3. Humbly and Wisely
Thomas Brooks
Ephesians 3:8. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ.
[3.] Ministers must preach Christ humbly as well as faithfully: “We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Cor 4:5). Paul does not deal in compliments, but he spoke as it was, for there are no greater servants than those that are servants to the souls of men for Jesus’ sake. So John the Baptist was very humble in the exercise of his ministry: “He must increase, but I must decrease. . .” (Jn 3:30,31).
Luther used to say that “a minister must take heed of bringing three dogs into the pulpit: pride, covetousness and envy”. The friends of the bridegroom must not woo for themselves but for the bridegroom. Dispensers of the gospel are the Bridegroom’s friends, and they must not speak one word for the Bridegroom and two for themselves, as has been the trade of many weak and worthless men. It is the greatest glory of a minister in this world to be high in spiritual work and humble in heart. Vain glory is a pleasant thief; it is the sweet spoiler of spiritual excellences. Paul was very humble in exercising his ministry; none were so high in worth as he was, and none so low or humble in heart. Though he was the greatest among the apostles, he accounted himself less than the least of all saints. Yes, he counted it not only his duty, but his glory, to be a servant to the weakest saints: “To the weak became I as weak” (1 Cor 9:22); “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not” (2 Cor 11:29).
[4.] As they are to preach the Lord Jesus Christ humbly, so they are to preach Him wisely. “He that winneth souls is wise” (Prov 11:30); and indeed the greatest wisdom in the world is necessary for winning souls to Christ. He is wise that wins souls, or he that catches souls, as a fowler catches birds, or a fisherman catches fish. There is a holy and heavenly craft required in winning souls to Christ: “Nevertheless, being crafty,” says the Apostle, “I caught you with guile” (2 Cor 12:16). He speaks of a holy and heavenly craftiness.2
It is written of the fox that, when he is very hungry and can find no prey,
1Taken, with editing, from Brooks’ Works, vol 3. Last month’s article spoke of preaching Christ plainly and faithfully.
2If one soul is more worth than a world, as Christ has told us, they must be wise who win souls to Him.
he lies down and feigns himself dead; and so the fowls light upon him and then he catches them. Paul, hungering after the welfare of the Corinthians’ souls, makes use of his heavenly craft to catch them. There is a great deal of wisdom required to hold out Christ unto the people, not only as something good, but as the greatest good, as the choicest good, as the chiefest good, as the most suitable good, as an unchangeable good, as an independent good, as a total good, and as an eternal good. Christ must thus be held forth to draw souls to fall in love with Him, and to work their hearts to run out after Him.
Wisdom is required to answer all the cavils and objections that keep Christ and poor souls apart. Wisdom is required to take souls off from all false foundations that they are apt to build on; wisdom is required to present Christ freely to souls, in opposition to all unrighteousness and to all unworthiness in man; wisdom is required to suit things to the capacities and conditions of poor souls, to make dark things plain and hard things easy. Ministers must not be like the one who gave straw to the dog and a bone to the ass, but they must suit all their discourses to the conditions and capacities of poor creatures, or else all will be lost: time lost, effort lost, God lost, heaven lost and souls lost for ever.