reprove them for their faults, as the poor and the mean. Only, in order that our advice and reproofs may be well taken, and may answer their intended end, we must be fo mindful of the fuperiority of their station in life, as to address them with proper refpect, and carry ourselves, with a becoming modefty and deference, in all our intercourse with them. I must observe also, that these laws of Chrift must be inculcated earnestly and awfully. I mean hereby, that we fhould urge them upon our hearers, under a deep conviction of their very great importance, and that falvation is. abfolutely impoffible, as to those that know not God," fo alfo to thofe that "obey not the Gofpel of our Lord Jesus Christ." * Perfuaded of this, we must addrefs them on this topic, a topic on which their everlasting ALL depends, with fuitable earneftness and awe; and, if poffible, must not leave them till they are brought to acquiefce in the whole will of God, and refolve, thro' his grace, to make hafte, and not delay to keep all his commandments, and endeavour to be holy in all manner of converfation and godliness. II. We come now to confider, as was propofed, fecondly, To whom the office of preaching the Gofpel belongs? or, To whom this charge of our LORD is given ? I. Although this command, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gofpel to every creature, was primarily addreffed to the Apostles, as appears from the preceding verfe, yet that it was not confined to them, is evident from divers confiderations. ift. Our Lord had before this fent out the Jeventy, making, at the fame time, this remarkable obfervation, "The harveft is great, and the la 2 Thefs. i. 8. + Luke x. I, bourers bourers are few ;" and exhorting them to pray "the LORD of the harvest to fend forth labourers into his harveft." Now thefe feventy he certainly never afterwards prohibited from preaching. 2dly, Some of the deacons, chofen merely to a temporal office, such as Stephen and Philip, preached frequently, and no doubt, were countenanced by the LORD in fo doing. * 3dly, Many of the members of the church of Jerufalem scattered abroad through the regions of Judea and Samaria, by the great perfecution raised against them after the death of Stephen, went every where, we are informed, preaching the word. And that the Apoftles were not the perfons meant is certain, for we find them exprefsly excepted. Now they are fo far from being cenfured by the Holy Ghoft for this conduct, that this is manifeftly recorded of them to their praife. Hence we find Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Titus, Apollos, and divers others, who were not Apostles, preaching the Gospel. And 4thly, that the command was not intended to be confined to that period of time, but was given to all, in every age, that are properly called and qualified, appears from the parallel paffage, where our Lord promises his prefence to the minifters of his word, to the end of the world. 2. But the great difficulty is, who are thus called and qualified? And yet this point, it appears to me, may be determined by attending fimply to what has already been observed, with regard to the nature of the Gofpel, and what is implied in preaching it. But before I enter upon this fubject, I muft affure my hearers, it is not my intention, in what I fhall advance, to reflect upon the Clergy of the established Church, or those of any * Acts vi. 8. and viii. 5. † Acts viii. 4. ‡ Math. xxviii. 20. other other denomination of Chriftians, but merely to fhew what warrant we have from Scripture and Reafon, to take upon us the office of preaching the Gofpel, and to lay before this congregation the rules, according to which we proceed, in our choice and appointment of Preachers. 1 3. And first, we have seen above, that to preach the Gofpel, is to teach the many great and important Truths of it. Now fince God is a God of Reafon, and it is certainly unreasonable to suppose that a man can teach what he does not know; therefore, in order that a perfon may be qualified for this office, we judge it neceffary that he should be acquainted with the nature, variety, and importance of Gofpel-Truths. But this, we believe, no one can be, without fupernatural illumination; the Old and the New Teftament agreeing to affure us, that "The things of GOD knoweth no man, but by the Spirit of GOD." Hence, it appears to us abfolutely neceffary, that a man fhould be taught of GOD, taught by the Spirit as well as the Word of Truth, in order to his being qualified for the office of a Teacher of Chrif tianity. Further: Inafmuch as GOD is a GOD of Truth, and requires truth in the inward parts; requires that those who preach in his name should do it fincerely; therefore, we confider it as being of equal neceffity and importance that a perfon fhould firmly believe, or be fully perfuaded of the certainty of divine truths, that he may be qualified and called to teach them. "I have believed, and therefore have I fpoken," faid one. He muft believe, and therefore fpeak. Again: GOD is a SPIRIT, and his Word is fpirit, and life, and power, and must be fpoken in demonftration of the Spirit and of power;" and from the heart, that may reach the heart. In order therefore, that a man may be qualified to preach the Gefpel, we believe believe he ought to have a deep and lively fenfe of the importance of divine truths upon his mind, and that his fpirit and behaviour should be duly influenced thereby. 4. We have obferved, fecondly, that to preach the Gofpel, implies, the making a fincere and free offer of Gospel Privileges. But before a person can be qualified to do this, it is requifite that he should know what these privileges are, and that he should believe them to be free for, and attainable by his hearers. And as this offer is to be made freely, affectionately, and urgently, it is neceffary it should he made from Experience. They who preach the Gospel, and offer its privileges to mankind, should first themselves have received those privileges; at least, in part; and should have a well grounded and lively hope of obtaining those that yet remain. Thus our Lord, "We speak what we do know, and testify what we have feen." And thus St. John, and the first minifters of the Word, "What we have feen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye alfo may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift." They, therefore, who have not received thefe privileges; for instance, who have not obtained remiffion of fins, the favour of GOD, and a new and divine nature, are not qualified, and therefore not called to preach the Gospel. In other words, thofe only are qualified to teach Chrift, who have learned him; and, if we are to believe St. Paul, only thofe have learned him, who have "put off the old man, and put on the new, and are renewed in the spirit of their minds." * Hence it pleafed God, reveal his Son," in Paul, before he fent him to "preach among the Gentiles."+ Eph. iv. 20, 24. + Gal. i. 16. 5. We 5. We have seen thirdly, that another particular implied in preaching the Gospel, is to enforce the Precepts of it, and that this must be done boldly, plainly, and impartially. Now, it is certain only thofe can do this, who themfelves obey thofe Precepts. For they alone will be able to speak with confidence and courage. It follows from hence, that those who live in known fin of any kind, in difobedience to any of the commands of Chrift, as they are not qualified, fo neither are they called to preach the Gofpel. Accordingly, "unto the wicked, God faith, What haft thou to do to declare my ftatutes, or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth? feeing thou hateft inftruction, and cafteth my words behind thee." * And St. Paul, in the directions which he gives to Timothy and Titus, refpecting the perfons proper to be chofen to the paftoral office, requires, firft of all, that they should be llameless, viz. at least as to their outward conduct, standing at a distance from all known fin, whether of omiffion or commiffion. All thefe qualifications are effentially neceffary, and without them, it is abfurd to fuppofe, that any perfon is called of GOD to preach his Gospel. 6. But there are other endowments alfo, which, although fome of them be of an inferior nature, are yet not to be overlooked. For instance, it is to be observed, that the Preachers of the Gospel, are to addrefs rational creatures, poffeffed of Minds to be informed, Judgments to be convinced, Confciences to be pierced, Wills to be perfuaded, Fears to be alarmed, Hopes to be excited, Affec-tions to be won; and hence we may infer, that it is neceffary they should be qualified to speak in an intelligible, convincing, perfuafive, and affecting manner, and that therefore they ought to poffefs a Pfalm 1. 16, 17. degree, |