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 rich fruits of 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. Such a promulgation of mercy, given to men in guileless ignorance and urgent need, would meet with a ready and universal welcome. But here it meets with a resis.ing 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 (6 as many, which corrupt the word of God"—if we would lower its requisitions to a worldly standard, or to a corrupt heart, we should "have our reward" (purchased indeed at an infinite cost1) in the praise of men. 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 repeated-"I hate him, for he doth not prophecy good concerning me, but evil." Nor is this opposition confined to the world—so called. In the professing church -a revulsion against the truth of God as a whole-such as Mr. Scott found manifested in rejecting the practical enforcement of Christian doctrine-marks the same principle of resistance. And 1 2 Cor. v. 18-20. 4 See Gal. i. 7-10. 7 1 Kings xxii. 8. 2 Mark xvi. 15. 5.2 Cor. ii, 17. 8 Life, p. 232-237. 3 Matt. xx. 16. 5 indeed 'whoever pricks the conscience of his hearers closely, without producing repentance, will soon find them either absentees from his ministry, or unwilling listeners, if not open opponents.'1 Thus our whole course is a struggle against the mighty current of sinflowing out of that restless bias of the natural heart, which upon the highest authority is declared to be "enmity against God."2 This hindrance therefore to the reception of the Gospel must not be placed to the Minister's account. Ignorance, eccentricity, inconsistency, want of conciliation and address, will indeed be an occasion of calling forth this enmity. A defective exhibition of the spirit of the cross greatly aggravates the offence of the cross. But it must be remembered, that the Ministration 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 was it universally despised and rejected. His doctrine was most offensive to the natural prejudices of the unhumbled heart. His general statements were listened to with the interest of curiosity, and the desire of "hearing some new thing;" but their personal application to the consciences of his hearers-the certain reproach of his cross-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;" the complaint of the intolerable “hardness of his sayings," and the resolution to abandon their temporary profession.3 The innate opposition, existing between the substance and the objects of our Ministry, offers therefore a material impediment to our success. We speak to those, whose attention is already preoccupied, whose affections have been long pre-engaged, and whose "hearts are hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." The truth therefore never comes into 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 heavenly 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 our office. 1 Bishop of Winchester's Ministerial Character of Christ, p. 552, 553. THE POWER OF SATAN. 83 CHAPTER IV. THE POWER OF SATAN A MAIN HINDRANCE TO MINISTERIAL SUCCESS. This is his THE active power and unsearchable subtlety of Satan are always directed against the Christian Ministry, as the engine "mighty through God to the pulling down of his strong holds." grand point of attack upon the Redeemer's kingdom. could scarcely expect, that "the devouring lion" would quietly 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. 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 world1—in the awful blindness of men to the glory of the Saviour, in their thoughtless unconcern for eternity, and in his captivating dominion over such vast multitudes, 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 which now worketh in the children of disobedience."10 The same enemy stirs up the natural enmity of the heart to the followers of Christ, and employs with incessant malignity tongues, pens, and influence against the cause of God"-thus illustrating and sustaining his Scriptural character-as the "prince and the god of this world”—“the father of lies,"" the old serpent, which deceiveth the whole world."12 In the professing church-this restless enemy works his artful leaven with "all deceivableness of unrighteousness;" covering his spiritual wiles with some new and pleasing doctrines, adapted to the taste of the times; and thus poisoning the bread of life by the adulteration of man's devices. His subtlety is peculiarly marked in the accommodation of the forms of deception to the different tem peraments of his victims. Carnal security suits with the world, and succeeds to the utmost of his desires in keeping "his goods in peace." But such schemes would be ineffectual with a nominal recognition of serious 'religion. In the Church he "transforms himself into an angel of light"-exhibiting either the attractive idol of self-righteousness-or that most inveterate form of antichristthe dependence on the profession of a pure doctrine. The Apostle intimates, that the general symptoms of Ministerial ineffectiveness may be traced to this source. And indeed his active influence is discoverable in every point of detail. The explanation of the growth of the tares among the wheat, is—“ An enemy hath done this." The serpent, that beguiled Eve though his "subtlety" still "corrupts" the minds of the weak "from the simplicity that is in Christ."4 The Ministerial hindrances from divisions and want of love among professors, and the successful opposition sometimes made to schemes of Ministerial usefulnessare traced to the secret operation of the same active cause." hypocrisy of professors within the Church, or their apostacy from her communion ; all the successive vicissitudes of her history; all the drawbacks to the full energies of our work-flow from this “fountain ” of evil, continually "sending forth bitter waters." 5 The Individual experience discloses the constant exercise of the same agency. To this source the Christian traces his subtle workings of unbelief—his wanderings of heart in prayer1o_his occasional indulgence of self-confidence," spiritual pride,12 and worldli ness13 the injection of blasphemous thoughts1 the power of evil tempers1and the general commission of sin;16-all which, according to their prevalency, are positive hindrances to the holy and blessed influence of our labours. The appalling conflict between the powers of darkness and light is therefore exhibited before us -"the god of this world blinding the eyes of them that believe not"-while the Ministry of the gospel exhibits "Christ Jesus the Lord," as the medium, by which "God, who commandeth the light to shine out of darkness, shines into the hearts" of his people with the revelation of his "glory." Thus, while the active agency of the Evil Spirit by his direct and instrumental operation,18 is counteracting the progress of our work, we may be said indeed to 2 1 Thess. iii. 5. 6 1 Thess. ii. 18. 10 Job i. 6. 3 Matt. xiii. 24-28. 4 2 Cor. xi. 3. 7 Acts v. 1-5. 8 Luke xxii. 3. Rev. xii. 3, 4. 11 1 Chron. xxi. 1. Luke xxii. 31. 15 Ibid. iv. 27. 9 Gen. iii. 1-3. 12 2 Cor. xii. 7. 13 Matt. xvi. 23. 14 Eph. vi. 16. 16 1 John iii. 8. 17 2 Cor. iv. 6. 18 Homines instrumentaliter, mundus materialiter, Satanas efficienter 'was the pithy distinction of an old writer. “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.' CHAPTER V. LOCAL HINDRANCES TO MINISTERIAL SUCCESS. We have already incidentally glanced at some of the main drawbacks upon the Christian Ministry; and others in a more minute detail will hereafter come under consideration. Our present business is with those impediments, that depend not so much upon the personal or official character of the Minister, as upon extrinsic causes, connected with the circumstances of his individual sphere. Thus a town presents many hindrances, which in the same degree do not belong to the superintendence of a country parish. The moral impossibility of penetrating the dense mass of the population, and of insulating the several component parts, originates a want of that personal application of the word to individual consciences, which is so powerfully effective for the great purpose of the Pulpit. The course also of public instruction is necessarily of a more general complexion. The character and exercises of the Minister's own mind may indeed give an individual mould to his system; but his want of particular acquaintance with his people must proportionably preclude the adaptation of his Ministry to the specialities of their respective cases. Local habits and circumstances also tend materially to counteract the direct power of our work. Large congregated bodies, (as in manufacturing districts) are usually most corrupting pests—"hand joining in hand;" and every man helping his neighbour" in the way of sin, "and saying to his brother-Be of good courage." Then again-the state of trade in the parish—the population unemployed, or uncivilized, or distressed—these are matters that often affect our results. There are also local hindrances connected with the constitution of the Ministry. A co-partnership in the sacred work often excites most painfully the Corinthian heresy of a party spirit among the people. Mutual jealousies are fomented (which it is well if they do not reach the bosom of the labourers themselves.) Men "are puffed 1 Eph. vi. 12. 2 Isaiah xli. 6. |