy faithfully till his Master come, leaving his brethren to stand or fall to their own Master.

Too much dependence is often placed on a system of RATIONAL CONTRIVANCE. An ingenious man thinks he can so manage to preach Christ, that his hearers will say" Here is nothing of methodism! This has nothing to do with that system!" I will venture to say, if this is the sentiment communicated by his ministry, that he has not delivered his message. The people do not know what he means, or he has kept back part of God's truth. He has fallen on a carnal contrivance, to avoid a cross, and he does no good to souls. The WHOLE MESSAGE must be delivered; and it is better it should be delivered even coarsely, than not at all. We may lay it down as a principle-That if the Gosbe a MEDICINE, and a SPECIFIC too-as it is--it must be got down SUCH AS IT IS. Any attempt to sophisticate and adulterate will deprive it of its efficacy: and will often recoil on the man who makes the attempt, to his shame and confusion. The Jesuits tried to render