Use 1. Is exhortation. And that —
1. To ministers. Is the gospel the arm and power of God ? Then—
[1.] Be not ashamed of it, but preach it boldly. St Paul saith, Kom. i. 16, ' I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.' Many are asliaraed of the naked simplicity of the gospel, and therefore hanker the more after profound parts and human learning. You must imitate Christ; preach boldly, as having authority from liim.
[2.] Wait for the success of it. Doubt of success is a great dis- couragement, and takelh off the wheels of a man's ministry. Refer it to God ; it is his own arm, if it cannot be mighty through us, it will be mighty through God : Jer. i. 'J, ' I have put my words in thy
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mouth.' It is a great lesson of holy wisdom, if we could learn it, to mind duty, and refer the success to God.
[3.] To dispense it faithfully ; not to use God's arm for our own ends. There is a preachino; the gospel out of envy, Phil. i. IG. This is a put- ting God in a servility to our designs, a prostituting of the greatest power to the vilest uses, an embasing a thing beneath its office.
[4.] To dispense it so as to look to the Spirit to make it effectual ; not to think to make it work by our own fancies : 1 Cor. ii. 4, ' My ])reaching was not with the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.' A minister may be apt to be too full of self. The old Adam may be too hard for young Melanc- thon. It is said of Christ, Luke xxiv. 32, that ' he opened the scri}> tures ;' and ver. 45, ' Then he opened their understandings, that they might understand the scriptures.'
2. To the people.
[1.] To all in general.
[2.] To those to whom the arm of the Lord is revealed and made known.
[1.] To all in general : to press them to see God in his word. Many see no more than what is of man, and therefore are not wrought upon by it. The power of God is veiled under our weakness : 1 Thes. ii, 13, ' Ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.' But what is it to receive it as the word of God ?
I answer — It is to receive it : —
(L) With reverence. It is a description of God's people that they ' tremble at his word,' Isa. Ixvi. 2, 5. Do not slight it as if it were but a little sound poured out into the air.
(2.) Look up unto God, and wait upon him for this power to be let into your hearts. See that, besides the report, you have a discovery of God's power and arm. Do not rest contented with enjoying the word till you feel the power of God making it effectual on your hearts. Oh, be careful lest it should work upon you the wrong way, and prove the savour of death unto death ! As the people waited for the angel's stirring of the waters, so do you for the Spirit's motion. Man's voice can but pierce the ear : Cathedram habet in cosUs qui corda docet, God only can reach the heart.
(3.) Eeceive it into your hearts, open your souls for it with such a resolution as is expressed, Acts x. 33, ' We are all hei-e present be- fore thee, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God,' Then it is a sign we are willing to take home the message to ourselves,
(4.) Let not your thoughts rest in the abilities of the minister, if your hearts be touched : Acts iii, 12, ' Peter answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly upon us, as though by our own power or holiness we hail made this man to walk ?' It is not our report, but God's arm ; we are but the instruments, his arm must do the work.
[2.] To those to whom the arm of the Lord is made known, two duties I shall exhort them unto: —
(1.) To behold and admire the power of God working in them for their salvation : Eph. i. 19, ' That ye may know the exceeding great-
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ness of his power to us-ward ^vho believe, according to the work- ing of his mighty power.' A man doth not know the excellency of this power till he takes a review of it. Man can better observe such experiences when past, when he seeth and feeleth such a power of God upon his soul.
(2.) To walk worthy of it in their conversation ; — to walk so as a man may perceive the power of God hath passed upon him : 1 Peter ii. 9, ' That you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into liis marvellous light.' Inward holiness is ex- pressed by the power of godliness. Take heed of having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. Oh, do not carry it as if there were no power passed upon you !