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little of the splendid genius of some other writers.1

1 I confess I cannot but regard this passage concerning the endowments of the apostle Paul with some distrust. If it be 'fashionable' to overrate his powers (a position which perhaps may be more true of his learning than of his talents,) yet surely he is here underrated. To speak only of energy' in Demosthenes must be far from doing justice to that great writer: and it would be the same, I think, to allow St. Paul to resemble him only in his energy. There is a grandeur of mind about them both, which is one of the highest qualifications. The apostle has an intellect which teems with great thoughts, and a soul which is ever warmed, and animated, and even glowing under the influence of them. Nor is this to be attributed only to his inspiration. In inspiring, the divine spirit evidently does not unmake the man: whence every sacred writer has his own peculiar character and style of composition. Indeed I am much mistaken, if fine specimens of most of the higher excellencies of writing, those which bespeak the man of talent and genius, are not to be found in St. Paul. What can surpass in pathos his charge to the Ephesian elders, Acts xx; and what in sublimity all the latter part of Rom. viii., (v. 18 to the end,) I Cor. xv. and 2 Cor. iv. v. and many other passages? What admirable address appears in many parts of his Epistles to the Corinthians, and in his replies to Festus, Agrippa, and others? What pointed and powerful application have we throughout the latter half of Rom. ii.: what elevated devotion in Eph. iii. 14-21: what lofty anticipation in 2 Tim. vi. 7, 8. Of his vehement and powerful argumentation no specimens need be adduced: it is allowed on all hands. A noble ardour breathes through all his compositions, and frequently it breaks forth in the finest strains. "I am "a debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the "wise and to the unwise, &c.: I am not ashamed of the gospel "of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation," &c. (Rom. i. 14, &c.) "Thanks be to God who always causeth "us to triumph in Christ," &c. (2 Cor. ii. 14, &c.) "O ye "Corinthians our mouth is opened unto you, our heart is en"larged," &c. (See 2 Cor. vi. throughout: also Phil. iv. 11-13.) What energetic and comprehensive conciseness is

In this indeed I may be wrong; but it is quite certain that the ministers of God in general are not men of very great learning or attainments, as to worldly matters. God never indeed sent a man on a message who was naturally incompetent to the delivery of it, and all means of study and improvement are to be diligently used; but our trust is not in the flesh; we claim no human ability or skill, but are content to be poor and lowly.

If there are two ministers, the one brilliant and admired, the other of inferior parts, but fervent devotion; the more pious man will on the whole be decidedly the most useful-and for this plain reason, that "the excellency of the power "is of God, and not of men."

Still, if we united all the wisdom of Solomon, with all the meekness of Moses, and all the courage and zeal of St. Paul; if we possessed, besides, all the talents and learning and powers

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found in many of his detached expressions, "To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." "Now we live, if ye stand fast in "the Lord."-On the other hand, in the calm and temperate style, where was ever a finer enumeration of specific qualities than in the description of Charity, 1 Cor. xiii.? or where a superior illustration of the rule, quicquid precipies, brevis esto, than Rom. xii. furnishes? What tenderness do very many passages exhibit! Phil. ii. 26, 27. iv. 1. &c. What a combination is there in one verse, Acts xxi. 13. Their " weeping" went near "to break "his heart," though he was "ready to die for the Lord Jesus." The observant reader will readily multiply instances. Indeed we cannot converse with St. Paul without feeling ourselves in the society of a superior spirit.-And of this no one was more sensible than the preacher of the sermon before us; though he here seems to me to have allowed too little to the apostle's natural genius.-J. S.

of persuasion-and, what is more, all the holiness and love to the Saviour of all the saints in every age; we might even yet well exclaim, "Who is sufficient for these things?"

III. I come now to shew, thirdly, The effect which these considerations should have, not to dismay us, but to humble us, and to teach us that our sufficiency is of God.

What we have been stating should not lead to despondency or distress, but should quicken us from our sloth and self-dependence, and shew us where our sufficiency must be, and excite us to diligence and prayer. You cannot derive your sufficiency from universities and schools of learning; nor, on the other hand, from an untaught genius which despises them. It is not the learning, nor the want of learning, which is dangerous in itself. It is the pride of learning, and the pride of talent, which form the disqualification: not the learning, but the pride of it. And accordingly those who have superior abilities and attainments have generally need of greater trials, sufferings, thorns in the flesh, messengers of Satan to buffet them, lest they should be exalted above measure. They are thus kept under by severe discipline.

Ministers are officers and soldiers of Christ; they lead on the army, and therefore are peculiarly the object of Satan's enmity and opposition. And God permits this state of temptation and difficulty, in order " to humble us and prove us," and also to teach us "to speak a word in season "to him that is weary,"

"Our sufficiency is of God" We must be

come as little children; we must "be fools, that "we may be wise;" we must sit down and learn at the feet of Christ, if we would teach others. A minister must be a learner himself as well as a teacher. He who is always spending and never collecting, will soon be a bankrupt. The more a minister teaches, the more he must learn of his Master; and this not only for a few years, but he must be a scholar in Christ's school all his life: he must be in the posture of one who says, 'Lord, 'I have no wisdom, I have no strength, I have no power in myself; supply me with all I need out ' of thy fulness!'

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A beautiful passage in one of our collects expresses exactly what I mean: Without whom ' nothing is strong, nothing is holy.' "The un"searchable riches of Christ" are our only resource. We want no other supply. We go not to schools of learning or philosophy. new revelation; we trust to no wild and enthusiastic spirit. We apply humbly to God alone, believing that he will supply all our need out of "his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

We want no

"Sufficient:" but for what? To be apostles and evangelists? No. We claim no miraculous powers, nor any extraordinary commission. We are ordinary, humble ministers of God's word. We pray to be sufficient for the quiet and retired duties of our country parishes, where most of us are placed. God gives each minister a sufficiency for the post to which he has called him. A man may be equal to a village church, and not to one in a populous town. Many ministers have erred wofully by forgetting this. They were humble,

and useful, and sufficient for their work in a retired situation; but the devil tempted them to discontent: they began to think they were buried alive, were lost, were in a situation below their talents they left their situation, and went up to London. God had not given them talents and grace for the new part to which he had not called them they lost their usefulness, and dwindled into insignificance. Discontent is a bad guide. Ministers should wait till they are first invited by others, and encouraged by the calmer judgment of their older friends, and not take hasty steps themselves.

We must simply aim at the glory of God, and continue labouring in our proper station, if we would hope that his grace will be sufficient for us. God will teach and support us day by day, week by week, and month by month. He will carry us on and support us through all, and will accept us in our work. The minister's motto should be, "I seek not your's, but you."

I have now to conclude with some practical addresses to the different classes of my hearers. I shall first address the congregation generally, and then my reverend brethren in the ministry.

1. I speak to my congregation. I shall not flatter you, my brethren, by telling you that I think you are all in the way to heaven. I do not think that half of you are in the way to it. Many will come and hear sermons, who have only "a "form of knowledge and of truth in the law," just as others have only "a form of godliness." Remember then, in proportion as your ministers