An early Puritan treatise, The Art of Prophesying, by William Perkins (1558-1602), remains justly famous among those appreciative of his writings. The Banner of Truth Trust offers it in its Puritan Paperback series (currently #23 of 60), giving it wide exposure since 1996. The freshly edited complete set of The Works of William Perkins, published recently by Reformation Heritage Books, includes it in the final, tenth volume (published in 2020).

Having read the entire set last year, I was delighted to discover, appearing just before The Art of Prophesying, two other superb treatises especially for Christian ministers. These may, perhaps, excel the famous piece, if not in practical utility for homiletics, at least in a charge and celebration of the ministry itself.

I wish to raise their profile and share their substance for they are most worthy of more attention than they typically receive in my experience of pastoral fellowship for over 30 years. I cannot recall any of my colleagues ever mentioning them. Many years ago I must have read them in the aforementioned Puritan Paperback, but I had completely forgotten they were there. Along with The Art of Prophesying, they are revised “in the updated clothing of more modern English” by Sinclair Ferguson in the Puritan Paperback edition.

The title is “The Calling of the Ministry” further labeled, “Two Treatises, Describing the Duties and the Dignities of that Calling, Delivered publicly in the University of Cambridge by Master Perkins. Taken from his mouth, and now diligently perused and published by a preacher of the Word,” etc. “The Epistle Dedicatory by W. Crashawe, 1605” and “To the Reader” by the same writer precede Perkins’ composition—my focus in this essay. Another brief dedicatory epistle by Crashawe introduces the second treatise.

The two parts are “The Duties and Dignity of the Ministry” (26 pp.) and “The Second Treatise of the Duties and Dignities of that Calling” (46 pp.). For convenience, we will call them DDM1 and DDM2. Given that these occupy 72 pages of Perkins’ compact material, I aim only for a brief overview, abridging and paraphrasing, with my own afterthoughts appended. Most of the substance of Perkins’ original work is here, though sometimes a long paragraph may be reduced to a few sentences.

Each of the two parts springboards from a main Scripture text (DDM 1 from Job 33.23, 24; DDM2 from Isa 6.5-8) which seems to be Perkins’ own translation. The manner is expository with liberties in digression. He proceeds with the biblical text as a guide, and, in true scholastic and Ramist fashion (Petrus Ramus [1515-1572], a philosopher of major influence upon sixteenth-century education), with logic guiding the development of seed thoughts suggested by the sacred text.

The substance is compounded of enumerated didactic and hortatory elements, a pattern that was to characterize Puritan preaching for generations, largely through Perkins’ pervasive influence. While some of the applications may be considered a stretch by modern standards (e.g., the “fiery tongue” as an application of the hot coal upon Isaiah’s mouth), we ought to appreciate that they are nevertheless not foolish but the earnest counsels of an exemplary and influential scholar of God’s Word. I pray Christ will bless Perkins’ treatises and this presentation of them to accomplish much good today.

Make sure to check out Part 2 of this series.

DDM1

“If there be with him a messenger, an interpreter, one of a thousand to declare unto man his righteousness: Then will he have mercy on him, and will say, Deliver him, that he go not down into the pit, for I have received a reconciliation” (Job 33.23, 24).

Chapter 33 bears on verses 23, 24, which contain 1) the remedy and means of restoring a sinner, and 2) the effect that follows. God uses means in His mercy of restoring sinners—here, a minister of God, lawfully called and sent by God, and appointed by His church to that duty.

Chapter 1: His Titles, “a messenger, an interpreter”

Title 1: Messenger/angel. He is an angel of God (Mal 2.7), an angel of the church (Rev 2, 3).

Use 1. You must preach God’s Word as God’s Word, and deliver it as you receive it (1 Pet 4.11).

Use 2. You must preach in the Spirit, with plainness and power, so men realize God Himself is speaking through you (1 Cor 14.24, 25). Good scholarship, preparation, delivery are commendable. But to be recognized even by the wicked as God’s spokesman commends us to God and to our own conscience.

Use 3. Such angels sent by God must be heard gladly, willingly, reverently, obediently (Mal 2.7). Regard must be given even to them because of their identity as God’s angels (1 Cor 11.14 applies).

Title 2: Interpreter, one who is able to deliver aright the reconciliation. God is the author of it; the Son is the worker of it; the Spirit is the assurer of it; the gospel is the instrument of it. The minister is the interpreter of it: 1) explaining the covenant of grace, 2) applying those means for its working out in reconciliation, 3) publishing reconciliation when it is wrought. He is also the people’s interpreter to God by prayers for them of their need, confession, asking forgiveness, and giving thanks for mercies received. A minister is God’s mouth to the people and the people’s mouth to God.

Use 1. He must have the tongue of the learned (Isa 50.4); he must be inwardly taught by the Spirit. This means eating the Book—a spiritual knowledge of Scripture (Rev 10.9, 11). I reject extra-biblical revelations but only insist on this illumination from the Spirit (Psa 119.18). He must labor also for holiness of life. He himself must be reconciled to God and have a sanctified heart. “This is the reason why unsanctified ministers bestow such fruitless labors in the church” with few converts. When a few are converted through them, God shows the efficacy is not in them but in His ordinance.

Chapter 2: His Rarity, “one of a thousand”

A true messenger/interpreter is rare among ministers, even more rare among all men.

The Truth. Few men would be ministers; few among ministers deserve these honorable names.

The Reasons. 1) True ministers are hated and this is painful (Jer 15.10). 2) The duties are overwhelming (2 Cor 2.16). 3) Too often the ministry lacks adequate financial support, making other vocations like the law more attractive. The ministry involves “so great contempt, so heavy a burden, and so mean [small] a reward,” that good ministers are rare.

Use 1. The scarcity of good ministers requires a commitment to good educational preparation in advanced schools for those who would serve as such. Let Christian princes and magistrates well maintain the seminaries. Otherwise, good ministers will be even rarer, only “one of two thousand.”

Use 2. Let every minister strive to be a good one, labor to increase our number, and give the right hand of fellowship to other good ministers, helping one another against the scorn of the world. Our scarcity as good ministers makes for more danger in our disunion than if we were many.

Use 3. Men of the most excellent gifts should seriously consider the ministry for themselves, and then furnish themselves with all good helps and means so they may fulfill this calling, without sticking too long in those university studies which keep them from actually serving as ministers.

Use 4. As true ministers are so rare, their hearers, then, must respect their persons and receive with reverence the message through them. Nobody is worthy of more love (Isa 52.7; Gal 4.14). “Have you then a godly pastor? Run to him for conference, comfort, [and] counsel. Use his company, frequent his sermons, account him worthy of double honor, think it no small or ordinary blessing, for you have one of a thousand. And bless God for bestowing His mercy to you, which He has denied to so many others. For some have no minister, [and] some have a minister, and yet alas he is not one of a thousand.” Pray to the Lord of the harvest to thrust more of these good ministers into His harvest (Matt 9.38). Pray that the good spirit may be doubled and tripled upon all ministers (2 Kgs 2.9), so that there will be more good ministers.

Chapter 3: His Office, “to declare unto man his righteousness,” Christ’s imputed righteousness

Described. First, he must declare to sinners where righteousness may be found, in “Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 Jn 2.1). Second, he must declare how that righteousness may be obtained, by a sinner’s denying his own righteousness and receiving Christ’s righteousness by faith. Third, he must declare this righteousness, publishing it as God’s free gift, assuring the hearers of its reality and certainty, and maintaining it against all opposition, including the sinner’s guilty feelings and the power of darkness, that it is a true, perfect, and all-sufficient righteousness. While not an exclusive work of godly ministers like Nathan (2 Sam 12.13), it is the excellency of their office and their proper function.

Use 1. It exposes the failure of the popish church in declaring unto man his righteousness, for they teach that it is in the man himself, but Paul found it out of himself, and in Christ (Phil 3.8, 9).

Use 2. Ministers must preach both the law for guilt and the gospel for faith and forgiveness. We must have Christ’s righteousness by faith and be holy ourselves to proclaim it to others (Psa 51.13). We must glory in Christ’s righteousness to be armed against the scorn and contempt of the world.

Use 3. Let seminary students crave the excellency of this calling and the honor that goes with it in the eyes of all God’s children and in unbelievers on Judgment Day. The devil and angels envy those with it.

Use 4. Hearers must learn they are devoid of righteousness by the law to discover Christ’s righteousness for them in the gospel. They must learn to esteem Christ’s ministers highly, since they declare to them their by-faith righteousness, if they have it. Ministers are better than one who finds your lost earthly jewel, defends your hopeless case at law like an attorney, and restores your lost health like a physician, for this righteousness is your true jewel, justification, and spiritual health. Let men, then, aspire to the gospel ministry as superior to the vocations of lawyers and doctors.

Chapter 4: His Blessing, “then will he have mercy on him”

Described. “He” (God) will have mercy upon “him” (the penitent, believing sinner). Man preaches and God blesses! God ties His mercy to the gospel preacher’s ministry, being a means of God’s grace (Matt 18.18; Jn 20.23; Isa 44.25, 26). Thus a minister sees an impenitent man, declares his unrighteousness, and binds his sins on earth, and they are bound in heaven. Alternatively, a minister sees a penitent, believing man, pronounces his forgiveness and happiness, and looses his sins by gospel declaration, and they are loosed in heaven. Thus God confirms the word of His servants (Perkins writes powerfully of the real, declarative power of Christ’s ministers to remit and retain sins [Jn 20.23]. This is the power of the keys [potestas clavium], where God pardons and the minister announces pardon.).

Use 1. Rulers and great men of this world should appreciate the church as it exercises a superior power to theirs, a power in the realm of things spiritual. They do this not by kissing the Pope’s toes but by reverently acknowledging the true church’s ministry for what it really is.

Use 2. Ministers must remember the word of reconciliation is not theirs but the Lord’s, and He works with them, having the greatest hand in the work, and it must be used in a holy manner.

Use 3. Hearers must realize people are insane who seldom hear the sermons of Christ’s ministers but instead seek counsel from the devil’s prophets. Reverence the word of faithful ministers: their faithful denunciations and absolutions are as if God from heaven spoke these things. If there are no ministers, ordinary men may pronounce these things as the exception to the rule (and then they are acting unofficially in the role of ministers), but it is the proper calling of ministers, generally with better knowledge and discernment than others. This power of the keys is ordinarily the ministers’ alone by ordination.

Chapter 5: His Authority, “And will say, Deliver him, that he go not down into the pit, for I have received a reconciliation”

Described. This is the commission and authority given to a minister. When he has declared to a man his righteousness, and has brought him to the state of grace, and God has had mercy on him, then God says to the minister, “Deliver that soul from hell, for I have pardoned him in Christ. I am reconciled to him.” Now Christ alone is the means of working out this redemption, but the minister is God’s instrument and Christ’s instrument 1) to apply those means, and, 2) to pronounce his safety and deliverance when those means are used. This is the greatest honor ever given to a mere creature, not given even to angels. In other callings, God says, “Build houses for men,” “provide food for men,” “heal his body” (physicians), “do justice for him” (attorneys), “fight for him” (soldiers), “defend him” (magistrates), and “govern him” (kings). To none but ministers does God say, “Deliver him, that he goes not down into the pit.”

Use 1. Ministers with the honor of redeemers must do the work of redeemers [1 Tim 4.16; cf. Jer 23.22; Rom 10.10-14; 11.14; 1 Cor 9.22; 2 Tim 2.10; Philem 19; Jas 5.20]. They must pray earnestly for people (1 Sam 12.23), mourn for them (Psa 119.136), privately confer, visit, admonish, rebuke, and principally, they must preach, so that they may win souls, as must be their aim [Prov 11.30]. “Deliver him from hell” is our charge and calling. Let all good ministers so preach that they can say with Isaiah, “Behold, Lord, here am I, and the children whom thou hast given me” (Isa 8.18). They must intend the saving of souls, as antichrist (e.g., Turks, the pope and his vassals, especially the Jesuits) intends the destruction of souls. Shall they have more diligence in ruining men than we have in saving them?

Use 2. Let hearers see the excellence of this calling, as used by God to deliver men from hell. Let the wicked man (who abuses the person or function of ministers) see how low and unthankful they are, to render evil for so great a good.

Use 3. Let all hearers realize their duty, to submit themselves to God’s Word. Hear it patiently, submit yourself to it, be taught and instructed by it, be checked and rebuked by it, have your sins exposed and your corruptions ripped up by it. The lawyer must know the weakness of your legal case. The physician must know the disease of your body. Your minister must see your spiritual weaknesses and corruptions. Even if his doctrine goes against your sinful nature, you must not rage and rebel against it, nor hate the minister, but submit yourself to the faithful ministry, for this is your salvation. Otherwise, you wrong the minister and inflict a far greater wrong upon yourself and frustrate your own salvation.

DDM2

“Then I said, Woe is me, I am undone, for I am a man of polluted lips and dwell in the midst of a people of polluted lips: for my eyes have seen the King and Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the Seraphim unto me, with a hot coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with the tongs: And he touched my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity shall be taken away, and thy sin shall be purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send? and who shall go for Us? Then said I, Here am I, send me. And he said, Go” (Isa 6.5-8).

Isaiah 6 is an account of Isaiah’s renewed call to the extraordinary prophetic ministry. Ordinary ministers need no such renewal. When men, these days, claim extraordinary callings like Isaiah, be skeptical. God confirmed Isaiah’s call by 1) the effect of the vision, Isaiah’s fear, v. 5, 2) his comfort in the vision, vv. 6, 7, and 3) the renewing of his commission, vv. 8-13.

Part 1: The Vision

The signs of his fear were 1) an exclamation, “woe is me,” and, 2) a dejection, “I am undone.” The causes of his fear were 1) his pollution, and, 2) his seeing the Lord.

Point 1: The Signs of His Fear, “woe is me” and “I am undone”

The Lord, in love, not in anger, terrified Isaiah to prepare him further for his ministry of being the Lord’s messenger.

The Doctrine. All true ministers must fear on account of the greatness of our calling, the greatness of God’s glory, and the contemplation of our own weakness. This fear makes the reality of our holy calling more apparent. This is God’s general way with His servants because our nature is apt to presume far more for ourselves than is warranted. Our sinful pride requires such treatment from God.

Use 1. University ministers are especially tempted by pride in their profile, accomplishments, and reputation. We should be thankful when God makes us exclaim, “Woe is me, I am undone!”

Use 2. Isaiah neared desperation but did not appeal to saints or angels as mediators or to pray for him, as many do today.

Use 3. Isaiah’s woe is similar to a sinner’s woe in being convicted by the law and liable to hell. The ministerial call to service is similar to the sinner’s call to salvation, in that fear ordinarily precedes the calling in both cases. Too many men have only natural qualifications and enter the ministry, not realizing they must be deeply humbled besides having natural gifts. The ministerial call is God’s greatest work in the church except for converting a sinner, and similar to it. Not learning only, nor sanctification only, but both must be joined in the call to the ministry.

Point 2: The Causes of His Fear, “for I am a man of polluted lips, and I dwell,” etc.

Major Cause 1: Man’s Misery. Isaiah confesses his own and his people’s sinfulness.

The Prophet’s Pollution. Isaiah means, “I am a miserable, sinful man, so I fear and tremble to stand in God’s presence, and I dare not look upon the Lord, on account of my sins.”

General Pollution. How could Isaiah say this since he was a justified man, believing in Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit? Yes, he was. He is not admitting any scandalous sin, but rather, 1) the corruption of his nature, more apparent to Isaiah as he drew near to God, and 2) some actual sins in his life, especially sins of omission. We read of no glaring sins in his life; likely, he had in mind some faults in his prophetic ministry, perhaps a lack of patience with the people or some lack of zeal in preaching.

Use 1. Ministers must have an exceptionally tender conscience, even of the least sins. A small fault in others is a great fault in them. So they must deprive themselves of certain liberties, maybe even lawful things, that might be an occasion of evil to others, and to abstain from the least sins as blemishes to their callings and burdens to their consciences. They must be “instant in season and out of season” (2 Tim 4.2), faithful and consistent no matter how well or poorly their ministry is received by others.

Use 2. Loose and licentious ministers are herein severely censured. If not today, then one day soon they will cry out, “Woe is me, I am undone!”

Use 3. Ministers who are not often deeply concerned about their sins, even if they are only smaller faults, are surely also in a pitiful condition! Was Isaiah overly scrupulous? No! So carefree ministers are censurably insensitive.

Use 4. Ministers of care and conscience should be comforted from Isaiah’s example. Ability to see their own weaknesses is a good sign. The more a minister makes conscience even of his least sins, the more he is like the ancient holy prophets, and the more good he is likely to do in the ministry. Godly ministers find more faults in themselves than others can; they have the most tender consciences. 

Particular Pollution. He mentions his polluted lips, though his heart and his hands were also polluted, because lips have to do with speaking, the main part of a prophet’s calling. A minister is an interpreter of the people to God in prayer and of God to the people by preaching (Job 33.23). He is God’s mouth and the people’s mouth. The honor or dishonor of a minister is mainly the use or abuse of his tongue. This is why Isaiah mentions the pollution of his lips in particular.

Use 1. This exposes the Roman Catholic error of the possibility of meritorious good works. They should consider better their moral pollution and need of pure mercy as sinful men. “Works of supererogation” (above what is commanded by God) are also a fiction to Isaiah, for he, above others, could be expected to have some, but he knew he did not.

Use 2. Ministers learn from all this to avoid sins of speech above all others and to labor in speaking holily more than anything else. Speaking righteously will comfort you, and sinfully, will vex you most grievously. Faithfulness in all other duties of a minister will not make up for this. If you are unfaithful as a preacher, you will, if not now, eventually, cry out, far more pitifully than Isaiah did, “Woe is me because I am a man of polluted lips!”

The People’s Pollution, “I dwell in the midst of a people of polluted lips”

Cause 1. To teach ministers to confess their people’s sins as well as their own, besides offering their petitions and craving their relief in prayers for them. He must confess their sins publicly and privately, the more particular, the better, both for their good and his own. In a sense, their sins are his own, as usually he is in some way an accessory to them, either by provocation, or by ignoring them, or by not reproving and restraining them as is right, to prevent them as much as he can. Failure in these ministerial duties involves us in the people’s sins and shows that confessing them is our ministerial duty. This implies we should know and notice their sins with a view to confessing them. Be diligent to know the state of your flock (Prov 27.23), a particular and distinct knowledge of them, the more particular the better.

Use 1. It is best for a minister to be present with his people, to know them better. Willful and careless non-residence among them is a fearful sin. Isaiah properly dwelt “in the midst” of them.

Use 2. The people should reveal and confess their sins to their minister for him to know them. We properly decry auricular confession with its attendant abuses in the RCC, but we should call for more honest candor with one’s pastor in private than is usually the case. Let Christians voluntarily resort to their pastor, unburden their hearts about their own sins, and seek his help and godly prayers about them. Those who use this godly practice enjoy great blessing and comfort in it. A pastor cannot know their secret thoughts and sins, and confess them dutifully in prayer, unless they share them.

Cause 2. Isaiah couples his sins and the people’s because they were a contributing cause. The worse people are, the worse they make their minister, though he is otherwise ever so good. Even the best ministers have remaining sin that is made worse by others’ sinning. Regeneration helps but does not completely remove our inner corruptions. Ministers and their congregations tend to share particular distinctive faults. A good minister’s faith will surely be weakened, his zeal abated, and his graces dulled and decayed, if he should come to serve a thoroughly wicked congregation.

Use 1. From this we see how corrupted our nature truly is. It cannot escape some contagion from others’ pollution. Note also how sin creeps up on you, like a secret poison that is diffused to all the members of the body, and ministers are not exempt from bad influences. Sin spreads both ways, from ministers and magistrates to the people, and from the people to their leaders, as a gangrene may spread from the heart or from the toes with equally deadly effect. Therefore, let us nip sin in the bud!

Use 2. A minister should seek to dwell with and serve a people of the least moral pollution. Otherwise, it will be a great grief to his conscience and disgrace to his profession (Jas 1.27). Ministers, in seeking a call, should not be so preoccupied with their potential pay, and how many people there are in the congregation, and how good it would be for their physical health (which all inquire about), but, above these considerations, to ask about the character of the congregation and their community. Are they godly, or at least gentle and teachable? If not, then pay less attention to other considerations of advantage. Congregations should consider that this is the best way to attract and keep a good pastor, or repel him, however wealthy or numerous they may be. Even if a minister makes a poor living, he has more cause to praise God than others if his congregation is truly godly. He should also excel his fellow ministers if they work amidst a people that are more challenging spiritually.

Ministers should be especially careful with whom they spend their time in private. They cannot withdraw from society altogether, but they should seek the best companions, being careful where they go, and with whom, and what recreations they use, and meetings they attend, to keep themselves unspotted from the world. They must strive to keep themselves above reproach and from contracting moral pollution.

People should not carelessly criticize their minister for not being as sociable as they might like, for the very same reasons, or for some faults in their ministers that are prevalent in the congregation. Yes, ministers must be holy men, but those who are guilty of the same crimes are in no place to judge. Towns of drunkenness tend to have ministers who drink too much. Contentious towns usually have contentious ministers perhaps to a lesser degree, superstitious towns superstitious ministers, ignorant towns ignorant ministers, and so forth. 

The best ministers complain bitterly of the pollutions of their people. They feel the drag on their own spiritual life. Common sins are dangerous traps set for the minister on every side. If he leads a truly holy life in such circumstances, being a zealous minister and a holy man, he is worthy of extreme honor. Contrariwise, a loose minister among a generally good people is a great disgrace. He deserves severe censure for it.

Major Cause 2: God’s Glory. “Mine eyes have seen the King, and Lord of hosts.” He only saw a glimpse of His glory in a vision. His conscience was instantly smitten. Thus sinful man is not able to stand in God’s presence: First, because God and sin are contrary, and He hates sin; second, sin makes a man indebted to God for punishment; third, sin provokes God’s wrath.

God’s Ordinary Presence. God is present in increasing degrees 1) when we think of Him, 2) when we mention Him, 3) in His ordinances, Word, and sacraments, and 4) in the highest degree when we stand before Him at the last judgment. A wicked man hates all these degrees of God’s presence. That is why the wicked drive God from their thoughts, are loathe to mention Him reverently or hear others so mention Him, and find church troublesome if they attend at all, and wish very much that judgment day would never be, for they fear and hate this above all (Rev 6.16). A true believer “loves and looks for the appearing of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim 4.8).

God’s Extraordinary Presence. This is made known by an extraordinary revelation of His glory, which is very unusual, and experienced by holy Isaiah here. If even he found it alarming because of his sinfulness, how will the impenitent be terrified, being burdened with their sins and guilt?

Use 1. First, the presumption of unconverted men to enter the ministry is monstrous. For this is to enter into the chamber of the presence of the great King. They are also blameworthy who venture to preach or serve the sacraments without holy, private preparation and sanctification of themselves, treating these sacred things as if they were ordinary. Second, it is important for churches to pray before and after the sermon, to sanctify and humble ourselves in God’s presence. Without this, we do not think reverently enough of God. Third, ministers who remain in their sins without repentance (Psa 50.16) are to be pitied, for they approach the burning bush with their shoes on, and what will come of this in the end? Surely that burning fire will consume them! Not only their mouths, but their eyes, ears, lips, feet, hands, and heart are all polluted. Their ministry is therefore unprofitable—not on account of the gospel, nor our doctrine, nor the teaching of it, but the morally loose living of ministers. To be fruitful, let us ministers repent before calling others to repentance. Eloquence and learning will not overthrow sin in others while it reigns in us. It is the glory of Reformed churches to have powerful doctrine for winning souls. They must take pains that their ministers are godly men as well as good scholars. As none is more honorable than a learned and holy minister, so none are more contemptible and miserable than ministers who scandalize their doctrine by immoral living. Such will be condemned and tormented extraordinarily in the life to come. Fourth, godly ministers must not flee God’s presence for their sinfulness, for Isaiah was also sinful. The more they tremble at God’s presence now, the less they will fear it at the last day. When hypocritical ministers will then be shrieking in fear, godly ministers will desire more than ever to come into God’s favorable presence.

Use 2. The Church of Rome’s deceit is exposed from all this, for their legends are full of very many supposed apparitions of departed saints and angels, the Virgin Mary, even God Himself and our Savior Jesus Christ. These tales are far too commonplace to be believed, and in many of them, instead of great reverence, the men and women witnessing them behaved familiarly, not reverently, as in the biblical accounts that we know are true. These Roman Catholic myths are obviously meant to deceive the world and prop up those who are not of God.

Use 3. First, the God of such great glory shows us His mercy to teach us by men like ourselves, instead of terrifying us by visions or angels (Deut 5.25-28). We must be thankful and not refuse the ministry of the Word because the ministers have faults. Second, all people should prepare themselves for church services by prayer, humbling themselves, and confessing their sins beforehand. Third, sin tends to drive us from God’s presence and innocence helps us draw near to God with joy.

The second part of this article will be published later this week.