The Enmity of the Natural Heart a Main Cause of the Want of Ministerial Success

The office of the Christian Ministry might seem to command a successful issue of the work. It is “the Ministry of reconciUation:” where the offended party stoops to make the first overtures of peace, and sends his ambassadors to “beseech by them,” and pray the rebels in his stead — Be ye reconciled to God.”’ Such a display of disinterested condescension, infinite humility, and compassionate tenderness, might have been expected to give resistless efficacy to the message. The rich fruits of everlasting love aie brought to the door of those, who are most deeply interested in it, and whose need of the blessing is inexpressibly great. Such a promulgation of mercy, given to men in guileless ignorance and -argent need„ would meet with a ready and universal welcome. But here it meets with a resisting medium. The avenues of approach are; barred against its entrance, and the success is limited within comparatively narrow bounds.

By the terms of the commission, it is “preached to every creature but the disproportionate effect reminds us of the solemn and. sententious declaration —” Many be called, but few chosen.“ If indeed we were” as many, which corrupt the word of God“- — if we would lower its requisitions to a worldly standard, or to a corrupt heart, we should” have our reward” (purchased indeed at an infinite cost*) in the praise of men. But if “as of sincerity, as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ;“5 renouncing the hidden things of dishonesty; not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God,”* — we must not wonder to hear it repeated — “I hate him, for he doth not prophecy good concerning me, but evil.” Nor is this opposition confined to the world — so called. In the professing church — a revulsion against the truth of God as a whole — such as Mr Scott found manifested in rejecting the practical enforcement of Christian doctrine’ — marks the same principle of resistance. And

1 2 Cor. V. 18 — 20. 2 Mark xvi. 15. 3 Matt. xi. 16.

See Gal. i. 7 — 10. 8 2 Cor. iL 17. Ibid ir. 2.

’ 1 Kings xiii. 8. Life, p. 5»-J — 237.

indeed ’ whoever pricks the conscience of his hearers closely, without producing repentance, will soon find them either absentees from his ministry, or unwilling listeners, if not open opponents.” Thus our whole course is a struggle against the mighty current of sin — flowino- out of that restless bias of the natural heart, which upon the highest authority is declared to be “enmity against God.”*

This hindrance therefore to the reception of the Gospel must not be placed to the Minister’s account. Ignorance, eccentricity, inconsistency, want of conciliation and address, will indeed be an occasion of calling forth this enmity. A defective exhibition of the spirit of the cross greatly aggravates the offence of the cross. But it nmst be remembered, that the Ministration of the Gospel from an angel’s mouth would stir up the natural principle of degenerate man. What could be conceived more attractive than the combination of dignity, humility. patience, and love, that marked the Ministry of the Son of God? Yet was it universally despised and rejected. His doctrine was most offensive to the natural prejudices of the unhumbled heart. His general statements were Ustened to with the interest of curiosity, and the desire of “hearing some new thing;” but their personal application to the consciences of his hearers — the certain reproach of his cross — the relinquisliment of all that was held dear for his service — the prostrate submission required for the reception of his truth — all combined to produce the “murmuring among themselves;” the complaint of the intolerable “hardness of his sayings,” and the resolution to abandon their temporary profession.’

The innate opposition, existing between the substance and the objects of our Ministry, offers therefore a material impediment to our success. We speak to those, whose attention is already pre-occupied, whose affections have been long pre-engaged, and whose “hearts are hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” The truth therefore never comes into contact with a sincere and honest heart. Enmity is the concentrated essence of man’s depravity. It is at once the cause and the effect of that moral or spiritual darkness, which shuts out the entrance of light, and offers difficulties to the process of “enlightening the eyes of the understanding,” unconquerable by any force short of heavenly influence. The powei that “slays the enmity,” opens the heart to the perception, obedience, and love of the truth, and to a full possession of the inestimable blessings of our office.

2 Romans viii. 7. John vi. 24^ — 66.