Ministers differ in their abilities—some have greater and some less; but these all worketh that self same Spirit, who divideth to his Ministers severally as he will, for the perfecting of the saints, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God.—This is the design of the Gospel Ministry. The breaking of these pitchers, that the light might appear, may be emblematic of the various trials and heart-breaking circumstances they meet with here below; and the more they are broken the clearer they shine—this is true of all believers, as well as Ministers in general.—May not the trumpets be an emblem of their message to God’s saints, which must give a certain sound? How necessary a Minister should be at a point about his own state. Only observe the preaching of those who are not—what legality—what ifs and buts—what a mixture of felt Law and unfelt Gospel—what dealing in terrors of death, hell, and damnation! How dismal the sound—how gloomy the countenance—how awful and tremendous the language in prayer, while in such legal bondage. Hence they sometimes begin with, Most dreadful God!—Most terrible Jehovah! How different the ideas and language of a soul in Gospel liberty—Blessed Lord—Gracious Father—Precious Immanuel—Friend of Sinners—Lord Jesus—My Father—My reconciled covenant, indulgent God. This is very different from the terrific language of those who are under the Law, for the Law always genders to bondage. Such men cannot give a certain sound—it is a sound of pardon, of life, of peace, of holiness, of good-will, and covenant-love, and mercy. We are to preach, and proclaim pardon to rebels, mercy to the miserable, deliverance to captives, peace to those who are convinced of their enmity—the trumpet of God is sounding abroad the language of mercy—salvation through blood; and while this comforts the saints it starves the hypocrite, confounds the Pharisee, and becomes the savor of death to all that hate it.—As the lamp gave light to the Israelites, and the trumpet was understood by them at the same time, it confused and over-turned the host of Midian; and sure I am that a faithful testimony for God and his truth, will never be out of the consciences of men, whether saints or enemies, in heaven and hell. Men cannot endure sound doctrine; they hate the light—they oppose those who preach it; and the worst term of reproach they can now load them with, or cast on them, is that of Antinomian, although those very characters know in their own souls they are not so.—But those Ministers that dare to be faithful to God and truth, are the only men who handle the Law, lawfully, hold it forth in its true spirituality, and point the sinner to look to Jesus as the end of it; and who can look further than the end?—Fear not, O ye Ministers of my God; arise! shine on!—set the trumpet to the mouth—proclaim a free-grace Gospel, and leave all consequences to God.