4«ih iwbcate, but that other preparatory
means pf conesponding^fRdey and force,
are to he substituted? There is the same
perverseness of human nature, and the
same indisposition to the reception of di
vine truUS|now, as in the days of the A
postles. The opposition of a corrupt
heart to the gqspeljsjhe same in every
age. The minister of ihis day, then, needs
as fully to understand the gospel, and to
proclaim k with as much energy as did
the Apostle* themselves.
The importance of an able ministry is
farther evident, from the strength and
number of the forces to be encountered
and overcome. The human heart, in ev
ery age, is desperately wicked, and, con
sequently, opposed to the holiness and
purity of the gospel. It is steeled against
every impression of Clrjistianity. It has
its false attachments, its thousand errors’
and prejudices, its thick darkness and de
lusion. To attack, with success, this heart
filled with enmity against God, demands
all the skill and power of the best cultiva
ted, as well as sanctified talent. There
is also a deep-spread and wide infidelity,
which embraces in its service, talenff ge
„ 'nius, learning, wealth, and station. And
it never exhibited more stratagem, bold
ness, or energy and malignity of purpose,
than now. To expose its sophistry, to
silence its blasphemies, and to rescue the
millions it would ensnare and ruin forever,
requires a ministry that can pour forth
light like the sun in his strength. But er
ror is continually breaking forth in new
P forms, assuming different shades, and tak
ing different directions. It sometimes ap
proaches us masked in friendship, and by
its artful insinuations, would beguile us
from the simplicity that is in Christ. But
we wrestle not merely with flesh end
blood, but against principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness
of this world, against spiritual wickedness
in high places, against the prinpe of the
power of the air. Here are a Host of en
Berules combined, under the direction of a
wiley adversary, of strong intellect, and of
great .knowledge. And where is an adw
▼ersary whose movements are more insi
dious, varied, complicated, and rancorous
against God and human welfare? Who
" can count the ‘armies, and estimate the re
sources, welded by this master spirit of
sin and delusion? Ajid can it be wise to
send outjpen of feeble minds, of slender
intellect, and of small resources, to expose
the devices, thwart the schemes, and sub
vert the empire of such an adversary? It
is not thu* that Christianity is to make its
way over the earth. JPvhile it trusts in the
grace, it demands for the conflict the ablest
as well as the best minds heaven cre
ated and sanctified. The better these for
ces are disciplined, fumishe^and direct
ed, the more sure and speedy will be the
triumph of truth.
A ministry of power and strengtn is can
ed for, by the greatness and importance of
the object to be obtained. The field of
action is a revolted, degraded, and ruined
world. The Christian ministry is an em
bassy of reconciliation from its rightful and
legitimate Sovereign. Its aim is to bring
|>ack an erring world to the pat!# of recti
tude, to restore sinful man to the favor of
God, and to relflbtamp upon him the Di
vine image. What enterprise in the whole
compass of thought is so grand, so mo
mentous? Who can measure the interest
at stake in th^ssue? Who can contem
plate the fearnoconsequences of a failure
of success1?* Who can tell th|^happy conse
quences of a favorable result, its importance
to God, to the world, to the universe? And
how obviously absurd to communicate the
keeping and dkpoion of such a cause to
the undisciplined, to the rash, or to the
ignorant. When difficulties^ arise between
a monarch and a portion of his subjects,
or between two independent states, who
is commissioned to%adjust them? When
life, or character, or -property is at stake,
who is sought for a defence? When a
high-minded people, stung by reproach,
and roused by oppression, resolve on free
dom, who are selected to guide her coun
sels and direct her armies? .’Men of geni
us, of learning, of talent, and of power.
And strange, indeed, if to men of inferior
capacity can be intrusted the rights of
God, and the everlasting interests of men!
Strange, if slender powers and ordinary
gifts can sanctify, when a world of intel
lect, an empire of mind in ruin, is to be
restored to God, and trained for heaven!
What are liberty, or property, or charac
ter, or life, or thrones that perish, compar
ed with the honor of God, or the salvation
of souls? The loss of a single soul, in it
selfeonsidered, is a greater calamity than
the extinction of the sun, or the destruc