hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou, that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" Here Paul stated or explained his subject, proved his subject, and answered the most plausible objection that could be made against it.

Paul taught the doctrine of total depravity, and proved it, by plain and conclusive reasoning. He first proved this doctrine from a long and particular account of the character and conduct of all the heathen world, and then from the authority of the old testament, in which the total depravity of the Jews is plainly asserted. He says, "What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved, both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin; as it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one," &c.

When Paul preached to the Jews and Greeks at Thessalonica, he undertook to prove, that Christ had come into the world, suffered, and died, and risen from the dead. This is related in our text and context. "And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath-days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, opening and alleging," that is, explaining and proving," that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead: and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. Paul, in his preaching, not only asserted, that Christ was the long expected and promised Messiah, that he had suffered and died, and that he had risen from the dead, but he proved these points, and so demonstrated, that Christ was the only and all-sufficient redeemer.

In treating on the resurrection and future state of the righteous, Paul reasoned with great perspicuity and energy. Some of the Corinthians denied this doctrine, which made it necessary to prove it, which he did in this long and forcible train of reasoning. "Now if

Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you, that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God, that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised. And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins." He goes on in this strain till he starts and answers an objection. "But some men will say, how are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die. And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain; it may chance of wheat, or some other grain. But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body." Finally he says, "This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruption shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. Thus philosophically and scripturally the apostle reasoned upon the resurrection of the body, and the immortality of the soul.

When Paul preached before Felix, "he reasoned" so plainly and forcibly "of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, that Felix trembled." Immediately after he was converted and baptized, he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the son of God, and reasoned so clearly and conclusively on the subject, that he confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. After he came from Athens to Corinth, and found a certain Jew named Aquila, he abode with him there. And we are told, that he there "reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks." He continued preaching in this manner to the Corinthians

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a year and six months; but at length he came to Ephesus, where he entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews, in his publick discourses, "speaking boldly for the space of three months, disputing and suading the things concerning the kingdom of God." I trust, it now appears evident to every one, that Paul usually reasoned in his preaching, and fairly proved the truth of the important doctrines, which he publicly taught and inculcated. I now proceed to show,

II. Why he made it his common practice to prove the doctrines, upon which he treated. He did not adopt this mode of preaching because he supposed it would be the most pleasing to his hearers, nor because he was not capable of preaching in a more agreeable manner: But,

1. Because he meant to preach the gospel plainly and intelligibly to persons of all characters and capacities. He says to the Romans, "I am a debtor, both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians, both to the wise, and to the unwise." And he says to the Corinthians, "Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech, or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit, and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God." The Apostle very well knew, that in order to preach the great, the deep, and important doctrines of the gospel plainly and intelligibly to all descriptions of men, it was necessary to explain those doctrines, that they might be clearly and distinctly understood; and in the next place, to prove them to be true; that they might be believed; and in many cases, to answer objections, that the mouths of gainsayers might be stopped. All preachers ought to be teachers, and all teachers find it necessary to explain and prove

what they teach, and to remove all objections, which naturally occur to the minds of those they teach. It is impossible to preach the gospel so as to be clearly and easily understood, without explaining particular doctrines and distinguishing one from another; and it is no less impossible to lead men to believe any particular doctrine after it is explained, without producing plain and powerful arguments in support of it, and removing every plausible objection against it. The Apostle knew, that men are reasonable creatures, and capable of perceiving the force of plain reasoning, and therefore he made it his common practice, to address the understandings of his hearers, and to prove the doctrines he taught, that they might believe them upon just and solid ground. He positively declared, "In the church, I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." He made a point of preaching argumentatively, for the important purpose of preaching plainly and intelligibly.

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2. He commonly proved the doctrines he taught, because he meant to preach profitably, as well as plainly. He often assigns this good reason for his preaching so sentimentally and argumentatively. He solemnly declares to the elders of Ephesus, that he had meant to preach to them profitably, or in a manner best calculated to promote their spiritual and eternal good. He says " ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God." He declared to the Corinthians, that "he had not sought his own profit, but the profit of many, that they might be saved. For we are not as many, who corrupt the word of God; but as of sincerity, but

as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty; not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." The Apostle knew, that it was entirely out of his power, by preaching, to change, or sanctify the hearts of his hearers. This he freely acknowledged. "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase." But yet he knew, that by preaching the truth plainly and convincingly, he should certainly do God, if not man, service. He says "Now thanks be to God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other, the savour of life unto life." All that preachers have to do, is to pour light into the understanding, and conviction into the conscience, by the manifestation of divine truth. It is only through the medium of the understanding and the conscience, that preachers of the gospel can reach and affect the hearts of the hearers. But in this way, they can deeply affect them, and prove greatly instrumental, in saving, or destroying them. It is of as much importance, therefore, that they should in their preaching approve themselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God, as if they could change his heart. Accordingly, the Apostle made it his practice, by lucid explanation, plain reasoning, and solid arguments, to exhibit the great and essential doctrines of the gospel before the understanding and consciences of men, in the clearest and strongest light; because he knew, that this was the most profitable mode of preaching, and would certainly produce some important ef fects under a divine influence, and such as would be