Why are you now indisposed? Because your hearts are opposed to repentance, and absorbed in "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life." At every future period, your opposition to Repentance will be stronger, and your absorption in the world and its lusts more entire. "Now, therefore, while it is called to day, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation."

You, with all men, condemn the procrastination of Felix ; but, while you condemn it, you act it over again. Where is he now? What would he give, what would he not give, to have the day return to him, in which Paul preached before him in so faithful a manner? His interest, under this preaching, was the same with yours, under the faithful preaching of your own ministers. Procrastination ruined him forever: continued, it will ruin you. Whenever, therefore, your preacher comes out to you with independent honesty, and sincere affection; and sets your sins and duties, your danger and safety, before you, in the strong light of the Gospel; whenever you, at the same time, acknowledging the truth and importance of all his solemn declarations, begin to postpone your obedience and salvation to a future day; let each of you recite to himself, When "Paul reasoned of Righteousness, Temperance, and Judgment to come, Felix trembled; and answered, Go thy way for this time, when I have a convenient season I will call for thee." Thus he acted, and perished. If I act in the same manner, I shall perish also.

Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

THESE words are a part of Christ's sermon on the mount; and immediately follow the Beatitudes. From the place, which they hold in this wonderful discourse of our Saviour, it will naturally be supposed, that they are of peculiar importance. They are addressed to his disciples; a considerable part of whom were afterwards apostles; and most, if not all, of the others, were ministers of the Gospel. It is, however, undoubtedly directed to all Christians, and is true of them all; but it is particularly applicable to Ministers of the Gospel; such as most or all of those were, to whom it was immediately addressed; and peculiarly to the apostles; who were ministers, in a higher sense than any others.

To these Ministers it is declared by the Redeemer, that they "are the salt of the earth." Salt, among the Hebrews, and, it would seem, among several other eastern nations also, was the emblem of purity, wisdom, and perpetuity. The Israelites were directed to offer Salt with all their offerings, as a symbol of the purity of mind, with which those offerings were to be made. In Numbers xviii. God gave to Aaron, and to his sons, by an ordin

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.