N05154:34
Christ the great example of Gospel ministers. A sermon preached at Portsmouth, at the…Christ the great example of Gospel ministers. A sermon preach'd at Portsmouth, at the…
Christ the great example of Gospel ministers. A sermon preached at Portsmouth, at the ordination of the Reverend Mr. Job Strong, to the pastoral office over the South Church in that place, June 28. 1749, / By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. Pastor of the First Church in Northampton.Christ the great example of Gospel ministers. A sermon preach'd at Portsmouth, at the ordination of the Reverend Mr. Job Strong, to the pastoral office over the South Church in that place, June 28. 1749, / By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. Pastor of the First Church in Northampton.
Boston: printed by T. Fleet, 1750
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Ministers should follow the Example of Christ, in his Readiness not only to Labour, but suffer for the Salvation of Souls, to spend and be spent for them. In this Respect the Apostle Paul imitated his Lord and Master; Philip, ii. 17. Yea, and if I be offered upon the Sacrifice and Service of your Faith, I joy and rejoice with you all. Col. i. 24. Who now rejoice in my Sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ in my Flesh, for his Bodies sake, which is the Church. 2. Cor. xii. 15. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you. Christ in his Prayers, Labours and Sufferings for the Souls of Men, is represented as travelling in Birth with them. Isai. liii. 11. He shall see of the Travel of his Soul. In like manner should Ministers travel for the Conversion and Salvation of their Hearers. They should imitate the Faithfulness of Christ in his Ministry, in speaking whatsoever God had commanded him, and declaring the whole Counsel of God. They should imitate him in the Manner of his preaching; who taught not as the Scribes, but with Authority, boldly, zealously and fervently; insisting chiefly on the most important Things in Religion, being much in warning Men of the Danger of Damnation, setting forth the greatness of the future Misery of the Ungodly; insisting not only on the outward, but also the inward and spiritual Duties of Religion; being much in declaring the great Provocation and Danger of spiritual Pride, and a Self-righteous Disposition; yet much insisting on the Necessity and Importance of inherent Holiness, and the Practice of Piety. Behaving himself with admirable Wisdom in all that he said and did in his Ministry, amidst the many Difficulties, Enemies and Temptations ⟨p. 15⟩he was surrounded with, wonderfully adapting his Discourses to Persons, Seasons and Occasions: Isai. l. 4. The Lord God hath given me the Tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a Word in Season to him that is weary.