Chapter 51. Use 2. Ministers Ought to Speak as the Oracles of God. The Manner of Their Preaching Ope
This answers them: we call upon them as with the voice of Christ.
Though they have no power themselves, we call upon them to set upon such duties; we call upon them to believe and to repent. They say it is in vain to call upon them to believe and repent. But the way that God works faith and repentance in the heart of man is to convey a power through His own voice in the ministry of His word.
Therefore, we speak to them to believe and repent, as if they had power, because we know that those who belong to God's election, the Lord will convey power to them through this word of His. It is not our voice, but it is the voice of God and of Jesus Christ.
We would have you carry this meditation along with you, at any time when we speak to you and exhort you to come in, to repent, and to believe. Carry this meditation with you, and then you shall understand us aright. We would not have you think that we assume you have power to believe and repent simply because we call upon you. But this we expect: that, while we are speaking to you, God and Christ will speak to your hearts so that there will be power conveyed through that word of ours. And though it may not be conveyed in this sermon, yet it may be in the next or the next, and we hope in the end that it will give repentance unto life.
Chapter 51.
Use 2. Ministers Ought to Speak as the Oracles of God. The Manner of Their Preaching Opened.
The next use that arises from hence is that which the Apostle Peter makes in 1 Peter 4:11, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God." Mark it, here is an exhortation to those who have to deal in the ministry of the word: that they must, when they speak the word, speak it as the oracles of God. So that which is delivered in the word, you see it to be as the oracles of God. Whatsoever a minister speaks
(according to Scripture) is to be looked upon as the oracles of God.
Now, therefore, if this be so, that the word which is spoken (according to the rule) is the oracles of God, then it is the duty of all who do speak the word of God to speak it in such a manner as it may appear to be the oracles of God. I have not now to speak to many ministers, and therefore I shall not enlarge myself in this as I otherwise might have done.
Oh! With what reverence should ministers speak, for they come to speak as in Christ's stead, and therefore they should speak in such a manner as befits the voice of God and of Jesus Christ—as the oracles of God. They should not think to speak according to their own fancies, humours, and in their own ways, but to speak as those sent in God's place, to speak to the people as if Christ were speaking to them. Therefore, they must consider they are in the place of Christ and so speak with all authority as from Christ, as in Matthew 7, the last verse. It is said of Christ, "That he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." For a minister of God is to preach in Christ's stead (as the Apostle saith), and therefore he is to labour what he can to express the very authority of Jesus Christ in his ministry.
There is a ministry that carries authority with it in the very consciences of men. I have known of some who have come proudly into a congregation to scorn at the word—profane people who have
come on purpose to confront the ministry and the word—yet they have met with such authority in the word that their hearts have been daunted, and they have fallen under the power of the word.
There is a great deal of difference in the manner and way of preaching the word; some have authority, and others have no authority at all in it. [That kind of preaching that aims to please the humours of men]—you will find some preachers who pander to men's fancies, as it were; who have some fine, quaint words, whose sentences are very smooth, and who seem to come off elegantly. They are considered "dainty" preachers and will often use many fine Latin sentences and witty speeches, coming into the pulpit as though they were to act a part upon the stage. These are the fine, quaint preachers, the court preachers (as they are called).
But this is not to preach as in Christ's stead. It is very likely that this was the kind of preaching of the scribes and Pharisees. But when
Christ came to speak, he spoke as one who had authority, not as the scribes. There was a great difference between his preaching and that of the scribes. He came with the authority of God; he came to preach to the consciences of men and not to the fancies of men. And just as there was this difference in him, so there is in some measure and degree even now. There are some who preach (to this very day) just as the scribes did, but there are others who preach as Christ did, preaching to the conscience and the hearts of people. Their words stick in the consciences of men; though they may fret, vex, and go away in a rage, yet something sticks to their consciences, so that they are either forced to yield to it or flee from it.
And this is the reason that many a man will cry out and say, "I will never hear such a minister." Why? What is the reason? His corrupt heart cannot bear that minister's preaching; the word comes with
power to his heart, and his guilty conscience cannot bear it. Now observe whether there is not some vile guiltiness in the spirits of those who say of such men that they will never hear them anymore.
It is because their corrupt hearts cannot bear the authority of the word. That preaching which is as if God and Christ spoke it is with authority and not with fine, quaint words.
To this purpose, you have an expression in 1 Corinthians 1:17: "[For Christ sent me]… not with wisdom of men." Christ did never send me to preach with the wisdom of men.
What a text is here! How will many men be able to answer this one text, who make it their great study to gain the wisdom of words? But mark the danger of this: lest the Cross of Christ be made of no effect.
There is a most hideous wickedness in this—that a man should care more about being commended for being a fine, witty, neat, smooth preacher than he should care about the Cross of Christ taking effect, or having Christ be honoured. We find by experience that such preaching scarcely ever stirs the soul and seldom, if ever, works upon the heart.
It was once said by a prelate who was not the best, but one quite illfamed and known to many (I suppose here). I heard it with my own ears. He said that he was convinced so far that when he came to present someone to a town, he asked if there were any in the place who desired others. "Yes," said they, "there are some who desire a university man to come to them." But he replied, "The preaching there will not humble a soul, nor does it tend to humiliation." I heard this even from one whom I know was not a friend to powerful preaching, yet his conscience was so far convinced. Because the wisdom of words and learning is often shown, that kind of preaching of the Gospel makes the Cross of Christ of no effect.
Your flaunting preachers—when do they ever convert a soul?
Therefore (says the Apostle), if we preach so as to do good, it must be such preaching as is described in the 18th verse. It must be foolishness to wicked men, but to those who are saved, it is the power of God and the wisdom of God. Wicked, carnal men will say, "There is no scholarship, no learning in such a sermon." Well, it is foolishness to them, but to those who are saved, it is the power of God unto salvation. A humble person might say, "I know not what they say, but I find a power in it. My eyes were never opened until now, my heart was never worked upon until now." To those who are saved, it is the power of God. If you find a power in it, that which wicked men call foolishness, it is a good argument that you are one who shall be saved when it quickens you.
And again, in the 19th verse: For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.' All their grandiosity shall come to nothing. And then in the 23rd verse: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. And then again, in the 2nd chapter, verse 1: And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech, or of (man's) wisdom. You might say it was because Paul could not—no, Paul was an admirable scholar, a most eloquent man; he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel. And yet this man came not with excellency of speech or wisdom of words, declaring to them the excellencies of God. For, says he in the 2nd verse, I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus
Christ, and him crucified, etc.
This makes the word powerful when it comes in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and not with enticing words of man's wisdom, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of man but
in the power of God: Howbeit we speak wisdom among those that are perfect. There is wisdom in preaching.
You may ask, "Why? Should preachers be fools?"
No, God forbid. There should be the greatest wisdom that can be, and this is no warrant for one to come into the pulpit and speak extempore. We do not come to justify a raw and empty discourse that has nothing in it but mere words and noise, with no solidity. No, let ministers study and labour to be as solid as they can, search into the mysteries of the Gospel, and open the secrets of God; in doing so, it will prevail with the consciences of men. If ministers have any gifts, there is enough matter to express the abilities of those who are most capable, and it requires their study. And so, the Apostle would have
Timothy to study, and therefore, it is no justification for those who do not study.
But we must remember that we come to speak in Christ's stead.
Christ certainly did not come with empty words, but He came to open the counsels of His Father, and He revealed the great mysteries of the Gospel in a solid way. So too did the Apostles; what they spoke was weighty and substantial (though it was not with vain words and phrases, as I mentioned before).
But I bring this up not to direct my speech so much to ministers as to you, the people. Seeing that this is our point—that God and Christ speak in the ministry of the word—therefore you should desire and favour such a kind of ministry wherein God speaks most, wherein
Christ speaks most, where you can hear the voice of God and of Christ.
I know of no argument that more fully reveals the difference between a carnal heart and a gracious, spiritual heart than this: what kind of
ministry does your heart most savour and relish? Hereby, you may know the temper of your hearts. One may discern the state of the body by knowing what food one savours most, so too may we understand the temper of the heart by knowing what spiritual food it relishes most. If you relish frothy, empty words, your heart is accordingly inclined. But if you savour and appreciate a spiritual ministry that comes with the power and authority of God and Christ, that speaks to your heart and conscience, this is an evidence and sign of a gracious disposition in your heart.
The truth is, in one who has fallen away (or in a great measure is distanced) from God, if there be any sparks of grace remaining, they will appear in this as much as in anything else: that though his heart has grown more distant than it once was, still, he cannot help but acknowledge that he finds more power in a spiritual ministry than in any other. But those with carnal hearts will savour and relish a ministry that is mere words, one that has the least of God and Christ.
Where there is little of God and Christ in the heart, there, the ministry with the least of God and Christ is most appreciated.
Some women, and some who are ignorant, if they hear a sermon with a great deal of Greek and Latin that they cannot understand, they go away and commend it, even though they understood nothing of it. I have heard an excellent story of a poor beggar (in Queen Elizabeth's time) who heard a sermon at the Court and listened to many Latin sentences and eloquent speeches. The poor beggar followed the minister as he was leaving and blessed God, saying, "Oh! Master
Doctor, I bless God, and thank Him with all my heart." The minister turned around and asked him, "What is the matter?" "Oh! Master
Doctor," says he, "I hope the old religion is coming in again."