from The Reformed Pastor

Philip Doddridge said, The Reformed Pastor "should be read by every young minister, before he takes a people under his stated care." Here are a few choice quotes from The Reformed Pastor.

“Nothing can be rightly known, if God be not known; nor is any study well managed, nor to any great purpose, if God is not studied.”

“Theology must lay the foundation, and lead the way of all our studies.”

“...when languages and philosophy have almost all their time and diligence, and instead of reading philosophy like divines, they read divinity like philosophers, as if it were a thing of no more moment than a lesson of music, or arithmetic, and not the doctrine of everlasting life; this is that blasteth so many in the bud, and pestereth the Church with unsanctified teachers!”

“They will likely feel when you have been much with God: that which is most on your hearts, is like to be most in their ears.”

“Vanity and error will slyly insinuate, and seldom come without fair pretenses: great distempers and apostasies have usually small beginnings.”

“Take heed to yourselves, lest your example contradict your doctrine.”

“It is a palpable error of some ministers, who make such a disproportion between their preaching and their living; who study hard to preach exactly, and study little or not at all to live exactly.”

“If you intend the end of the ministry in the pulpit only, it would seem you take yourselves for ministers no longer than you are there.”

“...What skill is necessary to make the truth plain; to convince the hearers, to let irresistible light in their consciences, and to keep it there, and drive all home; to screw the truth into their minds, and work Christ into their affections...”

“Oh, therefore, brethren, lose no time! Study, and pray, and confer, and practice; for in these four ways your abilities must be increased. Take heed to yourselves, lest you are weak through your own negligence, and lest you mar the work of God by your weakness.”