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. † 2 Comp. Isa. xliv. 3-5. Joel ii. 28. § 2 Kings ii. 14. CHAPTER IIL 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 66 * 2 Cor. v. 18-20. † Mark xvi. 16. ↑ Matt. xx. 16, received with cordial regard, and we should "have our reward" in the praise of men, purchased indeed at an infinite cost.* But if "as of sincerity, as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ,"† renouncing the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God"-we must not wonder to hear it once and again repeated-"I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good concerning me but evil."§ The whole course of the Ministry is a struggle against the mighty current of sin-originating in that restless bias of the natural heart, which upon the highest authority is declared to be enmity against God."|| Nor let this hindrance to the reception of the Gospel be placed to the Minister's account. Ignorance, indiscretion, eccentricity, inconsistency, or want of conduct in his course, will indeed be the occasion of calling it forth. Want of conciliation and address will tend to increase it. A defective exhibition of the spirit of the cross aggravates the offence of the cross. But it must be remembered that the Ministrations of the Gospel from an angel's mouth would stir up the natural principle of degenerate man. What could be conceived more attractive than the combination of dignity, humility, patience, and love that marked the Ministry of the Son of God? Yet everywhere were his Ministrations despised and rejected. His doctrine was most offensive in its direct opposition to the natural prejudices of the unhumbled heart. His general statements were listened to with the interest * See Gal. i. 7-10. Ibid. iv. 2.. † 2 Cor. ii. 17. Rom. viii. 7. of curiosity, and the desire of "hearing some new thing," but their personal application to the consciences of his hearers-the obligation of the reproach of the cross-the necessity of the relinquishment of all that was held dear for his service-the prostrate submission required for the reception of his truth-all combined to produce the "murmuring among themselves"-acknowledgment of the intolerable "hardness of his sayings," and the resolution to abandon their temporary profession.* The innate opposition, existing between the substance of the Ministry and the subject contemplated within its sphere, offers therefore a material impediment to the success of this Divine institution. It addresses itself to those whose attention is already pre-occupied, whose affections have been long preengaged, and whose "hearts are hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." The truth therefore never comes into fair contact with a sincere and honest heart. Enmity is the concentrated essence of man's depravity. It is at once the cause and the effect of that moral or spiritual darkness, which shuts out the entrance of light, and offers difficulties to the process of "enlightening the eyes of the understanding," unconquerable by any force short of Divine influence. The power that slays the enmity," opens the heart to the perception, obedience, and love of the truth, and to a full possession of the inestimable blessings of the Christian Ministry. 66 * John vi. 24-66. CHAPTER IV. THE POWER OF SATAN A MAIN HINDRANCE TO THE active power and unsearchable subtlety of Satan are always in operation against the Christian ministry, as the engine "mighty through God to the pulling down of his strong holds."* This is his grand point of attack upon the growing interests of the Redeemer's kingdom. It could scarcely be expected, that "the devouring lion"t would submit to have his prey wrested from his teeth, or that "the strong man armed" would resign his spoils without a severe conflict. The nature and extent of his unceasing opposition are less difficult to conceive than accurately to define. It meets us however in every sphere of operation. In the world his influence is palpable, in a general listless inattention to the word of God, and an immediate transition from thence into the very vortex of the world§-in the awful blindness of men to the glory of the Saviour, in their thoughtless unconcern for eternity, and in the captivating dominion of sin over such vast multitudes,** bringing them to the grave, unable to "deliver their souls," or to say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"†† "The course of this world," or what is elsewhere called "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life"‡‡is distinctly identified with the power of "the spirit * 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. § Matt. xiii. 19. **2 Tim. ii. 26. † 1 Peter. v. 8. 2 Cor. iv. 4. tt Isa. xliv, 20. Luke xi. 21, 22. Luke xi. 21. ‡‡ 1 John ii. 16 |