promised great success. He was forewarned that the people would not embrace the word of the Lord as exhibited by him; and taught most explicitly, that he would be judged by his faithfulness, and not by his success. "And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee, for they will not hearken unto me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee, receive in thy heart, and hear with thine ears; and go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hand. Yet, if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul." Here, it is plainly taught that the minister is not answerable for his success, but only for his fidelity in delivering the Lord's message. If he refuses to deliver it, and the wicked perish, their blood will be upon his head; but if he deliver it faithfully, and they will not take warning, he is clear, and their blood will be upon their own heads. This is evidently right, for the preacher cannot change the hearts of his hearers; and God has not promised to change the hearts of all that hear the pure Gospel faithfully exhibited. It usually proves a savor of life unto life to some, and of death unto death to others: but the issue is entirely at the divine disposal, according to the declaration of Paul: "I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth, and he that watereth, are one; and every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labor." The laborer will be rewarded according to his fidelity, and not according to his success, which God gives according to his sovereign pleasure.

F. W. But I contend that it is his pleasure to give success to the laborer according to his faithfulness.

Th. You contradict the plain word of God. For besides the cases of Noah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, to which we have already attended, and whose success was not according to

far

their faithfulness, I adduce the case of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose faithfulness was perfect, but whose success was very from being so.

F. W. But he did convert great numbers during his ministry. Th. Great numbers, compared with those converted by the ministry of the prophets; but not great numbers compared with those converted under the ministry of the apostles. And very small numbers compared with the whole nation of Israel, or all those to whom he faithfully preached. So that he had occasion to say, as represented by the prophet, "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" This language implies that few were converted by the personal ministry of the Lord Jesus. And it is quoted by the Apostle John as having that meaning. "But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him; that the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them." The same passage is quoted by Paul: "But they have not all obeyed the Gospel; for Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report ? " However, the ill success of the Gospel among the Jews, was connected with its greater success among the Gentiles. 'But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people." "Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved." And Paul says, “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant, according to the election of grace." By the faithful preaching, then, of the prophets, and the apostles, and of the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the nation of Israel were not converted, but only a remnant of them, while the great mass remained in unbelief.

66

Paul farther teaches that fidelity in the delivery of his message, and not success, is the rule by which a minister is to be judged. He preached the Gospel to the Jews at Corinth, " And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean." If they remained unconverted, it was their own fault, and not his, and no proof of unfaithfulness in him. So, in his interview with the elders of Ephesus, he says, "Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from

the blood of all men; for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God." Not success, but fidelity in preaching the truth, is the great thing to clear the preacher from the blood of his hearers, who perish with an aggravated destruction from under the light of the Gospel. F. W. What is the use of the Gospel not to be converted by it and saved?

ministry, if men are

L. S. Of no use at all, I should say. And so thought a distinguished minister in Westerly street, who lately asked a dismission from his pastoral charge, as I have heard, because there were no more sinners to be converted.

Ard. He must have forgotten our Lord's direction to Peter, when he professed his love: " Feed my lambs," "feed my sheep.' There would be some use in that.

Th. Those who confine their notion of the work of the ministry to the conversion of sinners, take a very narrow view of the subject. The great business of the ministry, as indicated by the commission given them, is to teach. "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations." Children have to spend many years in receiving instruction in the common arts of life, before they are fitted for business. Much more do they need to spend time in receiving instruction in divine things, before they will have an adequate undestanding of them. The education of Christians, their advancement in the knowledge of God, the knowledge of themselves, the knowledge of their duty, and their being quickened to the performance of it, is no small nor unimportant part of the work which a minister has to do. He is called a pastor, or shepherd. But the business of a shepherd is not completed when he has added numbers to his flock, and once got them into his fold. He has to go before them, and lead them out to the green pastures, and beside the still waters. He has to watch over them, to guard them from the approach of devouring wolves, and to do all that for them which is necessary to their health and comfort. He has to gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom. And in regard to those who are not converted, the Scriptures evidently hold out the idea that the influence of the Gospel ministry is by no means unimportant. The instructions they receive often operate as a restraint upon them, and, in many ways, influence their conduct in attending to the ordinary duties of life. So that where the Gospel is most faithfully and fully preached, the state of civil society is far better than where it is not, even among those not savingly influenced by it; as infidels themselves have often seen and acknowledged. And then it has an influence beyond this life, in preparing them for their final end. When they are condemned for not having embraced the Gospel, the justice

manifested in their condemnation will be in proportion to their guilt; and their guilt will be in proportion to the light they have sinned against. The most important work of the preacher is, to exhibit God before all his hearers; to make them see, if he can, the glorious perfections of his character, which bind them to love and obey him, and leave them without excuse for not having done it. This is the best way to promote the growth in grace of Christians; for it is by this means, as the apostle says, that "we all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." It is also by this means that restraints are laid upon the bad passions of men, and society is rendered more orderly, quiet, and happy. And the same means are best adapted to promote the conversion of sinners. For it is by the contemplation of the divine character, that men are brought to see their own, to feel their obligations to love and obey God, and their guilt in refusing; and thus are brought under conviction. It is also necessary to have the divine character in view, in order to love God and submit to him in conversion. It is by exhibiting God, then; by giving to all classes of his hearers, correct views of the divine character; by showing the wisdom and goodness of all his ways, that the preacher will most effectually advance his great work, in all its parts. And when he has done this, and the things implied in and connected with it, then, and then only can he make the appeal which Paul does, and say, "I am pure from the blood of all men; for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God."

CHAPTER XL.

Love-self. There is one of the measures, favored by Mr. Bold and his friends, which, I think, is evidently sanctioned by the Spirit, in the increase of the revival feeling wherever it has been adopted; I mean that of female praying in promiscuous meetings. "In proportion as revivals abound, I am persuaded female praying among men will increase. And, from many cases which I have seen, I am persuaded God lays more stress on this practice than any of us have done."

Ardent. How do you prove it right?

F. W. Love-self has just pointed you to its good effects, Those prove it to be right.

Ard. But we do not admit that success is a proof of the divine approbation.

Th. No. Jacob's falsehood was successful in procuring for him the blessing which was designed for Esau, as I have already observed; but it would be blasphemous to say God approved of that falsehood.

L. S. I will prove it right by other arguments. But where shall I prove it to be right? I do not contend for it "in a public meeting in the house or temple of God, or anywhere else, consisting of one, two, or three hundred persons; but only in a social circle of men and women, of ten, twenty, or thirty individuals, in a private dwelling."

Th. It has been practised, however, in many places, in public meetings, in their usual places of worship, and, in many instances, accompanied by female exhortations.

F. W. Yes; and that is the ground I take.

L. S. The first argument I use, is, that in many cases the women pray better than the men.

Ard. Perhaps they do; and perhaps they would preach better too but would that make it right? Priscilla was able to teach Apollos, though he was an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures. Yet she did not attempt to teach him in public. She invited him to her house, and there she taught him the way of God more perfectly.

L. Š. What if a meeting is found to contain but one or two men capable of praying in public, and a number of women who are known to be able in prayer; must the meeting be broken up and dispersed rather than have the women pray?

Th. The benefit of the meeting depends on the blessing of God; and the blessing of God is not to be looked for in the way of disobedience, but in the way of obedience. There is, however, in the case you suppose, no need of any difficulty. Let the men pray, and retire; and then let the women continue the meeting, by themselves, as long as they find it for edification.

L. S. Paul says, "Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered, dishonoreth her head." This passage certainly implies that the women prayed in the meetings at Corinth.

F. W. Yes; and not in the small circle only, but in the most public meetings of the church, and prophesied too; which just suits my scheme, but not yours.

Th. It proves, indeed, that the practice existed in the church of Corinth, of females praying and prophesying with their heads uncovered, and that their doing so was improper and disgraceful. That they were to be tolerated in doing it with

4