represented under the similitude of a householder, who has to provide for a large family. Such a one will take care to have a stock of provisions on hand for their supply, to which he will be continually adding those things which he judges needful or useful. Thus the people would depend on the Apostles and other ministers of Christ as stewards of the mysteries of God, who were appointed to dispense to them the bread of life. They should, therefore, carefully treasure up in their understanding and heart, what they had learned; and add to their fund of knowledge continually, by deriving fresh instruction from what they see, hear, and experience. Then they would be able to bring forth old truth, with new observations, illustrations, and exhortations; and to lead the people forward in knowledge, as they made progress themselves. In accordance with these remarks, the apostle Paul addresses his Corinthian brethren in the following terms: Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. Thus we are reminded, That they ought to be diligent, who have not only to be wise for themselves, but to dispense the wisdom of God to others.

These introductory observations serve to show that by the term seribe, is to be understood a minister of the gospel. But to be qualified for this important office and station, a man must be taught of God, by having his heart renewed by his holy Spirit, and his understanding richly stored with the manifold truths of divine revelation. Moreover, such a one will bring forth from his extensive store of knowledge, things both new and old, to the people of his stewardship. One great object in his studies and researches, will be to have variety in his instructions.

In the prosecution of the present subject, my design is to exhibit some of the encouragements, and show how important it is that ministers of the gospel

hold forth variety as a prominent trait in their publick discourses. But, while at the threshold, let me remark, that I am not presuming to give directions to those men whose eminent piety, experience, profound erudition, or elevated stations, have rendered them highly venerable. Let me freely confess as it respects my own character as a sinner, or as to my christian walk, I feel myself the least worthy of the ministerial office. Notwithstanding, a humble hope is entertained that the present discourse will prove profitable to both saints and sinners, and even to some in the gospel ministry.

Then let me not waive the point in view; but let it be freely granted, that the kingdom of God is sufficiently large to produce materials for subjects new as well as old; not only for one, or for ten years, but for the longest period of our mortal existence. In general, the field is as vast as the works of creation, providence, and redemption, which God has made known to man; and ideas and motives may be presented as varied and interesting as can be drawn from heaven, earth, and hell. The Lord has not limited those who are called to preach his word, as it respects means of knowledge and excellent attainments; but he has made rich provision and given ample scope for the continued enlargement of all the human faculties, and the improvement of ministerial gifts and talents. As their station is an elevated and important one, which must be supported by a rich treasure and increasing revenue, so an extensive, an unbounded field is furnished to yield copious and permanent supplies. And if any are straitened, it cannot be for the want of means and diversity of objects; but because they will not arise to take an extensive view of the kingdom of God.

It is sometimes observed, that ministers of the gospel should be dismissed from the people of their charge, to take the oversight of some other congregation; and the reason assigned is expediency: as

though they had exhausted the fund of theology, of mental instruction, and Christian edification. Six, or ten years at most, are deemed the extent, that one man should continue steadily as the pastor of any church. But why? Are there not a sufficient variety of interesting texts in both the old and new Testaments? Or has not the Lord provided resources manifold to that extent, that they can be illustrated with variety of manner, of observations, of similitudes, and with a newness of interest? Surely in these there can be no lack, no deficiency. A steward may not be devoted to the service of his master; and hence, imagine he comes short of accomplishing his work: notwithstanding for his delinquency he is to be blamed. But if he be really unable to give himself wholly to his work, he is entitled to pity and compassion. The probable reason, however, why there is a want of variety in the sermons of many, is that they have viewed the study of theology as a science of a very limited range. They do not take an extensive survey of that wide and divine field which is presented before them. They do not well consider how intimately connected is the economy of nature with the economy.of redemption; and that it is the same God, that contrived the system of nature, who is also the author of eternal salvation to all that love and serve him. But it is unquestionably unbecoming for a divine, or for any man, to overlook or to undervalue any of the modes, by which the divine Being is pleased to make known his nature and perfections to mankind.

If we consider the system, or study of theology in its most extensive sense, in its relations to the supreme Being, to his past and present dispensations of the human race, to the present circumstances and future destiny of man, and to the physical and moral condition of all the sentient and intelligent beings of which we have any intimation, we must view it as the most varied and comprehensive of all the sciences; as it embra

ces within its compass all the other departments of useful knowledge both human and divine. All the moral arts and sciences may be considered as having a direct bearing on theology as the grand central point; and as having a certain tendency to promote its important objects. Religion rightly understood, never disdains to derive her supports and illustrations from the resources of science and the system of nature; for the investigations of philosophy into its economy, are only inquiries into the plans and operations of Deity. Moral philosophy especially, ought always to consider it as her highest honour to walk as a hand-maid in the train of that religion, which points out the path to eternal bliss. And it should not be considered as in opposition to true religion, nor in hostile array to vital piety; for philosophy and religion should march hand in hand to the portals of immortality. Geography and geology, history and chronology, anatomy and physiology, astronomy and philosophy, do all come within the province of the divine; for scriptural facts may be the more extensively illustrated from those arts and sciences, which serve to elucidate the works of God, exhibited in the system of nature. These subjects are highly favourable to the promotion of the important objects of religion, and they present materials, that ministers of the gospel may be neither barren, nor unfruitful; but always abounding in the work of the Lord, by bringing forth from their manifold and increasing treasure, things both new and old.

2d. Ministers of the gospel may be encouraged to introduce variety in their religious instructions, from the consideration that it is so well calculated to excite and interest the attention of their hearers. They are called to address intelligent beings, whether saints or sinners, who have capacities capable of enlargement and of great attainments. And the Lord has endued them with such active principles in the very constitution of their natures, as are most readily excited by new

subjects. The experience of every age, and the observations of every class of men, bear testimony to this fact, that novelty and variety are highly requisite in order to arouse the attention, not only of the more ignorant, but even of the more intelligent class of mankind, and to excite them to make progress in the path of moral and intellectual improvement. The principle of curiosity which appears at a very early period of life, and which the variegated scenery and novel objects of nature tend to stimulate and to gratify, instead of being depressed and decried as it relates to the things of religion, ought to be encouraged and cultivated in the minds both of the old and the young. It is a principle which God himself has implanted in our natures for wise and important purposes, and requires only to be chastened and directed in a proper channel, in order to become one of the most powerful auxiliaries in the cause of religion, and of moral and intellectual improvement. To gratify this principle, and to increase its activity, the Creator has adorned our globe with a combination of beauties and sublimities, strewed in endless variety over all its different regions. And as the system of nature in all its parts presents a boundless variety of scenery to arouse the attention and to gratify the desire for novelty, so the revelation of God contained in the sacred records, displays a diversified combination of the most sublime and interesting subjects and events. And as the scenes of nature and the scenes of revelation are thus wonderfully diversified, in order to excite the attention of intelligent beings and to gratify the desire for variety, so we have every reason to believe that the scenes, objects, and dispensations which will be displayed in the heavenly world, will be incomparably more grand and diversified. When we consider the immensity of God's universal kingdom, and the numerous systems, and worlds, and beings comprehended within its vast expanse; and that the ener