INTRODUCTORY DISCOURSE.

1 Cor. ix. 16.

Though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for neceffity is laid upon me ; yea, wo is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel.

OUR bleffed Saviour emphatically described the purpose of his ministry, when, applying to himself a remarkable prophecy of Ifaiah, he declared; "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, "because he hath anointed me to preach the

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Gospel to the poor." And he employed the fame appropriate expreffion, when, having delegated to the Apoftles the commission, which he had received from his Father, and having conferred upon them the gift of the Holy Ghoft, he bade them, "Go into all the world, "and preach the Gospel to every creature "."

Agreeable to the example and commandment of the Mafter was the conduct of the Apoftles: both of thofe, who received their

Luke iv. 18.

Mark xvi. 15.

B

commiffion at his hands, before he afcended; and of him, to whom a fimilar difpenfation was miraculously committed, after the afcenfion of Chrift. To the Jew firft, and afterwards to the Gentile, they were indefatigable in preaching the Gofpel: in the execution of this office, they confidered and reprefented themselves to be acting, as they really were, in obedience to the exprefs commands of God: they executed it, therefore, as a matter, not of choice, but of neceffity: not as a voluntary exercife, of the performance of which they might boast; but as a folemn task, by the omiffion or neglect of which they would be difgraced; not as a gratuitous undertaking, for which they might claim a recompenfe; but as a bounden duty, which it were criminal to relinquish. "Though I preach the Gofpel," fays St. Paul, in the energetic language of my text, "I have nothing to glory of: for neceffity is laid upon me; yea, wo "is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel.”

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Nor did they esteem themselves more bound to preach the Gofpel in general, than to preach it in its purity; uncorrupt, and unperverted. If difgrace and wo were to be their lot, fhould they neglect to preach it; an equal punishment appears to have been apprehended by them, if they departed from its fimplicity, and blended falfehood, or error, with the truth

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of Chrift. Such is the purport of the autho ritative fentence of the fame animated Apoftle. "Though we," he pronounces to his Galatian converts, "Though we or an angel "from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached 66 unto you, let him be accurfed" And, as if he were fearful that the fentiment would not be fufficiently impreffed upon his difciples, he deliberately repeats it in the following fentence with equal clearnefs and precifion: "As we faid before, fo fay I now again, "If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that which ye have received, let "him be accurfed."

Diftinguished from the first preachers of Chriftianity, inafmuch as they neither derive their commiflion immediately from Chrift, nor are empowered to confirm the word "by figns "and wonders, and mighty deeds," the fucceeding minifters of the Gofpel are yet on the fame footing with the Apoftles in a very important refpect. To them, in common with the Apostles, "a difpenfation of the Gospel is committed d." Neither felected from their brethren by the personal interpofition of Chrift on earth, nor called to be his minifters by the fpecial appointment of a voice from heaven,

• Gal. i. 8, 9.

d

1 Cor. ix. 17.

they have not their office impofed upon them -by that neceffity, which affigned to the Apoftles their more diftinguished stations. To undertake the miniftry of the Gospel is voluntary on the part of its preachers now. But when they have been once legitimately called and ordained to that miniftry, and have willingly taken upon themselves the duties which are annexed to it, it is then no longer matter of choice, whether or not they will be preachers of the Gofpel. As opportunities prefent themfelves of publishing the good tidings of falvation through Chrift, and of leading men to the knowledge of the truth in him, it is the duty of us, who are engaged in the miniftry, to be found active at our posts. "Our hand "is to the plough," and it is not permitted us to "look back." The fword of the Spirit is intrufted to us; and it is our bufinefs to wield it. Thus inlifted under the banner of Chrift, though we preach the Gofpel, we have nothing to glory of: for neceflity is laid upon "us; yea, wo is unto us, if we preach not "the Gospel."

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Like its first preachers alfo, we are bound to preach it in the fame purity, wherewith it hath been delivered to us fron, the fountain of light and truth. The will of God, which was

• Luke ix. 62.

revealed to the Apostles in general by the mouth of Chrift, and to St. Paul in particular by a more special difpenfation, is delivered down to us in authentic documents, written under the infpiration of the Holy Ghoft. From thofe documents the matter of our preaching is to be drawn; and wo unto us, if we preach any other Gofpel, than that which we have fo received.

Under thefe circumftances, no charge can be devised against the minifters of Chrift, of a more difgraceful or a more capital nature, than that they are not Preachers of the Gofpel. As therefore it is of fo grievous a character to those, against whom it may be directed, it proportionally becomes every man, who may be difpofed to advance it against any minifters of Chrift, to be well affured of the grounds, on which he advances it "Whereas they call us hereticks," obferved a learned apologift of the English reformation, "that is fo grievous a fin, that unless it can "be feen, unless it can be handled, unless it "can be grafped by the hands and fingers, it ought not easily to be believed of a Chriftian man f.

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Nam quod nos appellant hæreticos, eft illud crimen ita grave, ut nifi videatur, nifi palpetur, nifi manibus digi. iifque teneatur, credi facile de homine Chriftiano non debeat. Juelli Apologia. Enchiridion Theologic. vol. i. p. 200.