[March 16th, 1856.]
I. What it is to be a soldier.
The soldier’s life is the hardest life in the world.
I. It involves more labor. 2. More privation. 3. More exposure. 4. More exertion of the faculties, i.e., in watchfulness and in combat, than any other vocation.
II. It therefore requires,
- Great strength of mind or body, according to the nature of the warfare, i.e., strength of purpose. 2. Great patience. 3. Great activity and diligence. 4. Entire devotedness; freedom from other cares, and consecration to his work. No man can be a soldier and a farmer, or a merchant.
III. The Christian is called a soldier, and so is the minister.
What does Paul mean to teach concerning the ministerial office, in calling ministers soldiers?
- That the work in which they are engaged is an arduous one, calling for the exertion of all their powers. They have many enemies to overcome, within and without.
Within, a. Sloth. b. Languor. c. Want of faith. d. Despondency. e. Desire of ease. f. Desire of fame. g. Love of money, love of power.
Without, a. Error. b. Infidelity. c. Disregard of the truth. d. Ignorance. e. Vice in all its forms. f. Malice and detraction. g. Satan and his emissaries.
The work is not only arduous because of opponents to be overcome, but also because of the work to be done. a. To teach the gospel. b. To instruct the young. c. To guide the inquiring. d. To comfort and edify the people of God. e. To visit the sick, the poor, and the prisoner. f. To propagate the gospel.
- Paul means to teach that his work demands a man’s whole time and strength. He may not (a.) Entangle himself with the affairs of the world. He has no right to engage in any secular occupation, except so far as it may be necessary for the prosecution of his work; he may not be a farmer, mechanic, merchant, teacher.
(b.) He may not allow other pursuits to distract his attention. Literature, science, politics, even general enterprises of benevolence, are all to be made subservient to his one great work—of making disciples.
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Paul teaches that the minister, in the discharge of his duties, is to exhibit all soldierly qualities. a. Endurance. b. Alertness. c. Courage. d. Patience. e. Indomitable perseverance.
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He teaches that the minister, like the soldier, should be animated by a spirit of loyalty. The proper motive in a soldier is loyalty to his sovereign or to his country. This is the characteristic motive. The justice of his cause, the important interests at stake, and other motives may have, and should have, their proper influence; but the great motive is his allegiance to his sovereign. So in the case of the minister, loyalty to Christ, zeal for his glory, love for his person, the desire to establish and extend his kingdom, because it is his, is the distinctive and proper motive. There are other motives, as the good of men, their improvement, happiness and salvation; but these are all insufficient and subordinate. It is the overwhelming sense of the glory of Christ, and of our obligations to him, which can alone either qualify a man for this work, or sustain him under it.
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Paul means to teach that passive obedience is the duty of the minister. He is not the judge where he is to go, or what he is to do. He has nothing to do, but to go where he is ordered, and to do what he is required.
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He teaches that the soldier is responsible for the faithful discharge of his duties, and for success. It is only the general who is held accountable for results. So the minister, like the private soldier, is not responsible.
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He teaches that a crown of glory, a crown of righteousness, awaits the minister, and that crown is given only to the faithful.
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