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Co-operation with God, in the display of the temper and spirit, which characterised the Saviour, in His ministry--Care also necessary, lest in our exhibition of truth, we violate any of the known laws, by which God governs mind.

Ir it is the truth, in the hands of the Spirit, that is efficacious for the conversion and sanctification of the sinner, it is easy to perceive the secret of ministerial success, and the duty of every one, who bears the high commission of an ambassador of peace. To His co-operation must he look for all his efficiency. Without it, he will never win a soul to Christ. It becomes, therefore, a very interesting and solemn question, to every one who would convert sinners, from the error of their ways, how they may best exhibit the truth, so as to secure the co-operation of the Spirit, and render their ministrations successful. We shall adventure a reply to this question, in the present chapter, as the great practical issue of all our previous discussion, and as tending to show the manner in which this subject stands connected with the permanent interests of the Divine Government. This we shall do by introducing to the readers attention, the fifth and last inference, out of many we might submit, from the fact of the Spirit's moral suasion, being the efficient agency, exerted for the conversion of the sin'ner, viz:

5. That since ministerial success depends on the agency of the Spirit, and since the truth is the instrument of that agency, it is only as the ministry of Christ, exhibit the truth so as to prove the vehicle of the Spirit's influence, that their ministrations become efficient. The truth of the general position, will not be disputed by one who believes, that the great apostle of the Gentiles spake the truth, when he said, "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man!" It is the illustration, therefore, rather than the

1 1 Cor. iii. 5.

confirmation of the truth, which requires our attention. Its importance we deem to be of infinite moment, not only as it may affect the interests of particular individuals, destined to an endless existence; but also as it effects those of the divine Government in general.

It is the ministry of reconciliation, by means of which, in a more especial manner, God is pleased to operate for the subjugation of the rebellious minds and hearts of men. When our Lord Jesus Christ put into the hands of the apostles, their high and extensive commission, He prefixed it by a declaration, which shews, that they stand closely allied, in the exercise of their functions, with the loftiest anthority in the universe,-that they do indeed come forth. from the very throne of the Grand Universal Sovereign,— and that their instructions are stamped and emblazoned with JEHOVAH's great seal of state. "All power," said He, just before He ascended to His throne,-"all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen!"" With the mission and execution of their trust, the apostle identifies the spread of the gospel, and the extension of the Redeemers sway. "How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written," how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" And, in the execution of their trust, the same apostle does not hesitate to denominate them, "wORKING TOGETHER (with

1 Mat. xxvii. 18-20.

2 Rom. x. 14, 15.

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God).' "We are laborers," says he, "TOGETHER WITH GOD." Nor, did he fear to be suspected of boastful vanity, when, speaking of his own agency in the conversion of sinners, as though it were a thing not to be disputed, but legitimately, and confidently expected and asserted by the minister of Christ, in the prosecution of his trust. ..For though," says he, "ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus! HAVE BEGOTTEN you through the gospel."

In treating, therefore, on the subject of ministerial efficiency, and in confidently asserting, that success is a thing to be expected, yea, and not without horrible guilt in any case, to be entirely wanting, we are not to be understood as invidiously exalting one class, and censuring another, of our ministerial brethren. We do but "magnify our office, if by any means we may provoke (ourselves and brethren) to emulation, and might save some of them” --who now are at ease in their guilt and rebellion. As to other men's labour, we "judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall every man have praise of God. And these things," we desire to transfer to ourselves and others, "that (we) might learn not to think of men, above that which is written, that no one be puffed up for one against another. "'

There is a question very naturally rising out of the proposition advanced in this chapter, which leads directly to the merits of our subject, and to which we invite the readers candid attention, viz: is there such a mode of exhibitang the truth, by the ministry of reconciliation, as that

1 2 Cor. vi. 1.
3 1 Cor. iv. 15.

5 1 Cor. iv. 5.

2 1 Cor. iii. 9.
4 Rom. xi. 13, 14.

it shall prove the vehicle of the Spirit's efficacious influence? If there is, how infinitely important is it for us to know it? And how awfully guilty must we be, if we labor not, in that very way, to exhibit it?

The observant reader will at once perceive, that the answer to this question, in a very great degree, turns upon the particular philosophical views, which may be held, as to the nature or character of the Spirit's agency.. If we must believe, that regeneration, or conversion, or repent-ance, or faith, for we care not here, to distinguish between them,-is produced by an "immediate" act of PoOWER on the soul, irrespectively, and without the intervention, of the truth as the means of its exercise and direction; then, it is manifest, that His heart, who thus believes and preaches the truth, cannot catch that fervent, lively, all-inflaming inspiration,-which he is likely to do, who speaks it as the very word of the Most High, by which the Spirit is to subdue his hearers, and save the perishing in view-and which will cause the truth to flash from his eyes, kindle in his looks, burn in his soul, and pour forth his impassioned torrents of warnings, arguments, appeals, entreaties and expostulations like the very fires of Heaven. He may indeed present the truth as the materials, and frame-work for the building, and as he does this from day to day, think that no other obligation rests upon him, than to have it ready at the call of the Great Builder, and prepared-laid to His hand, when He shall appear on the scaffold, and undertake to do the work; but not as a builder along with Him.

It is not in the nature of man, to feel a deep and lively interest in the mystic operations, which depend exclusively on the creative energy of God. The conjuror, and devotee of a degrading superstitution, who appeal, as they and others suppose, to some such mystic agency, may do

it in all due form, and with great solemnity, and punetilious accuracy as to tines, seasons, and modes of operation; but there cannot, in the nature of things, be that intelligent and animated feeling of the heart, which could not fail to be awakened in view of something rational, feasible, and adapted to the capacities of man, to be effectuated through his own voluntary agency. Is there not reason to fear, that to this philosophy or superstition, call it which you please,-for they are nearly allied,-may be referred the cold didactic discussions often introduced into the pulpit, where divine truth, shorn of all its beamy glory, is exhibited as a mere abstraction, altogether devoid of reality, save as it exists in the intellections of speaker and hearers? And that to the same, must be assigned, as to its appropriate cause, much of that unmeaning, punctilious, pharisaically solemn observance, of outward rites and forms of worship, traditions of the elders, and usages of the fathers, to venture beyond which, is quickly repelled, as though it were an impious, or sacrilegeous tresspass, on the province of the Holy Spirit? One thing is certain, that the man who interprets literally, in application to his hearers, Ezekiel's vision of the valley filled with dry bones, i. e. who has no hope of their revivification, but by some physical, mystic efficiency of God, will have very different feelings from him, who regards it as an allegorical description of that moral death and desolation, which are to be counteracted, by the agency of the Divine Spirit, through the preaching and the prayers of the prophet. Both may feel, and feel intensely; but the feelings of the latter, will, from the very laws of human thought and emotion, be of a much more active, energetic, exciting character, leading to prolonged and multiplied exertions to bring, in every varied form, the truth,

1. Ezek. xxxvii.

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