The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 235

exactly what I desire to do," can we be regarded as servants indeed. This does not say that our good will towards what is God's will for us involves no effort, no conflict with self. 'l'he way of earthly prosperity may be the way of our own will; and the way of lifelong disability may be the way of doing God's will and work. Many a man has given up every earthly prospect to preach Christ to bis fellow-men, And he is no fit preacher who does not preach with good will-preach from the heart. He should preach because he m'/1,St; be should preach because be wishe.s to. IV. IT LIEB IN CULTURE OF GIFT. This is the human element in the fitness, which is as truly essential as the Divine element, the natural endowment. We cannot give the gift, but we can train it into efficiency, It has to be prepared for the work of a particular age, and for the demands of a particular sphere. The sword has to be furbished and sharpened. The "gift" has to use instruments; it must gain skill in the use of instruments, The culture properly takes two forms. 1. Self-culture, the whole responsibility of which lies on the would-be minister. 2. Culture by agencies, which can be secured by those who recognize in the would-be minister the Divine "gift." Let the endowed and cultured man wait on God, and of this we are sure-he will find both his place and his work.-R. T. Ver. 4.-Mistaken ideas of success. None of us can properly understand or estimate our life-work. We do not know what it was designed to do, nor where it properly fits. Picturing the ideal "Servant of the Lord," Isaiah represents him as disheartened with the issues of his testimony and labour. The Messiah seemed to be "all day long stretching forth his hands to a disobedient and gainsaying people." Mistakes about the success of work are quite common to God's servants. David thought it was no good to try any longer, and exclaimed, 11 I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul." Elijah moaned in his weariness and grief, "I am not better [more successful] than my fathers;" and Jonah, fainting in the sun beside the withered gourd, 11 It is better for me to die than to live. To him the Nineveh-mission appeared as an utter and disgraceful failure, We must leave God to estimate our successes. "The day" shall declare it. We must wait for the "day of God." I. MAN IS REQUIRED TO WORK WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF RESULTS. And that is reasonable, (1) because his one work is obedience; (2) because the best results are long in coming; (3) because any one man's work is never more than a part of a whole, aud results follow the united influence of all the parts; and (4) because any seeming result man may recognize is only a causo of other and better results that are quite beyond his estimating. George Macdonald makes one of his heroes reproach his erother for good o.dvice given which had led to unpleasant consequences, and the brother gives the following forcible reply: "My dear fellow, I gave you no advice that had the least regard to the consequence of following it I That was the one thing you had nothing to do with." II. MAN 111'.AY BE OULTUBED THROUGH HIS DISTRESS AT RESULTS. One point only is suggested. Seeming failure reveals the self-seeking which had been in his work. And it is the best or culture to get true knowledge of ourselves. The man who aims for results really works for himself-for his own praise. We must just work as God's servants, satisfied to do work that can stand bis inspection; and none of us will find it easy to draw in our minds from results, and concentrate them on work. III. MAN 111'.AY DE SURE OF TIIE DIVINE ACCEPTANCE 0~' OOOD WORK. And that is an all-satisfying result. It is only man's poor view that makes results into the standard that tests the value of the work. 'l'he best work may produce little, but it is "best work n nevertheless. Many a minister has failed in his sphere. At least, so the world says. But its foolish estimate does not matter. WBB it good work? God's judgment is of the work.-R. T. Ver. 6.-The great commission. St. Paul uses this verse in his address to the Jews of Antioch in Pisidia (Acts xiii. 47). "It was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken unto you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting lire, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so bath the Lord commanded us, (saying,) I have set thee to be a Light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of tho earth." The truth illustrated is that no  244 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [oH. XLIL 1-28,