Absence or Defect of Personal Religion

It was surely not without reason or meaning, that the ApostlSey charging first the elders, and afterwards the Bishop of the Church of Ephesus, places a personal caution first in order — “Take heed to yourselves — to thyself.”’ For how awful is it to appear as a Minister, without being really a Christian! to have a competency,, and even (by continual exercise) an increase of Ministerial gifts, while our real character is only, that we “have a name that we live, but we are dead!” How difficult! how dreadful! to preach an. unknown Saviour! Our Lord’s prayer that his servants might be “sanctified through the truth — strongly sets out personal holiness as the basis of public usefulness. All the Ministerial appellations — such as the “salt of the earth” — “the light of the world — imply the same responsibility. And indeed it is this that gives power and u7iction to the commission, which we profess to deHver from the mouth of God. The Roman orator hath told us, that no man can be truly eloquent on a subject with which he is unacquainted.*’ Nor indeed can the exhibition of unknown and unfelt truth be expected to be productive of permanent effect. Even Mr. Locke reminds us — ‘He is very unfit to convert others, who was never converted himself.’* Baxter remarks with his characteristic solemnity — ‘Verily, it is the common danger and calamity of the Church, to have unregenerate and unexperienced Pastors, and to have so many men become preachers, before they are Christians; to be sanctified by dedication to the altar as God’s Priests, before they are sanctified by hearty dedication to Christ as his disciples; and so to worship an unknown God, and to preach an unknown Christ, an unknown Spirit, an unknown state of holiness and communion with God, and a glory that is unknown, and likely to be unknown for ever.

Acta IX. 28. 1 Tim. iv. 16. John xvii. 17. 3 Matt. v. J3, 14;

Cic. de Orat. lib. 1. * Letter on Toleration.

He is like to be but a heartless preacher, that hath not the Chnst and grace that he preacheth in his heart.’^

Though indeed the blessing is in the institution, not in the instrument; yet a deficiency in the instrument ordinarily weakens the power of the institution. The want of personal religion is therefore a most serious hindrance to Ministerial efficiency. In the general work of instruction, the experience of the power of the Gospel is necessary to direct our treatment of the different cases of our Ministry.2 ^lq recollection of the means, by which we were enlightened, and subsequently confirmed and established in the truth, is most important to connect the perplexities of our people. In the work of conviction, what but an experimental perception of our own sinfulness can enable us to expose the deformity and deceitfulness of sin? Or how can we exhibit the exceeding breadth and spirituality of the law of God, except we have ourselves felt its condemning, killing power? In the more delightful work of encourageme/it, the power of administering the consolations of the Gospel is connected with the reception of them in our own hearts.’ The love of the Saviour, the faithfulness of his word, the beauty of holiness, the prospect of eternity, will of course be most eflfectually exhibited by those who can say —” We also believe, and therefore speak. ^’*

Little fruitfulness can be expected in our pnlpit department, in the absence or defect of heart- felt religion. ‘I will be siu’e to live well,’ (said George Herbert on the day of his induction to Bemerton) ’ because the virtuous life of a clergyman is the most powerful eloquence to persuade all that see it to reverence and love, and at least to desire to live like him.”’ Indeed, what persuasiveness can there be in the wearisome task of speaking of Divine things without Divine aflfections? A man who cannot persuade himself to be holy, will have little hope of succeeding with the

I Refonned Pastor. ‘No theological erudition, as such, can answer the question —” What must I do to be saved V He who furnishes the reply, must have something better — the possession of the same religion, which he can then only satisfactorily explain to others. Otherwise he will be either struck dumb by the enquiry, or be a blind leader of the blind, confident in his own wisdom, and in that wisdom liable to perish everlastingly.’ Antichrist, by the Rev. J. Riland, p. 118. ‘Ncque cnim aliorum salutem sedulo unquam ntrabit, qui tntam negligit.’ Calvin on Acts xx. 28. ‘Unless Christ be learned spiritually and really, Divines shall speak of the word of God, as men speak of riddles, and as priests in former times said the matins, when they hardly knew what they said.’ Perkins on Gal. i. 15.

- Brainerd remarked to his brother on his death-bed — ‘When Ministers feel these gracious influences on their hearts, it wonderfully assists them to come at the consciences of men, and as it were, handle them with their hands; whereas without them, whatever reason or oratory we make use of, we do but make use of stumps instead of hands.’ See Appentlix to his Life — a choice piece of Ministerial Biography.

3 2 Cor. i. 4 — 6. * lb. iv. 13. Walton’s Life of George Herbert.

consciences of others. ‘I would advise such preachers’ (says Baxter) ’ to go to the congregation, and there preach over Origen’s sermon on Psahii 1. 16, 17;’ and, when they have read this text, to sit down, and expound, and apply it by their tears; and then to make a free confession of their sins; and lament their case before the assembly; and desire their earnest prayers to God for pardoning and renewing grace; and so to close with Christ in heart, that before admitted him no further than into the brain; that hereafter they may preach a Christ whom they know, and may feel what they speak, and may commend the riches of the Gospel by experience.2 IS either genius, nor the eloquence of the schools, nor oratorical declamation are required for public effect; but that Christian eloquence of feeling and of love, which marks the impression of the spirit as well as the letter of the Bible — that genuine pathos and simplicity, with which ’ a good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth that which is good.’^ This ‘rhetoric of the life’ Leighton justly pronounces, to ‘give to the instructions of the pulpit an energy, far beyond the reach of the loftiest strains of unhallowed oratory.’ I’o obtain this most desirable qualification, we must ourselves taste the word, before we distribute it to our people. We must carefully connect it with our devotional reading. A sermon, however well digested, can never be well preached, until it has been first preached to ourselves.* It is the present experience, nourishment, and enjoyment, that gives a glow

1 Referring to an affecting incident in Origen’s history, when soon after his excommunication for having sacrificed to the idols, he was requested, and in a manner constrained, to preach at Jerusalem. He opened his Bible, Psalm 1. IG. “Unto the wicked saith God; why dost thou preach my law 1” and was so overcome by the remembrance of his sin, that he closed the book with tears, and melted the whole congregation in sympathy with his sorrow — Clark’s Marrow of Eccles. Hist, w’acre are given his own most striking expressions of grief and contrition on the occasion. Pp. 20 — 23.

2 Rcfonncd Pastor. ‘To preach of regeneration, of faith, when a man has no spiritual understanding of these things, is to talk of the sweetness of honey, when we never tasted it; or of the excellence of such a country, which we were never in, but know by maps only. If thou knowest the truths of God but by books, by authors only, and thy own heart feclcth not the power of these things; thou art but as the conduit, that Icttrth out wine or refreshing water to others, but thou thyself tasteth not of it; or like the hand that directeth the passenger, but thou thyself standest still.’ Anthony Burgess’s Funeral Sermon for Rev. T. Blake.

3 Matt’ne vv xii. 31.

* This was Doddridge’s custom. — See Life, chap. ii. Do not we thus penetrate into our subject with more depth and spiritual discernment, than mere thought or critical ntudy could furnish 1 For may not these be employed even upon our pulpit exercises. without any of that tender seriousness and compassion for perishing souls, and sense of Ministerial obligation, which become the public discharge of our office 1 Mr. Robert Bolton, (one of the most eminent divines in the seventeenth century) professed on his death-bed, ’ that he never taught any godly point, but he first wrought it on his own heart.’ Mr. Shepard of New England gave the same testimony. How confidently, when we have thus proved our armour, may we venture to recommend it! It was the neglect of this watchfulness that made a late eminent Minister remark, that in preparing sermons for others he had sometimes been in d;inger of destroying his own soul.

of unction far beyond the power of adventitious accomplishment; and malces us not only edifying to our people but (what is more rare and difficult) profitable ministers to ourselves. To bear our message written upon our hearts, is the best method of conveying to our people deep and weighty impressions of the things of God. We must bring them not only — “that which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon,” but something — “which our hands have handled of the word of life,” if we desire them to have “joint fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”’ Like John the Baptist,* we should point out the Saviour to our people from our own perception of his glory and love.

We observe again the importance of personal religion — in confirming our testimony with a Christian exam,ple — ‘Men judge things more fully by the eye than by the ear; consequently Ministers’ practice is as much regarded, if not more than their sermons. So that — suppose in the pulpit they should resemble Holy Angels, yet if in conversation they be found but very ordinary, carnal men; ’ ’tis not a thousand elaborate discourses, which will be able, either solidly to impress their hearers with the faith of reality in religion, or any way engage their souls practically to fall in love with the same.’* Fenelon well observes, in his Dialogue on Eloquence — ’ that moral instructions have no weight nor influence, when they are neither supported by clear principles, nor good examples. Whom do you see converted by them? People are accustomed to hear such harangues, and are amused by them, as with so many fine scenes passing before their eyes. They hearken to such lectures, just as they would read a satire, and they look on the speaker as one that acts his part well. They believe his life more than his talk, and when they know him to be selfish, ambitious, vain, given to sloth and luxury, and see that he parts with none of those enjoyments, which he exhorts others to forsake; though for the sake

1 1 John i. 1 — 3. 2 John i. 36.

3 The judgment of the ancient church was most concurrent on this particular. ‘Non possunt quae doces habere firmitatem, nisi ea prior feceris.’ Lactan. Instit. Lib. 4. c. 24. ‘Non confundant opera tua sermonem tuum: ne, cum Ecclesla loqueris, tacitus quilibetrespondeat, cur ergo hsec quae dicis, ipse non facis? Sacerdotis Christi os, mens, manusque concordent.’ Hieron. ad Nepot. The council of Trent also exhibited an elevated standard of Ministerial consistency — ‘Nihil est, quod alios magis ad pietatem et Dei cioltum assidue instruat, quam eorum vita et exemplum, qui se Divino Ministerio dedicarunt, &c. Quapropter sic decet omnino clericos in sortem Domini vocatos, vitam, moresque.’uos omnes componere, ut habitu, gestu, incessu, sermons, aliisque omnibus rebus nil nisi grave, moderatum, ac religione plenum prse se ferant, &c.’ Concil. Trid. Sess. 22. e. 1. Care however must be taken to distinguish between the self- righteousness of a mere external gravity, and that spirituality of character, which results from evangelical principles, and influences the heart to Ministerial devotedness.

* Blackwell’s Methodas Homiletica, 1712 — a valuable work.

of custom and ceremony they hear him declaim, they beUeve and act as he does. But what is worst of all, people are too apt to conclude, that men of this profession do not believe what they teach. This disparages their function; and when others preach with a sincere zeal, people will scarce believe this zeal to be sincere.’’ We must build up with both hands — with our doctrine and our life. We must be what we preach; exhibiting the pattern, the motives, and the principles of godliness to our people: ’ not only putting the copy before them, and leaving them to write; but taking the pen, and showing them how to form each letter.’^ The minister is a continual — not a periodical character. “The beauty of holiness’’ must not be merely the appurtenance of the Sabbath. A holy sermon is but for an hour. A holy life is his perpetual sermon — a living, practical commentary of his doctrine — the gospel to the senses. Thus, (as one of the Fathers observed of our Divine Master) he will often ’ preach, when he does not open his mouth,’ — like a faithful shepherd — who, “when he putteth forth his own sheep, goeth before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”* It was truly, though quaintly, remarked by the old divines, that a Minister’s life is the life of his Ministry. For (as Bishop Home observes) ’ he who undertakes to reprove the world, must be one, whom the world cannot reprove.’* We should each of us consider ourselves as the appointed luminary in our respected spheres — placed as the centre of the system — the source of light and warmth to all within our circle. We should thus be “burning” as well as “shining lights.”* We need not always blaze; but we must always burn. There must be love as well as light — the light of holy love.’’’

” The Priest,’ (observes Bishop Bull) ’ who is not clothed with righteousness — though otherwise richly adorned with all the ornaments of human and divine literature, and those gilded over with the rays of seraphic prudence — is yet but a naked, beggarly, despicable creature, of no authority, no interest, no use, no service in the Church of God.’ Sermon in Clergym. Instruct, p. 286. The inscription — ‘Holiness to the Lord’ — upon the costly dress of the High Priest strongly marks the adorning of the profession of the ministers of the sanctuary. Exod. xxviii. 28 — 30. with xxxix. 30, 31. Compare Lev. xxi. 21.

2 Scott’s Sermon. Compare 1 Timothy iv. 12. 3 Thcophylact on Matt. v. 2.

* John x. 3, 4. The minister who would win his people must not only Doctorem virtutis se pra-bere, sed ducem — as Lactantius; ’ ut si prajcipientem sequi nolint, scquanturantecedentem.’ Bp. Reynold’s Works, p. 1061. The inscription which Herodotus mentions on the tomb of an Egyptian king, should be the Minister’s motto — ‘Ek ijif n; oprwv, ivatHm c(7tok’ What Cicero applied to the Senate, ought to be said here — ‘Is ordo vitio care to: caeteris specimen esto.’ De Leg. Lib. iii.

5 Considerations on John the Baptist, p. 8-1. John v. 35.

“> ‘You may be innocent, and yet not “zealous of good works:” but if you he not this, you are not good ministers of Jesus Christ. You must be excellent, not tampiam unus de populo, but tanquam homo Dei — not after tiic common manner of men, but “after God’s own heart” — not only pure, but shining — not only blameless, but didactic, in your lives; that as by your sermons you preach “in season’” — so by your lives you iu;iy

How painfully has this subject been illustrated in the deep wounds of the church froin ungodly ministers! “The sin of Eli’s sons was very great before the Lord; for men abhorred the offering of the Lord The successors of these young men are found in men pressing the Gospel upon others, while neglecting it themselves — in profession the servants of God; in principle serving themselves — “building again” with their lives “the things which they had destroyed” by their doctrine, and making “themselves transgressors” with a guilty load of responsibihty ?* On the other hand how convincing is the power of a consistent Ministry! AVhen Levi had “the law of truth in his mouth, he did turn tnany away from iniquity.’’’^ The holiness of the faithful ministry of John struck awe even into wicked Herod; added to which “many for a season,” and many probably for more than a season, “rejoiced in his light.”* The Apostle’s success in Thessalonica is mainly attributed to the same cause.* ‘Happy those labourers in the Church, the secret savour of whose life and conversation attracts people after Christ.’*

The Missionary Eliot ‘imposed a law upon himself, that he would leave something of God. and heaven, and religion, with all that should come near him; so that in all places his company was attended with majesty and reverence. We cannot say, that we ever saw him walking any whither, but he was therein walking with God; and it might be said of him, as was said of Origen, — - ‘Q,ue7nadmodii7n docet, sic vixit: and quem,admodum visit, sic docet ‘’“‘Now such an habitual Ministry, spreading the atmosphere of heaven over the secular employments, proves the stamp of a Divine impression, and in “manifestation of the truth commends itself to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” It is like the “angel standing in the sun” — the undoubted representative of the Divine Majesty.

preach “out of season,” that is — at all seasons, and to all men; that “they seeing your good works, may glorify God on your behalf” and on their own.’ Bishop Taylor’s Sermon on the Minister’s duty in life and doctrine, Works, vol. vi. ‘When prejudices are to be overcome, or ignorance to be removed, it is necessary to show, that the man, who labours to introduce new modes of feeling and thinking, is not only the convert of his own opinions, but an example of their practical influence in forming a spiritual character.’ Bishop of Winchester’s Ministerial Character of Christ, p. 285. ’ 1 Sam. ii. 17. Mark the Lord’s judgment, .Tcr. xxiii. 15. Lev. x. 1 — 3.

2 Nisi ipsi saccrdotes in omnibus virtutibus Christianis fidelium exemplaria sint — plus improba vita destruunt, quam sana doctrina sedificant: dcdecori sunt sanctissiniK reUgioni; de veritate eorum, quae praedicant addubitare docent: atque ita libertinismo et atheismo latam portam pandunt. Wits, de Vero Theologo. Hence the severe sarcasm against inconsistent Ministers — ‘That, when in the pulpit, they ought never to come eut: and, when out, they ought never to go in again.’

3 Mai. ii. 5, 6.

Mark vi. 20. John v. 35. Comp. Acts xi. 24, and Doddridge, on John viii. 30. See 1 Thess. i. 5, 9. 6 Q,uesnel on Mark vi. 33. Mather’s Life of Eliot

We might further remark the power of Ministerial godliness — as enabling us to water the seed sown with fervent -prayer. For as prayer is the life of spiritual reUgion, it follows of necessity, that a spiritual Minister will be a man of prayer. But having already expanded this point of detail,’ we only now advert to it, to mark the mutual relations and bearings of every department of the sacred ofl&ce.

But it may be asked — Do we sufficienrly consider, how much our personal religion is endangered from the very circumstance of religion being our profession 1 The decorous restraint induced by a regard to our sacred office is essentially distinct from vital religion. While on the other hand the continual exercise of our gifts, both in their excitement and acceplaiice, may be only a shadowy exhibition of the true substance. Great indeed is the danger of resting in a professional piety — in pubUc religion. Awful indeed is the reflection — how much of the fervid animation of the pulpit is purely mechanical! — impulse rather than spirituality! In going therefore through the duties, putting on the appearances, speaking the language, and exhibiting the feelings of religion — what care! what watchfulness! what tenderness of heart! what earnest prayer! is required to preserve the spirit of religion. Have none of us cause to complain — “They made me keeper of the vineyards; hut mine own vineyard have I not kept 7”^ Does not the cultivation of the wilderness lead us sometimes unconsciously to overlook the growth of the weeds within our own garden? Are we never satisfied with being the instruments of grace, without being habitually the subjects of it? Yet of how little moment is it to “minister grace to our hearers,” if we minister it not to ourselves! Is not conscience often rebuked by the assumed identity of our personal and official character? For, though the concentration of our employments in Divine things has clothed us officially with a spiritual garb ;^ yet who of us can have failed to discover, that spirituality of doctrine is not always connected with corresponding spirituality of heart or conduct? The best of us probably are far more spiritual in our pulpits than in our closets, and find less cflbrt required to preach against all the sins of our people, than to mortify one of them in our own hearts. Oh! how much more easy is it to preach from the understanding than from the heart! to expound the truth with satisfactory clearness to our people, and with delusive complacency to ourselves; than to be ourselves so moulded into its spirit, as to enjoy a holy preparation of heart in the previous

* See Chap. vi. 2 Can. i. 6. Comp. 1 Cor. ii. 27. 3 See Hosea ix. 7.

Study of it, its heavenly savour at the time of the delivery, and its experimental and practical influence in the afier recollection.

This difficulty springs out of the peculiar self-deception, by which we are apt to merge our personal in our professional character, and in the Minister to forget the Christian. But time must be found for the spiritual feeding upon Scriptural truths, as well as for a critical investigation of their meaning, or for a Ministerial application of their message. For if we should study the Bible more as Ministers than as Christians — more to find matter for the instruction of our people, than food for the nourishment of our own souls; we neglect to place ourselves at the feet of our Divine Teacher; our cojnmunion with him is cut off; and we become mere formalists in our sacred profession. Mr. Martyn seems to have been tenderly conscious of this temptation — ‘Every time’ (he remarked) ’ that I open the Scriptures, my thoughts are about a sermon or exposition; so that even in private I seem to be reading in public.’^ We cannot live by feeding others; or heal ourselves by the mere employment of healing our people; and therefore by this course of official service, our familiarity with the awful realities of death and eternity may be rather like that of the grave-digger, the physician, and the soldier, than the man of God, viewing eternity with deep seriousness and concern, and bringing to his people the profitable fruit of his contemplations. It has been well remarked — that, ’ when once a man begins to view religion not as of personal, but merely of professional importance, he has an obstacle in his course, with which a private Christian is unacquainted.’* It is indeed difficult to determine, whether our familiar intercourse with the things of God is more our temptation or our advantage. For what accurate self-observer has not verified Butler’s remarks on the repetition of passive impressions f and found the effect of formal Ministerial repetition to be of a rapidly and powerfully hard-

1 Martyn’s Life, p. GO. How instructive was his godly jealousy in watching against this subtle temptation! ‘I see’ (he observes at a later period) ’ how great are the temptations of a Missionary to neglect his own soul. Apparently outwardly employed for God, my heart has been growing more hard and proud. Let me be taught, tltat the first great business on earth is the sanctification of my own soul; so shall I be rendered more capable also of performing the duties of the Ministry in a holy solemn manner.’ pp. 263, 264. The same incessant watchfulness was exercised in the work of translations — ‘May the Lord in mercy to my soul save me from setting up an idol of any sort in his place; as I do by preferring eren a work professedly fior him, to communion tcith him! “To obey is better than sacrifice; and to hearken than the fat of rams.” Let me learn from this, that to follow the direct injunctions of God about my own soul, is more my duty, than to be engaged in other works, under pretence of doing him service.’ p. 272.

2 Wilkes’s Essay on Conversion and Unconversion in Christian Ministers, p. 14.

9 Analogy, Part i. ch. 5. Paley mentions among the chief impediments to the Christian Ministry — ’ the insensibility to religious impressions, which a constant conversation with religious subjects, and, still more, a constant intermixture with religious offices, ia wont to induce.’ He remarks more justly — ’ that the consequence of repetition will b« ening character!’ As the natural consequence of going through the daily and Sabbath routine without renewed fire from the altar, the doctrines of the Gospel will be maintained, while the assimilation of our character to their heavenly spirit will be totally neglected. And in the absence of this spiritual character — what is our Ministry more than a beautiful and lifeless mechanism, unvisited by the Spirit of God, and unblest with the tokens of its acceptance?

Upon the whole, therefore, we observe the weighty influence of personal character upon our Ministrations. “Simplicity and godly sincerity,” disinterestedness, humility, and general integrity of profession — are an “epistle known and read of all men.” Indeed character is power. The lack of it must therefore blast our success, by bringing the genuineness of our own religion, and the practical efficacy of the Gospel, under suspicion. Apart also from the natural effect of our public consistency, there is also a secret but penetrating influence diffused by the habitual exercise of our principles. Who will deny, that — had he been a more spiritual Christian — he would probabl)’^ have been a more useful Minister? Will not he, who is most fervent and abundant in secret prayer, most constant in his studies, most imbued with his Master’s spirit, most single in his object, most upright and persevering in the pursuit of it — be most honoured in his work? For is not he likely to be filled with an extraordinary unction? Will not he speak most “of the abundance of his heart?” And will not his flock “take knowledge of him,” as living in the presence of his God; and “receive him” in his pastoral visits and pulpit addresses, “as an angel of God — even as Christ Jesus?”

felt more sensibly by us, who are in the habit of directing our arguments to others; for it always requires a second, a separate, and an unusual effort of the mind, to bring back the conclusion upon ourselves. In all the thoughts and study, which we employ upon our arguments, what we are apt to hold continually in view, is the effect, which they may produce upon th pse who hear or read them. The further and best use of our meditation (their influence upon our own hearts and consciences) is lost in the presence of the other.’ Sermon on the dangers of the Clerical Character, Works, viii. 137 — 142.

‘Massillon speaks with awfbl solemnity of the case of a formal Minister — ‘He contracts a callousness by his insensible way of handling Divine matters; by which he becomes hardened against them, and by which he is so far put out of the reach of conviction in all the ordinary means of grace, that it is scarce possible he can ever be awakened and by consequence, thai he can be saved.’ Not less awful is the language of Dr. Owen — He that would go down to the pit in peace, let him obtain a great repute for religion; let him preach and labour to make others better than he is him.self, and in the mean time ntslect to humble his heart to walk with God in a manifest holiness and usefulness: and he will not fail of his end.’ Sermons and Tracts, folio, p. 47. ‘It is shocking’ (as an old writer pointedly remarks) ’ to fall into hell from under the pulpit — how much more BO from out of the pulpit! Is it supposed, that a holy office makes us holy 1 Let it be remembered, that tnose who from their earliest childhood were fed with consecrated food, and breathed the air of incense, “were sons of Belial — they knetc not the Lord “(1 Sam. U. 12.) Can we fbrget, that Judas “fell from his Apostleship, that he might go to his own place f Acts i. 25. Does not every unconverted Minister carry about with him in hi* Tery commission his own sentence of condemnation’! Mark ivi. 16.