SECTION III: ¢I9 even if your natural spiritsshould happen to be heavyand indis- posed at the hour of preaching, and if your mind should have no new thoughts arising in the delivery of your discourse. La- bour carefully in the formationof your sermons in younger years : a habit of thinking and speaking well, procured by the studies of youth, will make the labour of your middle age easy,, when, perhaps, you will have much less time and leisure. This shall suffice for the second general head, which exhorts you to take heed to your private studies, both those which may furnish you for the work of the ministry in general, and those which are ne- cessary to your particular preparations for the pulpit. SECT. III.Of public Ministrations.. We proceed now to the third general head, and that is, Take heed to your public labours and 'ministrations in the church ; which may be done, by attending to the following par- ticulars: I. Apply yourself to your work with pious delight ; not as a toil and task, -which you wish were done and ended, but as matter of inward pleasure to your own soul : enter thepulpit with the solemnity of holy joy, that you have an opportunity to speak for the honour of God, and the salvation of men. Then you will not preach or pray with sloth or laziness, with coldness or indifference : we do not use to be slothful' and indifferent in the pursuit of our joys, or the relish of our chosen pleasures. Stir up yourself to the work with sacred vigour, that the assembly may feel what you speak. But if you deliver the most solemn and lively composures like a man that is half asleep, it will be no wonder if your hearers slumber. A dull preacher makes a drowsy church. II. Endeavour to get your heart into a temper of divine love, zealous for the laws of God, affected with the gracé of Christ, and compassionate for the souls of men. With this temper engage in public work. Let your frameof spirit be holy with regard to your own inward devotion, near to God, and de- lighting in him : and let it be, zealous for the nameóf Christ, and the, increase of his kingdom, O pity.perishing sinners when you are sent to invite them to be reconciled to God. Let not self be the subject or the endof your preaching, but Christ and the salvation of souls. Wepreach not ourselves, saith the apos- tle, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants,for Jesus' sake '2 Cor. iv. 5. Speak as a dying preacher to dying hearers, with the utmost 'compassion to the ignorant, the tempted, the foolish,' and the obstinate; for all these are in danger of eternal death. Attend your work with the utmost desire to save souls from hell, and enlarge the kingdom of Christ your Lord. Go into the public assembly with a design (if God please). to
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