108 THE FORM OF THE GOSPEL. Happy that man who bath attained the holy skill of joining promises and commands, duties and privileges, authority, terror and grace ; and who mingles them all wisely in his ministry ; who bath learned of St. Paul the divine art of addressing him- self to the reason, the consciences, and the passions of mendin spell a variety of expressions of power, terror and love, as may most effectually answer the ends of his office. Happy is he that knows how to display the gospel in all forms under which scripture represents it, to preach tothe Jews, and to teach the gentiles ; to talk to the righteous and the wicked in proper lan- guage, to the obstinate rebel, to the trembling sinner, and the mourning, saint. Happy is he that becomes all to all that he may gain the more souls ; 1 Cor. ix. 19-22. sometimes as without the law, yet under a law to Christ ; sometimes as with the law, yet free from the bondage of it ; that never strives about words to noprofit, but knows how to divide the wordof truth aright, and to give every one their portion : This is the workman that needs not to he ashamed, and bath most reason to hope for success ; 2 Tim. ii. 14, 15. To conclude ; "Let us all apply ourselves with unbiassed minds, with new diligence -and, fervent prayers, to search the word of God, and draw all our notions of the gospel thence :" Let Us enquire into the spiritual state, the dangers and necessi- ties of the people to whom we minister, and this will be of great use to guide us to proper subjects and methods ofdiscourse. Let our conversation be such, as becomes the gospel in every form of it, whether absolute or conditional. Let our close walking with God be exemplary and instructive, that men may see our religion as well as hear it, and all may confess, that while we preach the gospel, we are zealous observers of the law. Let us maintain upon our own hearts a sweet and honourable sense of the riches of free-grace in Christ, together with a tender sense of the evil of sin, and a livery delight iii holiness, that the daily experience of our own souls, and our inward christianity which is taught us, and wrought in us by theSpirit of God, may instruct us how to preach to others. Let that gospel which is written in thefleshly tables of our hearts, that is, in our very souls, by thefinger of God, be mani -, fested in every part of our ministrations for the good of men. Thus we shall obtain the approbation of Jesus our Judge, in preaching his gospel of faith and love, and thus shall wehave the pleasure of this testimony in our own consciences, that in the ge- neral course of our ministry we have sought to save the souls of others in the same way as we ourselves have sought to be saved : And thatwe have proposed the same truths to them, and recommended the same duties, which we ourselves believe :=.t:d practise, in order to our own salvation. Amen.
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