led; and after the Son Himself is come, and has drunken of the same
cup, after He has died a shameful death, and after they had put their
hands on the heir; yet, when all is done, the Lord sends servants upon
servants, preachers upon preachers, apostles upon apostles to call in
the people of the Jews, to see if they will marry His Son. Then behold
and wonder at all these wonders! and let all knees bow down before God.
Lord stamp your hearts with this word of God: God grant you could be
kind to Him, as He has been kind to you, and testified the same, by
putting salve to your soul, and bringing it into the wedding.

"He sent forth His servants." We may learn from this, that we who are
the brethren in the ministry must be servants, and not lords. I wish at
my heart, that we knew what we are, and that we knew our calling, and
what we have gotten in trust; for we serve the best Master in the world;
but I'll tell you He is the strictest Master that can be. I'll tell
thee, O minister, and I speak it to thee with reverence, and I speak it
to myself, There is a day coming, when thou must answer to God for what
thou has got in charge, thou must answer to God for all the talents thou
hast got, whether ten or two; for all have not got alike. But, dear
brethren, happy is the man, if he had but one talent, that puts it out
for his Lord's use; and Lord be thanked, that He will seek no more of
me than He has given me. There are many things to discourage a faithful
minister; but yet this may encourage us, that we serve the best Master,
and that is a sure recompence of reward that is abiding us. Indeed He
has not sent us out to seek ourselves, or to get gain to ourselves, He
has not sent us out to woo a bride to ourselves, or to woo home the lord
to our own bosom only: but He has sent us to woo a bride, and to deck
and trim a spouse for our Lord and Master. And ye that are ministers of
Glasgow ye shall all be challenged upon this; whether or not ye have
laboured to woo and trim a bride for your Lord: but I know that you will
be careful to present your flocks as a chaste spouse to Him. And we also
that are ministers in landwart, we are sent out for this errand, it
matters not what part of the world we be in, if we do our Master's
service; and the day is coming when thou must answer to God for thy
parish, whether thou hast laboured to present it as a chaste spouse to
Christ. It may gar the soul of the faithful minister leap for joy, when
he