Sturtevant, ^^ ^ The preacher s m ^ \\u iihcologiQ/ ^^ ^^/A ''/./>. PRINCETON, N. J. iyAe^w cAo^f^ Division .. / * • M-^ Sfction .. W.V jd.i.O A'umber ''?< :^/. /j/7/ J'i'O- THE PEEACHER'S MANUAL: LECTURES ON PREACHING. FURNISHING RULES AND EXAMPLES FOR EVERY KIND OF PULPIT ADDRESS. REV. S. T. STURTEVANT. ' Vive, vale ! si quid novisti rectius istis, Candidas imperii ; si non, his utere mecum." REPRINTED ENTIRE FROM THE LAST LONDON REVISED EDITION. NEW YORK: J. C. RIKER, 129 FULTON STREET 1846 PREFACE. The most perfect science is but a well-ordered arrangement of thoughts and observations framed for practical utility ; or, as Dr. Chalmers says, " it is a record of observed phenomena." Science had birth, not in theo- retical books, but in the anima and genius of competent experimentaUsts, which must necessarily direct to the safest and readiest way to practice. The science of preaching thus arose to view, furnishing valuable facilities to the gospel publisher ; for with the advantage of an arranged system, and any tolerable ability for communication, great superiority must be acquired over the desultory preacher. The first preachers of the gospel did not follow the rules of art ; but in succeeding ages, as learning rose or decUned, attention to the arrangement of the several parts of a discourse was encouraged or neglected. Yet as the declensions had longer periods than the revivals themselves, which were partial and slow in gaining strength, so no science suffered more in- terruptions in its progress toward perfection than that of preaching ; other- wise it would, ere this, have attained to such strength and beauty as wholly to supersede the necessity of new works to teach it. Many great and learned men have lived and died leaving the work of improvement where they found it ; while preachers of an inferior order have contented them- selves with antiquated rules, and have been satisfied to perform their work as well as their predecessors — so fatal to improvement is the want of emulation. It would be unjust to state that no .attempt has been made to raise the standard of preaching. Bishop Wilkins wrote an elaborate treatise suited to his own times ; and he remarks that others had done the same. Valu- able extracts from this work are to be found in WilHams's Christian 4 PREFACE. Preacher. The only work, however, that has sumved the lapse of time, and preserved its reputation, is the essay of Monsieur Claude, a French protestant divine, who flourished ahout a century and a half ago, in an age which might he called the Augustan age of Christian preaching, at lea^t in France and Holland. Attention to pulpit composition was then greatly encouraged. Bossuet, Bourdaloue, and Massillon, shone in tlie catholic church ; while Claude, Saurin, and Superville,* rose to eminence among the protestants. These men boldly seized upon the treasures of Grecian and Roman eloquence and made them subservient to the Christian cause, and to this may be traced the superiority which the French school obtained. England, whose characteristic has often been to be the last in improve- ment, suffered tliis superiority to prevail. The homiletical style of preach- ing, a method calculated to inform the judgment, but by no means to affect the heart, was for a long time generally adopted. The textual style was subsequently introduced, and finally triumphed, but still the method was dull, prolix, and wearisome. Claude's Essay on the Composition of a Sermon was at length intro- duced into this countr}' ; and it is supposed that Dr. Blair, of Edin- burgh, obtained his high reputation, which spread over both Scotland and England, by adopting the rules of that celebrated essay. He understood the French language, and no doubt derived great advantage from Claude long before an English translation was printed. We are indebted to Mr. 11. Robinson, a baptist minister of Cambridge, for the first English translation of that celebrated work. It appeared wiih a mass of heterogeneous notes, of which he says, in his preface, that they " might appear a strange farm go i( iho circumstances were not considered which gave birth to them." Some of tliese notes were learned and judi- cious ; but the greater part were of a cast by no means suited to the gravity and purity of a Christian minister; which, added to the acrimony with which he assailed all national religious establishments, prevented the work from obtaining that general circulation which it would otherwise have de- 9er\'ed. Mr. Simoon, of Cambridge, aware of the objections to Robin- son's edition, puhlitjhcd the essay without his notes, and he has since republished It with great amendments. Desirous that the Claudian scheme of sermonizing might supersede all others, he has also published twcnty- ' Tbcro ia in excrllrnt tranalation, in one rolamc, aelcctcd from Sapcnrillo bjr Mr. Allen, of Hack- ney. It ia tu b« regrcucd that the wbolo of bis woriia aro not tranalated. PREFACE. two thick volumes of closely -jprinted sJceletons of sermons to exemplify its principles, and to furnish assistance to the junior clergy on entering upon their respective charges. Such a work in its kind was never before at- tempted ; and it is not too much to suppose that the rapid increase of evangelical preachers in the estabUshment is in a great measure owing to this performance. The author of the present work, though with very humble pretensions, thinks with Mr. Simeon that the rules of Claude are by no means perfect, and indeed under the circumstances perfection was not to be expected. Claude's essay was not published in his lifetime, but was found by his son among a great number of manuscripts, after his decease, and by him published, bearing evident marks of an unfinished work. It is certainly a sketch drawn by a masteriy hand, in some parts finished, but in others furnishing a mere outline. Another disadvantage arises from the great num- ber of abstract rules of sermonizing with which the essay abounds, many of them having no illustration whatever which could answer the proposed end. It is true, at the same time, that this defect might be overcome by a vigorous intellect and great application. The author certainly ought to apologize for saying Mons. Claude's work is " imperfect," a " mere outline." He feels the highest respect for this author ; and, if his work be imperfect, the harassing life he passed among fierce catholics, and the many demands that were made on his time and labors, form a sufficient excuse. One of the imperfections alluded to re- spects subdivisions. He says, " As for subdivisions, it is always necessa- ry to make them ; for they very much assist composition." In this short account is comprised the whole doctrine of subdivisions, as he has stated it. But is this enough for a noviciate in composition? Certainly not. Had he revised his work for the press, this important point would not have escaped his intelligent mind. For the supply of this defect, the author of the present work has had recourse to justly-celebrated writers of the pres- ent and past ages ; and to these he has added a few ideas of his own, which the reader will receive or reject as he thinks proper. He has also gener- ally given the preference to sermons of English preachers, rather than those which Claude furnished.* • Those who wish to receive more information respecting Mons. Claude will find an account of his life prefixed to bis " Defence of the Refoi-mation," translated and published by the late Her. John Townsend, in two volumes. The theological works published by Claude himself are of great value. 6 PREFACE. The design of tliis work is to assist those preachers who are destitute of better help in the preparation of their own discourses, to furnish them with the means of giving an original cast to the divisions and discussion, an objcrt to which it is presumed the following pages are fully adequate, and thus to relieve them from the painful and mortifying necessity of adopting the outlines and skeletons of others, or of preaching printed dis- courses, which may be in the possession of some of their hearers, to the discredit of the preacher, thus convicted of delivering the sermons of another as his own. This work, however, is not designed entirely to supersede the use of such valuable iielps to composition as Simeon's Skeletons, Hora; Homi- leticae, and Appendix, Short Discourses, Village Sermons, &c. If the author's opinion were of any value, he would not recommend their disuse ; he would rather advise the young preacher to procure them, if he possess the means of doing so, as these works furnish a rich treasury of thought upon many important subjects, which, on occasion, may be so judiciously incorporated witli his otcn reflections, and so arranged under the distinct heads of his own formation, as greatly to add to the value of his discourse, always remembering that ideas only are to be borrowed, not words. No congregation ought to be offended with a preacher for availing himself of such aids. But it is not easy to trace all the bad consequences which re_ suit from a preacher's entire adoption of borrowed ylans without remodel- ling them ; his reputation as a preacher lies at the mercy of others ; his talent for invention and love for study are left to dwindle, till they expire ; he is limited in his choice of texts to the list of sermons he possesses ; and he is not unfrequently exposed to tlie hazard of delivering sentiments which do not accord witli his own. To this improper practice, it is plain, too much encouragement has been given, and idleness has availed itself of the furniture provided by others instead of endeavoring to stir up the energies of the mind, and to seek •'the wisdom that comeUi down from above," those unceasing supplies of the Spirit of grace which ever await the humble suppliant. Anain, does not such profuse furniture, ready pnj)arc(l for the pulpit, throw a reflection on the rising ministry, and on the education and tutorage received i Are tlie several matters which ought to be brought before plain people so ab- struse that none but experienced ministers can find them out ? Or are we to fall into the common error of iiiankiiul, to be ever looking deep for that PREFACE. 7 which after all is on the surface ? We will be thankful to them for making plain " hard sentences, and dissolving doubts," and for giving valuable leading thoughts ; but they might let plain things alone to speak for them- selves : speak they will, we have no doubt, in sufficient plenitude. But as to family uses, or village instruction where no preacher can be procured, such assistances are indispensably necessary. And it is further admitted, that good has come out of evil, and, by the overruling provi- dence of God, the gospel has been, and now is, preached in many hun- dreds of pulpits by the furniture so provided ; and, by whatever means the people are so blessed, the author, with every well-wisher to Christ's king- dom, rejoices, "yea, and will rejoice." The author also rejoices that the enlightened sentiments of the venerable Simeon are now before the whole religious public, and that a permanent testimony is now recorded by him that the surest way of establishing public morals is by the diffusion of evangelical doctrines — as offering the most powerful motives to action, as Lord Herbert, the prince of modern deists, has candidly acknowledged. The author also acknowledges that he is under great obligations to Mr. Simeon, for without his copious works it would have been extremely diffi- cult to collect a full supply of examples of the several kinds of sermoni- zing. Upon examination he has found, in this author, every possible variety, which is certainly not to be found in any other. Thus let truth and candor join hand in hand. Mr. Simeon's plan will meet the views of many, and some may prefer a different one, and may give a candid atten- tion to the following work. The author does not think it necessary, in this edition, to repeat a great number of apologies before made on account of his insufficiency for such an undertaking, as these would only add to the bulk of the work without contributing anything to its value. Taking the work " for all in all," it will, he thinks, be impossible for any young preacher, in any state and degree of education, to study it — he does not mean merely to read it — without great enlargement of ideas relevant to his sacred work ; his future labors will be more happily applied in proportion as the whole is studied, or at least such parts as shall appear best suited to particular talents and differently-constituted congregations ; while the individual who has acquired the philosophy of all the important subjects of collegiate degrees, but who is not yet initiated into the discipline of the pulpit, may spare himself a great deal of labor, and will arrive sooner at fitness for the pulpit, by con- 8 PREFACE. suiting a work of tliis nature— cither Claude's original essay or Simeon's with notes, or this work of larger compass — tlian he will by his own undi- rected toil ; and tlie time so saved may be beneficially devoted to the glory of God in earlier and more active labors. If such a highly-advantaged person should think meanly of the earlier lectures, yet if he addict himself to philosophy and learning, after quitting the seat of the muses and of sci- ence, there are some subjects in these lectures worthy of his elevated mind, and in the study of which the greatest characters in the church have gone before him. On this account, though such persons may not be convinced by the author's statements, yet he tliinks it discreditable to the liberality of a learned man to depreciate initiator}' works of this description ; and since such persons do usually give tlie tone to common opinion, it is iiighly detrimental to general improvement if those who want instructive assist- ance are told that such tuitive things are beneath their notice, or at best worth no more than cursory attention when time and leisure will allow of a perusal. Those who have occasioned these remarks, and to whom the church and the public are highly indebted, will no doubt upon reflection join in recommending such preparatory works, which may possibly do much good by extending tlie means of public instruction and improving those means to their designed end. No other motive induced the author to undertake the work ; and, as he said on a former occasion, " he has no vanity to gratify, no gain in view ; and, if his own feelings were consulted, he would rather go off the stage of life unobserved and unheard-of, than appear in the character of an author, if a sense of duty did not impel him to suppress Buch feelings." It only remains to be stated, that this third edition has undergone a thor- ough revision, and evcr\'tliing has been done which the author's malurest reflections and cxporicncc could accomplish to render tlie work worlljy of its title Q-s " The Preacher's Manual." Such as it is, he now com- mends it with all affection to the attention of his brctliren and to the blessing of the great head of the church. CONTENTS Preface page 3 Introduction 13 LECTURE I. — The Choice of a Text and its General Management. General Advice 19 Management of a Text in reference to Words and Phrases 20 A Sermon should clearly explain a Text 22 It must give the entire Sense of the whole Text = 23 The Preacher must be wise, sober, chaste, simple, and grave 23 The Understanding must be informed in a manner that affects the Heart 24 Excess must be avoided 25 LECTURE IL — General Elements of a Discourse. Five Parts of a Discourse 28 Technical Signs of Division 29 The Character and Spirit of a Text must be considered 31 On Subdivisions 33 Directions for filling up a Discourse 39 Tracing out a single Idea 43 LECTURE III. — Different Methods of Division. General Remarks 46 The natural Division 46 The accommodational Division 48 LECTURE IV. The Exegetical or Expository Division 55 LECTURE V. The Regular Division '. 70 LECTURE VI. The Interrogative Division 82 LECTURE VII. The Observational Division 98 LECTURE VIII. Profositional Discourses « 113 LECTURE IX. Uniform Application 137 The nine kinds of Division exemplified on one Text 161 LECTURE X.— The Topics. General Account of the Topics 162 Topic I. Rise from Species to Genus 163 Topic II. Descend from Genus to Species • 167 JO CONTEXTS. LECTURE XI. Topic III. Divers Characters of Virtues and Vices page 173 Descriptive Discourses 175 LECTURE XII. Topic IV. The Relation of one Subject with another 193 LECTURE XIII. Topic V. Things Supposed or Implied 2J1 LECTURE XIV. Topic VI. Person Spenkin? or Actin? 518 Topic VII. Stale of Persons Speaking or Acting ^4 LECTURE XV. Topic VIII. The Time of a Word or Action 243 Topic IX. Observe Place 249 LECTURE XVI. Topics X. and XI. Persons addressed, and the State of Persons addressed 259 LECTURE XVII. Topic XII. Principles of a Word or Action 269 Exposure of False Principles 275 Principles of Scripture Interpretation 283 LECTURE XVIII. Topic XITI. Consider Consequences 293 Application of the Topic to Personal Conduct 299 LECTURE XIX. Topic XIV. End proposed in an Expression or Action 306 LECTURE XX. Topic XV. Manner of a Speech or Action 321 Importance of .Manner in Preachini? 32H Expression of the Passions 334 LECTURE XXL Topic XVI. Comparison 342 Synonymous Expressions 344 Stu.ly of Parnli.ls .144 Compare Thr<-atcnint;s with their Execution S.M Compnrr th*- CommnndH of Scripture with its I'romises 3^^4 Compar'- IVr)mi<»ed restraints upr)n the fidl range f)f njinisterial exertions. The minister then concentrated his care upon his innuediate congregation, like the mariner in stonny wealljer, who takes in hi» sails and just bears up to the wind. In this position llicy wailed and prayed INTRODUCTION. 15 for better times. Answers to their prayers were long in coming, but they came at last : and we now enjoy the benefit of their fervent petitions, and of many excellent works which they have left on printed record. But now the peculiar character of the age requires us to enlarge our solicitudes, to spread our sails, and push our purposes more extensively. The times then had a tendency to contract the minds of God's servants ; but now expansion must ring in your ears. Now you must cherish a truly calhoUc spirit ; for, besides tlie love of God and your immediate church-member- ship or parochial charge, you owe universal love to all mankind. Let your regard to your own religious society be only a part of your universal love. This affection will be cherished by considering the benevolent de- sign of human redemption, the personal labors of Jesus to publish it, and the humiliation and sufferings to which he submitted for its accomplish- ment— by reading tlie travels of St. Paul, and tracing his arduous and successful labors — by perusing missionary documents — and by your at- tendance at our public religious meetings. This spirit, when acquired, will lead you in your public prayers to intercede very earnestly for all and each of our religious societies, now, happily, so numerous ; and this again will kindle a like spirit in the people among whom you labor. The cause of foreign missions, now assuming an aspect so interesting, can not but insure a portion of your attention, while objects nearer home will not be lightly regarded. You will be led pai'ticularly to cherish a very affectionate feeling for poor Ireland, both in public and private, a great majority of whose inhabitants are under the dominion of an infatuated and infuriated priesthood. You will pray for your active brethren there, who are exposed to the chief force of this priestly fury ; nor will you forget the persecuted who dare to listen to the gospel. It is indeed pleasing to re- flect that evangelical rehgion and the cause of education, both in Ireland and England, are making great progress, " though with much coiltention." It is hoped that the papacy in the former country will not be able to coun- teract or impede such powerful efforts, and that her boasted majority of Ireland's population will, in a few yeai's, be exchanged for a minority. The truth is great, and must prevail. The benevolent spirit now recommended will induce you to take a lively interest in all Sunday and other schools throughout the district you occupy. These are the nurseries of our churches. The plants, being young and much exposed, require the tenderest care and protection. The same spirit will also prompt you to use all your influence with your people to unite in every Christian undertaking. You must aim to infuse into their minds a public spirit, that they may be " ready to every good word and work," and thus become your auxiharies ; for by multiplying means you produce increased effects. It is, however, impossible to state in detail all tlie objects to which you 16 INTRODUCTION. should direct your attention, for in every six months a new scheme of be- nevolence commences its course. While I am writings Christian instruc- tion societies and city missions rise to view, the agents of which are em- ployed in making domiciliary visits — giving, or rather lending, tracts — conversing witli the ignorant and wretched poor, and endeavoring to lead them to the long-neglected house of God. The city mission in fact prom- ises to become the most powerful aid of the public ministr}'. The idea was started some time ago by Dr. Chalmers, then of Glasgow ; and al- ready the cause is proceeding in London and its vicinity, as well as in other places. Even before you will be able to read this introduction, other plans may commence to engage the attention of Christians, and in which your exhortations will be very needful. It is worthy of remark that, in the multitude of different designs, the general effect is not weakened. God does not suffer one plan to destroy another,* but all are evidenUy under his divine favor, and receiving the seal of his approbation. As the ministers of Christ, you arc justly expected, not only to preach tlie gospel, but also to be leaders and patrons of benevolence in its univer- sal sense. Is not this love *' tlie fulfilling of the law" — the first of virtues ? Does it not bring us into the nearest point of resemblance possible, in such weak and frail creatures as we are, to " Him who is love V" This principle, therefore, will carry you comfortably through all your labors, give die tone to all your public services and co-operations with your beloved people, and shed a lustre over all your other qualifications for the Christian ministry. Again, this universal love must bo associated or blended with a large and COMPREHENSIVE MIND for your own good government. Not such a mind a.s directed Alexander to conquer the world, but a mind mider the highest influence — I mean a gracious mind, a mind tliat is renewed in all its faculties (Eph. iv. 23; Col. iii. 10) ; for however great and excellent man^s powers once were, or however much of that greatness is loft since the fall, we know that by nature they are all depraved, and not adapted for God's work. It is, then, a gracious, a renewed mind, ll»:it we are con- templating, renewed in knowledge aftir the image of Him that created him : this is termed n crcatioJi, or llu" renewal of our holinrss lost in Adam. But still tliis is too general a term, as this belongs to all believers as such. The Christian ministry requires such a mind as tliat of Paul, the prince of preachers ; we sec evcrylliing in him that was gracious, large, and rompre- hensive, vet correct in govenimcnt, superior to difficulties or sufferings. Here is an adaptation of the mind to the work, formed upon fixed princi- ples and set upon great objects. It is true you are not called to such ex- traordinary services, nor are you so highly gifted ; but a share of rnul's • There in no rtilo witlioat »n exception : in it few in»tanro« weaker •ocictic* ?auc?, however, tlioiii;h lont:, may be advantaircouslv treated in a single discourse. Walker, of Edinburtrh. in his sermon on Col. i. 16— 19, disriisst's tliis coinpreliensive passai,a' thus : I. Wjiat Christ is in him- self. II. Wiiat he is to us, or the church. HI. His qualifications for the dischari;e of what belonry of Christ's person, the riciies of his grace — in short, all he did, and all he suffered, what he is now doing, and what he will do at the end of time — the personality and office of the Holy Spirit — the nature of his work on the human heart, and its effects — man's duty, and his responsibility. The Psalms will alwavs fiirnish passaires descrip- tive of the experience of the saints ; and the Epistles will direct to those distiniruishing doctrines of tlic gospel which are the foundation of the sin- ner's hope. Avoid, likewise, all words, phrases, or even allusions, of an indelicate nature. The language of scripture itself is not always to be quoted liter- ally. The same meaning would occasionally have been expressed in other language had the translation been made in the present day ; hut whether refinement in language has been accompanied by a corresponding purity of mind is a question I am not competent to detennine. Tlie time of the congregjition is not to be taken up with cr'itiral re- marks. These may sometimes be necessary, but sjiould alwavs be intro- duced with trreat caution. LearncMl quotations are seldom required ; and a young man who frequently introduces them is generally considered as more desirous of showinij his extensive reading than of benefiting the people. Dr. Doddridire in his Icctun^ furnishes some valuable cautions on this subject, as well as on the choice of texts. When called tqjon to prefich in stranije churches, 1. Do not choose texts uhich ajipcar odd, the choice of which vanity may be suj)posed to dictate. 2. \or a text of censure : this is assuming. 3. Nor a text Irad- infr to ntrioiis ami kiiottij ffucstions : then it woidd be saitl that you preached yourself. 4. Do not aim to eclipse the minister of ihe place by an extra- ordinary disjdai/ of' talrnt : this is imkind. IJut, !>. Choose a text of an ordinary 'difyiii<^ nature, connecting doctrine and j)raclicc together, still not a doctrine in respect of which there may he at thai lime much division amont; the j)eoph' ; this, I think, does not belong to a stranger. Deliver llje discour>*e with urbanity and Christian feeling; you will then Ik; wel- come a second lime. In the MANAf;i:MKNT OF A Ti:xT the first diing to be considered is, whether there bo anything which requires explanation. In particular, single words must be explained — 1. If they be of foreign derivation, and not sufficiently familiarized to plain people ; as unction, charity, ami many jither?. MANAGEMENT OF A TEXT. 2fl 2. When a word is used in scripture in a sense well understood two or three hundred years ago, but now obsolete, as prcvcjit, Ps. Ixxix. 8. 3. When a word has several significations, and you mean to confine it to one. 4. When a term is compounded of t^vo or more words in any unusual way, especially if in a manner peculiar to a foreign language. 5. When a word has become quite obsolete ; as leasing, Ps. iv. 2. 6. But especially proper and appellative names which we find untrans- lated in our bibles. 7. Single words are often key-words to the sense of the text, as the word so, John iii. 16, for which see Index of Texts. 8. Doctrinal words ; as salvation, justification, adoption, sanctification, &c. Such terms should he explained with clearness, that the most igno- rant may understand : with brevity, that it may not occupy the time which the discussion will require : and scrijHurally, because the same terms are employed in a variety of senses. A good biblical dictionary will render considerable assistance in fixing the true meaning of a term. 9. This method may also be adopted in preaching from such passages as Acts ii. 27, 28, when the terms soul, hell, life, must be clearly defined, and their meaning fixed. Scripture yhrases frequently require explanation, sometimes on account of their reference to the customs of the Jews and other eastern nations, not generally understood among us, and, at other times, because of the prone- ness of the more illiterate to affix to them a false meaning, which leads to errors most destructive in their consequences. I will subjoin a list of several, with their explanation. The number might be considerably increased ; but these comprise some of the most frequent occurrence. 2 Cor. v. 17. Jn Christ — United to him by living faith. Matt. xi. 28. To come to Christ — To believe in him as the appointed Savior. viii. 34. To cnme after Christ — To be his disciple — to follow his direction and example. Rom. i. 17. From faith to faith — From one degree of faith to another. viii. 13. To live after the flesh — To live according to the dictates of unrenewed nature. Rom. viii. 1. To live after the Spirit — To yield to his teaching and sanctifying influences. 2 Cor. iii. 18. From fflory to s^lory — From one spiritual excellence to another. Ephes. iv. 22. The old man — Our sinful nature. 24. The new man — Our nature renewed in the imaijc of God. Rom. viii. 10. Christ in you — Christ ruling in the soul, by his Spirit. xiv. 7. To live to ourselves — To be actuated by selfish prin:iples. Gal. vi. 14. Crucified to the world — Dead to its allurements. World crucified to us — Lost its power or influence over us. John XV. 5. Abiding in Christ — Continually exercising faidi in him and love to him." 1 John iii. 14. Abiding in death — Destitute of the inward life of God. John iii. 16. To believe in Christ — To rely on him for salvation. Acts viii. 23. To be in the gall of bitterness — To be wholly under the dominion of sin. 21. Part or lot — Right of inheritance. xi. 23. To cleave to the Lord — To adhere to his doctrine and service. 1 Cor. V. 5. The day of the Lord — The final coming of Christ. Ps. xxvii. 4. The beauty of the Lord — The glorious manifestations of Jehovah's presence. cxi. 10. The fear of the Lord — The filial affection of a gracious heart. 22 LECTURE I. Ps. Ivii. 8. Aicakf up, my ^lory — My loiyjuo. or my powers of praise. ix. 10. The name of the Lord — His perftTlions and attributes. Gal. V. 12. To be cut off — Excuiuiuunicuted, accursed. Matt. xxii. 13. Outer darkness — The uncheered pliHini and hopeless anj^sh of hell. 1 Peter ii. 9. To he called cut of darkness — Out of a state nf spiritual iijnorance. It sumetiines refers to pagan darkness — sometimes to the Jewish dispensation. Eph. iii. 17. Christ diccllini^ in our hearts — \s a principle of life, to quicken ; as a teacher, to instruct ; as a guide, to direct ; as a friend, to help ; as a kinij, to rule. Rom. vii. 24. The body of sin and death — The corrupt sinful nature of man. John vi. 54. To eat Christ's jlesh — To derive spiritual nouri.-hnunt from him by faith. Matt. vi. 33. To seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness — The state of jjrace under the gospel, and its accompanying privileges. Heb. vi. 18. To flee for refuse — To Hee to Christ, from pursuing wrath, in allu- sion to the Cities of refui^e under the law. 2 Cor. v. 12. Christ made sin for us — An offering for sin. Made the righteousness of God in him — Freely jtistified, on believing, in virtue of what Christ has done and suffered. 1 PeL iii. IS. Put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit— Tul to death in his humanity, but (juickened by his divinity. iThess. V. 19. Quench not the Spirit — Act not in opposition to his enlightening, sanc- tifying, and qu!ok»'niiig influences. Eph. iv. 30. Grieve not the Spirit — by indulging desires, affections, &c., conirary to his purity. Acts vii. 51. Resist in n the Holy Ghost — Not yielding to the evidences of divine au- thority in the Scriptures ; not receiving the truth at the hands of (iod's ministers. Matt. xii. 31, '2. Sin ai^ainst the Holy Ghost — Ascribing to the agency of Satan those miracles which Christ wrought by the power of the Holy (ihost.* xvi. 21. To deny ourselves — To forego those pursuits and indulgences which are opposed to the spirit of Christianity, and militate against oiu spiritual prosperity. " Taktnij up the cross, ii(c. — Patiently suhmittin? to the reproach conse- quent upon our profession of attachment to Christ and his cause. Whenever yon meet with surli pa.ssa{jes a.s ihe.'^e, you must not j);is3 litem lightly, for perhaps ihc (li.'icourse will turn very mncli upon iJiem. Apain : ifihc force of a pa.ssajje depends on the form of exjjres.sion, or any word in it, trreat care must he taken. Hut on thi.s point I refer you to the early part of the Fifteenth Topic, in the ensuiiiir paj,'es. Almost any com- mentator will throw light enou::h on these suhjrcts. The following ffcncuil ohsirvafions on the vuina^rrmcnt of ti text siioidd he <>u^ • ii fine* not appoar to ho {>o«MJblo for uny man tu romniil it now in thai prin-iae fomi , ypt cnniiiy aofl tnalim afrainal (hvonla will fprntly cuuirihutc u> tbi«. See ibfl oaMy on pl&in languago at tlie end of thia work. MANAGEMENT OF A TEXT. 33 sermon ; for, first, they will consider the simple, nor will their benevolence be content if the illiterate be not edified ; and, next, they will be loath to be driven to the necessity of giving too great an attention, wdiich they can not avoid if the preacher be obsure. The minds of men, \\-hether learned or ignorant, generally avoid pain ; and the learned have fatigue enough in the study, without increasing it at church.* " II. A sermon must give the entire sense of the whole text, in order to which it must be considered in every view. This rule condemns dry and barren explications, wherein the preacher discovers neidier study nor in- vention, and leaves unsaid a great number of beautiful things with which his text would have furnished him. Preachments of this kind are extreme- ly disgustful : the mind is neither elevated nor informed ; nor is the heart at all moved. In matters of religion and piety, not to edify much is to destroy much ; and a sermon cold and poor will do more mischief in an hour than many rich sermons can do good. I do not mean that a preach- er should always put forth his utmost efforts, or that he should always preach alike well ; there are extraordinary occasions for which all his vigor must be reserved. But I mean that, in ordinary and usual sermons, a kind of plenitude should satisfy and content the hearers. The preacher must not always labor to carry the people beyond themselves, nor to ravish them into ecstasies ; but he must always satisfy them, and maintain in them an esteem and an eagerness for practical piety. " III. The preacher must be wise, sober, chaste. I say loise, in oppo- sition to those impertinent people who ufter jests, comical comparisons, quirks, and extravagancies ; and such are a great part of the preachers of the church of Rome. I say sober, in opposition to those rash spirits who would penetrate all, and curiously dive into mysteries beyond the bounds of modesty. Such are those who make no difficulty of delivering in the pulpit all the speculations of the schools on the mystery of the Trin- ity, the incarnation, the eternal reprobation of mankind ; such as treat of questions beyond our knowledge, viz., What would have been if Adam had abode in innocence ? what is the state of souls after death ? or what the resurrection, and our state of eternal glory in paradise ? Such are those who fill their sermons with the different interpretations of a term, or the different oj)inions of interpreters on any passage of scripture, who load their hearers with tedious recitals of ancient history, or an account of the divers heresies which have troubled the church upon any matter : all these are contrary to the sobriety of which we speak, and which is one of the most excellent pulpit virtues. I say, further, chaste, in opposition to those bold and impudent geniuses who are not ashauAcd of saying many things which produce unclean ideas in the mind. A preacher can not be called chaste who, speaking of the conception of Jesus Christ in the virgin's womb, by the power of the Holy Ghost, without the intervention of man, is not careful of saying anything that may shock the modesty of some, and give occasion of discourse to the profanity of others. There are I know not how many subjects of this kind ; as when the eternal generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is spoken of; when the term regeneration * Bisliop Burnet saj's : " A preacher is to fancy himself as in the room oi the most unlearned man in the uliolc parish, and must tliereforu put sucli parts of his discourses as he would have all understand in so plain a form of words that it may not be beyond thv meanest of them. This he will certainly mudy to do if his desire be to edify them, rather than to make them admire himself as a learned and bighspoken man," — Pastoral Care, ch. ix. 24 LECTURE I. a cxj)laine(l, which srrij)tiire uses U) express our conversion ; or when we treat of lliat seed of (Jod of whirh, acrortlini; to St. John, we are horn ; or when wc enforce the duties of hushancl.s to wives, or of wives to hushands ; or when we speak of the lore of Jesus Christ lo his churcli, under the no- lion of a conjugal relation ; or when eternal felicity is spoken of under the iinaije of a IhiiujucI or of a marriagt-feast. On all such sidijects, chastity should weii,'h the expressions, and make a judicious choice, in order to keep the hearer's mind at tlie /greatest distance from all sorts of canial and terrestrial ideas. The likeliest way of succeedinn; in tliesc cases is to be- ware of pressing metaphorical terms too far, to adhere to general consid- erations, and, if possible, to explain the metaphorical terms in few words, and aftenvard to cleave entirely to the thinfr itself. " I\'. A preacher must ho simple and grnre. Simple — spcakinir thin^ full of j^'ood natural sense, without metaphysical speculations ; for none are more impertinent than those who deliver in the pulpit abstract speculations, definitions in form, and scholastic (piestions, which thev pretend to derive from their texts ; as, on the maimer of the existence of auircls, the means whereby tliey communicate their ideas to each other, the maimer in which ideas eternally subsist in the divine understanding, with many more of the game class, all certainly opposite to simplicity. To simple I add grare^ because all sorts of mean thouirhts and expressions, all sorts of vulpu" and proverbial sayinirs, ou;:ht to be avoided. The pul|)it is the seat of pood natural sense, and the good sense of L'ood men. On the one liaiid, then, you are not to philosophize too^tnuch, and refine your subject out of sight ; nor, on the other, to abase yourself to tlie ' language and thoughts of the dregs of the people. " V. The understanding must be informed, but in a manner, however, which olfrcts the heart, either to comfort the hearers or to excite them to acts of piety, repentance, or holiness. There are two ways of doing this : one formal, in turning the subject to practical uses, and so applying it to the hearers ; the othiT in the simple choice of the things spoken ; f«)r if they be good, solid, evangelical, and edifyint: of themselves, thouirh no appiicatifMi should be formally made, the auditors would niake it them- selves, because subjects of this kind are of such a natun* that they can scarcely enter tlie^understandinir without penetrating die heart. I do not blame the metlKxiof some preachers, who, when tln'y have openef the hearer, which is a great incon- venience. Nev«'rtheless, when it is done but seldom, nnd seasonably, great advantage may be reaped. " Hut then; is another way of luniing doctrines to practical uses which in my opinion is far more excellent, authoritative, ^rand, and cfTectnal ; tliat*is, by tn-ating the doctrine contained in the text in a way oC jtrrprtiiol ovpliaition. This method produces excellent elFrcts, f(»r ii pleases, in- structs, and affects all ttt^cther. But neither must this be made habitual, for it would fati;;ue the hearer, nothint: being more delicate, nor sooner diseouiaged, ihuu tlic human mind. Th' r.- arc faxt-tiays, Lord's-suppcr- MANAGEMENT OF A TEXT. 25 days, and many such seasonable times for this method. This way, as I have said, is full of admirable fruits ; but it must be well executed, with power and address, with choice of thoughts and expressions, otherwise the preacher will make himself ridiculous, and provoke the people to say, " ' Ciuid di^nm tanto feret hie promissor liiatu ? I'artariiuit moutes ; nascetur ridicolua mas.' " VI. One of the most important precepts for .ae discussion of a text, and the composition of a sermon, is, above all things, to avoid excess : Ne quid 7iimis. *' 1. There must not be too much genius — I mean, not too many bril- liant, sparkling, and striking things ; for they would produce very bad ef- fects. The auditor will never fail to say, ' The man preaches himself, aims to display his genius, and is not animated by the Spirit of God, but by that of the world.' Besides, the hearer would be overcharged. The mind of man has its bounds and measures ; and, as the eye is dazzled with too strong a light, so is the mind offended with the glare of too great an assemblage of beauties. Further, it would destroy the principal end of preaching, which is to sanctify the conscience ; for, when the mind is over- loaded with too many agreeable ideas, it has not leisure to reflect on the objects, and without reflection the heart is unaffected. Moreover, ideas which divert the mind are not very proper to move the conscience ; tliey flatter the imagination, and that is all. Such a preacher will oblige people to say of him, ' He has genius, a lively and fruitful imagination ; but he is not solid.' In fine, it is not possible for a man who piques himself on filling his sermon widi vivacities of imagination to maintain die spirit all along ; he will therefore become a tiresome tautologist : nor is it hard in sUch sermons to discover many false brilliances, as we see daily. " 2. A sermon must not be overcharged ivith doctrine, because the hearers' memories can not retain it all, and by aiming to keep all they will lose all ; and because you will be obliged cither to be excessively tedious or to propose the doctrine in a dry, barren, scholastic manner, which will deprive it of all its beauty and efficacy. A sermon should instruct, please, and affect ; that is, it should always do these as much as possible. As the doctrinal part, which is instructive, should always be proposed in an agreeable and affecting manner, so the agreeable parts should be pro- posed in an instructive manner ; and even in the conclusion, which is de- signed wholly to affect, agreeableness must not be neglected, nor, alto- gether, instrucdon. Take care, then, not to charge your sermon witli too much matter. " 3. Care must also be taken never to strain aiiy 'particular jiart, either in attempting to exhaust it or to penetrate too far into it. If you aim at exhausting a subject, you will be obliged to heap up a number of common things without choice or discernment ; if at penetrating, you can not avoid falling into many curious questions and unedifying subtleties ; and fre- quently, in attempting it, you will distil the subject till it evaporates. "4. Figures must not he overstrained. This is done by stretching meta- phor into allegoiy, or by carrying a parallel too far. A metaphor is changed into an allegory when a number of things are heaped up which agree to the subject, in keeping close to the metaphor. As in explaining this text, God is a sun and a shield, it would be stretching die metaphor into an al- 20 LECTURE I. loirorv to make a great collection of wjial God is in liim>oir, what to us, wiiat lie docs in the under.-tandinf; and conscience of the believer, what he operates on the wicked, what his absence causes, and all lliese under terms which had a perpetual relation to the sun. Allcfjories may be sometimes used very ajjrceably ; but they ujust not be strained : that is, all that can be said on them must not be said. A parallel is run too far when a f^reat number of conformities between the fi^^ure and the thinjij represented by tl>e fijjure are heaped together. This is almost the perpetual vice of mean and low preachers ; for when they catch a figurative word, or a metajjlior — as when God's wonl is called n Jirc, or a sworil, or the church a house, or a (love, or Jesus Christ a light, a sun, a vine, or a door, they never fail making a long detail of conformities between the figures and the subjects themselves, and frequently say ridiculous things. This vice must be avoid- ed, and you must be content to explain the metaphor in a few w(jrds, and to mark the ])rincipal agreements, or order afterward to cleave to the tiling it^self. " 5. Reasoning must not be carried too far. This may be done many ways ; as by long trains of reasons, composed of a number of propositions chained together, or of princi|)les and consequences, whirh way of reason- ing is embarrassing and painful to (he auditory, or by making many branch- es of reasons, and establishini; them one after another, which is tiresome and fati'Tuin'T to the mind. The mind of man loves to be conducted in a more smooth and easy way ; all must not be proved at once ; but supposing principles which are true and plain, and which you, when it is necessary, are capable of proving and sujiportinir, you must be content with using them to prove what you have in hand. Vet I do not mean that, in rea- soning, arguments should be so short and dry, and proposed in so brief a manner, as to divest the truth of half its force, as many authors leave them. I onlv mean that a due medium should be prescr\-ed ; that is, that, without fatiguing the miml and .attention of the iiearer, reasons should be placed in just as much force and clearness as are necessary to produce the eflect. " Iteasoning may also be overstrained by heaping great numbers r)f proofs on the same subject. Numerous proofs are intolerable, except in a principal matter, which is likely to be much questioned or controverted bv the hearers. In such a case, you would be obliged to treat the subject fullv and r.r j/ro/two, otherwise the hearers woulil consider your attempt to prove the matter as a useless digression. liiit when you are f)ltlii,'ed to treat a subject fully, when tliat subject is very important, whin it is doubt- ed and conlroverteil, then a great number of j)roofs are proper. In such a case, you must propose to convince and bear down the oj)ponent's judg- ment, by makini; truth triumph in many difTeri'nt manners. In such a case, manv proofs associated toirdher to jiroduce one efTcct are like many rays of light, which naturally strengthen each other, and which altogether form a body of brightness which is irresistible. " G. You must, as much as possible, abstain from all sorts of observa- tions foreign from thrology. Ill this class I place — "(1.) (irammafiral observations of every kind, which, not being within the peojile's kiunvlcdge, can only weary ami disgust them. Tlicy may, nevertheless, be used when ihey furnish an agreeable sense of the word, or open some important obscnation on the subject itself, provided it be done very seldom and very pertinently. MANAGEMENT OF A TEXT. 27 " (2.) Critical observations about different readings, different punctua- tions, &c., must be avoided. Make all the use you can of critical knowl- edge yourself; but spare die people die account, for it must needs be very disagreeable to them. I add, " (;J.) Avoid philosophical and historical observations, and all such as belong to rhetoric ; or, if you do use them, do not insist on them, and choose only those which either give some light to the text or heighten its pathos and beauty : all others must be rejected. " LasUy, I say the same of passages from profane authors, or rahbics, or fathers, with which many think they enrich their sermons. This farrago is only a vain ostentation of learning, and very often those who fill their sermons with such quotations know them only by the relation of others. However, I would not blame a man who should use them discreetly. A quotation not common, and properly made, has a very good effect." I shall close this lecture with a ^e\v words on the management of a text in reference to its connexion. The connexion is the relation of your text to the foregoing or following verses. To find this, consider the scope of the discourse, and consult commentators ; particularly exercise your own good sense, for commentators frequenUy trifle, and give forced and far- fetched connexions, all which ought to be avoided, for they are not natural, and sometimes good sense will discover the scope and design of a passage far better than this class of writers. There are texts the connexions of which, I own, it will be sometimes difficult to perceive. In such a case, endeavor to discover them by fre- quent and intense meditation, or take that which commentators furnish ; and, among many which they give, choose that which appears most natu- ral. If you can find none that appears of any importance in relation to the text, the best way will be to let the context alone. In many Psalms, and in the book of Proverbs, there is really no connexion whatever. I may add that the connexion is a part which must in general be very little insist- ed on, because the hearers almost always pass it over, and receive but little instruction from it. When the coherence will furnish any agreeable considerations for the illustration of the text, they must be put in the discussion ; and this will very often happen. A very popular preacher, in the days of his strength, used frequently to take such a text as had in its surrounding verses a sup- ply of particulars for the illustration of the text itself. This method gives variety, and is both agreeable and edifying. I have occasionally adopted it with success. Sometimes the context will supply suitable materials for an introduction. Blair furnishes some beautiful examples of exordiums in which the context is judiciously thrown into the form of a continuous narrative. Mr. Simeon says : " There is, however, one point, in relation to the connexion, to which very especial attention should be paid, and it is this : the text should always be taken according to the pirecise sense which it bears in connexion ivith the context, and be always treated in that precise view. For, in addition to this being far more satisfactory to the audience, it will give an inexhaustible variety to the subjects, and infuse into every one of them a force and a spirit which nothing else could impart." 28 LECTURE II. LECTLltE II. GENERAL ELEMENTS OF A DISCOURSE. The several parts of which a sermon should he composed require some statement. In a well-constructed discourse, five parts are usually reck- oneil, viz., the exordium, or introduction ; the ro/j/icx/on, which is the rela- tion the text hears to the prccedinf]: and following verses ; the division, or the part-* into which the discourse is distrihutcd ; die discussion, or the mat- ter introduced to illustrate and estahlish tlic suhject of tlie text ; and tJ>e jtcroration, or application of the whole. As the connexion of the passage is penerally ohvious, and the division is merely technical, there are, gen- erally speaking, hut three principal parts to an expository discourse — the exordium, discussion, and application — though the middle part of these, llie discussion, may emhrace a great many suhdivisions, or minor parts. The design of the exordium is to introduce the subject to the minds of the auditory ; it should insensibly conduct them to tlie j)oints to be dis- cussed, fix their attention, and interest their feelings. For this j)urposc it should be short, pertinent, and just ; suitable to the text, and to the char- acter of the auditor)-. The context, as we have seen, will frequently sup- ply an introduction well calculated to fix the attention by interesting the heart. An historical fact, taken from scripture, or an interesting anecdote, may be occasionally employed. A recent occurrence which has excited the jmb- lic attention may, but with great caution, be introduced. The subject of discourse is often made to supply the introduction ; but no topic should be employed for this purpose which would, if introduced into the discourse itself, confirm or illustrate any of its j)ro|)ositions. The sermons of Jay, Walker, Lavington, and Robinson, furnish instances of introduction in all the forms 1 have specified, in some cases, the exordium may be entirely omitted. Discussion, or the substance of the discourse, next claims die attention. It is called the discussion, from the Latin discutio, to examine or search out a thini:. This very filly illustrates the dcsii^n of preaching. Truth some- times lies deep, and can not be obtained by superficial investigation. The word sometimes signifies to dcbalc ; and this definition also illustrates tlie design of preaching. The preacher of the gospel has to combat strong prejudices, deep-rooted errors, and sophistical but destructive heresies ; to employ argument, and nd'« chosen ; and thrv arr not only retainers to his family, hut dt^'endants from him. 2. Tliey werr " called by the name of Israel." an Ijonoralde name : they were of that proplr to whom ptTtained both the giviui; of the law and the promise*. Israel ftii^nifies a prince ictth (ioJ ; and they prided thtniM-lves in heinc of tiiat princi-. Iv race. 3. "Thi-y came forth out of tlie waters of Judivli," and thence were called Jetcs ; thi-y Were of the roynl tribe, the tribe of which Shiloh was to come, the tribe that adhered to (iod whi-n the real revolted. 4. They "swore by the name of the Lord," and thereby owned him to be the true G(hI, and their (Jod, and jfave plory to him as the ripht«'ou« Judjje of all. They stcore to the name of the Lord (s 2. It is some sensible kind of good they want—" Who will show us any good J Spiritual or even intellectual good is of no value with these uneasy men. 3. Ahhouiih they may have select objects in view, yet they are not fastidiously nice; thev are for a«y carnal g^ood. 4. They inquire only of mortals like themselves, who in tlieir turn have sutteroci 34 LECTURE II. disappointments and vexations. So the blind are actually requesting the blind to lead them to happiness. 5. There are not a few only, but many, who are making these inquiries, the great bulk of the world. It was so in the psalmist's time ; it is so still. Crowds are hur- rying to court, crowds to the theatre, crowds to the exchange, to obtain the means to gratify the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. Simeon on Gen. vi. 5, on antediluvian depravity, remarks that the dis- positions of their hearts were — 1. Evil without exception. Every imagination was evil. 2. Without mixture — only evil. 3. Without intermission — continually. Tn these instances you see the very words of the respective texts furnish subdivisions. Also on Isa. xxxv. 8-13. This way is — 1. A highiuay, established by royal authority. 2. A holy ivay : "It shall be called the Avay of holiness." 3. A plain ivay : " A wayfaring man shall not err therein." 4. A safe way : " No lion shall be there." Sketches of Sermons, vol. i., p. 40. 2. In some cases subdivisions may be formed of several illustrative ideas. When properly introduced, these have an excellent effect, as in Luke vi. 19 : " There went virtue out of him" (i. e. Christ). Position. — All fulness of saving benefits emanates from the Lord Jesus Christ. It proceeds from him : — 1. As a copious stream from a liberal fountain. Christ's blessings are compared to streams, Isa. xxxv. 7 ; Ps. xlvi. 4. All spiritual blessings flow from him. 2. As the earth itself is full of life-giving energies, a secondary creative power, re- ceived from God (Gen. i. 11, 24), so Christ is full of spiritual life, John xi. 25; xiv. 5 ; Col. iii. 3. It is he who creates the fruit of our lips, Isa. Ivii. 19. 3. As the glorious sun is full of light, as the virtues of light and heat emanate from him, without exhausting him, so, and much more, does saving light emanate from our more glorious " Sun of righteousness," Mai. iv. 2. 4. As the very clouds which obscure the sky, and for a season cover the heavens with blackness, and yet drop down fatness (Ps. Ixv. 11, 12 ; Ixviii. 9), so Christ sends a plentiful rain to refresh his weary inheritance (Ps. Ixviii. 6), and by his mercy causes them to take root downward and bear fruit upward, making them fruitful in every good word and work. 5. As food is replete with life-sustaining power for the support of our bodies, so there is virtue in Christ to sustain the soul. He is the bread of life, and the ivater of life, to all who believe in him. But more immediately in the sense of the text — 6. As the touch of his garment healed all manner of bodily diseases, so Christ, as the balm of Gilead, heals all the diseases of the soul. See 2 Kings xiii. 21. 3. Subdivisions to form the argument or evidence of a text are very valuable. John iii. 16 : " God so loved the world that he gave," &c. One categorical proposition arising out of this text is this, that Jesus Christ is really the gift of God : — 1. He did not come by principles of nature. 2. There was nothing among men to merit it. 3. Nothing in mail to excite the least regard. 4. Not the least proportion between us and so great a gift. 5. There was, on the contrary, an injinite disproportion, and not only a dispropor- tion, but an opposition and a contrariety. — Claude. 4. Again : subdivisions may be formed o( negatives ; as, for instance — 1. We are not to expect the uninterrupted continuance of any measure of health, property, prosperity, or comfort, which we now enjoy. ON SUBDIVISIONS. 35 2. We are not to expect from our social intercourse all the satisfaction which we fondly desire. 3. We are not to expect, in the ordinary course of human affairs, constant grati- tude from those whom we have mosi obliged and served. I add another example, on John xvii. 15. Believers ought not to be taken out of the world — 1. On the worlefs account ; for saints are beneficial to it. 2. On Godfs account ; they are living testimonies to the power of his grace, &c. 3. On their own account ; for all things are in this world working together for their good. — Jay and Simeon. 5. The several circumstances of a text sometimes supply suitable subdi- visions ; as Luke iv. 18 : " To preach deliverance to the captives." I. Illustrate the captivity we are under by nature : — 1. The sinner is under arrest to the law of God. 2. He is in darkness. Prisons are dark and gloomy, fit emblems of a sinner's mind ; Isa. xlix. 9 ; Eph. iv. 18 ; v. 8 ; 1 Cor. ii. 14, &c. 3. He is bound tvith fetters. These are called "bonds of iniquity." Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin, John viii. 34 ; 2 Pet. ii. 19. 4. Sinners are exiles ; Eph. ii. 11, 12 ; Luke xv. : " Those that are far from God shall perish." 5. They are in a state of want, like the prodigal. 6. Their whole state is wretched ; Isa. i. 5, 6 ; Rev. iii. 17. II. State the deliverance which Christ effects for his people. 1. He delivers them from confinement (Isa. Ixi. 1), pays their debts, and pours oil and wine into their bleeding hearts, Zech. xi. 11 ; Rom. viii. 1. 2. Upon the darkness of their state he causes the dayspring from on high to shine. Upon those that sat in darkness and the shadow of death the light arises, 2 Cor. iv. 6. 3. He proclaims their liberty before all the world, and declares them free ; John viii. 36. This a greater honor than to do it secretly. He says to the prisoners, " Go forth," Isa. xlix. 9. 4. Though once afar off, sinners are brought nigh, Eph. ii. 19, 20 ; John xv. 15 ; 1 John iii. 1. 5. Though formerly in a state of want, feeding on husks, yet now they are restored to plenty : the fulness of Christ is opened to them. 6. All kinds of wretchedness are removed. — Lavington. I just add an example from Watts on Rev. vi. 15-17. It is an argu- mentative address in subdivisions. The question is, " Why will the wrath of the great day be so terrible to sinners ?" The following reasons are assigned :-^ 1. It is wrath arising from the clearest view of neglected love, mercy, &c. ; Luke xiii. 34 ; Heb. ii. 2, 3. 2. Wrath awakened by the rejection of the most precious and most expensive method of salvation, grace slighted and despised. 3. Wrath that must avenge the affronts and injuries done to the prime minister of God's government, and the chief messenger of his mercy. 4. Wrath excited by the long-tried patience of God, Ps. 1. 1, 3, 21, 23. 5. Wrath that shall be attended with the fullest conviction of sinners, and their self-condemnation. , 6. Wrath that shall be executed immediately and eternally, without any mixture of mercy. 6. As to ideas of a miscellaneous kind, I may observe that whatever has a generality of expression falls easily into subdivisions ; of this the Scrip- tures afford examples almost endless ; as, " I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me," Phil. iv. 13. This will appear by consult- ing Cruden's Concordance, under the word ^'' every,'''* or " a/^ things,'''* 36 LECTURE II. These all things admit of specification in distinct parts.* Such words must be carefully taken up, unless the preacher pass ov^er words and ideas strictly textual, to discuss the subject of the text, or the principles upon which it is founded. Again : the idea may be general where no such words appear ; and where the words of the text are not, strictly speaking, general, they may refer to a variety of particulars deserving of distinct no- tice. Reference may be made to Cruden under such words as many (" there be i?W7iy that say," &c., Ps. iv. 6), more, most : these must have particulars under them ; and they may be taken up, if they be of sufficient importance. Again : many plural nouns, and nouns of multitude, include particulars ; as, ahominat'ions, ajflictions, multitude, &c. When the text itself expresses the enumeration (which is the reverse of the last article) the several parts may be discussed in subdivisions, so far as such particulars have any kind of dissimilarity or unlikeness in any of their subjects or attributes. Thus, if I were to preach from Col. i. 15, 19, I should prepare the way for subdivisions by examining' whether the sev- eral great things said of Christ were of one or more kinds ; and here I find them different in their nature, for some things relate to the personal great- ness of the Redeemer, some have respect to us, and others respect his mediatorial qualifications and ability to save us. Now under each of these there are textual subdivisions. The same method may be taken with Isa. ix. 6, 7. Again, those parts of the text which appear as the principal, and are commonly by preachers so discussed, may be drawn into subdi- visions by an artificial principal ; thus, instead of dividing John i. 17, as Claude, viz. — I. The ministry of the law, II. The ministry of the gospel. You might — I. Contrast the two dispensations. II. Draw some important inferences. By this plan, Claude's principal divisions are thrown into subdivisions, and the way is prepared for the improvement of the subject. Be careful to ex- press in few words, and with the utmost possible precision, the principal heads. This is always desirable. I must not omit to natice such nouns as, though singular, admit of am- plification, and easily fall into subdivisions of considerable beauty. An instance or two will suffice. The word mercy is sometimes in the singu- lar, as in Ps. Ixxxv. 7: "Show us thy mercy." In a familiar style'of preaching there would be no impropriety in deriving from this word a con- siderable number of subdivisions ; as, saving mercy, prcve7ititfg mercy, suc- coring mercy, &c. Or such a word as evil ; as, " Deliver us from evil." This word will furnish opportunity for nodcing various kinds of evil, from which we should pray for deliverance. Though such a mode of division may be considered puerile by the logician, no good reason can be given why its occasional adoption should -be unfavorable to the communication of substantial instruction. The truth is, as the generality of hearers pos- sess but plain intellects, they require truth in a plain dress, and will com- * Great care must be taken, in looking into the Concordance for illustrative passages, Ibat we be not led by the mere similarity of words to adopt such as in tbeir proper sense bave no suitability for the purpose. ON SUBDIVISIONS. 37 prehend a subject thus treated better than a course of abstract reasoning, or the logical solution of a metaphysical question. I do not say that the preacher should so stoop to the understandings of the people as to lower the dignity of sacred subjects ; but certainly he ought to be cautious lest he soar above their reach. I observe, further, that whatever belongs to relation or description will admit of subdivisions ; as creature belongs to all living animals, and must be divisible ; vegetable is the common name for everything that' grows out of the earth, and is divided and subdivided by Linnaeus into an astonishing variety ; so every description of person or thing, and the relation it sustains, admits of subdivisions. Suppose the scripture account of David be the subject. His character will form the first or principal division : then, as subdivisions, may be introduced his descent — his early life — his call to an important office in the state — his private character — his public worth — the chief acts of his reig?i — his insyiration and prophetic spirit — his imjjejfec- tions — his e7id. We might also, as the second principal division, consider him as an eminent type of the Lord Jesus Christ : the points in which he so typified him would form subdivisions, and be highly interesting to a Christian auditory. Not only may this plan be adopted with respect to eminent characters, but also in illustrating those qualities or attributes which belong to intelligent beings ; as conscience, understanding, reason, will, &c. Whatever dignifies or degrades the mind, whatever belongs to man through the dispensations of grace and mercy, may be so described, and perhaps can not be contemplated in one view so well as in subdivisions ; and, even where these subdivisions are not named, regard must be had to them in the order of discussion. The terms expressive of profit or loss, advantage or disadvantage (as 1 Tim. iv. 8 ; Mark viii. 36 ; Rom. viii. 13, IS), must have separate and distinct particulars, which may be given in the form of subdivisions ; also whatever can be traced as consequences from some known cause, as Prov. xiv. 14. The numerous evil consequences of apostacy may thus be affectingly illustrated, and the happy consequences of holy fear ; Psalm xxxiv. 9, 10. Those terms which convey the idea of pleasure or pain furnish matter applicable to this purpose. . The terms expressive of activity or motion, as in Ps. Ixxxiv. 7 ; cxix. 32 ; Heb. xii. 1. There must be many qualities, aids, &c., necessary to the attainment of a good end, and these furnish subdivisions, which flow naturally from the nature of the subject. Things which agree or harmonize together may be discussed in subdi- visions, as Eph. V. 27. There are many things which become saints, and belong to their character as such. This leads to the instructive observa- tion that there is a train of exalted virtues which belong to sai?its ; and a wide field is opened for their description. Also Col. i. 12 ; the mectiiess referred to by the context includes a great variety of graces, each of which may be distinctly named and defined. Again : though Jehovah can have no equal, yet he must necessarily possess some things in common with the saint, upon which to establish and maintain that concord of which the Scripture speaks. Gen. vi. 9 ; Amos iii. 3. This harmony, or agreement, admits of specification in subdivisions. See also Col. iii. 14 : The bond of perfectness. — Gill in loco. I may add that which is the most perfect 38 LECTURE II. of all harmony, the harmony of the divine attributes in the scheme of salva- tion. Not only mercy and truth, but every divine perfection, perfectly concurs in man's salvation. Whatever is connected with, or flows from, the reception of any spir- itual blessing, or the possession of certain dispositions of mind, may be thrown into the form of subdivisions. For example : if we inquire. What influence has the reception of salvation on the mind of the recipient ? or what arc the effects of divine grace on his personal conduct? the reply is, Universal holiness in character and conduct, in the family, in the church, in the closet, and in the world : the very reverse of a worldling, or of an apostatizing professor. Whatever is necessary to a certain end, usually termed the connexion of the end with the means, will suggest subdivisions, as 1 Cor. ix. 24 : " So run that you may obtain." I. It is obvious that all the means of grace are intended ; and each of these deserves separate consideration. II. The chief obstructions to such an end might be enumerated. III. The several grounds of encouragement to our so running as to obtain the end ; and, IV. A series of directions might be given, not comprehended in the first head ; and these also would furnish subdivisions. Each of these general heads furnishes many subdivisions. Whatever conveys the idea of immensity or diminutiveness will furnish subdivisions. Immensity ; as God, and his works of providence and grace. These can not be considered as a whole, but must be viewed in parts. Upon this plan theological writers form their systems of divinity ; on this plan, also, systems of natural philosophy are written. In the discussion of some subjects subdivisions must be parts of the grand whole, judiciously conceived and arranged ; and in others they may be introduced as illustrations, at once calculated to instruct the mind and fill the heart with gratitude and love. Booth adopted this method in his Reign of Grace. Viminutiveness will also furnish subdivisions. Those objects and pur- suits which the Christian regards as contemptible, in comparison with his nobler employment and better portion ; such is the world's great trinity — *' tlie lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life." The un- satisfying nature and momentary duration of these may be set forth by a variety of particulars of a most instructive kind, so as to exhibit their httle- ness as in a concave mirror, and, in the hands of a judicious preacher, this may be rendered very effective, by the blessing of God, in producing ha- tred to sin and love to holiness. The examples furnished, and the remarks made, on divisions and sub- divisions, have, I should imagine, sufficiently illusti'atcd their use. I have but one other observation to make here ; and it is tiiis : that the names by which the parts of a discourse have been designated are not fixed and un- changeable, rrinciind divisions are only such when the plan of the dis- course places them in the rank of general propositions. Subdivisions are so called because they are illustrations of the principal divisions. In some cases, by a change of method, the subdivisions might form principals and the principals be introduced for illustration. Your own subdivisions on METHODS OF FILLING UP A DISCOURSE. 39 particular branches of one discourse may, if important, be transferred to such parts of another discourse as are of a similar character, if not lately used. This is often done by some eminent preachers. PRELIMINARY DIRECTIONS FOR FILLING UP A DISCOURSE. Having considered the outlines of a discourse, the most copious direc- tions and assistance will be found for filling them up in the subsequent parts of these lectures, during our progress through the different kinds of discourses, in the various points to be discussed, assisted by the article on Comment : yet I shall here offer you a few previous thoughts for this purpose. That which takes precedence of everything else is unquestionably the assistance of divine teaching. I hope the times will never return when it will be necessary to place this article in a defensive attitude. James i. 5 : " If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God." So prayed the mar- tyr. Bishop Ridley : " O heavenly Father, the author and fountain of all truth, the bottomless sea of all understanding, send down, we beseech thee, thy Holy Spirit into our hearts, and enlighten our understandings with the beams of thy heavenly grace." So must we pray for this blessing if we would engage it for our own benefit and the benefit of our hearers. Here see Bridge's Christian Ministry, p. 72 ; and Bickersteth's Christian Stu- dent, p. 610, second ed., chap. 20. But, in defence of this reflection, I may here add the words of Dr. Jortin, who says, " If it be required why we should expect divine assistance, we answer, that it is one of those doctrines which by the Ijght of nature we could not have known. We might have thought it probable, but could not have proved its certainty. It rests on the authority of revealed religion. But it seems to have been an opinion among the heathen that the gods put men on certain actions, suggested to them certain thoughts, and inclined them in a secret manner. We find this frequently in their oldest writer, Homer. Afterward, when philosophy was cultivated, some of their wise men were of opinion that there was a divine afflatus, or interposition, acting on exalted and purified minds, and assisting them in doing well." Now that which they only im- agined in reference to their gods comes to us with all divine authority with respect to God's Holy Spirit : that God will give his Holy Spirit to those that ask him ; and so said our blessed Savior, John xiv. 26. I wish you the most ample supply of this teaching in ordering your discourses. The next means to be recommended for filling up a discourse is the careful study of the divine word.* This is hke Goliath's sword to David, and it is appropriately styled the sword of the Spirit. There is a treasure in the Scriptures which can never be exhausted ; and that this must be pre- eminently the best no one will venture to dispute. Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures, and therefore cloquefit ; Acts xviii. 24. But skill in the ready application of scripture can not be acquired without great diligence, indefatigable reading, and close meditation. To shorten, however, this labor, you may avail yourself of the works of those valuable men who have formed parallels, as Canne, Brown, Crutwell, Scott,t &c. Such parallels * It is not here intended to insinuate that the Scriptures are second in authority to the Spirit's teaching, as some have maintained. Dr. VVardlaw has amply refuted this dangerous notion in a recent publication. t See also the sentiments of Bishop Horsley, quoted in Lecture xxix. 40 LECTURE II. are calculated to illustrate numerous passages of scripture ; and it is now- received as an incontrovertible axiom that the Scriptures are best interpre- ted by scripture. Undoubtedly there are various ways of usinj^ scripture in preaching the word ; and every man must adopt that method which he iinds by experience to be the best : perhaps different methods ought to be tried. But I will venture to describe a method that has been practised with some success ; and I really think that a minister may preach accepta- bly and usefully in this way with no other help in study than parallels, a concordance, and a dictionary of the Bible.* This must be very encour- aging to preachers who have few books and less leisure. The method is this : Suppose my text to be Ps. xxvi. 8 : " Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house," &c. After briefly expounding the text, I should state the subject to be imhlic ivorshij), and then divide as follows : — I. The nature and importance of public worship. II. Its various attractions to a good man. III. The force of example, as furnished by the text. IV. The guilt and danger of neglect. I then select the parallel passages from such works as I have named , and that I may receive the full benefit of them, and have the. whole of them in view, I form a hst of them on paper, in die following manner : — Exodus XX. 24 ; In all places where I record my name, &c. Matt, xviii. 20 : Wherever two or three are gathered together, &c. 1 Chron. xix. 3 : I have set my affections upon the house, &:c. Ps. xxiii. 7 : I will dwell in the house of the Lord, &c. xxvii. 4-6: One thing have I desired of the Lord^&c. xlii. 4: For I had gone with the multitude, &:c. Ixxiii. 17 : Until I went into the sanctuary of God. Ixxxiv. 1 : How amiable are thy tabernacles. xcv. throughout ; and Ps. xlviii. 9. exxxii. 13 : The Lord hath chosen Sion. Isa. iv. 2 : 1 he mountain of the Lord's house shall be, &c, XXV. 6: And in this mountain the Lord will, &:c. Ivi. 7 : I will make them joyful in my house of prayer. Luke ii. 4G-49 : Christ honored the temple. xix. 4G : Christ quoted Isa. Ivi. 7. Acts ii. 46 : The primitive Christians honored the temple. Ileb. X. 25 : Paul dehorted from forsaking public worship. Ps. Ixxiii. 27: Those that are far from God shall perish. Zech. xiv. 17, 18: Threatening of drought and plague. Ps. xcv. 11 : Unto whom I swore, &c. Isa. Ivi.: Those are blessed that keep God's sabbaths. Iviii. 13, 14 : Similar promises. Sam. ii. 3(1: Those that honor me I will honor. Matt. iv. 10: Thou shah worship. Ps. Ixxxvii. 2: The Lord loveth the gates of Zion. Many scriptures may occur to my mind, while in the art of composing, that were not in the list. These, as being aj)propriate, I adopt ; wliilo, on the other hand, many quotations on my list do not suit my subject, and are consequciuly rejected. 1 now commence the discourse as follows : — I. The nature and importance of public worship. It is in a united and .tonal capacity that it is here to be considered, tliouirb private worshij) is not to be dispi'used with: therefore (st-e Ps. xlii. 4), s;iid David, "I bad gone with the multitude." It is happiness indeed when the multitude press to God's * Besides Back's and Brown's, wc ore now favored with one from the late E. Watson. METHODS OP FILLING UP A DISCOURSE. 41 house to express their praises, to utter their prayers, to hear God's holy word, to be publicly instructed in divine things. 1. Viewed with respect to God. 1.) Nothing is more rational ; Acts xvii. 28. 2.) God requires it; Matt. iv. 10 ; Zech. xiv. 16. 3.) He directs its performance ; John iv. 24. 2. With respect to the world. Take away the sabbath and its advantages, and there must be confusion and every evil work. 3. With respect to individuals. Every one has a debt of gratitude to pay, peti- tions to offer, a soul to be fed : most truly might it be said that the " sabbath was made for man," Mark ii. 27. IT. Its various attractions to a good man : — 1. The house of God is the place of promise ; Exod. xx. 24 ; 1 Sam. ii. 30 ; Matt, xviii. 20 ; Isa. ii. 2 ; Ps. cxxxii. 13-17 ; Isa. xxv. 6 ; vi. 7 ; Iviii. 13 ; Ps. Ixxxvii. 2. These may be severally expatiated upon by annotation and comment ; it will be seen that they are all furnished by the list. • 2. It is the place oi inslruclion, where gifts are exercised for this end ; Eph. iv. 8 ; Acts ix. 31 ; Cant. ii. 34 ; nay, even a dispensation of Providence could not be under- stood till a visit was made to the house of God ; Ps. Ixxiii. 13. 3. It is the place of delight and satisfaction; 1 Chron. xxix. 3 ; Ps. xxiii. 6 ; xxvii. 4-6 ; xlii. 4 ; Ixxxiv. 1, 2. III. The force of example : — 1. David : see text, and Ps. xxvii. 4 ; xxiii. 6, &c. 2. Our Lord himself; Luke iv. 16 ; Acts ii. 46. 3. The first Christians ; Acts ii. 46 ; and xx. 7. IV. The guilt and danger of neglect. The more excellent a thing is, the greater the folly and guilt of neglecting it. For this part see list; Ps. Ixxiii. 27 ; 1 Sam. ii. 30 ; Zech. xiv. 17, .19 ; Ps. xcv. 11 ; Heb. x. 25. The next means to be recommended is the sUidy of the works of 'p'lous authors. Although this is objected to by some in our day, as being un- necessary and anti-scriptural, yet you should undoubtedly acquaint your- self with the opinions of commentators. These are generally sound in doctrine, for no one essentially corrupt would venture on a commentary. None can object to such works as those of Dwight, Henry, Gill, Fuller, and those enumerated in Bickersteth's catalogues, &c. Nor should print- ed sermons be disregarded ; for, if we are not " to despise prophesyings" viva voce, why despise them in a printed form ? But in sermonizing you should think for yourself before you consult the works of others ; this is a general and an important rule. A convincing proof of the benefit of reading the works of others is fur- nished in our judges and leading counsellors, who appear to have succeed- ed in the attainment of true eloquence above any order of men in the world,* and this because they are the most jjcnetrat'mg and diligent readers of the laws of nations, the ancient constitutions, laws, and customs of their coun- try, and of the commentaries and adjudged cases that have been published upon these laws. Their reading is never remitted. Some new law work is perpetually making new demands upon their diligence, and wealth and honor crown their labors at last, if Providence spare their lives. The ma- turity of their powers raises them to eminence, not only in their own pro- fession, but also in the hotises of parliament, and even in the cabinet, where also they often rise superior to other men. We attribute much to native talent, but more to the improvement of that talent by reading and study. Let the Christian minister, therefore, keep these men in his eye, * From this, rather than for their classical acquirements, they have the title of learned. 42 LECTURE II. and imitate their diligence, not for the sake of worldly wealth and honor, but for the good of souls and the honor which cometh from God. Finally, I recommend meditation. You will find great advantage in reading Bridge's Christian Minister on this subject, p. S-il of first edition, chap, ii., sect. 2 : and I may here quote the directions of the late Mr. Ful- ler, of Kettering, which are truly valuable. The method recommended is that of obtaining the chief part of a sermon by mcditatioii. The mind will never know its own resources unless properly exercised ; the habit of thinking closely will present many things to it which would not otherwise have been thought of, and the more the invention is exercised the more fertile it will become. Upon the subject of thus meditating a sermon, he observes : " When your text is selected, meditate on the context, and by it get clear notions of your text. Then, and not till then, consult expositors : if their opin- ions appear the best, take them ; at any rate, do not proceed till you are satisfied that you perceive the mind of the Holy Spirit in the passage. Then examine the force of each word or term of importance in the text ; do this by observing the use of tlie same expression in other places of scripture by a concordance ; but take care of an injudicious use of this book, for it may be, by misuse, a great sermon-spoiler ; that is, when a jingle of sounds is put for expository sense. Words and terms may be examined to great advantage by a judicious use of contrast, a placing them, one at a time, in opposition to those which are intended to convey a dif- ferent meaning. The following may serve as an example': Suppose your text be Ps. cxlv. 16 : ' Thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.' Begin with the term ojpenest : ' Thou openest thy hand.' What an idea does this convey of the paternal goodness of God toward his creatures ! how opposite to the conduct of many of his crea- tures toward one another, whose hearts and hands are shut ! What an idea docs it convey of the case with which tiic wants of the whole creation are supplied ! Let me pause a moment, and think of these wants. What a quantity of vegetable and animal food is daily consumed in one town, in one large city, in a nation, in the whole world ! yet mankind only com- pose a small part of this vast family ; it includes ' every living thing,'' O what innumerable wants throughout all animate nature, in the air — on the earth — in the waters ! Whence come their supplies ? ' Thou openest thy hand,' and all are satisfied. And can these various necessities be sup- plied i)y only opening his hand ? What tiicn must our salvation be ? This is a work of wondcrfid expense. The Lord opens his hand in providence ; but he has ' purchased the church with his own blood.' And then medi- tate on the variety of ways used for our supply. The earth is made fruit- ful, the air is full of life, the clouds empty themselves upon the earth, the sun j)ours forth its genial rays ; but the oj)cration of all these second causes is only the ' opening of his hand.' Parents sustain us, ways arc opened for our future subsistence, connexions are formed, &t. ; but all these are but the ' oi)cninf;; of his hand;' sec Ps. civ. 27-29. You may next notice the pronoun Thou: ' Thou openest,' &c. Here, in contrast, as I said, it is easy to infer — If thou openest thy hand, I ought not to shut mine against my poor brother. [And here we arc provid(Nl with an excellent application of the subject.] Next consider the term hand : there is a dif- ference between the hand and the heart. God opens his hand in provi- METHODS OF FILLING UP A DISCOURSE. 43 dence to his worst enemies ; he gave Nebuchadnezzar all the kingdoms of the earth (see Jer. xxvii. 6) ; but he opens his heart in the gospel of his Son. This is the better portion of the two. Let us pray, with Jabez, to be blessed indeed, that we may have Joseph's pordon, not only the pre- cious things of the earth, but also the good-will of Him that dwelt m the bush. Proceed : ' Thou satis/lest the desire,' &c. Here I see God does not give sparingly [this is the contrast]. It seems to be the characteristic of the divine nature, both in the natural and moral world, to excite desires, not to disappoint, but to satisfy them." ^ ^ This, then, is my author's method of meditating a discourse, and it brings to our minds similar turns of thought in Matthew Henry. " Next," my author says, " endeavor to dispose of these thoughts to ad- vantage, by placing them in due order. Many sermons are little better than a mob of ideas ; they contain some good sentiments, but have no ob- ject in view which is steadily pursued for two minutes, nor any order in the parts that can assist either speaker or hearer, nor any unity of the whole. Upon an inspection of these thoughts it will be plain the subject must be Divine Providence ; and this will thus divide : I. Explain the doctrine of providence. H. Establish it. HI. Improve it." Under these principal divisions the thoughts produced by meditation are to be arranged, and such other thoughts added as are apposite to the subject. To those whose pecuniary resources are limited, or whose business de- nies them the necessary time for reading extensively, the plan of pure medi- tation offers its valuable aid. I readily grant that to arrive at our object solely by meditation is very difficult in our first attempts. There is so great a degree of obtuseness in the mind that it may not at first penetrate into the subject ; or, if we perceive something of the meaning or excellence of a passage, yet it is but dimly, and not sufficiently to guide us to its ful- ness ; but let us think again and again, and, by degrees, we shall obtain those discoveries which will amply reward our labor. " Those works of God which are most plain have wonders in them, if we "could find them out ; so in the plainest text of scripture there is a world of holiness and spirituality ; and if we, in prayer and dependence upon God, did sit down and consider it, we should behold much more than appears to us. It may be, at once reading or looking, we see little or nothing, as Elijah's servant : he went out once, and saw nothing; therefore he was commanded to look seven times. ' What now V says the prophet. ' I see a cloud rising like a man's hand ;' and by-and-by the whole surface of the heavens was cov- ered with clouds. So you may look lightly on a scripture, and see noth- ing ; look again, and you will see a litde ; but look seven times upon it, meditate often upon it, and then you shall see a hght like the light of the sun."* 1 Kings xviii. 43, 45. I may here add, let the student consuh Owen on Hebrews, vol. iv., p. 178, and some pages forward in the same volume. If meditation be con- sidered a part of study, then see Mr. Bridges, p. 43, or his Index, word Study. In connexion with the plan of meditating a sermon, I may here offer you a few hints for tracing out an idea. The following litde scheme has been particularly useful to myself; and I can therefore put my probatunt * Caryl on Job.— Caryl confirmed the excellency of his own rule throughout his whole exposition on Job. His observations discover a fecundity of thought that must surprise every attentive reader. 44 LECTURE II. est to it. It would be of essential service to those who use Simeon, and who find a difficulty when they arrive at his breaks or ledger hnes — the marks for enlargement. Indeed, it has been justly observed that as much talent is required to fill up the breaks as to construct the outline. 1 will give you an instance of Mr. Simeon's breaks : — " There is nothing more injurious to ourselves or others than prejudice : while it operates as a bar to our own improvement, it leads us to put a perverse con- struction on everything we sec or hear. It will extract matter for censure even from the most innocent or laudable actions. This malignity can not be seen in more striking colors than in the conduct of the Phariseqs toward our Lord. It must be evident that some one or more of the plans employed for constructing a whole discourse must be resorted to for the management of a single idea, and the only difference lies in the longmn or the brcvum of the case. It will be equally necessary if the thought to be expanded be your own, which is the more honorable of the two instances. • To proceed . the rules must be something like the following : — 1. State the idea in the clearest form of words, as in Mr. Simeon's ex- ample. 2. If it should require a sentence or two to make it better understood by the ignorant, this must be yielded to, or all that you say afterward will be lost ; and, even when not absolutely required in order to render the subject intelligible, judicious amplijication may often be employed with excellent effect ; and this is the more necessary at the beginning of a dis- course, because it may give an aspect to all that follows throughout the whole discussion. The want of such amplification may give the hearers an opportunity to say, " You have brought us to the portico of a fine build- ing, and left us there, instead of showing the different apartments contained in the building itself, and the magnificent fiirniture." The Scriptures fur- nish many beautiful examples of amplification, as the songs of Moses and of Deborah, and Ecclesiastes iii., where the first verse contains the state- ment of which the seven following verses are the amplification. Caryl, the celebrated expositor of the book of Job, having to expound cli. xxxiv. 29, " When he (God) givcth quietness, who then can make trouble?" on the 5th of November (the day of the gunpowder plot, which, at that time, was kept with great zeal, though now almost forgotten), availed himself of the circumstance in the following amj)lification : — "Would it not," says lie, "have made trouble to destroy the king, the chief gover- nor of these nations, with his royal issue, in one day ? Would it not have made trou- ble to blow up the representatives of the nation, the parliament, in one day ? Would it n(jt have made trouble to throw theAvhole body of the people intoa complete heap, without a head, in one day? Would it not have made trouble in the nation to have seen i)apal power, with popish doctrines and worship, brought in airain in a few days? Would it not have made trouble to have seen poor souls imprJMined, perse- cuted, and consumed to ashes, for their conscientious witiiess-bearin. Let En<^land bem quietness."* " See also Blair's Letters on Rhetoric, vol. i., p. 118 ; edit. 1803. METHODS OF FILLING UP A DISCOURSE. 45 3. If the idea has still any difficulty, it may require illustration. Mr. Simeon illustrates the passage referred to and quoted by commenting on the circumstances which gave rise to it. The first, sixteenth, and eigh- teenth topics in these lectures show the fecundity of the illustrative field. Scripture illustrations, however, will be most efficient, and especially those of our blessed Savior. Jeremy Taylor, Dr. Manton, Chalmers, &c., have been very eminent in this almost sublime art. 4. An idea may also require confirmation ; the short and good old way is to bring in scripture proofs, with short and pithy reasoning, managed with good sense ; but great extension, for the present occasion, is not to be expected. 5. A short comment, of a select and suitable kind, maybe very forcible and popular : for which see general index on the woxd comment. It is evi- dent that our best writers excel in this management of an idea ; and the best preachers obtain their popularity in this way. Let us now try whether we can apply these rules to the filling up of Mr. Simeon's breaks in the foregoing specimen. There is nothing more injurious to ourselves or others than prejudice, by which I would be understood to mean a state of mind often imperceptibly attained in favor of any system to which we may have been accustomed, without any definite or distinct recognition of the reasons on which such preference is founded. Many persons en- tertain very strong religious opinions, not because they have examined the grounds of those opinions, and arrived at a settled conviction from a full perception of the solid and scriptural basis on which they rest, but because they have been accustomed to hear ihem urged with frequency and warmth, and the contrary opinions denounced as fraught with every species of mischief ; and, while they are totally unable to give a satisfactory reason for their sentiments, they are nevertheless prevented by this state of mind from feeling the weight or appreciating the force of opposing evidence. Hence the maxim of the wise man : " A fool is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason." If the evil consequences of prejudice were confined to ourselves, still we could not be too much on our guard against it, but unhappily this is not the fact ; for, while it operates as a bar to our own improvement, it leads us to put a perverse construction on everything we see or hear, as the ey£ of a person afflicted Avith the jaundice is said to give a yellow tinge to every object at which he looks. It loill extract matter for censure even from the most innocent or laudable actions ; for, since the very same actions may be performed from a great variety of motives, nothing is more easy than to attribute that which is most commendable to base and unworthy principles, contrary to the sacred rule of charity, which requires us to put the best construction which the case will admit upon the conduct of others. It was thus that the enemies of Daniel treated his scrupulous adherence to the wor- ship of Jehovah, ascribing his conduct to disloyalty and perverseness. The malignity of such a practice can not be seen in more striking colors than in the conduct of the Pharisees toward our Lord. — Woodrow. In offering so great a variety of assistance, I hope there is no danger of perplexing instead of helping you. I hope you will be able to see that each aid has its peculiar office. A skilful mechanic is not perplexed by viewing a large chest of tools of great variety, because, at the same time, he sees the separate use of each. So I wish you to see the separate use and application of each distinct article, " that you may be a workman thit need not be ashamed." 46 LECTURE in. LECTURE III. DIFFERENT METHODS OF DIVISION. The various kinds of division to which I shall have occasion to advert I will now present to you. They are textual or topical. The textual are guch as fall into — 1. The natural kind of divis- ion. 2. The accommodational. 3. Tiie cxposifonj. 4. The distributive. 5. The regular. 6. The interrogative. 7. The observational. 8. The iiropositional. 9. Tliat of continued application. The topical kinds of division are extremely numerous, and, as you will see, are such as sustain a real distinctiveness of character. The topics form a very valuable acquisition to the divinity student, as will at once be evident on inspection. In addition to their use as a basis for division, they will also lend their aid in furnishing a part or parts of textual discourses, and su"-2;esting ideas for enlargement and amplification ; so that these top- ics are cither principals or auxiliaries, p?-o re nata, and sources of thought in an almost endless variety. The first nine kinds of division I have called textual, for on the text they are established. And it is necessary to remind you that they take their distinctive names from the/>?7/? of the outline they present more than from any peculiarity in the mode of discussion. Thus only one kind is called expository, yet several others, and particularly the interrogative, may be very suitable for an expository discourse ; indeed, in whatever method a text is examined, explained, and enforced, it comes into tiie expository. You will also perceive that die observational plan, so (iir as die division is concerned, is nearly allied to the propositional. Yet I allow these imper- fections to pass, to preserve the names and kinds as they stand, being sat- isfied that utility is to be preferred to the niceties of critical and logical accuracy. The several forms, witii the remarks and illustrations of each respectively, will, I trust, show the propriety of distinguishing them by such names as I have adopted. THE NATURAL DIVISION. The order in which the words of many passages of scripture stand is so natural, and die arrangement of tiie subject so obvious, that no art can place them in a clearer point of view. In such case you have only to di.s- lingui.sh die several members of the text by ajipropriate names. Claude furnishes an instance of this order on Eph. i. 3. His divisions are a-s follows : — I. Hero is a grateful acknowledgment — " Blessed be God." II. The title xinder whirl. Paul blesses God— " The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." III. The reason why ho l)lcsses God— "Tie hath blessed us." IV. Thv plenitude n'f this hlessinij- " With all hlrssincs." V. The nature or kind of them — " Spiritual blessings." THE NATURAL DIVISION. 4:7 VI. The place where, &c.— " In heavenly places." VII. In whom he has blessed u^-" In Christ Jesus. There are many instances of beautiful simplicity in the divisions adopt- ed by our modern preachers, somewhat resembling the above. Generally speaking, such divisions will admit of subdivisions ; as in Walker s sermon on 1 John v. 11 : — I. God hath given us eternal life. II. This life is in his Son. 1. As Mediator. 2. As he is the source of life. 3. As secured in him. Another from the same author, on Heb. ix. 28 : — I. The particulars respecting his first appearance. II. He shall appear the second time unto salvation. 1. To raise the dead bodies of the saints. 2. To complete his body the church. 3. To publicly acquit his followers, as their Judge. 4. To complete their happiness. ITT He "shall appear a second time without sin. . .„ , . i, IV. The characters of those to whom this second commg will be joyous: such as look for him : — 1. With a firm belief of the event. 2. With desire. 3. With patience. 4. With habitual preparedness. • From the Cripplegate Morning Exercises. 2 Peter i. 14 : " Knowing that shortly I must put off," &c. We have here— I. A description of our mortal ^art—" A. tabernacle." ^^ II. The maimer in which we part with it—" We put^tt off. III. The time when this event shall occur—" bhortly. ^^ IV. The means of our knowing it—" Our i^ord has shown us. From Burder's Village Sermons. Titus ii. 11, 12 : — I. The gospel of Christ is the grace or gift of God. II. It brings salvation. III. It has appeared to all men. IV. It teaches us to live a holy life. From Beddome, on Rev. iii. 20 : — I. If any man hear my voice— (with three subdivisions). li. And open the door— (with three ditto). III. I will come in to him— (with three ditto). IV. I will sup with him, and he with me. There is still another form of the natural division, which I will attempt to elucidate by the following example. I adduce it now for a particular purpose, though I shall refer to it again. It is from Mr. Simeon. The text is Ezek xxxvi 25-27 : " Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and vou shaif be clean," &c., &c. On this he observes that the greatprom- ise of the New-Testament church, which was to follow the ascension ot Christ, was the gift of the Holy Spirit, who, in the dispensations ot grace — I. Cleanses from sin : "I will sprinkle," &c. ^^ II. Renews the heart : " A new heart also will I give you.^ ■ III. Sanctifies the life : " I will put my Spirit within you. 48 LECTURE III. It will be observed that, in the former instances, single members of a text or verse are made to form so many parts. In this last instance sev- eral are classed together and titled ; yet the original conception of natural division is preserved. 1 sliall add but one more example under this head, and this also is taken from Mr. Simeon. The text is 2 Cor. v. 10, 11 : " We must all appeal- before the judgment-seat of Christ," &c. Here we have — 1. The apostle's account of the day of judgment (ver. 10). . II. The improvement which he made of it (ver. 11). Here we have a division, but no interruption is given to the natural order of things. The statements are assumed as facts, and commented on in the most serious and impressive manner that the preacher can pos- sibly assume, without critical explanation or regular proofs, which, however, might, if thought needful, be brought in, as a subdivision of the first head. Now, as a general idea respecting the preceding kinds of the natural division, it is obvious that they owe something to theyb^-m of division, but more to the vse that is made of them. Their excellence consists in their simplicity, and they are valuable in proportion as this simplicity is pre- served. " This plain and easy way of preaching without divisions," says one (that is, without artificial division), " is wonderfully adapted to the capacities, and inclinations too, of a multitude of hearers ; and such a method, purged of artificial logic, will one day or other, it is hoped, uni- versally prevail." — Robinson'' s Notes on Claude. I am decidedly of opinion that a great number of passages are admira- bly adapted to this kind of division, especially long texts having a number of alBrmative particulars* en suite, notwithstanding the ridicule so often thrown upon this method of treating them, provided such discourses are closed by a suitable and fervid address : this, I think, is always indispen- sable. The followihg passages may be specified as examples : Isa. xli. 17, IS ; Micah vii. 18-22; Hos. xiv. 5, 7.t Sometimes a climax is found in such passages ; I think in two of those now referred to, viz., Micah vii. 18-22, perhaps in Isa. xli. 17, 18 ; at least every additional clause adds new weight to the subject, or heightens the sense of the grace recorded. In closing this part of the present lecture I may observe that tliis kind of discourse is well suited to week-day evening lectures, or to small con- gregations of a serious character, when the preacher has no design to as- sume the orator, but rather to consider himself as a friend among friends, desirous of imparting " some spiritual gift" for the establishment of their faith. Ministers certainly require occasional relief; they can not always keep the powers of their minds on the full stretch ; and this simple method will, I think, be found to afford them a suitable relief. Care must, how- ever, be taken that they do not degenerate into dulness, nor permit them- selves to indulge too frequently in any one method as a refuge for idleness. THE ACCOMMODATIONAL DIVISION. A just and perspiciious arrangement of any subject is the beauty of science ; and a classification of the several kinds of division, connecting with it theu- appropriate style and manner, must possess both beauty and • See Henr>''« Commcniar)' on Phil. i. 9-11, and many other pawagcg. t Sec Simcou's WurUs, uu the above poasagcs. THE ACCOMODATIONAL DIVISION. W Utility The differences of things exist in nature, but art discovers and arranges them. Here, however, a difficulty is confessed, and also my m- ability to surmount it ; for as the colors of the rainbow blend mto each other, and defy our marking exactly where one ends and another begms, so will one kind of discourse frequently mingle with that bordermg upon it • and we must either put up with a little imperfection or throw thmgs together in an undistinguished heap. It is highly desirable that appropri- ate names should be given to the several kinds of division ; and one would think that this were easily done, since the family is not immensely large ; but here, even in the second article we are beset with a difficulty— the very second branch of the family must either go without a name or receive one of an indistinctive character. I shall therefore now, as m my former work, denominate this kind of division the accommodational. 1 he specimens which I shall give of this kind of division are, with one excep- tion, in two parts only ; they are general expressions which embrace the ob- vious sense of the text, or general ideas furnished by the text. If there be anythino- in the text that requires explication, or anything that would not fall in with the preacher's train of thought in the body of the discourse, such particulars may be assigned to the exordium. But where much ex- plication is necessary this form must be abandoned. I., this kind of division the preacher is not bound by those strict rules which some other kinds of division necessarily impose upon him. Here he is emancipated from every rule but that of good sense. If we except the explicatory division, this takes the largest range ; or, we may say, it describes the largest circle, for it will be found apphcable to an immense number of texts. It also takes the shortest time for its arrangement, varies the most in form and structure, borrows most freely of other divisions as to secondary purposes, is most assisted by topical ideas m reference to the matter to be introduced, allows the most excursive range of thought, and, finally, suits the talents of the greatest number of preachers. Neverthe- less, it should not be adopted except when it is evidently the best, or tor some special reason. A^e quid nimis, says the old adage—" Do not take too much of anything." But there is an important observation to be here made, and which will be also necessary with respect to some other kinds of division— viz., that, as it is not strictly regular, its irregularity, in whatever it may happen to consist, must be carefully remembered and supplied by the skill ot the preacher. For, though the form of this discourse is irregular, yet we must preserve as much regularity as possible. Care must be taken, when technical or topical expressions are introduced, that to uneducated people they be well explained, or that these school forms of expression be put into common language. This will be a very good exercise for the stu- dent. A preacher's own discretion must direct him in such cases : he should not be fond of showing his learning ; nor, on the other hand, be quite ashamed of it, and thereby lower the credit of preaching. _ ^ Although I have opened a very wide space to this sort of division, yet, in point of fact, its claims are not satisfied. Its nature will be found in my examples. Many divisions, which I shall hereafter call topical, might, with equal propriety, be classed under the accommodational. It is not, therefore, extraordinary that I was unable to find a more appropriate name for it. 4 50 LECTURE III. In constructing a discourse of this species it will be proper to consider whether the text requires a supplement — that is, whether the sermon would be incomplete without the introduction of some idea not contained in the words of the text. Should such addition be necessary, it must be sup- plied according to the judgment of the preacher ; for, whatever form a discourse may assume, there must be some approach to completeness. The immediate context of the passage will frequently furnish all that is necessary for the purpose. But my meaning will probably be more fully understood by referring to some examples. Sometimes the first part is supplied, but not the third : this is the case in Rev. iii. 17, 18 : " Because thou sayest, I am rich," &c. This text suggests — I. The state of self-deceived Christians. This is a regular first. II. The advice which our Lord gives them (while in that state). The second is the main burden of the text ; but there is no third. Mr. Simeon supplies this by his improvement ; but in such case the preacher should take care to show the awful consequences of refusing Christ's counsel ; and though it be done but briefly, and without professedly doing so, yet the end of the regular plan of discussion is answered. But in another instance we find the first part wanting, and then it must be intro- duced in the exordium. As, for instance, Mr. Simeon's outline on Rev. iii. 20 : " Behold, I stand at the door and knock," &c. Mr. S. on this remarks — I. The wonderful condescension of Christ to sinners. II. The mercies he desires to impart to them. This almost inimitable accommodational division is not regular; for there is nothing particularly said about Christ as the speaker, in the text, as the person speaking or acting, as you will hereafter learn when I come to treat of the regular division ; yet here Mr. S. has judiciously supplied this in his exordium, as follows : " It is usual for inferiors to wait upon their superiors ; and, the greater their inferiority, the more patience is ex- pected from them. But here the God of heaven waits upon his sinful creatures." This he marks as a passage for enlargement, and the requi- site amplification might be thus supplied : " He who was rich for our sakes became poor. He to whom every knee shall bow, himself supplicates admission. He who came to seek and to save that which was lost, dis- dains not any means to accomplish his all-benevolent purpose." Now this, I say, answers the end of a first regular head, without any occasion to mark it as such, and the second and third parts arc suflicicntly regular. I will give another case wherein the third part, whicii is the object or end, is wanting : John xii. 27 : " Now is my soul troubled," &c., &c. Here wc have — I. The depth of Christ's trouhlos. II. The grounds of his suhmission to them. This may remain, as to its division, an accommodational division, with- out the object or end being expressed in the third part, whicli would be done by our supplying diis defect in the application, by adding : " Do we not see in the reality of Christ's sufferings, as their end, the ground of all our hopes V Were they not for .' us men and for our sidvation' V " &c. Now, by expatiating on this topic, we obtain the purpose of a third part or head of di-scussion. THE ACCOMMODATIONAL DIVISION. 4^ With such cautions as those now mentioned, the accommodational plan may be pursued with great advantage, and the additional variety of exam- ples which I shall now produce, will, I hope, contribute something toward securing that advantage. The selection has been made with the greatest care, and with the strictest possible regard to my own rule. Let the stu- dent advert to Mr. Simeon, in his 221st skeleton, wherein he treats of conversion to God, from John iii. 3 : " Except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God." Mr. Simeon's exordium is very beau- tifully formed upon the twenty-sixth topic. Distinguish, a very important topic, indeed, though it is by Claude, like Evidence, but just hinted at. " There is," says Mr. S., " an essential difference between divine and human knowledge," &c. Having confirmed this idea very briefly, yet very effectually, he proposes to consider — I. The nature of regeneration. II. Its necessity. These two heads are evidently formed on the accommodational plan. They open the subject well, as far as he designed it to be opened. The first part he treats both negatively and positively : in the negative part he shows that neither is baptism nor any partial change of life, regeneration. I should have added a caution against persons satisfying themselves with a little melting, or a slight moving of the affections, under a sermon, and against mere proselytism from one set of opinions to another. For, though I would cheerfully admit the very lowest mark of conversion that the ScrijJtures declare to be such, yet I can not forget that nature alone may weep for a moment. This remark I introduce because I think ministers and Christian societies sometimes err in receiving members upon these slight grounds ; and, what is worse, they encourage the persons so slightly affected for years afterward to reckon themselves converted to God. Preachers ought to be very clear in their manner of stating this point. Mr. Simeon, in his second subdivision, very clearly lays it down that it is " a new creation" — a renewing of the faculties, passions, affections, appe- tites, desires, &c. ; that this is a supernatural work ; it is to be " born of the spirit." So far Mr. Simeon is right ; but then ministers should remember that this work has a beginning. If tender-hearted young converts are told that the whole of these effects must be produced before they can be con- sidered in a state of safety, they will be thrown into a state of despair. Insisting on so much is inadvertently " breaking the bruised reed." The great difficulty then is, in preaching upon this subject, to save the doctrine without destroying (so to speak) the new creature, as it comes into the world of grace, as Pharaoh destroyed the Israelites' infants ; for as yet the babe of grace only begins to see, to feel, to taste, and to understand. One would think it not very difficult to distinguish between the work of God, and the mere natural movang- of the affections. God's work is seen in many scripture instances ; we find that these always end in complete renewal, though from slight beginnings ; and I repeat that too much atten- tion can not be paid to these distinctions. The text is an awakening declaration to the legalist, to the self-righteous, to the secure, and the profane. In this sense it is a merciful and gracious monition that in their present state they can neither see nor enter into the kingdom of God ; that is, the gospel state. They can neither see its glory and beauty, nor enjoy its blessings. But " the humble shall hear thereof 52 LECTURE III. and be glad ; they shall be exalted to safety." True it is, there is much work to be done before the complete believer, the full-grown Christian, is exhibited ; yet the work is begun, and this is the only point to be con- sidered in the passage. The infant in grace begins to breathe celestial air, longs for the sincere milk of the word, that he may grow thereby, and discerns, though imperfectly, some objects in the kingdom of God, feels these things to be absolutely necessary, and is excited strongly to the use of means. Christ is precious to him ; he mourns over the power of sin, and often cries out under a sense of his guilt. We here fall in with thai striking illustration of the text which our Lord has given us in the ISth chap- ter of Matthew : " Except you be converted and become as little chil- dren, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." In the early days of grace, a childlike simplicity, docility of mind, and submission, must be regarded as the characteristics of a Christian, and things in which the un- renewed are not partakers. Much beyond this representation I do not recommend students and younger ministers to advance on this subject ; but if such elaborate treati- ses as those of Charnock. Witherspoon, or Dwight, should fall in your way, read them by all means ; but in addressing young converts, care- fully avoid whatever might tend to throw them into distress and perplexity. It is now time to notice Mr. Simeon's second part, viz., " The neces- sity of regeneration." This part agrees with its first, and completes the accommodational division. His subdivisions are : 1. We can not without it enter into the kingdom of grace. 2. We can not enter into the king- dom of glory. Now, although the discussion of these points assumes something of the propositional form, it is proper and unavoidable. For I have already observed to vou that the accommodational plan borrows from all kinds ; that is, it borrows a little, yet not so much as to alter its charac- ter. Mr. Simeon's point in this part is to demonstrate that, in an uncon- verted state, we can neither fulfil the requirements of the gospel here nor be fitted for heaven hereafter. Christ, in the text, annuls all hopes of the kind, even the fairest; all the fallacies on which the mind of man is prone to j)lace dependence must be abandoned — monkish austerities, philosoph- ical refinement, natural virtue, with all its loveliness — all nmst be sacrificed at the foot of the cross, of which we have an example in the aposde Paul, Phil. iii. May I be allowed to add that the whole state of nature is di- rectly at variance with a state of grace : there is no spiritual life ; there is an luisubducd spirit, an ignorance of spiritual things which no mere head-knowledge can supply, 1 Cor. ii. 14. Again, there is in the unre- newed heart a delight in, an enjoyment of, those things which God abhors. The natural man lives to the flesh, and after die flesh. These things are fully prf)ve(l by sfripture, observation, and cxj)cricncc ; so that the neces- sity is so uiulcniable that a stronger case can not be made out. Mr. Simeon then, by way of peroration, addresses, 1. The imregcner- ate, alleging that, upon the evidence produced, they can not enter into the kingdom of (Jod here, nor, dying in that state, into the kingdom of heaven liereaftor ; consequently their repentance is called for by reason, by scrip- ture, for self-preservation, and as yet, not without hope. 2. He addres- ses the converted, or such as are born again, nMiiinding them that they are laid under the highest obligations to show forth the praises of him who has " called them out of darkness into marvellous liirht." 1 Pet. ii. 9. THE ACCOMMODATIONAL DIVISION. 53 I have already intimated that this mode of division comprehends within its grasp general expressions which embrace the obvious sense of the text, or general ideas furnished, or suggested, or justified by it, as a means of instruction. If my examples are carefully examined, or analyzed, we shall, 1 presume, obtain the key which will open to us the principles of these divisions, or which will show us the sources from which such ex- pressions are derived. They appear to contain the sense or ideas of the text in descriptive or declarative forms, very often in technical or topical language. Or in some parts they comport with the preacher's design, though not at all expressed in the text; in other words, they are supple- mentary to it. I shall for the present adduce a few instances, just suffi- cient for explanation, and no more. Some of these contain the sense of the text in a descriptive manner, as Simeon on Jer. ix. 22—24: — I. Remove false and insufficient grounds. II. Propose such as are true. Zechariah xii. 10: "I will pour upon the house of David," &c.: — I. The history of the promise. II. Its blessedness. 1. In its general character. 2. In the effects produced. This is a most simple and beautiful division : the author enters on the description or portraiture of the two leading circumstances of the text, and his plan is highly worthy of imitation. Others give the meaning of the text declaratively ; that is, they merely declare what the sense is, but divided into its parts. See Simeon on Eph. V. 14. Here, says Mr. S., we have — I. A command. II. A promise. The discussion is to unfold these in their order. Again : There are texts which contain the end and the means, the cause and the effect, the principle and the consequence deduced from the principle, the action and the principle of the action, the occasion and what led to it. Now these I call technical or school phrases, and the ideas included in a text will very frequently and justly be discussed by means of these terms, as Claude on Isa. Iv. 6 : — I. What is implied. II. What is expressed. Mr. Simeon, 2 Cor. vii. 10, 11: — I. The cause of repentance. II. Its effects. Again, we sometimes find a part introduced to fill up the preacher's design in the text, and this is sometimes really necessary, even in the first part, but often in the last, as in Exodus xxxiii. 14: — I. The blessings promised. This includes the whole text. II. The means of obtaining them. Sometimes the preacher supplies two parts. This seems like taking too much liberty; but Mr. Walker (no mean authority) adopts it. Acts xi. 23 : — 54 LECTURE III. I. Explain the exhortation. II. Enforce it. III. Offer some directions. Ps. Ixxxix. 15, 16 :— I. The character of God's people. II. Their blessedness. Gen. iii. 15: — I. Some remarks on the prophecy. II. Trace its accomplishment. I consider that I should fail in my duty if I did not urge the study of this kind of discourse — so easy to be understood, so useful and pleasant in practice. Let the student make an experiment on its principles, on several passages of his own selection, by the rules laid down. There are almost innumerable passages that may be treated in this manner; perhaps they are more numerous in the Psalms than in any other book, particu- larly in the 119th Psalm. Short and pithy truths are, in general, suitable to this division, though sometimes long ones may be accomplished by it, as that on p. 20 in this volume. Now, by way of experiment, observe such instances as the following: — Jer. xiii. 21: "What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee?" I. State some previous facts. II. Institute the inquiry. Again, 2 Cor. v. 19, 20:— I. The declaration of an important fact. II. An exhortation founded upon it. Deut. xxxii. 6: "Is he not thy father?" I. A fact. II. An inference. Rom. viii. 13: "If you through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live." I. The end of the believer's profession — eternal life. II. The means by which it is secured — mortifyini?, &c. Having analyzed the above, you will now put into fonn, by way of further exercise, the following, which are on the rule: "Cause and effect." Isa. lix. 2: "Your iniquities have separated," &c. ; 1 John iv. 19: "We love," &c. ; 1 Cor. xv. 33: "Evil communications," &c. ; James i. 14, 15: "Lust," &c.; James i. 18: "Of his own will," &c. ; Ps. I. 15: An encouragement and a direction; Rom. iv. 7, S: The evil alluded to and the blessedness of the remedy. The following are on the rule : " The j)rincii)lc and the consequences de(lucil)le from it." 2 Cor. v. 13-15: "For whctiier we be i)oside our- selves," &c.; 2 Cor, v. 11: "Knowini!;, therefore, the terror of the Lord," &c.; Ps. xxxvi. 7: "How excellent," &c. ; Ps. cxi. 14: "Be- cause he hath set," &c. ; 1 Cor. vi. 20: "You are bought with a price," &c. THE EXPOSITORY DIVISION. 55 LECTURE IV. THE EXEGETICAL OR EXPOSITORY DIVISION. It is of great importance to have clear and distinct ideas of the terms that are used by theological writers. The former of the above terms is found in the writings of our old divines, and signifies that a work or ser- mon is explanatory. It comes from the word e^r,ytofxai, I explain, or I de- clare. It occurs in this sense in John i. 18, and Acts x. 8. It is used very much as Sifaaxctf, to teach ; so that, literally translated, it is the teach- ing method. The name therefore should remind you, my dear friends, that you ought to study diligently, in order that you may be able to teach, for it is a melancholy thing for a teacher to stand in need of teaching; Heb. v. 12. Sometimes a treatise or a sermon is called explicatory, from the Latin word explicare, to unfold ; that is, to unfold the subject, or lay it open, as the ancient rolls of parchment were unfolded to be read. Some- times works or sermons were called expository, from exposui, the preter- perfect tense of expono, to lay open the subject proposed. Here, then, there is a general concurrence of idea as to the purport of this lecture, which is to recommend teaching sermons, in distinction from other kinds, which may be called preaching sermons. That these two kinds of dis- course are quite distinct will appear by a reference to Matt. iv. 23: "Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom." The late learned Dr. Adam Clarke insists upon this distinction, which I think to be just: and though the teaching is not so lively as the preaching style, yet it is not less necessary. I take this occasion to introduce to your attention Dr. Clarke's Com- mentary, as now republished by Messrs. Tegg. I am fully aware of the doctor's foibles on the one hand and of his bold assertions on the other; but he has his excellences. His sentiments on Neh. viii. 8, are most ju- dicious: " ' *S^o they (viz., the heads of the returned captives, of whom Ezra was chief) read in the hooks, in the law of God, distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them (viz., the people) to understand the reading.' The Israelites having been lately brought out of the Babylonish captivity, in which they had continued seventy years, according to the prediction of Jeremiah, xxviii., 11, 12, were not only extremely corrupt, but it appears that they had, in general, lost the knowledge of the ancient Hebrew to such a degree that when the book of the law was read they did not under- stand it; but certain Levites stood hy and gave the sense — i. e., translated it into the Chaldee dialect; and perhaps, the mode of preaching from a text, and the elevation of a preacher in the pulpit, had their origin here : what the matter of the preaching was we learn as above." I. They read in the book of the laio of God— the words of God. The doctrines thereof contain the wisdom of the Most High. 2 Tim. iii. 1(3, 17. XL They read distinctly. The Hebrew signifies to expand. They analyzed and expounded it at large, showing the import and genuine meaning of every word. in. They gave the sense (Hebrew, to put weight to it); showed its value and utility. IV. They caused them to understand the reading. They understood ; had a mu- tual taste and perception of the things that were in the reading — i. e., In the letter '56 LECTURE IV. and spirit of the text ; as Rom. ii. 18. This was the ancient method of expounding the word of God ; and this mode is still necessary. This method of instructing the people is rendered venerable by a host of able divines, who arose about the time of the reformation, all of whom adopted it in practice, and continued it, with various degrees of refinement, till the systeiu gave way to a more popular species of preaching, very- different indeed from teaching. And, if it had not encroached too far, almost to the exclusion of teaching, I would have gone with the common sentiiuent in its favor. But, whenever the preaching plan supersedes the teaching, it leaves our youth and the general mass of the people in com- paradve ignorance of scripture. Thus preaching has nearly driven teach- ing out of fashion. Were Drs. Owen and Manton to revisit our world at the present moment, methinks tliey would, in their pious zeal, take a whip of small cords and drive us out of our pulpits. Formerly, whole sermons explained or taught the meaning of die word of God; iioiv it is well if the people are favored with but a few sentences of explanation. Now all that I mean by these observations is this : that the good old fashion should be kept up, and take its turn; not, indeed, to form ridiculous comparisons, but to induce us to keep our sober senses, and not to suffer the people to be refined out of their religion. The advantages of teacliing are many, great, and important; and no minister can fulfil his duty to Christ unless he does it after the example of Christ, and soberly teach the people what are "the fu-st principles of Christianity." This plan of preaching would stimulate the people to think for themselves, and to read the word of God more dian they do. They do not now read the Holy Scriptures so much as they ought, because they do not understand them. But, if they had a better insight into their beau- ties, their pleasure in examining them would increase; tliey would "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior" — in the " knowl- edge of the only true God and of Jesus Christ." By this alone can Christians become" meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." Nay, I appeal to common sense, whether any medmd can so ef- fectually enable them "to give a reason of die hope that is in them," whedier any other method can enable the heads of the famiUes to instruct their children and servants in die "good ways of die Lord." Is it not to be feared, also, that the neglect of teaching will involve the habit of neg- lect in the teacher to inform himself? whereas, if he put himself upon the habit of teaching, it would oblige him to study the doctrines which are ne- cessary to be taught ; and this study would be a great benefit to himself. Besides, we have in our days many Uiousands of young people very laud- ably engaged as teachers in Sunday-schools ; and if diese young people are themselves ignorant, what must dieir scholars be? Possibly a few out of our congregations may go hereafter into the mini.-stry: but how are they to undcr^^o tlieir previous examinations without solid instruction? and if an individual present himself as a candidate for the ofilce of a- preacher, and be found shamefully deficient, what a reproach it would be to the min- istry which he had attended? Referring to my own experience, I can truly sa}- that the little ability I possessed, at my first entrance into the pul- pit, I acquired, by God's blessing, under tlie ahh; teaching of a certain minister, now no more as to diis world. To him 1 owed my comprehen- sion, such as it was, of the connected trndis and doctrines of divine reve- THE EXPOSITORY DIVISION. 57 lation, in which, by the same blessing, I became so fixed that I have not been moved from them. May I be allowed to add that a people continually under a popular strain of preaching acquire a vitiated taste, which they call a refined taste, to such a degree that they become disgusted at an instructive discourse and an instructiv°e preacher. But, I ask, will pulpit orations, however fine, or declamation, however elegant, comfort them in affliction or in death ? Can any knowledge but that which is solid preserve the people from infidelity, from the vain philosophy of Socinianism, or the blandishments of the world? Surely I may answer this in the negative. You will see Paul's sentiments on the subject. Col. ii. 6-8, and Heb. xiii. 9; the last verse is, "Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines, for it is a good thing that the heart be estabUshed with grace," where, 1 conceive, he means the doctrines of divine grace, or the grace that accompanies sound and saving knowledge. But, in the neglect of this, the people become an easy prey to any artful sophistical enemy of the cross of Christ. Now I repeat to you, my friends, that I do not wish you to be always engaged in mere didactic teaching ; but come to the point of sufficiency. Let ''Inter alia rnemento doctrmai' be your motto; and when you have informed the understanding of your hearers, strive, by all the consecrated arts and weapons of Christian oratory, to assail the heart, and carry the afiections. This by all means you ought to do, but leave not the other undone. Then shall you be, indeed, "workmen that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." My introduction has been rather long, because I have yielded to the ardent feelings of my mind. But I now proceed to observe that in our expository plan (for so I think we must at last call it) all the rules of the other kinds of division and discussion must be laid aside. This scheme is no borrower, it being complete in itself. In other schemes we some- times make the text bend to our plan, but here our scheme must entirely ■ bend to the text. Here no limitation can be permitted to a certain number of heads ; nay, very often, the arrangement will appear barbarous. That skeleton will be the best, in this matter, which best lays the subject before the people ; and the preacher is left to the best exercise of his genius and judgment what course to pursue. He is quite at liberty to pursue his own course, provided he keep from entanglements, embarrassments, obscurities, useless repetition, and useless divisions and subdivisions. This last caution is the more important, as this kind of teaching produces a great deal of branching; and here good taste must direct. It might be expected, from the respect I have paid to antiquity, that I should furnish a standard of expository preaching from the earliest of our reformers, or their succes- sors, the puritans ; but this task I shall decline. I propose for your imi- tation and practice those authors who, in later times, were expository tex- tuarians ; for these best suit my purpose : and after presenting you with a few examples from them, I shall add some directions, calculated to afford you assistance. I hope my specimens will be found adapted to convey instruction, and a knowledge of scripture. Doctrinal subjects, and those in which reasoning is particularly needful to establish a controverted point, are best treated in the expository method. The preacher should commence the discussion by defining the terms of the text, as salvation, justijication, &c. If he neglect to do so, many of 58 LECTURE IV. his hearers will remain ignorant of his meaning. Now because, as I hav^e already hinted, examples are better than rules and precepts, I will give you some of the best character that I know of. I commence with the outline of a discourse by Dr. Gill, which, though of course a mere abridgment, affords a good specimen of exposition. Col. i. 19: " For it pleased the Father that in him [Christ] should all ful- ness dwell." I. Show what fulness of Christ is here intended. 1. There is a personal fulness in Christ — the fulness of the Deity, Col. i. 19. There is no perfection essential to Deity but is found in him — Eternity, Rev. i. 8 ; Omniscience, Matt, xviii. 20, and xxviii. 20 : Immutability, Heb. xiii. 8. Though, as man and Mediator, he has a life communicated to him from the Father, yet, as God, he owes his being to none. If it were not so, he could not be equal with God, which the Jews understood him to declare, and which he neither qualified nor de- nied. 2. There is a relative fulness in Christ. This is his body, the church, the fulness of him that filleth all in all, Eph. i. 23. This was ever a fulness, in the design and purpose of God ; it is a gracious fulness as saints are called in ; it will be a fulness absolutely complete when the Mediator shall deliver up his kingdom to the Father, when he will say, " Here am I, and the children whom thou hast given me." 3. There is a fulness oi fitness and ability in Christ for the due discharge of his mediatorial Avork, which consists in his being God and man in one Mediator. Hence he is a daysman between Jehovah and his people, able to lay his hand upon both (Job ix. 33), a merciful and faithful High Priest, &c. — As man, he has something to oflfer as a sacrifice to God for us, and was thereby capable of making satisfaction in the very nature which had sinned, which the law and justice of God seem to have required ; also of conveying the blessings of grace procured by him to his ovni people. Hence, " He took not on him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham." His purity and holiness fitted him for the office of High Priest, Advocate, and Interces- sor, points on which the Scriptures constantly insist, 1 John ii. 1 ; Heb. ix. 14; 1 Pet. i. 19 ; Heb. vii. 26. Being God as Avell as man, there is a sufficient virtue in all his actions and sufferings to answer what they were designed for ; and thus he as ef- fectually preserves the honor of the divine character as he secures the salvation of man. 4. There is also a communicative fulness, which is of the Father's good pleasure and will committed to Christ to be distributed to others; and this is of large extent and considerable importance. 1.) A fulness oi nature : he is the "head of every man," and the "head over all things to his church :" he is appointed " heir of all things ;" everything even in na- ture is deposited in Christ for the benefit of his people. 2.) A fulness of ^jrace (John i. 14, 16), Avhence believers receive " grace for grace." This, again, consists in (1.) A fulness of the Spirit of grace, and of all the gifts of the Spirit. In Rev. v. 6, seven is introduced as a number of perfection (further proved from Ps. xlv. 7 ; John iii. 34). Hence, all tbie extraordinary gifts conveyed to the apostles and brethren (mentioned Acts chap, ii.) were properly the gifts of Christ. For this purpose he is said to have ascended, Eph. iv. 8. (2.) A fulness of justifying grace, which also is in Christ. To him it belonged to bring in an ever- lasting righteousness, Sec. (Dan. ix. 24), satisfyinir the demands of law and justice, to be placed to the account of all believers. With it God is well pleased, Isa. xlii. 21 ; and by it his people are filled with joy, Jer. xxiii. 6. This blessing is free, exten- sive, substantial, and unalterable. (3.) A i\i\nv^?:0^ pardoning grace. The covenant of Cfracehas larijely and fully provided for the fdrcfiveness of the sins of all believers, Heb. viii. 12. The Savior's blood was shed for many, fir the remission of sins. Matt, xxvi. 28. Hence "we have redemption thrcjugli his blood, the forgiveness of sins, through (or acc(jrdin2; to) the riches of his grace." (4.) A fulness oi adopting grace. This springs oriijiiially from the love of the Father, 1 John iii. 1. The enjoyment of it, however, comes from Christ; he came to redeem those that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Gal. iv. 6. (5.) A fulness of sancti- fying grace. The abundance of sanctifvin? fjrace is in the hands of Christ ; he is the sanctification of his people, as Avell as their riijhteousness, 1 Cor. i. 30. It is out cf his fulness that we receive one grace as well as another, John i. 10. Part of this is received in this life, and the residue at death ; so strictly will that scripture be fulfilled, Heb. xii. THE EXPOSITORY DIVISION. 59 14. As he is the author and finisher of their faith, so is lie of their sanctification. (6.) There is a fulness of a// grace in Christ, for every purpose and for every season. A fulness of light and life, of wisdom, strength, joy, peace, and consolation. " In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge ;" and from him these are given to us ; though without him we can do nothing, yet by him we can do all things. 3.) And, besides the fulness of nature and grace, there is in Christ a fulness of glory and eternal happiness. The glory of his people, as well as their grace, is in him ; as their life of grace, so their life of glory ; as well for safety and security as for conveyance and gift. He himself will be the great similitude of their glory, Col. iii. 3. He was the purchaser of their eternal inheritance. He fits them for it ; se- cures them in it. Thus all the fulness of nature, grace, and glory, is deposited in Christ, and flows to us through him. So much reason have we to glory in Christ Jesus, Phil. iii. 3. II. Give some account of its nature and properties, particularly of the fulness of grace. 1. It is a very ancient one, for though it is said he received at his ascension a ful- ness of gift*, yet it only means that extraordinary effusion for that extraordinary oc- casion ; the Father bestowed it without measure long before, for Isaiah saw his glory, chap. vi. and chap. xlv. 14. All the ancient saints drank water from the well of salvation, Isa. xii. 1, 2. Nay, this "grace was given in Christ Jesus before the world began." He was set up from everlasting for this end, Prov. viii. 23. 2. This fulness is very rich and very enriching— a fulness of truth, as well as of grace. Fvery page of scripture largely exemplifies this point, bringing to light this pearl of great price ; and the whole constitutes an inestimable treasure, far more valuable than all the riches of India. Here are promises of grace, like apples of gold in pictures of silver. " You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ," 2 Cor. viii. 9. 3. This fulness is extensively /ree with respect to its spring, source, and distribu- tion, the persons concerned in it, and the manner in which they are blessed by it. The source is the sovereign good-will and pleasure of God : no inducements on our part, either with respect to good works or naturally amiable qualities, produced this disposition on the part of God. The scripture, mdeed, seems in many places to countenance such ideas, as direct promises made to holy fear, obedience, love ; but these expressions merely point out the characters who enjoy them, and are exhibited as effects proceeding from divine grace as a cause. They are then purely of gift, and so declared: "Come, buy wine and milk without money," &c. Isa. Iv. 1, 2; Rev. xxii. 17. 4. This fulness is inexhaustible, and, like himself, unchangeable. It is a well, a spring, a river, that will ever make glad the city of God. IIT. ShoAV in what sense this fulness may be said to divell in Christ. 1. The term imports that it has an absolute being in Christ. It is given to him — put into his hands, and hence communicated to the saints ; because it is in him they receive it. It is in him, to the exclusion of every other source. We are to re- gard him alone as the fountain, &c. Jer. ii. 13. 2. It denotes its continuance there, which is the daily encouragement of the saints. They may apply in every time of need. He is " the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever," Heb. xiii. 8. As the same sun gave light to Abraham, to Paul, to ourselves, yesterday, so we know that he will give light to-morrow, and to the end of time. 3. It denotes its safety and security. It is hid with Christ in God, can not be lost or wrested from us. IV. Make it appear that the being and dwelling of this fulness in Christ is owing to the good pleasure of the Father : " It pleased the Father," &c., who is the first source of every saving benefit. 1. It is owing to the Father's good-will to Christ ; so we read, John iii. 35; as a proof of this, he has given all things into his hands, &c.. Col. i. 18. 2. It is owing to the good-will of the Father to his people. It is for their sake, and on their account. 3. Because he considered Christ as most suitable to be intrusted with it. Adam, who was our former federal head, betrayed his trust ; it could not be committed to angels, therefore to Christ. 4. It so pleased the Father that all grace should come to us through Jesus Christ: if he would commune with us, it should be from the mercy-seat of Jesus Christ. If we have any grace, it must come from him who is the way, &c. (John xiv. 6), not only the way of access, but of conveyance also. My second example is from 2 Cor. iv. 7 : " We have this treasure in GO LECTURE IV. earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. The text consists of two parts. We have the apostle's assertion, with the end and reason for it. I. The apostle's assertion — " We have this treasure" (the glorious gospel of Christ, see ver. 4) " in earthen vessels." Here Ave must notice — 1. The properties of this treasure. It is with the utmost propriety denominated a treasure. I.) On account of its worth and excellency; for what can be so valuable as the gospel of Jesus Christ? 2.) Because of its abundance ; for here are infinite riches. 3.) For its truth and reality ; for indeed it is a heavenly treasure, which this world can not afford, which grace alone gives, and gives only to suitable objects: in this sense the gospel, in the parable (Matt. xiii. 44), is likened to "treasure hid in a field ;" and to a " pearl of great price." 4.) It is a treasure which can not be possessed without joy, and which we must strive to retain with caution and holy jealousy. 5.) Referring to the context (see verse 6), it may be called a treasure of light — of glory — of knowledge, &:c. 6.) Consider it as to its degrees; some possess it less and some more; every real Christian is a depositary of it ; ministers in a greater degree (at least it ought to be so) ; the apostles in the greatest degree. (1.) They possess it in all its extent, not being ignorant of any of its mysteries, &c. (2.) In all its degrees, penetrating even to the bottom of divine mysteries, &:c. (3.) In all its purity, without any mixture of error ; this treasure was in them as stores in a public magazine, or as the waters of a fountain are in its basin, or reservoir. 7.) This treasure was long hid in the counsels of Jehovah ; but it is now displayed in the preached gospel. 2. Consider the place of its deposite — " in earthen vessels." It is not committed to angels, for these would have been golden vessels ; no, the wisdom of God did not direct this. It is in this case like Gideon's lamps of victory, which were to be placed in earthen pitchers, or like the precious law of God, which was to be placed in a wooden chest. A small quantity of the wonderful manna that fell in the wil- derness was, for a memorial, to be preserved for future generations, yet to be placed in nothing better than an earthen pot. So sometimes the word of life is now put into pots very common indeed, yet the quality of the word is the same. But the apostles, as well as ordinary ministers, are called earthen vessels because — 1.) The apostles were not the authors of the gospel, but only instruments appointed by God to communicate it to the world. 2.) For the meanness of their condition, 1 Cor. i. 26-29. 3.) On account of their frailties, both of body and mind. Their bodies were frail, subject to disease and death: their minds were subject to infirmities, as their history testifies; but, however mean in themselves, they were honored by their office, and this ought to have shielded them from contempt. II. The end and reason assigned — " that the excellency," &c. We must notice — 1. The excellency of the power here spoken of, power in a superlative degree. 1.) To effect n)iracles. 2.) To convert the world. 3.) To throw down all opposition, 2 Cor. x, 4, 5. In otiicr words, the excellency of the gospel consists in its complete cfliciency, both to purify and save. It was powerfully accompanied with miracles ; it is impressed by the Holy Spirit on the minds and hearts of men. The gospel is the wisdom of God ; and by this wisdom the power is directed. 2. The desiirn of this procedure — " that the excellencyof the power might be" (that is, might fully appear to be) "of God," and not of us, "that no flesh should glory in his presence," that second causes should not usurp the place of the first — a misconception very frequently formed, but always pernicious. This is not an un- necessary precaution, as an attention to the following passasjes Avill evince: Acts iii. 10, 11, k.c. ; Acts xiv. 11 ; Acts xxviii. fi. The church of Rome has done all in its power to confer dignity on man, and it is doing all it can to retain it. In short, whenever human nature has anything to do with the institutions of religion, and the appointments of God, she always invents something to confer honor on that which has no honor in itself, and wnich God will eventually overthrow. But God, in order to prevent this abuse, did in the early age of the gospel commit this treasure to such THE EXPOSITORY DIVISION. 61 lowly characters as the apostles ; he suffered them to appear " earthen vessels," as they really were, in order that their dust and ashes, their weaknesses and imperfec- tions, might serve as a corrective or a counterpoise to the glory of such a great and admirable ministry. The weaker the instrument, the greater the power required to render it efficient. The more contemptible the rams' horns, the more honor to God that by them he overthrew Jericho. The Aveaker the apostles, in themselves, the greater the superadded power that by their ministry overthrew the hierarchies of the world. Here all must own " the finger of God." Never did the divine power appear more conspicuously than when Moses by a mere rod did all his miracles, when Jericho's walls fell at the sound of rams' horns, and when Jesus by his gospel overcame principalities and powers, when by the preaching of it, committed to the fishermen of Galilee — without friends, without money, or learning, or philosophy — idols fell, temples were demolished, oracles were struck dumb, the reign of the devil was abolished, the strongest inclinations of na- ture were turned from their course, ancient habits Avere changed, and the people flocked in crowds to receive the pure gospel from such earthen vessels as are men- tioned in the text. This example, which I consider completely explicatory, furnishes a fine lesson for ministers of the gospel, who never appear to such great advan- tage as when manifesting the character of servants for Christ's sake, con- scious of their own nothingness, sensible of their frailties, and dependent on sovereign goodness for continual supplies of heavenly treasure. The apostle has well said, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God." 2 Cor. iii. 5. There is an affecting and lamentable weakness in human nature — we are always fearful of sinking in human estimation, and we imagine that some exterior embellishments are required to secure our reputation ; but in the proper discharge of our duty we should commit our reputation entirely to Christ, the master whom we serve. If it is true, as a general axiom, that *'He that exalteth himself shall be abased, but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted," it is especially true in reference to the work of the min- istry. Christ will take special care of those whose only concern is to honor him and magnify the treasure committed to them. See the honor that posterity has put upon these poor, despised apostles. The most learned panegyrics are written and spoken of them. The chisel and the pencil have vied with each other to immortalize their names. In like man- ner, even if we fail of being honored here, our memory shall be blessed, which is surely reward enough. "Those that honor me I will honor; and those that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." 1 Sam. ii. 30. There is one point in expository sermons to be sedulously attended to, and that is, accuracy in developing the true sense of the text. I think if there be one thing in which Mons. Claude excels, rather than in another, it is in this. Indeed he has taken more pains to inculcate this point than any other, on the minds of students. Perhaps a specimen of this accu- racy may be given you in the place of his numerous and extended exam- ples. I will select an instance from the second division* of his expository discourse on John i. 17 : " The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." You must explain what grace is and what truth is. You may apply both these terms to the person of Jesus Christ, and to the manner of his conversation here up- on earth ; for there were two qualities perpetually diffused through all his converse — affability and sincerity : affability or sweetness, expressed by grace, and integrity or sincerity, expressed by truth. Sinners are generally governed by anger and deceit, * See p. 36 of this volume. 62 LECTURE IV. as the poet says : " Astutnm gcstant rabido sub pectore vultum.^^ They are profound, mysterious, dnd impenctraljle ; and under specious appearances they hide the most fa- tal designs, like those cluuds which under luminous aspects conceal thunder and light- ning, hail and storm. The heart of Jesus Christ Avas all love, peace, and benevo- lence, toward men ; and all his exterior deportment was sincerity and sweetness. But, although this be true, yet this is not the sense of the words. " Grace and truth" are here put for the gospel of Jesus Christ — grace in opposition to the rigor of the law, truth in opposition to prophecies, types, figures, and imperfect begmnings. I. The gospel is called grace — 1. Because God has manifested himself to us, not with the pompous and majestic grandeur of Mount Sinai, but in a mild and gentle manner — " God manifested in the tiesh," in such a manner as to quiet all alarms. 2. Because it is only a revelation of mercy, a declaration of the remission of sins, &c. 3. Because it comes to us by the pure good pleasure of God, without our having contributed anything to it, &c. 4. Because it not only comes as an outward invitation, which reaches the ear, but also with divine eflficacy, converting the soul. 5. Because the spirit of grace docs not hurry us into violent transports, but works gently upon our natural powers, enlightening our understanding, &;c. II. As to truth, such is the gospel — 1. In opposition to falsehood and errors of all kinds. 2. In opposition to the vanity of human knowledge, as Solomon testifies : " Van- ity of vanities," &:c. ; and, as Persius exclaimed : " 0 curas hominum ! O quanttun est in rebus inane !" Hence says the prophet Isaiah (xxix. 8), "It shall even be as when a hungry man dreameth," &:c. 3. In opposition to prophecies, chiefly such as were of a promissory kind. The gospel is the accomplishment of these ; therefore Jesus, on the cross, said, " It is fin- ished," as he had before said — " I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." I shall next offer to you the outhne of Wither.spoon's searching dis- course on the deceitfulness of sin, from Heb. ill. 13. I. Illustrate the deceitfulness of sin. 1. Its deceitfulness appears from its disguising itself, and wholly concealing its nature. Though the law is a light to discover it, yet its attempts at concealment have sometimes been successful. Hence David prays that tlie evil of his heart may be revealed to him, Ps. xix. 12, 13. There is a mystery in miquity which eludes all human research, 2 Thess. ii. 7. 1.) Sometimes it hides itself in the prevalence of loose 'principles — infidel tenets under the flimsy name of liberality of sentiment. We call them loose principles, because, so far as they prevail, they slacken all obligations to duty, oppose the re- monstrances of the gospel and the law of God, stifle the voice of conscience, and furnish a seat for scorners in which to sit and scoff" at religion and its followers. Thus the eyes of the sinner are blinded, and his heart is hardened by the deceitful- ness of sin. 2.) Proceed from principles to practices, from generals to particulars. Sinful prac- tices are disguised. Hence intemperance is termed only encouraging a social dispo- sition ; pride is called honor ; passion, dignity of mind ; vain pomp is elegance and refinement ; avarice is prudence ; levity is cheerfulness. So deceitful is sin that a minister may preach against sin Avhile he cherishes it in his heart and indulges it in his life. On tbe contrary, piety is ridiculed under the name of fanaticism ; a tender conscience is called narrow-mindedness; zeal is moroseness. In short, the prophet's account, Isa. v. 20, is completely verified. 3.) But the deceitfulness of sin is most aff'ectingly exemplified when it assumes the garb of pictt/, 2 Cor. xi. 14. A man may imagine that he is doing God service when be is the cliihl of the devil and the persecutor of saints, John xvi. 2. 2. The deceitfulness of sin further ajipears from \\.» forming excuses for itself, or extenuating its guilt. IIow early in life is tliis ac(iuired ! llow early was it prac- tised ! Gen. iii. 13. 1.^ One excuse is, the commonness of the evil : it is the practice of the multitude. 2.) Others plead tliat their sin is comparatively venial. Even upon a dying bed, some people console themselves with this refuge of lies. 3.) Otiiers institute a comparison between their good deeds and their bad ones, and so garble the account as to make the balance in their favor. Thus it is often contended that he who has more virtues than faults is a good man. Self-righteous- ness stands upon this foundation : " I am not as other men." Luke xviii. 11. THE EXPOSITORY DIVISION. 63 4.) There are persons to be found who will plead original sin in extenuation, ac- tual sin being only the necessary effect of it. Sinners look upon themselves as de- void of blame, as those who receive a disease from others, and no more criminal. So did not David, Ps. li. 5. It ought to increase our lamentation, but not to diminish our estimation of its guilt. 5.) Some will even take refuge in the doctrine of predestination. Fate so deter- mines things:* but God can not, in the remotest manner, be chargeable with man's sin, James i. 13. All these excuses only aggravate sin, and serve to harden the heart against repentance. 3. The deceitful nature of sin is apparent from its leading men insensibly from one degree of wickedness to a higher, so that they are by this means hardened, which they would not be all at once. If Satan were to exhibit the whole of sin, in all its deformities and consequences, it would startle the sinner : sin is discov- ered by degrees. Even Hazael once abhorred cruelty, 2 Kings viii. 13. Let us, therefore, notice some of these steps or gradations in sin. 1.) Little sins, as they are called, are indulged, as Lot said of Zoar, "Is it not a little one ?" But a small leak will sink a large ship. 2.) After a time these little sins appear less still, and the deluded victim ventures further ; there is something desirable in such a bait, and this is swallowed also. So sin is added to sin. 3.) Sinful company is kept and delighted in ; and thus evil communication cor- rupts good manners. 4.) The next stage is confirmed habit in sin ; and (Jer. xiii. 23) habits become rooted ; every act of intemperance, of sensual pleasure, of sinful indulgence, gives new strength to sin. 5.) The sinner next loses a sense of shame, that strong guard which the God of nature has placed within us; Jer. vi. 15; Isa. v. 18. 6.) Then the remonstrances of conscience are silenced, Eph. iv, 19. 7.] The next step is to boast of sin ; Phil. iii. 18, 19. 8.) At length the sinner becomes an enticer to sm, an active agent of Satan, and in this resembles him. II. The exhortation to duty, founded on the deceitful nature and hardening influ- ence of sin : " Exhort one another daily." Observe — 1. The persons to whose lot this falls. Christians in general, not ministers only: " Exhort one another." 2. The season : "Daily," while life lasts, Eccles. ix. 10. 3. The manner. It must be done as becometh Christians, not upon bare suspicion, not when the offender is in an ill state to receive exhortation ; in no case when the exhortation would exasperate, Prov. ix. 7 ; Matt. vii. 6. 1.) It should be mad to appear, as much as possible, to flow from love to the offender, as its principle. 2.) It should be conducted with meekness, Gal. vi. 1. 3.) With zeal and earnestness, in order to show the sense you have of the fault complained of. 4.) Lead the sinner to consider the cause of all sin, of which that complained of is only a part. 5.) It must be accompanied by circumspection in your own conduct, Luke vi. 41, 42. III. Make some practical observations. 1. Hence we see the great corruption of our nature. 2. Young persons should beware of the beginning of sin. 3. Let hardened sinners consider this solemn scripture, Prov. i. 24-31. Walker also delineates the progress of sin, in his sermon on Eccles. viii. 11. Its nature is delineated by Owen on Indwelling Sin ; and by Jamieson, in his Sermon on the Heart. The following brief specimens of expository discourses will serve as a praxis for your improvement. Archbishop Tillotson, vol. i., p. 569, folio edition, on Matt. v. 48: "Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is per- fect." I. Consider how we are to conceive of the divine perfections. * It is well known that thieves and other profligate characters often speak oi fate as bringing them to this condition of profligacy. 64 LECTURE IV. II. Lay down some rules by which we govern and rectify our opinions concerning these attributes and affections. III. How far we are to imitate these perfections ; as per context. IV. Show the true meaning of this perfection. V. Conclude with suitable inferences. Take, also, a division of Ralph Erskine, vol. i., p. 169, on Isa. xlii. 6. I. Offer some remarks concernmg the covenant in general.*" II. Show how Christ is the covenant, and in what respects he is so. III. Inquire for Avhose benefit he is so. IV. By whose authority he acts. V. Offer some reasons for the doctrine. VI. Draw some inferences. Psalm li. 11 : " Take not thy Holy Spirit from me." Inquire — I. What particular influences of the Holy Spirit are here meant. II. In what degree these may be lost. III. The causes of this partial loss. IV. The particular reasons for solicitude on this subject. V. The course to be pursued for recovery. Many of Mr. Simeon's sermons are of the teaching kind ; and, although his division is modern, much of his filling up is ancient. His ninth and thirteenth skeletons are of the expository kind, though without naming any division whatever. An immense number of examples, in which passages are laid out in logical order, are to be found in Burkitt on the New Testament, and more especially in Henry, and these may often be turned to good account. Some ministers are very cautious of using any of these plans, because the vol- umes of Burkitt and Henry are possessed by many families ; but surely some new casting might easily be devised that would give the air of nov- elty, and please the fostidious, if they be thought worth the pleasing. However, in some edifying manner, a whole parable or miracle, a relation of facts, or a short psalm, might be thus explained. This method is very much revived by evangelical ministers of the establishment ; and, from the great numbers that attend their ministry, it is evidently acceptable. As to a short psalm, the following is an example from Henry on the first psalm : — I. Here is a description of a godly man. 1. To avoid evil, he utterly renounces evil-doers, Ps. cxix. 115. 1.) He does not walk in tlieir counsels, but shuns their principles. 2.) He stands not in the way of sinners, Ps. xxxvi. 4. 3.) He sits not in the seat of the scornful, Ps. Ixix. 12 ; Hos. vii. 5. 2. He submits himself to the guidance of the word of God, Ps. xvii. 4. 1.) His delijjht is in it, Rom. vii. 16-22. 2.) Hl' uu-ditates in it, Ps. cxix. 97. 3. He is declared l)li'sscd in upper and nether-spring mercies. 4. By all these means he becomes fruitful as a tree by the waters, &c. II. The sad contrast in the character of the wicked. 1. Their sUate is the very reverse. " The ungodly are not so," &c. 2. Observe thfir doom. 1.) They shall not stand in the day of trial. 2.) They shall be utterly cut off. This is a very excellent oiuline ; hut, if it be desirable to give a new cast to the discourse, the following outline may serve for want of a better as a specimen for such a cast. 1 do not wish to draw you from your inde- • It if of the utraoBt consp.iuonro for ovory prcarhcr to know well the nature of the two cove- nanis. viz.. of the Law and tlu- Oo^pol. He may c....sult BoHtoua Fourfold State, and ibc Covcnaul of Grace ; also Wilsius, or even Buck's Theological Dictionary. THE EXPOSITORY DIVISION. 65 pendent study and the resources of your own minds ; but, if at any time you feel indisposed toward mental labor, or time will not allow you to en- ter on it, regard it as perfectly lawful to avail yourself of the materials fur- nished by such an author as Henry. This psalm is generally viewed as a beautiful preface to the whole book of Psalms. The subiect of it very much resembles what is found m Jer. xvu. 5-8; but this psalm comprises a more ample description— a perfect picture of the two great class- es of mankind— the righteous and the wicked, which are to receive their respective sentences at the last day. The manner ot representation is by contrast (so usual in scripture) — I. Of their characters. Observe, 1. The character of the righteous. 1.) His judgment is correct. ,. „ -n • nc/* . (1.) He has a clear sense of honor and dishonor, Gen. xlix. 6 ; Ps. cxix. 115 (text, (k) He perceives the excellency of truth and obeys its dictates, Phil. i. 10 (text, ver 2) 2.) His affections are correct also, and follow his judgment. Hence his delight in the word of truth, which is manifested, •• . -d •• oo (1.) By reading it with devout attention, Ps. cxix. 97 ; Ps. xvu. 4; Kom. vu. d^. (2.) Bv making it the subject of incessant meditation. 3.) His whole character resembles a tree by the water-course, exhibitmg both beauty and utility, Jer. xvii. 8 ; Phil. iv. 8. 2. The sad c6ntrast, in the character of the wicked man. He exemplifaes a cli- max of wickedness; ior nemo repente fit turpissinms. 1.) He walks in the counsel of the ungodly, or associates with the wicked and acts on their principles. . . -^ • *i, • 2.) He stands in the way of sinners, or watches opportuniUes to unite m their proj- ects, which is bolder still, Ps. xxvi. 4. • , . » u •• n 3.) He sits in the seat of the scornful, or treats godlmess with contempt, Hos. vu. 5. Thus verifying the sentence, 2 Tim. iii. 13. He waxes worse and worse. II. In the cognisance which God takes of both. tt u n ♦ j 1. The Lord knows, with approbation, the way of the righteous. He shall stand in the judgment, "when God appeareth," and in the congregaUon of the righteous ° 2^"" But the wicked man shall be " like the chaff which the wind driveth away," and shall eternally perish. Here is difference enough from Mr. Henry in appearance ; and yet, in point of fact, there is none. The most manifest difference is m transfer- ring some things that are negatively expressed of the godly to the charac- ter of the wicked in a positive sense. This is takmg a license, but 1 hope none of the spirit of the psalm is thereby lost. As to Burkitt, he is full of both long and short skeletons ; that is, skele- tons upon long and short passages, which a little pains would so modern- ize, that when our knowing people saw their old friend with a new iace, they certainly would not recognise him again. This is, I suppose, what we wish, when we find ourselves out of condition for close study, or have not time for it. It is necessary to obtain a knowledge of Burkitt's key- words, his Observe, his Note, his Learn. When he says Observe, he is about to give you a head or division of the passage in an expository view. Here, then, you will generally find afterward. Observe 2dly, and 3dly, 6cc. See on Col. i. 28 : " Whom we preach," &c. I. Observe what was the principal subject of Paul's preaching. It was Christ: " Whom we preach." . „ „ II. Observe the manner of Paul's preaching : " Warnmg every man, &c. * This retrograde character is excellently drawn by Bishop Jeremy Taylor, qiioted by Mn Simeon : "Vice is first pleasing; then easy; U,en dehghtfal ; then frequent; ^l^^n habitual ; th^ confirmed then the man is impenitent ; then he is obstinate ; then he resolves never to repent , and, fanauy, ne is daoiufed." 5 66 LECTURE IV. ITI. Observe the end of his preaching : " That we may present," &c. IV, Observe his indefalisable diligence and labor : " Striving," &c. V. Observe the gracious helps and blessed encouragements he experienced, the " mighty working" of the Spirit with him. Having laid out his subject in the above manner, which is purely ex- pository, Mr. Burkitt proceeds thus : — I. Learn, hence, what was the sum of Paul's preaching, and ought to be the sum of ours to bring men to repentance and faith in Christ, to promote their advance- ment in knowledge and obedience. II. Learn that faithful ministers of Christ judge no labor too great that they may attain these ends. III. Learn that such ministers, so laboring, may expect divine assistance; Christ will strive with them. IV. Learn that, when ministers meet with success, they are to ascribe such success to the divine hand alone. This double laying out of this and a thousand other of his passages per- plexed me at the first ; but it occurred to me that it was no more than the manner of preaching which obtained in earlier times, and which was first to expound the text and divide its parts, and afterward to subdivide it into propositions, which gave more scope or latitude to the preacher. For here he drew the subjects deducible from the text, to be expatiated on from other souir.es besides the text. Here, then, you see what Burkitt means by his Observe and his Learn, and you are at liberty to take which course you please, whether exposition or proposition. Frequently, however, he lays down but one plan ; some- times the former, and sometimes the latter. Now, if you were disposed to take his expository plan to preach on, you might briefly employ his propo- sitions as inferences, &c. ; and, if you were to adopt his propositional plan, you must take the substance of his exposidon into your exordium. His propositions are generally expressed in too many words : this must be avoided. That you may study Burkitt with as much advantage as possible, it will also be necessary to pay particular attention to his key-word Note. He uses it in very indefinite senses, and for various purposes : sometimes as a reflection, such as the passage suggests, or as an observation ; and some- times the same as his propositions, as on Col. iii. 4 ; so that here you must judge by circumstances. Now, instead of adopting Burkitt's divisions on Col. i. 28, 29, let us see whether we can not avail ourselves of the hints which diey suggest, and tlirow tiie whole into a new form. We may entitle the discourse, " A De- scription of the Gospel Ministry." This is described — I. In its detail or constituent parts. 1. As to its subject, or principal subject: "Whom we preach." 2. As to the niaiuuT of jtreaching : "Warning, teaching," &c. 3. As to the < lul ami design : " That we may present," &c. II. In its diflicullies: "Wherein I labor, striving" — 1. As a laborer in the Lord's vineyard, 1 Cor. xv. 10. 2. As one that strives fur mastery, viz., agonizes (see 2 Cor. vi., kc, as a proof) even to death. III. In its encouragements and success: "According to his working who workelh in me mightily ;" 1 Thess. i. 5 ; Rom, i. 16 ; Isa. Iv. 10, 11. This sclieme is in cfli'ct the same as Burkitt's, but differently arranged. His first three parts are here assigned to one general head, which they will very well bear ; and the whole is brought to Uiree general particulars, with THE EXPOSITORY DIVISION. 67 their subdivisions. I can not think there is any difficulty in effecting an alteration of this or any of a similar kind ; and, if there be, a little prac- tice will smooth the way. Should such a metamorphosis be thought al- lowable, we may possess ourselves of an inexhaustible fund for sermons, even beyond what is requisite. In consulting Henry and Burkitt, you may pretty safely rely upon their logical correctness, as far as this is available ; but many parts of scripture will not yield to these regulations, and every attempt must be futile as to certain parts.* Other expositors and commentators on the Scriptures will help you in your expository discourses, though perhaps in a different manner, or in a less degree. Brown and Scott will help you to parallels. Brown on the epistles, and Scott on the whole body of scripture, will assist you in refer- ence to the meaning of the sacred text; so will Dodd, Poole, Gill, &c. But, whatever help you may derive from such sources, it would be folly to expect that you could succeed in expository preaching without an ex- tensive knowledge of the Scriptures, of the doctrines and precepts of the gospel, and of the wants of your people, with respect to these, that you may " fill up that which is lacking" in them, contriving in your exposi- tions, as well as in the choice of texts, to suit their various wants and ex- periences. You will probably possess some of the works of our puritan authors, of the nonconformist divines of England, and such as immediately followed them, or some of the Scottish ministers, as Ralph Erskine and others. They will give you much assistance in your expository discourses. You will find in them great depth of thought, much casuistic divinity, and elab- orate discussion. The people that heard these men were probably some of the best-informed Christians since the apostles' time. The points pur- sued by these ministers were exposition, illustration, and solid proofs. In application they were very extensive. They often appropriated an entire sermon to this purpose ; they gave what they called uses of infonnadon, examination, exhortation, reproof, encouragement, and many other heads. Sometimes, previously to the exposition, they would invite their audience to follow them into certain prior considerations, to clear the way to the text. One of them favored the people with sixty or seventy previous considera- tions, and then said he was about to open the text ! Thus, with all their . excellences, they had great faults ; they were too much addicted to the silly logic of their times ; they shredded their text into the greatest possible number of parts, and sometimes ran out into great lengths of reasoning. It will be your task to avail yourself of their excellences without copying their faults. A great number of our best sermons, both in print and manu- script, owe their chief value to a judicious selection of their most pointed and excellent thoughts. An acute eye, a quick and sound judgment, will easily accomplish this task. Many who are extolled as original preachers, and men of genius, have obtained much of their reputation by modernizing our old authors. Above all, think deeply for yourselves. Exercise your reason and your judgment. Compare your thoughts with the word of God. Attend to the * The elaborate attempts that were made in the Beventeenth centnry to reduce the Scriptures to logical order did, in a great measure, fail : and 6o it ever must be ; for they were not written with a view to such conformity. 68 LECTURE IV. workings or operations of your own minds. Inquire in what view a text or passage proves serviceable to yourselves ; and while you ver}' properly cherish an humble spirit, and seek to obtain information, forget not the fol- lowing weighty thoughts, for which we are indebted to the late Dr. Bogus : " A minister of inferior talents, who labors to improve them by study, ex- ercise, and prayer, will far surpass one of much superior gifts who allows them to languish for want of culture." — " Perhaps there is not a man who knows the extent of his gifts, nor to what extent they might have been cul- tivated by diligent apphcation and suitable methods of improvement, nor to what eminence in usefulness he might have attained ; while sloth and mis- directed application are the ruin of many." THE DISTRIBUTIVE DIVISION. I shall allow this species of division to rest upon its own merits ; it needs no apology or defence, and its authority is sufficiently established. It is distinctly pointed out by Mons. Claude. Only it must be remarked that what I call the distributive division he calls the division of different re- spects or different views. This variation, however, signifies little. " This course," he says, " is not properly a division of a text into parts, but rather establishing a different application of the same text to divers subjects. Typical texts should be divided thus, and a great number of passages in the Psalms, which relate, not only to David, but also to Jesus Christ. Such should be considered, first, literally, as they relate to David ; and then in their myst'cal sense, as they refer to the Lord Jesus Christ. There are also typical passages which, besides their literal senses, have figurative meanings, relating not only to Jesus Christ, but also to the church in gen- eral, and to every believer in particular, or which have different degrees of their mystical accomplishment." I may add that numerous passages in the prophets are of the same description. A few examples will sufficiently illustrate the value of this species of di- vision, which affords some scoi)e for the exercise of ingenuity and good sense. I begin with Claude's example on Dan. ix. 7 : " O Lord, righte- ousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day." M. Claude considers this a very proper subject for a fast-day. It must not, he says, be divided into parts, but considered distributivcly — I. In rejjard to all nun in general : "God has never left himself without a wit- ness" of his rijThti'ousness and liis goodness. " All men have sinned," and it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. Here is a copious theme of discourse. Then— II. The text had a very particular application to Daniel's time. It was the day of Jacoh's troul)l(', hut now he was to be saved out of it. Daniel confesses that all the calamities wliicli his nation sulftri'd wcrt- the riirhteous visitations of an offt'nded God : yet ho very properly propitiates the divine mercy upon the ground of recorded prophecies and promises: and hence he gathers his hopes of restoration, for which, as a true patriot, lie L'J.nhly .sues. III. The text is applicable to our own times; for the Lord mixes judgments and mercies toijether in his jiresent dispensations. According to the view we take of things, there is as much to call forth intercessions and humiliations as there was in Daniel's time. IV. The text is too frequently applicable to us as individuals. " When God deals with us by terrible things in righteousness," and wlun we can clearly read our sins in our afilictions, then humiliation and repentance should accompany our pleadings for restoring grace. THE DISTRIBUTIVE DIVISION. 69 Take an instance from Saurin on Luke xxiii. 29 : " Behold, the days come," &c. Consider the calamities of the Jews in the destruction of Jerusalem — I. As a proof of the truth of scripture prophecy, which often foretold their disper- sion. II. As a ratification of the execration denounced on themselves: "His blood be upon us and on our children." III. As a seal which God has put upon Christ's mission. IV. As an instructive lesson to us. Rom. xi. 22. Take also the following from Mr. Simeon on John xvii. 22 : " The glory which thou gavest me I have given them." The author makes his division to turn upon the different views in which this glory may be con- templated. He observes — I. It is the glory of manifesting the divine power. II. The glory of displaying the moral perfections of the Deity. III. The glory of being the sons of God. IV. The glory of being united to God. V. The glory of reigning with God. I add one example from Henry's Exposition of Jonah ii. 10. The enlargement of Jonah may be considered — I. As an instance of God's power over all the creatures. II. As an instance of God's mercy to a poor penitent who in his distress cried to him. III. As a type and figure of Christ's resmrection. Matt xii. 40, &c. These outlines all appear to be conducted on the general principle of the association of ideas, and general resemblances. They please because they excite an operation of the mind which is perfectly natural to it, and in which it delights to employ itself. This method of discussion may, I think, be frequently adopted wuth advantage when it is thought desirable to make the discourse bear on any particular circumstance or occasion, in which case the reference to such circumstance or occasion should be reserved for the last part of the dis- course, as, for instance, in the quotation from Claude, on Dan. ix. 7. It is clear that such last part, to which the others are in a manner only intro- ductory, will receive the largest share of the preacher's attention, and that it will be a kind of application of the text. When this is the case I do not see the necessity of a separate peroration ; but in such a case as that referred to in Mr. Simeon's skeleton, John xvii. 22, the matter is quite different ; for all the parts of the discourse are of equal importance, and the first four are not introductory to the last. In this case, therefore, there must be a separate peroration agreeing with the whole subject. Mr. Sim- eon's peroration is expressive of adoring wonder, love, and gratitude, and of our obligation to love and serve him who so loved us. Than this I do not know what could be more suitable and appropriate. It must be obvious that this kind of division opens a way for fanciful coincidences, against which both Mr. Robinson and Mr. Simeon give just cautions. Fancies, in a book of light poetry, may be endured ; and per- haps the title of the book may lead us to expect something of the kind, or probably the name of the author, who may often have amused the pub- lic with his strains of wit and humor. But of all places in the world the pulpit is the most unsuitable for introducing fancies. It is a very sad thing to transfuse our erroneous, ill-judged, crude notions into the minds of 70 LECTURE V. those who come to be taught "the truth as it is in Jesus," and "to hear words whereby they may be saved." But just views of things, the words of truth and soberness, have a deserved immortahty in them. There is nothing that is sohd, either in the eastern or western fathers, which does not continue in as high esteem as ever ; and the sohd divinity of the refor- mation, though in a form httle suited to our taste, as well as the works of a succeeding age or two, stand as high as ever in the estimation of the wise and the good. It is not their high names that have preserved current the writings of these men of God, though their names are precious ; but it is their clear conceptions, their energetic expressions — always consistent, al- ways harmonious — resembling those beautiful trees planted on each side of the crystal river of God, adapted at once for ornament and for tlie spir- itual health of the nations. Rev. xxii.* What a blessing to the world are the men who conceive clearly, who prove powerfully, and who manifest in every sermon that they are adapted to form " a wise and understanding people !" In the great care which we think it necessary to adopt in order to restrain fanciful uses of Old- Testament passages, we should, however, guard against laying down a rule that is too strict ; namely, that of " encouraging no spiritual or mystical sense of the Old Testament which has not the sanction of the New." There are some persons who, indeed, ought not to be trusted beyond this line ; yet I think a temperate, judicious, and prudent preacher, may occa- sionally venture a little beyond the strict letter of such a rule, for it must be allowed that this is not a scripture rule. LECTURE V. THE REGULAR DIVISION. It is almost dangerous to call anything regular ; for a nice eye will, in most cases, discover some irregularity. "Whoe'er desires a perfect piece to see, Seeks what ne'er was, nor is, nor e'er will be." — Waller. If, however, we can make the method of division understood which we call regular, and give examples tolerably well corresponding to the design, we may be pardoned, though we fall short of perfection. In all the works of man, the hand of man may be traced : perfection is to be found only in the works of God. We must borrow our ideas of regularity from analogy. Thus, a trian- gle is so when its three sides arc equal ; a circle is regular when it:3 cir- cumference is everywhere equally distant from tlie centre : these are math- ematical regularities. In matters of taste, that is just or regular which the general consent of mankind has made to be so. Thus an epic poem is judged regular when it has a proper beginning, a middle pait, and an end ; and, though its nominal parts exceed the number mentioned, yet tlie • For an account of our reformers, Bee Bickerateth, c. xi., Icct. 3, or 2d ed., p. 232. THE REGULAR DIVISION. 71 supernumerary ones are to be considered as reliefs, and for the purpose of introducing some incidental characters and circumstances which are supposed to heighten the interest of the work, while that which sustains the reputation of the piece is its unity, or conformity to such three con- stituent parts. Allow me further to illustrate my idea of regularity from perfect or regular paintings. Attend to the cartoons of Raphael ;* there you see all is life and beauty. Everywhere the great apostle of the Gen- tiles is the most prominent figure — the persons who were affected by his miracles or discourses next — then the more subordinate characters and cir- cumstances— the whole combined with the most skilful display of light and shade ; in everything we see a completeness and a whole that leaves noth- ing in the mind unsatisfied. You find regularity also in the works of God. In the account given of the creation, first we see the grand architect arrayed in the majesty of power. Secondly, we behold his work : everywhere he commands, per- vades, and effects the purposes of his will. Thirdly, we see the end, the perfect work. The " heavens rejoice, the earth is glad." — " The morn- ing stars sing together." The perfect paradisiacal state is estabUshed ; till, unhappily, sin — " Brought death into the world, and all our wo." The day also has its morning, its blazing noon, and peaceful evening. The spring, the summer, and the autumn, give the same pleasing idea. In each of these latter instances you perceive a rise, a progress, and an end. If you transfer your thoughts to scripture records, or history, the same beauties meet your eye. The history of Joseph has this perfection. View this wonderful character for the first time telling his portentous dreams to his aged father. He is the " hero of the piece," or the character cor- responding with what is so called ; and here is the first part of the sacred drama. The second commences with his sufferings and trials. The third is his elevation above all the subjects of Egypt — the splendor of his wis- dom in the preservation of his famishing family. You will observe how inimitably one circumstance rises out of another, producing a certain effect, and contributing its part to the whole ; how admirably all the incidents (as they are called) are introduced ; and how important every one of them is in its place ; so that, while they are but incidents, the very least of them could not be spared ; but with them all is complete. Now, I say, that the common consent of all mankind marks this as a regular piece. It is introduced without any pompous announcement — and Moses does not even tell you that he is about to introduce you to a wonderful history, or congratulate himself when it is finished. But, as to this history, we must certainly look through Joseph to Joseph's God. He was the sovereign director, whose purpose was " to save much people alive." Genesis i. 20. The history of Moses himself bears the stamp of the same character of unity ; but with one defect : he did not locate Israel in the land of promise ; * These inimitable beauties of the Italian school were long the heir-looms of Hampton Court, where I had the pleasure of seeing them. George IV. subsequently ordered them to be placed iu the British Museum, for more general inspection. By order of Clueen Ann, copies of these cartoons were taken by Sir J. Thornhill, for the interior of the dome of St. Paul's, London ; and about twenty or thirty years ago the ingenious Mr. Holloway was permitted to copy tliem, preparatory to publish- ing a set of superb engravings. Dr. Adam Clarke treats somewhat elaborately upon this subject, at the end of his commentary on the Acts of the Apostles. 72 LECTURE V. this was effected by a substitute. But here there is a beauty which a thousand times compensates for the want of perfect unity ; the substitute was Joshua, the type of our blessed Lord, even of Him who accompUshed the great work of our redemption. He was the Sun of Righteousness tliat arose at Bethlehem, gave life and vigor to all his own gracious designs, and then rested gloriously at the right hand of God ; and He is the proper theme of all our preaching and of all our praises. Now I can come to no other conclusion, from all these premises, than that an action which prefers the best claim to perfection has these constit- uent parts ; and that a sermon which carries the impress of these parts has the best claim to be called regular. It must, however, be remembered that its merely having three parts does not constitute the sermon regular. This consists in its unity. It is the regular idea that is formed in the mind by the uniformity of all its parts which makes it so. JNIany sermons which consist of three parts may have various degrees of approximation to the perfect plan, and yet they must be refused this honor, though they might have been reduced to a regular form had the author so willed it, according to the rules of this lecture. In order to constitute a sermon regular, the agent, or that which stands in the place of the agent, being the first part, must be seen actuating or contributing its influence in the second ; and whatsoever is thus acted, said, or done, must have a rational tendency to the third part, and must bring the whole to its point or issue, which must be of corresponding im- portance to the subject, and must agree \vith the agent and action. It must appear that the first and second could come to no other point ; and our conviction must be complete that the exhibition is just, or as near to perfection as possible. Mr. Foster, in his Observations on Robert Hall as a preacher, says : *' Such should be the train of thinking that it may preserve a link of connexion by the dependence of the following thought on the foregoing, that succeeding thought not only being just in itself and pertinent to the matter in hand, but being so still more especially in virtue of resulting by obvious deduction, or necessary continuation, from the preceding, thus at once giving and receiving force by the connexion." Happy is the preacher whose text and genius bear him through such a de- sign, when the matter throughout is worthy of the outline, when truth and beauty go hand in hand to secure success ! Happier still, if the Holy Spirit breathe life into his discourse, and if this great agent apply the word to the heart! And this must be always borne in mind, diat, however beautiful the form of a sermon may be, yet it is the Spirit alone that can put breath into it ; and this observation is the more needful to those wiio submit to elaborate study in composition ; for, by the common infirmity of our nature, we are too often inclined to expect efficacy from our correct compositions, more than untaught preachers ever do ; and if, after all our labors, we do not succeed as we expected, we conclude that there has been some fault of this kind with us, when perhaps the great fault is, for- getting that "our sufficiency is of God," that "it is God that gives the increase," and that " he will not give his glory to another." I now proceed to furnish some exami)les of the regular kind of divis- ion— to show that several others, though irregular, may easily be reduced to this class — and then add some directions and cautions. The following is my first example, in an outline of a discourse on Jer. THE REGULAR DIVISION. - 73 li. 10: "The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God." If I intended to preach from this passage, I should first inquire. What is the principal subject of this text? It must be indicated in the words "our righteousness f this is the subject spoken of This righteousness is the righteousness of the Jewish cause, which was vindicated by Jehovah when he brought the Jews from the Babylonish captivity. Having ascertained the literal or primary application of the term, I should state my intention to adopt a more general and evangelical applica- tion ; and enter this head (marked I.) in my written oudine. I should then proceed to inquire, what is affirmed, denied, or related, of the principal subject? It is asserted that "the Lord hath brought forth our righteous- ness," i. e., has given publicity to those interesting transactions and cir- cumstances which comprise the church's glory — he has himself done it, to give more certain effect to the publication throughout the world, and to the most distant ages. Ps. xl. 9, 10, and xcviii. 1, 2, &c. This forms the second part (marked II.), on which I might observe that the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity was an object of attention to all the surrounding nations — never before equalled, except in the redemption out of Egypt. In many respects the return from the captivity had the greater glory of the two, being attended by circumstances of peace and good-will, instead of terror and vengeance, on the enemy, being equally affected by divine interposition, equally acknowledged by the world at large as such (Ps. cxxvi. 2), and equally an accomplishment of specific prophecies and promises. Giving liberty to these captives without price or reward (Isa. xlv. 13) was unparalleled in the history of the world, and not to be accounted for upon any principles of state policy. But, in an evangelical sense, we have still brighter glories to unfold. Jehovah "brought forth our righteousness" when he raised Christ from the dead. Rom. i. 4 ; iv. 25 ; Acts x. 40. On the great day of his as- cension. Ps. xxiv.; Eph. iv. 8; Ps. Ixviii. IS; Phil. ii. 9. The demon- stration of this glory was publicly made on the day of Pentecost, by mirac- ulous gifts, by converting grace, and justifying righteousness. From that time Jehovah's righteousness shone forth like the sun in his meridian strength. Glorious as these displays are, they shall be lost in more glo- rious manifestations, when the whole earth shall be filled with divine glory, when the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be seven-fold. Isa. xxx. 26. But a display still more transcendently majestic shall succeed that of the latter-day glory, in the general assembling of the church at Christ's right hand, when he shall as- cend the throne of his ineffable glory at the last day. There every intel- ligent being, whether a vessel of vengeance or of mercy, shall own the righteousness that shall then be displayed, in the most momentous decision that ever the court of heaven itself pronounced. Having discussed the first and second general heads, I should next en- deavor to discover the most striking circumstances connected with the act referred to under the second head. This act was the jpuhlication of Is- rael's righteousness. What was produced by this publication? The answer is, joij and gratitude. Here then, we have the third head of dis- course, viz., the joy and gratitude which the manifestation of Israel's righteousness excited in the persons interested ; or (more briefly expressed) 74 LECTURE V. the joy and gratitude produced. "Come, let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God." There is something singularly proper in the 'place selected for the ex- pression of this joy. To a gracious soul, Zion is the fit place for praise. Ps. cxxxii. 13, 14. Praise is the best of our actions, and the most fit place should be selected for its celebration, the place that God has chosen for all our most holy exercises, and to which, on sabbath-days especially, we ought to resort. There is also something beautiful and seasonable in the exclamation it- self. Full concurrence with the divine purpose is manifested by the deter- mination expressed to join in the publication of Israel's righteousness. The Lord had no sooner spoken the word but a great company appeared to promote, in their humble degree, the glory of his name (Ps. Ixviii. 11), not unhke those angelic beings who wait around the throne of God, ready in a moment to repair to any part of his dominions to do his will. Ps. ciii. 20, 21. It is a presage for good when men appear anxious to go forth to publish the everlasting " gospel, and when personal benefits have this practical effect. By this mode of discussion the strength of the discourse is required in the intermediate part; or, if I may adopt a different figure, it is on this the light should be principally cast, as upon the most prominent object in a painting. But there are some texts and subjects which can not be dis- cussed by this rule, and for which no particular rules can be given. There are also numerous texts that may be more commodiously arranged than by subject, attribute, &c., and which stand recommended by a pleasing nov- elty, which gives full scope for ingenuity. By the adoption of these, the attention of the people, upon which so much depends, will be preserved, and a profitable variety supplied. Still, however, in this outline, we find a trifling unfitness for the regular order. Jehovah, the agent, does not appear as the first part, but only in connexion with the subject of the text — our righteousness; so that in the first part we have a subject instead of an agent ; but, though this is an irregularity, yet it is immaterial, as it has no bad influence upon the unity of the discourse: and I shall very soon show that a subject, or state of things, will answer the same end as an agent. But, had the great agent of the text formed the first part, then we should have expatiated upon the character of Jehovah singly, and from this have passed to the main ac- tion. But here the agent and action are incorporated or connected in the second part, though without any injury to the outline; for you will ob- serve that the second part opens with the display of Jehovah's loving- kindness toward his church in bringing forth or manifesting its righteous- ness. Then, in the third part, the action terminates in the effect pro- duced, viz., gratitude and praise, the strongest points upon which any sub- ject can rest. Here we see in a moment the connexion of the first part with the second, and of both these widi the third, so as to preserve the requisite unity in tiie discourse. Mons. Claude says: " Tlicre are texts which contain the end and the means, the cause and the effect, the principles and its consequence. In these cases it signifies little on which you begin, as 2 Tim. ii. 10 : " There- fore I endure all thin<:;s for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory." THE REGULAR DIVISION. 70 I. The sufferings of the apostle. II. The end he proposes ; and III. The principle from which his action proceeds. Nothino- is wanting in this and several other cases to change the accom- modational into the regular division but a transposition of the order. Mons. Claude's division possesses the three parts essential to our regular division, and by merely transposing them, which I hope is pardonable, they will appear thus : — 1. The sufferings of the apostle : " I endure all things." II. The principle that actuated him to bear them— his love. III. The end which he proposed to himself— their salvation, &c. Here we have a subject for the first part, and not the apostle himself in wopria persona. The case is somewhat like the preceding example, and admits of the same apology. The apostle's sufferings were identified with himself and his work, which opens to the preacher a large field of obser- vation, and makes a very excellent first part. Now there must be some- thing which carried him through his difficulties and enabled him to sur- mount them, which it is necessary for us to know, in order to enable us to account for his history, and to show how he became an example to us and to all succeeding ages. This is supplied by the second part: his love was the moving principle. He suffered these things for the love he bore to the elect (the words of the text), the love of Christ and his redeemed people, and his general philanthropy. This was not only a strong, a sufficient principle, but it was the only principle which the gospel would recognise. Some men may perhaps have endured as much from motives of ambition and the love of fame ; but these principles will not bear to be brought to the balance of the sanctuary ; and I fervently pray that we all may keep in memory this circumstance. Let it animate us under our difficulties till we have left nothing undone that we can do, and until each of us can say, "I have fought a good fight; 1 have finished my course." No principle can be more noble, more elevated, more pure; it is entirely divested of selfishness, that bane of human actions. In Christ himself this excellency was conspicuously displayed ; and it has in all ages been the inheritance of the true church, and the surest token of identity with it. Thirdly, the outline points out the expressed object upon which the apostle's labors rested, and in which they terminated — the salvation of the church through Jesus Christ, with eternal glory. How noble and disinterested! and how difierent from those whose end is gain or worldly distinction! The next instance of a regular division, wrongly placed, will be found in the same author, and is on Phil. ii. 13 : " It is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." He says : " 1 think the di- vision would not be proper if we were to treat, 1, of God's good pleasure; 2, of his grace ; and, 3, of the will and works of men. I should rather speak of the willing and doing which effectual grace produces in us ; then of the grace itself; and, lastly, of the source of this grace." Now, by changing a word to suit the present purpose, viz., " operation" instead of " effects," we have the following outline : — I. The declaration of God's grace respecting men: " God worketh in you." II. The operation of this grace toward the Philippians in willing and doing. This comprises the whole of the Spirit's work. III. That into which the whole resolves itself, the good pleasure of God. As the sovereigu first cause, and last end, it is meet and right that all should be done " to 76 LECTURE V. the praise and sjlory of his grace." — "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." You will perceive the alteration that is necessary to constitute the divis- ion regular. In the first part I should insist on the preciousness of that grace which so seasonahly displayed itself in performing what human na- ture, in its most approved forms, and under the most distinguished advan- tages of mere philosophic culture, never could effect, and which even the law of Moses could not complete ; 1 Cor. i. 21 ; Rom. i., ii., iii., and viii. 3. But the term used by Claude, viz., " effects," obliges us to speak of the operation of this grace, as well as of the grace itself, which could only be properly considered in the second part, along with willing and doing. His arrangement was quite contrary to his own rule in the very next page, which is, " never to introduce anything into the first part which belongs to the second." Having treated of the first, it would be proper to go on to the second, wherein the whole plan and province of the divine influences must be exhibited and insisted on, but yet in connexion with means, as in verse 12. Now this is the action of the sermon, and sermons will be good or bad as this part is or is not judiciously handled. Then I should treat of the " good pleasure" of God as the third part, into which the above gracious conduct resolves itself as the " spring and source of this opera- tion." Take also another regular division. Col. i. 13 : " Who hath delivered us," &c. : — I. The divine agent in this blessed change. II. The development of this change. III. The divine design therein. The next instance of the regular kind of division is on Matthew iv. 19, 20 :— I. The person or character of Jesus, who calls his people. II. The call itself. III. Its end or design. The first part presents us with a fine and copious opportunity of speak- ing of the person or character of Jesus, according to his appointed naiues, Savior and Immanuel (Matt. i. 21, 23), and his authority and offices as Mediator, to commence, increase, and establish his church ; for this most aptly introduces the second part. The second part will admit a reference to the doctrine of the divine calling, or some allusion to it, passing from species to genus (the first topic), and distinguishing between the outward and the inward call. Then, thirdly, the end or design, which is, " to gather into one the people of God that are scattered abroad," bringing them into a church state, some for pastors, or, as intimated in the text, for the work of the ministry, and others for filling up the general body. You may ob- serve that this end is worthy of the lledeemer ; it corresj)on(ls with his great love to men, which ought to draw forth our supreme love to him, make us listen to his call, and immediately obey it. The nature of the regular division has been pretty fully opened ; but there arc certain practical points to be attendi'd to, without which itv/ould, in some cases, be diflicult for the student to accpiit himself well. Tiie ex- amples I have given are founded upon selected texts, such as are pecu- liarly favorable to unity ; but it must be obvious that it will be very difficult THE REGULAR DIVISION. 77 to prosecute this plan with other texts that are not ahke favorable for such a purpose, and in some cases impossible. For instance, Ps. xxvii. 8 : " When thou saidst. Seek you my face, my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek." Now this is a very beautiful passage, a sacred dia- logue ; and, upon the accommodational plan, we have — I. A gracious call ; and, II. A suitable answer. But, if we were to put ourselves upon the task of framing a regular divis- ion upon it, we should attempt an impossibility. Here is no leading idea that could be set down for the first part, no action connected with it on which to form a second, nor anything that leads to a certain end for the third. Such a division, if attempted, would be forced and unnatural, and hence this plan should not be tried upon what we call unbending texts. But, that you may not too hastily determine that a text is of the unbend- ing kind because you find some difficulties attending its discussion on a particular plan, I shall venture to offer you some directions, by which you will frequently be able to remove such apparent difficulties in the construc- tion of this order of public discourse ; for there are many texts which will really take this form, but which, at first sight, seem unyielding to our wish- es. That you may better understand my meaning in this instance, I ob- serve that, if the parts do not appear obviously on the face of the text, this non-appearance may be owing to several causes, and the following hints are worthy of your attention : — First, the parts may not be evident, owing to the peculiar order in which the words are placed in the text. The order in which the words of the text are arranged probably follows the original, most likely the Greek text, and is not that which we call the natural order, or that manner of placing words which is followed in English, and which the usage of our language requires. As, for instance, " Him hath God exalted," instead of, God hath exalted him. " These things understood not his disciples at the first," instead of, His disciples did not understand these things at the first. Now it is by no means foreign to our purpose, though it may detain us a little, to consider what this natural order is. Observe the sentence, as restored to the natural order, just named, from Acts v. 31. God is the agent, and therefore the natural order requires that the Divine Being should, in this sentence, be placed first. Then that which is done : " God hath exalt- ed," &c. Then the person on whom this exaltation rests : " God hath exalted him." So, with regard to the other sentence, John xii. 16 : " His disciples did not understand these things at the first." Here everything said relates to the disciples ; therefore the natural order requires precedency in favor of the disciples. They did not understand. Then comes what they did not understand, viz., " these things," with the hmitation — " at the first." The Greek language admitted extraordinary latitude in the arrange- ment of words in a sentence, and it is not surprising that our translators should sometimes have followed the order of the original more than is com- patible with the genius of our tongue. It may therefore be owing to an inverted order of words that the three parts of a text do not at first sight appear ; and even the meaning of a passage may be rendered obscure by it. This, 1 submit, is the case whh our translation of Heb. x. 10 : " By tlie which will we are sanctified, through the offering of the body of J esus 78 LECTURE V. I Christ once for all." Now this, to an English eye, Is a very extraordinary manner of placing words, and is calculated to perplex us ; but, if we re- store the words to their natural order, all will be clear. The offering of the body of Jesus Christ once (viz., once made or effected) sanctifies us by the will of God ; or, the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, which took place according to the divine will or appointment, effects our sancti- fication. Here, by the alteration proposed, we at once have the mean- ing of the apostle, and the parts for division, and these parts will be as follow : — I. The subject of the text, which is clearly our sanctification. II. The means, or operating cause — the offering of Christ once and effectuall »■ made, not like legal sacrifices, which were often repeated. III. That in which the preceding terminates, viz., the will of God, and by which our entrance into heaven is appointed. The introduction of the redeemed into glory is by means of atonement and sanctification ; but sanctification in the text takes the lead, because that is the subject on which the apostle is treating, and the atonement made by the death of Christ is the means whereby this sanctification is secured. If this regulation be followed, I see no need of Mons. Claude's " two natural orders," though what he says carries with it some plausibility upon his own system. Secondhj, cases of difficulty may occur in fixing upon that which is properly the first part of the regular division ; indeed, the chief difficulty lies in this ; and, as a mistake in this particular throws everything into con- fusion, for the assistance of junior students, whose interests are in these lectures, particularly consulted, I venture to submit the following friendly directions to their consideration : — Should a persoji or character not appear, examine whether the text does not present you with a governing subject, or state of things : 1. A subject, as that referred to in Heb. x. 10. 2. A state of things, as " The state of self-deceiving Christians." This will constitute a first regular division as well as a person or character acting ; just as a state of things may form the nominative case to a verb as well as a person. Thus we say in common discourse, " It is cold ;" that is, we are in that state which we denominate cold. In short, whatever it be that has an agency, or stands in the place of an agent, must take the lead, or be the first part ; but, if there be nothing that leads to an action in that which is put for the first part, then there will be an evident irregularity. For instance, suppose 1 were to say, in re- spect to Phil. ii. 13, that the subject of the text was " God's working in us to will and to do." Here I take possession of that for my first which is truly my second ; but if I only take possession of God's declared purpose, then all is right : and it further appears by this, that, if I were to treat the text by way of proposition, the purpose of God must constitute my first proposition. l>ut should the difficulty still press, and the first part not clearly appear, let the student write out the text at length on waste-paper, placing the lines at some distanc-e ; then with his pen let him draw a single line imder the word or words which are attributes, or acting words, or which express af- firmaUon or denial, or the verbs and participles, and the little words that belong to them, sometimes called particles : such are always the second part. The intention of this will soon appear. After this operation, draw THE REGULAR DIVISION. 79 two lines under the word or words, with their attached particles, which express the end or design of the action, which receive the force of those words that have one line under them, and which follow the action, as in grammar the objective case follows the active verb and receives its force. When these two things are done, if the text will admit the regular form, then the remaining words, or the principal of them, which have no Hne under them, are the materiel for the first part. To make the matter still plainer, suppose the above-mentioned text to be under consideration, my diagram is this : " It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." By this rule I have drawn a single line under the words " worketh in you both to will and to do ;" for these words indicate the action. By the same rule I have drawn double lines under " his good pleasure ;" for the words of the second part resolve themselves into his good pleasure as the third part. Upon examination you perceive there are no words left which are not un- derhned, but " it is God." God is therefore the agent, and constitutes my first part, as discovered by this operation. By this method I think the student will at any time discover in five minutes one of these two things — either that the text will not bend to this form of discourse, or that the parts of the regular plan of division are before him, and thus prevent much error in his skeleton and confusion in filling it up. I acknowledge that in this scheme I am establishing no claim to superior penetration ; it is what any novice might lay down ; though, so far as I am aware, it never has been done. Probably our great masters in preaching have thought it beneath them, and their inferiors have had too much mod- esty to take up the elucidation of the subject. Thirdly, You will sometimes observe, in looking for an agent of which to form the first part, that, instead of the agent, you find his representative, as he, him, it, who, or whom, &c., a personal or relative pronoun. In this case you must of course look back into the context to see of whom the inspired penman is speaking, or to whom such representative belongs : and being satisfied on this head, that is, that you have found the right one, you may assume it as your first part, and set it down accordingly. Sup- pose the text to be Col. i. 19: " For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." This Him is Christ, mentioned in the preceding verse. Then we have — I. The person spoken of, viz., Christ — which is to be the first part or head of dis- course ; he whose magnificence and dignity are displayed from the fifteenth verse. II. The thing asserted, viz., that "all fulness dwells in him." III. The reference which this has to the Father, and his good pleasure therein : " It hath pleased the Father." Great care must, however, be taken in this matter ; for the real ante- cedent to the pronoun is often disputable, though in the above instance this can not be the case. Unless, therefore, it be, as in the present case, quite clear, the point must not be decided on without an expositor or a judicious friend. There is a remarkable case in the verse immediately following the above text, where the word "himself does not refer to Christ, though he was the last person referred to ; but the " himself" is the Father, "though spoken of as far back as the twelfth and thirteenth verses. And these difficulties are chiefly found in the writings of the 80 LECTURE V. apostle Paul. Wherever you find a representative word in a text, and can make sure of the character to whom it helongs, adopt it without scru- ple, whether it be a he or a him, a who or a whom, or even an it, if it refer to the chief subject of your text. Fourtldij, Two things are of paramount importance in reference to tlie second regular part : — I. It must be something which the preacher clearly sees he can make sufficiently edifying to the people to render it worthy of occupying this important station. A first part may sometimes be only transiently consid- ered ; and sometimes the last or third head of discourse, though vastly im- portant, may yet be short; but to adopt a second with scantiness of matter, or with a poverty of thought upon it, is exceedingly injudicious. II. We must examine well the qualities of the second branch of our subject, as to what it consists of. For instance : — 1. Is it anything said to be done, obtained, or required, together with its various circumstances ? or — 2. Does it conduce or lead to any point or final rest? or is it a means toward an end ? Then it is excellent according as the end is indispensa- ble ; for whatever leads to, or conduces toward a great end, must be wor- thy of an honorable station in a discourse ; nor can it be said that such matter is trivial or unimportant. 3. Is it anything that affects our present or future state ? In these views is it injurious, or remedial, or helpful, or restorative ? 4. Is it anything that determines, or governs, or counteracts our con- duct, as a principle of action or inaction ? It must be very important to discuss such points well. 5. Is it persuasive to, or dissuasive from, doing a thing, eidier com- manded or forbidden us of God, as Rev. iii. 17 ? If this can constitute a thing important, what an immense number of scriptures have we of this class ! These things require the most attentive consideration, and call for all tlie light and evidence which can be collected together, and all your re- sources must be brought into requisition to render such a second part worthy of an impressive third ; for as I have already said, and it can not be too often repeated, the sermon will be good or bad, just as this part is good or defective. Fifthly., It may sometimes happen that a text gives you very excellent first and second parts, but no third. Now, in this case, you may supply a third from some following idea after the text, which is very easy to come at ; and sometimes you may make a third, though it be not expressed, agreeably to the principle upon which the preceding part was founded, as topic 12 ; or as a ground and cause, exemplified in topic 19 : as, for in- stance, suppose we were desirous of making some of Mr. Simeon's two- part sermons into three. Where this expedient would constitute them regular, it may be done. Nothing is easier than to cfiect the design on Rev. iii. 17, 18:— I. The state of solf-deceivinc; Christians. II. The advice which our Lord fjives them. III. The principle upon which this counsel is given: namely, Christ's love to them. The very next verse justifies and furnishes this : " As many as I love I rebuke and chasten." And, in fact, this principle of love gives a very THE REGULAR DIVISION. SI Striking effect, and is the sweetest characteristic of the favor which the Redeemer bears to us. In short, this supplementary part may be some sound scripture object, such as the glory of God, the ultimate end or gen- eral design of sovereign goodness, or the evident obligations which the persons addressed are laid under, or whatever is well calculated to produce a happy effect and to render the discourse complete. Sixthly, Where two things offer for a third part, you must use your discretion which of them to admit. Matt. iv. 19, 20 : — I. The person who calls ; namelv, Jesus. II. The call itself: " Follow me."" III. The promise annexed to their compliance, that he would make them honored instruments in setting up his kingdom in tlie world. The regular discourse comprehends what authors in general denomi- nate " Sermons of unity." Great advantage will be derived from an at- tentive perusal of the forty-second lecture of Dr. Blair in relation to the proper ideas of unity. This forty-second lecture follows the track of most critics, but is perhaps more useful than others from its brevity and plain- ness. The criticisms of Addison, in the Spectator, are excellent, but very elaborate, and therefore less pleasing. Few people derive pleasure from seeing a man at hard labor ; but, on the contrary, when w^e see a great work achieved with ease it delights us exceedingly. Yet, after all, surely these great critics might have told us that all the beauties of unity may be exhibited in prose as well as in verse ; and to demonstrate this they might have adduced the story of Joseph, which is as perfectly epic as any to be found ; for verse does not make poetry, nor does prose ex- clude it. Poetry is in the thought itself, and not the language, though the thought may influence the language, or it may not, as to any species of composition to the exclusion of others. Its three parts constitute one whole ; the three parts are only what the mind conceives as belonging to the w^hole. They are not three but one, as the body, the soul, and the spirit, constittite but one man, 1 Thess. v. 23. And the proper effect of this unity is some specific conviction or impression on the mind, effected by the justness of the argument, to which the unity tends, corresponding with what is called the moral of an epic poem. The universal sentiment of all mankind has pronounced in favor of this orderly construction of a piece. Hence the more eminent of this kind of works have obtained for their respective authors perpetual praise. The most talented men have regarded it as their highest honor to translate these jewels of literature, into modern languages ; and the standard of true taste is acquired through them. Our own experience confirms all this as to a sermon. Compare the different effects produced by an irregular and a regular discourse. One is loose and desultory : the preacher takes you fi-om Dan to Beersheba, calls your attention to this thing on your right, and then to another thing on your left : but all to no point or just conclusion: while the preacher who better understands his business leads you in a straight way, wherein your imagination and judg- ment can not stumble. There is a plain setting out, a consistent course, and he brings you to a profitable point ; and you naturally ask him to lead you another time. This kind of discourse is, nevertheless, not to be hackneyed too much ; the old adage again, Ne quid nimis ! rather learn to ti'ansfuse the essence of this rare plan of composition into all your species 6 82 LECTURE VI. of sermons, though you are not to adopt universally the form ; and this will give acceptableness to all your discourses. In conclusion, whatever be your form, keep the end in view. What- ever be the number of your parts, associate tliem well as to kinds. Let one thing connect and agree with anotiier thing; and, as far as possible, let them be dependent and consecutive, always reserving the strongest point for the last. LECTURE VL THE INTERROGATIVE DIVISION. The acquisition of knowledge by the human mind is gradual and la- borious. Unlike those purely intellectual beings whom we may suppose to grasp with one intuitive perception all the bearings, and properties, and uses of the subjects to which they direct tlieir attention, man is obliged to investigate things in a circuitous and circumstantial manner; and one prin- cipal means by which facts are ascertained, and truth is elicited, is that of asking questions (or interrogation). We inquire of our ancestors respect- ing the information they possessed and the opinions entertained in their day (Deut. xxxii. 7), and we ask our contemporaries what information tliey can impart, what new light they can throw upon the path of science. The importance of this method, and the success with which it has been attended, have given rise to a regular set of questions, by which the inqui- rer is directed to those points of his subject which require examination. To the intelligent preacher, who has almost as many subjects to investi- gate as the lawyer, the proper use of interrogation will afford considerable assistance. Experience has proved that it may be rendered a most useful auxiliary in producing, or entirely sustaining, division ; and that it is adapted to helj) us out of many a diflicuhy. The questions are as follows: Who? Wiiat? Where? By what means? For whom? How? When? Why?* Now, if we examine carefully, we shall find in these questions the chief circumstances of an action brought to view, or the points of a command laid open to discus- sion. ]. Who? Here is the actor. Who has done or spoken such or such a thing? 2. What has he done or said? 3. Where did the action take place? or, where were the words spoken? 4. By what means was the action done? or, by whose authority was tlie thing said? 5. For whom or what is the act done? Was it done for his own personal bene- fit, or for the honor and advantage of another? 6. How was the art done, or how were the words spoken — o|)cnly or privately? Was it done par- tially or effectually ? Li what temper and frame of mind, &-C.? 7. When was the thing done or said? t Of these things I shall have further occa- sion to speak. " Sec Manton. vol. iv., p. 2Hr>, part I. ; an"-sevenlh verse). This is very neat ; and I do think that without the interrogative opera- tion the plan would not have been so well executed. A common expli- catory division certainly might have been made without any rules of art ; but, to say the least, here is a change of form that carries its own recom- mendation with it. When this course is taken, you must carefully apprize the audience, just before you announce your division, of what you denominate your subject. This is giving them the key to your design. As, in the present instance, you would say: " The subject of my text is the doctrine of sanc- tification, and it will be my business to show you what is to be expected from it. I. Tt cleanses from sin," &c. Or you would say : " Considering the various figurative expressions of my text to denote the important doc- trine of our sanctification, I shall endeavor to show you," &c. But, with- out some preliminary observation of this kind, this plan will not be proper ; for you would bring the people into the subject by an unpleasant and un- natural jerk, which is quite an unnecessary way of beginning your servi- ces. But as one example is, perhaps, not sufficient in this important matter, I shall here give two or three others. Thus Mr. Simeon, on Lev. xvi. 21, 22: "And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their trans,[jressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wil- derness : and the goat shall bear upon him all their sins into a land not inhabited." Q. 1. What is tlie subject treated of, or the doctrine taught in this text? A. We THE INTERROGATIVE DIVISION. 91 have in it a type of Christ's bearing the iniquities of all true believers and confessing penitents. Q. 2. What are the resemblances between the type and the antitype ? A. They correspond — I. In their objects. II. In their operations. III. In their effects. Here it would be proper, before naming your divisions, to make some such remark as the following : " As this text is evidently typical of Christ's bearing the iniquities of true Christians and confessing penitents, I shall point out to you the existing resemblances," &c., ut sujn'a. Again : Mr. Simeon, on Dan. ix. 24 : " Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy," &c. This is an exhibition or prediction of future events and transactions. Hence — Q. 1. What is here pointed out? A. The ends of Messiah's advent. Q. 2. How may these be represented in accordance with the text? A. By nearly following the order of the words : as — I. To effect a wonderful reconciliation between heaven and earth. II. To fulfil the Holy Scriptures. III. To prepare for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The same author, on Ps. xvi. 8-11 : " I have set the Lord always be- fore me ; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. There- fore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth : my flesh also shall rest in hope ; for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life. In thy presence is fulness of joy ; at thy right hand there are oleasures for evermore :" — Q. 1. To whom do these words refer ? A. (to be supplied.) Q. 2. What do the words express in general terms ? A. (to be supplied.) Q. 3. In what particulars does this confidence appear ? A. (to be filled up in its divisions.) Isa. XXV. 6-8, I leave entirely blank, to be filled up by the student. Heb. iii. 13 : " But exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day, lest any of you should be hardened through the decehfulness of sin." Ap- plying the questions as before, you will be led to consider sin — I. In its insidious character. II. In its damning nature. III. In its need of restraints. This is an example from Witherspoon, which it will be a useful exercise for the student to turn from the purely expository, &c., to the kind of dis- course illustrated by the last five or six examples. Observe pretty much the same manner in Simeon on John xvii. 22 : " The glory which thou gavest me I have given them," only that here the form of inquiry is less disguised. We inquire what that glory is to which reference is made in respect both to Christ and to his people. The an- swer is. It is the glory — I. Of manifesting the divine power. II. Of displaying God's moral perfections. III. Of being the sons of God. IV. Of union to him. V. Of reigning with him. 92 LECTURE VI. Now this forms a very beautiful division, just and ingenious. The same author, on Rom. viii. 26 : " Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities," &c. ; here the question seems to be, when ? or at what time '? The answer is — I. In seasons of suifering. II. In seasons of prayer. The same on Micah vii. 18-20 : " Who is like unto thee ?" The key- word, or subject, is " Mercy." Q. What have you to notice in regard to this mercy ? ^4. I would speak of it — I. In its use. II. In its progress. III. In its consummation. Again : Simeon on Gal. iv. 22-24 : " Abraham had two sons," &c. The author finds in this text a contrast. Q. In Avhat respects does this contrast appear? A. We discover a contrast — I. In their nature. II. In their disposition. III. In their conduct. IV. In their end. The same on 1 Chronicles xxii. 9, 10 : " A son shall be born to thee," &c. Q. What is remarkable in Solomon, and in which he is to be considered as a type of Christ ? A. There is something remarkable — I. In his dearness to God. II. In the office assigned him. III. In his long and peaceful reign. The same on Isa. xxii. 24 : " They shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house." Q. What agreement is there between Eliakim and Jesus Christ ? I answer, Elia- kim resembled Christ — I. In succeeding to one who abused his office. II. In the authority committed to him. III. In the benefits resulting from his administration. The same on 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5 : " To whom coming as to a living stone," &c. Subject : the temple a type of the church. Q. In what respects may the temple be considered typical of the church ? The answer is — I. In its foundation. II. In its superstructure. III. In its services. I think I have said quite enough to convince you that there really is such a thing as the interrogative division, that it agrees with the soundest principles of public speaking, that it is quite distinct in its own nature, that it is of general utility, and easy of execution. It appeared to me necessa- ry to go thus far in the examination on my own account, that I might be quite sure that it was not a creature of my own fancy ; for the work of preaching is of too serious a nature to be built upon fancy or on any im- practicable theory. I now offer you one interrogative example, with notes and observations, wherein all the questions are introduced. It is taken from Matt. i. 21 : " And thou shalt call his name Jesus ; for he shall save his people from their sins." Here the several circumstances which will form divisions are THE INTERROGATIVE DIVISION. 93 found on the face of the text, without finding them out by previous opera- tions Kke the preceding examples. As this is of the same nature as sev- eral that I have just recited, pp. 85-S8, it will be proper to commence by bringing the text to these interrogations, seriatim, or one after another. Does the text answer to the first question, Who? that is, Who is the per- son or persons spoken of? If so, then you have a first division, if it be important enough to make a part : if in any case it be not, then the person or persons, &c., must be named or announced at the end of the exordium, according to circumstances. Or you may say. The text has relation to such person or persons ;* and this will sometimes be very proper, because I think it injudicious to make character a division too frequently ; for, as there is very often a character included in a text, it looks samely or com- mon to be frequently dwelhng on it, and it would in such case indicate that you had no invention or variety. But, in reference to our text, the glorious name " Jesus" is too important in itself, and too essential to sub- sequent discussion, to omit making it a part. Then I say the text answers the first question. Who ? A. It is Jesus. Here you have a plenitude of subject to dilate upon — the theme of all praise, the fountain of all blessedness, the object of faith, and the foundation of hope. Having thus disposed of the first question, we bring the second to our text, What ? or. What is the thing said by, or of, the person, &c., before named ? for nothing is so natural as that this should stand next in order of discussion. Such a person is introduced : what is affirmed ? what is to be said or done ? or what has or will be said or done ? If the text answers to this question, it is sure to form the most important part. This, you see, answers to the second part of the regular division, or that which forms the action of it; or it will make the chief head of an accommodational sermon. But, to our present purpose, apply the second question to the text : What does Jesus do ? or. What does he effect ? Ans. He saves his people, &c. He saves effectually, completely, and everlastingly. His type, Joshua, did not so save. This is, therefore, a very copious part, and one that calls for some display of talent and industry in order to raise it above commonplace discussion ; for, when a much-used text is discussed, this is absolutely ne- cessary, because the speaker is here drawn into a comparison with many other preachers, and it is not desirable to suffer from the comparison ; on the contrary, one should study to be distinguished by superiority. In gen- eral, those who speak of the commonest subjects in a superior manner are sure to be noticed with encomium and praise. And what is of infinitely greater moment, and should lie near the heart of every Christian minister, we may thus expect to gain the attention of our hearers, without which they can receive no benefit from our labors. We now bring our third question to the text : Where ? Where were these great transactions exhibited^? Ans. In Judea, called, by way of eminence, Immanuel's land (Isaiah viii. 8), that land which ought to have been pure as Eden, but which was stained with Immanuel's blood. No country ever suffered so much by the sins of its inhabitants, until it became utterly weary of its occupiers, and they were expelled. All that is neces- sary to^ observe is, that the third question does meet its solution, though in preaching it may not be requisite to make it a separate head of discourse. * A subject or state of things is the same, as before noticed. 94 LECTURE VI. Generally speaking, this third corresponds with Claude's ninth topic, " Ob- serve place." Tlie Scriptures are sometimes very explicit in noting place in their narratives. This is so common, that no instance need be given ; however, take this as one. Gen. xxii. 14. What an immense importance was put upon that place ! It was there that Abraham's faith was tried, probably where Jesus suffered — typified by the offering on IMoriah's top. If we could contemplate a thing so awful as our ultimate fall in judgment, we may conceive that both record and conscience will point out, with the greatest accuracy, the place of sinning. And does not place also revive the more pleasing recollections ? Psalm Ixxxvii. 5, 6. The place of our spiritual birdi involves the consideration of the deepest interest : we may well say, " If I forget thee, let my right hand forget its cunning." We now bring the fourth question to our text : By what means ? Ob- serve that, although we have not the means of salvation pointed out in our text, yet means are strongly implied, and would, in some texts, become mainly important. But, in answering the question, you will say : Jesus effected the work by means of his death, or by giving himself for us an offering or sacrifice unto God — he died for our sins. It is easy to see the great utility of this fourth question. How impor- tant is it in the rank of circumstances ! How admirably does it round our ideas of a fact, and fill up a space that nothing else could supply ! The subject of means mixes itself with all human actions, and nothing scarcely in the divine government is without some reference to it ; not because means are necessary to God, as they are to us ; for he has only to " com- mand, and it is done," to say, " Let there be light, and there is light." Yet, in general, this moral lesson is taught us by the highest example, that means are necessary to an end. And you must keep in view that where this question is used for the purpose of investigation it tends to elicit the fact of the probability or improbability of a statement made. I said that means would, in some texts, become mainly important, though in the discussion of this particular text they are introduced only for exam- ple's sake ; and if the salvation implied in our text had been ascribed to the divine Father instead of the divine Son, as it actually is so ascribed in many scriptures, then we should have been taught this important truth, that our salvation originated solely in the love of the Father, in his sovereign good-will and pleasure, who laid our help on one that was mighty to save, who sanctified his Son, sent him into this world, and gave him a command- ment to lay down his life. As this article furnishes so very important a supply of thought, one would have expected it to make one of Claude's topics; but by no mode of con- struction can any one of his meet this purpose. We must next bring the fifth question to our text. For whom ? What- ever purposes this question may serve at tiie bar, in divinity we must claim for it some latitude of interpretation ; wa must claim it for that upon which the action rests, corresponding with die third part of the regular division, or Claude's fourteenth topic, viz.. The end proposed ; and sometimes the nineteenth, viz.. Grounds and causes. This intention is exemplified by Mr. Simeon on 2 Peter i. 4 : " Whereby are given unto us exceedingly great and precious promises," &c. : — I. The greatness and preciousness of the promises. II. The ends for which they are given. THE INTERROGATIVE DIVISION. 95 Or take another instance from the same author, 1 Pet. i. 6, 7 : — I. The state and condition of God's people. II. The ends for which they are sufTered to be in this state. This question Hkewise answers to the effect that follows a cause. It will also answer by way of inference, as in the following example on 2 Cor. vii. 10, 11 :— I. What is assumed in this text? II. What is its just inference ? &c. But bring this question to our text, " For whom is this salvation wrought out?" The answer is, " His people ;" so says the text in positive terms. Jt follows, therefore, as a matter of course, or, as we have said, by way of inference, that there must be some who are not his people, and conse- quently are not said to be benefited in the text, though other scriptures may appear to open a wider door. We must always, for ourselves, exam- ine what particular interest we have in the text, as well as recommend the inquiry to others. The sixth question is also very important to critical inquiry : How is the act done ? This article may seem to resemble the fourth. By what means ? but the difference is material, and a nice discriminator will soon perceive this, by noting the description of each. This how ? is nearly the same as, "In what way or manner?" which is quite distinct from the means, and it will be of very frequent use. I may refer to Mr. Simeon's skeleton on Luke iv. 28, 29 : The wrath of the people of Nazareth : — I. The occasion of their wrath. II. The manner in which our Lord escaped its effects ; or, which is the same thing, How did he escape from the impending wrath of his enemies ? I also refer to his skeleton on Luke viii. 50. Subject, The faith of Jairus. The whole discussion turns upon this question, as — I. How was his faith tried ? II. How did it operate ? III. How was it rewarded ? I shall be permitted to quote two more instances from Mr. Simeon, the former of which is on Mark vii. 32-36 : " The manner in which this mir- acle was effected ;" or, which is the same thing. How was it effected ? and the other is on Luke ix. 29-32 : The transfiguration. He considers " The time and manner of Christ's transfiguration." You see that this simple but edifying manner is quite suitable to the sub- ject of miracles in general, or so often as the preacher may think fit to adopt it. In such cases, the preacher depends for his reputation upon the execution of his plan, and not on the particular form in which it may be stated. Now let us apply this question to our text : How was this great work of Christ done ? Did he support his high character during the perform- ance of it? Did his personal or godlike dignity ever at any time merge in selfishness ? Did he indeed " set his face like a flint" against his ad- versaries ? Was his love, his pity, his tender sympathy, ever relaxed or suspended ? Did he ever lose sight of his obedience to the will of his heavenly Father ? Was his example ever unworthy of imitation ? Did he ever exercise his power on unworthy objects ? Did his wisdom ever degenerate into cunning ? Was his goodness only occasional or partial ? 96 LECTURE VI. Did his work, in any form, or in all its forms collectively, justify our bles- sed Lord in saying, in reference to it, as he hung upon the cross, " It is finished," so as exactly to correspond with the Old-Testament cove- nants, promises, types, and prophecies ? Now, beyond all contradiction, the manner in which Christ executed his work was such as might have been expected from the dignity of his character ; and it had the seal of di- vine approbation, which was testified by his resurrection from the dead, by his ascension into heaven, and by his sitting down at God's right hand, by the subsequent effusion of the Spirit, and by the immense accession of subjects to his kingdom. This should suggest to preachers of the gospel that the manner in which their work is done* is of high importance, as well as the matter they deliver. The seventh question relates purely to time, and is adapted to the inves- tigation and proof of fact. Whenever this is required to confirm the truth of prophecy, it deserves the most serious consideration. One of the proofs of Christ's Messiahship is that his advent, which was essential to the ac- complishment of the work of redemption, corresponded with the prophecy of Jacob, Gen. xlix. 10 ; and of Daniel, chap. ix. 24. This is denom- inated, by the aposde Paul, " the fulness of time" (Gal. iv. 4), the time predetermined in the eternal councils. I shall not, therefore, offer any apology for applying this seventh question to our text, When, or at vv'hat time, did Jesus appear, to accomplish our salvation ? It might be ob- served that, besides the above-mentioned prophetic notices of time, many circumstances concurred to mark the period of his advent as the fittest and most appropriate time of all others : the concurrent expectations of all na- tions!— the universal peace that then prevailed — the closing of the temple of Janus, which, among the Romans was a wonderful thing — and the pre- vious extensive conquests of his warlike people, by which they were ena- bled to establish their own laws and institutions, and thus afford greater facilities for the general diffusion of the gospel. Hence the aposde Paul obtained the privileges of a Roman citizen, which enabled him to traverse the empire under a kind of legal protection. At that time, too, the Jews had greatly perverted their own law, or made it " void dn-ough the com- mandments of men ;" while the Gentile nations were " sitting in darkness and the shadow of death." No time could therefore be more appropriate for the manifestation of the divine mercy, nor could circumstances be more apt for die bright rising of die " Sun of righteousness." Yet I allow that, if a preacher designed to treat on this subject specifically, it might be bet- ter to select a text from one of the prophetic passages I have quoted.f The preacher has a great personal interest and concern in times and seasons. He, like his divine master, must " work wliile it is called day ; for the night comedi when no man can work." He must preach die word " in season and out of season ;" for lost opportunities can never be recalled, and our regrets at past neglects or omissions are quite unavailing, as re- • See future Lecture, Topic xv. t See Kidder on the MoKsiah, vol. i., pp. 14, 27, 09, &c. X See Home on emphatic ndvorbs, vol. ii., p. r)41. "Sometimes adverbs of time are emphatic, and a careful notation of the time indicated by them will materially illustrate the force and meaning of the Holy Scriptures. As in Mai. iii. 11!, tiic word lh notions prevailed — then, viz., at this eeason of open wickcdnus.'*, there was a remnant of pious Jcsvs who •spoke often to one another' — met tof,'cther from time to time to confer on religious subjects ; of this eminent notice is taken by Jehovah himself, and this procured for them special promises." THE INTERROGATIVE DIVISION. 97 spects our fellow-creatures. Upon this point I can speak from experience. Many years, lost as to any good purpose, have passed over me by my neglects ; and consequences might have been worse had not the goodness of God prevented. I am now running hard in the evening of life, to re- deem the time that has been misspent during the day of my merciful visi- tation. You, my dear friends, may profit by what I now relate of my own experience. Everything is beautiful in its season. The present is to you the season of study, of close application, and perseverance. Let nothing draw you aside from this course. Let not your future days be embittered by the neglect of the past. Remember the old motto, " Tempus fugity I must acknowledge that my eighth question arrives too hte to find room for admission. The text can hardly take it in ; however, we must remember its past and very important services ;* and here it must be allowed to express itself in the best possible way in answer to the question, Why was all this done ? Why such costly sacrifice ? Why such deep humiliation ? Why that piercing cry, " My God ! my God ! why hast thou forsaken me ?" The answer is in these memorable words : " God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son," that man might not perish eternally. These several parts collected together, omitting the interrogative form, will appear as follows : — I. The person of the Redeemer, under a special name : " Jesus." II. The work he effects : Salvation from sin. III. The honorable seat of his transactions : Isaiah viii. 8. IV. The means used to effect this salvation. V. The persons interested in it. VI. The manner in which this work was done. VII. The time when it was performed. VIII. The reason why it was accomplished. There is perhaps a degree of extravagance in this example which no one would in public imitate : the reason that induced it is sufficiently explained. Still a suitable outline might be derived from it, perhaps from the numbers 1, 2, 4, and 5. The preacher's own particular design in taking the text must of course govern his selection ; and this may be extended to a gen- eral rule — that a reasonable liberty must be permitted the preacher to adapt his outline to the design which led to the text itself. It will immediately occur to the student's mind that this general exam- ple, on Matt. i. 21, is in fact nothing else but an expository outline ; and this is true : it is an expository outline discovered by the questions ; and if the first, second, and fifth parts, were selected, they would furnish a reg- ular division as discovered by the questions ; if the first and second were selected, we should have the accommodational division discovered by the questions. So that we have here a key which opens every door, as from a close attention to this lecture throughout will be abundantly manifest. If this be true, then a whole month spent in the study of the subject of interrogations would repay the time and labor of the student a thousand- fold. The study before us is the philosophy of the textuarian, by which he analyzes his own subjects, and tries the works of others ; while its pleas- ing varieties reheve all fatigue, and invite pursuit. And now, in conclusion, allow me to say, if you would profit by the interrogations, if your text has the circumstances of person, operation, means, and effects, if it has manner, time, and place, as far as it possesses » See pp. 85, 86, &c. 7 98 LECTURE VII. these, put down on waste paper all its questions and the answers, and place them before you, and you must of necessity see in a moment of what your text consists, and what will be the most eligible way of managing it, as to its form and character. If your text has no circumstances, still fail not to use the questions to obtain the commanding thought of the text, as in the examples at p. 90, &c. ; I mean as to what the subject of the text is ; and then raise the question, What will such commanding thought, and the very words of the text conjointly, justify as to principal divisions ? I say, if this course be taken it must be satisfactory. If a list of parallels be also laid before you, sufficient materials and preparations are furnished for all occasions ; that is, with any tolerable share of genius and talent, of judgment and imagination, which are here presupposed ; for without these the ministry must not be thought of. A preacher well versed in the sci- ence of these interrogatives, and furnished with Bagster's small pocket- bible with marginal references, is sufficiently equipped to traverse the country, or fill a station with respectability. Yet 1 allov/ it is desirable to attain to everything else, within the compass of our power, that really will assist us in our pulpit exercises. The above remarks are offered with a view to encourage those in their work who can command but slender means. LECTURE VII. THE OBSERVATIONAL DIVISION. I BELIEVE Mons. Claude first introduced this species of composition, and no one has since his time attempted anything by way of improvement. I do not, indeed, agree with him or Mr. Simeon in supposing that the topics are exclusively adapted to the observational method of preaching. They seem to me suited both to this and to every other mode of arrange- ment ; and modern preachers are evidently of the same opinion. An observation closely assimilates to a reflection or a remark ; but the former term is best fitted for my present purpose ; it signifies a thought that occurs to the mind on seeing any particular object, or that is suggested to it by anything We may read or hear; in short, it denotes something that rises in the mind or the imagination by whatever means, and without any assignable cause, though the judgment may co-operate in some cases. AH just criticisms are founded on one or both of these. All natural and experimental philosophy follows the same course; just as the Spectator, Rambler, the Mirror, and many similar works, were founded. Several of our commentators, and especially Matthew Henry, are rich in appro- priate and instructive observations. The course I intend to pursue in this lecture is to mention Monsieur Claude's view of the subject, to offer some pertinent examples, and, lastly, to point out some uses of observation not before noticed, to suggest ad- THE OBSERVATIONAL DIVISION. 99 ditional ideas in aid of the study itself, and to trace out the frame of mind which is best adapted to this service. The following is M. Claude's view of the subject, with some illustra- tions : — " Some texts require a discussion by way of consideration or of ohser- vation. The following hints may serve for general directions : — " 1. When texts are clear in themselves, and the matter is well known to the hearers, it would be trifling to amuse the people with exijlication. Such texts must be taken as they are ; that is, clear, plain, and evident, and observations only should be made on them. " 2. Most historical texts must be discussed in this way ; for in a way of explication there would be very little to say. For example, what is there to explain in this passage, John xii. 1, 2 ? ' Then Jesus, six days after the passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead. There they made him a supper, and Martha served ; but Lazarus was one of those that sat at the table with him.' Would it not be a loss of time and labor to explain these words ? and are they not clearer than any comment can make them ? The way of observation, then, must be taken." Henry's Commentary furnishes numerous examples in illustration of the above remark, which are as excellent as they are appropriate. I shall quote but one, which will serve to show how passages which may at first sight appear less fraught with instrucdon, may by this method be so treated as admirably to subserve the great purposes of ministerial labor. It is on 2 Sam. xxii. 1 : " And David spoke unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul." On this passage Mr. Henry founds the following observations : — L That it has often been the lot of God's people to have many enemies, and to be in imminent danger of falling into their hands. David was a man after God's heart, but not after men's heart: many were those who hated him and sought his ruin ; Saul is particularly named, either as distinguished from his enemies of the heathen nations or as the chief of his enemies, who Was more malicious and power- ful than any of them. Let not those whom God loves marvel if the world hate them. 11. Those that trust God in a way of duty shall find him a present help to them in their greatest dangers. David did so. God delivered him out of the hand of Saul. He takes special notice of this. Remarkable preservations should be mentioned in our praises with a particular emphasis. He delivered him also " out of the hand of all his enemies," one after another, sometimes in one way, sometimes in another ; and David, from his own experience, has assured us that, though " many are the troubles of the righteous, yet the Lord delivers them out of them all," Ps. xxxiv. 19. We shall never be delivered from all our enemies till we get to heaven ; and to that heavenly kingdom God will preserve all that are his, 2 Tim. iv. 18. HL Those that have received signal mercies from God ought to give him the glory of them. Every new mercy in our hand should put a new song into our mouth, even praises to our God. Where there is a grateful heart, out of the abundance of that the mouth will speak. David spoke, not only to himself, for his own pleasure, nor merely to those about him, for their instruction, but " to the Lord," for his honor, *' the words of this song." Then we sing with grace when we sing to the Lord. In distress he " cried with his voice" (Ps. cxlii. 1), therefore with his voice he gave thanks. Thanksgiving to God is the sweetest vocal music. IV. We ought to be speedy in our thankful returns to God. In the day that God delivered him he sang this song. While the mercy is fresh, and our devout affec- tions are most excited by it, let the thank-offering be brought, that it may be kindled with the fire of those affections. 100 LECTURE Vn. " 3. There are some texts which require both expHcation and observa- tion,* as when some parts may need explaining. For example, Acts i. 10 : And ivhile they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went vy, behold, two men stood by them in white ajiparel. Here it will be necessary to ex- plain, in a few words, the cause of their looking steadfastly toward heaven; for by lifting their eyes after their divine Master they expressed the inward emotions of their minds. It will be needful also to explain this other ex- pression. As he went up ; and to observe that it must be taken in its plain and popular sense, and that it signifies, not merely the removal of his vis- ible presence, but of his entire humanity. This is the natural sense of the words, and the observation is necessary to guard us against that sense which the church of Rome imposes on them, for the sake of transubstan- tiation. You may also explain briefly this other expression. Behold, two wew, and show that they were two angels in human shape. Here you may discuss the question of angelic appearances under human form. Notwith- standing these brief explications, this is a text that must be discussed by way of observation. " Observe, in general, when explication and observation meet in one text, you must always explain the part that needs explaining before you make any observations ; for observations must not be made till you have established the sense plainly and clearly." Thus Mr. Henry first treats the passage, Jeremiah xxv. 15-29, in his ordinary way of explication, and then founds upon it the following obser- vations : — 1. That there is a God that judges in the earth, to whom all the nations of the earth are accountable, and by whose judgment they must abide. 2. That God can easily bring to ruin the greatest nations, the most numerous and powerful, and such as have been most secure. 3. That those who have been vexatious and mischievous to the people of God will be reckoned with for it at last. Many of these nations had in their turns given dis- turbance to Israel, but now comes destruction on them. The year of the Redeemer will come, even the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion. 4. That the burden of the word of the Lord will at last become the burden of his judgments. Isaiah had proj)liesied long since against most of these nations (ch. xiii. &c.), and now at length all his prophesies will have their complete fulfilling. 5. That those Avho are ambitious of power and dominion commonly become the troublers of the earth and the plagues of their generation. Nebuchadnezzar was so proud of his might that he had no sense of right. These are the men that turn the world upside down, and yet expect to be admired and adored. Alexander thought himself a great prince when others thought him no better than a great pirate. 6. That the greatest pomp and power in this world are of very uncertain con- tinuance. Before Nebuchadnezzar's greater force kings themselves must yield and become captives. " 4. Sometimes an observation may be made by way of explication, as when you would infer something important from the meaning of an origi- nal term in the text. For example. Acts ii. 1 : And, when the day of Pen- ' Some testx rptjniip hnlh erplicalion and olmcn-al ion. Here the meaning and terms may be made clear in tiie cxoniiuin, in a brief and familiar manner: as by Dr. Moss, in a sermon before the gover- nors of Ciirisfs tlospilal, at St. Sepuldiru's rhurch, 170P. After a familiar explication of Lukexii. 21, he proceeded to found upon the text the following observations: — I. That a greedy desire of riches, and a fond reliance on them, is the most wretched kind of folly anil improvidence. II. That the be.st enjoyment and wisest improvement of our worldly wealth is to bn rich toward God : that is, so to ii.«e and omi>loy what we have as to recommend ourselves to his benediction and favor thereby. — RolniiMn's Note on Claude. This example is not, however, the most appropriate : Dr. Moss's two parts are more properly propositions than observatious. THE OBSERVATIONAL DIVISION. 101 tecost was fully come, theij were all with one accord in one 'place. It will be proper here to explain and enforce the Greek word, i^oeu^a.Joi', which is translated with one accord ; for it signifies that they had the same hope, the same judgment ; and thus their unanimity is distinguished from an ex- terior and negative agreement, which consists in the mere profession of having no difference of sentiment and in not falling out; but this may pro- ceed from negligence, ignorance, or fear of tyrannical authority. The uni- formity of which the Romish church boasts is of this kind. But the una- nimity of the disciples was inward and positive. They were of one heart and one soul. This explication, you perceive, is" itself a very just observa- tion, and there are very many passages of scripture which may be treated of in a similar manner. " 5. Observations for the most part ought to be theological ; that is to say, they should belong to a system of religion. Sometimes, indeed, we may make use of observations historical, philosophical, and critical ; but these should be used sparingly and seldom, or on necessary occasions, and when they can not well be avoided ; and even then they ought to be per- tinent, and not common, that they may be heard with satisfaction. Make it a law to be generally very brief on these observations, and to inform your audience that you only make them en passant. "6. Observations should not be proposed in scholastic style, nor in commonplace guise. They should be seasoned with a sweet urbanity, ac- commodated to the capacities of the people, and adapted to the manners of good men. One of the best expedients for this purpose is the reduction of obscure matters to a natural, popular, modern air. You can never at- tain this ability unless you acquire a habit of conceiving clearly of subjects yourself, and of expressing them in a clear, familiar, easy manner, remote from everything forced and far-fetched. All long trains of argument, all embarrassments of divisions and subdivisions, all metaphysical investiga- tions, which are mostly impertinent, and, like the cities and houses, hills, mountains, &c., which we imagine in the clouds, the mere creatures of fancy : all these should be avoided. " 7. Care, however, should be taken to avoid the opposite extreme, which consists in making only poor, dry, spiritless observations, frequently said under pretence of avoiding school divinity, and of speaking only pop- ular things. Endeavor to think clearly, and try also to think nobly. Let your observations be replete with beauty as well as propriety, the fruits of a fine fancy under the direction of a sober judgment. If you be in- attentive to this article, you will pass for a contemptible declaimer, of mean and shallow capacity, exhausting yourself without edifying your hearers." These are most excellent sentiments indeed. It did not appear in Claude's day, and in his nation, that such a popular and easy kind of preaching would prevail, so that his words with us are of the value of prophecy — that philosophy and refined learning should at last stoop to popular address, a glorious triumph indeed. The time has now come when the populace, the people, the great mass of mankind, shall hear " the voice of the Son of God" in a language they can understand, aud by men not raised too high above themselves, who have common feelings and wants with them, a little nearer in rank to the fishermen of Galilee than many in past ages were, who really have been assiduous enough in teach- 102 LECTURE VII. ing the few, but whose great learning disqualified them for the work of in- structing the multitude.* And while it is now, and ever will be, at least till the latter-day glory arrive, necessary that we should have a succession of learned men for the higher walks of hterature, and for the instruction of the rich, yet they can not do all the work of evangelizing the great mass of mankind. Hence arises the necessity of a little army of preachers to preach " the gospel to the poor" — men endowed with a decent degree of learning and skill to handle the word of God. We have no quarrel with the learned upon this subject ; they occupy a station which occasional preachers could not fill ; but it is the occasional preachers who must occu- py the more extended lines, which for want of numbers and other circum- stances the former never can cover. I hope, however, that as times are evidently changing, a great number of learned preachers will soon arise and give their powerful assistance to those of the humbler order, and that tliey will unite with us in plain observational preaching, after the manner of Bishop Beveridge and some others, who have led the way in this style of public discourse. If they will cordially unite with us, we shall be thank- ful ; but, if they refuse, we will forgive them. By-and-by this old rust of prejudice will rub off, and either the learned of the present age or of that in immediate succession will join heart and hand with those who are now so earnest in the good work of recovering a licentious population, almost beyond the power of the law to restrain — a population which, by its pov- erty and wretchedness, brought on or increased by low vices, is a burden to the public which can hardly be endured, so that, spiritually and tempo- rally, a popular gospel, from a great number of plain men, is absolutely necessary to save the country. No method of preaching or of observation can be right that does not suit the condition of the multitude, of the whole world ; and nothing else can measure the extent of ancient prophecy, that " the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as tlie waters cover the sea."t Nothing else can meet the demands of true philanthropy. Nothing else can be called an imitation of Christ, or of the apostle Paul, his laborious servant. The waters of the sanctuary are not to be confined, but spread out far and wide, wherever ruin and wretchedness exist. The propriety and excellence of Claude's rules are sufficiently obvious. He might have added that observational preaching ought to be a faithful delineation of persons, characters, and occurrences : the Divine conduct — the consequences of a vicious course — the influence of Divine agency on the affairs of men — particularly correct delineations of piety in every situa- tion of life — the experience of God's people, their trials, their encourage- ments, their hopes and fears — resemblance of their experience in every age and under every dispensation — in short, " to show the ver}' form and body of things" in real life, and thus to derive profitable instruction from every source. To manage this well, you must possess considerable knowl- edge, not only of scripture, but of human nature itself, in all its diversified forms, and of the springs of human action. Having paid some attention to our popular sermon-writers, I find that * See Appcnflix, on Pure English Words. t The will of God is that " all men sliould l)e snvod ;" and to that end it is his wi)] that all men (that is, all de8cri[)tion8 of men, f^reat and small, rich and poor, learned and ie^norant) should come to the kno\^■ledge of the truth ; that is, the gospel, which hrings lili; and imrnortaiity to light, not only the fondameiitnl truths of faith toward God, of repentance from