USA > Ohio > Journals of the annual conventions of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Ohio > Part 5
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I could add many other proofs in point; but these, joined with common sense, must be sufficient. Surely, if all other arts and callings demand knowledge, that of DIVINITY, the greatest of all, cannot be professed without knowledge, and that in an extensive degree.
From speaking of knowledge in general, as requisite in a minister of Jesus Christ, I might descend unto particulars, and thereby demonstrate the great necessity of a constant application to the many means which are affordcd us to obtain the godly sufficiency spoken of by the Apostle. But, I fear our time will not allow us to be minute. This much, however, I cannot omit observing: that knowledge of divinity in general, is not the only requisite: it must be particular and well divided.
From a deficiency in these particulars, many Clergymen have made but a bad use of their general knowledge of divinity. Knowledge is like the materials for building : it may be good and in plenty; and yet, if the several parts thereof be not well selected and arranged; so that cach order may be distinctly secn, and each compartment as to beauty and use, clearly perceived, great confusion will ensue; and the effect of the whole will be disgusting. By the help of this simile, contemplate a Clergymen deficient in these particulars, attempting to discharge the several duties of his office, the mode of which is left to his discretion. Hear his discourses in public and in private. Of Positive Theology, or those necessary parts of our speculative Faith revealed in Holy Scriptures, how often is he so inadequate a teacher, that he leaves the minds of his hearers quite in the dark, for want of due distinction in the statement of them.
Of Polemical divinity, or that kind of knowledge in divine subjects, which enables us to defend the faith once delivered to the saints, how often does such an one, from want and proper distinctions, expose, rather than aid, the cause of truth ?
It being the character of a shepherd, not only to feed, but to defend, the sheep; he, who stands in the place of the Great Shepherd of souls, should always be found armed, with the proper weapons of the gospel of the truth, to defend the lambs committed to his charge. And what can he do to this purpose, who knows not the avenues thro' which the enemies, the wolves and tigers, that devour the flock, make their approach ? Many a Clergyman has weakened the cause of
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truth, and exposed the Christian souls under his care to heresy and infidelity, by not knowing the true point in debate; or by not managing it with that skill and distinetion, which are characteristic of digested knowledge and a well disciplined mind.
If you hear him on subjects embracing that ill-important braneh of a minis- ter's duty, denominated casuistical divinity, how apparent is his deficieney and inability to do justice to his ealling? How ean he resolve difficulties in cases of conscience, who, perhaps, never stated them to his own mind ; or if lie did, never so digested them, as to be able to give a prompt answer according to truth ? Shall the ministers of Christ, the spiritual Physicians, be less attentive to the exigencies of the soul, than natural Physicians to those of the body ? And does not the skill of the latter materially depend on a knowledge how to act, and low to advise in the difficult cases which oceur ? Is not this the chief part of their study ? Even so, it is the duty of every minister of Christ to give his mind. constantly and ardently, to the study of this part of his profession ; lest he fall under the dreadful crime of being an Empiric in Divinity.
But, my Brethren, we have dwelt long enough, perhaps too long, on this part of our subject; especially when we consider the importance of the next head in the division of our discourse; which is, the absolute necessity of GREAT PRU- DENCE, to form that godly sufficiency mentioned by the Apostle.
By prudence, I mean that which not only knows what to do, but how and when to do it, to the best effeet.
By prudence, I understand that which is sometimes termed wisdom ; and which is alluded to by our blessed Saviour, when sending forth his disciples into a wicked world, and direeting them how to contend withi sinful man, and how to convert sinners to holiness. "Beliold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves ; be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as dovcs."
This prudence, or wisdom, relates to ourselves, to our individual families, to the particular flocks committed to our ellarge, and to the Church at large To be deficient in this quality of a Clergyman in these respeets, is to mar the whole face of our characters, and to render our very profession useless. A Clergyman's personal is intimately connected with his official eharaeter ; if the former be liable, through lack of prudence, to misinterpretation, the latter, even in cases where the heart is right and the intention good, must suffer. We owe it, therefore, to ourselves so to behave, that " our good be not evil spoken of." We owe it to ourselves, to open no door, whereby false brethren within, or wicked enemies from without, can, through our sides wound the peace of the Church, and hinder the progress of the Gospel. God requires this at our hands. It is no inferior part of that sufficiency which is from him, and to his glory.
Again : we must manifest our wisdom in all things relating to our own indi- vidual families ; teaching and governing them in the ways of piety and virtue. A Clergyman's usefulness, in a very great measure, depends on this part of his ministerial sufficieney ; and, as such, it is insisted on, as an indispensable qualifi- cation in every Christian shepherd, by the inspired Apostle. He must be "one," saitlı he, " that ruleth his own house; having his children in subjection, with all gravity : for, if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God ?" 1 Tim. iii. 4.
What ean be the reason, then, that many Clergymen (I speak now of the whole order as such) are so egregiously deficient in this particular ? They have mueh to say to their parishes, (and the more, if well said, the better, ) about a holy, sober, and a godly life ; but little of this sort to say to their own families. They can teach other women to be "discreet, cliaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemned ;" while their own wives are, perhaps, the greatest gossips, busy-bodies and tattlers in the parish. They can preach an excellent sermon to young men and young women, exhorting them to obey their parents ; to be sober-minded; in all things showing themselves a pattern of good works ; while their own children are left at loose ends : their sons ignorant, impudent and disobedient : foul in their language, dishonest in their dealings, and regardless of the truth ; - their daughters vain, idle, and disrespectful in their manners ; neglecting every useful branch of female education, and mindful only of those frivolous accomplishments, praised only in the almost only books they read, Novels and Romances.
When the world sees, yea, when their parishes see that this is the effect of their Religion at home, what good will their public teaching compass ? We fear very little.
Let it, then, be one important point, to manifest our wisdom and prudent sufficiency, as gospel ministers, by ruling well our own families; and by "training our children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."
Again : our sufficiency, in wisdom and prudence, must be manifested, in all that relates to our parishes, and the people committed to our charge.
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And here, at every step, we discover the great importance of this part of our subject. We should be wise, in our general deportment to all. Mindful of the dignity of our station, as ambassadors of God towards man, we should be careful, that we dishonor not our calling, by mixing with low and vicious company ; and tamely listening to their vile discourse, through any hope of popularity. This is but to degrade ourselves, without exalting them. And yet, we should never forget, that these very persons are the objeets of our mission into a wicked world. To approach them, and converse with them, is our duty ; but it should always be as Moses approached the children of Israel, from the mount of God; with a heav- enly radiancy about our characters, at once commanding respect and love.
To the faithful and obedient disciples of the Blessed Jesus, we should endeavor to imitate the conduct of our adored Master to St. John. We should cultivate their love, and gain their confidence; that to us they may resort for advice and comfort, in all the difficulties and troubles of life; and, when reposing on us, they should ever find faithful friends, able and willing advisers.
In relation to the poor of our parishes ; we must not forget their spiritual, while we sedulously relieve their temporal wants. If the latter cannot be done by ourselves, we should always prove their able advocates with those that are able; cver sensible, that it matters little by whom the charity is done, if donc it is : God's glory is the same. But we should remember to keep a watchful eye over ourselves, that a pharisaical ostentation have no part in our charities. To let them be known, more than is absolutely necessary, is no less than to sound a trumpet ; and thus to deprive us of our heavenly reward.
To the rich and honorable, in our parishes, we should be doubly prudent. While we respect them for their stations in life, and cultivate their friendship, for the noble purpose of exciting them to good works, in the support of the Church of God, we are never to forget, that we are their spiritual fathers, endowed with authority from on high ; yca, most strictly commanded, to reprove them for their vices ; to exhort them unto repentance ; and to demand of them a strict conformity to the salutary discipline of the Church of Christ.
In our public discourses, being addressed to all, we should take care, that all have their portion of gospel instruction, in due season; ever remembering that we are placed as stewards of the manifold grace of God. To this end, their char- acters, their wants, dangers and temptations, should be well studied. To what- ever sins they are inclined, so far from giving way to them, because they are popular, we should "set our face like a flint" against them ; at the same time, taking pains to manifest, that we, in reproving them, are governed more by a sense of duty to God, and a regard to their salvation, than by a love of satire in ourselves.
Should the blasphemies of Atheism, or the vapid arguments of Deism, be in circulation among our flocks, our Master commands us to put on the whole armor of God, and fight the good fight of faith. Like David, we are to go forth to slay both the Lion and the Bear; but, like him, we also are to give all the glory to God; who will never fail to save those who put their trust in him.
In short, we bear such a manifold relation to the souls committed to our charge, that, to be unmindful of the dictates of prudence and wisdom, in the discharge of our several duties resulting from those relations, would involve the highest crime. We are ambassadors of God to themward, and they are the "people ready," by nature, " to perish," to be saved by our ministration. We are their teachers ; and they our scholars, secking the saving knowledge of the gospel at our mouth. We are their shepherds; and they our flocks, looking to us for spiritual food and protection. Who then is sufficient for these things ? What prudence, what wisdom, is required of us, in the duties hence resulting ?
But a Clergyman's prudence, or wisdom, docs not end with his duty to his par- ticular parish ; it extends unto the Church at large.
An important duty, by our Canons, devolves upon every parish minister, and especially on such as are members of the Standing Committee, in recommending Candidates for Holy Orders; and few things deserve more prudence than this. I liave now been in the ministry twenty-two years ; and most of the disturbances which have arisen in consequence of admitting improper characters to orders, might have been prevented, had those clergymen who recommended them, exer- cised that prudence of which we are now speaking ; for, bad Clergymen are gen- erally found to have been bad from the beginning. O, what a weight of sorrow must hang on the mind of a conscientious minister for having been imprudently the means of introducing to the sanctuary of God a wicked and unsanctified man ! What agony must pierce his breast, when he sees the wolf, which he had been the means of admitting into the fold, tearing the lambs and scattering the sheep upon the mountains ! Be prudent, therefore, in this particular, that you may avoid such pangs as these.
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Again : prudence, or wisdom, should be exercised by every Clergyman, in re- lation to the Church at large, by avoiding everything that may look like party or party names. Against the sin of SCHISM, we supplicate the Divine grace in our prayers. May we, therefore,-may the Apostolie Church in this, our dear coun- try, never admit this deadly sin in this shape. Names, we know, are innocent things ; but if they stir up feuds, and produce rancor, they change their nature, and become sinful.
The grand Enemy of the Church never did much harm in his own proper character. To effect his designs, he changes his native dress, and assumes that of an angel of light. Shall we, therefore, be ignorant of his devices? And shall we, when knowing his devices, become a prey to them ? May God, in his mercy to the Church of America, forbid it! May it always be a governing principle of our lives to preserve Charity, the very bond of perfectness, that which holds the Church, the body of Christ, together, by love to God and man, by unity of design and harmony of effort.
This leads us to the third general head of our discourse, which was to show, that an undeviating, exemplary holiness of heart and life is absolutely necessary to form that sufficiency mentioned in the text.
Every holy man is not, therefore, a minister of Christ; but every minister of Christ must be a holy man, or he is a wolf in sheep's clothing ; the worst of trait- ors to his master, and the basest of hypocrites.
By a holy man I mean a good man ; good at heart, and good in his life and dealings with mankind : upright and just, faithful to his word and promise, honest, honorable, and candid; above the mean arts and low maxims of policy by whichi the world are governed, obliging to his friends, forgiving to his enemies, and merciful to the poor and needy : submissive to his superiors in Church and State, and all this from the best of motives, from a principle of faith, which worketh by love, love to God and man, love which leadeth him to his prayers, prayers in public and in private; and, when there, makes his devotions arise to God as the morning and evening incense; love, which manifests the grace of God shed abroad in his heart, constituting him a new man, formed and fashioned after the pattern of his heavenly Master, in dealing justly, loving merey, and walking humbly. This is that good man, whom we call a holy man; and if, without this liolincss, the Seriptures affirm no man can see the Lord above, how should he who is deficient therein, be permitted to serve at God's altar here below ? There is, to every pious mind, something so disgustingly incongruous in a bad minister, that all other qualifications are, in him, as nothing. Suppose him to speak with the tongue of men and angels, to possess all knowledge, and have prudence to set off his gifts to the best advantage, and, at the same time, known to be a bad man, to be deficient in holiness of heart and life, what will all his eloquenec and learning avail to the conversion of souls to God, or to the edification of liis Church ? They will be as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. What will his prudence avail, in recommending the cause of Religion ? It will be justly regarded as the contemptible arts and manœuverings of a hypocrite, to accomplish, under the veil of a sanctimonious exterior, some base and sinister purpose.
It is, then, an exemplary and undeviating holiness of heart and life, that is to be the crown and perfection of a minister's sufficiency. Without this, all is as a dead body, a putrid careass, offensive to God and man.
In common with the rest of mankind, the minister of Christ is concerned to be a good and holy man, for his own sake, i. e. to save his own soul. He, as well as they, by living an unholy life, must, at the last judgment, be doomed to everlast- ing punishments, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. Bc- sides this, he has the additional motive to be a good man, for the sake of otliers ; for the sake of tlic souls whom lie may be the instrument of introducing to the kingdom of Heaven. If lie fail in this, the express design of lis profession, and that, through the effect of his bad example, what a weight of guilt must hang upon his head! How deep will it sink his conscious soul in misery, when, to the just Judge of men and angels, he givethi in his account, it thien be seen, that tliose whom he was sent to save, were lost. thro' the influence of liis unlioly conversa- tion! With this view of the subject, how dangerous a profession is that of a clergyman ; and how detestable a character is that of a bad one! To link lıis soul to the souls of thousands, and then betray both himself and them to the Enemy ; and together sink into eternal flames!
My Brethren, the words of our ordination service are so appropriate to this part of our subjeet, that it would be criminal in me, in closing it, to omit them. " Have always, therefore, in remembranee, how great a treasure is committed to your charge. For they are the Sheep of Christ, whieli he bought with his death, and for whom he shed his blood. The Church and congregation whom ye serve, is his spouse and body. And if it shall happen that the same Church, or any member thereof, take any hurt or hinderance by reason of your negligence, you
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know the greatness of the fault, and also the horrible punishment that will ensue."
This is the language of our pious Church, to all lier ministers : and what shall we say-what shall we do-after such awful considerations, and such awakening exhortations as these? Where shall we find our sufficiency for these things? Where, but at the footstool of our all-powerful, meritorious, and gracious Saviour? There, bewailing our sins and acknowledging our weakness, let us implore his forgiveness and heavenly strength. There let us wecp tears of blood, if it were possible, that the blood of souls, the guilt of dooming them to eternal miscry, cleave not to our priestly garments. There, and thence alone, let us seck for that assemblage of pious, zealous, and effectual graces, which can arm us for the im- portant warfare, into which we have enlisted. And then, with Jesus for our Leader, and the aid of his spirit for our comfort, we shall be sufficient, in and through the day of trial, and, finally crowned with eternal life.
My diseourse to my Brethren, the Clergy, is finished; I have now a few words to say to thè Laity.
In listening to what has been said to the Clergy, you, my Brethren of the Laity, must have perceived its amazing importance. Ask, then, yourselves, from whence this importance ariscs? Does it not arise, principally, from the value of your own souls? And are you not concerned in their salvation? Will all the efforts of the Clergy be of any avail, without your cooperation? Like the hands in the natural body, they are the ministers to give you the food of eternal life; but if you will not receive it, when offered, who is answerable, if the members per- isli ? Like the knees, they are at the altar, to bow and pray for you; but if you will not bring gifts to support God's church; above all, the offerings of broken spirits and contrite hearts, what can they do, but save their own souls alive, in the day of visitation?
I have mentioned the support of God's church. I know, as well as you can know-I fecl, perhaps, more deeply than you do feel-how delicate it is to speak of the temporal support which you are bound to give to the ministers of Christ; of whom, however unworthy, I am one. But, delicate as it is, I am constrained, both by the duties of my station, and the necessities of the case, to do it. Bear it in mind, however, that I do it not for your consideration alone, who hear me, but for that of all who may become acquainted with what is now said.
I say, therefore, and I say it because I am bound to declare the truth as it is in Jesus, that all who hope to be saved by the Gospel, must help to maintain that Gospel. If God has seen fit to establish a Church and constitute its officers, those who receive the benefits thercof must help to maintain it and them, or they must be content to have no part nor lot in this matter. Under the Mosaic dispensation, God made ample provision for the support of his Church, and under the Gospel dispensation, the nature of the thing remaining the same, the duties required from his people, though the mode of rendering them may be more discretionary, are the same. " Do ye not know," saith the Apostle to the Corinthian Christians, " Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things, live of the things of the temple ? And they which wait at the altar, arc partakers with the altar ? Even so, the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel." This point, then, is clear beyond all dispute; and if it be stated to you under circumstances which admit no possibility of any sinister and selfish motive, it ought to be urged with a manly ardor, becoming its importance. That these are the circumstances of the person now addressing you, is known unto you all. Having, through the long course of twenty-two years' ministry, procured more than one-half of his subsistence and that of his family, from the arduous cmploy- ment of educating youth, having left situations much more lucrative than his present one, and come among you, under the aid of no charitable institution; and when here, with his own hands having ministered and still ministering to his own necessities; if he cannot urge this with a becoming freedom, for the benefit of God's Church, for the love of his dear Brethren in the ministry, and for the good of souls, it is hard to say who can.
Time there was, when the ministers of Christ were maintained by the gifts and offerings at the Christian altar ; when Churches were riehly endowed, and institu- tions of learning were founded, by the pious oblations at the altar of Christ, and from these holy fountains have issued nearly all the streams of religious and moral science, which now fertilize the Christian world. These sources, as respects this country, are dried up; and not only institutions of learning, but the Clergy themselves are dependent on the personal and immediate munificence of cach individual Christian. What will be the result, time will show. If the Laity had reason to complain that the Clergy made a bad use of their privileges, let them now show that they fall not into like error themselves. God is as much the proprietor of the wealth of the world, when in the hands of the Laity, as when in those of the Clergy. In both cases, the possessors are but STEWARDS ; the use
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of that wealth, for the purposes of virtue and religion, God will require of both. Think not, however, my Brethren of the Laity, that in urging this subject, we sink our characters of ambassadors of God to youward into that of beggars ; for we have feelings as well as you on this delicate subject. We preach not the Gospel of the blessed Jesus unto you for filthy luere's sake. As our chief motive, "we seek you, not yours." Every faithful minister of Christ is bound to say with the Apos- tle-" Necessity is laid upon me,-yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel." And, in doing this, he seeketh the flock, not the fleece. But does this preclude the propriety of his addressing you as did also the Apostle the Corinthian Christians on this selfsame subject? "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things ?"
Let those who would attribute worldly motives to the clergy, give themselves but a moment's reflection, and they will see reason to blush at their uncharitable censure : For, there is not a Clergyman among us, worthy to be such, as respects talents, but could procure much more ample means of support, in any other calling. What, then, can be the reason of their entering and continuing in this laborious profession? No other answer can be given to this question, but this one : They have thought and still think it their duty to sustain this charac- ter. Humble as it is, in the eyes of a wicked world, and neglected as it often is, by the rich and proud; how suresoever they may be of poverty themselves; and to whatever distresses they may subject their families; they have entered, and still continue in the ministry of the gospel, because they believed, and still believe that gospel ; because they trust they are called to preach it to others ; and because, if they should neglect so to do, the divine displeasure would rest upon them. To attribute had motives to such men, and under such circumstances as these, is not only an offence against the dictates of charity, but those of common sense.
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