That which I now considered the best mode of preparation for the public ministry of the
Word, no longer adopted from necessity, on account of want of time, but from deep
conviction, and from the experience of God's blessing upon it, both as it regards my own
enjoyment, the benefit of the saints, and the conversion of sinners, is as follows:-1. I do
not presume to know myself what is best for the hearers, and I therefore ask the Lord in
the first place, that He would graciously be pleased to teach me on what subject I shall
speak, or what portion of His word I shall expound. Now sometimes it happens, that
previous to my asking Him, a subject or passage has been in my mind, on which it has
appeared well for me to speak. In that case I ask the Lord, whether I should speak on this
subject or passage. If, after prayer, I feel persuaded that I should I fix upon it, yet so, that
I would desire to leave myself open to the Lord to change it, if He please. Frequently,
however, it occurs, that I have no text or subject in my mind, before I give myself to
prayer for the sake of ascertaining the Lord's will concerning it. In this case I wait some
time on my knees for an answer, trying to listen to the voice of the Spirit to direct me. If
then a passage or subject, whilst I am on my knees, or after I have finished praying for a
text, is brought to my mind, I again ask the Lord, and that sometimes repeatedly,
especially if, humanly speaking, the subject or text should be a peculiar one, whether it be
His will that I should speak on such a subject or passage. If after prayer my mind is
peaceful about it, I take this to be the text, but still desire to leave myself open to the Lord
for direction, should He please to alter it, or should I have been mistaken. Frequently
also, in the third place, it happens, that I not only have no text nor subject on my mind
previous to my praying for guidance in this matter, but also I do not obtain one after
once, or twice, or more times praying about it. I used formerly at times to be much
perplexed, when this was the case, but for more than forty-five years it has pleased the
Lord, in general at least, to keep me in peace about it. What I do is, to go on with my
regular reading of the Scriptures, where I left off the last time, praying (whilst I read) for
a text, now and then also laying aside my bible for prayer, till I get one. Thus it has
happened, that I have had to read five, ten; yea twenty chapters, before it has pleased the
Lord to give me a text: yea, many times I have even had to go to the place of meeting
without one, and obtained it perhaps only a few minutes before I was going to speak; but
I have never lacked the Lord's assistance at the time of preaching, provided I had
earnestly sought it in private. The preacher cannot know the particular state of the various
individuals who compose the congregation, nor what they require, but the Lord knows it;
and if the preacher renounces his own wisdom, he will be assisted by the Lord; but if he
will choose in his own wisdom, then let him not be surprised if he should see little benefit
result from his labours.
Before I leave this part of the subject, I would just observe one temptation concerning the
choice of a text. We may see a subject to be so very full, that it may strike us it would do
for some other occasion. For instance, sometimes a text, brought to one's mind for a
week-evening meeting, may appear more suitable for the Lord's day, because then there
would be a greater number of hearers present. Now, in the first place, we do not know
whether the Lord ever will allow us to preach on another Lord's day; and, in the second
place, we know not whether that very subject may not be especially suitable for some or
many individuals present just that week-evening. Thus I was once tempted, after I had
been a short time at Teignmouth, to reserve a subject, which had been just opened to me,
for the next Lord's day. But being able, by the grace of God, to overcome the temptation
by the above reasons, and preaching about it at once, it pleased the Lord to bless it to the
conversion of a sinner, and that too an individual who meant to come but that once more
to the chapel, and to whose case the subject was most remarkably suited.
2. Now when the text has been obtained in the above way, whether it be one or two or
more verses, or a whole chapter or more, I ask the Lord that He would graciously be
pleased to teach me by His Holy Spirit, whilst meditating over it. Within the last fifty
years, I have found it the most profitable plan to meditate with my pen in my hand,
writing down the outlines, as the Word is opened to me. This I do, not for the sake of
committing them to memory, nor as if I meant to say nothing else, but for the sake of
clearness, as being a help to see how far I understand the passage. I also find it useful
afterwards to refer to what I have thus written. I very seldom use any other help besides
the little I understand of the original of the Scriptures, and some good translations in
other languages. My chief help is prayer. I have NEVER in my life begun to study one
single part of divine truth, without gaining some light about it, when I have been able
really to give myself to prayer and meditation over it. But that I have often found a
difficult matter, partly on account of the weakness of the flesh, and partly also on account
of bodily infirmities and multiplicity of engagements. This I most firmly believe, that no
one ought to expect to see much good resulting from his labours in word and doctrine, if
he is not much given to prayer and meditation.
3. Having prayed and meditated on the subject or text, I desire to leave myself entirely in
the hands of the Lord.
I ask Him to bring to my mind what I have seen in my room, concerning the subject I am
going to speak on, which He generally most kindly does, and often teaches me much
additionally, whilst I am preaching.
In connection with the above, I must, however, state, that it appears to me there is a
preparation for the public ministry of the Word, which is even more excellent than the
one spoken of. It is this: to live in such constant and real communion with the Lord, and
to be so habitually and frequently in meditation over the truth, that without the above
effort, so to speak, we have obtained food for others, and know the mind of the Lord as to
the subject or the portion of the Word on which we should speak. But this I have only in a
small measure experienced, though I desire to be brought into such a state, that habitually
"out of my belly may flow rivers of living water."
That which I have found most beneficial in my experience for the last fifty-one years in
the public ministry of the Word, is, expounding the Scriptures, and especially the going
now and then through a whole gospel or epistle. This may be done in a two-fold way,
either by entering minutely into the bearing of every point occurring in the portion, or by
giving the general outlines, and thus leading the hearers to see the meaning and
connexion of the whole. The benefits which I have seen resulting from expounding the
Scriptures are these: 1. The hearers are thus, with God's blessing, led to the Scriptures.
They find, as it were, a practical use of them in the public meetings. This induces them to
bring their bibles, and I have observed that those who at first did not bring them, have
afterwards been induced to do so: so that in a short time few, of the believers at least,
were in the habit of coming
without them. This is no small matter; for every thing, which in our day will lead
believers to value the Scriptures, is of importance
Word, no longer adopted from necessity, on account of want of time, but from deep
conviction, and from the experience of God's blessing upon it, both as it regards my own
enjoyment, the benefit of the saints, and the conversion of sinners, is as follows:-1. I do
not presume to know myself what is best for the hearers, and I therefore ask the Lord in
the first place, that He would graciously be pleased to teach me on what subject I shall
speak, or what portion of His word I shall expound. Now sometimes it happens, that
previous to my asking Him, a subject or passage has been in my mind, on which it has
appeared well for me to speak. In that case I ask the Lord, whether I should speak on this
subject or passage. If, after prayer, I feel persuaded that I should I fix upon it, yet so, that
I would desire to leave myself open to the Lord to change it, if He please. Frequently,
however, it occurs, that I have no text or subject in my mind, before I give myself to
prayer for the sake of ascertaining the Lord's will concerning it. In this case I wait some
time on my knees for an answer, trying to listen to the voice of the Spirit to direct me. If
then a passage or subject, whilst I am on my knees, or after I have finished praying for a
text, is brought to my mind, I again ask the Lord, and that sometimes repeatedly,
especially if, humanly speaking, the subject or text should be a peculiar one, whether it be
His will that I should speak on such a subject or passage. If after prayer my mind is
peaceful about it, I take this to be the text, but still desire to leave myself open to the Lord
for direction, should He please to alter it, or should I have been mistaken. Frequently
also, in the third place, it happens, that I not only have no text nor subject on my mind
previous to my praying for guidance in this matter, but also I do not obtain one after
once, or twice, or more times praying about it. I used formerly at times to be much
perplexed, when this was the case, but for more than forty-five years it has pleased the
Lord, in general at least, to keep me in peace about it. What I do is, to go on with my
regular reading of the Scriptures, where I left off the last time, praying (whilst I read) for
a text, now and then also laying aside my bible for prayer, till I get one. Thus it has
happened, that I have had to read five, ten; yea twenty chapters, before it has pleased the
Lord to give me a text: yea, many times I have even had to go to the place of meeting
without one, and obtained it perhaps only a few minutes before I was going to speak; but
I have never lacked the Lord's assistance at the time of preaching, provided I had
earnestly sought it in private. The preacher cannot know the particular state of the various
individuals who compose the congregation, nor what they require, but the Lord knows it;
and if the preacher renounces his own wisdom, he will be assisted by the Lord; but if he
will choose in his own wisdom, then let him not be surprised if he should see little benefit
result from his labours.
Before I leave this part of the subject, I would just observe one temptation concerning the
choice of a text. We may see a subject to be so very full, that it may strike us it would do
for some other occasion. For instance, sometimes a text, brought to one's mind for a
week-evening meeting, may appear more suitable for the Lord's day, because then there
would be a greater number of hearers present. Now, in the first place, we do not know
whether the Lord ever will allow us to preach on another Lord's day; and, in the second
place, we know not whether that very subject may not be especially suitable for some or
many individuals present just that week-evening. Thus I was once tempted, after I had
been a short time at Teignmouth, to reserve a subject, which had been just opened to me,
for the next Lord's day. But being able, by the grace of God, to overcome the temptation
by the above reasons, and preaching about it at once, it pleased the Lord to bless it to the
conversion of a sinner, and that too an individual who meant to come but that once more
to the chapel, and to whose case the subject was most remarkably suited.
2. Now when the text has been obtained in the above way, whether it be one or two or
more verses, or a whole chapter or more, I ask the Lord that He would graciously be
pleased to teach me by His Holy Spirit, whilst meditating over it. Within the last fifty
years, I have found it the most profitable plan to meditate with my pen in my hand,
writing down the outlines, as the Word is opened to me. This I do, not for the sake of
committing them to memory, nor as if I meant to say nothing else, but for the sake of
clearness, as being a help to see how far I understand the passage. I also find it useful
afterwards to refer to what I have thus written. I very seldom use any other help besides
the little I understand of the original of the Scriptures, and some good translations in
other languages. My chief help is prayer. I have NEVER in my life begun to study one
single part of divine truth, without gaining some light about it, when I have been able
really to give myself to prayer and meditation over it. But that I have often found a
difficult matter, partly on account of the weakness of the flesh, and partly also on account
of bodily infirmities and multiplicity of engagements. This I most firmly believe, that no
one ought to expect to see much good resulting from his labours in word and doctrine, if
he is not much given to prayer and meditation.
3. Having prayed and meditated on the subject or text, I desire to leave myself entirely in
the hands of the Lord.
I ask Him to bring to my mind what I have seen in my room, concerning the subject I am
going to speak on, which He generally most kindly does, and often teaches me much
additionally, whilst I am preaching.
In connection with the above, I must, however, state, that it appears to me there is a
preparation for the public ministry of the Word, which is even more excellent than the
one spoken of. It is this: to live in such constant and real communion with the Lord, and
to be so habitually and frequently in meditation over the truth, that without the above
effort, so to speak, we have obtained food for others, and know the mind of the Lord as to
the subject or the portion of the Word on which we should speak. But this I have only in a
small measure experienced, though I desire to be brought into such a state, that habitually
"out of my belly may flow rivers of living water."
That which I have found most beneficial in my experience for the last fifty-one years in
the public ministry of the Word, is, expounding the Scriptures, and especially the going
now and then through a whole gospel or epistle. This may be done in a two-fold way,
either by entering minutely into the bearing of every point occurring in the portion, or by
giving the general outlines, and thus leading the hearers to see the meaning and
connexion of the whole. The benefits which I have seen resulting from expounding the
Scriptures are these: 1. The hearers are thus, with God's blessing, led to the Scriptures.
They find, as it were, a practical use of them in the public meetings. This induces them to
bring their bibles, and I have observed that those who at first did not bring them, have
afterwards been induced to do so: so that in a short time few, of the believers at least,
were in the habit of coming
without them. This is no small matter; for every thing, which in our day will lead
believers to value the Scriptures, is of importance
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