The purposes of a person's heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.
One thing a good preacher should be able to do is to draw people out. It is important that we remember that those who hear us may well have all sorts of things hidden in their hearts - ambitions and desires and sins and fears - that we will certainly not see in their faces and are not likely to discern simply by talking to them briefly. If we are able to preach as we ought, however, then we will be able to bring these things to the surface and begin to deal with them in ways laid down in Scripture. We need to learn to be searching preachers.
Thomas Prince writing about Gilbert Tennent in The Great Awakening in America in the 18th century characterises it as a searching ministry. He says his ministry was "frequently both terrible and searching." He wrote
"Such were the convictions wrought in many hundreds in this town by Mr. Tennent's searching ministry: and such was the case of those many scores of several other congregations as well as mine, who came to me and others for direction under them. And indeed by all their converse I found, it was not so much the terror as the searching nature of his ministry, that was the principal means of their conviction. It was not merely, nor so much, his laying open the terrors of the law and wrath of God, or damnation of hell; (for this they could pretty well bear, as long as they hoped these belonged not to them, or they could easily avoid them) as his laying open their many vain and secret shifts and refuges, counterfeit resemblances of grace, delusive and damning hopes, their utter impotence, and impending danger of destruction; whereby they found all their hopes and refuges of lies to fail them, and themselves exposed to eternal ruin, unable to help themselves, and in a lost condition. This searching preaching was both the suitable and principal means of their conviction."
Ezekiel Hopkins referring to Psalm 26:2 and noting how "God, indeed, hath many ways of trying us; but especially by the word and ministry" asks his readers
"Do you love the word of God, because it is a searching word because it brings home convictions to you, and shakes your carnal confidences and presumptions Do you love a soul-searching ministry, that speaks as closely and particularly to you, as if it were another conscience without you; a ministry, that ransacks your very souls, and tells you all that ever you did Do you delight in a ministry, that forceth you to turn inward upon yourselves; that makes you tremble and look pale at every word, for fear it should be the sentence of your damnation ? This is a sign, that your condition is good, because you are so willing to be searched. He, that doeth evil, saith our Saviour, John iii. 20. hateth the light; neither cometh he to it, lest his deeds should be reproved. But, if you are pleased only with a formal, general ministry; and such prophets, as sing only pleasant songs to you; such, as never touch the conscience to the quick, that keep aloof off, and, instead of brandishing the word that is sharper than a two-edged sword, rending the heart with it, only make a flourish of it: if you can brook no other, but such a quiet, unconcerning ministry as this is, this is a bad sign, that yet you are unsound.£
"Such were the convictions wrought in many hundreds in this town by Mr. Tennent's searching ministry: and such was the case of those many scores of several other congregations as well as mine, who came to me and others for direction under them. And indeed by all their converse I found, it was not so much the terror as the searching nature of his ministry, that was the principal means of their conviction. It was not merely, nor so much, his laying open the terrors of the law and wrath of God, or damnation of hell; (for this they could pretty well bear, as long as they hoped these belonged not to them, or they could easily avoid them) as his laying open their many vain and secret shifts and refuges, counterfeit resemblances of grace, delusive and damning hopes, their utter impotence, and impending danger of destruction; whereby they found all their hopes and refuges of lies to fail them, and themselves exposed to eternal ruin, unable to help themselves, and in a lost condition. This searching preaching was both the suitable and principal means of their conviction."
Ezekiel Hopkins referring to Psalm 26:2 and noting how "God, indeed, hath many ways of trying us; but especially by the word and ministry" asks his readers
"Do you love the word of God, because it is a searching word because it brings home convictions to you, and shakes your carnal confidences and presumptions Do you love a soul-searching ministry, that speaks as closely and particularly to you, as if it were another conscience without you; a ministry, that ransacks your very souls, and tells you all that ever you did Do you delight in a ministry, that forceth you to turn inward upon yourselves; that makes you tremble and look pale at every word, for fear it should be the sentence of your damnation ? This is a sign, that your condition is good, because you are so willing to be searched. He, that doeth evil, saith our Saviour, John iii. 20. hateth the light; neither cometh he to it, lest his deeds should be reproved. But, if you are pleased only with a formal, general ministry; and such prophets, as sing only pleasant songs to you; such, as never touch the conscience to the quick, that keep aloof off, and, instead of brandishing the word that is sharper than a two-edged sword, rending the heart with it, only make a flourish of it: if you can brook no other, but such a quiet, unconcerning ministry as this is, this is a bad sign, that yet you are unsound.£
