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heart to the followers of Christ, and employs with incessant malignity tongues, pens, and influence against the cause of God 1-thus illustrating and sustaining his Scriptural characters-as the "Prince and the God of this world "-"the father of lies," "that old serpent, which deceiveth the whole world." 2

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 temperaments 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. For the church therefore he exhibits the attractive idol of self-righteousness; or, that most inveterate form of antichrist, the dependence on the profession of a pure doctrine-thus "transforming himself into an angel of light." 3

The Apostle intimates, that the general symptoms of Ministerial ineffectiveness may be traced to this source.4 And indeed we are at no loss to discover his active influence in every point of detail. The explanation of the growth of the tares among the wheat is-"An enemy hath done this." 5 The serpent, that beguiled Eve through his subtlety" still corrupts" the minds of the weak "from the sim

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1 Compare Gen. iii. 15.

Rev. xii. 17.

2 John xii. 31. 2 Cor. iv. 4. John viii. 44.

Rev. xii. 9.

4 1 Thess. iii. 5.

3

2 Cor. xi. 14.

5 Matt. xiii. 24-28.

plicity that is in Christ." The Ministerial hinderances from divisions and want of love among Christian professors, and the successful opposition sometimes made to schemes of Ministerial usefulness-are traced to the secret operation of the same active cause. The hypocrisy of professors within the church-or their apostacy from her communion; 5 all the successive vicissitudes of her history; all the drawbacks to the full energies of the Christian Ministry-flow from this "fountain" of evil, continually "sending forth bitter. waters."

Individual experience discloses the constant exercise of the same principle. To this source the Christian traces his subtle workings of unbelief 6—his wanderings of heart in prayer 7—his occasional indulgence of selfconfidence, spiritual pride,9 and worldliness 10-the injection of blasphemous thoughts 11-the power of evil tempers 12-and the general commission of sin 13. all which, according to their prevalency, are positive hinderances to the holy and blessed influence of the Christian Ministration. 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." 14 Thus, while the active agency of the Evil Spirit,

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by his direct and instrumental operation,' is counteracting the progress of our Ministry, we may be said indeed to "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." 2

CHAPTER V.

LOCAL HINDERANCES 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 hinderances, 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 close dealing with individual consciences in the personal application of the word, which is so powerfully effective for the great purposes of the Pulpit Ministry. The course also of public instruction is necessarily of a more general complexion. The exercises of the Minister's experience may indeed give an individual mould to its character; but the want of particular acquaint

1 Homines instrumentaliter, mundus materialiter, Satanas efficienter. Sclater on 1 Thess. iii. 5.

2 Eph. vi. 12.

ance with his people must preclude in its measure the adaptation of his Ministry to the specialities of their respective cases. Local habits also tend materially to counteract the direct power of the Ministry. 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." 1 There are also local hinderances, 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 up for one against another"-they learn to "glory in men”—and with the highest advantages of a spiritual administration, their Ministers are constrained still to speak unto them" not as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ, "walking as men." 2 The rise and progress of various heresies may also be strengthened by local combinations not immediately under Ministerial controul. The want of insight into the several departments of the flock in an extensive sphere, gives occasion for the watchful enemy to cast in his leaven, which, with a deadly influence, threatens to "leaven the whole lump." The Ministrations of some of the most eminent servants of God 3 have suffered severely from this source; though it was probably as needful a trial of faith, patience, and humility in the midst of their successful energy, as was "the thorn in the flesh" to the great

1 Isaiah xli. 6.

2 See 1 Cor. i. iii. iv. 3 Cecil's Life of Cadogan. (Works i. 252.) Vaughan's Life of Robinson, pp. 188-195.

Apostle, to save him from the impending danger of being "exalted above measure." 1

2

Other hinderances also of this local character belong more immediately to the Ministry of the Establishment, and often act unfavourably even upon faithful and laborious exertions. The ground may have been pre-occupied by one or more of the organized systems of dissent, recognizing the grand principles of the Gospel, but under a form in many particulars opposed to the frame-work of our own system. This, under the most favourable circumstances, must be regarded as an evil; inasmuch as the want of Christian unity diminishes proportionably from the native power of the Gospel. Even if the respective Ministers are men of forbearance and brotherly love, and in the true spirit of their commission lay far more stress upon their points of agreement than upon their points of difference it is not likely, that the same spirit should universally spread through their congregations; and the defect of this mutual forbearance, often called forth by comparative trifles, reminds us in its baneful consequencesmatter -" how great a a little fire kindleth." 3

The faithful labourer may also find many hinderances rooted in the soil, before it passed under his hands for cultivation. The rank and luxuriant weed of profession may have choked the growth of much, that might otherwise have sprung up with prospect of "fruit unto perfection." He may suffer also from the effects of prejudice superadded to the natural enmity to the Gospel, arising from the inexperience, imprudence, or inconsistency of his predecessor.

1 2 Cor. xii. 7.

2 See some valuable remarks on this subject by Mr. Budd, in his work on Baptism, pp. 282, 283. Compare also Bickersteth's Christian Student, p. 290. 3 James iii. 5.

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