23. To Pastors and Preachers

If all those that labor to win souls did also endeavor to win their hearts, introducing them from the beginning to prayer and the inward life, they would make innumerable and lasting conversions. But as long as they work only with the externals, instead of drawing souls to Jesus Christ by the occupation of the heart in Him, they only load them with a thousand precepts for outward exercises; there comes but very little fruit thereof, and even that little does not endure.

If ministers would zealously instruct their parishioners after this manner, the shepherds in keeping their flocks might have the spirit of the early Christians, and the ploughmen in guiding their ploughshares might entertain themselves in a blessed intercourse with God: the tradesmen and laborers that are spending themselves with toil, might gather from it everlasting fruits: wickedness might be banished in a little time, and all their parishioners become spiritual.

To Capture the Citadel

For when once the heart is won, all else is easily corrected. The point is that, above all else, God demands the heart. By this method alone, drunkenness, blasphemy, immorality, animosity, thievery, and a whole train of universally prevailing evils might be reduced. Christ might reign peaceably over all, and the face of His church might be renewed once again in every place. Heresies have entered into the world through the loss of the inward life. If this were re-established, those errors would soon be destroyed. Error gets possession of souls only through want of faith and of prayer; if we taught our wandering brethren to believe simply, and to pray, instead of disputing much with them, we might bring them gently back to God.

Oh, what inestimable losses are sustained by the neglect of this simple instruction! Oh, what account those persons who have the charge of souls will have to give to God for not having revealed this hidden treasure to all whom they serve by the ministry of the Word.

The Quibblings of Unbelief Refuted

They excuse themselves under the pretence that there is danger in this way, or that common people are incapable of the things of the Spirit. But the word of truth assures us of the contrary, saying, “The Lord places His affections on those who walk in simplicity.” Proverbs 12:22. And what danger can there be in walking in the one and only Way, which is Jesus Christ, giving ourselves entirely to Him, beholding Him continually, putting our whole confidence in His grace, and seeking with all our strength after His pure love?

It is far from being true that the simple are incapable of this essential accomplishment. They are indeed the most fit for it, because they are more teachable, more humble, and more innocent, and, not being used to reasoning, they do not hold so fast to their own opinions. Moreover, being without knowledge, they let themselves be moved easily by the Spirit of God; whereas others, who are tied down and blinded by their own self-sufficiency resist the divine inspiration a great deal more. Thus God declares to us that it is to the little ones that He gives the understanding of His law: “The entrance of Your word,” said David, “gives light, it gives understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130. He assures us likewise that he loved to “converse familiarly with the simple ones.” Proverbs 3:32. “The Lord preserves the simple, I was reduced to extremity and He saved me.” Psalm 116:6. Let the shepherds of souls take heed not to hinder the little children from coming to Christ. He said to His apostles, “Suffer these little children to come to Me; for to them belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14 (Vulgate). Jesus Christ said this to the apostles, because they would have hindered the children from coming to Him.

Why Ministers Fail With Working Folk

Oftentimes ministers apply the remedy to the body, whereas the disease is of the heart. The great reason why their success in the reformation of men is so small and transient, especially of laboring persons, is because they work outwardly. If from the beginning they would give them the key to the inward life, reformation of the outward actions would follow naturally. Now this is most easy; teach them to seek God in their hearts, to think upon Him and to return unto Him there whenever they find themselves distracted, and to do all things and suffer all things, with a mind to please Him—this is to send them to the fountain of all good and to show them where to find all that is necessary for their sanctification.

An Appeal

I earnestly entreat all you who minister to souls, to put them immediately into this Way, which is Jesus Christ; and He entreats you also by all the blood which he has shed for these souls whom He has entrusted to your ministry: “Speak ye to the heart of Jerusalem.” Isaiah 40:2. O you dispensers of His mercies! O preachers of His word! O ministers of His sacrament! Establish His kingdom; and that you may establish it truly, make Him to reign over hearts! For as it is the heart alone which can oppose His empire, so it is by the total subjection of the heart that His sovereignty is the most honored. “Give glory to the holiness of God, and He shall become your sanctification.” Isaiah 8:13. Teach your people how to pray, not by reading forms of devotion (for simple people cannot follow them), but by the prayer of the heart, and not of the head; a prayer of the Spirit of God, and not of man’s inventions.

The Fervent Prayer of a Righteous Man

Alas! Men will be making studied prayers; and while they seek to adjust them too much, they render them impracticable. They have estranged the children from the best of all fathers, in teaching them a language too polite. Go yet, poor children, speak to your Heavenly Father in your own language; however, barbarous and rude it may otherwise be, it is not so to Him. A father loves rather to be spoken to with disordered words which convey love and respect from the heart than to hear a harangue that is dry, empty, and barren, though ever so well thought out. Oh, how mightily do the glances of love in the heart delight and please Him! They express infinitely more than all language and all arguments.

The Futility of Love by Rule

By endeavoring to teach how to love, by rule and convention, men have in a great measure lost love itself. Oh how unnecessary it is to each the art of loving! The language of love is barbarous to him who loves not, but it is very natural to him who loves; and one can never better learn how to love God than by loving Him. Acting on this plan, the most dull often becomes the most expert, because they behave themselves more simply and more cordially. The Spirit of God has no need of our regulations; He takes up shepherds, when He pleases, to make prophets of them; and so far is He from shutting the palace of prayer against anyone (as some imagine), that He leaves all the gates thereof open to all; and wisdom cries in the public places, “Whoso is simple let him come to me.” Proverbs 9:5. Does not Jesus Christ thank His Father, that He has hidden His secrets from the wise, and has revealed them to the little ones? Matthew 11:25.