The Reformed Pastor, Chapter 4 · Section 4 – Section 6
SECT. IV.
3. THE next ſin which I ſhall mention, that we are lamentably guilty of, is this; We do not ſo ſeriouſly, unreſervedly and induſtriouſly, lay out our ſelves in the work of the Lord, as beſeemeth men of our profeſſion and engagements. I bleſs the Lord that there are ſo many that do his work with all their might! But alas, for the moſt part, even of thoſe that we take for Godly Miniſters, how reſervedly and how negligently do we go through our work? How few of us do ſo behave our ſelves in our office, as men that are wholly devoted thereto, and have devoted all that they have to the ſame ends? And becauſe you ſhall ſee my grounds for this Confeſſion, I ſhall mention to you ſome of the ſinful diſcoveries of it, which do too much abound.
1. It is too common with us to be negligent in our ſtudies; and few men will be at that pains that is neceſſary, for the right informing of their underſtandings, and fitting them for their further work. Some men have no delight in their ſtudies, but take only now and then an hour, as an unwelcome task which they are forced to undergo, and are glad when they are from under the yoak. Will neither the natural deſire of knowing, nor the ſpiritual deſire of knowing God and things divine, nor the conſciouſneſs of our great ignorance and weakneſs, nor the ſenſe of the weight of our Miniſterial work, will none of all theſe keep us cloſer to our ſtudies, and make us more painful in ſeeking after the truth? This diligence is now the more neceſſary for Miniſters, becauſe the Neceſsitie of the Church doth draw ſo many from the Univerſities ſo young, ſo that they are fain to Teach and Learn together: And for my part, I would not diſcourage ſuch young ones, ſo be it they be but competently qualified, and quickned with earneſt deſires of mens ſalvation, and are drawn out by the preſent Neceſsities, ſooner then they would go, if the Church could longer wait for their preparation; and will but ſtudy hard in the Country. For I know that as Theologie is a practical Science, ſo the knowledge of it ſhineth beſt in a practical courſe: And laying out here is a means of gathering in; and a hearty endeavour to communicate and do good, is not the ſmalleſt help to our own proficiency. Many men have not been aſhamed to confeſs how young and raw they were at their entrance, who yet have grown to eminent parts. Vigilius the Martyr was made Biſhop of Trent at twenty years old. Ambroſe de Offic. li. c. 1. ſaith thus, Homines diſcunt priuſquam decent, & ab illo accipiunt quod aliis tradant: Quod ne ipſum quidem mihi accidit: Ego enim de tribunalibus at que adminiſtratienis infulis ad ſacer dotium captus, docere vos coepi quod ipſe non didici. Ita que factum eſt ut prius docere inciperem quam diſcere. Diſcendum igitur mihi ſimul & docendum eſt, quoniam non vacavit ante diſcere. Et quantumlibet quiſ que profecerit, nemo eſt qui doceri non egeat dum vivit.
O what abundance of things are there that a Miniſter ſhould underſtand? and what a great defect is it to be ignorant of them? and how much ſhall we miſs ſuch knowledge in our work! Many Miniſters ſtudy only to compoſe their Sermons, and very little more, when there are ſo many books to be read, and ſo many matters that we ſhould not be unacquainted with. Nay in the ſtudy of our Sermons we are too negligent, gathering only a few naked heads, and not conſidering of the moſt forcible expreſsions by which we ſhould ſet them home to mens hearts. We muſt ſtudy how to convince and get within men, and how to bring each truth to the quick, and not leave all this to our extemporarie promptitude, unleſs it be in caſes of neceſsity. Certainly Brethren, experience will teach you, that men are not made learned or wiſe without hard ſtudy, and unwearied labours and experience.
SECT. V.
2. IF Miniſters were ſet upon the work of the Lord, it would be done more vigorouſly then by the moſt of us it is. How few Miniſters do Preach with all their might? or ſpeak about everlaſting Joy or Torment in ſuch a manner as may make men believe that they are in good ſadneſs. It would make a mans heart ake to ſee a company of dead and drowſy ſinners ſit under a Miniſter, and not have a word that is like to quicken or awake them. To think with our ſelves, O if theſe ſinners were but convinced and awakened, they might yet be converted and live. And alas we ſpeak ſo drowſily or gently, that ſleepy ſinners cannot hear: The blow falls ſo light, that hard-hearted perſons cannot feel it. Moſt Miniſter will not ſo much as put out their voice, and ſtir up themſelves to an earneſt utterance: But if they do ſpeak loud and earneſtly, how few do anſwer it with earneſtneſs of matter! and the voice doth little good; the people will take it but as meer bauling, when the matter doth not correſpond. It would grieve one to hear what excellent Doctrines ſome Miniſters have in hand, and let it die in their hands for want of cloſe and lively application. What fit matter they have for convincing ſinners: and how little they make of it; and what a deal of good it might do if it were ſet home; and yet they cannot or will not do it. O ſirs, how plain, how cloſe and earneſtly ſhould we deliver a meſſage of ſuch a nature as ours is? when the everlaſting life or death of men is concerned in it: Me thinks we are nowhere ſo wanting as in this ſeriouſneſs? There is nothing more unſuitable to ſuch a buſineſs, then to be ſlight and dull. What! ſpeak coldly for God! and for mens ſalvation! Can we believe that our people muſt be converted, or condemned and yet can we ſpeak in a drowſie tone! In the name of God, Brethren, labour to awaken your hearts, before you come, and when you are in the work, that you may be fit to waken the hearts of ſinners. Remember that they muſt be wakened or damned; and a ſleepy Preacher will hardly wake them. If you give the holy things of God the higheſt praiſes in words, and yet do it coldly, you will ſeem in the manner to unſay what you ſaid in the matter. It is a kind of contempt of great things, eſpecially ſo great to ſpeak of them without great affection and fervency: The manner as well as the words muſt ſet them forth. If we are commanded what ever our hand findeth to do, to do it with all our might; then certainly ſuch a work as preaching for mens ſalvation ſhould be done with all our might: But alas how few, how thin are ſuch men! here one and there one, even among good Miniſters, that have an earneſt perſwading working way, or that the people can feel him preach when they hear him.
SECT. VI.
3. IF we are all heartily Devoted to the work of God, why do we not compaſsionate the poor unprovided Congregations about us, and take care to help them to able Miniſters? and in the mean time, ſtep out now and then to their aſsiſtance, when the buſineſs of our own particular charge will give us any leave. A Lecture in the more ignorant places purpoſely for the work of converſion, performed by the moſt lively working-preachers, might be a great help where conſtant means is wanting.