Thomas Boston & Preaching to Persons

I have just read Andrew Thomson’s nineteenth century biography of Thomas Boston (1676-1732), the Scottish Presbyterian minister of Simprin and later on, and more famously, Ettrick. Biographies of fellow ministers, even famous and highly regarded ones, offer instruction and comfort even to those inhabiting the vineyard’s distant corners. He writes:

‘It must have been a painful surprise to a minister of such lofty aims and gentle charity as Mr. Boston, to have been told by certain of his hearers that he was suspected of indulging in 'personalities' in his preaching, and that they even believed that, in some things which he had recently spoken, he had been aiming at them. It is superfluous to say that few things can be more unworthy of a minister of Christ, or a more shameful degrading of his sacred office, than when he uses his pulpit to gratify a secret vindictiveness or spite. But such suspicions are commonly groundless, and are to be accounted for by an overweening self-importance on the part of some of his hearers, or by an uneasy conscience in others, which smarts under faithful preaching when it unveils to the man some secret besetting sin, or purpose of evil. Indeed it is a poor sign of a minister's discriminating skill and fidelity in his pulpit when his preaching does not at times make individuals among his hearers uneasy almost to resentment, and his 'drowsy tinklings only lull his flock to sleep.' "I should suspect his preaching had no salt in it", says the wise and witty Thomas Fuller, "if no galled jade did wince. But still it does not follow that the archer aimed because the arrow hit".

Several times in my ministry have people commented that I have been speaking to them mid-sermon. The ungodly ones have accused me of this, while the godlier have blessed the Holy Spirit for addressing their situation. Like Mr Boston, I do not indulge in alluding to persons present, for the proclamation of Christ is much more important. People who fancy themselves the subject of a sermon indulge in self-flattery. Nevertheless, any cap that fits should be worn accordingly.