elsewhere, he faith, that " he counted all "things but lofs for the excellency of the

knowledge of Jefus Chrift his Lord." This was that "chofen veffel," whom the Lord converted in a a miraculous way, and fent forth to bear his name before the Gentiles, and kings, and children of Ifrael; and his zeal and fidelity in executing his truft, appear evidently from his writings. He made Chrift the foundation of all his fermons, as we read 1 Cor. iii. 10, 11. "I have laid the foundation, and another "buildeth thereon. But let every one take "heed how he buildeth. For other foun"dation can no man lay than that which "is laid, which is Jefus Chrift;" intimating, in the strongest manner, that all preaching which doth not refer to Christ, and lead to him, is like building a castle upon the loofe fand, which may please the fancy for a little, but as it wants a foundation, will foon tumble down, to the equal difgrace and hurt of the builder. And as Chrift was the foundation, fo was he likewife the end of his preaching; and not of his only, but of all his brethren in

the

the apostleship, and fellow-labourers in the miniftry; as is fully expreffed in the text: We preach not ourselves, but Chrift Jefus the Lord, and ourselves your fervants, for Jefus fake. We feek not to advance our own credit and intereft; our fole aim is to render Jefus great and amiable in your esteem : and we defire to be confidered in no other light, than as your minifters or fervants for Jefus fake.

But what are we to understand by preaching Chrift? This question I fhall endeavour to anfwer in the firft place ;-after which I fhall fhow, that this is the proper employment and diftinguishing characteristic of a gofpel-minister ;-and then conclude the fubject with fome practical improvement.

1 begin with answering the queftion, What are we to understand by preaching Chrift Jefus the Lord?

ift, It plainly imports, that we make Chrift the principal fubject of our fer

mons.

It is by no means fufficient that we

speak

fpeak of him occafionally; we ought of fet purpose to unfold the fcripture doctrines concerning him, that men may be acquainted both with his perfon and undertaking, and have clear and enlarged views of that glorious Deliverer, to whom they are indebted for all that they poffefs in a prefent world, and for all they hope to enjoy in the next. In particular, we ought frequently to remind our hearers, that he who came to feek and to fave loft finners of mankind, is "the beloved and

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only begotten fon of God,"—" the bright"nefs of the Father's glory, and the express "image of his perfon ;". "that Word which "in the beginning was with God, and was "God, by whom all things were made, "and without whom was not any thing "made that is made:" That in order to purchase redemption for us, he condefcended to become the Son of man; or, in the emphatical language of the Holy Spirit, that "the Word was made flesh," and affumed our nature into a perfonal union with his own divinity: That this incarnate Word, or God manifefted in the flesh,

after

འ

after he had published a moft pure and perfect law, and exhibited an example of equal and as abfolute perfection, at length laid down his life as a true and proper facrifice, to fatisfy the justice of God, and to expiate the guilt of an elect world: That having thus made his foul an offering for fin, he foon after triumphed over death, and him that had the power of death, by rifing from the grave, and afcending to his Father's right hand, where he now fitteth as a prieft upon his throne, interceding for his people, and difpenfing thofe gifts which he purchased with his blood; from whence he fhall come again in the character of judge taking vengeance upon them that obey not his gospel, "to be glorified and "admired in thofe that believe," and to complete the confolation and joy of his faints. These important truths ought to be fully explained and repeatedly infifted upon : "For this is life eternal, to know "the only true God, and Jefus Chrift, "whom he hath fent." The natures and offices of our great Redeemer, the glory of. his Godhead, the merit of his blood, and

the

the efficacy of his Spirit; the constitution. of that covenant whereof he is mediator, with all the promises thereof, which are exceeding great and precious; and especially way or manner in which guilty polluted creatures are vitally united to this allfufficient Saviour, who, " of God, is made

the

unto them wisdom, and righteousness, and "fanctification, and redemption:" Thefe, and other doctrines connected with them, are as necessary to the fouls of men, nay infinitely more fo, than food is to their bodies. Other things perhaps are defirable to be known; but these must be known, or people are undone for ever: and therefore none can be faid to preach Chrift who overlook these important, these effential truths, or treat them in a careless fuperficial man

ner.

2dly, To preach Chrift Jefus the Lord, is to handle every other fubject of difcourfe in fuch a way as to keep Christ continually in the eye of our hearers.-We muft acknowledge him as the author of the truths we deliver, and improve them fo as to lead men to him. It is not fufficient VOL. II. F

that