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CHAPTER VIII.

ABSENCE OR DEFECT OF PERSONAL RELIGION.

It was surely not without reason or meaning, that the Apostle addressing, first the elders, and afterwards the Bishop, of the Church of Ephesus, upon their important charge, places a personal caution first in order-"Take heed to yourselves-to thyself." For how awful is it to appear as a Minister, without being really a Christian! to have a competency, and even (by continual exercise) an increase of Ministerial gifts, while our real character is only, that we "have a name that we live, but we are dead!" How difficult! how dreadful! to preach an unknown Saviour! Our Lord strongly marks the importance of personal religion in his prayer for his Apostles, that they might be renewed, purified, and consecrated for their most arduous office. It is this, that gives power and unction to the commission, which we profess to deliver from the mouth of God. The Roman orator has told us, that no man can be truly eloquent on a subject with which he is unacquainted. 3 Nor indeed can the exhibition of unknown and unfelt truth be expected to be productive of permanent effect. Even Mr. Locke reminds us He is very unfit to convert others, who was never converted himself.' 4 Baxter remarks with his characteristic solemnity-Verily, it is the common danger and calamity of the Church, to have unregenerate and unexperienced Pastors, and to have so many men become preachers, before they are Christians; to be sanctified by dedication to the altar as God's

1 Acts xx. 28. 1 Tim. iv. 16. 3 Cic. de Orat. lib. 1.

2 John xvii. 17.

4 Letter on Toleration.

Priests, before they are sanctified by hearty dedication to Christ as his disciples; and so to worship an unknown God, and to preach an unknown Christ, an unknown Spirit, an unknown state of holiness and communion with God, and a glory that is unknown, and likely to be unknown for ever. He is like to be but a heartless preacher, that hath not the Christ and grace that he preacheth in his heart.' 1

Though indeed the blessing is in the institution, not in the instrument; yet, in the ordinary course of dispensation, a deficiency in the instrument weakens the power of the institution. The want of personal religion is therefore a most serious let and hinderance to Ministerial efficiency. In the general work of instruction, the experience of the power of the Gospel is necessary to direct our treatment of the different cases of our Ministry. The recollection of the means, by which we were enlightened, and subsequently confirmed and established in the truth, is most important for the counsel of our people in cases of perplexity. -In the work of conviction, what but an experi

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1 Reformed Pastor. No theological erudition, as such, can answer the question-" What must I do to be saved?" He who furnishes the reply, must have something better-the possession of the same religion, which he can then only satisfactorily explain to others. Otherwise he will be either struck dumb by the inquiry, or be a blind leader of the blind, confident in his own wisdom, and in that wisdom liable to perish everlastingly.' Antichrist, by Rev. J. Riland, p. 118. Neque enim aliorum salutem sedulo unquam curabit, qui suam negligit.' Calv. on Acts xx. 28. 'Unless Christ be learned spiritually and really, Divines shall speak of the word of God, as men speak of riddles, and as priests in former times said the matins, when they hardly knew what they said.' Perkins on Gal. i. 15.

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2 Brainerd remarked to his brother on his death-bed- When Ministers feel these gracious influences on their hearts, it wonderfully assists them to come at the consciences of men, and as it were, handle them with their hands; whereas without them, whatever reason or oratory we make use of, we do but make use of stumps instead of hands.' See Appendix to his Life-a

choice piece of Ministerial Biography.

mental perception of our own sinfulness can enable us to expose the deformity and deceitfulness of sin? Or how can we exhibit the exceeding breadth and spirituality of the law of God, except we have ourselves felt its condemning, killing power? In the more delightful work of encouragement, the power of administering the consolations of the Gospel is connected with the reception of them in our own hearts. The love of the Saviour, the faithfulness of his word, the beauty of holiness, the prospects of eternity, will of course be most effectually exhibited by those who can say " We also believe, and therefore speak." 2

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Little fruitfulness can be expected in the pulpit department of our Ministry, in the absence or defect of the principle of heart-felt religion. I will be sure to live well,' (said George Herbert on the day of his induction to Bemerton) because the virtuous life of a clergyman is the most powerful eloquence to persuade all that see it to reverence and love, and at least to desire to live like him. '3 Indeed, what power of persuasiveness can there be in the wearisome task of speaking of Divine things without Divine affections? A man who is unable to persuade himself to be holy, can have little hope of succeeding with the consciences of others. I would advise such preachers' (says Baxter) to go to the congregation, and there preach over Origen's sermon on Psalm 1. 16, 17;4

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1 2 Cor. i. 4—6.

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2 Ib. iv. 13.

3 Walton's Life of George Herbert. 4 Referring to an affecting incident in Origen's history, when shortly after his excommunication on account of having sacrificed to the idols, he was requested, and in a manner constrained, to preach at Jerusalem. He opened his Bible, Psalm 1. 16, Unto the wicked saith God; why dost thou preach my law?" and was so overcome by the remembrance of his sin, that he closed the book with tears, and melted the whole congregation in sympathy with

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and, when they have read this text, to sit down, and expound, and apply it by their tears; and then to make a free confession of their sins; and lament their case before the assembly; and desire their earnest prayers to God for pardoning and renewing grace; and so to close with Christ in heart, that before admitted him no farther than into the brain; that hereafter they may preach a Christ whom they know, and may feel what they speak, and may commend the riches of the Gospel by experience.' Neither genius, nor the eloquence of the schools, nor oratorical declamation are required for pulpit effect; but that Christian eloquence of feeling and of love, which marks the impression of the spirit as well as the letter of the Bible-that genuine pathos and simplicity, with which 'a good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth that which is good.' This rhetoric of the life' Leighton justly pronounces, to give to the instructions of the pulpit an energy, far beyond the reach of the loftiest strains of unhallowed oratory.' To obtain this most desirable qualification, we must ourselves taste the word, before we distribute it to our people. We must carefully connect it with our devotional reading, and with our sacred retirement. A sermon, however well digested, can never be well his sorrow-Clark's Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, where are given his own most striking expressions of grief and contrition on the occasion-pp. 20-23.

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1 Reformed Pastor. To preach of regeneration, of faith, when a man has no spiritual understanding of these things, is to talk of the sweetness of honey, when we never tasted it; or of the excellency of such a country, which we were never in, but know by maps only. If thou knowest the truths of God but by books, by authors only, and thy own heart feeleth not the power of these things; thou art but as the conduit, that letteth out wine or refreshing water to others, but thou thyself tastest not of it: or like the hand that directeth the passenger, but thou thyself standest still.' Anthony Burgess's Funeral Sermon for Rev. T. Blake.

2 Matt. xii. 34.

preached, until it has been first preached to ourselves. 1 It is the present experience, nourishment, and enjoyment, that gives a glow of unction and spiritual influence, far beyond the power of adventitious accomplishment; and makes us not only edifying to our people, but (what is more rare and difficult) profitable Ministers to ourselves. To bear our message written upon our hearts, is the best method of conveying to our people deep and weighty impressions of the things of God. We must bring them something not only— "which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon," but-" which our hands have handled of the word of life, if we desire them to have jointfellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." "2 Like John the Baptist, 3 we should behold the Saviour ourselves, and point him out to our people from our own perception of his glory and love.

The important connexion of personal religion with Ministerial success is yet further evident, in confirming the testimony of the Gospel with the power of a Christian example. Men judge things more fully by the eye

This was Doddridge's custom, of which Orton has preserved several interesting specimens.-See Life of Doddridge, chap. ii. Do not we thus penetrate into our subject with more depth and spiritual discernment, than mere thought or critical study could furnish? For may not these be employed even upon our pulpit exercises, without any of that tender seriousness and compassion for perishing souls, and sense of Ministerial obligation, which become the public discharge of our office? Mr. Robert Bolton (one of the most eminent divines in the seventeenth century) professed on his death-bed, 'that he never taught any godly point, but he first wrought in on his own heart.' Mr. Shepard of New England gave the same testimony. How confidently, when we have thus proved our armour, may we venture to recommend it!

2 John i. 1-3.

3 John i. 36.

4 The judgment of the ancient church was most concurrent on this particular.- Non possunt quæ doces habere firmitatem, nisi ea prior feceris.' Lactan. Instit. Lib. 4. c. 24. 'Non confundant opera tua sermonem tuum: ne, cum Ecclesiâ loqueris,

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