such as would have included a week of our ordinary labour, time was redeemed from sleep for this sacred employment.* The most effectual hindrances, therefore, to the fruitfulness of our pastoral work are those which impede our personal communion with the Lord. The great enemy thus successfully intercepts the supplies of spiritual life, so that the work of God within our own souls languishes from the want of its accustomed and needful support. There is the greater need of this heavenly exercise, lest activity in our public employment should be considered to atone for neglect of private intercourse with God, and thus our profession should become a snare to ourselves, and divested of all spiritual savour to our flock. Henry Martyn had occasion to lament that want of private devotional reading and shortness of prayer through incessant sermon-making had produced much strangeness between God and his own soul.' And in the review of the first year of his ministry, he judged that he had dedicated too much time to public Ministrations, and too little to private communion with God.'t Mr. Scott gives a most wholesome caution on this point-The principle that made the Apostle determine not to serve tables," though a good work in itself, should render Ministers in this day very careful not so to give their services, even to the most useful Societies, and to attend the meetings of them, as to prevent their "giving themselves continually to the word of God and prayer." A danger at present seems to arise on this side.' The Writer would therefore wish to draw his own mind and his brethren habitually to this recollection, that nothing will enrich or console us * Mark i. 21-35. 66 Martyn's Life, pp. 60, 62. Scott's Letters and Papers, p. 313. We in the neglect of intimate communion with God. must "walk with God" at any rate, or our souls will die. Even Christian communion will form a most empty substitute for this hallowed intercourse. The command is "Enter into thy closet, and shut thy door."* Shut out not only vanity and the world, but even for a time "the communion of Saints." The soul may lose its spiritual vigour in any company but that of God-in the best as well as in the worst--in the Church as well as in the world--in the active engagements of the Ministry as well as in secular employments. It was said of Fletcher by his interesting Biographer, that his deepest and most sensible communications with God were enjoyed in those hours when the door of his closet was shut against human creatures, as well as human cares. His closet was his favourite retirement, to which he constantly retreated, whenever his public labours allowed him a season of leisure. His public labours, astonishing as they were, bore but little proportion to those internal exercises of prayer and supplication, to which he was wholly given in private. The former of necessity were frequently discontinued ; but the latter were almost uninterruptedly maintained from hour to hour. He lived in the spirit of prayer.'† Was not this the secret of the extraordinary power that rested upon his Ministrations? The out-pouring of this spirit of supplication would revive our work and enlarge our success. We know who hath said--" Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.”‡ *Matt. vi. 6. Gilpin's notes on Fletcher's Portrait of St. Paul, pp. 50, 51. CHAPTER VII. THE INFLUENCE OF SPIRITUAL PRIDE. ONE of the most profound and accurate observers of the heart has remarked, that spiritual pride is the main door of Satan's advantage over the faithful servants of God.* And indeed many circumstances, trifling in themselves, but gathering fearful strength from incidental causes, add fuel to the secret flame, and in the destructiveness of the issue leaves us to exclaim-"Behold! how great a fire a little matter kindleth."† A consistent Minister, affectionately devoted to his work, honoured of God, and acceptable to his flock, by some is regarded as an oracle, and they are almost ready, as at Lystra, to "do sacrifice unto him." What a large share of humility, what unceasing supply of Divine grace is needed to resist a temptation falling in so powerfully with the growing principle of the natural heart! 'Great care must be taken, while we are endeavouring to destroy external idols, or those of vice in others, that we do not insensibly substitute ourselves in their place.'§ Successful fishermen need especial watchfulness, "lest they sacrifice to their net, and burn incense unto their drag."|| We must indeed labour and pray unceasingly for enlarged success. We must acknowledge with thankfulness, the measure that has been granted. But let us not forget that, should a * President Edwards' Thoughts on the Revival in New England. † James iii. 5. Acts xiv. 13. § Quesnel on Acts xiv. 15. Sæpe sibi de se mens ipsa mentitur, et fingit se de bono opere amare quod non amat, de mundi autem gloriâ, non amare quod amat. Gregor de Curâ Pastor. || Hab. i. 16. season of remarkable prosperity be granted, it will probably prove an hour of fearful temptation to our own souls. Cotton Mather appears to have been severely exercised on this subject, on his first entrance into the Ministry. We must refer to his life for a most close and detailed self-scrutiny, the substance of which is as follows:- Apprehensions of pride, the sin of young Ministers, working in my heart, filled me with inexpressible bitterness and confusion before the Lord. I found, that when I met with enlargement in prayer or preaching, or answered a question readily and suitably, I was apt to applaud myself, in my own mind. I affected pre-eminence above what belonged to my age or worth. I therefore endeavoured to take a view of my pride, as the very image of the Devil, contrary to the grace and image of Christ—as an offending of God, and grieving of his Spirit-as the most unreasonable folly and madness for one who had nothing singularly excellent, and who has a nature so corrupt―as infinitely dangerous, and ready to provoke God to deprive me of my capacities and opportunities. I therefore resolved to carry my distempered heart to Jesus Christ, that allsufficient Physician, that he might cure it-to watch against my pride-to study much the nature and aggravations of it, and the excellency of the contrary grace.' There is weighty truth in Cotton Mather's remark, that spiritual pride is 'the sin of young Ministers.' They do not generally learn so soon as Melancthon, the strength of old Adam.' The freshness and excitement awaken and maintain their energies in considerable power. Much interest is called forth, and an atmosphere of popularity surrounds them. All this tends to blind their perception of "the mystery of iniquity" within, and to excite self-confidence, until they are alnost ready to conceive that their services are of high importance and necessity in the dispensations of God. 'It is a very uncommon thing for men not to receive at least one part of the glory that is offered th m. This is the touchstone, by which the fidelity of the Mini-ter of Christ is tried. We value ourselves upon rejecting gross commendations, and extravagant flattery, because we would not make ourselves ridiculous. But when the praise is fine and delicate, and the incense prepared with art, how seldom is it that we do not suffer ourselves to be intoxicated thereby."* "Good report" is a far closer test of the internal principle than "evil report." There is equal truth and knowledge of character in that sacred aphorism" As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold, so is a man to his praise." How few of us perhaps could say with Henry Martyn- Men frequently admire me, and I am pleased, but I abhor the pleasure that I feel.' The same Christian tenderness and self-suspicion appeared upon the report of his Ministerial success. I was encouraged and refreshed beyond description, and could only cheerfully and gratefully offer up myself to God's service; but it was * Quesnel on Acts xiv. 13, 24. 'Si minister verbi laudatur, versatur in periculo.' Augustine.-"They are not our best friends that stir the pride of our hearts by the flattery of their lips. The graces of God in others, I confess, are thankfully to be owned, and under discouragements and temptations to be wisely and modestly spoken of; but the strongest Christians do scarcely show their own weakness in any one thing more than they do in hearing their own praises. Christian, thou knowest thou carriest gunpowder about thee. Desire those that carry fire, to keep at a distance from thee. It is a dangerous crisis, when a proud heart meets with flattering lips. Faiththful, seasonable, and discreet reproofs are much more safe to us, and advantageous to the mor tifications of sin in our souls." Flavel. Prov. xxvii. 21, |