LECTURE CXXVIII.

NECESSITY OF PERSONAL RELIGION.

CONSIDER in the next place how necessary it is that a minister should be devotedly pious in order to his usefulness. I would not deny that a minister may in various ways be useful, though influenced merely by natural principles. My position is, that real and active piety is indispensable to that kind and degree of usefulness, which is appropriate to the ministerial office.

The example of an ungodly minister will, in point of salutary influence, fall very far below that of one possessed of distinguished piety. It is in this important respect, that a minister who has little or no religion, will be likely sooner or later to show his woful deficiency.

Again. No one who duly considers the well known principles of God's moral government, can suppose that he will crown the labors of an unsanctified minister with as much success, as the labors of one who is sincerely pious and faithful. Whatever his natural or literary qualifications may be, he has no title to the divine blessing, and no reason to expect that God will hear his prayers.

"Verily," says one of the best of ministers,*-"verily it is the common danger and calamity of the church to have unregenerate pastors. Many become preachers, before they are Christians; are sanctified by dedication to the altar as God's priests, before they are sanctified by hearty dedication to Christ as his disciples.

* Richard Baxter.

Thus they worship an unknown God, preach an unknown Saviour, an unknown Spirit, an unknown state of holiness, and a future glory that is unknown, and to be unknown to them forever. And can it be expected, that such persons will prove any great blessings to the church? How can it be imagined that he is likely to be successful, who dealeth not heartily and faithfully in his work; who never soundly believes what he says, nor is ever truly serious, when he seems most diligent? And can you think that any unsanctified man can be hearty and serious in the ministerial work? A kind of seriousness indeed he may have. But the seriousness and fidelity of a sound believer, who ultimately intends the honor of God and the salvation of men, he cannot have. Oh, Sirs, all your preaching will be but dreaming and trifling hypocrisy, till the work be thoroughly done upon yourselves! How can you constantly apply yourselves to a work to which your carnal hearts are averse? How can you, with hearty favor, call upon sinners to repent and come to God, who never did either yourselves? How can you follow them with importunate solicitations to forsake sin and betake themselves to an holy life, who never felt the evil of the one, or the worth of the other? And let me tell you, that these things are never well known, till they are felt; and that he who feeleth them not himself, is not likely to speak feelingly of them to others. He that does not so strongly believe the word of God and the life to come, as to take off his own heart from the vanities of this world, and to bring him with resolution and diligence, to seek his own salvation, cannot be expected to be faithful in seeking the salvation of other men. He that dares to destroy himself, will dare to let others alone in the way to destruction. Alas, many preachers of the gospel are enemies to the gospel which they preach. Oh, how many such traitors have been in the church of Christ, who have done more against him under his colors, than they could have done in the open field!"

"Your people," the same author says, "are likely to feel it, when you have been much with God. I must say from lamentable experience, that I publish to my flock the distempers of my own soul. When I let my heart grow cold, my preaching is cold; and when it is confused, my preaching is confused also. And I have often observed it in the best of my hearers, that when I have grown cold in preaching, they have grown cold accordingly. You cannot decline and neglect your duty, but others will be losers by it. If we let our love decrease,—it will appear in our doctrine. If the matter show it not, the manner will; and our hearers are likely to fare the worse for it. Whereas, if we could abound in faith, and love, and zeal; how would they overflow to the refreshing of our congregations! Watch therefore over your own hearts. If it be not your daily, serious business to study your own hearts, to subdue your corruptions and to walk with God, all will go amiss with you, and you will starve your audience."

The pernicious influence of a minister destitute of godliness, can hardly be described. In the minds of many, his character, and the religion he professes to teach, will be identified. In proportion as he falls below the proper standard of ministerial sanctity, their views of Christianity will be erroneous.

He is set

up to give light. But if the light which he gives is darkness, how great is that darkness. Hence the unthinking multitude will lose sight of the distinction between right and wrong. For what regard will they feel for a distinction which is disregarded by him who is placed before them as a spiritual guide! Whence is it that so many persons in a Christian land form low and incorrect opinions of the nature of religion? It is because they turn away from the word of God, which holds up a standard of true but unseen excellence, and fix their eyes upon the character of a minister who is near them, and with whom they have a familiar acquaintance. It is gratifying to their depraved hearts to look at such a character, because it administers so little reproof. They may occasionally open the Scriptures and read, that Jesus was holy, harmless and undefiled, and that all men are required to love God with all the heart, and to be holy as he is holy. But they pass by these teachings of Scripture and banish any convictions of sin or fears of divine wrath which may disturb their peace, by referring to one who is consecrated to the service of God, and is employed in teaching the doctrines and duties of religion, in whom they can discover nothing of the excellence of Christ, and nothing of the benevolence and sanctity inculcated by his gospel; and in despite of the authority of revelation, they will judge of truth and duty from what they see in such a minister; and this way of judging confirms them in error, and gives countenance to the indulgence of their passions.

But you may say, an ungodly minister sometimes preaches the truth. Undoubtedly he does so. And the consequence is, that the doctrines of the gospel, as well as the sacredness of his office, are associated with the unrighteousness of his character. In this view, how great a pestilence is a minister whose character is stained with vice. Neither the sophistry of infidels, nor the ridicule of the profane, nor the persecution of the powerful has ever injured the cause of Christ so much as the impiety and profligacy of some of his professed ministers.

What a striking contrast to all this is found in the usefulness of a minister, whose exemplary piety shows the excellence of

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religion, awakens the consciences of the wicked, and excites believers to press towards the mark.

Finally, a life of piety is necessary to a minister's enjoyment. The enjoyment of a faithful, devoted minister arises in part from the performance of his duties. The study of the Scriptures, preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ, and being perpetually conversant with spiritual and heavenly objects, yields him inexpressible delight. Even in his sufferings he has such a supporting sense of the divine presence, that he can say, "I am filled with comfort; I am exceedingly joyful in all my tribulations." The apostles speak of rejoicing always, of triumphing and glorying in their afflictions. The lonely deserts through which they travelled, and the dungeons in which they were confined, witnessed their joy and their songs of praise.

It contributes much to the enjoyment of a minister who is sincerely pious, to witness the success of his labors. If it please the God of all grace, to look upon those to whom he ministers, and to quicken them by the Holy Spirit, what joy is like his? A tender parent feels unutterable joy over a dear child raised from dangerous sickness, or snatched from devouring flames. But still purer is the joy of an affectionate minister, when he sees his people washed from their sins, and delivered from the wrath to come! Even if he prevails to win only a few souls to Christ; with what holy delight does he stand and gaze upon those few redeemed souls, lately enemies to God by wicked works, now bearing fruit to his praise! What then must be his emotions, when the Holy Spirit is poured out, and multitudes of converts are added to the church! He participates the joy of the angels in heaven. Like the blessed Jesus, he rejoices in spirit, and thanks the Lord of heaven and earth for his distinguishing mercy. He enjoys the bliss of every converted sinner; and is himself enriched with the riches of divine grace displayed among his people. And if he may but see, believers fervent in spirit, growing in grace, and shining as lights in the world, - Oh, what pure, holy delight does he feel!

Even if he should at present be without visible success, he still has resources, which cannot fail. He resolves to do his duty in

obedience to the divine commands, quietly leaving the result of his labors to the disposal of infinite wisdom, and resting on the truth, that God will be glorified. He knows that if he is faithful, he will be unto God a sweet savor of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish." He has moreover the joy of anticipating the glorious triumph of the cause in which he is enlisted. In the darkest seasons, he is supported by Christian hope, and by his endeavors to do good. For the rest, he patiently waits, till the Lord, the righteous Judge shall give him the unfading crown.

Besides all this, he enjoys the success of the gospel in the hands of other ministers, and the prosperity of Zion in other places. And when he reads the book of prophecy, which reveals the future enlargement and glory of the church, he is raised above his troubles, and filled with transport.

But what are all these things to a minister destitute of religion, and under the influence of an earthly mind? Can he be happy in the service of a master, whom he does not love? — happy, while occupied with business not congenial to the temper of his heart? Can he, who has never tasted the goodness of God in his own salvation, enjoy it in the salvation of others? Assign to him the most sacred labors. Let him be daily conversant with holy, heavenly objects. These are all adverse to his feelings. Present to him the glory of the only begotten of the Father, and the beauty of grace in the redeemed; but this is a beauty and glory which he has no eyes to see, and no heart to love. Assure him that the set time to favor Zion will come; that she will be for a name and a praise in all the earth. His heart is unmoved. He sees only barren, cheerless deserts, in those fields and gardens" which the Lord hath blessed."

And if religion is so indispensable to the proper enjoyments of a minister in this world; how much more to prepare him for its rewards in the world to come. No one who has not been renewed by the Spirit, and labored faithfully to bring sinners to repentance, can meet the approbation of the final Judge. Even if an ungodly minister should be admitted into the celestial paradise, he