The Christian Ministry

by Charles Bridges

Let him suspect his heart, not the promises of God. Let him see his own weakness and unworthiness, without forgetting the power and love of his Saviour.

A defect in judgment is a frequent attendant upon the early stage of profession.

The affections are tumultuous rather than rational.

Holiness in its first motions may be full of heat and joy. But we must give it time to settle into temper and habit—the gospel acting upon the whole man;

Let not the novice satisfy himself with being a sincere Christian. Let him seek to be an advancing Christian. Let him remember, that his present attainments are but the commencement, and not the finishing, of his work.

Sometimes we find the backslider in a hardened state—flinching from close dealing—advancing rapidly on the high road to apostacy. Solemn

Let him be guided afresh, as if he had never known the way, to the foot of the cross, there to " look on him, whom he has pierced, and mourn;" in the assurance, that the same love that pardons sins, " heals backstidings."

True grace sets an edge upon the appetite, rather than satisfies it.

The ordinances of God are attended by the young with greater ardency, but from the old with deeper principle. The affections in the young are more vigorous and lively. But what is gradually lost in the natural decay of their sensible operations, is abundantly compensated in the improvement of their understanding, resolution, and judgment.

Apart from affliction (a most important means of grace to the Christian ) the active operation of spiritual life and joy strengthens and establishes his daily progress heavenward.

every exercise of love brings out a growing conformity to the Divine image.

The balance of faith with fear preserves each principle in its due sphere of operation—restrains the former from presumption, the latter from bondage and unbelief.

For the right interpretation of the mind of God, we must not only have learning in Divine things, but we must ourselves be Divinely learned. For how can we know the mind of God, but by the unction and teaching of his own Spirit?

often the most difficult work remains when we have come down from the pulpit, needing special direction of prayer, study, and careful regard to our Master's ministration for its effectual discharge.

Our work therefore, is to call attention to the speaking voice of this Divine rod.

'It is rather strange' (as Ostervald remarks) ' that Ministers should take so much pains to prepare their discourses for the pulpit, and take so little pains to prepare for what they should say to the sick, or how to conduct their visits to them, though it is one of the most difficult and important offices in the Ministry.

We must approach the sick in the garb of a friend.

The importance of Ministerial faithfulness cannot be too highly estimated.

Silence is cruelty.

insist upon the love of him that afflicts. Here we see that clear view of that paternal character of God, which sustained the redeemer's soul in his bitterest moments of suffering.

make Christ the sum of our instructions to the sick.

Unlike the physician, we have only one remedy of diversified application, but equally adapted to all, for conviction, life, consolation, holiness.

Thus we proclaim an open door under the most desponding circumstances —invitation to all—discouragement to none—security to the people of God.

We recommend, as a general rule, to conclude our visits to the sick with short but solemn prayer, moulding the precise petitions most suitable to his circumstances and spiritual condition.

The only know- ledge that tells upon the mass of our population is that which is impregnated with the doctrine of the Gospel. All besides is morally powerless as a skeleton to start into life and motion, and perform the exercises of a man.

A CATECHIZING Ministry—so far as local circumstances will admit of it—demands a high place among the means of bringing our people into an early, conciliating, and instructive contact with ourselves as their spiritual instructors.

we cease to be catechists when we cease to be intelligible to the lowest capacity.

The time after the afternoon service is perhaps the most convenient for Catechizing, where a large part of the congregation would probably share the benefit of the instruction.

There is a difference between teaching and preaching. Sermons are out of place in a Sunday School.

if the mechanism of a Sunday School—however admirably regulated and amply provided—forms the quantum of spiritual instruction for the young, it will only add further proof of the comparative inefficacy of a mere Sabbath ministration.

Our youthful flock are readily melted by an affectionate address; while too often the conduct proves their consciences to be unawakened, and their hearts unimpressed.

let not the character and progress be measured by excitement, which, if not connected with Scriptural truth, is delusion —not edification.

Spiritual principles as well as external duties, may be fearfully counterfeited; and therefore their evidences must be carefully sifted, and tried by consistent conduct.

Young trees, even of " the Lord's planting," require diligent care and watering : but any attempt to force the fruit would materially injure the vital principle.

THE Dispensation of the Sacraments must be considered as one of the most important parts of our Ministry.

In prayer we beg at God's hands all good things as otherwise we cannot obtain. In the Sacraments he embraceth, and offereth himself to be embraced of us.

Sacraments, are more diversely interpreted and disputed of, than any other part of religion besides.

Sacraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession; but rather they be effectual signs of grace and of God's goodwill towards us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us.

We cannot therefore doubt that the Scripture designates ' these heavenly ceremonies ' as a means of rich and special grace. They exhibit the blessings of the Gospel to all.

Let it never be supposed, that there is any innate grace in these holy ordinances.

To make them—as some appear to do—sources of grace, is to put them in the place of Christ. To acknowledge them as means, is to depend on Christ in them, to look for his grace imparted by them, to honour his appointment in their diligent improvement, and thus to ensure his gracious acceptance.

while our Church clearly insists upon the unworthy administration as no bar, she clearly sets out a worthy reception as an indispensable mean, to the blessing,

The ordinances themselves are holy. Yet man's perverseness makes them the occasion of sin and fearful provocation even in the profession of a sound faith.

Unbelief is no less dishonourable to God, and paralyzing to his work, than formal superstition.

we take not baptism, nor the eucharist for bare resemblance or memorials of things absent, neither for naked signs and testimonies, assuring us of grace received before; but (as they ate indeed and in verity) for means effectual, whereby God, when we take the Sacraments, delivereth into our hands that grace available unto eternal life, which grace the sacraments represent or signify.'

To conceive of acceptable ordinances for hypocrites and unbelievers is an anomaly— To accommodate the service of the Church to the temperament of "the mixed multitude," would be to rob the true Christian of his warranted and enlarged confidence in " the promises of God" applied " by us," —and to approach God with a worship that could not be pleasing to him.

whosoever receiveth this holy sacrament thus ordained in remembrance of Christ, he receiveth therewith either death or life,

The sacramental table is therefore equally precious and honourable as a command to be obeyed, and a privilege to be enjoyed.

The sacramental graces (repentance and faith, hungering and thirsting .for Christ, thanksgiving and brotherly love) are excited by the contemplation of the Great Author of the ordinance in the wondrous act of his dying love.

We can warn hypocrites, but we cannot exclude them.