who was so slow in speecli, was miglity in words, Acts vii. 22, able to make Pharaoh's stout heart tremble, though he might stammer in the delivery of it. God promised indeed to be with his mouth, yet it is probable he did not cure his natural infirmity, for we find him complaining afterward of it. Such natural imperfections, therefore, should neither discourage the minister, nor prejudice the people : but rather make him more careful, that the matter be weighty which he delivers ; and then, that their attention be more close and united. 2. From a weak memory : he that reads in a bad print, cannot read fast and smooth, but will often be stopped to study what is next. Memory is an inward table or book, out of which the minister reads his sermon unseen. If the notions or meditations we have to deliver, be not fairly imprinted on our memory, no wonder that the tongue is often at a stand, except we should speak to no purpose. When God hath assisted in the study, we need him to strengthen our memory in the pulpit. 3. From fear : if the heart faint, it is no wonder the tongue falters. This, it is likely, was at the bottom of Jeremiah's excuse, chap. i. G: *Ah, Lord God, behold, I cannot speak, for I am a child;' that is, I want the courage and spirit of a man to wrestle with those oppositions that will cer- tainly meet me in the work : this appears by the method God takes for the cure, ver. 7, 8 : ' Say not, I am a child ; for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee: — be not afraid of their faces, for 1 am with thee to deliver thee.' Secondly, From a supernatural cause : where none of these defects are, but the minister stands best furnished, and in greatest readiness for his work ; yet let but God turn the cock, and there is a stop put to the whole work. Not only the preparation of the heart, but the answer of the tongue, both are from the Lord, Pro v. xvi. 1. God keeps the key of the mouth as well as of the heart ; not a word can be uttered, until God opens the door of the lips to give it a free egress. He opened the mouth of the ass, and stopped the mouth of that wicked prophet, its master, Numb. xxii. 28 — 31 : hear him confessing as much to Balak, ver. 38 : ' Lo, I am come unto thee ; have I now any power at all to say anything ? The word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.' Never man desired more to be speaking that which should have got him his hire, the wages of unrighteousness, than Balaam, for he loved it dearly : but God prevented him. Nay, even holy men, when they would speak the truth, and that for God, cannot give utterance to what they have conceived : hence David's prayer, ' Open my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.' God tells Ezekiel, he would make his tongue cleave to his mouth ; he should not reprove them, though he would, chap. iii. 26.
Section VL — Do ministers depend thus on God for utterance ? This speaks to you, my brethren in the Lord's work. Do nothing for which God may stop yoiu" mouths when you come into the pulpit.
First, Take heed of any sin smothering in your bosom. Canst thou believe God will assist thee in his work, who canst lend thy hand to the devil's? Mayest thou not rather fear he should hang a padlock on thy lips, and strike thee dumb, when thou goest about thy work ? You remember the story of Origen, how after his great fall he was silenced in the pulpit ; for at the reading of that passage, ' What hast thou to do to declare my statutes ? or that thou shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth?' the consciousness of his sin would not suffer him to speak. O, it is sad, when the preacher meets his own sin in his subject, and pronounceth sentence against himself while he reads his text! If thou wouldst have God assist thee, be zealous, and repent ; when the trumpet is washed, then the Holy Spirit will again breathe through it. Secondly, Beware thou come not in the confidence of thy own preparations : God hath declared himself against this kind of pride, 1 Sam. ii. 9, ' By strength shall no man prevail.' A little bread, with God's blessing, may make a meal for a multitude ; and great provision may soon shrink to nothing, if God help not in the breaking of it. It is not thy sermon in thy head, or notes in thy book, that will enable thee to preach, except God open thy mouth ; acknowledge, there- fore, God in all thy ways, and lean not to thy own understanding : the swelling of the heart, as well as of the wall, goes before a fall. Did the Ephraimitcs take it so ill, that Gideon should steal a victory without calling them to his help? How much more may it provoke God, when thou goest to the pulpit, and passest by his door in the way, without calling for his assistance ?
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