Of '^^ JUL 2 1968 ,C8T7 D3[^(0^Wm^M PREACHING THE WORD; DELIVERED IN THE CHAPEL OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, AN DOVER, MASg. pi]1{LI6Hi;d at the request of the stuuksts WITH NOTES. / BY EDWARD W. HOOKER. ANDOVER : PUBLISHED BV MARK NEWMAN. Flagg & Gould, Printers. 1830. The following Discourse was first delivered before the General Association of Connecticut, at their session in New Haven, June 17,18*28; and recently bef>ro the Conference of Cliurches of the Northern District of Essex county, at Hyfield, Mass. DISCOURSE. 2 TnioTiiv 4: 2. — Pkkach the Word. While Paul was in prison at Rome, "ready to be ofl'ered" in martyrdom for the faith of Jesus, he addressed to Timothy his dying counsels ; the results of his own experience in the work of the ministry, during his long and devoted life. They are worthy of such a minister of Christ as Paul was, standing on the borders of the grave, and just going to his solemn account. He seemed designing them to be, — and they were, — a solemn conclusion of his labours for his Lord, and for the souls of men. They served to shew how he would continue to labour, might his life be spar- ed ; and in what manner he would that his brethren after him should preach, to the end of the world. Among diese dying counsels we find the text. It does not seem the apostle's design, in this direction, simply to advise his young brother to continue in the ministry ; nor that he should preach the gospel, in distinction only from gross heresy, " another gospel," " doctrines of devils." There was little or no necessity for such advice to Timothy. By reference to other passages of Paul's wi-itings we get light on his particular design in the direction. We find him cautioning Timothy against " striving about words, to no profit ;" against " giving heed to fables, and endless genealogies, which minister questions, radier Uian godly edifying ;" against " oppositions of science, falsely so called, which," says he, " some professing, have erred from the faith ;" against " turning aside unto vain jangling," and " dotuig about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railing, evil surmisings, and perverse disputings." And farther, — for he was obviously anxious for the honour of Christ, and the good of his Christian brethren, as con- cerned in this subject, — ^vve find him enjoining, " hold fast the form of sound words ;" " Beware lest any man spoil you through phi- losophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the ru- diments of the world, and not after Christ." And again says he to Timothy, " but foolish and unlearned (i. e. unprofitable) ques- tions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes." Taking Paul, then, as his own interpreter, his counsel to Tim- othy, in the text, respects the matter of his preaching, in those things in which he might err otherwise than in preaching gross her- esy ; and in which he might be in danger of running into error, as a final result. The apostle had seen some of the churches per- plexed and divided, by preachers who departed from the simphc- ily of the gospel, and wasted time and strength, in controversies and preaching on points of minor importance, ending in lamenta- ble defection from the trutji, and injury to the churches. There- fore he gives his young brother the affectionate and solemn in- junction,— " I charge thee, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and dead, at his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word." By this, he apparently means the great, fundamental, and yet simple instructions of the bible ; to preach, as he elsewhere expresses it, " the cross," " Christ Jesus and him crucified," — " the unsearchable riches of Christ :" to do this, studiously avoiding whatever was " unprofitable and vain," and irrelevant to the great objects of " the ministry of re- conciliation." He would go all lengths with any of his bretliren, in studying and preaching " the mystery of godliness," and " con- lending for the faith once delivered unto the saints." He shew- ed, too, how well he could put forth his powers for these purpos- es, when occasion required. But he had no taste for heartless philosophizing. He would " preach down error," and preach up the truth, by " preaching the word." He would enlighten the ig- norant, "win souls" to Christ, edify the people of God, and aid the prosperity of Christ's kingdom, by " preaching the word." It is not difficult to discover the bearing of Paul's great prin- ciples on the dangers and mistakes of some ministers, even, upon this subject. The history of the Church infornis us of nincfi of the kind of preaching whicli was to great and good purpose ; and of many well contested victories of the friends of the truth, over errorists and dieir heresies. But it also acquaints us with subjects and modes of preaching, which occasioned a miserable waste of some good men's time and labours, in the study and in the pulpit ; hindered them from giving the kind of instruction adapted to be " spirit and life" to men's souls ; and j)repared the way for the coming in of errors in sentiment and practice, "like a flood." It tells us of unhappy conti-oversies, commencing on unessential points, about which Paul and Peter themselves might have differ- ed in sentiment, and yet neither of them have been a heretic ; but which resulted in the defection of one or the other from " the truth as it is in Jesus." The feelings and views of Paul, therefore, which led him to exhort Timothy to "preach the word" in distinction from the things he named, would probably lead him to exhort us, at the present day, to " preach the word," in distinction from preaching opinions, dogmas, or speculations ; in distinction from threading, — in the pulpit, or out of it, — the mazes of philosophical or meta- physical theology ; in distinction from preaching " about a truth, and about it," as once said an excellent man, " but not preaching it : preaching the word in distinction from preaching on proposi- tions which are, at best, of a doubtful character, as to their accor- dance with the scriptures, and in all probability startling and per- plexing to many Christians ; and in distinction from preaching conjectures, which, it is true, may lie somewhere in the neigh- bourhood of the truth, but, respecting which, there is all the un- certainty of course attached to conjecturing, in theology, as well as in any thing else. Well might Paul have asked, — and it be- comes every minister to ask, — 'What have these things to do with preaching the word ? with setting forth " Christ Jesus and him crucified ?" ' And what may not the spending of time and strength upon them have to do with bringing in great errors, both in faith and practice ? Farther light is cast on the direction in the text, if we recur to the preaching of our Sa\ iour, the prophets, and apostles : allow- ins; for the fuels, that Christ was the Great Author of all truth, and that the prophets and apostles were hispired men. Our Saviour was in the practice of setting forth the testimony of the scriptures; prefacing and interweaving his instructions with " thus it is written," " as it is written," " as the scripture hath said." When the muhitudes gathered around him, he " preached the word unto them." In the synagogue at Nazareth, he exhibit- ed the direct and solemn instructions of the bible. When, after his resurrection, he would shew to two of his disciples that it " be- hoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead," to accomplish the redemption of sinners ; he confined himself to " the word" for liis whole argument ; " beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them, in all the scriptures, the things concern- ing himself." This he did too, notwithstanding he could have produced conviction in their minds by a much shorter process, and " in the twinkling of an eye." For he would put honour upon the word, as the only sure guide of men's inquiries respect- ing the truth, and as the only rule of their faith. A striking les- son to us, proud spirited men, so prone to " lean to our own un- derstandings," and to rely on the strength of our own reasonings, instead of the sim})]e testimony of the scriptures. The prophets cast light on the text, by their example. It is very noticeable how uniformly they prefaced and interspersed their instructions with " Thus saith the Lord." They felt that they were responsible for a faithful delivery of the exact message God had conuiiitted to them ; and they steadily answered that responsibility. • The apostles, also, were in the habit of basing all their instruc- tions upon the teachings of the Holy Ghost, recorded in the Old Testament, or given du-ectly to them by inspiration. When they would set forth a doctrine, they did it by " shewing from the scriptures," what was truth. Wherever we find them, tliey are "preacliing the word." They did not deal either in undefended assertions ; but followed them v/ith expositions of proofs ; " testi- fied," " opened," " expounded," " reasoned out of the scriptures," to men, in " persuading them concerning the Lord Jesus." Tlie text is yet furdier illustrated, in the preaching and writing of many ministers, of former times, and of the present. Tiiere is a richness in the works of such men as Flavel, Owen, Baxter, Edwards, Cecil, and nniny others, o( llicir limes and ours ; which will make them to he read hy Christians, with satisfaction and profit ; and by unconverted persons with seriousness and feeling ; till " time shall be no longer." Wiial is the secret of this ? Not so much their talents for argumentation, powerful conception, or eloquent expression ; though they had all these. It was their having enriched their minds, and thus their preaching, from that in- exhaustible store-house of divine instruction — " the word of God." The design of Paul's direction, then, we trust, is clear. It en- joins on us to set forth, in the instructions of the pulpit, the riches of" the scriptures of truth." The subject is closely connected with the piosperiiy of die cause of truth, and with ministerial usefulness. Let me invite to it your serious and earnest attention, — my brethren of this Semi- nary, anticipating an entrance upon the sacred office. The text, and the explanatoiy facts and passages adduced, set forth a prin- ciple, to be kept in mind in all your course of preparatory studies here, and to govern you in all your future studies and ministra- tions. It is proposed, in this discourse, to shew the preparatives for ))reaching the word, in the sense of the expression set forth ; and the reasons for making this the object of our studies, and the great characteristic of our instructions. I. We consider some of the preparatives for preaching the word. I speak here of habits of mind, and modes of study, as separate from a plan or course of theological education. 1. It is important to have a conscientious reference to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, in all our studies. It was one of Paul's fraternal benedictions to Timothy, " The Lord give thee tmderstanding in all diings." It is our privilege to use tliis as our prayer, every hoiu- of our studies. We " lack wisdom," and must " ask of God." This we nuist do humbly ; for there are no promises to pride ; and it is to the humble that the Spirit vouch- safes his teachings. We must do it in a willingness to know the truth, whatever it is ; for a mind reluctant to be convinced, of whatever God is pleased to declare for our instruction, will remain in ignorance and darkness. It must be done in an implicit sub- mission to the divine teachings ; for it does not comport with the object God has in view, iu tlie revelation of his will to men, that on this point they make any reservation. The frame of spirit with which a student or pastor should open his bible, should ever be, ' What God declares, I w\U implicitly receive.' Such prayer God will answ^er. Such frames of feeling he will bless. It is a precious promise, for the encouragement of those who thus ask, " He, the Spirit of ti'uth, will guide you into all trutli." An inestimable privilege it is, for a minister, in the conscious- ness that he is frail and fallible, in his researches for instruction, for himself and his people, frequently to lift up the ejaculations, " That which I see not, teach thou me ;" " Lead me into thy truth, and teach me, for thou art my God ;" " Oh ! send out thy light and thy truth." Those who thus commit themselves to di- vine teaching and guidance, may rest confidently on another prom- ise, also ; " And ye shall know the truth." And what are all the satisfactions, ministered to the soul of any man, by his " reason- ing pride," compared wdth those of him, who thus waits on God for teaching ; and finds the truth, as his reward. In this connexion, I would remark, my brethren, that we do well to use the bible as our prayer book, in our closets ; that we may enjoy its light in our studies. The scriptures never so beain with light, nor are disclosed in such beauty and glory, nor take such hold on the soul, as when read and turned into prayer, at the footstool of the " throne of grace." The light, beaming from that throne, seems to shine down upon the sacred page ; and will help us, both to get instruction for our own good, and to judge wisely what we are to bring forth for the good of those to whom we min- ister. Of all the modes of studying the bible, this is the best. We should, in suitable proportion, study it philologically and theologically. But to study it prayerfully, is the method upon which is to be placed most reliance. This must prepare us to study subjects ; to write our sermons ; to preach in the pulpit ; and then to preach in our " manner of life."* * On the depciidance of our prpiiiirations for the pulpit upon prayer, it is a ^tril;in and iiearls ol' his hearers ; and is lieipiiig on that progress of knowledge aiid conviction of the truth, by the preaching of ev- ery sermon, which he may hope that the Holy Spirit will make effectual to salvation. He is answering the dictates of his own conscience, and of grace dwelling in his heart ; is acting from love to Christ, and to his fellow men ; is in the way to " both save himself, and them who hear him ;" and is preparing to render his account, as a " steward of die mysteries of God." Looking forward, by the light of truth, to the scenes of the judgement aiid of eternity, two other considerations present them- selves, in wdiich are concerned both the " ambassadors for Christ" and those to whom they are sent. We are forewarned that tlie instructions dispensed in this state of probation are to come into reference and use, in settling the decisions of tlie final judgement. " The word that I have spoken," — said Christ, respecting him who receives it not, — " the same shall judge him, at the last day." John, in describing his vision of the judgement, writes,- — " and the books were opened." It is a thought, my brethren, which should ever be present to our minds, that the bible will come into solemn use on that great day, as the book out of which ministers have been directed to preach, and their dying fellow men to hear, the instructions of " Him with whom we have to do." And, on the preaching of the word, God has suspended, in a solemn manner, the eternity of our hearers, as well as of our own souls. " For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, both in them that are saved, and in them that perish. To the one we are the savour of death unto death ; and to ihe other the savour of life unto life." It is an intimate, a solemn connexion, \^hich the studies and preaching of every minister have, widi the eternal joy or wretchedness of both himself and his people. When therefore he sits down in liis study, to prepare for the pulpit, well does it become him to think " how dreadful is this place !" When, on the sabbath, he enters his pulpit, to deliver the messages of God's word, with what emotion may he again take up the thought, and 34 say, " How dreadful is this place !" And when, under the sol- emn responsibilities which will have accumulated, from the instruc- tions of the word, they shall "stand before the judgement seat of Christ," with a joyful or terrible eternity before them ; oh ! then will both minister and people once more feel " How dreadful is THIS place /" APPENDIX. NOTE A. Some specimens of curious questions, which were gravely debated in for- mer times, are given by a late lecturer on intellectual philosophy, and well il- liistnite the point under consideration. After giving several questions in the department of intellectuT ^ Hreststertan. MODE OF OXFORD OPERATION, DESCRIBED BY BISHOP u'lLVAINE. •♦ Should we conceive of the grand enemy, actually employing a band of men, concealed under profession of Protestants, (and we may do so for the sake of illustration, without offence) to lay open a secret road for Popery, into the very citadel of the Protestantism of England, we could readily understand that they would select the most gradual means, as the most effectual ; the most noiseless and unseen, as the most ensnaring ; that they would seem to be great opposers of Romanism, in some points, while insinuating it in others ; would break ground at a distance, where they would be least feared and remarked ; get their position fixed lu peace, ' while men slept;' then cautiously commence approaches, gradually familiarizing the watchers upon the walls with the sound of their working, and never putting forth a new approach, till the novelty of the former was for- gotten. We can readily conceive that the weapon of such a siege would not be as the Roman Catapult, hurling, in open day, its bolts and fiery darts. Some Christian Archimedes, with the bright mir- ror of the word, would soon burn up the engine and put the workers to confusion. But the weapon would be the fxck of ihc sapper, dig- ging at the base; and the foundation selected would be that of the bastion, which, while in reality the key of the fortress, is Zcas/ Ar/iotrn in that importance to the multitude, and therefore the least watch- ed ; and their object would be, like that of the gun-powder plot, under the Senate-House and Throne, to subjugate the whole, in the ruin of the head ; and could they only persuade some honored and trusted men of the city, under the sincere supposition, on their part, that they were only searching after hid treasures of Antiquity, or endeavoring to effect some useful restoration in the old walls of a venerable monument of ancient prowess, to do the digging for them, till they themselves could work unseen in the mine, it would indeed he great gain. By and by, it would be seen that a portion of the wall was fallen — then another, but each with such interval, that all lookers-on had grown familiar with the sight of the first dilapidation, before the second was permitted. By and by, that bastion is in ruins, and the city at the mercy of the enemy, but all has gone on vso grn- ilually and imperceptibly that it e.\cites but little apprehension." p. 30. TENDENCY OF OXFORD DIVINITY. •• With the return of Justification by Inherent righteousness, has come back the Romish Doctrine of the Nature and Office of Faith ; of the opu3 operatum of the Sacraments ; of Baptismal Justification ; of Original sin ; of Mortal and Venial Sins; of Sin after Baptism; with most evident and lamentable leanings, to say the least, towards the whole array of Romish Purgatory, Invocation of Saints, Pray- ers for the Dead, Multiplication of Sacramentals and of all external pomp and parade in Church services ; Transubstantiation, Miracle* working," &c. — " Why not expect the same results from the same circumstances, now as Well as in the early ages of the Church ? The way is as well prepared, the dead are alike prayed for, passages of Scripture are just -as favorably interpreted. Where is the barrier 1 In Tradition, answers Dr. Pusey. All are to be held fast, where the ancient Church drifted upon a lee-shore, by the single anchor of Tradition, let down into the shifting sands of men's whims, and, ca- prices, and prejudices, and corruptions, assaulted on all sides by ♦the Prince of the Power of the 'Air.' But had not the ancient Church that anchor better than we have it? Was not Tradition, in their day, more accessible, because they were so much nearer its head-springs; more simple and uncomplicated, and easily settled and readily used? How then if they were not held fast from driving upon the dark mountains of Purgatory, are we ever to be held to our moorings? Oh, no! Prayers for the dead, and the denial of a plenary absolution for sin after baptism, and the granting of a puri- fication in another world, all of which are attained already in the race of this divinity, pressing on to the prize of its high calling, must soon cross the invisible line that separates from Popish Purga- tory, and carrying Tradition along, bid it raise its voice, as it will easily find the excuse for doing, as the bold preacher of the doctrine, of which il was before the appointed antagonist." Bishop M^Ihaine, p. 534. «• To make the cross of Christ of none effect ; first, by making it foolishness to the Greek, and a stumbling block to the Jew ,* and then, when men would embrace it, by turning it into an idol, like the brazen serpent of a former age ; so that men, retaining the name of Christ upon their lips, and making the sign of the cross upon their foreheads, might be substituting a foundation of wood and stubble, . for «♦ Jesus Christ and him crucified;" their own cross, for his; an inward sacrifice, for the one oblation once offered by the Son of God ; this has been the grand effort of Satan, to which the errors and here- sies of every century of Christianity bear most impressive testimony. Bishop AVlhaine, p. 108. " And lo! another angel stood in heaven Crying aloud with mighty voice: Fallen, fallen, Is Babylon the Great — to rise no more ! Rejoice, ye prophets ! over her rejoice, Apostles! holy men, all saints, rejoice! And glory give to God, and to the Lamb. And all the armies oTdisburthened earth. As voice of many waters, and as voice Of thunderings, and voice of multitudes, Answered, Amen. And every hill and rock. And sea, and every beast, answered, Amen. Europa answered, and the farthest bounds Of woody Chili, Asia's fertile coasts, And Afric's burning wastes, answered, Amen. And Heaven, rejoicing, answered back, Amen." Pollock's Course of Time. " To those who shrink from controversial topics, and would shun all controversy, let it be said, in parting, it is not given to man. We hold the truth only by dint of never-flinching firmness. The price of religious, not less than civil, freedom is perpetual vigilance." — Bishop Doane, Bf. Ex. p. 160. on Theol09'cal ^''"."."^mm Jm'i L'tlili 1012 01082 0258 DATE DUE _^___^ Ik GAYLORD PRINTED IN U S A.