DISCOURSE IV. 56 have expressed all the same passions, nor given us such an ex- ample of them in themselves. But a minister of the word, taken from among men, has been in a sinful state, and is now be- come a sincere christian, or he should be so. He is supposed to have his on soul filled with love to God ; he has felt his own fears awakened by the terrors of the Lord, and the threatenings of eternal misery; he has found his tremblingsoul encouraged to hopeby the rich promises of grace ; he has felt hisown hatred rising against sin, his delight raised by the views and expecta- tions of the favour of God, and eternal happiness in his pre- sence. How well is sucha teacher suited to set the terrors ofhell, the evil of sin, and the riches of divine grace, in Christ Jesus, before the eyes of sinful men, whohave thesame natural passions with himself; and to turn these affectionate powers of his hearers into a religious channel, by representing these awful objects in a pathetic manner ? The preacher should be an example to the hearers, and then he preaches with most power and success. It is a well . known saying, " If you would draw out my tears, you must first weep yourself." How cold and dull, and unaffected with divine things, is mankind by nature ! How careless and indolent is a whole assembly, when the preacher appears like á lifeless engine, pronouncing words of law or grace ! When he speaks of divine things, in such a dry; in such a cold and formal manner, as though they had no influence on his own heart ! When the words' freeze upon his lips, the hearts of hearers are freezing also But where we find devout affec- tion mingled with solid argument in the discourse, there the Yips of the preacher seem to speak light and life at once, and he helps to communicate the holy passion all around him by feeling it first himself. And here I am sure, we, who are honoured with this sacred employment, have reason to examine our hearts, to re- flecton our indolence, our lifeless conduct, and our cold labours in the pulpit; and mourn to think how imperfectly, and how ineffectually we perform the awful work of the ministry. And shall our own affections still be so upraised and unmoved, while we speak of thegreat and momentous things of God, and Christ and religion, of death and judgment, of heaven and hell? Shall we always preach with such a deadness of spirit, such a shameful absence of divine fervor ? May the blessed God for- give your preacher, and may youforgive him ; and maysovereign grace raise a warm flame of vital religion in hisheart, and com- municate it to all your souls ! V. If the passions are so useful in the solemn affairs of religion, "there is yet further occasion to admire the wisdom and grace of God, that hehas appointed several such institutions, nn3
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