A Practical Discourse Relating to the Gospel Ministry, Title page – Preface
A Practical Diſcourſe Relating to the GOSPEL-MINISTY.
Preach'd By Thomas Foxcroft, A. M. At His Ordination to the Office OF Paſtor of a CHURCH in Boſton, on Wedneſday, November 20. 1717.
Publiſhed and Enlarged at the Urgent Requeſt of a Gentleman of his Auditory.
With a Preface by the Reverend Mr. Benjamin Wadſworth, Paſtor of the ſaid Church.
BOSTON: Printed for Nicholas Buttolph, at his Shop at the lower end of Corn-Hill, 1718.
THE PREFACE.
THAT the Office and Work of the Goſpel-Miniſtry is founded on Divine Inſtitution, may eaſily appear to thoſe, who read the Scriptures with ſerious unbyas'd thought and obſervation. Its a work, the right performance whereof is attended with many and great difficulties; partly from the various, frequent, furious Aſſaults of Satan; partly from the Luſts of Men, variouſly diſcouraging or oppoſing of it; and partly from the weakneſses and remaining corruptions, even of the beſt of thoſe, who engage in it. Yet 'tis a Work very honourable in it ſelf, and of vaſt Weight and Importance. It muſt needs be thought ſo, if we rightly conſider, that 'tis the Infinitely Great, Glorious, Holy, Heart-ſearching God, who (in His Providence) Calls and Commiſſions Men to this Work; that the main Scope of the Work is, to batter down Satans Kingdom, to pull down the ſtrong holds of Luſt in the Hearts of Men, to promote the Glory of Divine Grace thro' Chriſt, in ſaving Mens Precious Immortal Souls, one of which is more worth than a World; and that thoſe who engage in this Work, muſt give up a ſtrict account of their Management, to that God who employs them, who can't be deceived and won't be mocked, and who will require at their hands the Blood of thoſe Souls that periſh thro' their neglect, as well as graciouſly and abundantly reward them if they are Faithful. Theſe brief hints ſhow, that the Work of the Goſpel-Miniſtry is exceeding great, weighty and important. If the ſenſe hereof made Paul (who came not behind the chiefeſt Apoſtles) to cry out, Who is ſufficient for theſe things; how much more might it make the ableſt of Ordinary Miniſters to do ſo? A great variety of Gifts and endowments (not to be obtain'd without a courſe of intenſe laborious Study and Prayer) deep Humility of mind, unfainting application and unſhaken reſolution, unwearied ſupplies and freſh anointings from Chriſt the Head of Influences, are needful to a right diſcharge of the Work of the Miniſtry. Theſe things ſhould be ſeriouſly conſider'd of, by thoſe who think of engaging in that moſt weighty Work; that ſo with due Preparations of Soul, and dependance on God, they may enter upon it. They ſhould gladly uſe ſuch helps, a… tend to fit them for, and quicken them to, a right diſcharge of their duty. Among ſuch helps, the following Sermon may well be numbred. 'Twas Preach'd (tho' not ſo large as 'tis now Printed) by the Worthy Author, on the Day of his Ordination; and 'tis now Publiſh'd, in Anſwer to Importunate Sollicitations, and at deſire alſo the Enlargements were made. This Importunity argues not his backwardneſs to oblige Friends; but his modeſt opinion of his own performances, and his unwillingneſs to appear ſo early in Print, (being very Young) leſt any ſhould cenſure him for too much forwardneſs. Such a cenſure in this caſe, would be very groundleſs. His principal deſign in Studying this Sermon (as he declares) was not ſo much the inſtructing of others in the Work of the Miniſtry, as the learning more clearly his own duty, and getting the ſenſe of it more deeply impreſs'd on his own mind. But now 'tis Publiſh'd, I wiſh others may be as much benefited in Reading, as he was in Studying, of it. Thoſe Sermons, which are moſt worthy of Commendation, have leaſt (or no) need of it; they commend themſelves; I think this may be numbred among ſuch. Sure I am, the things contained herein, are highly worthy of the deepeſt and moſt ſerious conſideration, of all Goſpel-Miniſters. I hope by peruſing of it, I am more humbly ſenſible of my own deficiencies, then I was before; & my deſire is, that for the future I may be quicken'd to act in my Station, more agreeably to what is here very ſolidly and cogently inculcated. I wiſh that all Miniſters would (as this Sermon directs) make it their chief Buſineſs to Preach Chriſt, to ſhow Men their need of Him, & His ſuitableneſs & ſufficiency for them; endeavouring that they may be rightly acquainted with Him, united to Him, and more conform'd in heart & life to His Image, Precepts & Example. Thus to Preach Chriſt, is more the duty & honour of Miniſters, than to ſhow the greateſt Learning in other matters, or to get the greateſt applauſe for it. I eſteem it a rich mercy of God to our Land, that He continues and ſmiles on our College, & thence ſends forth from time to time, able Miniſters, to ſerve His Holy Churches in this Wilderneſs, as well as in ſome other Places: Praiſe be to God the Father of Lights, for this Great Bleſſing. This is the diſtinguiſhing Glory of New-England, wherein it differs from all other Plantations and Diſperſions of the Britiſh Empire. I Pray, God continue our College a rich Bleſſing to His Churches, as long as the Sun and Moon endure. And I eſteem it as a rich Bleſſing to that Flock of our Lord Jeſus, to which I am an unworthy Paſtor, that the Worthy Author of this Sermon, (my Dear Brother & Fellow Labourer,) was ſo unanimouſly and peaceably call'd to, and ſettled in, the Paſtoral Office among them. I Pray God, long to continue his Life & Health, and greatly & conſtantly to increaſe the Gifts & Graces of His Good Spirit to him; and to make him very Faithful & Succeſsful in the weighty important Work he's engaged in, & then to take him ſafe, tho' late, to His Heavenly Kingdom. And as for the Flock themſelves, I Pray that they may be (and thanks be to God they are) a Bleſſing and a Comfort to thoſe who watch for their Souls. My hearts deſire and Prayer to God for them is, that they may be ſaved; that thoſe who Preach and thoſe who hear, may meet with Joy at Chriſt's Right Hand in the Great Day.
BENJAMIN WADSWORTH.