Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Ought not a minister of Christ to do three things

Wed 2 June 1742: I was invited to Mrs. Holmes’s, near Halifax; where I preached at noon on ‘Ask, and ye shall receive.’ Thence I rode to Dr. Legh’s, the Vicar of Halifax, a candid inquirer after truth. I called again upon Mrs. Holmes in my return, when her sister a little surprised me by asking, ‘Ought not a minister of Christ to do three things: first to preach his law, in order to convince of sin; then to offer free pardon through faith in his blood, to all convinced sinners; and in the third place to preach his law again, as a rule for those that believe? I think if anyone does otherwise he is no true minister of Christ. He divides what God has joined, and cannot be said to preach the whole gospel.’