ance forever, certain offerings, presented by the children of Israel; and styled this ordinance a covenant of Salt. "Let your speech," says the Apostle to the Colossians, "be always with grace seasoned with Salt ;" that is, with wisdom; referring, perhaps, to the pungency, with which observations, eminently wise and useful, affect the minds of those who hear them. Salt was also an emblem of several other things, which need not now be mentioned.

As the emblem of purity, Salt is chosen with singular propriety; on account of the peculiar power, which it possesses, of preserving all things, enclosed in it, or impregnated with it, in their sweet and natural state, and securing them from corruption and decay. This, however, it accomplishes only when possessed of its own proper and perfect nature. This it is capable of losing; and when it is lost, the Salt becomes useless. Mr. Maundrell, journeying in the valley of Salt, about fifteen or twenty miles from Aleppo, broke off a piece of this substance, from a small precipice, from which, the Salt was continually taken away by the inhabitants of the neighbouring country. This piece he found, though resembling perfect Salt, in its appearance, had yet, by exposure to the rain, air, and sun, entirely lost its savour; and speaks of it, as being the kind of Salt, intended by our Saviour, in the text.

This savour, or, as it is called by Christ, Mark ix, 50, saltness, is the property, which constitutes the only value of Salt; for, when this is lost, "it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men." It can no more be employed for human use; and is fit neither for the purposes of seasoning, or preserving, our food; nor indeed, for any of those ends, for which it was especially designed.

In the same manner, the purity of ministers is the foundation of all their usefulness; all the means of seasoning themselves and others; all the means of rendering themselves and their ministry acceptable, and useful, to mankind, and of preserving themselves and their hearers from corruption and ruin.

The purity of ministers may be advantageously considered, as internal, and in this sense, invisible except to the eye of God; or, as external, and visible to their fellow men, by manifesting itself in the life and conversation. It is my design, to consider it, particularly, in the latter sense. As we can never know the internal character, except by its manifestations; so it is plain, that it can, in no other manner, have any influence on the affairs of mankind. It must exist in the soul, or it cannot be manifested; it must be manifested, or it will not be useful. The importance, therefore, of this subject commends itself very forcibly, as well as immediately, to the mind; and demands the very serious attention of both ministers and their fellow men. Ministers cannot but see, that, in this sense, they are bound to "have Salt in themselves;" according to the command of Christ: their fellow men cannot but see, that they have a right to expect, and require, it at their hands.

My own views, concerning the purity of the ministerial character, in the sense specified, I shall endeavour to express, so far as the present opportunity will conveniently permit, under the following heads,

I. Purity of Preaching ;

II. Purity of Administrations; and,

III. Purity of Life.

I. Purity of Preaching includes the doctrines, which are preached; and the manner, in which they are preached.

1st. Purity of doctrine denotes, that the Gospel be faithfully and exactly preached.

If I were asked, what I intend by the Gospel in this observation, I should answer, that I intend the following doctrines, and others revealed in that sacred book, which in my view are inseparably connected with these.

That there is One, Self-existent, Infinite, and Perfect GOD. That all things were created, and are preserved, and governed, by him, according to his pleasure.

That the Law, by which he governs moral beings, is holy, just, and good; and requires them to "love him with all the heart, and their neighbour as themselves."

That "he, who doth these things, shall live in them; and that the soul which sinneth shall die."

That all mankind have sinned, "and are, by nature, children of wrath, being children of disobedience."

That Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is himself "over all, God blessed for ever, became flesh;" and "was set forth" by the Father, as a propitiation, to expiate the iniquities of mankind, by dying on the cross, that they might live:

That "he, who believeth on him, shall be saved; and that he, who believeth not, shall be damned:"

That "we are justified freely, by the grace of God, through Faith; and that" that Faith is "not of ourselves, but the gift of GOD:"

That the Faith of the Gospel is that, "which worketh by love :" That, except we repent, we shall perish.

That" without holiness no man shall see the Lord:"

That "those, who believe in God," are bound to "be careful to maintain good works :"

That "not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saves us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost ;" the Third Person in the glorious Trinity:

That the "Law is established" by the Gospel, and "not made void," and is, and ever will be, the rule of righteousness to all

men:

That God hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness" by Jesus Christ, and "reward every man, according to his works."

That all true penitents will be blessed forever. That the finally impenitent will be "punished with an everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power:"

That the Word of God, by its instructions, precepts, and ordinances, particularly by the ministry of the Gospel, is, in the hands of the Divine Spirit, made effectual to salvation.

These Doctrines, and others intimately connected with them, are in my view pure Doctrines of the Gospel.

Generally, the Gospel in its own proper, obvious meaning; the Gospel, allowed to speak its own sense, and not a sense devised for it with labour and contrivance; so as to make it conform to our pre-conceived opinions; is what I intend by purity of Doctrine. The things preached should ever be things really revealed. "Secret things belong to GOD." Things which are revealed, and only those, "belong to Man." By revealed things I intend not only such as are expressed; but also those which are clearly and certainly implied. Yet, as human reasoning is so commonly and so easily deceptive, especially when it is our own reasoning; I should always suspect such inferences, as are connected with scriptural declarations by any considerable course of arguments; and admit them, as scriptural doctrines, only with extreme caution. All that is really disclosed is to be admitted, as a doctrine of the Scriptures; and admitted in its own proper sense; and that indifferently, whether it accord with our opinions, or contradict them. "Let God be true, but every man a liar," is a sentence, which should rule in the mind of a minister, whenever he sits down to read the Scriptures. When he asks for the sense of a passage, he ought to remember, that the obvious meaning, if it have one, is ever to be prefered; that is, the meaning which is upon the whole obvious. It is a just remark of Doddridge, that that sense of the scriptures, which naturally strikes the minds of plain men, is, almost of course, the true one.

Ministers, more frequently than in any other way, trespass against Purity of Doctrine by preaching their own philosophical opinions; or opinions, derived from their own reasonings, and not from the Scriptures. This is often done from the love of novelty; often from the desire of preserving consistency in our own system of doctrines; often from reverence for the opinions of others; and, probably almost always, with a persuasion, that what we preach is true, and must be scriptural. But, as man could not make a system of Divinity at first; so it is plain, that he cannot mend the system, which God has made, A Minister, therefore, will ever act prudently, in being satisfied not to be "wise above that which is written." Almost all heretics have VOL. II. 65

been ingenious and philosophical men; and were themselves ensnared, and ensnared their disciples, in the manner which I am reprobating. If a Minister can, like the Apostles, prefix, or subjoin, It is written, to his opinions, and his Preaching; he will be safe himself, and will usually convince and satisfy his hearers.

Young men are commonly in peculiar danger from this source. As we advance in years, we naturally lose a part of the boldness, ardour, and high sense of intellectual independence, which are apt to prevail in the youthful mind. We are, also, compelled to see how regularly human systems of Theology, though often admired and believed for a time, lose their evidence, and their influence; and are ultimately regarded as splendid play-things, fitted only to amuse and deceive; while we are, also, more and more convinced, that "the foundation of GoD standeth sure; and that every word of God is pure, and endureth forever."

2dly. Purity of Manner denotes the following things.

That the scheme of preaching, as to the sentiments, style, and utterance, be simple and direct; springing from a sense of the importance of the Preacher's business, and an earnest desire to accomplish it as perfectly as may be; expressive of a high sense of the great end, for which the Preacher enters the Desk; viz. to instruct, and move, his audience; and in this way to persuade them to repentance and reformation:

That it be clear and intelligible; exhibiting doctrines thoroughly distinguished, and strongly supported, in plain, obvious language; and happily disclosed by a judicious chosen method, and easy illustration:

That it be solemn; suited to the amazing solemnity of the subject, and the end of preaching; to the occasion on which, and the assembly before whom he appears; to the design of the Sabbath, and the venerable character of the Sanctuary:

That it be fervent; fitted to the benevolent, interesting, and glorious design of rescuing mankind from the bondage of corruption. He, who is not interested on such an occasion, belies his office; he, who is interested, and at the same time persuades others by a cold and heartless manner of preaching, that he is not.