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APOSTASY INTO PROFANENESS, ETC. 189
that subject: some, they say, preach all about Christ and grace, and _ justification by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, and the like; but they preach about God’s attributes, moral duties, obedience to superiors, and things of that nature. But whether this fancy have more folly or malice in it is not easy to determine. It is like those who make this plea do speak truly as to their own con- cernment. They preach of the things they express, exclusively unto the others, which they meddle not with at all; for if they do teach them, then is the opposition they fancy between those ways of preaching altogether vain. But that others do preach the things ascribed unto them, with a neglect of those other doctrines, which such persons pretend to appropriate to themselves as their province, is afond imagination. And, to increase the vanity of it, the distribu- tion is made by some with a total silence on all hands,—both on their own, which they extol, and on that of others, which they condemn,— of that which certainly ought to be the principal subject of all preach- ing, namely, Jesus Christ and him crucified. But the truth is, he who knows not that it is his duty to declare unto the people, not this or that part of it, but the whole counsel of God, and who is not endowed with some measure of wisdom, so as to discern what is useful, profitable, and seasonable unto his hearers, according as their spiritual states and occasions do require, knows not what it is to be a minister of Christ or his gospel, a faithful steward of the mysteries of God, nor is meet to take that office upon him. And there are three things which ministers, teachers, leaders of the people, are to attend unto in the discharge of this principal part of their office, in the communication of the knowledge of the truth committed to them unto others:—
1. That they are to do it with all care, diligence, and sedulity. How vehement is our apostle in his charge to this purpose! 2 Tim. iv. 1, 2, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season ; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. How ought these words to sound continually in the ears of all ministers who design to be faithful in the discharge of their duty! How ought the power of them to abide on their hearts! Are they spoken alone unto Timothy? or will the souls of men be preserved, edified, saved, now with less pains and at an easier rate than formerly? It will appear at the last day that others also have an eternal concernment herein.
2. That they labour with the utmost of their strength, even to fatigation and weariness. All the names whereby their office and their work are expressed in the New Testament do include this kind of labour. As they are to “give themselves continually to the ministry
190 THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY.
of the word,” Acts vi. 4,—that is, wholly and entirely, in their utmost endeavours, continually unto this work,—so are they enjoined xom¢y, “to labour to the utmost of the strength” they have therein, 1 Tim. v. 17; 1 Cor. xvi. 16; 1 Thess. v. 12. It is not bodily labour alone in the dispensation of the word (wherein there may be much variety, according unto the various natural dispositions or tempers of men, _ and of acquired gifts), but that earnestness and intension of spirit which will carry along with them the laborious pains of the whole person, that I intend. The cold, formal pronunciation or reading (as is the manner of some) of a well-composed oration doth not well express this labouring in the word and doctrine.
3. That their whole work and all their endeavours therein be ac- companied with constant prayer, that the gospel in their ministry may run and be glorified, that the word may prosper in the hearts and lives of the people. So the apostles affirm that they would “give themselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word,” Acts vi. 4. That ministration of the word which is not ac- companied with continual prayer for its success is not like to have any great blessing go along with it. As our apostle calls God to witness of his frequent mention of them in his prayers unto whom the word was preached, Rom. i. 9, 10, so he desireth the prayers of others also, that his work and labour in the ministry might be pros- perous and successful, Eph. vi. 18,19. For a minister to preach the word without constant prayer for its success is a likely means to — cherish and strengthen secret atheism in his own heart, and very unlikely to work holiness in the lives of others.
Thirdly, It is in like manner required of them (so far as human frailty will permit) that they do, in their persons, ways, and walk- ings or conversations, especially in the discharge of all their minis- terial duties, give a true representation both of the doctrine which they preach and of Him in whose name they dispense it. What meekness, humility, and zeal for the glory of God; what moderation, self-denial, and readiness for the cross; what mortification of corrupt affections and inordinate desires of earthly things; what contempt of the world; what benignity, condescension, and patience towards all men ; what evidences of heavenly-mindedness,—are required hereunto, both the Scripture declares and the nature of the thing itself makes apparent. What can any men rationally believe, but that they who preach Christ and the gospel unto them do declare that they have no other effect or tendency but what in themselves they express and represent unto them? There is a secret language in the ministry of men, that what they are and do is that which the doctrine they preach doth require, which their hearers do understand and are apt to believe. The very philosophers saw that so it would be with