preach Christ and him crucified. This is the tree of life; its leaves heal the nations; its fruit heals the soul. You are preachers of the Gospel; not political progressionists. You are not sent forth with the burden of national and social grievances on your tongue. You are to tell the story of redeeming love, the placability of the great King to rebellious man, liberty to the captives, deliverance from the power of darkness, the great jubilee for souls. But as this Gospel wins its way, it also sets the political and social captives free. It is slowly but certainly breaking every human fetter; it is mouldering the bulwarks of every despotic throne; it is breaking the iron handle of every tyrannic sceptre. Its history is one long, resolute triumphant struggle with cruelty and woe; it is unremittingly producing, slowly but surely, the civil and social regeneration of the world. By the preaching of the everlasting Gospel you are to seek to save men-to save souls from death. This you are to do for the glory of God and the sake of Jesus Christ,. Men are in a lost condition. They are lost on earth; lost in the darkness of sin; lost in the guilt of sin; lost in the corruptions of sin; lost in the degradations and miseries of sin. Lost on earth; lost in death: if not saved, they must be lost for ever. Seek to save them. Deliver them from going down to the pit, snatch them as brands from the burning. They are very precious; none can tell their value. Gold, all the gold of earth, is a trifle to one soul; precious stones are mere baubles to souls; wide-spread domains are as dust and ashes, compared to souls; gem-built mansions, resplendent palaces; diadems and thrones, are as dung and dross to souls. The widespread realms of material nature, were they composed of sapphires and diamonds, would be as vanity of vanities to souls. Souls are perishing. Myriads of souls are perishing; millions are passing on into the retributive and eternal state. Brethren, your work is to strive, in dependence on the aid of the Holy Ghost, to save them, to bring them to Jesus, to deliver them from going down to the pit, to give them the light of the knowledge of God, to point them to the Lamb of God, to quench the brands in Jesus' blood, to save them from death, to gather them to the Shepherd and Bishop of souls: then to watch them when in the fold, to keep that flock,to feed the church of God, to keep the house of God. But time would fail to tell all your work in the church, in the congregation, in families, in the open air, in villages, in hamlets, in towns, in cities, in this country, or in any other part of the world whither God and his people may send you. FIRST. To do your work, strong and increasing faith, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ as your own Saviour and the Saviour of the world, will be essentially requisite. Never look from him as your hope and strength, as the hope and strength of men. Let him increasingly fill the vision of your soul. Seek to see him more clearly every hour as your Brother and your God; your instructor and your example; your strength and your Redeemer; your Priest and your Mediator; your final Judge and great reward: and as sustaining all these high relationships in such plenitude that he can become to every man what he is increasingly to you. Look to him; rely on him; shelter in him; build on him; strive to bring all men to him. In his name assail every stronghold of evil; in his name attempt to save all men. His name is above every name; he is always with you: you cannot fail in reliance on his name. Be strong in the faith of him. In the pulpit look to him; in your missionary operations, in the open air, stand stedfast in him; in your disciplinary operations in the church, keep sheltered in him; in your ministerial family visitations, remember that he is always with you. As often as convenient, from house to house, testify repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. One grand source of success is constant dependence on him. The history of Primitive Methodism and of every successful evangelical denomination substantiates this. SECOND.-Prayerfully and confidently rely on the aid of the Holy Spirit. Rest not without the assurance and demonstration that you preach the Gospel with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. Live in the Spirit; bring forth the fruits of the Spirit. Believe God will give the Holy Ghost to glorify the name of Jesus, whom ye preach. You are ministers of the dispensation of the Spirit. Be filled with the Spirit; be importunate in prayer for the descent of the Holy Ghost. The promise is to you. Take hold of the strength of God. God has given the Spirit to his church. The Pentecostal baptism was not an ultimate, but a pattern transaction. The Spirit shall be poured out from on high; there shall be showers of blessing. Many a humble, prayerful, believing man has been endowed with power from on high; the weak have been made strong. You are called of God. He sends you not a warfare in your own strength. Be ye strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Ask and receive that your joy may be full. Be clothed with power. God bestows the power. Rest not without it. You have nearness of access to God. He is able to do for you far more exceeding abundantly than ye can either ask or think. Whatsoever ye ask in the name of Jesus, God will give. Believe that he will give you the Holy Spirit. Dare to be resolute in his presence; tell the Almighty that you will not let him go except he bless you. Be anxious about results. Rest not at ease, saying, I have done my duty, and results must be left with God. Give God no rest till Jerusalem is made a praise in the earth. THIRDLY. Dishonour not God, weaken not your own souls, frustrate not the high purposes of your ministry, by doubting, in "All Scripture any measure, the inspiration of the sacred volume. is given by inspiration of God." " Holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." "God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past to the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son." Distinctly and emphatically is it declared that God inspired the writers of the Bible. Let no sophistry pervert your faith in this doctrine. Honour God by believing his avowals. Any lurking scepticism respecting this will weaken your ministerial energies, and prevent you growing up to the full stature of the measure of a man, as preachers of the Gospel of God. FOURTHLY. Cultivate increasing affection to the Saviour of the world, to the immortal souls which he has redeemed, to the Church which he has purchased with his own blood, and to your work in the Church of your choice. Ever be able to address the Redeemer, and say, O Lord, Thou knowest all things, Thou knowest that I love. Thee. Keep yourselves in the love of God. Let the love of Christ constrain you. This affection must increasingly absorb, captivate, transform you. It must be the master passion of your soul; it must inspire your thoughts, subordinate your will, control your imagination, sit enthroned in your heart. Its renovating force must more and more hold you in the indestructible bonds of willing captivity. "We love him because he first loved us." "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." Love the souls for whom your Saviour, by the grace of God, tasted death. He taketh away the sin of the world. If you love Jesus, you will learn to love and live for souls as he did. He gave himself for us, not because we pleased him; nay, we grieved him, but he loved us. Not because we served him; nay, we dishonoured him, but he loved Not because we besought his affection and interposition; nay, we departed from and forgat God, but he loved us. Not because of our subordination to his claims and acquiescence with his purposes; nay, we were haters of God, but he loved us. And his love to us must be the rule of our love to souls whom he loved and redeemed. Brethren, let the love of Christ constrain you, till you can continually say, "I would the precious time redeem, And longer live for this alone,-- Travail in birth for them, till Christ be formed in them. Love the Church of Christ. Say respecting it as Jehovah says, "This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell, for I have desired it." You belong to the whole Church; the Church belongs to you. But especially, by your own confession and high decision, you consecrate yourselves to the Primitive Methodist denomination of the Church of Christ. It may not be out of the range of propriety in the midst of this solemn service, distinctly and emphatically to avow a deep sense of increasing affection for the Church of my youthful election, growing and supreme preference to its arrangements and operations, and a fixed and holy resolve to exert all my energies in renewed diligence to the accomplishment of its purposes. We believe that the God of all grace has wisely left the detail of Church discipline very greatly a matter of choice and adaptation. This opinion is growing; we doubt not that ultimately it will gain the general assent of Christians. Christ is the head, the only supreme president of the Church. All Christians are brethren. The ascendant, binding, assimilative principle of the Church in heaven and in earth is love. There are diversities of gifts and of operations. The Bible is the creed and statute book of the Church. It reveals the great principle, and intimates the great practice, of Church discipline, brotherhood, and work, viz., love. It leaves no place for lordship. It gives ample scope for adaptation and work. Primitive Methodist arrangements, organization, and rules, we believe, generally harmonise with this our avowed faith. The more the Church of your choice is known, the more will it receive the approval, not to say the reception, of the thoughtful and pious amongst men. We FIFTHLY. Let your aim be single. I do not say be exclusive. Primitive Methodism is denominational, but not exclusive. arrogate no superior pretensions; we seek to do the work of Christ in the name of Christ. Various other denominations of Christians are labouring to do the same work in the same great name, according to their own denominational course of procedure. We are, brethren, in the midst of them; joyfully fraternize with them. Fraternity, equality, liberty, in these things may most appropriately be your motto. But like the apostle say, "This one thing I do," and let that be your own Primitive Methodist ministerial work. Attempt not to ape the peculiarities of some other ministry. Let your eye be single. Never think of any other sphere of work. Pursue a straightforward, manly, Christian course. SIXTHLY. Never attempt the completion of your work, or the discharge of your duties by fits and starts. You will be beset with numerous and potent temptations to irregularity in your modes of procedure. But resolve to do successful battle with the huge difficulties of your calling. Regularly and constantly, so far as practicable, toil on in all the departments of your laborious and perplexing sphere. In humble dependence on God, cultivate and develope the principles of order and harmony. Do not be tempted sometimes to aspire to the eagle's majestic flight and at other times to imitate the whining sloth. "Be stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." SEVENTHLY. Be zealous in your work. Arduously pursue your course. You must either keep progressing in harmony with the essential laws of your nature and the ordinances of your elevated position, or recede into listlessness, confusion, ruin. Were the ocean to become stagnant it would become a reservoir of death; were the planets to cease to roll they would be hurled from their spheres; were creation to recoil from its multitudinous activities, it would rush back to primeval chaos. Similar laws and principles are in perpetual and universal operation, in every department of material and intellectual existence. Would you fulfil your commission, and attain to the peerless and triumphant destination of faithful ministers of Jesus Christ, you must be ardent, resolute, fiery, well-regulated spirits. Your The most zealous being that ever tabernacled in a house of clay in this life was the meek, the humble, the loving, the resolute Jesus of Nazareth. Be ye conformed to his image; cultivate his mind; walk in his footsteps. Work the work of him that sent you. The zeal of his Father's house did eat him up. There was no bluster in his zeal; his zeal manifested no spasmodic effort; his zeal evinced no petulant impatience; his zeal broke out in no wailings of unmanly complaint; his zeal was not erratically periodic, like the tornado, but calm, majestic, constant, like the deep perennial river. He never ceased to toil; he went about doing good; he was always about his Father's business. He was straitened till the work was done, the battle fought, the victory won. Ye are to be like him; ye are his servants, followers, brethren. There is plenty to humble you in your condition. facilities for the demanded acquirements of your position are very limited; huge obstructions assail your career; illimitable issues attend your transactions. Who is sufficient for these things? Yet there is abundance to console, animate, strengthen, ennoble you. He that is for you is more than all that can be against you. The great Captain of your salvation has successfully battled with all the fiery forces of evil in this region of rebellion and death. He overcame for you; hear you his animating voice and follow him. He says, "My grace is sufficient for you. My strength shall be made perfect in your weakness. To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me on my throne." He is not a hard taskmaster. He loved me and gave himself for me. you to triumph. You shall be more than conquerors. If ye suffer with him ye shall also reign together with him. When he shall appear in glory, then shall ye also appear in glory with him. Ye shall be like him, for ye shall see him as he is. He can cause T. S. |