by the habitual use of the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," be made instrumental in securing conquests, which never were, nor can be, gained by all the arts of human learning, or by the most exquisite skill in the choice and arrangement of language; and to which, in truth, nothing can lead the way but a distinct perception, and a strong sense of the value of salvation, produced, both in the preacher and the hearer, by the power of the Spirit of God. These were the weapons, from the divine armoury, which the Apostle Paul wielded in his warfare with the powers of darkness; and we know the blessed results.

Far be it from me, however, either in precept or in practice, to underrate the helps of human learning, or to despise the legitimate rules of method in the arrangement and composition of our discourses from the pulpit. They only merit contempt, mingled with pity, who can do so. We should endeavour, in the style and delivery of our sermons, to keep pace with the growing taste and improvement of the age in which we live; nor can this, as a subordinate object, be reckoned by the well-informed as unworthy of our attention. The royal preacher tells us that he "sought to find out acceptable words." The enemies of Christ were disarmed, when they heard him speak "as never man spake." Apollos is celebrated even in the page of sacred history as an "eloquent man." And the Apostle

Paul himself, though he disclaimed "the words of man's wisdom," the vain philosophy, and artful sophistry of the Grecian schools, was, notwithstanding, an orator of no mean rank. Whoever reads his sermons, or his letters, will be made to feel all the ingenuity and all the force of a legitimate eloquence-an eloquence which so struck the men of Lystra, that they were scarcely prevented from offering him sacrifice as the god Mercury, "because he was the chief speaker."

Christian truth and Christian duty are venerable objects; and it is the duty of those who are appointed to recommend them to take care that they be neither degraded by a mean, unworthy garb, nor tricked out in the fanciful drapery of affectation, nor overlaid with the glare of a tinsel ornament. Let them but be presented in their native plainness, simplicity, and beauty, and they cannot fail to captivate every heart that is not either brutalized by vice, or darkened by infidelity. For it is not by "the enticing words of man's wisdom," but by plainly exhibiting the simple truths and motives of Christianity, that men are called back to duty and to God. Mere ethical harangues, or recondite disquisitions of any kind-cold and general statements, or the utmost display of human learning, couched in the most refined language, and delivered with all the arts of a studied eloquence-never yet subdued, nor ever will subdue, the heart of

one rebellious and stubborn offender. It is the doctrine of the cross of Christ which God has ordained to effect this inestimable purpose. It is only by a crucified Redeemer held up before the eyes of perishing sinners, that they can look and live. "Allowed, then, as we are, to be put in trust with the gospel, let us so speak," in plainness, simplicity, and godly sincerity, “not as pleasing men, but God, who trieth our hearts." "Seeing we have this ministry committed to us, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty; not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience, in the sight of God."

Still farther, the Apostle, in conclusion, discovers the end which he proposed to himself in the execution of his office, and which ought to be the leading aim of every Christian minister, namely, "that the faith of his hearers should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." Aiming, as we ought, at the accomplishment of this valuable end, we shall leave little room for any inferior motives to operate on our minds. Impressed with a just sense of the unspeakable importance of Christianity, and of our office as ministers of Christianityinspired with an honest and ardent concern to ground the faith and practice of our people on

the foundation of the word of God, and to persuade them cordially to lay hold on his mercy, and conform closely to his rules;—such an aim must at once effectually banish all unworthy considerations from our hearts; all silly affectation of language, or of manner, in our public performances; all aimings at human applause, or the advancement of mere worldly interests of any kind. If we are ever observed to be actuated by low or sinister motives, (and there is no concealing them where they exist,) they will greatly weaken the force of the most powerful appeals from the pulpit; they will go, in a great measure, to defeat the very end of our ministry. We ought to be able, and it seems essential to the due performance of our clerical duties that we be able, to address ourselves in sincerity to those around us, as Paul did to the Corinthians, "We seek not yours, but you." We have given ourselves to the work of the ministry among you, and our heart's desire and prayer is, that we may be made instrumental in settling your faith on the only sure foundation, in promoting your best interests, in securing your eternal salvation. Keeping these ends steadily in view, brethren, we will be cautious of going beyond the teaching of scripture; we shall beware of entertaining mankind with philosophical inquiries, or barren speculations, on dark and mysterious points. But we shall study constantly to teach the doctrines, and recommend the rules

of Christ, in that beautiful simplicity, and with that divine sincerity and affection, which characterized the ministrations of the first preachers of Christianity. Setting aside all those schemes of human ingenuity and device, of which they knew nothing, it ought to be our earnest and unceasing study, as it was theirs, to feed the flock of Christ with the unadulterated doctrine of scripture, and to lead them to the pure fountain of truth and knowledge, to the end "that their faith may not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

And here we may be permitted to observe, that, as ministers of the gospel, we enjoy in this, as in other respects, the fullest and most uncontrolled liberty in the discharge of our pastoral duties. We are one of the few ecclesiastical bodies, who are satisfied with the standard of the Christian scriptures. scriptures. And we and our people ought to rejoice in it, that Christianity is, among us, undegraded by human tests, unshackled by human authority. Our church stands upon the broad, safe, and consistently Protestant grounds, of the sufficiency of scripture, and the right of private judgment;-and so long as we hold these inestimable principles sacred and inviolate, so long shall we "stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and never permit ourselves to be entangled with the yoke of bondage." Let other churches, if they please, add to the doctrines, and laws, and institutions of