tian principles and Christian practice, Christian faith and Christian works, are there uniformly made to go hand in hand; and, sure, what the wisdom of God hath joined together, the folly of man should not presume to put asunder? It is our business, undoubtedly, to teach the doctrine of faith; but it ought to be that faith only which "worketh by love," which "purifieth the heart," and "overcometh the world." And it is equally our business to enforce the prescriptions of morality; but it ought to be that morality only which is taught in the gospel-which springs from a heart purified by the faith, and sanctified by the grace of the gospel; a morality which can flow only from those pure and powerful principles, "loving him who first loved us," and "loving our neighbour as ourselves."

The range of Christian instruction is wide and extensive; but let us take care that we do not lose ourselves in this ample field. Let us not so wander into any adjoining territory, as to lose sight of the great and distinguishing land mark of Christianity-the mediation of the Son of God. The circle of revealed truth is of sufficient diameter; but the cross of Christ is the pivot about which it should revolve-the centre, from which all the radii should diverge, or in which they should terminate.

Thus, whatever the holy scriptures have revealed of the origin and accountableness of man; of his apostacy, guilt and condemnation; of the

infinite purity of the divine nature, and the unchangeable obligation of the divine law; of the weakness and deceitfulness of men's hearts, and the abounding wickedness of their lives;-all these, and such as these points, ought to be frequently and plainly insisted on by the Christian preacher, as directly tending to the production of humility, repentance, and reformation, and preparing the way for the thankful and cordial reception of the doctrine of Christ crucified. And thus the various scriptural instructions and admonitions which are necessary to the cultivation of the Christian spirit, and the regulation of the Christian conduct-all that relates to the immutable force of the moral law, and the necessity of an unreserved obedience to its precepts the winning and powerful influence which a sense of redeeming love should have on the human affections; and the intimate connexion of the disclosures and motives of the gospel, with a practical and willing subjection to its precepts;-all that regards the dangers, the trials, the temptations, of the Christian life;-all that belongs to the duties of diligence, and vigilance, and prayer-of meekness, and temperance, and charity; every thing of this kind falls fairly within the range of the Christian preacher's duty, and should be regarded as inseparably connected, and accordingly taught in connexion, with the mediation of the Son of God. In a word,

all the doctrines of scripture are "given by inspiration of God, and are profitable for instruction in righteousness;"-but the doctrine of Christ crucified is plainly the leading doctrine of the gospel. Other doctrines of religion are valuable only by their connexion with and dependence upon this. Other truths may be, and are, of vital importance, as introductory to it, or consequent upon it. But to exhibit the Son of God as voluntarily submitting to degradation and death, for the redemption of fallen man, is, beyond peradventure, the main design of the Christian scriptures; and ought, therefore, to form the basis and the substance of all our ministrations. Thus should we follow the footsteps of the Apostle, who resolved to limit his exertions to the diffusion of the leading principles of Christianity--the doctrine of Christ crucified, together with the truths and duties essentially connected with it. Whoever heard him preach would have supposed that he knew, that he attended to, nothing else. For whatever other knowledge he possessed, (and he was a man of acknowledged learning,) this was the only species of knowledge which he chose to discover in the character of an Apostle, or showed himself concerned to promulgate among Christians. Modelling our conduct upon his, we shall "not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord;" we shall not suffer ourselves to "glory, save in the cross of

Christ;" we shall determine to "know nothing among our people, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."

In the third place, we are led to notice, as worthy of our imitation, the humility, the plainness, the simplicity of the Apostle's language and manners, in fulfilling the duty of his office. "And I, brethren," said he to the Corinthians, "when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling: and my speech, and my preaching, was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in plain evidence of the Spirit and of power."

There is not a character among men which more imperatively calls for plainness, and candour, and sincerity, than that of the Christian pastor. Having taken the awful responsibility of instructing his charge as the accountable creatures of God, and soliciting their attention to those things which belong to their eternal peace; he cannot but know the weighty obligation which rests upon him to bring the doctrines and duties of Christianity plainly and palpably before their minds; and if he be (what he ought to be) deeply impressed with the paramount importance of these things himself, he will feel and discover a proportionate anxiety to communicate the same valuable sentiments and impressions to those

around him. Like the Apostle, he will be duly sensible of his own weakness and insufficiency for these things; he will experience somewhat of the same fear and trembling, lest he should fail of accomplishing his purpose; and therefore he will habitually use great plainness of speech. Addressing himself to sinful, perishing men, on the great doctrines of salvation, and the duties arising out of them, he cannot permit himself to affect the fine orator, or the learned philosopher. He will not set himself to amuse the fancy, or captivate the ear, with a fine flow of well turned periods, or a succession of images, however dazzling-this can be regarded as nothing better than trifling with the most important concernssolemn trifling with the time, with the eternity of his hearers. No! on such subjects he will speak, "not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth." He will preach "the truth as it is in Jesus," in its native unadulterated form. Without any of the prunings, or trimmings, or glossings, of human ingenuity, he will be careful to deliver the doctrines and rules of Christianity as they are laid down in the gospel. He will minister the "sincere milk of the word," and leave it to the Spirit of God to convey it with efficacy to the mind, and cause it to produce its genuine effects-an humble prostration before the power, and the purity, and the mercy of God, and a gradually invigorated growth in holiness and grace. Thus will he,