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AT TIIK VISITATION NT(): Mi:\Kv i!n\v>i»:i.i., KfN<; >iTi:Ki:T. i:a>t. ^'^. ^id j\ % ,f nfficininj of t|)t ilpsWrn Mmixv. \.'\/V\.'\^^*- v•v.»'V^.»•^,'^.'^.■V'^*v ^.VN<*^^ *• «s«..^« A SERMON PREACHED IN THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST. JAMES, TORONTO. ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30th, 1856. AT THE A^ISITATIOX OF THE RIGHT llEV. JOHN, FIRST lORD BISHOP or TUB DIOCESE OF TORONTO. BT THE REV. THOMAS BROCK FULLER, A.M. /?««<«r ^ Thofotd, and Ji'iirat than if JS'ifgara. TORONTO: HENRY ROWSELL, KING STREET EAST. 1856. 6-/s^ gxtraet/rom thi Ximftt o/the Sifrntl «fthe Dhmt of roronto, May 2fn/, 1856. "MoTcd hy AMhy Cliust, .»>« . 1 . 3'le, as if God did beseech men by them: .0 do thoy .» fUrisfs "itead press men to be recmcilcd to Oo,l. _ " Ano h'or" nd a more glorious title belonging to the unn.ster or ood is that of 7'''^- S'r;:^:::^: ;•• r^o tw snblimer nature, and arc eailcd a "-""'"7 " ' , ^„ alwa,is behold the face of our heavenly I'athci, •"> ' '""^ "< hU V.U and they are also vUnlsten.;, s,„r,ts, seut or h to ™ nit to thl that are appointed to be hehs of salvat.on; E 1" caUed "the angels of the churches, and also the ^'"/elrSu'of the ministry, arc but men-men of 'ike J ions Id infirmities uith others; but the sublune and Cm no.s end of our .ninistry reflects great honor and at- ^les mmensc importance to it. I'lnngs common or mean Shemsres, acjirc unspeakable excellence and unponanee h, trcia ion .and destiny. And thus God puts great honor S h s"ering serva Js, by intrusting to them the care of 1 ne" -dying soul, and by allowing them .0 be "fellow- IXs^lth Christ." in the great scheme of sa vatmn. And 'ufn U the works of crery other workman shall be forgotten iSn tho noblest paintings that the «orld ever sa« shall a have faded away; when tbc suWiraeat monuments that geniu» ever conceived and skill ever cxecuttd .^hall have mouldered into dust ; wlien the pyramids of Egypt whall ho levelled with the plains around them; vhen the immortal works (so called) of philosoplierj*, Icgishitor,^ historians and poets .«hall he lost; arul when the heavcn« «huU ho rolled together as a ncroll, and all eartidy thing.^ shall he «g if they never had been — then, hrethren, tho eflects of your studies, your visitin*:^ the sick and the dying; your catcchisinj; tlie youn^% and instructing the more advanced ; your preachin ■,' the ^'ospel ; your performance of the offices of the cliurch, and your administration of the blessed Sacraments, slrill >;till CKHithuic and be seen of the assembled universe ! ! ! But, brethren, whilst we thus iioufniftf the office, we feel that wc are hmhUmf tho nuifrnnunt. The high elevation to which wc have been Ciillcd — so far fron» begetting in U3 a vain-gloriouH spirit, calls us to deep self-abasement and rever- eiice. " Woe is me," was the language of the evangelical prophet, when contrasting the high honor conferred upon him with his personal moanncs,^: "Woe is mc, for I am undone; for I am a man of uueloiin l»}>s." How humble, and yet how appropriate the language of 8t. Paul ; " unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, h this grace g'von, that I should preach among the gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." And again: '*! thank Jesus Christ our Lord, who hath en- abled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting mc into the ministry," And who amongst us, brethren, can help feeling our utter un worth iness^ when contemplating the duties of our high and holy calling, or using the unfeif 'led language of this great apostle of the (Jeutiles: *• Who is snilicioutl'or these things?" But, though humbled under a sense ol* our utter unworthi- nesg, we should also ever hear in mind the heavi/ reaponmhilify resting upon us— a responsibility voluntarily incurnrd by ue. I II k Af «.hcpherf.," wc «r. intnwKd V.A tl.e c«r« of God'i Acep. A, wutcW, wo .r« placed ;=. cUa.go of the c.,y. TLt out iato « benisrlucd world, we have cont.uu.Uy .. »h U fol .be lan,p of light" in «l.e -<'»' "^ '"-"^^i .ndpcrvenc generation. A. a.«b:-aao„ of G«l._w «• over to uphold the honour and d.gmty of our "»«'«•;«;"" consult His wbhe,, .nd .» fi.r as m us bcs to promote Hi. '" AnTo'nr responsibilities are um.uu.aably heightened b, the n'mentous'faet, that our office ehiel ly ro,ar,.s ,<«»..^ This is an awful peculiarity of th. . hr.st.an muu try. Tb* merchant, if ho fails in his cte.pnse, loses only l.is V Tertv e tatesman. if unsucoossful i„ his n.easurcs, ayures J, kiU «m,with.hichhe has been in.rustea : the tn.ms- ter of God, t he fails in his duty, ruins the soul intrusted to hU L n the t«-o first eases instanced l.-.c, the eonse. jrr; of their failure are bounded by tl.e V--' ^r'! Tee of e.xistenee; and on the great day of judgn^ent rt trill matter little what estates or kingdoms have been won o r<« ; but in the ease of the minister of Ood, the cffeet w.U be extreme-everlasting, infinite. Th. L.sl so.d umst U^« for e'lr,Tnd will be the wretched monument of h,s negl.genee .rguil ! Oh ! that each of us, my brethren, may ever bear in nind the fearful responsibility which belongs to our office- ILT our ministry hardens and kills, as well as softens and Srns-that^e a. se. 1.^^^^^^^^^^^^^ t tl 2 ZLZlTZl iUTni to the other, the Saviour "' Kwk" with which we are intrusted .Important th; dlgu ty o our office great, and the responsibiUty attached St Ct overwhelming, so are the 'Ifculfes and trm s connected with it ^ r^'^f::::^^,^!' Z'"^ our duty to turn mens aUenti.un. In the language of the great Apostle of the Gentiles, ^ A\ho is Paul, and who is ApoUos ; but ministers, by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man: I have planted; Apol- los watered; but God gave the increase." So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watcreth, but God that giveth the increase. It would be to no purpose for the farmer to sow his seed, unless God should bless it, and make it to spring up and grow. There is no vital- ity in the seed; nor does the earth, into which it is sow^, possess any power of itself to impart life to it, God^tlu. Great Author of life^alonc imparts that life to the seed, ..•hich it neither has in itself, nor can get from tlie_ ground m which it is placed. lu like manner, it would be in vain for the farmer to water his seed sown, unless God should bless it. There is no living principle in the water ; no power m the rains of heaven to make the seed germinate and gi^ow. It is true, that this is the ordinary course of nature, ihe seed is to be planted in tlic earth, the water to descend upon it ; but siiU the life cornea from God alone. These means B 10 are His own appointment. And He, in morcy to tlie wantj* of man and the lesser animals, makes the seed sown to ger- minate ; and nourishes the tender plant Avitli rain from heaven* and strengthens it with the genial warmth of the sun. And so, brethren, it is with the Word of life. Thousands possess that precious Word without being blessed thereby. To thousands the Gospel is faithfully preached, — and yet it proves to them only a savour of death unto death ; for the Word of life has no vitality in itself ; the preaching of the Gospel has no power in itself ; but, when God blesses that Word sown by His ministers in the hearts of His people, theitf and not till then, does it bring forth tlie fruits of a holy and religious life. The seed of Divine life must bo sown in the heart, ami the heart must be prepared for it ; even as the earth is prepared for the seed sown in it : and afterivards it must be cultivated and refreshed with the dews of Divine grace; or the plant of godliness, that springs up in it, will make no shoots upward, nor bear fruit to God's glory, and the good of men. But still it is all of God; just as much as the rich and yellow har- vest is all from God. The souls of men flourish and are fruit- ful, as they are privileged to feel the beams of the Sun of righteousness, and to partake of the refreshing dews of Divine grace. The ministers of God, however able, or liowever devoted, cannot, of themselves, bless the souls of their people. The state of mankind by nature, as described in the Bible, is such that nothing hut the Almightii jjowcr of God is sufficient for this great and most difficult work in which wc are engaged. Men are said to be ^^ dead" in trespasses and sins. What power has mortal man to raise the dead ? Men are described as in themselves *' blind." Who but God can open the eyes of those born blind 'i Their hearts are said to be ** hard and stony." Now what 11 power of mar. can touch sucU hearts, and render tliem soft and tender ? It is tlievefore evident, from the ^vholc tenor of the Bible, that the hearts of men are in God's hands, not m ottr» ; that in the jireat work intrusted to our care, - our gufficiency is of God*" ... How often have we felt this truth, when standnig ni our pulpits, and, castin<^ our eyes over the scores or hundred, before us ; we have seen many, perhaps, who, we have every reason to believe, are living far from God, and unuundful of eternity. . , ' ^i They have been dedicated to God's holy service m the Sacrament of Baptism, whilst tender infants in their mothers arms; but they have not been brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; they have not been fed with that spiritual food which was necessan, for them: and therefore thev are not growing, like our blessed Saviour, *'not only in Btature, but in favor with God" and their fellow creaturen too Some of them have refused to ratify, in their own per- 8ons, their baptismal vows and obligations. Every argument that their anxious parents, their kind sponsors, and you, their faithful ministers, could urge upon theiP, has proved ot no avail ! Neither the earnest entreaties, nor the most forci- ble appeals to their conscience, their duty and their eternal interests, could move them to take upon themselves the pro- mises and vows made for them by their sponsors ni their baptism. They have resolved to bind themselves by m such obligations; they have kept their resolutions, and are now living to the world, and not to God. Others again, have ratified their baptismal vov, and obligations in the holy ordi- nance of Confirmation. The prayers of their parents, their friends, of you their ministers, of the ofiiciating Bishop, and of themselves, appeared to have been heard, and a blessing seemed to have rested upon them. But " the temptations of T^2 the world, the flesh, and the devil" have prevailed over them ; they have fallen from their steadfastness, and are now walk- ing the broad, frequented road that leads to everlasting misery. Others have even partaken at yom- hands of the blessed " Sacrament of Christ's body broken, and his blood shed for them;" but, instead of '• letting their light shine before men, and glorifying their Father which is in heaven/' they are "crucifying afresh the Son of God, and putting Him to an open shame." Others, of whom you have had the strongest hopes, have become so immersed in the world, that though "diligent in business," correct in their deportment, and honourable in their dealings, they have none of that fervency of spirit which becomes the children of God ; and you are led to fear, that " sowing to the flesh, they shall of the flesh reap corruption" only. To these, and to many others, who are habitually doing "those things which they ought not to do^ and leaving undone those things which tliey (mght to do," you have, year after year, spoken the words of eternal life ; you have set before them the emptiness of the world, and the folly of trusting to its delusive promises : you have shown them that " the way of transgressors is hard," and that the portion of those who refuse, or neglect to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, is, and must be everlasting misery with Satan and his fallen angels in the depths of perdition : you have sounded in their cars all the terrors of the Lord; you have besought them, as reasonable men, as responsible creatures, and as heirs of immortality, to flee from the wrath to come, and to secure, ere it be too late, a portion at God's right hand for evermore. Not content (as none of us should be) with doing this, vou have set before them in the clearest manner the pleasures and the blessings of God's service ; the happiness enjoyed by the children of God ; the peace of mind, which is their por- tion : hut, above all, bretlaen, you have endeavoured to win them to God's service by pointing out to tlieni the unparrallclcd love of God, who, in mercy to a sinful and rcbeUious vrorhl, epared not His oivn Son, but gave Him up to become " a man of sorro>YS and acquainted Avith grief;" to suffer, and bleed, and die upon the accursed cross, a ransom for their snis. You have thus endeavoured to ivin them for heaven, by displaying the wonders of the cross, and the unspeakable love of Him who hung there. You, perhaps, have visited them in their seasons of afflic- tion, and stood by them when their nearest and dearest friends bade them adieu for ever. You have endeavoured to improve those solemn seasons for their soul's everlasting good. You have called their attention to the concerns of their own soids ; you have pressed upon them the uncertainty of life, the cer- tainty of death, and the absolute necessity of living ever with their loins girt, ;.nd their lamps burning, ready, even at a moment's warning^ for their summons hence. You have visited them, ^vhen laid on the beds of sickness. You have, in all faithfulness and truth, discharged the duties of your holy office towards them. You have spoken honestly, yet kindly, to them of their past lives. You have compared those lives with the requirements of God's Word. You have told them that no sinful action,— no idle, or foolish or wicked word,— no lustful, or malicious or evil thought, which they have allowed to dwell in their minds, and thus to be made their own, is hid from the eyes of Him, who marketh all these things down in the book of His remembrance, and will produce the account of them before men and angeU on the great day of judgment, unless Hotted out hij the blood of Chmt, You have faithfully pointed out to them that blood ; and yott have earnestly and affectionately besought them to go and wash out their sins therein : and still you have deeply felt that you have spoken to them to little purpose. You have convinced their minds ; but you have not u chanr/ed their hmrts. Like Felix, they trembled, when you spoke to them of *' riorhteousncss, temperance, and judgment to come;'" and if, unlike him, they have not said unto you. *' Go thy V ;.y for this time, when I have a convenient season I will send for thee"— still they have projitcd as Utth by your arguments and entreaties as Felix did by those of St. Paul. But, brethren, I doubt not, your labours have been greatly blessed to others ; and you have amongst those committed tn your care many who will, on the great day of account, bo found seals of your ministry ! !! Still I feel conjident, that in regard to th'is^^, too, you a.re most ready to acknowledge \\\iit your sufficiency has heen of Qod, and that though you endeavoured to discharge your duties towards them, yet the blessing on your labours was from God alone. This was the view taken of his ministry by the grejit apostle of the gentiles. He declared to the Corinthians^hat he had not the slightest idea of commending himself or of taking any credit to himself for anything that he had been enabled to do. He maintained that such a course would be quite unnecessary at Corinth, where they themselves were the most satisfactory proof that could be possibly adduced on his behalf. "Ye are our epistle" (said he), *' written in our hearts, known and read of all men. Forasmuch as yc are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart! And such trust have we, through Christ to God ward; not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything, as of ourselves ; but our sufficiency i.s oi God.*' And tlm was the uniform tenor of his language. When speaking to the same Corinthians of the ahundam*' of his labours, he is still very careful to add, "vet, not I, but the grace of God which was in me." When he assured the PhiUippians—" I know how to be abased, and I know how 15 to abouna; everywhere, and hi all things, I am instructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need;' ho humbly adds, -I can do ail thinrjs through fhrisU who stremjtheneth me," When exhorting the same Christians '^ to ^vork out their salvation ^vith fear and tremb- ling •• he adds, by way of encouragement, the gracious assur- ance— " for it is God that worketh in us, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure." St. Paul was a nian of like passions with ourselves, brethren, and we know that he had ''a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet himf yet he found that God's grace was amply ^' sufficient ^ for iiimr From the hour of his conversion to the day ot his martyrdom, he was set for the defence of the gospel. It was the same grace which is offered to each one of us. that supported him in all dangers and carried him safely through all his trials. Tt was this, which enabled him to speak of himself as ^^in labours more abundant, in stripes ahove measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. It was this, and this «7om', which enabled him to "take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions in distresses for Christ's sake/' It was this, which enabled him to spend and be spent, to fight a good fight to keep the faith : yea, and at last to seal his testimony with his blood. Nor does the church, to which wc have the priTdegeof belonging, fail to teach us the same important lesson. For we read in the 10th Art. that, " we have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God, by preventing us; that wemayhaveagood will and w-ork- ing with us, when wc have that good will." In the Collect for the 2nd Sunday in Lent,-that "wc have no power of our- selves to help ourselves." In that for the 1st Sunday after Trinity,-that "through the weakness of our nature, xve can do no good thing without God's help." In that for the 19th Sunday after Trinity, we aro taught to addres^i our Lord in m tlic«c terms: "OGod, forasmuch us without Thoc we arc not able to please thee ;" and in the 2nd Collect for daily evening prayer wc are taught that, ''from God all holy vc may expect IIi. abmidant blessing on our labom-s. Such plan^ will happily bo adopted as will bind us together a* members of one great family : clergy and laity cordially working together, with our venerable and revered l>iocesar« fm great mercy spared to us beyond the ordinary age .>f Jnun] presiding over an