very time that he was explaining to them his public discourses.
In the parable before us he suggests the duty,
I. Of those who preach the Gospel —
The Gospel is a light in the midst of a dark world —
[The world lietli in utter darkness : nor has it any means of discovering the way of acceptance with God, but by the Gospel of Christ. Something of God may be learned from the visible creation : and reason may discover many things that are proper to that relation which we bear to God and to each other : but nothing can be known of Christ, nor can any means of reconciliation with God be devised, by unenlightened reason. It is in the Gospel only that the Saviour is exhibited, and that all the things belonging to our peace are fully revealed. Hence the word of the Gospel is represented as a light shining in a dark place3, and as that light to which the whole world must be indebted for life and salvation b.]
It is the duty of ministers to preach this Gospel,
1. With fidelity- fit is not sufficient to amuse the people with moral essays,
or with dissertations that shall display our own learning. We must preach Christ crucified. We must " determine to know nothing else among our people c." We must never omit any opportunity of setting before men that " light which God has sent into the world." We may indeed, yea we must, use discretion in our method of dispensing the Gospel, lest by an injudicious declaration of the truth we injure those whom it is our desire to benefit*1: but, in this, we must be actuated, not by worldly policy or the fear of man, but solely by a love to the souls of our fellow-creatures. When no such necessity imposes a restraint, we must declare the whole counsel of Gode.]
2. With perseverance —
[As a man should not substitute any thing else in the place of the Gospel, so neither should he withdraw from the engagements he has solemnly entered into to preach the Gospel f. Neither political ambition, nor worldly care, can ever justify a man in intermitting, much less in vacating, the para- mount duties of the ministry g: not even sickness itself is any excuse for neglecting to employ the strength we have in the
a 2 Pet. i. 19. >> Isai. lx. 1—3. c 1 Cor. ii. 2.
d Johnxvi. 12. 1 Cor. iii. 1, 2. Heb. v. 11, 14.
e Acts xx. 20, 27.
f Lev. xxvii. 28. with Luke ix. G2. 1 Cor. ix. 1C, 17.
s 2 Tim. ii. 3, 4.