in a dull, unmeaning attendance upon the form of public worship, upon any form in which it was their lot to be educated; yet, in many places, the bulk of the people, by their contempt of the Lord's-day, and by their customary manner of absenting themfelves from their appointed teachers, give fufficient proof that they have neither found, nor expect to find, fo much benefit or pleafure, as to make them think it worth their while to attend them.

It will appear to competent judges, that faithful preachers are called and prepared for their office by the Lord, the head of the church, and not by human institutions, from the following confiderations.

1. That the gospel cannot be rightly understood but by divine teaching. The natural man, however diftinguished by abilities or literature, cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God; nay, he cannot difcern them. He may, indeed, know fomething of the gospel system, considered as a matter of fcience; he may know how to defend the outworks of chriftianity, and be mafter of the external evidences for its truth; * 1 Cor. ii. 14.

and

and he may espouse orthodox opinions, and be a fuccessful champion in the field of controversy. But the inward power and life, that which conftitutes the effential difference of true religion, is no less remote from his apprehenfion, than the idea of light is from a perfon born blind. This he can only learn by experience. The first leffon received and learnt by those who are taught of God, is a conviction of guilt, ignorance and mifery-and then they begin to learn the importance, neceffity, and defign of the gofpel. The man who is thus. inftructed, if the Lord be pleased to call him to the office of teaching others, will in due time proceed to deliver to the people, what he has himself learnt ; not with hefitation, uncertainty or indifference, not what he has acquired by hearsay or from books, but he has the witness in himself *. His heart teacheth his mouth †. He believes, therefore he speaks. He fimply and freely declares that which he himself has known and feen, and tafted of the word of life. And fpeaking from the fulness of his heart, with an earnestness infpired by the great+ Prov. xvi. 23.

* I John v. 10. VOL. II,

ness and importance of his subject, he speaks to the heart and feelings of his hearers, and impresses a manifestation of the truth upon

their minds.

2. That the defire of preaching this gospel when known, if it be a right defire, must likewise be given. If a man should attempt the fervice, without counting the coft, or confidering the confequences, he will most probably be disgusted and wearied. And if he seriously and properly confiders before hand what he is about to engage in, and has a due fenfe of his own weaknefs, he will tremble at the profpect, and direct his thoughts to fome other employment, unlefs his call and fupport be from on high. What courage, wisdom, meekness and zeal, appear requifite, in the view of fuch an enquirer, to qualify a man, for preaching and continuing to preach, a doctrine fo unpleafing to the world, as the doctrine of the crofs has in all ages proved! What oppofition, and snares and difficulties, what fightings from without, what fears within, may be expected! Surely, he will be ready to shrink back, and to fay, Who is fufficient for thefe things? But the Lord, by the conftraining

ftraining fenfe of his love, and by giving a deep impreffion of the worth of fouls, and by exciting in the mind a dependance upon his all-fufficiency, can and does encourage thofe, whom he calls and chufes, to ferve him in the gofpel. In themselves they are quite unequal to what is before them, but they obey his voice; they truft in his promifes for guidance and protection, and are not disappointed. We are therefore directed to pray, that the Lord of the harvest would fend, or rather (according to the force of the Greek word) thrust forth labourers into his barvest *.

3. That only he who fends forth his minifters can enable them to perfevere. It is a service of continual exertion and expence, and requires a continual fupply. The oppofition of the world, and the power of temptation, acting upon the weakness and depravity of the heart, would quickly prevail against the best minifters, if they were left to carry on the warfare at their own charges. They are at times, yea frequently, in fituations and circumftances, which teach them feelingly the meaning of the apoftle's words, * Matt. ix. 38.

We were prefed out of meafure, above ftrength, infomuch that we defpaired even of life*. Befides the trials incidental to the chriftian profeffion, which they are expofed to in common with others, they have many which are peculiar to their calling as preachers of the gospel. Their chief pre-eminence over christians in private life, is a painful one; they have the honour of bearing a double share of the heat and burden of the day, and of standing in the foremost ranks of the battle, to provoke and receive the fierceft affaults of the enemy. Their only resource and hope, is in the faithfulness and compaffion of their Lord, under whofe banner and eye they fight, and who has faid, Lo! I am with you always, even to the end of the world.

4. That the Lord only can give fuccefs to their endeavours. Paul may plant and Apollos may water, but there is no increase unless he affords a bleffing †. It is at least a prefumptive proof, that he has called a man to preach, if he owns his labours, fince he has not promifed to own any but thofe whom he fends. We must however allow, and observe, that to preach falvation to others, and even to be + Cor. iii. 6.

* 2 Cor. i. 8.

inftru