bringing God down unto man, man is brought up unto God, made a partaker of the Divine nature, and seated on the throne of his glory!--But this leads me to speak of another important part of the teacher's office, which is, III. To speak unto men to comfort.

The word apaμudia here used, signifies properly, that comfort which a person receives conversing face to face with his friend. Speaking words of comfort, descriptive of those good things, the existence of which we are assured of; and the promise of which we receive on indubitable authority.

This part of the teacher's work, includes not only his loving affectionate manner of preaching the gospel; but also his visiting from house to house, his hearing and determining what were formerly called cases of conscience, -his searching into, and removing those scruples which arise from the power of temptation, in the minds of those who are but beginning to walk in the way of life. These require the speediest and tenderest aid of the Christian prophet, who has himself been comforted in all his tribulations, and is hereby enabled to comfort others by the comfort with which he himself has been comforted of God, 2 Cor. i, 4.

The promises of the everlasting gospel furnish the teacher with abundant matter for the consolation of the distressed, both in public and private. There is not a state of affliction or trial, into which a person can be brought, but has some promise of comfort or support annexed to it in the sacred writings. Come unto me, all ye who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, is a promise of general application; and as Luther once said of a similar one, "is worthy to be carried from Rome to Jerusalem on one's knees." Indeed, the whole gospel of God is one grand system of consolation; hence, it is properly adapted to the state of suffering humanity. Man is a wretched creature; and his state of misery is

necessarily implied in the text. He cannot be happy because he is unholy, and holiness and happiness are joined in eternal union by the Lord. As God is the fountain of all blessedness, no intelligent being can be happy but in union with himself. Sin prevents this union from taking place; for God can join himself to nothing but what resembles his own nature. As nothing but sin prevents this union from taking place, the teacher of righteousness can speak to comfort, by proclaiming that divine grace, that not only atones for, but destroys sin; and, which is glad tidings of great joy to all people.i

It is much to be lamented, that the benevolent gospel of the Son of God, is represented by many as a system of austerity and terror: but no man can represent it as such, who understands it. If, knowing the terrors of the Lord we persuade men, it is not by these terrors we prevail on them to accept salvation through Christ. The place of torment is uncovered in the sacred Scripture, that men may see and escape from it: and the teacher of righteousness should only describe the devil, and hiş reign of misery, so as to cause men to fall in love with Christ, and his heaven of glory.

Many seem to have hell and destruction for a constant text; and all their sermons are grounded on these subjects. These may alarm the careless, and terrify the profane, and so they are useful in their place; but they certainly do not speak to men to comfort :-nor should all their discourses be employed in this way. It is the doctrine of JESUS, of Jesus dying for our sins, and rising for our justification ;-Jesus shedding his love abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, filling us with the meek, holy, gentle mind that was in himself, that ever can be available to a sinner's conversion and comfort. From long experience I can testify, that preaching the dying love of Christ who bought us, is of more avail to convert sinners, comfort the distressed, and build up believers in their most holy faith, than all the fire of hell. For, as it

is possible to make void the law, through a lawless method of preaching faith; so it is possible to make void the gospel, by an unevangelized preaching of the law and its terrors. Let the law be used as God uses it ;-let it enter, that the offence may abound, and that sin may appear exceeding sinful: then, let the veil be taken away from off the face of the gospel, and let its heavenly splendours shine forth on the wretched.-Tell them, prove to them, that God is love; that he delights not in the death of a sinner; and that he wills all to be saved, and come to the knowledge of his truth-Let the sinner's astonished soul contemplate the fullest proofs, that even God himself could give of his willingness to save men, viz. the agony and bloody sweat, the cross and passion, the terrible death, and glorious resurrection of the Almighty Jesus!-Let him who prophesieth, show these to the vilest, the most profligate, and the most wretched of sinners, and then let them disbelieve the philanthropy of God, if they can.

"But," says one, "I am a sinner, condemned by the law of God, and condemned by my own conscience: for, having broken the law, I am under the curse." Granted. But the gospel proclaims JESUS; and Jesus SAVES sinners. "But I deserve no mercy." True: but the gospel speaks not of the merits of man, but of the merits of Christ.-It is because thou art a sinner that thou hast need of him : and hadst thou not been such, Jesus needed not to have died for thee.-Again it is because thou art a sinner, that thou hast a claim on his mercy; and that very thing (thy guiltiness) which thou conceivest to be an argument against thee, and an insuperable barrier to thy salvation, is an unanswerable argument in thy behalf; and an absolute proof, that if thou come unto him who died for thee, thou shalt not perish, but have everlasting life. In compassion to thy weakness, and to show thee that God is love, he hath promised thee life; and bound himself by his oath to fulfil the promise he hath made that through

these two immutable things: (his oath and promise,) in either of which it is impossible for God to lie, thou mightest have strong consolation, while fleeing to lay hold on the hope set before thee in the gospel. Thus, the testimonies of Christ encourage, and thus, he who prophesieth, speaketh unto men to comfort. Lord of the universe! what hast thou not done to save men? and yet, dreadful obstinacy! they will not come unto thee that they might have life.

After all, it is only Christ who can speak to the heart ;who can give the word of promise, its form, substance, and fulfilment, in the soul. To get this done, the teacher, as stated in the beginning of this discourse, must be a man of prayer, that he may bring the Spirit, as well as the word of Christ, into his public ministrations. Then, an unction will accompany his word, and all his hearers shall be evidences, that this teacher speaketh unto men. to edification, and to exhortation, and to comfort.

From what has been said, we may learn,

First, That every minister of God is divinely taught--is made wise to salvation himself, and filled with the Holy Ghost and with prayer.

Secondly, That he who receives the gospel, is translated from the kingdom of darkness, sin, folly, and error, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.

Thirdly, That the religion of Christ does not consist in a system of opinions, orthodox, or heterodox, but is a principle that edifies, that builds up the soul in knowledge and love—that takes sin from it, and adds holiness to it.

Fourthly, That the gospel unites God and man. It calls men to God, and brings God to men, that they may be of one spirit with him.

Fifthly, That in consequence of this union, men become partakers of the divine nature, escape the contagion that is in the world, and become truly happy, because they are completely holy.

Sixthly, That Christ and him crucified, is the grand

subject of evangelical preaching; and that nothing but his gospel, ever was, or will be, the power of God to the salvation of a lost world.

Lastly, That where there is a ministry by which men are not made wise unto salvation, saved from sin, and built up in holiness-united by the Spirit of Christ to the God of heaven, and made happy in his love; there, either the teacher, or the matter of instruction, is not of God: for, he who prophesieth, speaketh, (according to my text) to edification, and to exhortation, and to comfort.

Now unto God only, wise, gracious and good, be glory and dominion unto all ages, through Christ Jesus! Amen, and Amen.

Bristol, August 12, 1798..