"Is not your theme too contracted? It is well to know Christ, but in all the varying scenes of life is it well not to know anything else? Will not the pulpit become wearisome if, spring and autumn, summer and winter, it confine itself to a single topic? We have known men preach themselves out by incessant repetitions of the scene at Calvary,--a scene thrilling in itself, and on that very account not bearing to be presented in its details, every Sabbath day. How much less will the varying sensibilities of the soul endure the reiteration of this tragic tale every day and at every interview! Such extreme familiarity induces irreverence. The Bible is not confined to this theme. It is rich in ecclesiastical history, political history, ethical rules, metaphysical discussion, comprehensive theology. It contains one book of ten chapters which has not a single allusion to God, and several books which do not mention Christ; why then do you shut us up to a doctrine which will circumscribe the minds of good men, and result in making their conversation insipid?" "Contracted!"--this is the reply--"and you consider this topic a limited one, whose height, depth, length, breadth, no finite mind can measure? Of what would you speak?" "We would speak of the divine existence." "But Christ is the 'I am.'" "We would speak of the divine attributes." "But Christ is the Alpha and Omega; He searcheth the reins and trieth the hearts of men; He is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever; full of grace and truth; to Him belong wisdom and power and glory and honor; of His dominion is no end. Of what, then, would you speak?" "We would speak of the divine sovereignty." "But Christ taught us to say: Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight--and He and His Father are one." "We would converse on the divine decrees." "But all things are planned for His praise who was in Christ, and in whom Christ was at the beginning." "We would discourse on electing love." "But the saints are elect in Christ Jesus." "We would utter many words on the creation of men and angels." "Now by our Redeemer were all things created that are in heaven and that are in the earth, visible and invisible." "We would converse on the preservation of what has been created." "Now Christ upholdeth all things by the word of His power. What would you have, then, for your theme?" "We would take the flowers of the field for our theme." "But they are the delight, as well as the contrivance of the Redeemer." "We would take for our theme the globes in space." "But they are the work of His fingers." "Then we would take the very winds of heaven for our theme, lawless and erratic as they are."