use all the means in addressing and calling on sinners to repent and turn to God. "We do not expect this fulness of blessing, and are satisfied without it. There is a littleness in our faith and conception of things. We do not ask nor expect this fulness, we have no idea of it, it does not enter our minds. Can we wonder, then, that the Lord says to us, According to thy faith be it unto thee? But the Apostles went forth and expected and asked a fulness of blessing. When a man is in earnest, nothing will satisfy him but this. Others may be satisfied without success. They may go through a formal set of observances, and be contented; instead of examining their ministry and their whole conduct, and saying, Show me wherefore thou contendest with me. If we can be satisfied without this enlarged blessing, certainly we shall never have it. If a man says, I have a large, attentive congregation; I have a good income; the people are obliging; my circumstances are comfortable-he is in a most dangerous state. It is the same as if a fisherman should be satisfied because he has a good net and pleasant companions and fair weather, though he comes home empty. If any thing but usefulness will satisfy us, I do not wonder we are not useful. We must thank God for this and that thing; but nothing must satisfy us but the conversion of sinners. "Our faithfulness and earnestness are more in the pulpit than in the closet. We preach Christ as if in earnest, and we go and pray as if not in earnest. There is but little wrestling with God for a blessing. There is a want of the spirit of prayer. Sometimes this may arise from humility; but it is a false one. St. Paul was most humble; yet most earnest in prayer, most persevering, most importunate; and so he obtained a fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ. "There is a want of that holy heavenly temper and that general circumspection of conduct, which would make us patterns of good works. Our example may not be dishonourable; but is it so honourable to the Gospel as it might be? Our example is not a scandal; but can we say with the Apostle, I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel? Can we say, Ye know how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe? Do we embody Christianity? Do we not only put a copy before others and leave them to write, but take the pen and show them how to form each letter? Are we men of God; heavenly, disinterested, dead to the pleasures, interests, and honours of this world? What would Paul say, if he were to come amongst us? Would he not have reason to say, All seek their own, none the things that are Jesus Christ's? Are we not fishers of ease, fame, money; rather than fishers of men ?" His remarks in the way of removing objections may now properly close the whole. "You may perhaps say, If this be the character of the minister who comes in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ, there are a great many who are very far from it. No doubt there are: but remember, a Christian is a devout penitent, reconciled to God, and obeying the Gospel; and yet you are all called Christians. And do you wonder, then, that many are called ministers, who are not what they should be? It is not their fault as ministers, but as men. What makes nominal Christians, makes nominal ministers; but neither the one nor the other can be accepted of God. When you had a minister who did not care for your souls, did you earnestly pray for him? Or did you neglect him, as much as he neglected you? If you did not pray for one to teach you aright, what wonder if God permitted one to come who taught you wrong? Complaints and murmurs are not the way to obtain good ministers, but prayer, fervent importunate prayer. Some of you may think, however, that all these sentiments in religion are new, and that we who preach them have some peculiar notions. But no, my brethren, they are not new. There are hundreds and thousands of ministers who preach no salvation but in conversion, forgiveness, newness of heart and its holy fruits. into your prayer-books, and it is the doctrine of every part of them. Look into your Bibles, and you find it there. It is not new, except as every thing is new, that Look we have never attended to. It is as old as the Reformers, who died martyrs for professing it. It is as old as the Apostles. It is as old for substance, as Abraham, and even as the promise given after the Fall. It is only because we have never studied these matters, that we think them new." |