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  WORDS TO WINNERS OF SOULS
  by Horatius Bonar
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Horatius Bonar's searching challenge to Christians examining spiritual
shortcomings including neglect of Scripture, failure to guard against
temptation, and the danger of refined hypocrisy in the believer's life.

  Chapters: 3

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  TABLE OF CONTENTS
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    0. Words to Winners of Souls
    1. Part 1
    2. Part 2

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  CHAPTER 0: WORDS TO WINNERS OF SOULS
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  CHAPTER 1: PART 1
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Words to Winners of Souls by Horatius Bonar Forward by Roger Greenway Published
by Baker Bookhouse Company Forward The pastor of a large church in California on
a freeway was a visiting missionary from overseas. New housing developments
stretch for miles along both sides of the road. I wonder how many unsaved people
live in those houses, remarked the missionary.

I'd sure like to get in there and find out. That's where you and I differ,
replied the pastor. If someone told me there were Christians in those houses who
needed pastoral attention, I'd be glad to help.

But the thought of going in there to reach unchurched people leaves me cold.
Because this attitude of indifference toward the lost is such a universal
problem in the church, the reappearance of Horatius Bonar's book, Words to
Winners of Souls, is most heartily welcome. The apathy of Christians toward the
lost is the greatest hindrance to world evangelization, and the problem is by no
means restricted to one geographical area of the world.

In Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the same indifference is found, and
it explains why the world is still lost, even 2,000 years after Christ gave the
Great Commission. In religious churches today, we have all kinds of evangelistic
schemes, missionary programs, and fundraising devices. But we aren't
accomplishing half of what we should.

What we need are men and women with a Christlike passion for the salvation of
souls. The church has more than enough scholars, management experts,
fundraisers, and media-attractive personalities. What it needs is people aglow
with the soul-winning power and presence of God.

It will interest readers to know that Bonar was a Presbyterian, a denominational
leader in his day. His theology was historic Calvinism, and he believed firmly
in the sovereignty of God over all things. Bonar defines the object of Christian
ministry as converting sinners and edifying saints.

He insists that the pastor's aim in every sermon and in every visit must be to
save the lost and guide the saved. He places the primary responsibility for
evangelism with the individual Christian, particularly the pastors. If the
leaders are people endowed with converting power, whose source of strength is
the life of holiness and communion with God, the church will grow and sinners
will be saved.

But if the main focus of their ministry is in some other direction, neither
orthodoxy, nor education, nor eloquence, nor zeal can serve as a substitute and
cause the church to be evangelistic. Books on evangelism and soul-winning have
never been more numerous than today, but few come close to the power and quality
of Bonar's Words to Winners of Souls. Bonar is different because he brings us to
our knees.

He shows us where the heart of our failure lies, and he points out the way to
recovery. At a time when even missions and evangelism are capitulating to
secularizing pressures, Christian leaders need to hear Horatius Bonar again and
reflect deeply on his message. As a former missionary and pastor who has served
the church in southern Asia, in several parts of Latin America, and now in North
America, I am keenly aware of church leaders' overwhelming preoccupation with
the internal affairs of the church.

If only every pastor, missionary, and lay leader in the church could hear
Horatius Bonar's timely reminder, he that saved our souls taught us to weep over
the unsaved. Roger S. Greenway PREFACE It is not difficult to write a preface to
this classic treasure of the Christian ministry written by a Scottish
Presbyterian divine who was born in Edinburgh on December 19, 1808, and died
there on July 31, 1889. He belongs to a previous generation, but his little
manual is timeless, for it fits into the needs of our day almost as accurately
as it did into the needs of the parish of Kelso in 1866, and later in Edinburgh.

Horatius Bonar was first of all a winner of souls, although he was also a great
preacher and a writer of some of our best hymns. He became moderator of the
General Assembly of his church. When we read his manual on how to win men for
Christ, we are reminded page after page of his three best hymns, although he was
the author of many.

He could say himself, I heard the voice of Jesus say, and therefore he could
write the hymn beginning with those words. How many have been led to Christ by
this invitation to accept Him as their Savior, and how many Christians have
rededicated themselves to their Lord and Master, and have recalled the day when
they first loved Him, when they have sung at the Holy Communion, Hear, O my
Lord, I see thee face to face. Not only are his counsels to the winners of souls
spiritual, divine, and searching, but the keynote of it all is that of urgency,
as he himself expressed it in his third great hymn, Go, labor on, spend, and be
spent.

The third stanza of that hymn ought to be written as a motto on the desk of
every pastor. Go, labor on while it is day, The work's dark night is hastening
on, Speed, speed thy work, cast sloth away, It is not thus that souls are won.
This is a book for winners of souls, not for loiterers on the highway, or for
slothful servants of our Master.

It is a heart-searching book, but also one that gives new courage to continue
the daily task. I recall as a boy one little book that used to lie on my
father's desk, that is, sixty years ago, in his pastoral study in Michigan. It
was his constant companion, and was marked almost on every page.

This little volume, bound in leather with gilt edges, had on the cover, Words to
Winners of Souls Samuel M. Zwemmer, D.D., 1867-1952 March 3, 1950, New York City
Contents Forward Preface Chapter 1. Importance of a Living Ministry Chapter 2.
The Minister's True Life and Walk Chapter 3. Past Defects Chapter 4. Ministerial
Confession Chapter 5. Revival in the Ministry Tis not for man to trifle. Life is
brief, and sin is here. Our age is but the falling of a leaf, a dropping tear.

We have no time to sport away the hours. All must be earnest in a world like
ours. Not many lives, but only one, have we.

One, only one. How sacred should that one life ever be, that narrow span? Day
after day filled up with blessed toil, hour after hour still bringing in new
spoil. Chapter 1. Importance of a Living Ministry How much more would a few good
and fervent men effect in the ministry than a multitude of lukewarm ones, said
O. Columpadius, the Swiss Reformer, a man who had been taught by experience, and
who has recorded that experience for the benefit of other churches and other
days? The mere multiplying of men calling themselves ministers of Christ will
avail little.

They may be but cumbers of the ground. They may be like Achan troubling the
camp, or perhaps Jonah raising the tempest. Even when sound in the faith,
through unbelief, lukewarmness, and slothful formality, they may do irreparable
injury to the cause of Christ, freezing and withering up all spiritual life
around them.

The lukewarm ministry of one who is theoretically orthodox is often more
extensively and fatally ruinous to souls than that of one grossly inconsistent
or flagrantly heretical. What man on earth is so pernicious a drone as an idle
minister, said Cecil? And Fletcher remarked well that lukewarm pastors made
careless Christians. Can the multiplication of such ministers, to whatever
amount, be counted a blessing to a people? When the Church of Christ, in all her
denominations, returns to primitive example, and walking in apostolical
footsteps, seeks to be conformed more closely to inspired models, allowing
nothing that pertains to worth to come between her and her living head, then she
will give more careful heed to see that the men to whom she entrusts the care of
souls, however learned and able, should be yet more distinguished by their
spirituality, zeal, faith, and love.

In comparing Baxter and Orton, the biographer of the former remarks that Baxter
would have set the world on fire while Orton was lighting a match. How true! Yet
not true alone of Baxter or of Orton. These two individuals are representatives
of two classes in the Church of Christ in every age and of every denomination.

The latter class are far the more numerous, the Ortons you may count by
hundreds, the Baxters by tens. Yet who would not prefer a solitary specimen of
the one to a thousand of the other? Baxter's burning sincerity. When he spoke of
weighty soul concerns, says one of his contemporaries of Baxter, you might find
his very spirit drenched therein.

No wonder that he was blessed with such amazing success. Men felt that in
listening to him they were in contact with one who was dealing with realities of
infinite moment. This is one of the secrets of ministerial strength and
ministerial success.

And who can say how much of the overflowing infidelity of the present day is
owing not only to the lack of spiritual instructors, not merely to the existence
of grossly unfaithful and inconsistent ones, but to the coldness of many who are
reputed, sound, and faithful. Men cannot but feel that if religion is worth
anything, it is worth everything. That if it calls for any measure of zeal and
warmth, it will justify the utmost degrees of these.

And that there is no consistent medium between reckless atheism and the
intensest warmth of religious zeal. Men may dislike, detest, scoff at, persecute
the latter, yet their consciences are all the while silently reminding them that
if there be a God and a Savior, a heaven and a hell, anything short of such life
and love is hypocrisy, dishonesty, perjury. And thus the lesson they learn from
the lifeless discourses of the class we are alluding to is that since these men
do not believe the doctrines they are preaching, there is no need of their
hearers believing them.

If ministers only believe them because they make their living by them, why
should those who make nothing by them scruple about denying them? Rash
preaching, said Roland Hill, disgusts. Timid preaching leaves poor souls fast
asleep. Bold preaching is the only preaching that is owned of God.

It is not merely unsoundness in faith, nor negligence in duty, nor open
inconsistency of life that mars the ministerial work and ruin souls. A man may
be free from all scandal, either in creed or conduct, and yet may be a most
grievous obstruction in the way of all spiritual good to his people. He may be a
dry and empty cistern, notwithstanding his orthodoxy.

He may be freezing or blasting life at the very time he is speaking of the way
of life. He may be repelling men from the cross even when he is in words
proclaiming it. He may be standing between his flock and the blessing even when
he is in outward form lifting up his hand to bless them.

The same words that from warm lips would drop as the rain or distill as the dew
fall from his lips as the snow or hail, chilling all spiritual warmth and
blighting all spiritual life. How many souls have been lost for want of
earnestness, want of solemnity, want of love in the preacher even when the words
uttered were precious and true? Our one object, to win souls. We take for
granted that the object of the Christian ministry is to convert sinners and to
edify the body of Christ.

No faithful minister can possibly rest short of this. Applause, fame,
popularity, honor, wealth, all these are vain. If souls are not won, if saints
are not matured, our ministry itself is vain.

The question, therefore, which each of us has to answer to his own conscience
is, has it been the end of my ministry? Has it been the desire of my heart to
save the lost and guide the saved? Is this my aim in every sermon I preach, in
every visit I pay? Is it under the influence of this feeling that I continually
live and walk and speak? Is it for this I pray and toil and fast and weep? Is it
for this I spend and am spent, counting it next to the salvation of my own soul,
my chiefest joy, to be the instrument of saving others? Is it for this that I
exist, to accomplish this would I gladly die? Have I seen the pleasure of the
Lord prospering in my hand? Have I seen souls converted under my ministry? Have
God's people found refreshment from my lips and gone upon their way rejoicing?
Or have I seen no fruit of my labors and yet content to remain unblessed? Am I
satisfied to preach and yet not know of one saving impression made, one sinner
awakened? Nothing short of positive success can satisfy a true minister of
Christ. His plans may proceed smoothly and His external machinery may work
steadily, but without actual fruit in the saving of souls He counts all these as
nothing. His feeling is, My little children, of whom I travail and birth again
until Christ be formed in you.

Galatians 4.19 And it is this feeling which makes Him successful. Ministers,
said Owen, are seldom honored with success unless they are continually aiming at
the conversion of sinners. The resolution that in the strength and with the
blessing of God He will never rest without success will ensure it.

It is the man who has made up his mind to confront every difficulty, who has
counted the cost and, fixing his eye upon the prize, has determined to fight his
way to it. It is such a man that conquers. The dull apathy of other days is
gone.

Satan has taken the field actively and it is best to meet him front to front.
Besides, men's consciences are really on edge. God seems extensively striving
with them as before the flood.

A breath of the Divine Spirit has passed over the earth and hence the momentous
character of the time as well as the necessity for improving it so long as it
lasts. The one true goal or resting place where doubt and weariness, the stings
of a pricking conscience and the longings of an unsatisfied soul would all be
quieted is Christ Himself. Not the church, but Christ.

Not doctrine, but Christ. Not forms, but Christ. Not ceremonies, but Christ.

Christ, the God-man, giving His life for ours, sealing the everlasting covenant
and making peace for us through the blood of His cross. Christ, the Divine
storehouse of all light and truth, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge, Colossians 2, 3. Christ, the infinite vessel, filled with the
Holy Spirit, the Enlightener, the Teacher, the Quickener, the Comforter, so that
of His fullness have all we received and grace for grace. John 1, 16.

This alone is the vexed soul's refuge, its rock to build on, its home to abide
in till the great tempter be bound and every conflict ended in victory. Meet
opinion with the truth. Let us then meet this earnestness, which is now the
boast but may ere long be the bane of the age with that which alone can bring
down its feverish pulse and soothe it into blessed calm, the gospel of the grace
of God.

All other things are but opiates, drugs, quackeries. This is the divine
medicine. This is the soul, the speedy, the eternal cure.

It is not by opinion that we are to meet opinion. It is the truth of God that we
are to wield and applying the edge of the sword of the Spirit to the theories of
man, which he proudly calls his opinions, make him feel what a web of sophistry
and folly he has been weaving for his own entanglement and ruin. It is not
opinions that man needs.

It is truth. It is not theology. It is God.

It is not religion. It is Christ. It is not literature and science but the
knowledge of the free love of God and the gift of His only begotten Son.

I know not, says Richard Baxter, what others think, but for my own part I am
ashamed of my stupidity and wonder at myself that I deal not with my own and
others' souls as one that looks for the great day of the Lord and that I can
have room for almost any other thoughts and words and that such astonishing
matters do not wholly absorb my mind. I marvel how I can preach of them slightly
and coldly and how I can let men alone in their sins and that I do not go to
them and beseech them for the Lord's sake to repent however they may take it and
whatever pain and trouble it should cost me. I seldom come out of the pulpit but
my conscience smiteth me that I have been no more serious and fervent.

It accuseth me not so much for want of ornaments and elegancy nor for letting
fall an unhandsome word but it asketh me how couldst thou speak of life and
death with such a heart? How couldst thou preach of heaven and hell in such a
careless, sleepy manner? Dost thou believe what thou sayest? Art thou in earnest
or in jest? How canst thou tell people that sin is such a thing and that so much
misery is upon them and before them and be no more affected with it? Shouldst
thou not weep over such a people and should not thy tears interrupt thy words?
Shouldst thou not cry aloud and show them their transgressions and entreat and
beseech them as for life and death? Truly this is the peel that conscience doth
ring in my ears and yet my drowsy soul will not be awakened. O what a thing is
an insensible hardened heart! O Lord, save us from the plague of infidelity and
hardheartedness ourselves or else how shall we be fit instruments of saving
others from it? O do that on our souls which thou wouldst use us to do on the
souls of others. Chapter 2 The Minister's True Life and Walk The true minister
must be a true Christian.

He must be called by God before he can call others to God. The Apostle Paul thus
states the matter, God hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath
given to us the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5.18 They were first
reconciled and then they had given to them the ministry of reconciliation.

Are we ministers reconciled? It is but reasonable that a man who is to act as a
spiritual guide to others should himself know the way of salvation. It has been
frequently said that the way to heaven is blocked up with dead professors. But
is it not true also that the melancholy obstruction is not composed of members
of churches only? Let us take heed unto ourselves.

As the minister's life is in more than one respect the life of a ministrate, let
us speak a few words on ministerial holy living. Let us seek the Lord early. If
my heart be early seasoned with his presence, it will savor of him all day
after.

Let us see God before man every day. I ought to pray before seeing anyone. Often
when I sleep long or meet with others early and then have family prayer and
breakfast and four noon callers, it is eleven or twelve o'clock before I begin
secret prayer.

This is a wretched system. It is unscriptural. Christ rose before day and went
into a solitary place.

Family prayer loses much of power and sweetness and I can do no good to those
who come to seek for me. The conscience feels guilty, the soul unfed, the lamp
not trimmed. Then, when secret prayer comes, the soul is often out of tune.

I feel it far better to begin with God, to see his face first, to get my soul
near him before it is near another. It is best to have at least one hour alone
with God before engaging in anything else. At the same time, I must be careful
not to reckon communion with God by minutes or hours or by solitude.

McShane Hear this true servant of Christ exhorting a beloved brother. Take heed
to thyself. Your own soul is your first and greatest care.

You know a sound body alone can work with power, much more a healthy soul. Keep
a clear conscience through the blood of the Lamb. Keep a close communion with
God.

Study likeness to him in all things. Read the Bible for your own growth first,
then for your people. With him, says his biographer, the commencement of all
labor invariably consisted in the preparation of his own soul.

The forerunner of each day's visitations was a calm season of private devotion
during morning hours. The walls of his chamber were witnesses of his
prayerfulness, I believe of his tears as well as of his cries. The pleasant
sound of psalms often issued from his room at an early hour then followed the
reading of the word for his own sanctification, and few have so fully realized
the blessing of the first psalm.

Would that it were so with us all. Devotion, said Bishop Hall, is the life of
religion, the very soul of piety, the highest employment of grace. It is much to
be feared that we are weak in the pulpit because we are weak in the closet.

Working with God. To restore a commonplace truth, writes Mr. Coleridge, to its
first uncommon luster, you need only translate it into action. Walking with God
is a very commonplace truth.

Translate this truth into action, how lustrous it becomes, the phrase, how
hackneyed, the thing, how rare. It is such a walk, not an abstract ideal, but a
personality, a life, which the reader is invited to contemplate. Oh, that we
would only set ourselves in right earnest to this rare work of translation.

It is said of the energetic, pious and successful John Berridge that communion
with God was what he enforced in the latter stages of his ministry. It was
indeed his own meat and drink and the banquet from which he never appeared to
rise. This shows us the source of his great strength.

If we were always sitting at this banquet, then it might be recorded of us ere
long, as of him, he was in the first year visited by about a thousand persons
under serious impression. Study the speakers, not the sermon. To the men, even
more than to their doctrine, we would point the eye of the inquirer who asks,
whence came their success? Why may not the same success be ours? We may take the
sermons of Whitefield or Berridge or Edwards for our study or our pattern, but
it is the individuals themselves that we must mainly set before us.

It is with the spirit of the men, more than of their works, that we are to be
imbued, if we are emulous of a ministry as powerful, as victorious as theirs.
They were spiritual men and walked with God. It is living fellowship with the
living Savior which transforming us into his image fits us for being able and
successful ministers of the gospel.

Without this, nothing else will avail. Neither orthodoxy, nor learning, nor
eloquence, nor power of argument, nor zeal, nor fervor, will accomplish ought
without this. It is this that gives power to our words and persuasiveness to our
arguments, making them either as the balm of Gilead to the wounded spirit or as
sharp arrows of the mighty to the conscience of the stout-hearted rebel.

From them that walk with him in holy, happy intercourse, a virtue seems to go
forth, a blessed fragrance seems to compass them whithersoever they go. Nearness
to him, intimacy with him, assimilation to his character, these are the elements
of a ministry of power. When we can tell our people, we beheld his glory, and
therefore we speak of it.

It is not from report we speak, but we have seen the king and his beauty, how
lofty the position we occupy. Our power in drawing men to Christ springs chiefly
from the fullness of our personal joy in him and the nearness of our personal
communion with him. The countenance that reflects most of Christ and shines most
with his love and grace is most fitted to attract the gaze of a careless, giddy
world and win restless souls from the fascinations of creature love and creature
beauty.

A ministry of power must be the fruit of a holy, peaceful, loving intimacy with
the Lord. Faithfulness essential to success. The law of truth was in his mouth,
and iniquity was not found in his lips.

He walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
Malachi 2.6 Let us observe the connection here declared to subsist between
faithfulness and success in the work of the ministry, between a godly life and
the turning away many from iniquity. The end for which we first took office as
we declared at ordination was the saving of souls.

The end for which we still live and labor is the same. The means to this end are
a holy life and a faithful fulfillment of our ministry. The connection between
these two things is close and sure.

We are entitled to calculate upon it. We are called upon to pray and labor with
a confident expectation of its being realized, and where it is not, to examine
ourselves with all diligence, lest the cause of the failure be found in
ourselves, in our want of faith, love, prayer, zeal, and warmth, spirituality,
and holiness of life. For it is by these that the Holy Spirit is grieved away.

Success is attainable, success is desirable, success is promised by God, and
nothing on earth can be more bitter to the soul of a faithful minister than the
want of it. To walk with God and to be faithful to our trust is declared to be
the certain way of attaining it. Oh, how much depends on the holiness of our
life, the consistency of our character, the heavenliness of our walk and
conversation.

Our position is such that we cannot remain neutral. Our life cannot be one of
harmless obscurity. We must either repel or attract, save or ruin souls.

How loud then the call, how strong the motive to spirituality of soul and
circumspectness of life. How solemn the warning against worldly mindedness and
vanity, against levity and frivolity, against negligence, sloth, and cold
formality. Of all men, a minister of Christ is especially called to walk with
God.

Everything depends on this, his own peace and joy, his own future reward at the
coming of the Lord. But especially does God point to this as the true and sure
way of securing the blessing. This is the grand secret of ministerial success.

One who walks with God reflects the light of his countenance upon a benighted
world. And the closer he walks, the more of this light does he reflect. One who
walks with God carries in his very air and countenance a sweet serenity and holy
joy that diffuses tranquility around.

One who walks with God receives and imparts life whithersoever he goes. As it is
written, out of him shall flow rivers of living water. John 7.38 He is not
merely the world's light, but the world's fountain, dispensing the water of life
on every side and making the barren waste of blossom as the rose.

He waters the world's wilderness as he moves along his peaceful course. His life
is blessed. His example is blessed.

His intercourse is blessed. His words are blessed. His ministry is blessed.

Souls are saved. Sinners are converted. And many are turned from their iniquity.

Chapter 3 Past Defects O my God, I am ashamed and blushed to lift up my face to
thee, my God. O our God, what shall we say after this? Ezra 9.6-10 To deliver
sermons on each returning Lord's Day, to administer the Lord's Supper statedly,
to pay an occasional visit to those who request it, to attend religious
meetings. This, we fear, sums up the ministerial life of multitudes who are, by
profession, overseers of the flock of Christ.

An incumbency of thirty, forty, or fifty years often yields no more than this.
So many sermons, so many baptisms, so many sacraments, so many visits, so many
meetings of various kinds. These are all the pastoral annals, the parish
records, the all of a lifetime's ministry to many.

Of souls that have been saved, such a record could make no mention. Multitudes
have perished under such a ministry. Only the judgment will disclose whether so
much as one has been saved.

There might be learning, but there was no tongue of the learned to speak a word
in season to him that is weary. There might be wisdom, but it certainly was not
the wisdom that winneth souls. There might even be the sound of the gospel, but
it seemed to contain no glad tidings at all.

It was not sounded forth from warm lips into startled ears as the message of
eternal life, the glorious gospel of the blessed God. Men lived, and it was
never asked of them by their minister whether they were born again. Men
sickened, sent to the minister, and received a prayer upon their deathbeds as
their passport into heaven.

Men died and were buried where all their fathers had been laid. There was a
prayer at their funeral, and decent respects to their remains, but their souls
went up to the judgment seat unthought of, uncared for. No man, not even the
minister who had vowed to watch for them, having said to them, Are you ready? or
warned them to flee from the wrath to come.

Is not this description too true of many a district, and many a minister? We do
not speak in anger. We do not speak in scorn. We ask the question solemnly and
earnestly.

It needs an answer. If ever there was a time when there should be great
searching of heart and frank acknowledgment of unfaithfulness, it is now when
God is visiting us, visiting us both in judgment and mercy. We speak in
brotherly kindness.

Surely the answer should not be of wrath and bitterness. And if this description
be true, what sin must there be in ministers and people? How great must be the
spiritual desolation that prevails? Surely there is something in such a case
grievously wrong, something which calls for solemn self-examination in every
minister, something which requires deep repentance, the tragedy of a barren
ministry. Fields plowed and sown, yet yielding no fruit.

Machinery constantly in motion, yet all without one particle of produce. Nets
cast into the sea and spread wide, yet no fishes enclosed. All this for years,
for a lifetime.

How strange! Yet it is true. There is neither fancy nor exaggeration in the
matter. Question some ministers and what other account can they give? They can
tell you of sermons preached, but of sermons blessed they can say nothing.

They can speak of discourses that were admired and praised, but of discourses
that have been made effectual by the Holy Spirit they cannot speak. They can
tell you how many have been baptized, how many communicants admitted, but of
souls awakened, converted, ripening in grace they can give no account. They can
enumerate the sacraments they have dispensed, but as to whether any of them have
been times of refreshing or times of awakening, they cannot say.

They can tell you what and how many cases of discipline have passed through
their hands, but whether any of these have issued in godly sorrow for sin,
whether the professed penitents who were absolved by them gave evidence of being
washed and sanctified and justified, they can give no information. They never
thought of such an issue. They can tell what is the attendance at Sunday school,
and what are the abilities of the teacher, but how many of these precious little
ones whom they have vowed to feed are seeking the Lord they know not, or whether
their teacher be a man of prayer and piety, they cannot say.

They can tell you the population of their parish, the number of their
congregation, or the temporal condition of their flocks, but as to their
spiritual state, how many have been awakened from the sleep of death, how many
are followers of God as dear children, they cannot pretend to say. Perhaps they
would deem it rashness and presumption, if not fanaticism, to inquire. And yet
they have sworn before men and angels to watch for their souls as they that must
give account.

But oh, of what use are sermons, sacraments, schools, if souls are left to
perish, if living religion be lost sight of, if the Holy Spirit be not sought,
if men are left to grow up and die unpitied, unprayed for, unwarned, for God's
glory and man's good. It was not so in other days. Our fathers really watched
and preached for souls.

They asked and they expected a blessing. Nor were they denied it. They were
blessed in turning many to righteousness.

Their lives record their successful labors. How refreshing the lives of those
who lived only for the glory of God and the good of souls. There is something in
their history that compels us to feel that they were ministers of Christ, true
watchmen.

How cheering to read of Baxter and his labors at Kitterminster. How solemn to
hear of Ben and his preaching, in regard to which it is said that men fell
before him like slaked lime. And in the much-blessed labors of that man of God,
the apostolic Whitefield, is there not much to humble us as well as to
stimulate? Of Tanner, who was himself awakened under Whitefield, we read that he
seldom preached one sermon in vain.

Of Berridge and Hicks, we are told that, in their missionary tours throughout
England, they were blessed in one year to awaken four thousand souls. Oh, for
these days again! Oh, for one day of Whitefield again! Thus one has written. The
language we have been accustomed to adopt is this.

We must use the means and leave the event to God. We can do no more than employ
the means. This is our duty, and having done this, we must leave the rest to Him
who is the disposer of all things.

Such language sounds well, for it seems to be an acknowledgement of our own
nothingness, and to savor of submission to God's sovereignty. But it is only
sound. It has not really any substance in it, for though there is truth stamped
on the face of it, there is falsehood at the root of it.

To talk of submission to God's sovereignty is one thing, but really to submit to
it is another and quite different thing. Submission involves renunciation.
Really to submit to God's sovereign disposal does always necessarily involve the
deep renunciation of our own will in the matter concerned, and such a
renunciation of the will can never be effected without a soul being brought
through very severe and trying exercises of an inward and most humbling nature.

Therefore, whilst we are quietly satisfied in using the means without obtaining
the end, and this costs us no such painful inward exercise and deep humbling as
that alluded to, if we think that we are leaving the affair to God's disposal,
we deceive ourselves, and the truth in this matter is not in us. No, really to
give anything to God implies that the will, which is emphatically the heart, has
been set on that thing, and if the heart has indeed been set on the salvation of
sinners as the end to be answered by the means we use, we cannot possibly give
up that end without, as was before observed, the heart being severely exercised
and deeply pained by the renunciation of the will involved in it. When,
therefore, we can be quietly content to use the means for saving souls without
seeing them saved thereby, it is because there is no renunciation of the will,
that is, no real giving up to God in the affair.

The fact is, the will, that is, the heart, had never really been set upon this
end. If it had, it could not possibly give up such an end without being broken
by the sacrifice. When we can thus be satisfied to use the means without
obtaining the end, and speak of it as though we were submitting to the Lord's
disposal, we use a truth to hide a falsehood, exactly in the same way that those
formalists in religion do who continue in forms and duties without going beyond
them, though they know they will not save them, and who, when they are warned of
their danger and earnestly entreated to seek the Lord with all the heart, reply
by telling us they know they must repent and believe, but that they cannot do
either of the one or the other of themselves, and that they must wait till God
gives them grace to do so.

Now, this is a truth absolutely considered, yet most of us can see that they are
using it as a falsehood to cover and excuse a great insincerity of heart. We can
readily perceive that if their hearts were really set upon salvation, they could
not rest satisfied without it. Their contentedness is the result not of heart
submission to God, but in reality of heart indifference to the salvation of
their own souls, covering falsehood with truth.

Exactly so it is with us as ministers, when we can rest satisfied with using the
means for saving souls without seeing them really saved, or we ourselves being
brokenhearted by it, and at the same time quietly talk of leaving the event to
God's disposal, we make use of a truth to cover and excuse a falsehood. For our
ability to leave the matter thus is not, as we imagine, the result of heart
submission to God, but of heart indifference to the salvation of the souls we
deal with. No, truly, if the heart is really set on such an end, it must gain
that end, or break in losing it.

He that saved our souls has taught us to weep over the unsaved. Lord, let that
mind be in us that was in thee. Give us thy tears to weep, for, Lord, our hearts
are hard toward our fellows.

We can see thousands perish around us, and our sleep never be disturbed. No
vision of their awful doom ever scaring us, no cry from their lost souls ever
turning our peace into bitterness. Our families, our schools, our congregations,
not to speak of our cities at large, our land, our world, might well send us
daily to our knees, for the loss of even one soul is terrible beyond conception.

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered the heart of man what a soul in
hell must suffer forever. Lord, give us bowels of mercies. What a mystery! The
soul and eternity of one man depends upon the voice of another.

Chapter 4 Ministerial Confession Remember, therefore, from when thou art fallen,
and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and
will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Revelation 2
In the year 1651, the Church of Scotland, feeling, in regard to her ministers,
how deep their hand was in the transgression, and that ministers had no small
accession to the drawing on of the judgments that were upon the land, drew up
what they called a humble acknowledgment of the sins of the ministry. This
document is a striking and searching one.

It is perhaps one of the fullest, most faithful, and most impartial confessions
of ministerial sin ever made. A few extracts from it will suitably introduce
this chapter on ministerial confession. It begins with confessing sins before
entrance on the ministry.

Lightness and profanity in conversation unsuitable to that holy calling which
they did intend, not thoroughly repented of. Not studying to be in Christ before
they be in the ministry, nor to have the practical knowledge and experience of
the mystery of the gospel in themselves before they preach it to others.
Neglecting to fit themselves for the work of the ministry, and not improving
prayer and fellowship with God, opportunities of a lively ministry and other
means, and not mourning for these neglects.

Not studying self-denial, nor resolving to take up the cross of Christ.
Negligence to entertain a sight and sense of sin and misery, not wrestling
against corruption, nor studying mortification and subduedness of spirit. Of
entrance on the ministry it thus speaks, entering to the ministry without
respect to a commission from Jesus Christ, by which it hath come to pass that
many have run unsent.

Entering to the ministry not from the love of Christ, nor from a desire to honor
God in gaining of souls, but for a name and for a livelihood in the world,
notwithstanding a solemn declaration to the contrary at admission. Of the sins
after entrance on the ministry it thus searchingly enumerates, ignorance of God,
want of nearness with Him, and taking up little of God in reading, meditating,
and speaking of Him. Exceeding great selfishness in all that we do, acting from
ourselves, for ourselves, and to ourselves.

Not caring how unfaithful and negligent others were, so being it might
contribute a testimony to our faithfulness and diligence, but being rather
content, if not rejoicing, at their faults. Least delight in those things
wherein lieth our nearest communion with God, great inconstancy in our walk with
God, and negligent of acknowledging Him in all our ways, and going about duties
least careful of those things which are most remote from the eyes of men. Seldom
in secret prayer with God, except to fit for public performance, and even that
much neglected, or gone about very superficially.


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  CHAPTER 2: PART 2
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Glad to find excuses. Glad to find excuses for the neglect of duties. Neglecting
the reading of scriptures in secret, for edifying ourselves as Christians, only
reading them in so far as may fit us for our duty as ministers, and oft times
neglecting that.

Not given to reflect upon our own ways, nor allowing conviction to have a
thorough work upon us. Deceiving ourselves by resting upon absence from, and
abhorrence of, evils from the light of a natural conscience, and looking upon
the same as an evidence of a real change of state and nature. Evil guarding of
and watching over the heart, and carelessness in self-searching, which makes
much unacquaintedness with ourselves, and estrangedness from God.

Not guarding nor wrestling against seen and known evils, especially our
predominance. A facility to be drawn away with the temptations of the time, and
other particular temptations according to our inclinations and fellowship.
Instability in wavering in the ways of God, through the fears of persecutions,
hazard, or loss of esteem, and declining duties because of the fear of
jealousies and reproaches.

Not esteeming the cross of Christ and sufferings for His name, honorable, but
rather shifting sufferings from self-love. Deadness of spirit after all the sore
strokes of God upon the land. Little conscience made of secret humiliation and
fasting, by ourselves, apart, and in our families, that we might mourn for our
own and the land's guiltiness and great backslidings.

And little applying of public humiliation to our own hearts. Finding of our own
pleasure when the Lord calls for our humiliation. Not laying to heart the sad
and heavy sufferings of the people of God abroad, and the not thriving of the
kingdom of Jesus Christ and the power of godliness among them.

Refined hypocrisy, desiring to appear what, indeed, we are not. Studying more to
learn the language of God's people than their exercise. Artificial confessing of
sin without repentance, professing to declare iniquity and not resolving to be
sorry for sin.

Confession in secret, much slighted, even of those things whereof we are
convicted. No reformation after solemn acknowledgments and private vows.
Thinking ourselves exonerated after confession.

Readier to search out and censure faults in others than to see or deal with them
in ourselves. Accounting of our estate and way according to the estimation that
others have of us. Estimation of men as they agree with or disagree from us.

Not fearing to meet with trials, but presuming in our own strength to go through
them unshaken. Not learning to fear by the falls of gracious men, nor mourning
and praying for them. Not observing particular deliverances and punishments, not
improving of them for the honor of God and the edification of ourselves and
others.

Little or no mourning for the corruption of our nature, and less groaning under
and longing to be delivered from that body of death, the bitter root of all our
other evils. Fruitless conversing ordinarily with others for the worse rather
than for the better. Foolish jesting away of time with impertinent and useless
discourse, very unbecoming the ministers of the gospel.

Spiritual purposes often dying in our hands when they are begun by others.
Carnal familiarity with natural, wicked and malignant men whereby they are
hardened, the people of God stumbled and we ourselves blunted. Loving pleasure
more than God.

Sliding of fellowship with those by whom we might profit. Desiring more to
converse with those that might better us by their talents than with such as
might edify us by their graces. Not studying opportunities of doing good to
others.

Shifting of prayer and other duties when called thereto, choosing rather to omit
the same than that we should be put to them ourselves. Abusing of time in
frequent recreation in pastimes and loving our pleasures more than God. Taking
little or no time to Christian discourse with young men trained up for the
ministry.

Common and ordinary discourse on the Lord's Day. Sliding Christian admonition
from any of our flocks or others as being below us. The shame to take light and
warning from private Christians.

Dislike of or bitterness against such as deal freely with us by admonition or
reproof and not dealing faithfully with others who would welcome it off our
hands. Not praying for men of a contrary judgment but using reservedness and
distance from them. Being more ready to speak of them than to them or to God for
them.

Not weighed with the failings and miscarriages of others but rather taking
advantage thereof for justifying ourselves. Talking of and sporting at the
faults of others rather than compassionating of them. Nor do painstaking and
religious ordering of our families nor studying to be patterns to other families
in the government of ours.

Hasty anger and passion in our families and conversation with others.
Covetousness, worldly mindedness and an inordinate desire after the things of
this life upon which followeth a neglect of the duties of our calling and are
being taken up for the most part with the things of the world. Want of
hospitality and charity to the members of Christ.

Not cherishing godliness in the people and some being afraid of it and hating
the people of God for piety and studying to bear down and quench the work of the
Spirit amongst them. Trusting in our own ability. Not entertaining that edge of
spirit and ministerial duties which we found at the first entry to the ministry.

Great neglect of reading and other preparation or preparation merely literal and
bookish. Making an idol of a book which hindereth communion with God or
presuming on bygone assistance and praying little. Trusting to gifts, talents
and pains taken for preparation whereby God has provoked a blast good matter
well ordered and worded.

Careless in employing Christ and drawing virtue out of him for enabling us to
preach in the spirit and empower. In praying for assistance we pray more for
assistance to the messenger than to the message which we carry. Not caring what
becomes of the word if we be with some measure of assistance carried on in the
duty.

The matter we bring forth is not seriously recommended to God by prayer to be
quickened to his people. Neglect of prayer after the word is preached. Neglect
to warn in preaching of snares and sins in public affairs by some and too much
too frequent and unnecessary speaking by others of public business and
transactions.

Exceeding great neglect and unskillfulness to set forth the excellences and
usefulness of and the necessity of an interest in Jesus Christ and the new
covenant which ought to be the great subject of a minister's study and
preaching. Speaking of Christ more by hearsay than from knowledge and experience
or any real impression of him upon the heart. The way of most ministers
preaching too legal.

Want of sobriety in preaching the gospel. Not savoring anything but what is new
so that the substantials of religion bear but little bulk. Not preaching Christ
in the simplicity of the gospel nor ourselves the people's servants for Christ's
sake.

Preaching of Christ not that the people may know him but that they may think we
know much of him. Preaching about Christ's leaving of the world without
brokenness of heart or stirring up of ourselves to take hold of him. Not
preaching with bowels of compassion to them that are in hazard to perish.

Preaching against public sins neither in such a way nor for such an end as we
ought. For the gaining of souls and drawing men out of their sins but rather
because it is to our advantage to say something of these evils. Attitude toward
our opponents.

Bitterness instead of zeal in speaking against malignance sectarians and other
scandalous persons. An unfaithfulness therein. Not studying to know the
particular condition of the souls of people that we may speak to them
accordingly.

Nor keeping a particular record thereof though convinced of the usefulness of
this. Not carefully choosing what may be most profitable in edifying. And want
of wisdom in an application to the several conditions of souls.

Not so careful to bring home the point by application as to find out the
doctrine. Nor speaking the same with that reverence which becomes his word and
message. Choosing texts whereon we have something to say rather than those
suited to the conditions of souls and times and frequent preaching of the same
things that we may not be put to the pains of new study.

Such a way of reading preaching and prayer as puts us in these duties farther
from God. Too soon satisfied in the discharge of duties and holding off
challenges of conscience with excuses. Indulging the body and wasting much time
idly.

Too much eyeing our own credit and applause and being pleased with it when we
get it and unsatisfied when it is wanting. Timorousness in delivering God's
message. Letting people die in reigning sins without warning.

Studying the discharge of duties rather than to free ourselves from censure than
to approve ourselves to God. Not making all the counsel of God known to his
people and particularly not giving testimony in times of defection. Not studying
to profit by our own doctrine nor the doctrine of others.

For most part preaching as if we ourselves were not concerned in the message
which we carry to the people. Not rejoicing at the conversion of sinners but
content with the unthriving of the Lord's work amongst his people as suiting
best with our minds. Fearing if they should thrive better we should be more put
to it and less esteemed of by them.

Many in preaching and practice bearing down the power of godliness. We preach
not as before God but as to men as doth appear by the different pains in our
preparation to speak to our ordinary hearers and to others to whom we would
approve ourselves. Negligent, lazy, impartial visiting of the sick.

If they be poor we go once and only when sent for. If they be rich in a better
note we go oftener and unsent for. Not knowing how to speak with the tongue of
the learned a word in season to the weary.

Lazy and negligent in catechizing. Not preparing our hearts before nor wrestling
with God for a blessing to it because of the ordinariness and apprehended
easiness of it whereby the Lord's name is much taken in vain and the people
little profited. Looking on that exercise as a work below us and not
condescending to study a right and profitable way of instructing the Lord's
people.

Partial in catechizing passing by those that are rich in a better quality though
many of such stand ordinarily in great need of instruction. Not waiting upon and
following the ignorant but often passionately upbraiding them. These are solemn
confessions the confessions of men who knew the nature of that ministry on which
they had entered and who were desirous of approving themselves to him who had
called them that they might give in their account with joy and not with grief.

Confessing our shortcomings let us as they did deal honestly with ourselves. Our
confessions ought to be no less ample and surging. One we have been unfaithful
the fear of man and the love of his applause have often made us afraid.

We have been unfaithful to our own souls to our flocks and to our brethren.
Unfaithful in the pulpit, in visiting, in discipline, in the church. In the
discharge of every one of the duties of our stewardship there has been grievous
unfaithfulness.

Instead of the special particularization of the sin reproved there has been the
vague illusion. Instead of the bold reproof there has been the timid hint.
Instead of the uncompromising condemnation there has been the feeble
disapproval.

Instead of the unswerving consistency of a holy life whose uniform tenor should
be a protest against the world in a rebuke of sin there has been such an amount
of unfaithfulness in our walk and conversation in our daily department and
intercourses with others that any degree of faithfulness we have been enabled to
manifest on the Lord's Day is almost neutralized by the want of circumspection
which our weekday life exhibits. Archbishop Usher's example. Few men ever lived
a life so busy and so devoted to God as Usher, Archbishop of Armagh.

His learning, habits of business, station, friends, all contributed to keep his
hands every moment full and then his was a soul that seemed continually to hear
a voice saying, redeem the time for the days are evil. Early too did he begin
for at ten years of age he was hopefully converted by a sermon preached on
Romans 12 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you
present your bodies a living sacrifice. He was a painstaking laborious preacher
of the word for 55 years yet hear him on his deathbed how he clings to Christ's
righteousness alone and sees in himself even after such a life only sin and
want.

The last words he was heard to utter were about one o'clock in the afternoon and
these words were uttered in a loud voice. But Lord in special forgive me my sins
of omission. It was omissions says his biographer he begged forgiveness of with
his most fervent last breath.

He who was never known to omit an hour but who employed the shred ends of his
life for his great Lord and Master. The very day he took his last sickness he
rose up from writing one of his great works and went out to visit a sick woman
to whom he spoke so fitly and fully that you would have taken him to have spoken
of heaven before he came there. Yet this man was oppressed with a sense of his
omissions.

Reader what think you of yourself your undone duties your unimproved hours times
of prayer omitted you're shrinking from unpleasant work and putting it on others
you're being content to sit under your vine and fig tree without using all
efforts for the souls of others. Lord in special forgive me my sins of omission.
Hear the confession of Edwards in regard both to personal and ministerial sins.

Often I have very affecting views of my own sinfulness and vileness. Very
frequently to such a degree as to hold me in a kind of loud weeping sometimes
for a considerable time together so that I have often been forced to shut myself
up. I have had a vastly greater sense of my own wickedness and the badness of my
heart than ever I had before my conversion.

My wickedness as I am in myself has long appeared to me perfectly ineffable
swallowing up all thought in imagination. I know not how to express better what
my sins appeared to me to be than by heaping infinite upon infinite and
multiplying infinite by infinite. When I look into my heart and take a view of
my wickedness it looks like an abyss infinitely deeper than hell and yet it
seems to me that my conviction of sin is exceedingly small and faint.

It is enough to amaze me that I have no more sense of my sin. I've greatly
longed of late for a broken heart and to lie low before God. Worldliness stunts
the conscience.

2. We have been carnal and unspiritual. The tone of our life has been low and
earthly. Associating too much and too intimately with the world we have in a
great measure become accustomed to its ways.

Hence our tastes have been vitiated, our consciences blunted and that sensitive
tenderness of feeling which while it turns not back from suffering yet shrinks
from the remotest contact with sin has worn off and given place to an amount of
callousness of which we once in fresher days believed ourselves incapable.
Perhaps we can call to mind a time when our views and aims were fixed upon a
standard of almost unearthly elevation and contrasting these with our present
state we are startled at the painful changes and besides intimacy with the world
other causes have operated in producing this deterioration in the spirituality
of our minds. The study of truth and its dogmatical more than its devotional
form has robbed it of its freshness and power.

Daily hourly occupation and the routine of ministerial labor has engendered
formality and coldness. Continual employment in the most solemn duties of our
office such as dealing with souls in private about their immortal welfare or
guiding the meditations and devotions of God's assembled people or handling the
sacramental symbols this gone about often with so little prayer and mixed with
so little faith has tended grievously to divest us of that profound reverence
and godly fear which ever ought to possess and pervade us. How truly and with
what emphasis we may say I am carnal sold unto sin.

Romans 7 14. The world has not been crucified to us nor we unto the world the
flesh with its members has not been mortified. What a sad effect all this has
had not only upon our peace of soul on our growth in grace but upon the success
of our ministry.

Three we have been selfish we have shrunk from toil difficulty and endurance
counting not only our lives dear unto us but even our temporal ease and comfort.
We have sought to please ourselves instead of obeying Romans 15 to let every one
of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. We have not borne one
another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ Galatians 6 2. We've been
worldly and covetous we have not presented ourselves unto God as living
sacrifices laying ourselves our lives our substance our time our strength our
faculties are all upon his altar.

We seem altogether to have lost sight of this self-sacrificing principle on
which even as Christians but much more as ministers we are called upon to act.
We have had little idea of anything like sacrifice at all up to the point where
a sacrifice was demanded we may have been willing to go but there we stood
counting it unnecessary perhaps calling it imprudent and unadvised to proceed
further. Yet what not the life of every Christian especially of every minister
to be a life of self-sacrifice and self-denial throughout even as was the life
of him who pleased not himself.

Four we have been slothful we have been sparing of our toil we have not endured
hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ even when we have been instant in
season we have not been so out of season neither have we sought to gather up the
fragments of our time that not a moment might be thrown idly or unprofitably
away. Precious hours and days have been wasted in sloth in company in pleasure
in idle and desultory breeding that might have been devoted to the closet the
study the pulpit or the meeting. Indolence self-indulgence fickleness
flesh-pleasing have eaten like a canker into our ministry arresting the blessing
and marring our success.

It cannot be said of us for my namesake thou hast labored and hast not fainted
revelation 2 3. Alas we have fainted or at least grown weary and well-doing we
have not made conscience of our work we have not dealt honestly with the church
to which we pledged the vows of ordination we have dealt deceitfully with God
whose servants we profess to be we have manifested but little of the unwearied
self-denying love with which as shepherds we ought to have watched over the
flocks committed to our care we fed ourselves and not the flock 5 we have been
cold even when diligent how little warmth and glow the whole soul is not poured
into the duty and hence it wears too often the repulsive air of routine and form
we do not speak and act like men in earnest our words are feeble even when sound
and true our looks are careless even when our words are weighty and our tones
betray the apathy which both words and looks disguise love is wanting deep love
love strong as death love such as made Jeremiah weep in secret places for the
pride of Israel and Paul speak even weeping of the enemies of the cross of
Christ in preaching and visiting and counseling and reproving what formality
what coldness a little tenderness and affection oh that I was all heart said
rolling hill and soul and spirit to tell the glorious gospel of Christ to
perishing multitudes afraid to tell the whole truth 6 we have been timid fear
has often led us to smooth down or generalized truths which have broadly stated
must have brought hatred and reproach upon us we have thus often failed to
declare to our people the whole counsel of God we have shrunk from reproving
rebuking and exhorting with all long-suffering and doctrine we have feared to
alienate friends or to awaken the wrath of enemies hence our preaching of a free
gospel has been yet more vague uncertain and timorous we're greatly deficient in
that majestic boldness and nobility of spirit which peculiarly marked Luther
Calvin Knox and the mighty men of the Reformation of Luther it was said every
word was a thunderbolt 7 we have been wanting in solemnity in reading the lives
of how or Baxter a brainer or Edwards we are in company with men who in
solemnity of deportment and gravity of demeanor were truly of the apostolic
school we feel that these men must have carried weight with them both in their
words and lives we see also the contrast between ourselves and them in respect
of that deep solemnity of air and tone which made men feel that they walked with
God how deeply ought we to be abased at our levity frivolity flippancy vain
mirth foolish talking and jesting by which grievous injury has been done to
souls the progress of the Saints retarded and the world countenance and it's
wretched vanities preaching self instead of Christ eight we have preached
ourselves not Christ we have sought applause courted honor been avaricious of
fame and jealous of our reputation we're preached too often so as to exalt
ourselves instead of magnifying Christ so as to draw men's eyes to ourselves
instead of fixing them on him and his cross nay and have we not often preached
Christ for the very purpose of getting honor to ourselves Christ in the
sufferings of his first coming in the glory of his second has not been the Alpha
and the Omega the first and the last of all our sermons nine we have used words
of man's wisdom we have forgotten Paul's resolution to avoid the enticing words
of man's wisdom lest he should make the cross of Christ of none effect we have
reversed his reasoning as well as his resolution and acted as if by well-studied
well-polished well-reasoned discourses we could so gild and beautify the cross
as to make it no longer repulsive but irresistibly attractive to the carnal eye
hence we have often sent men home well satisfied with themselves convinced that
they were religious because they were affected by our eloquence touched by our
appeals or persuaded by our arguments in this way we have made the cross of
Christ of none effect and sent souls to hell with a lie in their right hand thus
by avoiding the offense of the cross and the foolishness of preaching we have
had to labor in vain and mourn over an unblessed unfruitful ministry 10 we have
not fully preached a free gospel we have been afraid of making it too free less
men should be led into licentiousness as if it were possible to preach to free a
gospel or as if its freeness could lead men into sin it is only a free gospel
that can bring peace and it is only a free gospel that can make men holy
Luther's preaching was summed up in these two points that we are justified by
faith alone and that we must be assured that we are justified and it was this
that he urged his brother Brentius to preach and it was by such free full bold
preaching of the glorious gospel untrammeled by works merits terms conditions
and uncluttered by the fancy humility of doubts fears uncertainties that such
blessed success accompanied his labors let us go and do likewise allied to this
is the necessity of insisting on the sinners immediate turning to God and
demanding in the master's name the sinners immediate surrender of heart to
Christ strains that sudden conversions should be so much disliked by some
ministers they are the most scriptural of all conversions too little emphasis on
God's Word 11 we have not duly studied and honored the Word of God we have given
a greater prominence to man's writings man's opinions man's systems in our
studies than to the word we have drunk more out of human cisterns than divine we
have held more communion with man than God hence the mold and fashion of our
spirits our lives our words have been derived more from man than God we must
study the Bible more we must steep our souls in it we must not only lay it up
within us but transfuse it through the whole texture of the soul 12 we have not
been men of prayer the spirit of prayer has slumbered amongst us the closet has
been too little frequented and delighted in we have allowed business study or
active labor to interfere with our closet hours and the feverish atmosphere in
which both the church and nation are enveloped has found its way into our closet
disturbing the sweet calm of its blessed solitude sleep company idle visiting
foolish talking ingesting idle reading unprofitable occupations and gross time
that might have been redeemed for prayer time for everything for prayer why is
there so little anxiety to get time to pray why is there so little forethought
in the laying out of time and employment so as to secure a large portion of each
day for prayer why is there so much speaking yet so little prayer why is there
so much running to and fro yet so little prayer why so much bustle and business
yet so little prayer why so many meetings with our fellow men yet so few
meetings with God why so little being alone so little thirsting of the soul for
the calm sweet hours of unbroken solitude when God and his child hold fellowship
together as if they could never part it is the want of these solitary hours that
not only injures our own growth in grace but makes us such unprofitable members
of the Church of Christ and that renders our lives useless in order to grow in
grace we must be much alone it is not in society even Christian society that the
soul grows most rapidly and vigorously in one single quiet hour of prayer it
will often make more progress than in days of company with others it is in the
desert that the dew falls freshest and the air is purest so with the soul it is
when none but God is nigh when his presence alone like the desert air in which
there is mingled no noxious breath of man surrounds and pervades the soul it is
then that the eye gets the clearest simplest view of eternal certainties it is
then that the soul gathers in wondrous refreshment and power and energy and so
it is also in this way that we become truly useful to others it is when coming
out fresh from communion with God that we go forth to do his work successfully
it is in the closet that we get our vessels so filled with blessing that when we
come forth we cannot contain it to ourselves but must as by a blessed necessity
pour it out with us wherever we go we cannot say as did Isaiah my lord I stand
continually upon the watchtower in the daytime and I am set in my ward whole
nights Isaiah 21 8 our life has not been a lying in wait for the voice of God
speak Lord for thy servant here it for Samuel 3 9 has not been the attitude of
our souls the guiding principle of our lives nearness to God fellowship with God
waiting upon God resting in God have been too little the characteristic either
of our private or our ministerial walk hence our example has been so powerless
our labor so unsuccessful a sermon so meager our whole ministry so fruitless and
feeble seeking the spirit strength 13 we have not honored the Spirit of God it
may be that in words we have recognized his agency but we have not kept this
continually before our eyes in the eyes of the people we have not given him the
glory that is due unto his name we have not sought his teaching his anointing
the unction from the Holy One whereby ye know all things 1st John 2 20 neither
in the study of the word nor the preaching of it to others have we duly
acknowledged his office as the enlightener of the understanding the revealer of
the truth the testifier and glorifier of Christ we have grieved him by the
dishonor done to his person as the third person of the glorious Trinity and we
have grieved him by the slight put upon his office as the teacher the convincer
the comforter the sanctifier hence he has almost departed from us and left us to
reap the fruit of our own perversity and unbelief besides we have grieved him by
our inconsistent walk by our want of circumspection by worldly mindedness by our
unholiness by our prayerlessness by our unfaithfulness by our want of solemnity
by a life and conversation so little in conformity with the character of a
disciple or the office of the ambassador an old Scottish minister thus writes
concerning himself I find a want of the spirit of the power and demonstration of
the spirit in praying speaking and exhorting that whereby men are mainly
convinced and whereby they are a terror and a wonder unto others so as they
stand in awe of them that glory and majesty whereby respect and reverence are
procured that whereby Christ's sermons were differenced from those of the
scribes and Pharisees which I judged to be the beams of God's majesty and of the
spirit of holiness breaking out and shining through his people but my foul
garments are on woe is me the crown of glory and majesty has fallen off my head
my words are weak and carnal not mighty whereby contempt is bred no remedy for
this but humility self-loathing and a striving to maintain fellowship with God
too little imitation of Christ 14 we have had little of the mind of Christ we
have come far short of the example of the Apostles much more of Christ we are
far behind the servants much father behind the master we've had little of the
grace the compassion the meekness the lowliness the love of God's eternal son
his weeping over Jerusalem is a feeling in which we have but little heartfelt
sympathy his seeking of the lost is little imitated by us his unwary teaching of
the multitudes we shrink from as too much for flesh and blood his days of
fasting his nights of watchfulness and prayer are not fully realized as models
for us to copy his counting not his life dear unto him that he might glorify the
father and finish the work given him to do is but little remembered by us as the
principle on which we are to act it surely we are to follow his steps the
servant is to walk where his master has led the way the under shepherd is to be
what the chief shepherd was we must not seek rest or ease in a world where he
whom we love had none chapter 5 revival in the ministry it is easier to speak or
write about revival than to set about it there is so much rubbish to be swept
out so many self-raised hindrances to be dealt with so many old habits to be
overcome so much sloth and easy-minded is to be contended with so much of
ministerial routine to be broken through and so much crucifixion both of self
and of the world to be undergone as Christ said of the unclean spirit which the
disciples could not cast out so we may say of these this kind go without but by
prayer and fasting so could a minister in the 17th century for after lamenting
the evils both of his life in his ministry he thus resolves to set about their
renewal one an imitation of Christ and his apostles and to get good done I
purpose to rise timely every morning to to prepare as soon as I am up some work
to be done and how and when to do it to engage my heart to it and that even to
call myself to account and to mourn over my failings three to spend a sufficient
portion of time every day in prayer reading meditating spiritual exercises
morning midday evening and air I go to bed for once in a month either the end or
middle of it I keep a day of humiliation for the public condition for the Lord's
people in their sad condition for raising up the work and people of God five I
spend besides this one day for my own private condition and fighting against
spiritual evils and to get my heart more holy or to get some special exercise
accomplished once in six months six I spend once every week four hours over and
above my daily portion in private for some special causes relating either to
myself or others seven to spend some time on Saturday towards night for
preparation for the Lord's Day eight to spend six or seven days together once a
year when most convenient holy and only on spiritual accounts today's need for
revival such was the way in which he said about personal and ministerial revival
let's take an example from him if he needed it much we need it more in the fifth
and sixth centuries Gildas and Salvi and arose to alarm and arouse a careless
church in a formal ministry in the 16th such was the task which devolved on the
reformers in the 17th Baxter among others took a prominent part in stimulating
the languid piety and dormant energies of his fellow ministers in the 18th God
raised up some choice and noble men to awaken the church and lead the way to a
higher and bolder career of ministerial duty the present century stands no less
in need of some such stimulating influence we have experienced many symptoms of
life but still the mass is not quickened we require some new Baxter to arouse us
by his voice and his example is the melancholy to see the amount of ministerial
anger and inefficiency that still overspreads our land how long Oh Lord how long
the infusion of new life into the ministry ought to be the object of more direct
and special effort as well as of more united and fervent prayer the prayers of
Christians ought to be more largely directed to the students the preachers the
ministers of the Christian Church it is a living ministry that our country needs
and without such a ministry it cannot long expect to escape the judgments of God
we need men that will spend and be spent that will labor and pray that will
watch and weep for souls how Myconius learned his lesson in the life of Myconius
the friend of Luther as given by Melchior Adam we had the following beautiful
and striking account of an event which proved the turning point in his history
and led him to devote his energies to the cause of Christ the first night that
he entered the monastery intending to become a monk he dreamed and it seemed as
if he was ranging a vast wilderness alone suddenly a guide appeared and led him
onwards to a most lovely veil warded by a pleasant stream of which he was not
permitted to taste and then to a marble fountain of pure water he tried to kneel
and drink one low a crucified Savior stood forth to view from whose wounds
gushed the copious stream in a moment his guide flung him into the fountain his
mouth met the flowing wounds and he drank most sweetly never to thirst again no
sooner was he refreshed himself than he was led away by his guide to be taught
what great things he was yet to do for the crucified one whose precious wounds
had poured the living water into his soul he came to a wide-stretching plain
covered with waving grain his guide ordered him to reap he excused himself by
saying that he was wholly unskilled in such labor what you know not you shall
learn was the reply they came nearer and he saw a solitary reaper toiling at the
sickle with such prodigious effort as if he were determined to reap the whole
field himself the guide ordered him to join this laborer and seizing a sickle
showed him how to proceed again the guide led him to a hill he surveyed the vast
plain beneath him and wondering asked how long it would take to reap such a
field with so few laborers before winter the last sickle must be thrust in
replied his guide proceed with all your might the Lord of the harvest will send
more reapers soon wearied with his labor my conious rested for a while again the
crucified one was at his side wasted and marred in form the guide laid his hand
on my conious saying you must be conformed to him for these words the dreamer
awoke but he awoke to a life of zeal and love he found the Savior for his own
soul and he went forth to preach of him to others he took his place by the side
of that noble reaper Martin Luther he was stimulated by his example and toiled
with him in the vast field till laborers arose on every side and the harvest was
reaped before the winter came the lesson to us is thrust in your sickles the
fields are white and they are wide encompassed the laborers a few but there are
some devoted ones toiling there already in other years we have seen Whitfield
and Hill putting forth their enormous efforts as if they would reap the whole
field alone let us join ourselves to such men and the Lord of the harvest will
not leave us to toil alone reaping the great harvest when do you intend to stop
was the question once put by a friend to Roland Hill not till we have carried
all before us was the proper reply such as our answer to the fields are vast the
grain whitens the harvest waves and through grace we shall go forth with our
sickles never to rest or we shall lie down with the lamb himself shall lead us
by the living fountains of waters where God shall wipe off the sweat of toil
from our weary foreheads and dry up all the tears of earth from our weeping eyes
some of us are young and fresh many days may yet be in the providence of God
before us these must be days of strenuous ceaseless persevering and if God bless
us successful toil we shall labor till we are worn out and laid to rest Vincent
the non-conformist minister in a small volume on the great plague and fire in
London entitled God's terrible voice in the city gives a description of the
manner in which the faithful ministers who remain amid the danger discharge
their solemn duties to the dying inhabitants and of the manner in which the
terrorist stricken multitudes hung with breathless eagerness upon their lips to
drink in salvation near the dreaded pestilence and swept them away to the tomb
churches were flung open but the pulpits were silent for there was none to
occupy them the hirelings had fled preaching to plague victims then did God's
faithful band of persecuted ones come forth from their hiding places to fill the
forsaken pulpits then did they stand up in the midst of the dying and the dead
to proclaim eternal life to men who were expecting death before the morrow they
preached in season and out of season weekday or Sunday was the same to them the
hour might be canonical or uncanonical it mattered not they did not stand upon
nice points of ecclesiastical regularity or irregularity they lifted up their
voices like trumpets and spared not every sermon might be their last graves were
lying open around them life seemed now not merely a hand breath but a hair
breath death was nearer now than ever eternity stood out in all its vast reality
souls were felt to be precious opportunities were no longer to be trifled away
every hour possessed a value beyond the wealth of kingdoms the world was now a
passing vanishing shadow and man's days on earth had been cut down from three
score years and ten into the twinkling of an eye oh how they preached no
polished periods no learned arguments no labored paragraphs chilled their
appeals or rendered their discourses unintelligible no fear of men no love of
popular applause no ever scrupulous dread of strong expressions no fear of
excitement or enthusiasm prevented them from pouring out the whole fervor of
their hearts that yearned with tenderness unutterable over dying souls thus did
they preach and thus did they hear in those days of terror and death men were in
earnest then both in speaking and hearing there was no coldness no langer no
studied oratory truly they preach as dying men to dying men but the question is
should it ever be otherwise should there ever be less fervor in preaching or
less eagerness and hearing than there was then true life was a little shorter
then but that was all death and its issues are still the same eternity is still
the same the soul is still the same only one small element was thrown in then
which does not always exist to such an extent namely the increased shortness of
life but that was all the difference why then should our preaching be less
fervent our appeals less affectionate our importunity less urgent we are a few
steps farther from the shore of eternity that is all time may be a little
stronger than it was then yet only a very little its everlasting issues are
still as momentous as unchangeable surely it is our unbelief that makes the
difference it is unbelief that makes ministers so cold in their preaching so
slothful in visiting and so remiss in all their sacred duties we must be more in
earnest if we would win souls we must be more in earnest if we would walk in the
footsteps of our beloved Lord or if we would fulfill the vows that are upon us
we must be more in earnest if we would be less than hypocrites we must be more
in earnest if we would finish our course with joy and obtain the crown at the
master's coming we must work while it is day the night cometh when no man can
work this is the end of the reading of words to winners of souls by Horatius
Bonar read by Joe Messier footnote some selected paragraphs near the end of the
book were eliminated so that this book might be completed on one tape


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Source: https://sermonindex.net/books/words-to-winners-of-souls/
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