The Preacher: His Graces '' Every holiday and Sunday he lightly preached in some one place or other, except he were otherwise letted by weighty affairs and business, to whose sermons the people resorted, swarming about him like bees, and coveting the sweet flowers and wholesome juice of the fruitful doctrine, which he did not only preach, but showed the same by his life, as a glittering lanthorn to the eye and senses of the blind, in such pure order and chastity of life (declining from all evil desires and concupiscences) that even his very enemies could not reprove him in any one jot thereof."
John Foxe on Bishop Ridley.
The Preacher: His Graces HARACTER and gifts are the two essentials of a preacher, and of the two character is the greater.
He whose word is to work goodness in others must in himself exemplify its sweetness and power.
'He who the sword of heaven will bear Should be as holy as severe; Pattern in himself, to know, Grace to stand, and virtue go."
No man ever had a stronger conviction of this than Wesley, as the following extracts from his Address to the Clergy (1756) will show :— 'What are all other gifts, whether natural or acquired, when compared to the grace of God? And how ought
John Wesley on Preaching this to animate and govern the whole intention, affection, and practice of a minister of Christ ?
"T. As to his Zxtention, both in undertaking this important office and in exercising every part of it, ought it not to be singly this, to glorify God and to save souls from death? Is not this absolutely and indispensably necessary before all and above all things? If his eye be single, his whole body, his whole soul, his whole work 'will be full of light.' 'God who commanded light to shine out of darkness' will shine on his heart, will direct him in all his ways, will give him to see the travail of his soul and be satisfied. But if his eye, his intention, be not single, if there be any mixture of meaner motives (how much
The Preacher: His Graces more if those were or are his leading motives in undertaking or exercising this high office), his whole body, his whole soul 'will be full of darkness,' even such as issues from the bottomless pit. Let not such a man think that he shall have any blessing from the Lord. No; the curse of God abideth on him. Let him not expect to enjoy any settled peace, any solid comfort in his own breast; neither can he hope there will be any fruit of his labours, any sinners converted to God."
The last clause is hardly justified of experience. That an unworthy instrument should be the means of turning men from sin to righteousness seems contrary to spiritual fitness, and yet there are instances too strong to admit of doubt in which the advocacy
John Wesley on Preaching of men not in themselves morally excellent has won others to a higher life.
Such men often exercise a power of swaying the multitude, a sort of magnetic influence, apart from and independent of their moral nature, of which others of nobler metal cannot boast.
Yet it remains true that for the achievement of the highest ends, for touching the best in men, and touching it to finest issues, there is needed true spiritual sincerity and worth ; without these a preacher cannot hope for results of a lofty and permanent kind.
'II. As to his Affectzons. Ought not a 'steward of the mysteries of God,' a shepherd of the souls for whom Christ died, to be endued with an eminent measure of love to God and love to all his brethren; a love
The Preacher: His Graces the same in kind, but in degree far beyond that of ordinary Christians?
Can he otherwise answer the high character he bears, and the relation wherein he stands? Without this, how can he go through all the toils and difficulties which necessarily attend the faithful execution of his office?
Would it be possible for a parent to go through the pain and fatigue of bringing up even one child, were it not for that vehement affection, that inexpressible opy?, which the Creator has given for that very end? How much less will it be possible for any pastor, any spiritual parent, to go through the pain and labour of 'travailing in birth for' and bringing up many children to the measure of the full stature of Christ, without a large measure of John Wesley on Preaching that inexpressible affection which 'a stranger intermeddleth not with ?'
"'TII. As to his Practzce. What is a minister of Christ, a shepherd of souls, unless he is all devoted to God, unless he abstain, with the utmost care and diligence, from every evil word and work ; from all appearance of evil; yea, from the most innocent things whereby any might be offended, or made weak? Is he not called, above others, to be an example to the flock, in his private as well as public character ; an example of all holy and heavenly tempers, filling the heart so as to shine through the life? Consequently, is not his whole life, if he walks worthy of his calling, one incessant labour of love ; one continued tract of praising God and helping
The Preacher: His Graces man; one series of thankfulness and beneficence? Is he not always humble, always serious, though rejoicing evermore; mild, gentle, patient, abstinent? May you not resemble him to a guardian angel, ministering to those 'who shall be heirs of salvation'? Is he not one sent forth from God, to stand between God and man, to guard and assist the poor, helpless children of men, to supply them both with light and strength, to guide them through a thousand known and unknown dangers, till at the appointed time he returns, with those committed to his charge, to his and their Father who is in heaven?
'Oh, who is able to describe such a messenger of God, faithfully executing his high office, working together John Wesley on Preaching with God, with the great Author both of the old and of the new creation!
See his Lord, the eternal Son of God, going forth on that work of omnipotence, and creating heaven and earth by the breath of His mouth! See the servant whom He delighteth to honour, fulfilling the counsel of His will, and in His name speaking the word whereby is raised a new spiritual creation! Empowered by Him, he says to the dark, unformed void of nature, 'Let there be light!' and there is light; 'old things are passed away ; behold, all things are become new.' He is continually employed in what the angels of God have not the honour to do—co-operating with the Redeemer of men in 'bra many children to glory.'
The Preacher: His Graces 'Such is a true minister of Christ; and such, beyond all possibility of dispute, ought both you and I to be.
'Let each seriously examine himself. What was my intention in taking upon me this office and ministry?
Was it always, and is it now, wholly and solely to glorify God, and save souls? Has my eye been singly fixed on this from the beginning hitherto?
Had I never, have I not now, any mixture in my intention, any alloy of baser metal? Had J, or have I, no thought of worldly gain; 'filthy lucre,' as the apostle terms it? Had I at first, have I now, no secular view, no eye to honour or preferment, to a plentiful income, at least, a competency, a warm and comfortable livelihood ?
John Wesley on Preaching '*Am I such as I ought to be with regard to my affections? I stand between God and man, by the authority of the great Mediator, in the nearest and most endearing relation both to my Creator and my fellow-creatures.
Have I accordingly given my heart to God, and to my brethren for His sake? Do I love God with all my soul and strength, and my neighbour, and every man, as myself? Does this love swallow me up, possess me whole, constitute my supreme happiness? Does it animate all my passions and tempers, and regulate all my powers and faculties? Is it the spring which gives rise to all my thoughts, and governs all my words and actions? If it does, not unto me, but unto God, be the praise! If The Preacher: His Graces it does not, 'God be merciful to me a sinner !'
'Am I such as I ought to be with regard to my practice? Am I, in my private life, wholly devoted to God?
Am | intent upon this one thing—to do in every point not 'my own will, but the will of Him that sent me'?
Do I carefully and resolutely abstain from every evil word and work, 'from all appearance of evil, from all indifferent things which might lay a stumbling-block in the way of the weak'? Am I zealous of good works?
As I have time, do I do good to all men, and that in every kind, and in as high a degree as I am capable?
''How do I behave in the public work whereunto I am called—in my pastoral character? Am I a pattern John Wesley on Preaching to my flock in word, in behaviour, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity?
Is my word, my daily conversation, 'always in grace,' always 'meet to minister grace to the hearers'? Is my behaviour suitable to the dignity of my calling? Do I walk as Christ also walked? Does the love of God and man not only fill my heart, but shine through my whole conversation?
Is the spirit, the temper which appears in all my words and actions, such as allows me to say with humble boldness, 'Herein be ye followers of me as I am of Christ'? Do I in everything see 'Him who is invisible'?
And, 'beholding with open face the glory of the Lord,' am I 'changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord'?"'