ity of sin, but the awful evil and condemnable guilt of sin. [SN:
Rom. vii. 13.] But then it is a thing to be regretted (and corrected)
when the Pastor's preaching is _always and only_ concerned with the
urgent need, and wonderful provision, for the pardon and acceptance of
the believing sinner. I dare to say it is impossible that such preaching
should be permanently, or even long, interesting and attractive, and
this because of the nature of the case.

*PREACH PARDON, BUT MORE ALSO.

Man's fallen and sinful soul needs pardon unspeakably, and always, but
it needs it as a means to an end; and that end is nearness to God,
conformity to Him, power to do His blessed will as His servant for ever.
For this same great end the soul needs, even in the range of truths
which are of the order of means, to learn more than the glorious
_rudiments_ of forgiveness. It needs to know something of the heavenly
Offices of the once Crucified One: His Mediation, Suretyship, and
Intercession; His Priesthood; His Royalty; His Headship. In Him lie
stored the divine treasures with which our _whole_ extent of need is to
be met. And the preacher who would permanently attract his people, by
bringing out of his storehouse things eternally old and new, must seek
and pray to preach Christ fully.

CHRIST FOR US AND IN US.

To some devoted men it seems impossible not to be always preaching the
glory of "Christ _for_ us"; others can never leave the precious theme of
"Christ _in_ us." But if they are not missioners, but pastors, they will
assuredly find that a _permanent_ attraction can only be secured by
doing what the Word of God does--setting forth _both_ glorious sets of
truths in fulness, in harmony, and in application to the realities of
sin and of life.

So we have thought awhile about attractive preaching. Need I say again
what the sort of attractiveness is which I have in view? It is indeed,
on the surface, attraction to the church, attraction to the sermon; but
its whole inner purpose is an attraction which neither church nor sermon
can in the least degree cause, but which the Eternal Spirit, sovereign
and loving, can cause through them--an attraction to Jesus Christ, in
true repentance, living faith, genuine surrender, and patient, happy
service.

"_Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim,
And publish abroad His wonderful Name;
The Name all victorious of Jesus extol,
His kingdom is glorious and rules over all._

"_Then le