6 profound humility, whofe ways are paft finding out, I conclude this article in the words of Solomon*, A man cannot find out the work that is done under the fun; because, though a man labour to feek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further, though a wife aan think to know it, yet hall he not be able to find it.'-Beware then, brethren, of prefuming to cenfure the difpenfations of Providence, or the revelations of his grace. Take heed, left you murmur at the stations he hath allotted you, left you quarrel with the rectitude of his laws and inftitutions, left you reject the offers of his gofpel, or prefs its doctrines into the fervice of fin, and pervert them to your own deftruction. Say not, because God is merciful, you may indulge in the practice of iniquity; but improve the comfortable truth we have been confidering, as a powerful argument to engage you to return to God, if fo be that he may have mercy on you that you perish not. 10. For as the rain cometh down, and the fnow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give feed to the fower, and bread to the eater. The divine efficacy attending the word of God is illuftrated by a beautiful fimilitude, taken from natural objects that come under human observation, The rain and the fnow (whatever be their natural causes) do not fall merely by accident, but by the appointment of the Lord God, who claims this as his peculiar prerogative, that he causes rain and gives fhowers from heaven †. According to his fovereign pleasure, he fixes the time, the place, the quantity, and the continuance of them, so as to effect the purposes he hath in view to accomplish. He fends them forth out of his treasures, not only to give. evidence evidence of his goodnefs, and to difplay his overruling Providence, but to water and fructify the earth, that its inhabitants, who are fupported by the fruits of the ground, may be fupplied with abundant fuitable provifion-and that the hufbandman, who cultivates the fields, may have feed wherewith to fow, in due season, the lands which he occupies, in the profpect of receiving a plentiful crop in the next harvest. The words, in which this comparison is ftated, are so plain, as not to require farther expofition. 11. So fhall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it fhall profper in the thing whereto I fent it. The rain and the fnow, which come down from heaven, exhibit a graceful emblem of the falutary doctrine contained in the fcriptures, that proceeds from the Father of lights, the giver of every good and perfect gift. Like the rain, which foftens, refreshes, and fructifies the earth, the word of God mollifies and makes foft the hearts on which it falls; it renovates them, it promotes fpiritual growth and fertility, and caufes them to become pleasant and fruitful. Wherever it comes with Divine efficacy, and receiveth bleffing from God, it reaches the heart and confcience, and prevents them from being barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. This beautiful image conveys a juft idea of those beneficial, bleffed effects, produced by the word of God, when it drops as the rain, when his doctrine diftils as the dew, as the fmall rain upon the tender herb, and as showers upon the grafs *. Still, however, this fimilitude comes fhort of what it is defigned to illuftrate, for the sacred VOL. IV. Bb *Deut. xxxii. 2. truth lt truth that proceeds from Jehovah produces fuch a fpiritual change in the minds of men, as neither rain nor fnow can effect on the face of the earth. changes the nature of the foil, it transforms them into a state resembling good ground, it kills at the root those hurtful lufts, which would choke the good feed, and hinder its growth and fruitfulness.-The word here intended is faid to go forth out of God's mouth. Though delivered by men of like paffions with ourselves, it is declared to be the word of God, because it was spoken and written by holy men, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit; because it bears the impreffion of his authority, and fhould be received, as it is indeed the word of God. Ungodly people may endeavour to render it of none effect, by rejecting, difobeying, and contemning it; but their criminal conduct fhall not frustrate, but fhall verify what is here faid. Explicit affurance is given by Jehovah himself, that it thall not return to him void, deftitute of thofe important effects it is given to produce. If it do not meliorate, it will harden; if it does not prove the favour of life unto life, it will become the favour of death unto death. But fhall accomplish that which I pleafe, &c. What is the good pleature of God refpecting his word, and for what purposes doth he fend it? The things which chiefly pleafe him, and the ends for which he fends it, are fuch as thefe-To convince men of their fin and mifery, to make them fenfible of the deceitfulness and wickednefs of their hearts, of their manifold tranfgreffions, whereby they have violated his law and incurred his dread difpleafure, and, by confequence, of their need of pardon of fin, and the renovation of their natures.-To acquaint them with the all-fufficient Saviour he hath provided, and the great falvation he hath obtained, that they may be induced to have recourse to him, that they may participate in his redemption, and receive every blessing neceflary to fupply their wants-To convert them from the error of their ways unto the wisdom of the just, - juft, and to be the means of tranflating them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive the forgiveness of fins, and inheritance among them that are fanctified. To inftruct them in their duty and destination, to direct them in the way wherein they ought to walk, and refpecting the hopes they ought to entertain. - To confole them under the calamities of life, by affurances to the upright, that the Lord God will help under infirmities, fupport under diftreffes, that he will never leave nor forfake, that all things fhall work together for good to them that love him. Such are the falutary effects, for the accomplishing of which the word of Jehovah fhall profper. It may fall on fome, whofe hearts in hardness resemble the wayfide; on others, who may be obdurate like ftony places; on fome, where it may be choked by the thorny cares of the world; but it fhall alfo fall on others, who, like good ground, fhall bring forth the fruits of righteoufnefs, which are, by Jefus Chrift, to the praise of God. In every age, the efficacy of the word of truth, accompanied with the power of the Holy Spirit, hath been experienced. How glorious and extenfive were the fruits it produced at the time of Pentecost, and in periods that immediately followed! In these last days, and even in this affembly, I hope there are not a few who have felt it to be the power of God unto falvation. When your hearts were hard, this was the hammer that broke them; when cold, this was the fire that diffolved them; when obftinate, this was the power that fubdued them; when difeased, this was the medicine that healed them; when feeble, this was the cordial that revived them. No inftrument can act but by his agency who ufes it: Paul might plant, by diffeminating the doctrine of the gofpel; Apollos might water by his perfuafive eloquence; after all, God only can give the increate. Deeply impreffed with this truth, earnestly pray that God may render his word effectual, for accomplishing plishing to you the important ends for which it is fent. 12. For ye fhall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills fhall break forth before you into finging, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Beholding in spirit the apostles, the evangelifts, and their fellow-labourers in the work of the gospel, going forth to execute their miffion among the Gentile nations, our prophet foretels, that they were to engage in their work with alacrity, and to perform it with pleasure and gladness of heart.-He delineates, in ftrong colours, the happy effects which were to accompany the miniftry of the word, in the contemplation whereof the whole creation is represented as breaking forth into joy and praife, to celebrate its glorious triumphs. The Jews having rejected the Saviour, put away from them the word of God, and judged themselves unworthy of everlasting life, the minifters of the gospel turned to the Gentiles, who were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord *. Happy in the honourable employment affigned them, these good men went forth under the conduct of the Captain of Salvation, animated by the spirit of truth and love, to carry the Divine lamp of the gofpel to those who were fitting in darkness-to publish the meffage of peace and reconciliation, and to promulgate tidings of great joy to those among whom they itinerated. Commiffioned to preach peace to them that were afar off, no wonder that they themfelves exulted and triumphed, and that those to whom they were fent, received them with gratitude and gladness. Confult the Acts of the Apoftles, read with attention the epiftles of Paul, and you may be fully fatisfied refpecting the fulfilment of this prediction, * A&ts xiii. 46. et feq. |