Book Description

In this work Brinsley not only focuses on the preacher, but also on the hearer. From 2 Tim. 4:2, “Preach the word; be instant in season, and out of season,” he shows that if God has ordained the office of the preacher to herald his message to people "in season and out of season," then, in fact, there must also be people "to do the hearing." This work, then, not only applies to the preacher’s charge, but the people’s duty to hear earnestly and diligently what the preacher has said. He shows that the minister’s charge is a duty to preach the Gospel of Christ, which is in turn preaching Christ: to preach the Word. The preacher is the herald of God, whose office is discharged by speaking this Word to all people, in all cases, in the name of Christ, boldly, faithfully and plainly. In discharging their duty, preachers are to be “instant in season and out of season”, or, earnest and diligent in its performance at all times. By way of contrast but compliment, the hearer of the word should always strive to hear, also, diligently and earnestly. They ought never to be offended at hearing the word preached in its simplicity, and they must excite themselves to this duty entertaining the word of God with gladness. Not only are they to hear it, but they are to wholeheartedly receive it in order to practice it faithfully. This work is not a scan or facsimile, has been carefully transcribed by hand being made easy to read in modern English, and has an active table of contents for electronic versions.