On LuKE XIV. 23. the LordJefm Chrifl, ••ho JhaU judge the Q;Jick and the Dead at his appearing, and his Kingdom : Preach the Word, be injlant in feafon, and out offoafon; repro'Ve, rebuke, exbort with all long-fuffering and DoEirine. Did the Apofl:le llir up the Fire in Co vigilant a Minifler, how much more needful is it to blow up the Embers in our drawly fpirits ? Certainly if Confcience be not fear'd and dead, fo iliarp a Charge will rouze it to the performance of our Duty. Zeal for the Glory of our Saviour, if it inflames our Hearts, will fire our Lips, and animate our Sermons. Let Knowledge be the Breath to blow the facred Fire, and the moll burning Zeal is not excetlive. .But our Affections at the highell are very defective: How many preach the Word fo coldly, as if they had no def1re to Cave Souls from eternal Death? How many Minillers lie down in their Lazinefs, and wret~hedly neglect their Duty, to better themfelves and benefit others tn preaclung the Gofpel? Idlenefs enervates and unflrings the Bent of the Spirit: the Mind is benumm'd by a ufe!efs and ignoble Dulnefs. Some who arc deputed Shepherds, may think it a Dif(magement to their Greatnefs to be frequen t in fo mean a Work as Preaching; \\"hereas the Son of God was a Preach: er of the Gofpel. Others make a Gain of the Flock, but put off the Inflructing and Care of it to others. They will ferve Chrill by Proxy, who died for us ill his own Perfon. How can they commit to others the Charge immediately entrulled to themfelves? What Exemption can they plead, what Account can they give to the great Shepherd ? Thirdly, Let Minillers, that they may be lucceCsful, adorn the holy, and without Holinefs dangerous Office of the Evangehcal Mtmllry, by a futable Converfation. Innocence, and Abfiinence from foul Sins, is not fufficient to recommend them ; but the PowerofGodlinejs, and the Beauty of Holinefs mull 01ine in their Lives. They can never effectually teach others what they do not practice themfelves : if any Sin reigns in them, their Prayers cannot afc7~d with Accept~nce to ~od, an~ d~fCend with a B!etling on the People. Let a Mtmfler preach D!Vlne Doc:tnne, yet 1f hts Converfation be Earthly and Senfual, he is more ltkely to harden Sinners than to convert them. How unbecoming and difgraceful are unholy Minillers to their Profei!ion 1 What a Scandal do they give to the Profane, and occafton to bla(pheme their high and holy Calling? Let fuch prepare themfelves for many Str~pes ' they cannot efcape a double Damnation, for the Neglect of the!t own Souls and the Souls of others committed to ~~~d~rk~?.~"Jf,h t~,~~~;,~~lij; ~g~~r~~~fts i~nr$~Jfo~t~~~ j:, ~~e~~eir Practice they Fourtbly, Union among Minillers is a hapl'y Advantage to recommend their Doct. rine to the People. D!Vlfion and Jealoufy W!llleffen the ,Authonty and Efficacy of their Preaclung. If one Dog opens, the Deer ts not alarm d, but the full Cry roufes him. When Minifters with one Confent declare the Wrath of God from Heaven againll Sin, the Profane ~nd Secure are afraid: and the awful Fear. of Juilice makes them feek for MereJ. . Tts true, there cannot be expected ~n enttre Conformity in Opinions among thew1fell and bell Men : therefore 10 Do_ctnnes not fo clear nor of that moment as the great Truths, a mutual Forbearance 1s our Duty. But to coin Controverftes about clear and neceffary Truths, and obfcure them by Oppofition, is a great hinderance to the Succefs of the Gofpel. Some worthy Men earneflly deny the GoCpel to be a Law : Will they reform the Scripture? Is not the Gofpel called the Law of Faith, the Law of Liberty, the Law of t!Je Spirit of Life? 'Tis true, the Gofpel is a Covenant of Grace, but it has all the Effentials of a Law : 'tis the revealed Will of ~:\;:r';t~~cf~~~~~~i~h;nc~:~~r~iJ~ ;~n~:~5ir~~t r~i~~:~~ a~eJiei~~r~;f~~~hl~~ thofe who difobey the Gofpel. Now the Command and Sanction are the proper Characters of a Law. If we duly confider it, the Soveraignty of God is fuch, that what· ever Covenant he offers to the reaConable Creature, has the Force and Obligation of ~ Law. I inllance in this one Point, that of late has occaf10n'd an unhappy Difference. 0 the bleffed State above, where Ignorance and Strife are aboliili'd for ever ! Fifthly, Frequent and earnell Prayer to God is a powerful Means to render our Mini~ ftry fuccefsful. Paul plants, and Apollos waters,. bnt Godgtves the lncreafe. Let aMi. nifler be compleat!y furnin,'d with Learning, Judgment, Eloquence, yet all his Labour will be fruitlefs without Divine Grace. AKey that is exactly fit to all the Wards of a Lock, cannot open it without a Hand to turn it. Let the moll proper and powerful Motives to work upon the reafonable Nature be reprefented, yet they cannot open the Heart, unlefs they are manag'd by the holy Spirit. 'Tis very obfervable, that in the Narrative of the Miracles by the Prophets, Come Circumflances are related, that declare they were done by the Divine Power. Sometime the Command of God was before the Performance ; thus in all the af\oni01ing Works 139
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