of King Charles.* But the theological authority of this curious document, issuing from King Charles's court, is reduced to a minimum; and its universal observance at the time when religion was at the lowest ebb among the clergy, would have been a woful calamity to this nation. For how much less calculated for instruction would have been extempore addresses from unpractised and unspiritual men, than written compositions, which might have embodied some useful substance from extrinsical resources. Besides, may not this charge be applied in some instances to the extemporary system? May not indolence render the mind (with a tolerable fluency of utterance) unwilling to burden itself with the labour of thinking out important matters? Bishop Stillingfleet complained in his day, 'There is got an ill habit of speaking extempore, and a loose and careless way of talking in the pulpit, which is easy to the preacher, and plausible to less judicious people.'† In both cases it would be admitted to be the abuse, but both systems are evidently liable to abuse. The same writer somewhat boldly states, that a man who is not capable of preaching extemporaneously, is not fit for the Ministry-being not "apt to teach." I But would not this supposition have disqualified Moses from his divine commission, which, though not identical with the work of preaching, yet comprised a considerable portion of instruction, and would have been much commended by fluency of utterance? Had God deemed it indispensable for His work, He could as easily have supplied that deficiency, rather than have compensated * Appendix to Dr. Buchanan's Sermon on the Eras of Light, and Kichmond's Life, p. 157. † Duties and Rights of the Parochial Clergy, p. 30. for it by extrinsical help.* When therefore the heart is right, and the indications of the will of God clear, why may not the deficiency be similarly provided for by extrinsical resources? The opponents never advert to the very frequent reason for the adoption of written sermons-concession to the temper and prejudices of our people. It seems incurring a fearful responsibility, if any of our people should withdraw from our Ministry, on account of offence taken upon this ground. "The offence of the cross" respects the matter, not the mode, of our Ministrations; and this, be it remembered, is the only offence that is unconnected with personal responsibility. The principle of "becoming all things to all men,"† surely extends to every particular of the mode of address, though not to one particle of the fundamental matter; and if the Apostle Paul was accustomed to speak from the immediate impulse of his mind, it is hard to believe, that he who felt himself "a debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise," would not have used a written composition to either of these classes, had it been necessary to answer his great end. Few would doubt the consistency of Henry Martyn's concession to the offence that was taken by his Indian congregation, at his extempore preaching-saying, that he would give them a folio sermon book, if they would receive the word of God on that account.'§ Nor is the propriety of conformity to established usage doubted, in the occasions of conciones ad clerum, whether in University, Cathedral, or Visitation Pulpits, and where the appendage of a written composition might be made *Exod. iv. 10-16. † 1 Cor. ix. 22. the vehicle of statements as faithful and as important, as had been usually delivered by the preacher through a more free medium. The Writer, therefore, fully accords with Archbishop Secker's View of the question-' After all, every man, as the Apostle saith on a different occasion, hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, another after that. Let each cultivate his own, and no one censure or despise his brother.'* This was Mr. Robinson's judgment of the matter-who with a decided preference for extempore preaching in his own case, taught his people to relish either; and to consider book or no book, as one of those circumstantials, in the fulfilment of the ordinance, which was of secondary, or rather of no moment.' The conscientious Minister, therefore, will decide according to the best knowledge of the nature of his situation, the temper of his people, the character and suitableness of his individual talentwhich mode is most adapted in his own case to subserve the grand purpose of his work. Perhaps upon a clear evidence of a general preference of extempore preaching with his own congregation, it might be his duty to attempt it—but in his ultimate decision the advice of one or more of his discerning brethren might be called in with special advantage. *Charges, pp. 290, 291. Vaughan's Life of Robinson, p. 324. CHAPTER VI. THE SPIRIT OF SCRIPTURAL PREACHING. A THOUGHTFUL study of the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, will convey the best illustrations of this subject. Our Lord's Ministry furnishes the perfect exemplification, of which the Apostolic Ministry exhibited a close detailed imitation; and therefore, as intrusted with the same commission, opposed by the same hindrances, and encouraged by the same promissory engagements with the first Ministers of the Christian Church, an attentive consideration of their spirit must be replete with most important instruction and support. A few leading particulars may be specified, which may be filled up with advantage even in the most contracted sphere of the Christian Ministry. SECTION I. BOLDNESS-THE SPIRIT OF SCRIPTURAL PREACHING. OUR Lord's pungent addresses to the Scribes and Pharisees, exhibit the boldness of Christian Ministrations. The same spirit in the Apostles was unaccountable upon human calculations,† and confounded their judges to their face. Such was the spirit of Paul before Felix§-a prisoner on his trial for life—" no man * See Matt. xxiiį, † Acts. ii. 13. Į Acts iv. 13. See the power that rested upon this spirit, 29-33. xiv. 3. St. Paul's deep sense of its importance. Eph. vi. 19, 20. Col iv. 3, 4-the same spirit characterizing the Jewish prophets, 1 Kings xxi. 20. xxii. 14-25. 2 Chron. xvi. 7 xxiv. 20. Isaiah lviii. 1. lxv 1. with Rom. x. 20. Amos vii. 12, 14. Micah iii. 8. Matt. iii. 7. Acts xxiv. 25. 66 standing by him"-hated even to death by the influential body of his countrymen, yet, mean and in peril as he was, did he look his Judge in the face, with the power of life and death in his hands; and remembering only the dignity of his office, deliver to this noble sinner and his guilty partner the most personal and offensive truths. How did this splendid example of Ministerial boldness magnify his office!" For what can be more degrading to our Divine commission, than that we should fear the face of men? What unmindfulness does it argue of our Master's presence and authority, and of our high responsibilities, as "set for the defence of the gospel."* The independence, that disregards alike the praise and the dread of man, is indispensable for the integrity of the Christian Ministry. Luther would have been tolerated on many truths of general application, but his bold statements of justification could not be endured. How different from Erasmus, who, though a lay-man, delivered his doctrines ex cathedra, yet with a worldly carefulness to avoid inconvenient offence. But the question is not, how our people may be pleased, but how they may be warned, instructed, and saved. And to keep offensive doctrines out of view, or to apologize for the occasional mention of them, or to guard against the rudeness of disquieting the conscience with unwelcome truth, to compromise with the world, to connive at fashionable sins, to be silent where the cause of God demands an open confession, this is not the spirit which honours our master, and which he "delighteth to honour."† The reproof of sin is an important part of Ministerial * Phil. i. 17. See some searching views on this subject, in a sermon entitled The Gospel Message, by Rev. W. Dealtry, lately published, pp. 24-26. |