Ver, 7.-Preaching to unwilling hearers. There can be no more difficult or painful duty than that of a preacher to unwilling hearers. But it was seen in the case of Hebrew prophets; it was illustrated in Christ's brave dealings with the Pharisees and Sadducees; and it must necessarily fall at times to the lot of every faithful Christian minister in the present day. J. 1T 18 THE DUTY OF THE PREACHER TO DELIVER A MESSAGE TO ALL KmDS OF' HEARERS. He cannot select his favourite audience. He has no right to wait till men• ask for his message. He is the herald sent into the camp, who must declare the will of his Master, even though his hearers are too busy with their work or amusement to give him attention, or too unsympathetic to care to hear what he says. With most things the supply is regulated by the demand. The farmer will not grow more corn than the people need for food ; the manufacturer turns out the largest quantity of those products that sell most widely. But this spirit of commerce shonld not obtain any footing in the Christian Church. Yet-, no doubt, it has invaded the Church, and the temptation is to echo popular cries from the pulpit, and to bow to the will of the pew. Many people ask for short sermons, restive under the strain of attention to more lengthy discourses. Some wish for pleasant, cheerful themes; they are par-. ticularly desirous that no demands shall be made on their thinking faculties; they would luxuriate in sweet, soothing fancies. Then the temptation is to concede what is thus demanded. That is to lower the claims of truth. Jn this region it is necessary to create the right hunger, and here the supply must precede and exceed the demand. The negligence of the people is no reason for the preacher's reticence. I!. THE DUTY TO PREACH TO UNWILLING HEARERS RESTS ON DIVINE OBLIGATIONS AND oN HUMAN NEEDS. 1. Divine obligations. The preacher is not the slave of his people, but the servant of God. If he is sent to speak for God, a burden of responsibility is laid upon him. Moreover, be is the custodian of truth. 'l'ruth seeks the daylight and the free air. Men have no right to imprison her because her presence in the busy world is sometimes unwelcome. God's truth must be brought even where it is not sought,' even where it is hated and rejected. 2. Human needs. They who are most reluctant to hear a message from Heaven most need that message, for their very indifference or opposition is a sign of that state of alienation which God is seeking to overcome. If the family w~re awake when the house was on fire there would be no necessity for the watchman to call to them. But in their sleep is their great danger. Just because they are indifferent they most need to be warned. Ill. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PREACHER IS LIMITED TO THE FAITHFUL DELIVERY OF HIS MESSAGE. l\Iark this-the delivery must be faithful. There is a snare for the preacher in our subject. He ma.y lay the charge of the failure of his message against his hearers, when he ought to have taken it home to himself. Though he cannot command success, it is his duty to aim at it and to labour for it with the utmost assiduity. Possibly the message bas not been rightly apprehended by him nor wisely and affectionately commended to the people. He ma.y have been indolent in prepara- 1 tion. He may have been cold or stern, haughty or aloof from his hearers, when he should have approached them in a loving brotherly way. Or his own heart may not ~ave opened to receive the message. How, then, can he expect his hearers to be rnterested in it? One cold heart can inspire no warmth in other cold hearts. But when the preacher has done his best in the strength of God, he must leave his message.· At this point the responsibility shifts to the hearers. Even the words of him who spake as never man spake sometimes fell by the wayside and on stony ground. What w?nder if ours seem to fail? The apparent failure of the faithful is indeed no real, failure; the words may fail, but the man has not failed, for he has done his duty-and no man can do more than that.
Ver. 8.-Faithful among the faithless. Ezekiel is to go among the rebellious people; but he is to be most careful not to rebel himself against the will of God. Though he stand alone, yet he must be true. I. A SEVERE TRIAL. It is difficult to be faithful among the faithless. There is a ~ubtle poison in the atmosphere of evil society. No doubt Christ instituted his Church 1J? part that his followers might be lifted out of tho ma.larious regions of sinful associa- t10ns, and drawn into a more wholesome climate of saintly companionship. Ezekiel 36 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL, [on. n. 1-10.