199 / 674
BERM.
XL.]
LIVING
ABOVE
THE DEAD.
179
Let
ministers
call
up
all
their
powers then
to
the blessed
work
of
the gospel.
Let
them
stir
up
all
their
gifts,
and
employ
them
all
for the
welfare
of
immortal
souls.
What
is
their furniture
of
human learning
?
What are
their
talents
of
oratory, their
flowing
language,
and
their
art
of persuasion
?
What
is
their vivacity
of
spirit,
their
sweetness
of
voice,
their penetrating
force
of
elocution
?
What
are
all these
but
weapons
of
warfare
to
fight
against
the kingdom
of
Satan among
men,
and
instru-
ments to
build
up the:church
of God
on
earth?
What
are
they all
but consecrated
gifts
to
win
souls to
Christ
out of
the
kingdom
of
this world
?
They are
given only
for
service in the
present
life.
Let
us
use
them
then
with our
utmost
skill
for these
holy
purposes
:
For,
"
whether
there
be
tongues
they shall cease
:
Whether
there
be
knowledge and human
learning,
that
shall
vanish
away;"
1
C'or.
xüi.
8, 9.
These
;poor imperfect talents
are not
made for heaven.
Let our
zeal
therefore em-
ploy them
to
the
utmost
on
earth.
O
let
us
be
instant
in
season
and
out
of
season,
and
proclaim
the
terrors of
the
law
to
awaken
the
stupid and
impenitent,
to
make
them
fly
from
the
wrath
to come.
Let
us publish
the glad tidings
of
the
gospel,
and
by
all
the methods
of
compassion and tenderness,
let
us
be-
seech
and
entreat
sinners to be
reconciled to God.
Let
us set the
unsearchable
riches
of
Christ
before them, the
all-
sufficiency
of
his
righteousness, and the power
of
his
grace
;
and study and contrive
how
we
may
address
their
consciences
in
the most
successful
manner,
till we
have
won
their hearts
over
to
Christ
and salvation.
And let
this
not
only
be
the
labour
of
the
sanctuary,
and
the
work
of
our
public
offices
in
the church,
but let
the houses
where
we
dwell,
and the
families
where
we
visit, be
witnesses
for
us in
the
great
day,
that
we
have
instructed and
warned the souls
of
men,
that
we
have
carried
on the business
of
the
pulpit
in
the
parlour,
and
have
spread
the
savour
of
the knowledge
of Christ
through
all
our
conversation.
Let
parents
that
are
solicitous for the
eternal
welfare
of
their
offspring; 'and love
their
sons
and daughters as
their
own souls,
let,them
seize
the
present opportunity
for
this
sort of
work.
Let
them
make
use
of
all
the
lan-
guage
of
gentle authority, and
of
constraining
love,
to
IN
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