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  Preaching Christ  

We must preach Christ in his ever living intercession -- Christ the High Priest above with the incense and the blood, or we leave incomplete the view of Christ crucified. When he cried "It is finished" and "gave up the spirit," it was the slaying of the sacrifice; it was the suffering of the Lamb of God for us; it was the being "made a curse for us," that was then finished. "There remains no more sacrifice for sin;" but there does remain the perpetual oblation of the one finished sacrifice. Our hope stops not at the cross, but "enters to that within the veil where Jesus our forerunner is also, for us, entered, made a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek."

There, therefore, our ministry must also enter. Too often does what otherwise is well as gospel preaching come short of that mark. Our preaching follows Christ in his resurrection, and perhaps in his ascension; but do we sufficiently place before the faith of the sinner, for his prayers and his hopes to rest on, for his consolation and peace to drink of when he strives to come unto God, Jesus as now the glorious Intercessor -- showing in his hands the print of the nails of the crucifixion, and bearing in his heart all the necessities of every believer?

When we exhort to the running the race with patience "looking unto Jesus" do we sufficiently direct the eye of the hearer to Jesus, the glorified, in his present office and work for us? Remember, that when the apostle said, "He is able to save to the uttermost," he added, as the essential evidence, "seeing he ever lives to make intercession for us."

I must not pass from this immediate neighborhood of the great sacrifice, without a few words about its NATURE. To speak of it as a sacrifice for sin in such general terms only as leave room for the most unreal, figurative and accommodated sense, is to come far short of our duty and of what the special tendency of error in these days demands. When we administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, we "show the Lord's death." Let us take care that when we show the same in words, we do not come short of the teaching of the Sacrament. Our church interprets that teaching with studied precision, in her communion office, in reference to errors prevalent when that office was framed. She calls the sacrifice "a full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world."

She teaches us to pray for remission of sins through faith in the blood of Christ. We must imitate that precision in reference to errors now propagated. Besides the perfectness and sufficiency of the sacrifice, in opposition to those who would add to it, we must insist strongly and pointedly on its strictly propitiatory and vicarious nature, in opposition to those who would destroy it. Under such strong texts as "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us;" (Gal. 3:13) "He has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin," (2 Cor. 5:21) we must teach Christ as standing literally in our stead under the condemnation of our sins; all our guilt laid upon him; he the condemned one for us, that we might be accounted the righteous in him. I see not how we can come short of such a sacrifice and yet preach Christ crucified, according to the Scriptures.

The strictly substitutionary character of Christ's sacrifice for our sins I consider of the most vital importance to be clearly taught, if we would satisfy the language of Scripture, or do our duty to God and man. "He was made sin for us;" by which I understand that he stood for us under the law, by imputation of our sins, bearing all our sins, and as perfectly identified and charged with them as it was possible for one "who knew no sin" in himself to be.

Closely allied to our Lord's priesthood, offering the perpetual oblation of his sacrifice, is his office as the great Prophet and Teacher of his Church. "In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." He is "made unto us of God, wisdom," as well as "righteousness." Christ crucified is Christ the Light as well as the Life. To his invitation, "Come unto me and I will give you rest," is joined the precept, "learn of me." The great subject of saving learning is Christ himself, and he is the only effectual teacher of that learning. Those who have "learned Christ," so as truly to know him, are declared to have "been taught by him the truth as in Jesus."

Whatever our advantages of human teaching, even of the truest exposition of God's inspired word, all is powerless spiritually to enlighten us in the knowledge of God and of Christ, until he who speaks as never man spoke, shall add to it the teaching of his Spirit, so that we shall learn, not merely by the Scriptures, but in them from and of Him. Christ as "the truth" as well as "the way," "the wisdom" as well as "the righteousness of God," the living "Word" as well as the ever-living Priest and Intercessor, must be showed in our ministry, if we preach Christ crucified, not merely as once on the cross, but as now in his glory.

But Christ crucified is not only "the righteousness of God" and "the wisdom of God," but "the power of God unto salvation." "Him has God exalted to be a Prince," that he may be a Savior, "mighty to save." "Unto the Son, He says, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom." Christ as King, in a glorious sovereignty over all things in heaven and earth, we must declare. It is the crowning aspect of Christ, the crucified.

It is "the THRONE of the Lamb that was slain," before which the multitudes without number, of the saved in heaven are represented as ascribing "power and riches and strength and glory and honor and blessing. By his death he purchased, as Mediator, a glorious kingdom of redemption. At his ascension, He went to receive it. There now he reigns over all his people in earth and heaven, and over all else, for his people. When he shall come again, it will be in the glory of that kingdom. It was a grand introduction to that precious invitation, "Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden," and that attending precept, "take my yoke and learn of me," when he said (in the verse next before), "All things are delivered unto me by my Father." (Mat. 11:27)

It was when he was in the humiliation and sufferings of the cross that, as the great King, he stretched forth the scepter of his power to the malefactor at his side, and gave him repentance and remission of sins, and opened unto him the kingdom of heaven. And now that, having endured the cross, he is set down at the right hand of the throne of God, to reign forever and ever, he has all power to make good all his promises to those who receive him and to punish with everlasting destruction those who reject him. There is no part of our Te Deum that more animates the worship of my heart than these two sentences, "You are the King of Glory, O Christ!" "When you had overcome the sharpness of death, you opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers."

It is as King of Saints that he freely receives every sinner who seeks his salvation, writing the law of his kingdom in his heart, giving him victory over the enemies of his soul, making him triumphant in death, and finally saying unto him from his throne, "Enter into the joy of your Lord." It is as Christ crucified and glorified and "King of Saints" that he utters that promise of royal authority and power, "To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in His throne." (Rev. 3:21)

Here then is another aspect in which we must lift up the Lord Jesus in our ministry. We must not let it be forgotten that, in all the tenderness of his invitations and promises, he speaks "as one that has authority," not only to make them good, but to punish their rejection. The invitations of his grace are the commandments of his throne, to be answered for at his bar. Hence, the preaching of Christ crucified ceases not until it has exhibited "the judgment-seat of Christ.

It must be noted that, when the Apostle says, "Knowing the terror of the Lord we persuade men," he is speaking of the terror of our Lord Jesus in his day of judgment. (2 Cor. 5:10,11) That day is called "the great day of the wrath of the Lamb." (Rev. 6:17) Why the wrath of the Lamb? Why but to keep still in view the great sacrifice of atonement; to teach that Christ on the throne of judgment is Christ that was crucified; that the chief question of that day will be, whether we have accepted or neglected the great salvation purchased by his blood; and the chief terror of that day will be the vengeance of that blood upon its rejection?

While we love to speak of the blessedness of "the saints in light" as "joint heirs with Christ," we can not discharge our whole duty as preachers of Christ, unless we speak of the heritage of those who "receive his grace in vain." We have a most impressive example in Paul, who, knowing nothing in his ministry "but Jesus Christ and him crucified," pictured so solemnly that day when, coming "to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all those who believe," the Lord Jesus "shall be revealed from heaven, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who obey not the gospel, and who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power." (2 Thess. 1:7-10)

But the preaching of Christ as the crucified extends through all the inheritance of his people forever and ever. It deserves your particular remark how carefully, in many places, the Scriptures, in speaking of the actual condition of the redeemed in heaven, and its connection with the Lord Jesus as its author, source, and substance, so speak of it as to keep not only Christ on the throne, but Christ crucified, Christ the sacrifice, in most conspicuous view. This is especially seen wherever he is spoken of in his glory as "the Lamb," which of course means the Lamb of sacrifice -- the antitype of the paschal lamb and of the daily sacrifice of the law; the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, "He is led as a lamb to the slaughter," "wounded for our transgressions.

Thus the multitude which no man can number, who stand in white clothing and with palms of victory before the throne, are represented as "before the Lamb," and their adoration is in ascribing "salvation to the Lamb," and notice is carefully drawn to their having "washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb," and all that high communion and blessedness is called "the marriage-supper of the Lamb," and in all that dwelling-place "the Lamb is the light thereof," and he that "feeds them and leads them to living fountains of water" is "the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne," and "the river of the water of life," representing their whole felicity, proceeds "out of the throne of the Lamb," and the book of citizenship of the New Jerusalem, in which are written the names of all that are to inhabit there, is "the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Rev. 13:8 and 20:12,14)

Most evidently the intent of all this is to carry adoring thoughts of the sacrifice of the cross into our every thought of heavenly happiness, and to represent the heir of that felicity as never forgetting that great price; never seeing the Lord in his glory without seeing him as once "crucified and slain;" never ascending any height of "the heavenly places," or drinking at any stream of their blessedness, without seeing in Christ not only "the Author and the Finisher," but all in him as "the Lamb slain," as he who "lives and was dead," Christ the propitiation, Christ crucified.

Atonement by sacrifice is written all over the heritage of the righteous. It is the chorus of every song of the saints in light. All heaven echoes with "Unto him that washed us from our sins in his own blood." So must it be in all our preaching concerning the happiness of the saved -- Christ the purchaser and dispenser, but the glory of his cross never separated from the glory of his throne. When we "shall see him as he is," we shall not cease to think of him as he was.

Here a word about our representations of what is the happiness of the redeemed in heaven -- what constitutes it. There is a chilling effect of many books and sermons on that subject -- so much generality, so little about what the Scriptures place so above all; so much made of the subordinate and accessory features, the pastures and the flowers of the heavenly land, and so little of the Sun that gives them all their beauty and life; as if you should speak of the garden of Eden, and make more of what God planned than the presence and Communion of God therein -- not remembering what Paradise in all its beauty became to man when that communion was withdrawn.

Christ is carefully to be preached, as being, himself, in his glory and Communion, the heaven of his people; as well as, in his humiliation and sacrifice, its purchase-price. How striking is the testimony of the Scriptures to this point. Has Jesus gone away to prepare a place for us in his Father's house? His promise is, "I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also." Does he pray his Father in behalf of the happiness of his people, the prayer is, "that they may be with me where I am and behold my glory." While it does not appear what we shall be "as sons of God" and "joint heirs with Christ," does John speak of one thing that we do know.

It is that "we shall be like and see him as he is." Does Jesus promise to those who overcome, that they "shall eat of the hidden manna"? That manna is himself. "I am that bread of life." Is heaven described as a glorious city of habitation? "The Lamb is the temple" and "the light thereof." Has it a river of water of life, and on either side the tree of life? All that river comes forth from "the throne of the Lamb." Christ is "the Finisher of our faith" in this, that he is, in himself, the consummation of our hope; his presence, his communion, his everlasting love being the prize of our high calling, and the goal of our race. We come to him now, and he is our peace. We go to be with him forever, and he is our glory. Ask the way to heaven; we say, Christ. Ask where heaven is; we say, where Christ is. Ask what heaven is; we answer, what Christ is. Thus preach we Christ crucified, whenever we speak according to the Scriptures of what constitutes the life eternal of the sinner "redeemed by the blood of the Lamb."

But we must take good heed, that we do not so speak of our Lord in his heavenly power and glory as not to give due place to his ever present personal ministry, in and to, his Church on earth. The impression is too prevalent that here in our duties and wants and prayers we have only a Savior and helper afar off.

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The precious assurance of the Scriptures is, that we have a Savior so near to every one of us, that "a very present help" -- so present that nothing can separate us from him; that nothing but unbelief ever intervenes between our needs and his fullness, neither space nor time, nor unworthiness nor weakness -- so present that he is ever at the door -- waiting to be received, or beneath our weakness ready to be leaned on. No presence is so "very present" as that of Christ, in the power of his Spirit to every heart that seeks him -- enlightening, guiding, comforting, upholding, drawing sinners to himself, making himself known to them, giving efficacy to means of grace; whatever the instruments, He the only power.

"I am the good shepherd." All is comprehended in that declaration. As the good shepherd, he is the present shepherd, so present to each of the flock that he "calls every one by name and leads him out." Oh, what a help and comfort it is when we get a full comprehension and an abiding impression of that presence. How it strengthens the Minister of the Gospel! How it lifts up the heart of the Christian!

In this connection, the faithful preaching of Christ will keep in great prominence, that aspect of himself which he taught with such emphasis, when he spoke of himself as "the living bread -- the bread of God" of whom the manna in the wilderness was the type and the bread of our Eucharist is the Sacrament; Christ the present daily life of his people -- they abiding in him by faith, he in them by his Spirit; all their life as children of God now -- all their hopes of life forever, depending on that habitual communion -- the vine and the branches. The more we ourselves enjoy of that abiding, the better shall we know how to teach it. Nowhere does mere book-knowledge of what is given us to preach assist us less.

When we speak of Christ as "the life," fulfilling the type of the MANNA, let us take care that we set in clear view, not only our dependence, but His freeness. It was one prominent aspect of that "spiritual food" of which "all our fathers" of the Church in the wilderness ate, that all classes and conditions of people partook of it alike, and all with equal and perfect freeness. It lay all around the camp, as accessible to one as another. Moses, nor Aaron, nor any priest or ruler had any privilege at that table which the humblest Israelite had not. The priesthood had no office of intervention between the hungry and that bread.

Whoever will, let him take and eat, was the proclamation. Let us take good heed that what we cannot deny in the type be not narrowed or concealed in the antitype. Our text is, "Him that comes unto me, I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37) And I do not know a text that contains more of the essence of the preaching of Christ in the richness and freeness of his salvation. Oh, let us take care that our ministry shall keep full in the sight of men that open way, that free access, that directness of coming, not to some mere symbolical representation, but to the very present Christ, in all his tenderness of love and power to save.

Ordinances, ministers, are sadly out of place, no matter how divinely appointed for certain uses, when instead of mere helps in coming to Christ, they are made, in any sense, conditions or terms of approach, so that the sinner gets to Christ only or, in any degree, by them. The light of the sun is not more free to every man that comes into the world, than is the salvation of Jesus to every believing sinner. It is our business to be continually showing that precious truth; coming by faith, all the condition -- Christ, the full and perfect salvation of all who come.

But in the range of gospel truth, there are subjects of instruction, which though not directly concerning his person and office, are so connected with all right appreciation of his saving grace that we cannot keep them out of view, without affecting most injuriously our whole ministry. Be it remembered that while the cross with its immediate neighborhood is the metropolis of Christianity -- all the region round about is Holy Land, more or less holy according to the nearness to that "city of our God;" "a land of milk and honey," "of brooks and fountains of water," intersected in all directions with highways by which pilgrims to Zion approach the desire of their hearts.

It is the office of the gospel preacher to map out that land; to trace those converging roads -- to set up the waymarks to the city of Refuge. Christ is not fully preached when any truth which teaches the sinner's need of such a Savior -- illustrating his preciousness by showing our ruin and beggary through sin dwelling in us and bringing condemnation upon us, is kept in obscurity. The wisdom of "the scribe, instructed into the kingdom of God, to bring out of his treasure things new and old," is found in his omitting nothing connected with the Gospel, however remote from the great central truths and duties; and in his giving to each its portion in due season, as well as its place in due relation.

For example: Christ is "our righteousness" unto justification to every one that believes, so that in him there is no condemnation. (Romans 8:1) But we shall preach him in vain, in that light, unless we show the sinner's absolute need of such righteousness. We must seek, under the power of the Holy Spirit, so to convince him of sin that he shall see himself to be under the condemnation of God's law, without excuse and without hope, until he flees to that refuge. Blessed is he whose ministry the Spirit employs to teach that lesson of ruin and beggary. It is the threshold of the way of life.

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The text-book in that teaching is the law -- God's will, however, and wherever expressed. Preached in a spiritual application to the secrets of the heart, not only as the rule of obedience but as the condition of peace with God to every one that is not in Christ Jesus, and on the perfect keeping of which all his hope depends; preached in view of the salvation of Jesus as only increasing the condemnation so long as it is salvation neglected; it is the instrument of the Holy Spirit to strip the sinner of self-reliance and self-justification, to humble him before God under a sense of guilt and ruin, -- and as a "schoolmaster, to lead him to Christ that he may be justified by faith."

He that would preach a full justification in Christ, without works, must preach entire condemnation under the law, by works. By the law is the knowledge of sin and hence the knowledge in part of Christ. Clear, unequivocal statements of the divine law; the full exhibition of the text, "Cursed is every one that continues not in all things written in the book of the law to do them" (that continues not in all things from first to last of life), thus carrying the sword of the Spirit into the discerning of the thoughts and intents of the heart, is the special basis of and preparation for all saving knowledge of Christ.

The way of the Lord is prepared by that forerunner. How many more consciences would cry out for relief under the load of sin; how much oftener would the careless be awakened to seek mercy through Christ, were there only a more searching comparison of all that is in man with all the holiness of the will of God.

Again: Christ is "made unto us sanctification." (1 Cor. 1:30) But how can we do justice to so cardinal a truth of God's grace, unless we do ample justice to that other great truth of man's nature out of which arises all the need of a sanctifier -- the entire "corruption the nature of every man that is naturally of the offspring of Adam?" The beginning of sanctification is to be born again of the Holy Spirit. According to men's views of the extent to which by nature they are corrupt and alienated from God, will be their views of the spiritual nature, necessity and extent of that great change. Hence to preach Christ in sanctification, we must preach man in his natural corruption.

The "carnal mind" is "enmity against God and is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be." (Rom. 8:7) Let us faithfully expound those words of Paul. We need no stronger declaration as the basis of the whole superstructure of the need of an entire inward regeneration, making the sinner a new creature in Christ Jesus -- new in heart, new in life and hope.

That this preaching of the necessity of such new creature is eminently the preaching of Christ, we have a striking testimony in these words of the Epistle of the Ephesians (chap. iv. 20-24), "You have not so learned Christ; if so be you have heard him and been taught by him the truth as in Jesus; that you put off the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that you put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."

But how shall we speak of so great spiritual transformation without speaking with equal stress of Him who produces it? What sanctification is to salvation, such is the right teaching of the power and office of the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier, the Spirit of Christ, and all comprehending gift of God. What is there in the Christian life, from first to last, that is not the work of the Holy Spirit? Is the sinner convinced of sin, Jesus sent the Spirit to do that work. Is he quickened from spiritual death? "It is the Spirit that quickens." Is he born again? He is "born of the Spirit." Is he spiritually minded? It is because he "minds the things of the Spirit." Is he a "follower of God," as a dear child?

It is because he is "led by the Spirit of God." Has he an internal evidence of that sonship? It is because the Spirit bears witness with his spirit. Is the love of God "shed abroad in our hearts?" It is "by the Holy Spirit given unto us." Do we learn how to pray as we ought? It is because "the Spirit helps our infirmities." Are we comforted with the consolation of Christ? The Spirit is "the Comforter." Are we strengthened in our duty? It is "by the Spirit in the inner man." Do we grow in the knowledge of Christ? Jesus said of the Holy Spirit: "He shall take of mine and show it unto you." And beside the spiritual resurrection and sanctification, will these vile bodies also rise; will they also be sanctified and made glorious according to the glory of our risen Lord? It is written that "He shall quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you." (Rom. 8:11)

Rightly to honor the Holy Spirit as He is thus revealed in His own inspired word, how important to the faithfulness, the fruitfulness of our ministry. We may so come short of it -- we may so contradict it, that while bearing a very reputable character before men, we may all the while be "grieving the Holy Spirit," yes, even "resisting the Holy Spirit." How much barrenness in the work of the ministry, in making, not church-members, but spiritually enlightened and spiritually-minded followers of Christ, may be ascribed to deficiency -- negativeness at least, in this great department of our teaching!

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In no part of his work does a minister more need to be taught of God or to sit humbly at the feet of Jesus to learn of him; nowhere does a decline of spirituality of mind so soon show itself as here. In no part of our work do we depend more upon a decided, habitual, personal experience in our own souls of God's gracious operation. It is here that great departures from the truth which go on to carry away eventually whole communities of professing Christians into manifold and essential errors, almost always secretly or overtly begin; as it is the final construction of a system from which the personal office of the Holy Spirit is virtually if not professedly excluded, in which they culminate. The Scriptural description of a spiritual mind is, that it "minds the things of the Spirit."

It is equally the test of a spiritual and evangelical ministry. That which specially tries our spiritual discernment and skill by rightly dividing the word of truth is the right adjustment of means of grace in their relation to the power of grace, of instruments of blessing to the hand that employs them and that gives them all their efficacy. The Spirit has His instruments. His grace has its means. His great instrument in our sanctification, is His own revealed Truth, by which he testifies of and glorifies the Lord Jesus in our eyes. Sacraments are that same essential truth, taught under other signs, and sealed with a special impressiveness.

The preaching of that same truth by an ordained Ministry, is the great instrumentality of the Spirit. The point of caution is, while giving all due place to the instrument that we keep it exclusively in the place of a mere instrument -- of no avail in itself; that we treat it as we treat the glass by which we seek to see some distant star -- not as an object to be looked at -- but only as a help to look immeasurably beyond and above it; that as the glass is nothing without the light, so the means of grace are nothing without "the Spirit of grace;" that all the power is of the Holy Spirit, and that power not deposited in the means, as we put bread into the hand of a distributor, so that whoever receives the latter receives the bread; that power never divorced from the personal ministry of the Spirit, but applied directly by Himself to each heart that receives His grace; He "dividing to every man severally as He will."

To speak of an ordinance, a sacrament, any means of grace, even the Holy Scriptures of truth, as if they were in any sense the power unto salvation, or as if they contained, whatever its original source, the grace by which we live unto God, thus leading men to look to them, instead of only, by their help, to Christ and His Spirit, is to "do despite to the Spirit of grace."

The whole truth in this connection is found where the Apostle says: "Who is Paul and who is Apollos, but Ministers by whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to every man" (1 Cor. 3:5) Instead of Paul and Apollos, read any ordinance or means of grace. What are they but ministrations of man by help of which you believe, even as the Lord gives to every man. There is a text which the full and explicit preaching of Christ will be always directly or indirectly, consciously or unconsciously, illustrating. It is those verses in the second chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians, "By grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." Salvation all of grace only; in its origin in the love of God; in its purchase by the blood of Christ; in the first quickening of the sinner from the death of sin; in all the renewal of his nature; in his acceptance through Christ, to the peace of God; in his whole ability to live as a child of God; and in his final admission to the glory of God -- all of grace only -- wonderful grace; -- but through faith alone -- and that faith itself a gift of grace; our works in every degree and aspect wholly excluded from the work of saving us, though necessarily included as fruits of the grace that does save us -- we being created anew in Christ Jesus unto good works and not in any degree by good works -- first God's workmanship making us new creatures, then our working as so created "unto good works which God has ordained that we should walk in them."

We preach such works, first, as absolutely excluded from having any part in procuring our Justification before God; secondly, as essential fruits and evidences of our having obtained such Justification. We preach the office of Faith as so vital that only by it are we united to Christ, as living stones built upon the living head of the corner; and the necessity of good works as so absolute, that only in them can we walk as God has ordained and have evidence that we are true believers in Jesus; and at the same time both faith and works deriving all being from the Spirit of God and all value and efficacy to salvation from the Righteousness of Christ.

Here let me add some few miscellaneous observations. We are bound to instruct the believer in all the privileges and consolations that are in Christ that his joy may be full. But we must lay equal stress on all His obligations, that Christ may be glorified. Out of the same wounds of the cross come privilege and duty, promise and commandment, the consolation of faith and the duty of obedience; and the same preaching that leads to the one must alike insist on the other, and on both as necessary to our having that rest which Jesus promises. It is a great matter so to preach the precepts of Christ as to lead men to embrace his promises; and so the promises as to draw the disobedient to the love of his precepts.

In all our work we have two great sources of persuasion, according to the example of Paul, namely, "We beseech you by the mercies of God," and again; "Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;" the love of God in Christ as a Savior, and the wrath of God in Christ as Judge of quick and dead; a cloud of light and a cloud of darkness, each proceeding from the cross as accepted or rejected. We must do all in tenderness, but all in faithfulness. The whole counsel of God embraces the fearful penalty of unpardoned sin as well as the glorious inheritance of the reconciled in Christ.

The faithful preacher of Christ keeps back none of it. While he delights in the loving aspect of his grace, he is not ashamed of the severities of his justice. He does not indeed denounce or judge. It is not for him to command or condemn. His work is always to entreat and persuade; tenderly, lovingly, patiently, in the mind of Christ.

by Charles McIlvaine