Today Spring gives us his last reason why the pulpit is powerful: the pulpit is associated with the mighty power of God in the conviction and conversion of men.
To demonstrate that God's omnipotent power must be at work in the pulpit, Spring firstly teaches us how depraved and helpless man is.
Thus we then see the tremendous need for the power of the Holy Spirit to be at work in men if the pulpit is to achieve anything.
A particularly humbling chapter for the preacher to read: 'When God's ministers are sent to prophesy to men dead in sin, they do not know the results of their message. There is nothing in ministers themselves, nothing in the mere truth they utter, nothing in the present character of those they address, that furnishes a favorable solution of this great problem. God only knows, because he only sees the end from the beginning, and he only is able to quicken those who are dead in trespasses and sins. There is but this one source of light and hope'.
No man has any power in the pulpit apart from the power of God.
R
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