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. Probably upon a clear and decided preference of extempore preaching with his own congregation, it might be his duty to attempt it but in his ultimate determination, the advice of one or more of his discerning brethren might be called in with special advantage. CHAPTER VI. THE SPIRIT OF SCRIPTURAL PREACHING. A THOUGHTFUL study of the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, will afford 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 hinderances, and sustained by the same promises 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 will 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. upon 2 OUR Lord's pungent addresses to the Scribes and Pharisees exhibit the boldness of Christian Ministrations. The same spirit in the Apostles was unaccountable human calculations, and confounded their judges to their face. Such was the spirit of Paul before Felix 4-a prisoner on his trial for life—“ no man 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!" 5 The independence, that disregards alike the praise and the censure 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 1 See Matt. xxiii, 2 Acts ii. 13. 3 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. 4 Acts xxiv. 25. 5 Phil. i. 17. justification could not be endured. How different from Erasmus, who, though a lay-man, delivered his doctrines ex cathedra, yet with an unworthy 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 be over cautious respecting the rudeness of disquieting the conscience with unwelcome truth; to compromise with the world; to connive at fashionable sins; or 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.” 1 - 4 The reproof of sin is an important part of Ministerial boldness. Even the courtesies of life never restrained our Lord from this office. The Pharisees' dinners were often made the seasons of rebuke, and never used as an excuse for declining it. Scriptural rules and exhortations are given respecting it in the Ministerial Epistles that it should be, when occasion required, public, as a warning to others-sharp, as a means of conviction to the offender-with authority,5 in our Master's name with love,6 in the hope of ultimate restoration. It should, however, be aimed at the sin rather than at the sinner himself. There was no need for the Apostle to make any personal allusion to Felix. Conscience told the trembling criminal-" Thou art the man."7 -- This Ministerial boldness is fenced on either side by 1 See some searching views on this subject, in a sermon entitled The Gospel Message, by Rev. Dr. Dealtry, pp. 24-26. warning and encouragement. Yet many probably know and even feel more truth, than they have courage to preach. Want we then a further motive? Think of the despised Saviour in the judgment hall, “ before Pontius Pilate witnessing a good confession ”2—an example of fidelity enough to make a coward bold. 6 The deficiency of this spirit lowers us in the estimation of our people, by reducing us in their eyes to the mean character of time-servers, whose moral and religious integrity are alike suspected. Many who would love the smooth things' we should prophesy,' would despise us in their hearts for this accommodation afforded to their sinful indulgencies; whilst the Christian boldness of a faithful Minister awes the haters of his message, and secures the confidence of the true flock of Christ, and the approbation of his conscience in the sight of God. SECTION II. WISDOM-THE SPIRIT OF SCRIPTURAL PREACHING. "WISDOM"-observes the wise king of Jerusalem, who had known its value in public instruction—“ is profitable to direct.” 3 We may be useful without learning, but not without wisdom. This was a part of the furniture of our Divine Master for his Ministerial work; to which both the multitude and his enemies bore ample testimony. 5 His sermons were fraught with solemn, weighty, unmingled truth. 1 Comp. Jer. i. 17—19. Ezek. ii. 6-8. 2 Tim. iv. 16. This thought seems to have been the last prop of Jeremiah's sinking spirit. chap. xx. 9-11. 2 1 Tim. vi. 13. 3 Eccl. x. 10. with xii. 10. 4 Isaiah xi. 2, 3. I. 4. 5 Luke iv. 22. xxi. 40. with John vii. 46. There was nothing crude or indigested; but judicious appeals to Scripture, an intimate acquaintance with the heart, and a suitable adaptation of incidental occurrences and expressions to the great end of his mission; so that in every view it was the manifestation of "the wisdom of God." In the same spirit his Apostle bore testimony to his own inspired ministrations; "teaching ever man in all wisdom, that he might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." 2 The wisdom which belongs to effective preaching, may include the form in which the Gospel is dispensed. The composition of our sermons should be such, that the lowest may understand, and the intelligent may have no cause to complain-that the weak may not be offended, nor the captious gratified. In order to this clearness, there must be unity of subject, else the minds of our hearers will be distracted; perspicuity of arrangement, that they may enter into every part of the subject; and simplicity of diction, that no part of it may be concealed by artificial language. The precise view of the mind of the Spirit in the text itself will naturally give unity of subject. Discernment of the distinct character, that is generally found in the text, will facilitate arrangement. The infusion of the spirit of the text (whether of an energetic or tender kind) will of itself lead to such "plainness of speech," that the poorest will understand,3 This wisdom in the mode and delivery of our message bears with most important influence upon Christian edification. Thus the judgment arrives at 1 This particular of the Ministry of Christ is admirably illustrated by the Bishop of Winchester, Minis. Char. of Christ, ch. vi. 2 Col. i. 28. 3 The writer begs particularly to refer to Mr. Simeon's short but admirable rules for composition in his edition of Claude's Essay, 12mo. pp. 30-34. |