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ling power.* Micah also was "full of power by the Spirit of the Lord,"† to declare his commission. The want of this influence rendered even the Ministry of our Lord comparatively inefficient. Though his doctrine was wise, loving, and pure--though his character was perfect--and though the continual presence of Almighty power attested the authority of his mission, yet little appears to have been done; while Peter, a poor fisherman, endued with this Divine influence, becomes the instrument of converting more under a single sermon, than probably his Master had done throughout the whole course of his Ministry. The other apostles preached with the same "demonstration of the Spirit and power." In collective instances or in individual cases, the same power was at work. At Antioch," the hand of the Lord, was with them, and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord."§ Lydia "attended unto the things that were spoken of Paul," because "the Lord opened her heart." Thus the uniform tenor of the sacred records marks the power of the Spirit, as the seal and confirmation to the Word, to be the standing ordinance in the church, and the sole channel of the life-giving influence, diffused through every part of the the church, from the time that the first lively

* Ezekiel ii. 2.

† Micah iii. 8.

Acts ii. See this accounted for, John vii. 39, and indeed promised, John xiv. 12. "I once said to myself in the foolishness of my heart, 'What sort of a sermon must that have been which was preached by St. Peter, when three thousand souls were converted at once? What sort of sermon! Such as other sermons. There is nothing to be found in it extraordinary. The effect was not produced by his eloquence, but by the mighty power of God present with his Word. It is in vain to attend one Minister after another, and to have sermon after sermon, unless we pray that the Holy Spirit may accompany his Word.'-Cecil's Remains. Ib. xvi. 14.

§ Acts xi. 21.

stone was laid upon the foundation of God. And therefore the withholding of this influence must necessarily be attended with proportionate want of life and light, with painful symptoms of Ministerial inefficiency.

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The reason of the thing tends to confirm this view of the subject. Admitting the Scripture statements of man's natural condition--that he is "dead in trespasses and sins"--"Having his understanding darkened"-as a man blind from his birth❞—that his mind is the very principle of enmity to the truth under the most attractive form, and his stony heart is insensible to its blessings*-how palpable is the need of divine influence! And in the want of this influence, what symptoms of life can be expected? • Can a well-composed oration,' as Charnock asks, 'setting out all the advantages of life and health, raise a dead man, or cure a diseased body? You may as well exhort a blind man to behold the sun, and prevail as much. No man ever yet imagined that the strewing a dead body with flowers would raise it to life; no more can the urging a man spiritually dead with eloquent motives ever make him to open his eyes, and to stand upon his feet.' "The working of mighty power" is a title too high for the capacity of mere moral exhortations. A mere suasion does not confer a strength, but supposes it in a man; for he is only persuaded to use the power which he hath already.'† The clearest instructions may furnish the understanding, but they have no power to sway the will, except to what is suitable and connatural to its native

*Comp. Eph. ii. I. iv. 18. Acts xxvi. 19. Rom. viii. 7. John iii. 19, 20, &c.

† Charnock on Regeneration. Works, vol. ii. 200.

suggestions and habits. In every case, where the gospel successfully influences the heart, it is "not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts."*

And does not observation and experience add further confirmation to this subject? Do we not know instances of accomplished and devoted Ministers, who are less honoured in their work than others of their brethren of far inferior qualifications? And do we not find differences of effect under the same Ministry, and even under the same sermons, which can only be accounted for by the sovereign dispensation of Divine influence? And has not our own personal experience shewn us, that the same motives operate in the same service with very different measures of influence? And do we not realize the same difference in our Ministerial experience? Sometimes a single sentence is clothed with Almighty power-at other times it is only the feeble breath of a worm. And does not converse with our people realize the necessity of this influence to command success? 'Have you never'-Charnock again asks in his usual terseness-discoursed with some profane loose fellow so pressingly, that he seemed to be shaken out of his excuses for his sinful course, yet not shaken out of his sin: that you might as soon have persuaded the tide at full sea to retreat, or a lion to change his nature, as have overcome him by all your arguments? So that it is not the faint breath of man, or the rational consideration of the mind, are able to do this work, without the mighty pleadings and powerful operations of that great Paraclete or Advocate, the Spirit, to alter the temper of the soul."†

* Zech. iv. 6. † Charnock on Regeneration, vol. ii. 201.

This, then, is the main source of Ministerial success "Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high,”* the wilderness, notwithstanding the most diligent cultivation, must remain a wilderness still.

Why then, it may be asked, is this promised blessing of spiritual influence† withheld? Let the dispensation be considered, not in the light of an arbitrary appointment, but as matter of self-inquiry. Has this influence been sought for and cherished with earnest fervency of prayer? Have spiritual "gifts within us been stirred up" by the diligent exercises of a true and active faith? Let us remember, our encouragement to prayer remains the same. God is indeed absolutely sovereign in the distribution of his blessing; but by his command to seek, he has pledged himself that we shall not seek in vain. Having freely promised, he will faithfully perform. Let all means be used in diligence, but in dependence-in self-denial, but in self-renunciation. Let not Ministers be unduly exalted among their people. We are only instruments "by whom they believe ;" and a dependence on our labour may provoke the grand Agent-who "giveth not his glory to another"-to leave our people to wither under the most effective Ministry, that these idolaters may "know that we are but men." We may be reduced to ask, "Where is the Lord God of Elijah ?"§ He can accomplish more by one feeble sentence from the feeblest instrument, than we can do without him by the most powerful preaching.

Isa. xxxii. 15.
1 Cor. iii. 5-7.

† 2 Comp. Isa. xliv. 3-5. Joel ii, 28. § 2 Kings ii.. 14.

CHAPTER III.

THE

ENMITY OF THE NATURAL HEART A MAIN CAUSE OF THE WANT OF MINISTERIAL SUCCESS.

THE office of the Christian Ministry might seem to command a successful issue of the work. It is "the Ministry of reconciliation," where the offended party stoops to make the first overtures. of peace, and sends his ambassadors to "beseech by them," and pray the rebels in his stead, "be ye reconciled to God."* Such a display of disinterested condescension, infinite humility, and compassionate tenderness, might have been expected to give resistless efficacy to the message. The fruits of unmingled, everlasting love, are brought to the door of those who are most deeply interested in it, and whose need of the blessing is inexpressibly great. Now if we could conceive such a promulgation of mercy to be given to men in a guileless state of simple ignorance and urgent need, it would be most readily received, and with universal success. But here it meets with a resisting medium. The avenues of approach are barred against its entrance, and the success is limited within comparatively narrow bounds.

By the terms of the commission, it is "preached to every creature ;" but the disproportionate effect reminds us of the solemn and sententious declaration "Many be called, but few chosen." If indeed we were as many, which corrupt the word of God" -if we would consent to lower its requisitions to a worldly standard, or to a corrupt heart, it would be

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* 2 Cor. v. 18-20. † Mark xvi. 16.
VOL. I.
1.1.

Matt. xx. 16.

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