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MINISTERS LABOURING IN VAIN
MINISTERS are, in the Scriptures, compared to husbandmen. Now, no one can doubt, for a moment, what the object is of those labours which the husbandman pursues. Whether he prosecute the initiatory work of manuring and plowing his ground, or cast upon it, and harrow in, the seed, every one knows that he looks to the harvest, as the compensation of his toil: and so far as the produce abounds, he considers himself as well repaid; but so far as it fails, he regards himself as having laboured in vain. Thus a faithful minister rests not satisfied with having discharged his duty: he looks for the effects of his labours in the conversion of souls to God, and in the salvation of his fellow-men. If, in these respects, his ministrations are crowned with success, “he sees of all his travail, and is satisfied.” But if the people to whom he ministers remain in a state of ignorance, or, whilst they profess to have received the Gospel, they walk unworthy of it, he feels constrained to adopt the language of St. Paul, and to say, “I am afraid of you, that I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.”
Now I propose to shew you,
I. When a minister may be said to have “laboured amongst his people in vain”—
This complaint he may justly utter,
1. When they cleave to the law, as a ground of their hopes—
[What is the one great object of ministers, but to bring men to Christ, that through him they may find reconciliation with their offended God? In this view, their ministry is called “the ministry of reconciliation.” But, in order to effect this great work, they must detach persons altogether from their dependence on the law. Men, by nature, are born under the law: and they invariably look to their obedience to the law as the ground of their hope towards God. But, as it is impossible for fallen man ever to render to the law that perfect obedience which it requires, God has given him a Saviour, through whom he may obtain a perfect righteousness, fully commensurate with all the demands of law and justice. But, in order to his obtaining an interest in this, every other ground of hope must be renounced. He must be saved wholly, either by works or by grace. The two grounds of hope cannot exist together. If a man attempt to blend them together, even in the smallest possible degree, he will fail: the slightest dependence on his works will altogether invalidate the work of Christ, and make void all that he has done for the salvation of men [Note: Gal_5:2; Gal_5:4.]. If, therefore, a person still practise any works of the law, in order to obtain, either in whole or in part, justification by them, all the labour that has ever been bestowed on him will be in vain. St. Paul said to the Galatian converts, “Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.” And on this he grounded the complaint in our text. The observance of days was not evil in itself: it was only evil, as arguing an affiance in the law, and a consequent departure from the faith of Christ. But this being the proper construction to be put upon it, he regarded it as a dereliction of the Gospel; and therefore expressed his fears, that all the labour he had bestowed on them had been in vain.]
2. When they depart from the law as the rule of their life—
[The law, though set aside by the Gospel as a ground of our hope, remains, in all its pristine force, as a rule of life. It must be obeyed, and obeyed from the heart too, as much as if we were to obtain justification by it: nor is there any other standard by which our lives must be regulated, in order to please and honour God. The Gospel proposes nothing new in respect of morals. It adds to our motives for obedience, and gives us a more complete pattern: but it enjoins nothing beyond the requirements of the law. The law enjoins us to love God with all our heart and mind and soul and strength, and our neighbour as ourselves: and beyond that we cannot go. The Gospel informs us, that “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself;” and, consequently, all the faith and love which we are taught to exercise towards God, we exercise towards our adorable Emmanuel; and all the love which we manifest to man, we manifest it for Christ’s sake, and in conformity to the pattern which he has set us: but beyond the demands of the law we cannot go; nor short of those demands are we allowed to stop. If, therefore, we see any one relaxing in his obedience to the law, we declare to him, that “faith has not in him its perfect work.” His heart must be right with God: he must labour to “walk in all things as Christ walked:” he must, if not in absolute attainment, yet in desire and endeavour, be “holy as God himself is holy, and perfect as his Father which is in heaven is perfect.” There must be no sin, though dear as a right eye or useful as a right hand, retained: and if we see a man proposing to himself any lower standard than this, we must, of necessity, “stand in doubt of him;” and fear, so far as he is concerned, that we have bestowed on him labour in vain [Note: Mar_9:43-47. with Jam_2:10.].]
Let me, then, point out to you,
II. The awful state of a people that are so circumstanced—
Truly,
1. Their responsibility is great—
[It is here taken for granted, that the Gospel has been faithfully preached to them. And I hope this may be said with respect to you, my brethren. Yes; you will bear me witness, that “Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth crucified among you, even as it were before your eyes [Note: Gal_3:1.].” Now, our blessed Lord said to his hearers, that “if he had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin; but that now they had no cloak for their sin [Note: Joh_15:22.].” What, then, must I say to you? You well know, that “many prophets and kings have in vain desired to hear and see the things which have been made familiar to you; and that, at this moment, many would account themselves “blessed,” if they could possess the privileges which you enjoy [Note: Luk_10:23-24.]: but you cannot but know also, that on these grounds a proportionable responsibility attaches to you. Yet, is there not reason to fear, that many of you are still so ignorant both of the Law and of the Gospel, as not to understand their respective offices, and not to render to them that peculiar honour which they severally demand? Is there not reason to apprehend, that many have never yet come to Christ, as helpless, hopeless sinners; discarding every other ground of hope, and glorying in him as all their salvation and all their desire? Yet, if you have never been brought to this, O! think how much you have to answer for! If the fate of Chorazin and Bethsaida was made worse than that of Tyre and Sidon, yea, than that of Sodom and Gomorrah, by their abuse of the Gospel, judge, I pray you, what the criminality of those is, who, like you, have slighted all the blessings of salvation, which have been so freely offered, and so fully set before you? Jehovah himself appealed to his people of old: “Judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard: what could have been done more for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? And wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes [Note: Isa_5:3-4.]?” The same appeal I must, in Jehovah’s name, make to you also. The various means of grace you have enjoyed in rich abundance; and they must be accounted for as talents which you were bound to improve.]
2. Their danger is imminent—
[It is an awful truth, that “the word preached, if it be not a savour of life to those who hear it, proves to them a savour of death unto their death [Note: 2Co_2:16.]” In fact, it is sometimes sent, to a people in judgment, rather than in mercy: “Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed [Note: Isa_6:9-10.].” No less than six times is that passage quoted in the New Testament, to shew us the immense importance of it, and to put us on our guard, lest it be realized in us. We are warned, that “the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: but that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is, to be burned [Note: Heb_6:7-8.].” Ah! think “how nigh the curse may be!” and how tremendous it will be, when it shall fall upon you! You know what was said to the barren fig-tree; “Cut it down: why cumbereth it the ground?” And you also, though spared for the present, through the intercession of your Lord, must soon expect that doom, if you continue to make no return for all the labour bestowed upon you [Note: Luk_13:6-9.].]
Application—
1. Improve, then, the opportunities which are yet afforded you—
[“The seed is sown on your hearts: look to it, that it be not taken away by Satan, ere the process of vegetation has taken place at all Beware too, lest, if it spring up, it be not soon withered for want of root; or, if it continue to grow, it be not choked by thorns, so as not to bring forth fruit to perfection.” Prepare your hearts, by meditation and prayer, before you come to the house of God: and when you have received the good seed, harrow it in by a repetition of the same process: and bear in mind, that you are to requite the labours of cultivation, by bringing forth fruit, according to the measure of divine grace bestowed upon you [Note: Mat_13:18-23.].]
2. Look forward to your great account—
[It is but a little time, and both you and I must give account of our stewardship: I, of my ministrations; and you, of your improvement of them. If I have omitted to warn you, and you perish through my neglect, woe be unto me; for “your blood will be required at my hands [Note: Eze_33:8.].” But if I have been faithful to my high calling, then shall I have the joy of presenting you to God; saying, “Here am I, and the children thou hast given me [Note: Isa_8:18.].” O blessed day, if I may “have many of you as my joy and crown of rejoicing in that day [Note: 1Th_2:19-20.]!” On the other hand, how painful is the thought, that against those who have not improved the opportunities afforded them, I shall “appear as a swift witness [Note: Mal_3:5.]” and every sermon I have ever delivered will testify against you, to your confusion [Note: Deu_31:21.]. But let us hope that such shall not be the result of our meeting, my beloved brethren: no; let me entreat you to give yourselves unto prayer;—for me, that the blessing of God may be upon my labours; and for yourselves, that “ye may not receive the grace of God in vain [Note: 2Co_6:1.].”]