remarks on the parable of the seed cast into the ground" Christ seemeth earnestly to apply his speech to the Ministers of his word, lest they should wax old in their offices because their fruit doth not presently appear. Therefore he setteth before them the husbandmen to follow, which in hope of a time to reap do "cast the seed into the earth," and are not vexed with greediness which never is at quiet; but they go to rest, and arise again; that is, they do ordinarily apply their daily labour, and refresh themselves with their nightly rest, until the corn wax ripe at length in the due time. Therefore though the seed of the word lie hid for a time, as if it were choked or drowned, yet Christ commandeth the godly teachers to be of good comfort, lest their distrust should abate their diligence."* We are therefore fully warranted to expect success in our ministry-not only in the way of outward reformation-but in a spiritual change of progressive and universal influence over the heart, life, and conduct. The fruit of Ministerial labour is not indeed always visible in its symptoms-nor immediate in its results. Faith and patience will be exercised-sometimes severely so. But after a pains-taking, weeping seed-time, we may expect to bring our sheaves with rejoicing, and lay them upon the altar of God, "that the offering up of them might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost."† Meanwhile we must beware of saying-" Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it."‡ The measure -the time is with the Lord. We must let him alone with his own work. Ours is the care of service-His *Calvin on Mark iv, 26. Psalm cxxvi. 5, 6. Rom. xv. 16. Isa. v. 19, is the care of success.* As "the Lord of the harvest," it is with him to determine, when, and what, and where the harvest shall be. III. But notwithstanding this justly warranted expectation of Ministerial success, the want of this success is most extensively and mournfully felt. We are sometimes ready to believe, and to complain, that none labour with so little success as ourselves. Men of the world expect their fruit in some measure proportioned to their labour. Alas! with us, too often "is our strength labour and sorrow," attended under more favourable circumstances with a very scanty measure of effect; and we are compelled to realize the awful business of dealing with immortal souls, to witness them perishing under our very eye, dead to the voice of life and love, madly listening to the voice that plunges them into perdition! It may however be well to state a few of the most decisive symptoms of this Ministerial unfruitfulness. When our public services are unprofitable;† when iniquity abounds, and the mass of our people continue in an impenitent and ungodly state; when there is an unconcern among us for the honour and cause of God; when there is a general want of appetite for the "sincere milk of the word, and the public worship of the Sabbath and the weekly lecture (if there be any) are but thinly attended; when there are no instances of conversion to God in our Sunday Schools, and but few of our young people are drawn into the "ways of pleasantness and peace;" when the * In cœlo cathedram habet, qui corda movet. Augustine. Isa. lix. 1-15. Jer. v. xxiit. 10, &c. § Hag. i. 4-10. || Num. xxi. 5. 2 Tim. iv. 3. children of deceased Christian parents, instead of being added spiritually to the church, continue in and of the world ;* when little or no addition† is made to the select flock who truly commemorate the death of their Savour in the Holy Sacrament which he has instituted for that purpose; these and similar appearances may well agitate the question of the Israelites of old with the deepest and most anxious concern-"Is the Lord among us or not?" Symptoms of this dark and discouraging character loudly call for increasing earnestness of supplication. "Oh! that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence! O Lord, revive thy work!"§ Among the more general causes of this failure, we may mark the withholding of Divine influence-the enmity of the natural heart-the power of Satanlocal hindrances-and the want of clearness in the Ministerial call. Each of these will now come before THERE is, as we have shewn, a warrant to indulge high expectations from the results of the Christian Ministry. And yet successive appearances, more or less prevalent in every sphere of labour, evercast these *2 Chron. xviii. 1. xix. 2. Ezra. ix. 2. ‡ Exod. xvii. 7. † Acts. ii. 47. Hab. iii. 2. bright prospects with a cloud, as if our anticipations had been heightened by a sanguine temperament beyong the level of a sober and well-grounded Scriptural basis. Much cultivation is sometimes bestowed upon the soil with little proportionate success. The same means and instruments, that had been formerly productive of important benefits, appear to fail in their accustomed effect. Now who would cultivate his lands at considerable and disappointed cost, without instituting inquiry into the causes of the failure of his just expectations? And is not the inquiry of the deepest concern to ourselves-What is wanting to give effect in our own sphere to that order of means, the power of which has been often exhibited, and which we know to be constituted in the Divine purpose for the renovation of the world? Mr. Cecil has remarked-There is a manifest want of spiritual influence in the Ministry of the present day. I feel it in my own case, and I see it in that of others."* This remark is fully sufficient to explain the symptoms of barrenness which prevail among us. For not more needful are the influences of heaven to fertilize the soil, and promote vegetation, than is the agency of the Spirit of God to give Divine power to the word, as the seed of spiritual life throughout the Church of God. In vain, therefore, do we plough and sow, if the Lord command the clouds that they rain no rain† upon the field of the spiritual husbandry. Let us look at this subject as illustrated by Scriptural testimony. The want of effect produced by the first promulgation of the Divine will,-confirmed as it was by daily signs and wonders-is traced to this *Cecil's Remains. † Isa. v. 6 source. 66 "The Lord hath not given you,” said Moses to the chosen people, an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day."* Why did this same people refuse belief to the prophet's report at a subsequent period, but because "the arm of the Lord was not revealed?" To this same reason was resolved their unbelief in the Ministry of the Son of God. Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said, "He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts." These statements of fact were confirmed by our Lord's express declarations. "No man can come to me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him--except it be given unto him of my Father."§ In every individual case he shews the dependance upon himself for spiritual life to be as entire as that of the branch upon the vine, so that "separate from him, and consequently from his influence, 66 we can do nothing."|| The contrasted Scriptural examples of Ministerial success prove the same point. The Lord was with the mouth of Moses and Aaron,¶ his commissioned messengers, to qualify them for a prosperous issue of their work. Joshua was furnished with "the Spirit of wisdom."** gratefully resolved his success to "the good hand of God upon him."†† Isaiah's message was sealed by a live coal from the altar,"‡‡ (the emblem of the purifying and powerful influence of the Spirit,) without which it would have been utterly powerless. Jeremiah's mouth was touched with the like heavenly influence.§§ Ezekiel was visited with the same indwel 66 * Deut. xxix. 4. § John vi. 45, 65. †† Ezra vii. 9. † Isa. liii. 1. ‡‡ Isa. vi. 6, 7. John xii. 39, 40. Ezra Η χωρις εμπ Ib. xv. 5. |