October 8

"Praying for me that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the Gospel."—Ephesians 6:19.

HOW should the mystery of the Gospel be made known?

FULLY. We must declare the whole counsel of God. Its leading doctrines must be frequently exhibited; such as the universal depravity of mankind; the love of God as the moving cause of our salvation; the death of Christ as the meritorious cause; and the work of the Spirit as the efficacious cause. The law must be preached subservient to the Gospel. These two, though distinct, are not opposite. They are like the seemingly opposite perfections of their glorious Author, they harmonize in mutual subserviency in the Christian system. The mystery of the Gospel is to be made known

PLAINLY. It requires all our learning, says Archbishop Usher, to make things plain. Godly simplicity is the alchemy that converts every thing it touches into gold. Ministers are compared to flying eagles; but they must not use their wings to fly over the heads of the people. They are ambassadors; but they must not be like foreign ambassadors, who need an interpreter. They are stars to illuminate, not clouds to obscure, the truth. Those who preach, more to display their learning and eloquence, than to exhibit Christ, are like painted glass windows, that prevent the glorious rays of the Sun of righteousness from shining in. Some ministers, says Quesad, are afraid of being understood by the simple, lest they should not be admired by the learned.

EARNESTLY. Sometimes the preacher, if he is warm in his subject, is charged with enthusiasm; but if the fire of enthusiasm burns any where, it should be in the pulpit. Baxter says, nothing is more indecent than a dead preacher, speaking to dead sinners the living truth of the living God. Bridges remarks of the preaching of Whitefield, it was the expression of his whole soul portrayed in his countenance, the solemnity of address and deep feeling from within, bursting through at every pore, streaming in his eyes, and breathing an energy of love throughout the effusions of his overflowing heart, that convinced the listening throngs that he was not trifling with them.

SERIOUSLY. Every thing demands this; the nature of the work, the importance of the message, the scrutinizing eye of our Master, the character of our hearers, the uncertainty of life, and the approach of eternity.

UNIVERSALLY. We are to make known this mystery to all. Some are so narrow and contracted in their range, so sparing in their invitations to sinners, and feel themselves so shackled in the pulpit, as if they were afraid of converting the non-elect.

DEPENDENTLY. The Spirit alone can discover to our minds the mystery of the Gospel; therefore all our efforts must be in a reliance on his aid.