cast all the

But if we

confirm him in his sloth, and encourage him to blame of his condemnation upon God himself, should bring before him the apparently opposite truths, and bid him arise and call upon God; we should take the way to convince him, that the fault was utterly his own, and that his destruction would be the consequence, not of God's decrees, but of his own inveterate love of sin.

Let us suppose, on the other hand, that a person, having "tasted the good word of life," begin to boast, that he has made himself to differ, and that his superiority to others is the mere result of his own free-will: if, in answer to him, we should immediately descant on our freedom to good or evil, and on the powers with which God has endued us for the preservation of our souls, we should foster the pride of his heart, and encourage him, contrary to an express command, to glory before Godm: whereas, if we should remind him, that "by the grace of God we are what we are," and that all must say, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name be the praise," we should lower his overweening conceit of his own goodness, and lead him to acknowledge his obligations to God.

Let us illustrate the same in reference to the two other doctrines we mentioned, namely, The perseverance of the saints, and our liableness, in ourselves, to "make shipwreck of the faith." Suppose a person say, "I need not be careful about my conduct;" for "God has begun the good work within me, and has engaged to perform it till the day of Christ:" if we were to begin extolling the covenant of grace, and setting forth the truth of God in his promises, we should countenance his error, at the very time that he was turning the grace God into licentiousness. But if we should warn him against the danger of being given over to a reprobate mind, and of perishing under an accumulated load of guilt, we should counteract his sinful disposition, and stimulate him to flee from the wrath to come.

of

On the other hand, if a humble person should be drooping and desponding under a sense of his own corruptions, and we should spread before him all our difficulties and dangers, we

m 1 Cor. i. 29. Rom. iii. 27.

should altogether "break the bruised reed, and quench the smoking flax:" but if we should point out to him the fulness and stability of God's covenant; if we should enlarge upon the interest which Christ takes in his people, and his engagements that none shall ever pluck them out of his hand"; it is obvious, that we should administer a cordial to his fainting spirit, or (as God requires of us) we should" strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees, and comfort the fearful heart."

These sentiments may perhaps receive some confirmation from the conduct of the Apostle Paul. In administering the word, he consulted the state of his auditors, and apportioned to them either "milk or strong meat," according to their ability to digest and improve it. In reference to this we may say, that the doctrines of human liberty, and human frailty, together with the other first principles of Christianity, are as milk, which those who are yet "babes in Christ," must have set before them: but that the doctrines of grace, or "the deep things of God," are rather as strong meat, which none can digest, unless they have grown to some stature in the family of Christ, and have had their spiritual senses long exercised in discerning good and evil?: and that, as strong meat, which would nourish an adult, would destroy the life of an infant; and milk that would nourish an infant, would be inadequate to the support of a man oppressed with hard labour; so it is with respect to the points which we have been considering. Or, if we may be permitted a little to vary this illustration, the one sort of truths are as food proper to be administered to all; whereas the other are rather as cordials for the support and comfort of those who need them.

In a word, there seems to be a perfect correspondence between God's works of providence and grace: in the former, "he worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will," yet leaves men perfectly free agents in all that they do; so in the latter, he accomplishes his own eternal purpose both in calling, and in keeping, his elect; but yet he never puts upon them any constraint, which is not perfectly compatible with the freest operations of their own will.

The Author well knows that these doctrines may be, and

n John x. 27, 28. • 1 Cor. iii. 1, 2.

P Heb. v. 12-14.

alas! too often are, so stated as to be really contradictory. But that they may be so stated as to be profitable to the souls of men, he hopes is clear from the illustrations that have been just given.

He trusts he shall be pardoned if he go yet further, and say, that, in his judgment, there not only is no positive contradiction in this statement, but that there is a propriety in it, yea, moreover, a necessity for it, because there is a subserviency in these truths, the one to the other. God elects us; but he carries his purpose into effect by the free agency of man, which is altogether influenced by rational considerations. So also he carries on and completes his work in our souls, by causing us to feel our proneness to apostatize, and by making us cry to him daily for the more effectual influences of his grace. Thus, while he consults his own glory, he promotes our greatest good, in that he teaches us to combine humility with earnestness, and vigilance with composure.

The Author would not have troubled the Reader with this apology, were it not that he is exceedingly desirous to counteract that spirit of animosity, which has of late so greatly prevailed against those who adhere to the principles of the Established Church. Not that he has himself any cause to complain: but he would wish his Work to be brought to this test-Does it uniformly tend

TO HUMBLE THE SINNER?

TO EXALT THE SAVIOUR?

TO PROMOTE HOLINESS?

If in one single instance it lose sight of any of these points, let it be condemned without mercy. But, if it invariably

Many have carried their attachment to system so far, that they could not endure to preach upon any passage of Scripture that seemed to oppose their favourite sentiments; or, if they did, their whole endeavour has been to make the text speak a different language from that which it appeared to do. In opposition to all such modes of procedure, it is the Author's wish in this preface to recommend a conformity to the Scriptures themselves, without any solicitude about systems of man's invention. Nor would any thing under heaven be more grateful to him than to see names and parties buried in eternal oblivion, and primitive simplicity restored to the Church.

pursue these ends, then let not any, whatever system they embrace, quarrel with an expression that does not quite accord with their views. Let them consider the general scope and tendency of the book: and, if it be, as he trusts it is, not to strengthen a party in the Church, but to promote the good of the whole; then let smaller differences of sentiment be overlooked, and all unite in vindicating the great doctrines of SALVATION BY Grace through Faith in Christ.

Why these Discourses have been multiplied to such an extent the Author will briefly explain. The Reformers of the Church of England, by the publication of HOMILIES on some of the fundamental topics of religion and morals, have rendered an inestimable service to all classes of society. But it is obvious, that these Homilies embrace only a few of the subjects to which it is essential to call the attention of mankind. It is also a known fact, that the Reformers themselves designed considerably to enlarge the number of these truly Scriptural addresses. The Ministers of the Church, accordingly, have never considered their private labours as superseded by the Homilies; but have, from age to age, supplied to the nation Discourses of the highest value.

It has not, however, as the Author believes, occurred to any divine, to supply a regular series of Discourses on the most important parts of the whole volume of Scripture; and to adapt those Discourses, by their general construction, their simplicity, and their brevity, to the especial service of the younger orders of the Clergy. But, perhaps, a young Minister may find it not an unprofitable exercise, to take some of the texts here treated, and to make an arrangement of them for himself in the first instance from his own mind, and then to compare that arrangement with what is here set before him.

To supply this deficiency in theological writings, is the particular object of the volumes which the Author now humbly presents to the public. And he trusts this labour of love will be regarded by his Brethren in the Ministry, not as an act of presumption, but as a humble and affectionate attempt to

For the TITLE, Hora Homileticæ, see Acts xx. 11. in the Greek. This book contains short discourses on divers subjects.

render their entrance on their holy and honourable calling more easy, and their prosecution of it more useful. And, by embracing so many subjects which have a different aspect in systematic divinity, he hopes that he has paved the way for their rising superior to human systems of every kind.

The Author is no friend to systematizers in Theology. He has endeavoured to derive from the Scriptures alone his views of religion; and to them it is his wish to adhere, with scrupulous fidelity; never wresting any portion of the word of God to favour a particular opinion, but giving to every part of it that sense, which it seems to him to have been designed by its great Author to convey.

He is aware that he is likely, on this account, to be considered, by the zealous advocates of human systems, as occasionally inconsistent: but if he should be discovered to be no more inconsistent than the Scriptures themselves, he will have reason to be satisfied. He has no doubt but that there is a system in the Holy Scriptures; (for truth cannot be inconsistent with itself:) but he is persuaded that neither Calvinists nor Arminians are in exclusive possession of that system. He is disposed to think that the Scripture system, be it what it may, is of a broader and more comprehensive character than some very exact and dogmatical Theologians are inclined to allow: and that, as wheels in a complicated machine may move in opposite directions and yet subserve one common end, so may truths apparently opposite be perfectly reconcilable with each other, and equally subserve the purposes of God in the accomplishment of man's salvation. The Author feels it impossible to repeat too often, or avow too distinctly, that it is an invariable rule with him to endeavour to give to every portion of the word of God its full and proper force, without considering one moment what scheme it favours, or whose system it is likely to advance. Of this he is sure, that there is not a decided Calvinist or Arminian in the world, who equally approves of the whole of Scripture. He apprehends, that there is not a determined votary of either system, who, if he had been in the company of St. Paul, whilst he was writing his different Epistles, would not have recommended him to alter one or other of his expressions.

But the Author would not wish one of them altered: he