siderable, either objectively or subjectively. In the view of its object, faith is the work of Jesus Christ; his word and cross produce it; for take away the death of Jesus Christ, and there is no more faith. His resurrection also is the cause of it; If Jesus Christ be not risen, our faith is vain, we are yet in our sins. But if you consider faith in regard to its subject, or, to speak more properly, in regard to its efficient cause producing it in the subject, it is the work of the Holy Ghost. So again (to use the same example) faith may be considered with a view to justification, or with a view to sanctification. In the first view, it is opposed to works; in the second, it is the principle and cause of good works; it contains them in summary and abridgement.

Thus man may be considered with a view to civil society; so he is obliged to such and such duties, and partakes of such and such advantages: or he may be considered with regard to church-fellowship; and so he is subject to other laws, and enjoys other privileges. This custom of distinguishing into different views is, very common in preaching.

DEFINITION.

This is sometimes used when an act of God is spoken of, as the pardon of our sins-the justification of our persons, &c.—or when a virtue or a vice is in question; for then it may not be improper to define.

DIVISION.

This either regards different species of the genus, or different parts of a whole; and it may sometimes be used profitably. Thus, in speaking of God's providence in general, you may consider the extent of that providence, to which are subject, I. Natural causes. 2. Contingent. 3. Independent. 4. Good and bad. 5. Great and small.

XXVII.

COMPARE THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE TEXT

TOGETHER.

This is a very useful topic; and it will often furnish very beautiful considerations, if we know how to make a

proper use of it. For example, in this text of St. Paul to the Romans, There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. You may make a very edifying comparsion between this last part, Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, with the first part, There is no condemnation; and you may remark, that, in the one, the apostle expresses what God does in favour of the faithful, and in the other, what the faithful do for the glory of God. God absolves them; and they live holily, and devote themselves to good works. God imposes holiness upon us in justification; and justification is the parent of holiness: take away justification, and there cannot possibly be any good works; take away good works, and there is no more. justification.

You may also compare this last part with the condition in which the believer is here considered; he is in Christ Jesus; and remark that these two things perfectly agree together, because Jesus Christ is the true cause of our justification; and sanctification is the principal effect of our communion with Jesus Christ.

So again, in this beautiful passage in the second of Ephesians; God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ; by grace are ye saved. You may oppose and compare these two subjects in the text, dead in sin, and rich in mercy, as being two extremes, extreme misery and extreme mercy, one in us, and the other in God. The greatness of our crimes manifest the riches of God's mercy, and the riches of his mercy absorb the greatness of our crimes. Had our sins been less, it must indeed have been mercy to pardon our sins, but not riches of mercy. If God had been only lightly inclined to mercy, he might indeed have pardoned smaller sins, but this would never have extended to persons dead in their sins; this belongs only to extraordinary and abounding mercy.*

The Editor has omitted in this place a long discourse upon 1 Thess. iv. 7. which Mr. Claude had subjoined with a view to exemplify the discussion of a text by way of observations. But it was pot

CHAP. VII.

OF TEXTS TO BE DISCUSSED IN A WAY OF CONTINUED

APPLICATION.

WE have said there are two general ways of discussing a text, that of explication, and that of observation. These two ways of preaching we call textuary, because, in effect, they keep to the text without digression, they regard it as the subject matter of the whole discussion; or, if you please, as the field, which they have to cultivate, or to reap: but, beside these, there is a third way, which is, without explaining or making observations, the making of a continual application of it, and the reducing of it immediately to practice.

In this manner we must principally manage texts exhorting to holiness and repentance, as this of Zephaniah, Examine yourselves diligently, O nation not desirable; for instead of explaining the terms, or making observations on the necessity of the exhortation-the prophet who spoke it-the Jews to whom it is addressed-the description of the nation not desirable-the mercy of God in calling these sinners to repentance, &c. the whole may very usefully be turned into practice, and we may enter upon that serious self-examination which the prophet commands.

altogether calculated to answer the end proposed, because it exemplified very few of the preceding topics, and those without any attention to their order, or any intimation what topics he intended to exemplify. Though, therefore, the discourse contained, as every production of Mr. Claude's must, many striking and useful sentiments, the Reader, who seeks information respecting the Composition of a Sermon, has no occasion to regret the omission of it; more especially as the discourse was at least one-third as long as all the twenty-seven topics taken together. To supply this defect, the Editor, who, from Mr. Claude's failure, supposed at first that the object was unattainable, has been induced to attempt it, and has annexed the composition to his Sermon entitled THE GOSPEL MESSAGE. (See 6th edit. price 1 s.) It should be remembered, however, that these topics are subject both to use and abuse. They are suggested in order to aid invention; but they require judgment and discretion in the use of them. An observation of a learned writer on this subject deserves attention: "Constat scOPUM ET FINEM HU JUSCE REI, ESSE PROMPTITUDINEM QUANDAM ET EXPEDITUM USUM COGNITIONIS NŪSTRÆ, POTIUS QUAM EJUSDEM AMPLIFICATIONEM AUT INCREMENTUM." Bacon de Augment.scient. lib. v. c. 3.

The same may be said of 1 Cor. xi. 28. Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup; for, laying aside all theological observations, you may actually enter upon self-examination.

This manner, well and wisely disposed, by choosing proper occasions, will produce (as I have elsewhere said) an excellent effect: but always remember on this rule, that, in using this method, something searching and powerful must be said, or it would be better let alone.

We will exemplify one of the texts, which may be discussed by way of perpetual application. Let us take St. Paul's words to the Philippians, Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Begin with a tender exordium, lamenting the condition of mankind, that so few know the truth; for there is almost an infinite number, to whom it is not preached, who are left in the thickest darkness; almost an infinite number, to whom it is preached, who corrupt it with errors and superstitions, and who almost never hear it but with a co fused mixture of falsehoods and human inventions; almost an infinite number of such as know it clearly, but yet neglect it, and, by their negligence, preclude the admirable fruits which it ought to produce. Having expressed astonishment that so few will be saved, and, finally, having shewed the true causes why so few apply to it in the manner they ought, the exordium must be finished by an exhortation to profit by this time of our calling, and not when we go out of the world to have to ask ourselves what we have been doing in it, and to reproach ourselves with having abused the patience and mercy of God. Let us NOW work out our salvation with fear and trembling, &c. This exordium must be rendered lively and agreeable, and executed so that it may awaken the hearer, and obtain a particular attention.

This being done, you must observe, that, were you about to treat of these words in the ordinary way, you could not fail to make several reflections on the doctrines; 1. On these terms, your own salvation, which are very weighty and of great importance;-2. On St. Paul's command, that we should work it out, on which you would have many things to say;-and, finally, on that fear and trembling which must accompany our labour; for

many important questions would also arise from that;but, you may add, that, laying apart all doctrines, which very often serve only for amusement through our levity, your design is to enable your auditors to do what St. Paul commands, and to assist them actually in labouring during this hour devoted to piety, and in working out their salvation with that fear and trembling, which so great a work demands.

Here, because the subject is practical, and one would wish to open all avenues to conscience, and effectually to move the hearer, it would not be improper (after making a kind of division into three parts, the first of which should be some considerations on our own salvation; secondly, the acts by which we work it out; and, lastly, the fear and trembling with which these acts are accompanied) to put up a short prayer to God in form of a wish, brief, but lively, that it may please him to bless this sermon, and to give us all necessary power to enable us to set about the work of our salvation, that it may be much forwarded before we go out of the assembly.

After this preparation, the first thing you may say, which I beseech you to meditate on, is, that God has had so much compassion for us as to prepare a salvation. We were his enemies, and he has mercifully proposed reconciliation we were dead, and he has prepared a resurrection for us: we were plunged into an abyss of misery, and he has kindly stretched out his hand from on high to help us. Salvation consists in benefits inexpressible, of immense value, which we cannot sufficiently esteem; for they must be proportioned to the worth of the blood of Jesus Christ who merited them. This blood, which has acquired them for us, is of all things in the world the most sacred and valuable, and yet the most mournful and affecting. Enter then, I entreat you, with me into this meditation. Whence is it we take so little pains about that which is so very important to us? Salvation presents itself every day to us as a rich treasure, coming from the bosom of Eternal Mercy, as the divine and incomparable production of the bloody death of the Son of God. It is a vessel which presents itself to us in this sad shipwreck that we have made, yet we do not think about it: and when we reflect on the little attention that we