sympathetic feeling upon your hearers, and they will attend, as to one who speaks with spirit, demonstration, and power. Allow me, before I conclude, to caution you against some too prevalent mistakes upon this subject. There are methods sometimes used to fix the attention of an audience, it is hoped, with a design to their benefit, which are very different from preaching with power, and seldom produce any lasting effect upon a sensible hearer, but an unfavourable idea of the preacher. Beware of affecting the orator. I do not advise you to pay no regard to a just and proper elocution; it deserves your attention, and many a good sermon loses much of the effect it might otherwise produce, by an awkward and uncouth delivery. But let your elocution be natural. Despise the little arts by which men of little minds endeavour to set themselves off; they will blast your success, and expose you to contempt. The grand principle of Gospel oratory is simplicity. Affectation is displeasing in all persons, but in none is it so highly disgusting as in a preacher. A studied attitude, a measured motion, a nice attention to cadences and pauses, a mimicry of theatrical action, may be passable in the recital of a school declamation, but is hateful in the pulpit. Men never do, never can, speak thus, when they speak from the emotion of their hearts. How is it possible then for a man who professes to speak for God, who addresses himself to immortal souls, who discourses upon the most important subjects, the love of Christ, the joys of heaven, or the terrors of the Lord; how is it possible for this man to find leisure or disposition for such pompous trifling, if he really understands and believes what he says? The truly pious will weep for his ill-timed vanity. And if any seem pleased, it is chiefly because this manner of preaching seldom disturbs the conscience, for it cannot be expected that God will vouchsafe the testimony of his Spirit, even to his own truths, when the poor worm who delivers them, is visibly more solicitous for the character of an eloquent speaker, than for the success of his message. Sometimes vociferation seems to be considered as a mark of powerful preaching. But I believe a sermon that is loud and noisy from beginning to end, seldom produces much good effect. Here again, my friend, if you are happily possessed of simplicity, it will be a good guide. It will help you to adjust your voice to the size of the place or congregation, and then to the variations of your subject. When the explanation of the text and the application of the sermon are both in the same boisterous tone, I am led to consider it rather as a proof of the want of power than otherwise. It seems impossible for a preacher to be equally affected in every part of his discourse, and therefore, if he appears to be so, his exertion, in some parts at least, must be constrained and artificial, and this thought will often bring a suspicion upon the whole. Especially if his voice be as vehement in prayer as in preaching. We doubt not but if he were with the king, a certain composure and modesty of air, would indicate that he considered whom he was speaking to; and they who speak to God, would certainly give tokens of an awe upon their spirits, if they really felt it; very loud speaking is far from being a token of such a frame. At the best, very loud preaching is the effect of a bad habit; and, though it may be practised by good men and good preachers, I am persuaded it is neither sign nor cause of the word being received with power by the hearers. People are seldom, if ever, stunned into the love of the truth. There is another strain of preaching which, though it wears the garb of zeal, is seldom a proof of any power but the power of self. I mean angry and scolding preaching. The Gospel is a benevolent scheme, and whoever speaks in the power of it, will assuredly speak in love. In the most faithful rebukes of sin, in the most solemn declarations of God's displeasure against it, a preacher may give evidence of a disposition of good-will and compassion to sinners, and assuredly will, if he speaks under the influence of the power of truth. If we can indulge invective and bitterness in the pulpit, we know not what spirit we are of; we are but gratifying our own evil tempers, under the pretence of a concern for the cause of God and truth. A preacher of this character, instead of resembling a priest bearing in his censer hallowed fire taken from God's altar, may be compared to the madman described in the Proverbs, who scattereth at random firebrands, and arrows, and death, and saith, Am not I in sport? Such persons may applaud their own faithfulness and courage, and think it a great attainment that they can so easily and constantly set their congregation at defiance; but they must not expect to be useful, so long as it remains a truth, that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. But the limits of a letter constrain me to stop here, only adding my prayers and best wishes for your comfort and success. I am your sincere friend, QUESTION. What are the most obvious Causes, Symptoms, and Effects of a Decline in the Spiritual Life. BELIEVERS ELIEVERS are by nature, dead in trespasses and sins, even as others; but, by faith in the Son of God, they are made partakers of a new and endless life.They derive it from him; and he has said, “because I "live ye shall live also." But the life of this life, if I may so speak, its manifestation and exercise, is subject to great changes. A sick man is still alive, but he has lost the cheerfulness, activity, and vigour, which he possessed while he was in health. There are many persons, who, if they be, as we would hope, really alive to God, are at least sick, languid, and in a declining state. May the great Physician restore them! It is sometimes said, that the knowledge of a disease amounts to half a remedy; which will hold thus far in the present case, that unless we are sensible of our disorder and our danger, we shall not be heartily solicitous for a recovery. The causes and symptoms, or effects of such a decline, are very numerous, nor is it always easy to distinguish them, for they have reciprocal influence to strengthen each other. What may be assigned as the cause, in many cases, is likewise a proof that the plague is already begun; and the effects may be considered as so many causes, which render the malady more confirmed, and more dangerous. Among the many general causes, we may assign a principal place to error. I do not include every mis take or erroneous sentiment, which may be adopted or retained; but there are some errors which, for the suddenness and violence of their operation, may be compared to poison. Thus the Galatians, by listening to false teachers, were seduced from the simplicity of the Gospel; the consequence was, that they quickly lost the blessedness they had once spoken of. Poison is seldom taken in the gross; but, if mingled with food, the mischief is not suspected until it is discovered by the effect. Thus they who are unhappily employed in poisoning souls, generally make use of some important and salutary truth, as a vehicle by which they convey their malignant drug into the minds of the unweary. Perhaps they speak well of the person and atonement of Christ, or they exalt the riches and freedom of divine grace, while under the veil of these fair pretences, they insinuate prejudices against the nature or necessity of that holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Others speak strongly in general terms in favour of personal holiness, but their aim is to withdraw the heart from a dependence upon the Saviour's blood, and the influences of his holy Spirit, without which the most studied exactness of conduct, differs no less from the holiness of the Gospel, than a picture or a statue, or a dead carcass, differs from a living man. Whoever is thus prevailed upon, in the great and essential points of Scriptural doctrine, to separate, in his judgment and experience, those things which God has joined together, is already infected with a disease in its own nature mortal, and his religion, unless the Lord mercifully interposes, will degenerate into either licentiousness or formality. We live in a day when too many are tossed to and fro, like ships without helm or pilot, by various winds of doctrine; and therefore they |