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■ It- t-
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'/aAAAj^J<M7S6L. ,b'4
GOSPEL- SBRM
BY
■ r'-*
Glepgymen of DiffeFent Henomination^.
j^H'
:'^ /7
f/^c.
7 I ■ // '/i
HALIFAX :
British American Book and Tract Society.
k ^
> 1889. > ^
/
^- " ^72.
PREFACE.
IN the following discourses there is a plain and faithful presen-
tation of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Baptists,
Episcopalians, Methodists, and Presbyterians speak in these
pages ; bat the good news of salvation is ever one and the same.
The Committee of the British American Book and Tract Society
are responsible for the publication of the volume, which they hope
will be abundantly owned and blessed by the Spirit of God for the
conversion of sinners and the edification of saints. The volume
will find Its way by the hands of our Colporteurs into thousands of
homes in the most desolate sections of the Maritime Provinces ;
and while there m ly be silence in the sanctuary, or distance, or
illness may detain the worshipper from its sacred courts, these
printed pages will eloquently tell the story of the Redeemer's grace,
and His willingness and power to save to the uttermost all that
come to God by Him. There is but one God, and one Mediator
between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. So long as He is
held forth, so long as Christ, the ciucified and iisen Lord, is
faithfully proclamed, it matters little what name the loyal herald
may bear.
The Committee rejoice to place wiihin reach of all, this happy
demonstration of the essential unity of the followers of Christ. We
quote and gladly adopt the words of the eminent Reformers who
issued the "Harmony of the Confessions of the Reformed
Churches :"
" Let US not th-nk it much to take them for brethren whom God
vouclKsafeth to take for sons. There hath scarce been any age which
hath seen all churches following altogetlier one thing in all points, so
as there hath not always been some differences, either in doctrines or
ceremonies or m manners; and yet were not Christian churches
throughout the world therefore cut asunder. Let us not suffer the
poison of discord to spread ; but let us kill this hurtful serpent, that
we, being by a frieiully league united together in Christ, may vanquish
all antichrists and may smg that hymn to the Lord our (Jod, 'Behold
how good and joyful a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in
LIFE IN CHRIST.
^'
BY REV E. M:. SAUNDERS, D. D
" For ye are flead, and your lif«i is hid with Christ in Uod ; when
Christ, \'ho is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him
in Glory, Mortify, therefore, your mtmbers which are upon earth." —
Cor. 3; 3, 4, n.
ARTHLY mombors, fornication, nncleanncss, passion,
evil (le-iiro and covetousness, wliich is idolatry, should
be mortified, because the old sinful life is /oaf, the now
holy life is /(>un(f, is conc-aled and will be reveuleil in
the final revelation of Christ, who is* the life of all the
The change to which all irrational creatures are born, and
by whicli their short (existence is terminated, comes also upon
man. The soul returns to God wlio gave it, and tlie dust returns
to the earth w?ience it came. This is death. It is not annihila-
tion, it is separation. Here separation, and not extin(>tion, is too
evident to admit of doubt. But what of tlie first use of the
word death found in scriptures'? The penalty hung over the
heads of the parents of the human family for (>ating forbidden
fruit, was death. They ate what was forl)idden, and, according
to the Word of the Lord, they died. But they remain in
possession of all the faculties of body, mind and sjiirit. There
is no annihilation, but there is separation. The guilty, fallen
creatures know it ; they feel it. What God, in creating them,
has johied together, sin puts asunder. What has been forced
apart ? They were created holy ; they bore the moral image of
their Maker. Tlu; law of righteousness was the law of their
lives. From being holy they became imholy. The law of
6
LIFE IN CHRIST.
righteousness was exchanged for tlie law of sin. Heaven's
eniploynientH an.l i.leuHiires by tlie fall lost tluur power to control
and satisfy Adam and Eve and all their seed. After the tran.s-
gression there is no resjjonse to their appeals. They call to
dead beings. There is no life. "They are dead in tresspasses
and sins."
In th(! text tluire is another death. The niend)ers of a
Corinthian Church are told that tlu^y are dead. This is the
inspired designation of their moral and si)iritual state. How
shall we cli.arly see this condition of this community of believers?
They are told that before they acc.>i)t(Hl Christ they had walked
and lived in fornication, uncleanness, inordinate alfection, evil
concupiscence, covetousness, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy,
lying and filthy communication. Now they are different. A
radical change has taken place. Once they were hiwlessand
godless ; now they are lunnble and devout, perfecting holiness
in the fear of God. The death of the tyxt points to this change.
It is the reversal of the death in Eden. Tiiere holiness was lost
and sin found ; hero sin is lost and holiness found. There the
law of righteousness was exchanged for the law of rebellion
against Cod's government. The first change is called death ;
the second is also called death. In both cases it is separation'
and not annihilation. As heathen, sin reigned in their mortal
bodies and in their immortal souls. But they died to sin and
were made alive to God. The unholiness' of their natures
vanished and gave place to the righteousness of Christ. " I
was alive without the law once, but when the commandment
came sin revived and I died." This was the personal experi(Hice
of Saul of Tarsus. The loss of one life precedes the obtaining
of another. The cross crucified Saul to the world, and the
world to Saul.
To every Christian, therefore, the world is a dead, corrupt
body. The life has gone out of it. The things loved are
hated ; the things hated are loved. The analogy is both graphic
MFE IN CHRIST.
iind (Mupliatic. What aro the earth, skios, soasonn, storms, lieat,
cold, ilarkiKiss and li<,dit, the commotions and activities of
country, city and town to men and women Hleepin<,' in tlicir
graves'! They liear not, they see not, they can^ not for these
thin<^s. The screech of steam, tlie roar of tratlic, the feverish
competition of tlie marts of commercie, the |>omp and jf litter of
fashion, and the endless strug<,'les for existence ami pleasure
are nought to them. They are dead to them. To the single
and unitcid a|)peali-' of the world, the flesh ami the adversary,
ever fruitful in devices of seductive power, christians are as
irresponsive as the buried generations are to the material ohjecta
of the life from which they have disappeared. The text, there-
fore, tcsaches that there is a
Life Ix)ST.
Closely joined to the loss of this life is the finding of another
life. Immediately following the words, " Ye are dead,' come
the words, "your life." Of himsielf l*aul says, "I am crucified
with Christ, nevertheless I live." The end of the old life Wiis
the Ijeginning of *-lie new. Out of the decay of the seed-corn
comes the germ of another plant. No sooner do the soul and
sin Hei)arate than the soul and holiness come tog(;ther. Tlu; old
fire goes out and the new fire is kindhnl. No one can tell when
the death of the seed in the soil is complete, and when the new
life begins. The law of Cod with the sword of the Spirit
smites the old man and he dies. But the exhaling of the last
breath of the natural man is followed by the inhaling of the
first breath of the si)iritual man. Where death to sin ends, life
to holiness begins ; hence the text tells of
Life Found.
When discoursing on this great subject Christ said, " 1 am
the life." " I give unto them eternal life." The source then
of the; Christian's life is not far to seek. " I live," said the old
apostolic hero, "yet not T, l)ut Christ lives in me." The supply
is not produced from within. It comes from without. Jesus
8
MFB m CIIRIHT.
lo the Houive. In tin, holy <loj)ths of His otornal natun, is thn
fountuMi wh„n.;(. flow the, countkss stmiins, vitiilizing iind
rofrcshiajr the, uiicoin.t.'d hoarts Hll,.,l with loyalty and love to
ilmi. Not those alon^ „n ,.arth draw from' this source, hut
uulhons hofon, tho Tiirone also. From Him it is communicati'd
to every re.leenn^d soul, as the oil to the lamp. Th(> seven
howls on Uie s.n'en eandlestic^ka, the sevon pi])es and the* two
olive trees supi)lyin^r the oil, ,„,' the Prophet's fi<.ure bv which
he repres,.nts the Spirit flowing into the hearts of all saints ;
and tluui their achievements an- not by might, not hy power,'
but "by my Spirit, saith the Lonl of hosts." From* God all
life i)roceeds. At first His Spirit br.K.ded over dead matter,
and, under his inspiration, death produced life. " Thou sendest
forth thy S])irit, they are created ; Thou takest away Thy
Spirit, they die and return to their dust." P.ut Christ's life
given to .lead siinu-rs .lillhs from all lif,.. It is neither Innnan
nor ang(di.-. It reanimates the dry, I)I<.ached bones, scattered
over the world's valley of ,leath. The wcrds of Christ, instinct
with His S].irit, })orne by the silent voice of the Holy Ghost,
by the printed ])age, and by the speech of living h,.ral(is of the
cross, produce a shaking among disjointed skeletons. The
result is reconstructiv.', the laying on of sinews, the covering
with flesh and skin, and the rising up of a great army. Ezekiel's
vision of bones is transformed into a vast army o/ living men.
Dead matter, s(!ientists declare cannot produce life. Life is
notself-^vnerated in dea.l .souls.-" If thou had'st known the
gift of (iod, and who it is that si)eaks to thee, thou would'st
have asked of Him and He would have given thee living water.
It would be in you a w,dl of water, sj.ringing up into evcTlasting
life." So spake Christ to the woman of Samaria. This shows
that the life of the text is from
Christ.
Great indeed is the difference between the jierishabh^ and the
imperishable. These elements determine value. For the value
LIFK IN CimiHT.
9
of an iirti('l(' depends soiiH^whiit upon its power to resist wear
nnd d(U'iiy. The holiness of man's nature, given at his creation,
was not eternal. It was expos(Ml to dissolution. The evil that
was j)ossihle came and man fell. He lost his holiness. The
imag(! of God vanished. What was not given hy the Creator
has been obtained and given hy the Saviour. The elements of
the original structure, material, moral, mental and spiritual, were
laid in ruins. (Ireat was the overthrow. How ditlerent would
man's history have l)een had there ])cen no jn-ohation ; or had
ho passed through it luispotted hy sin! .Men, animated l>y
eternal lift^ would have Imhmi the peers of angels in liojiness and
service. l>ut in Ilis ways, wliicli ;ue not our ways, the Creator's
decrees niade it otherwis(!. Had the licly life, first bestowed rin
man, contained in itself i»ei'manen"y and tlie j)ower to survive
and flourish amid the dissolution of a perishulile universe, then
the world, instead of being an Aceldama would have been a
Paradise. Hut the life given was lost. Milton, however, is
justified in singing of a Paradise regained. The new life oll'ered
is not subjected to the conditions of the old life. There is for
it no })rol)ation. The; life is eternal, essentially eternal, li
matters not at wliat stage of life it is received, its continuance is
as certain as its Ix-giiuiing. It livens and flouri.sbes amid all the
vicissitudes jjossible in tiie history of man. Friends, families
ar.d communities may be torn asunder and .scattered far and
wide, l)ut the life of Cod in the soul dies not. It thrives in the
hut of the ])easant, and in the })alace of the rich. Poverty does
not crush it, neitluu- does luxury smother it. " I give mito
them eternal life." " Because 1 live, ye shall live also." When
tlie gates of death open, strengthened with a fortitude that never
shrinks, and with a courage that never quails, the Christian fears
no evil, Imt counts it a boon not only to beli(>ve on Christ, l)ut
also to suirer and die for Him. This is the evidence of tho
power and inspiration of the eternal life, derived from Christ,
and manifested in this world. After crossing tlie boundary,
10
LIFE IN CHRIST.
dividing this from tlie life beyond, still the life in the soul goes
on. As John in vi.sion saw tlic glorified source of life, and
heanl Him say, "I am He that liveth and was dead, and,
behold, I am alive forever more." So every Christian will see
Him. With Christ in glory the redeemed of every age >and
nation will en.joy the certainties and blessedness of eternal
existence, l-'arallel with the curi'(>nt of life, emanating fi-om all
the unfallen intelligenctvs, and with that of Christ Hijnself, the
volume of the life of the redeemed will flow on and on throu<'h
the eternal future. The life, therefore, found is
Eternai<.
The works and ways of God are i'emarkal)le for the smallness
and simplicity of the means employed, and the vastness <jf the
results secured. The acorns in a boy's pocket will produce a
grove of great trees. As it is in nature, so it is in religion.
What purposes were hidden at birth in the boys Luther, Calvin,
Knox, Whitfield and Si.urgeon ! Eighteen hundred years ago
there was in eml)ryo the life of the redeemed of every age and
nation, in the Babe clasped in Mary's arms in a stable at
Bethlehem. In that a[)i)aren.;y small beginning, results too
grand and far reaching for mortal comprehension, Avcsre concc^aled.
The life that is given by Christ goes on in infinite development,
—"first the blade, then the ear, and then the full corn m the ear."
The study t)f the believer is not confined l)y narrow limits.
The history, nature and duty of man; the setluctions and
tendencies of the world ; the wiha and devices of the adversary;
the work, the ways, the av,". ind government of (Jod ; the
relation of nian to man ; of man to this world and the world to
come ; and of man to his .Xfaker, are sources from which know-
ledge is d(!riveil. The Word and Spirit of God are the helps
used. The development of the life found includes the increase of
Knowledge.
Co-incident with the accumulation of knowledge is attainment
in wisdom. Study and experience are not barren soil. They
LIFK IN CHRIST.
11
bear muoli fruit. Wisdom and understanding are given to
those vvlio seek their treasures. The Ciiristian understands the
conceits of unbelief, the ways of th(^ fleslj and the stratagems of
the evil one. The skill to ai)proi)riate the knowledge; ol)tained,
to discern the hidden things in retlemjjtion, and to interi)ret the
government of (iod, and the revelations of the iJibli', is attained
in the unfolding of the life of God in the believer. Then the
attainments of the Christian in the matiiring of the new life
includes the gaining of
Wisdom.
Love, too, that dominating, pervasive grace, like the other
vital forces of the new life, increases more and more. The
bonds of the brotherhocjd become stronger and stronger. With
the increase of knowledge and wisdom there is an increase of
love. The sympathies go out mor(! and nu)re warndy to Chi-ist
and His kingdom. The comi)assion for lost, tleluded men grows
witli the life of the follower of Jesus. Constrained by the
love of God in the soul, sacrifices are made to give the blessings
of salvation to the ignorant and degraded. Under the insj)ira-
tion of this growing grace missions have revived in our day,
charities have s[)rung up anil are sustained, prejudices between
races and sects have yielded to its coiKjnering ])(iwer, and the
world begins to blossom as the rose. Th<> love of Christ, lillinji
and thrilling the souls of those ahve in Him, is leading indivi-
duals aiid conimunities back to hajipiness and (Jod. The
blessings of peace and ]»ros].erity abounil in ])roportion to the
growth of this Christian virtue. The growth of the life found
implies great increase in
Love.
Faith, too, that finds its labours both light and heavy in
this sphere of action, does not remain stationary. At first it is
difficult to believe all that God lias said — »lifhcult to take Christ
at Ids word. The heart's language is, " Lord I I elieve, help
Thou mine unbelief," But tliis state of soul does not continue.
12
LIFE IN CHRIST.
Weakness gives plat^o to strongtli. Constant employment
secures growth. Where reason fails faith comes in. The Word
of God is believed. Not merely in theory does the soul give
credit to what God says. Witli the heart the belief is unto
righteousness. As God reveals Himself, so He is believed.
" All things work together for good to them that love God."
On this the believer rests. Tt is a rock beneath his feet. He
sees God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. He sees
God in his own salvation. Adversity and prosperity are both
alike to the soul, held u]) by a well d(n'elot)ed faitli. The
Christian trusts God. His life is conformed to His laws. As
he ])elieve'-' so he acts. With the ex])ansion of thi> new life
there is an increase in
Faith.
The Christian grows. At last he is the " .shock of corn fully
ripe." There may l)e reverses. The intimate connexion of
body and sj)irit, and the success of tem})tation, interrui)t the
uniform and regular d(!veloi.ment of the life of Christ in the
soul of the siiint. The mind is sometimes beclouded by age and
disease;. There are, therefore, interrujjtions in the growth of
the Cliristian gi-aces. This, however, is only t(Mnporary, and is
possi])le only on this side of death. B(>y()ud that point nothing
repressivi^ or adverse will ever come. There the ])lants of the
Lord an; in a congenial clime. Earth's tropical regions are not
more favounibl(> to V(>g(>table life than is the presence of Christ
in glory to the unfolding and maturing of the eternal life of
redeemed souls. Their employment and i)leasures, and the
ability to do (Jod's will and enjoy His i)resence are boundless.
" p]very power finds sweet employ
In that Eternal world of joy, "
The life, therefore, found by the soul is a life destined to infinite
Development.
is searched in vain for true analogies of si)iritual realities,
•r as they are, they serve to ludp the mind in its attempts
Natl
But
LIFE IN CHKIST.
13
to apprehend the facts of revehitiou. It is said that tlio seed
corn of wheat, huried for thousands of years in the swathings of
Egyptian nuunmies, did not lose its vegetabki vitality. Dry
and hard though it was, yet life was concealed in it ; and now
wheat fields all ov«',r the world wave with its life. All manner
of seed, bearing the appearance of dead niatt(M', is known to
retain in itself hidden life. Believing this the farmer commits
it to the soil, and is not disai)i)ointed. The egg of the insect,
the cocoon of tlie worm, although ])earing no appearance of
vitality, yet contain in themselves the germs of life that appear
in due season. A man, whose life had been sj^ent amid the
perennial and abounding vegetable life of the troi)i(;s, and who
had never heard of the seasons of our latitmle, wcfuld find it
hard to l)elieve that our forests and lields were tilled with hidden
life under the de])ths o' our snows and in the cold gvij) of
winter frosts. Experience has taught us that under lifeless
forms real life is concealed, — concealed in seeds, cocoons,
branches, trunks and roots. The life found by the sinner, who
dies tn sin, is not all on tiie surface. " Your life is hid with
Christ in (Jod." In this world it is mostly in the rot)ts. The
soil here is the same as in Heaven. In the heart of Christ, of
Christ in God, the new life linds its hidden depths, its divine
source of supply. To the question, how deep does it go down 1
the reply comes back, as deep as the nature of Christ in (iod.
What is the character of its nourishment and the certainty of
its supplies'? Christ is our life. That answers all enquiries of
this kind.
Then, the life found is hidden
With Chuist in God.
Winter months end. Sweet voices and nourishing ageiuiies
herald life-giving spring. Life, concealed in the worm's grave;
the dry seeds, the roots, rootlets, trunks, branches and buds
obeys the call to come forth ; and grace, beauty and grandeur
appear in the revelation. The singing of birds and the voice of
14
LIFE IN CHRIST.
the turtle are heard in the land. Death is vaminisliod, life haa
conciucred. Escajjed from its prison, tlie worm does not come
forth to crawl. On daint;/ wings of matchless colouring it
batlies itself in a sea of .sunlight.
In pro])hecy Christ, seeing the lowly condition of those Ho
came to save, and in identifying Himself witli them, said, " I
am a worm and no man." Israel, th(t great Patriarch, is called
" the worm Jacob."' So low did another ont^ find himself that
he .said to the worm, " thou art my mother and my sister." Still
another said, "man is worm and the son of man is a worm."
Tiius man finds him.self in life. In deatli he is still lower. He
is carri(Hl to the grave tiilcc' with dishonour, weakness and
corruption. This, iiowever, is not the end.
Eighteen hundred years ago, a young man, the Son of man,
the Son of (rod, in raiment and a[)pearance a i)easant Jt^w, stood
with his twelve followers in a group of mourners, near the town
of Bethany. Professional women wailed and ])eat their breasts.
K(!al friends wej)t sinciu'cly with the two sisters who mourned
the loss of their dear brother. Jesus, touclieil with tiiis grief,
mingled His tears with theirs. Lazarus has been in his grave
four days. His tomb is l)ut one of many. Tlie valleys and
hillsides are peoplinl with the buried generations of tliis
Prophet's ancestors. From Abraham to Lazarus deatli had been
at work. The vision of the >vee|)ing Jesus is not bounded by
the sepulchres of the Jewish nation. The dead before the flood,
at the flood, and after the flood, till tlie .sound of the trump of
God shall be heard by the generations of every land, were before
His eyes iis He stood we('j)ing with Mary and Martha. Witli
this ghastly vision si)read out before Him, the weeping Man
said, "I am th(^ resurrection and the life." "Peace be still,"
from the same lips, had calmed the raging winds and allayed the
battling waves on tlie sea of Galilee. These words, uttered in
the hearing of a group of mourners, were intended to quiet that
storm of grief aroiuid Him, and to go down the ages soothing
LIFE IX CHRIST.
15
troubled hearts. Before Iliin are the graves of saints and
sinners. His friend Lazarus l)elongs to tlie former. What
does He mean by uttering these words? At the l)iddiiig of
this Man of humble appearance would all the graves of all the
ages give u]) their dead 1 Let us see. In tones of authority
He cried, " Lazarus come forth." Lazarus came forth. These
words from His lips, echoing through the cave where th<> dead
brother lay, did not rebound to mock His power and authority.
He was not derided by their emj)ty echo.
In further confirmation of His i)()wer over graves, He took
life for Himself. When His rigid, coltl, wounded body was in
Joseph's new tomb, His sjjirit, self-acting, returned to its fallen
tabernacle, and Jesus was again alive. His immortal j)art came
back at the appointed time and claimed the mortal which was
not suffered to see corrujjtion.
Resplendent in His own personal glory He manifests Himself
to John and says, " I am He that liveth and was dead, and am
alive for evermore."
" When He shall api)ear, then shall ye also ajipear with Him
in glory." Remember the analogies ; forget not the proi)hetic
})romises. The time is fixed. The world hastens to it. " He
shall come in clouds, and every eye shall see Him." "There
shall be a resurrection, both of the just and unjust." At His
bidding "the voice of the Archangel and the tnunj) of God
shall sound." "The dead in Christ shall rise first." They,
together with the living Saints, who sliall be changed in a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, " shall l)e caught up to
meet the Lord in the air, and so they shall be forever with the
Lord."
In the redemption of the soul various agencies are employed.
Prayer is offered, truth is })reache(l or read, the soul repents and
believes. In the resurrection there is no co-o})eration. Men
and angels stand aside. The redemption of the soul extends
over time ; the redemption of the body is in the twinkling of an
16
MFE IN CHRIST,
eye. Christ speaks. Tlic dead licar and awake, "some to
everlasting life, and some to everlasting shame and contempt."
This is a sudden, a grand act. When Christ, who is the
life of the Saints, appears, then shall their hidden life emerge
from Him in a great disjilay of glory. With bodies like inito
His most glorious body, re-united with their ransomed sjtirits,
believers will, with Christ, enter through their resurrection into
the bless(,'dness and glory of the Heavenly world. There they
will have the fullness of eternal life.
The text, therefore, teaches tliat Christians will have a full
revelation of the glory of their life when Christ appears in
Glory.
This is the conclusion of the whole matter. The origin and
destiny of tiiis life calls for the casting off of every form of e^il.
This discussion should lead the Christian to surrender body and
spirit to the service of God. His grand future is set in clear
liglit. In view of it he should seek Heaven. If believers are
candidates for this honor, this glory, what manner of [)ersons
ought they to be 1 A future so certain and glorious should raise,
ennoble and refine the souh
Like tile pillar of cloud, thif;, revelation is darkness to the
unconverted, but light to the saved. To sinners Christ says,
" Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life."
THE OTllFJl l(OI»,BI-:iJ.
/
BY REV. D. A. STEELE. •
Matt. 27 . 38, 44. Likk 2.! : ;«».
IHST iiiul last ill the iJihlc tlicrc aiv sovcral tiinos
presented to us tlie types of belief and disbelief. Tlie
fwc cliildivn iir.st born into the world, ("ain and Abel,
rej, resented two elas.ses. So was it in the ease of
-laeob anil Esan. The latter, with all that .-an be said
in his favor, was still s])iritually unwise ; the former, with all
tliat ran be said against him, was a man of j,raver, persistent
and prevailing. 1 1 is signilieant that at the cross these two tyiK3s
ii])i)ear. In the homely lines of dohn Xewtoa :
"When the Lord was crucilicd.
Two ti-ansgi'essoi-.s with him died ;
()nc with hohl, blaspheming tongue,
Scotl'ed at Jesus as he iumg.
l>ut the otlier, touched witli grace,
Saw the danger of liis case.
Faitli received to own Ids Loi'd,
Whom the scrilies and priests ahliorr'd."
Oftentimes has the conscrsion of the dying thief been the
tlietne of the preaidier. It has formed the sul)j(>et of exhorta-
tions innumerable, as at the be.lside of th(> .lying sinner the
servants of (lod have brought this up as a last eiir,,uragement
to "behold the Lamb of (Jod wliieh taketh away (he sin.s^of the
worhl." But we shall a.sk the liberty of turning our attenti,-n
to th.M)ther, the representative of the sullen, God-defying .lass,
who live, and who die unalleeted by either the severity or the
goouness of the Lord.
18
THK OIHKH ItOHUKK.
r. Li't lis dwell !i iiioiiM'iit (HI the fai'-i't'iii'liiiig, Mindiiij:; iiiid
liMitidizin}^' iiaturc of sin. It would lie u lesson to us all, if we
could Ict'.in that sin is not an clcnicnt of our nature, l)ut an
inii)r(!<,'nation. Not one faculty is allei'te*!, but all. We are so
.saturated with evil, that there is no hoju- for us, except some
counter-halanc^ii}^' aj^'ent he introduced. Sin is uinial poison,
taintin},^ oiii' whole nature, for which, if there lie not a sovereifj;!!
anti(h)te, eternal tleath must ensue. This is exem])lilied in the
case liefon^ us. We know not anythin<^ of the history nf this
miseral)le man ; hut is it not hii^hly jirohahle that he had
enjoy(!(l some relii^ious advantag(!s'J In that small country it
was almost impossible to escape moral instruction. The syna-
ffof^ue was open, the Scriiitui'es \vere read every Sabl>atli-day,
the children of the jtoorest were tauijht the lienij^ni precejits of
Moses. It re<[uires no f^reat stretch of imaj^nnation to sii]ipose
that this man when young had leained the great ten words of
Moses, as the -lews terms tlie ten commandments. It is scarcely
j)ossible that any child brought up in Palestine could have
missed being taught his dut\ to(iod and his neighbor. Are we
going loo far to su]tpos(! that this unfortunate had lieard the
holy p.salm in the Tem]>le had looked on while the sacrititcs
were being ofi'ered 1 He had been a child, a soft-cheeked, tender
babe. The veriest wretch on earth was that once. A niothei'
had yeai'ned and snnled over him, had entertaim.'d hopes for
him, had tried to jiierce the King vista of years to see what her
boy might become. lie had grown older and rougher, had at last
associated with lawless men, had gone from ))ad to wor.se,
until a robber's crimes hail condemned him to a felon's chains
and a felon's doom, and now, even in the agonies of crucifixion,
he railed at the innocent One. The ])atient, jiraying suiierer
gave vent to the malice of his heart, and he joined with the
ribald crowd below, the seething mass of spectators glorying in
their crime, in gloating over the degradation of the Saviour.
Matthew's account is very vivid. Read carefully chajiter 27 :
THK OTIIKH HoliHKU.
19
and
39 44. IJcliold man k-ft t(. hiiuHclf: The K<'i»tlt'iimiily
Pharisee, the lah-iited IcnkNts of the ] |.lr, the rev.-ivinl chief
pvicsts, the h'ai'iied scribes mid el.h'i's, uniting' with the crowd
ill hrutal harshness. -lie saveil others; l,iMis..if he cuniiot
sav<-." (*ouid anythin^r more clearly e.\].ress the ulicrly cruel
nature of the human heart ? ".And the rol.hers that were cruci-
fied with him cast uin.n him the same ivj.roacli." [ IJevised
Version.] lh>], and low, jiri.'sts, pcopl,. aii.l the very malefac-
tors on the crosses l.cside liim, with one voice unite to scoir and
<i<'ri<le the Son of .Man, to twit liim with His former stren^'th,
to taunt Him with the weakness of not l.einu mI)1c to deliver
Hunself. ".\h. Thou nnracle-worker. work a mira-le now that
the spikes impah- Tliee! Thou di.l.st raise tlm .l..ad, didst
th(.u ? Comr 'lotrn/nun fhv rru.-^s and we will l.(dicve on the ! "
Such was the state of ndnd, su<-h the way in whi.'h the .]('\v><
ar«^nied in ]»resence of this awful mysfei'V.
Let us iH'ware how we condemn these people, for thev W(>re
hutrepre«"ntativesofa!l the race. X.itoidy then, hut ever sine.',
does the same heartlessness prevail. " d.'sus Christ is evi.lently
set forth crucitied anions- you." hut with what ellecl I 'I'he leper
is too j.niud to ask for cleansing-. The ti--er-natur<' is vindictive
as ever. Sceptic and j.rii'.st, the heads of tl,.- people, and tho
KH'at multitude, in one way and in another, a^ive in crucifyinu-
the Lord. The anardiist scoljs at Him, the dew derides liini"
the .scholar puts Him upon the .same Irw] with other-- 1 men,
tlie artizan and the capitalist unite to say : "The preaidnn-;' of
the cross is foolishness, fit only for women and children."
Many years since, there was a nuilin,uht tragedy on the hi^di
seas. The ca]itain of the shij. was ruthlessly murdeivd. and his
hody tluno- ovcrhoard. One of the i)erpctrat()rs professed to
belong to a christian hody ; anion-- the a.'complices was a lad of
tender years, the child of a j.ious father. .\n a(;complice in the
a.--.a.s.sination of President Lincoln, was the ,s(,n of a minister.
Wliat we mean hy all thi-s, is that sin is in our nature, l.lindin-'
20
TIIK OTIIKK UOIJIIKU.
IIS, liiinl('iiin;,'iis ; and tliat wliilc \V(^ arc^ iiinii/.cd at tlic calloiisncHs
of tliii iinpciiitciit ii)I)1km', wh may WfU look within, and liund)ly
and witli ■Iiamc (»\vn that we hidon^,' t<> the saint; dcj^fcncraa' rac»\
In jtassini;, wc wunid pnint ont the tact tliat mijj'frhif/ (/(»•»
not rli<i)u/t' this hdi'd itdfiiri'. A'^nnics of IhmIv do not convert
the Hinnci'. Wc liavc, known duiinj; a i>rotra(ttc(l cxpciicncc,
many instances in which a chan.^'t; secme.il to have hccn wronj^dit
dni'inj^ sickness, hut cjin scarcely recall one in which it was
nianifesteil after the recovery of the [tatient. IJy the ^race n|'( iod
sonieare le(| tohelievein tlu) Crucilied ( )ne thronj^h alllictions, hut
.snU'erinj^f of its(df merely hanks njt the slnmherin;^' tires. Some-
times it ihtrfi not even do tliat. \\'e have known those who
have heen heroes of Satan till the last. Like the case lud'on;
us, they havi' hurled forth cursi's with their <lyin<.^ l)reath.
Take lu'(!d, () younj^ friend, <d' "the hardening of the heart that
hrings irreverence; for the dreams of youth."' Endeavour to retain
the siiui)l(( fiiith of cliildiiood, when you lisped at the knee, of
your mother :
" Gentle Jesua, meek ami mild,
r^ook iijjoii a little child ;
Pity my .siniplicily,
Suffer me to come to Thee."
II. SlNNEIlH I'EUISll WITHIN SkjIIT OK A SaVIOUU.
( Jaze ui)on the picture, more minute, more touching in the
words of tli(! evangelists than the hest ever jiainted with a hrush.
iiehold tlij three sullerers : ,lesus in tht; midst. The Messiah
died iii'st. Th(> image of the crucified Lord was imi)rinted on
the retina of this man's eye; and, if the theory l»e true, that the
liist thing one sees remains fixed ujion the sensitive-plate of that
most perfect camera obscura, the human I'ye ; he died with the
image of the Saviour iixed upon his brain. The words of the
Kedeenu'r, the wondrous sentences uttered at diHerent periods
during the crucitixion, were the last echoes in the chambers < *"
las soul. Could unvone have a better chance of eternal life 1
THK OTIIKK ItOHIlKK.
21
One word, mic look, one ln-ciith of desire, and the ^riifio\is One,
Wduld have Hiiiil t«i him als(t, "Tn-day th<»u shalt lie with me in
I'uradi.se." Hut the jmhu' infatuated suH'erer
" i'( ris|ui<l, iiH too 111 my <lo,
With ii S:ivioiir in his view."
Even S(i, men sh'i'p tlic sleep (if death, with tlie hlllaliies iif
Christiainty soundin;.; in their <'ars. The eunstant hearer
hecomes used to it all, and at hist sinks into thi- waves with tho
jilaidi of salvation close lieside him. 'I'he Sunihiy-school scholar
puts off (dosinj^' with the (itlci's ni etei'iial love ^'ets harder and
hiinU'r, and at last falls a victim to disease, his memory scorecl
with texts of Scripture. 'I'he person who may lie m menilier of
the church, yet who does not really ,Ljet a saving' \iew ni i 'hrist,
perishes as suridy as this man <lid. " Ve must he liorn aj^ain."
An(h to he still nioi'c in keepinif with the suhject on hand, the
liardeued man, who tfjoi-ies in his sins, and liki's to detail them
to listenin,!,' knots of youii}.,' people, who scmiis the commands of
dehovah, spends the Lord's Day in his own pleasures, drivin*x or
hoat-sailin<4', in driidviujj,' oi- Ljamlilin;^' ; who is ]irofane, " takinj,'
the name of (lod in vain ;'" who is licentious, spoilin,i( the ha]>pi-
ness (if II lidiiic whei'c innocence dwelt ; wlio takes that which
does not helon.if to him. v.hetlier forcilily or liy stealth, must
imvitahly "'^n away into everlastimj; ])unishment.'" No man
who does these thiiiL;'s can inherit the Kini^nlom of (iod. And
these fhin,L;s are all heinif done close to the ]iuljiits where desu,,
's preached in all His savin;^ ahility. .\ few yeai's a,Lio, a vessel,
richly laden siL!;hted Halifax liai'lioin' and took on hoard her
]iilol. I'hat ni^lit a storm ai'ose, and the ship was never seen
more. Her ci'cw and the pilot were lost, eveiT soul. Sii(l,
uns]ieakalily sad t.ouchin,y our (leepesi sensihilities. ^■et,
spiritually s]ieakin,L!,', this ifoes on uncejisinifly. Multitudes of
all classes, are sinking into perdition, "desus Chi'ist evidently
set forth crucified before them." I>yin,L,' even ai'ound the ( "ross !
jierishinjf from under the ]iul]tit I lost out of the hest families,
99
IMK oTIIKIi lUmUKli.
wlitTi' till' Hilili' is rend, and tlit- diiily sacrifice awccnds. O
(}(»(!, (Hir (1(1(1, iiu'lt (»ur heart: , and lead us in true |»('nitence to
accejit tliine olVerei] salvation.
III. Tin; I-<isi iiAvi; Iv^ial < )i'i'()inuNirii:s with thk Saved,
ThoHC men had an ei|ual chance. HotJi heard the utteniuceH
("t" (uir Ldid. '• l''(tr<,dve thein, l''ather'}" ",M\(1(m|. niydud,
why hast ThdU forsaken nie ('" and the other heartrending' cricsH
even to the last, when IJeciicd with a loud voice, "Father, into
Thy hands I coinniend niv sj'irit." The one must have heard
the lirief, hut jirej^niant collo(|uy hetween his coni|ianion and
the Saviour: " Lord, reinendter me when Tho\i comest in Thy
kin^'doni," and the j^'racious answer (»f the I'rince of Life "•
" \'erily I say unto thee, this day tiiou shiilt he with nie in
Paradise." That, surely, must have touched him chtsely, and
ought to have caused him to malce the same i'e(|uest. liut no:
the self-will, prejudice and folly of sin ]>revaile(l. He liraved it
all out. [They both saw also, the stranj^'c portents accompanying?
tiuvt awful tragedy, the sun lilack from noon-tide till .'i oVlock.
( Mie of the criniiuids heard, saw, and helievcMl ; the other
remained lirm in his obstinacy, refusing to seize tliis one gracious
opportunity, ^'ou have won(lere(l sometimes at the apjiMreiit
harshness of the words of l)r. Watts :
" i'\)()ls iiovtM' I'aise their tliouglits so liij^li,
Like beasts they live, lilvu lnjasts they die,
Like brutes they perish ."
Hut are they really to(5 .severe ? What woi'ds can adeiiuately
charaitterize the utter carnality of the man who with all the
(»l)portunities of being .saved, sidlenly rejects thorn 1
The centuries have come and gone, and tlie same transaction
is being enacteil over again. .Men go to the same hou.se of
Worship, .sit in the same jiew, hear the sanu' good Word of (lod,
unite in the same hymn of thanksgiving, listen for a life-time
to tlie same exjutsitions of doctrine, the same expostidations, the
'
TiiK (iinKK n(»itiii;i{.
23
same liviiij; cntrcatv to cninc to -Ichus — to rcju^it of their hIiis,
iirul to hclicvf on tlic only iM-^'ottcii Son of (Jod, ainl wliilc mdiuo
of the |M'o)il<' yield tlicilisclvcs to the all-loving' ( Mie ; others
shut their ears, or carelessly listeti. Sometimes they are atfected
for a moment, the tears j^disteii in their eyes, hut they stiHe their
emotions, and resist all the j^'racious inlluences hearing' upon
thetn. Harder and iiarder, less and less susceptihle, until they
ean listen to the most powerfvd aitjieais unnujved. Calm as
statues they sit and as cold. " I must K^'t out of this," said a
hearer when the Word of Cod was piercing' him, "or 1 will he
I'onverted." " Vc will' not come to me that ve mav have
life."
"And is it tnie that niiiiiy fly
Till' Houii'l tliat l)i(l.s my soiil rejoice,
.Ami rather (Ikkkso witli fools to die,
i'haii lend an ear to mercy's voice ;
Witii such I own I once ajjpeared,
I5iit now 1 know how great thcii- Iohs;
For sweettT sounds were nevei- lieard
Tiian mercy utters from tlie cross."
Let yoiH' lan«,Miao(' he, my dear reader, tliat of the penitent
transgressor : '* Lord, rememhor me ! "
TllK BLESSED DEAD.
BY REV. W. B. HINSON.
Rev. 14: 13.
K sot! ill Miiy olijoct just that we liiiv(! tho ('iijiiicity for
s(M'iii<f. The jioet gazi!i<^f on tho worhl, sues pootry in
every huidscape ; whih' tJie fmiiiter lieliolds jiossiblo
v/\V pictures ill the Hying cloud and h'afy wood. The
preaclier iiiids 'oooks in running brooks, and scrnions
in stones, and (lod everywhere ; and tlie artist is (hdighted witli
tJie varied designing and architecture of tlie forest trees.
That man is eminently blessed wliose range of vision is
well develojjed and wide. His eye perceives all the l)rilliancy
of the lightning, his ear receives all undiminished the solenui
music of the thunder; his heart and niind are a})j)reciativo and
rece])tive. To such an one (lod liames in every l)U8h as He
did long since to IMoses ; -walks on every wave as did Christ on
CTalilee ; a?'d rides on every cloud as did the ascending Hed(M'mer
o'er Olivet. To him the rushing storm means (lod as well as
electricity, and aliove gravitation he discerns Jtdiovah. In a
special sense such ]tcrsoiis live and move and have their being
in(Jo(I. Heaving sea, sweejiing storm, silvery ukkui, shining
sun and far-s])readiiig sky, all have a voice and import to the
gifted soul. For all the stars of the winter's night would lead
us IJethleh. 'inward were we disjiosed to follow their guidance;
and all hills are Sinais where (ioil the Power, or Ta))ors where
(Jod the Beautiful, or Talvarys wher" (lod the Love, or Olivets
wh(M-e Odd the Triumphant, reveals himself to men. And it
d(!]iends largely on a man's disposition whether he finds (lod on
Sinai or at Calvarv.
THE HLKSSEl) DEAD.
25
(
The variety in the roil 1 Ml of Nature is illustrative of varied
many sided liumanity. He, who is inliiiite in resources has not
fasluoned men after the same moilel, nor constituted them alike.
There are some like Pettn* whose liearts ar(> ])roken by a <,'lance;
there are others lik(? Saul who can only l»e sululued by the
blinding liglit from Heaven. (5od is in the awful eartlKpiake
to many; Imt He speaks in the still small voice to more.
And to this latter class (lod most fre(|uently speaks, and
gives fullest, richest revelations. They are men lik(>. Knocli who
walked with (lod, around win s ' hrow a halo ever shines, to
whom the angels are ever whispering. Sucli a man was dohn,
who heard a voice fi'om Heaven .saying: "Blessed are the
dead."
This voice he heard in I'atmos, the place of exile and
solitude. l>ut loneliness is two-fold. There is a solitude of
plai-e, and there is a solitude of s))irit. In the hu.sy mart, anud
the multitude, in the roar of life's sea, and tlie din of life's con-
flict the spirit may he silent and alone. For the mind is its own
pUice, can for itself create a H(dl or Heaven, is able to depopii-
late a <'ity, or ci'owd a wilderness with angels.
And the (lod of lonely m;ij(\sty li»veth solitude. ( )n Sinai's
burning brow, 'niid thundei's, lightnings, and darkness, (lod and
Mo.ses talked. O'er ( "alvary, desolate, ludxiiowu to man, and
lonely, angels fold their wings and lovingly hover long: and on
TrausHguration's hill, with bu.t three witnesses, jleavei' and
Christ held conversation. Alone in the desci't Mdses lieanl
his (lod : in the loneliness beyond dordan the Uaplist was pre-
pared for his mighty mission ; and in Patuios. dolm saw the
glassy sea and the golden gates (if lle.iveu.
!!(> was in banishment too. Tlie I'oman drove him from
the society of men, to communion with seraphs.
It is often so. A form like unto the Son of .Man walkeil
with the Hebrews in Nebuchadnezzar's furnace. Daniel's soul
was comforted though in a lion's ilen. A message from the
T
26
IIIH Hl.KSi'EI) DKAl).
paliU'c. f<»uii(l .loscph in Ji prison. I'ctor, cliuincil and ^niiirdod,
was visitctl hy an angel, and the n'surrcction gl(»rv foinid Christ
in a borrowed t<(ni)>. P)Ut for the darkness we shonld never see
the stars ; no rainliow would appear in an ever 1 due sky ; the
destruction of the marble is tlu^ beauty of the statue ; the dark-
est hour but herahls tlie a|t])roa(li of tlawn. Trials make the
pi'oniiso s\yeet, minor strains go nearest t(» the heart, discipline
brings jMitience, and ^uifi-ring makes us strong. A wilderness
precedes every Cvanaan. Victory implies conHict. Royal road
to learning there is none, whether the lesson concerns Time or
Eternity; mind or soul. In Patnios, not in .Icrusidem, dohn
saw the Ai)o(;alyj)se.
It was a "voice,'" and it came from Heaven. There are
many voices in the woi'M. There are voices from hfucaf/i us.
Temptations to the wrong, suggestions that the right is n(»t
always the advisable, ([uestionings of (lod's goodness, life's
grandeiu', resurrection, etcM-nity, Christ, and the soul. Therc^
are voices (iroiudl us. The noise ami turmoil of life's ])attle,
the thankless shout of the victor, and the bitter sob of the
van([uishe(l. There are voices fi'oni irlthin us. Sounds of dis-
cord and of melody, mingled song,s and sighs, jjrayersand curses,
anthems and dirges. And there are voices from dhorc. Sounds
so soft, so sweet, so s(u)thing, so calm, so comforting, that we
are siu'e their origin is Cod. The nnisic of life is made up of
many .sounds: some notes of mighty force and swcdl, and some
pathetic nnnor strains.
lUit may not Heaven's voice be indistinct and lost amid
th
ese many soiuk
Is? Ah, n.
I have stood in a vast Cathedral,
around me the tond»s of warrioi's, statesmen, }»oets and kings;
and the sleeping silence has lieen disturbed by the solemn tones
)f th
d
le organ rollnig down the aisles, and gently ech(»nig aroun(
tin- resting places of the nnghty dead. In the full swell and
vibration of th.e many sounds, <»ne fani-ieil jar and c(jnfusion
were present; ]»ut soon through the great rush of sound, al)ove
I i^niiirded,
md Christ
never see
! sky ; the
tlie (lurk-
iiiiikc the
<liscii)line
wihhM'iiess
loyal Yodd
IS Time or
cm, .lolin
Tliere are
p.nc<(fh us.
jilt is not
CSS, life's
il. There
vf>> 1 Kittle,
ol) of the
ids of <iis-
lud curses,
. Sounds
I, that we
ade U]) of
and some
lost amid
Jatlu'ilral,
lid kings;
I'liin ttmes
ng around
swell and
confusion
lid, al)ov(^
HIE JJLES.SKI) DEAD.
27
the echo from the tom])s, and the surging of the great flood of
music, the plaintive, soothing air would rise to ca|itivate and
charm. It is thus in life. Among tne many voices in the room
the child readily discerns the niotliei''s speech ; and just as
certainly the soul can tell whether the call it hears brings with
it the dust of the world, or comes i-esonn<ling from the skies.
( )f all the sounds of earth, the voice is most far-reaching,
♦ouching, and soft. Naught silences the ilistivssed child like
the mother's voice ; and when the shadows are around us, there
is nothing half so comforling as Holy Writ rc]ieatcd hy a sym-
pathetic Voice.
.Ml Voices are not the same. They diirer as does the
summer ze]thyr fro:ii the wintry Mast. Some voices are only fit
for issuing stern commands on Mood-staiiicil hattle groinid ;
while others hy their soft pathetic tcndei'iiess are out of place
else\Mieri' than in a sick room. IJarely do we find (Mie capahle
of s])eaking sternly and softly, alile to comfort and ahle to com-
mand.
P)Ut such a Voice many toned and of universal application
— has (iod. He does not address all hy the same method or
way. (lently He bids one "follow me," sternly He hids another
"sin n(j moi'e." .Vs metal may he melted hy the heat, or split
hy frii/en water, so to one heart (loil comes as coaxing sunshine,
to another as a shattering storm. ( lod's iiiessengei's are sons of
consolation and of tliunder, as are His messages stei'n and
solemn, or .soft and sweet. Ihit if the lo\cd one speak, lillle
reck we whether the voice he loud or low ; ami if we are hut
di'awn (lodv.ard, of small worth is the en((uiry whether we were
influenced hy storm or sunshine, hy pathos or hy power.
X Heavenly voice utte'v'd my text- ('an this he ascei-
tuined ? Easily. With closed eyes we can distinguish the
voice of man. woman, or child ; and it iiecdeth little wisdom to
know (loci's Voice from man's. " I will give you rest," "(!od is
love," "Hope thou in Ooil," " | am the Resurrection," " In mv
28
TIllv ni,E.SHEI) DKAl).
Futlicr's house iirc many luan.sioiis ;" thc.so arc not oartli's
words, this is no mortal spocch, the lan<j;na^f(' of no pliilosophy,
l)ut tho voice from Heaven, wliieh speaketh to all men, at some
time, by some means. " IJlessed are the dead ! "' Mortal never
thought it. Happy are the dead ! Pliilosoithy never dreamed it.
Living are our absent loved ones I Science ne'er discovered it.
This is a strange speech, a fragment of a language mortals do
not speak, loftier than mountain, star, or sky; it is a voice from
Heaven.
And the voice said Wfutk. (!od's revelations ai'c for all,
to all time. No ])rophecy is of pi'ivate interpretation, no assur-
ance of individual a])i)lication oidy, dehovah's woi'ds to Abraham,
Moses and Havid, are dehovah's wonls to me. The ])romis('S
made to pati'iari-hs are uiine; tn nie the pro]>hels and ai)ostles
speak ; (}od is their Father and luy Fathei' ; their (!od is mine.
There is (hu'ability in writing. The sjxtken woi'd is alter-
abh' ; the written knows no chang(\ Revtdation is wi'itten, and
Revelation is unalterable, (lod mdultls. develii]>s, bi'ings into
clearei' light His truths: l)ut He does not uttei' new truths.
Till' birds, and hnnbs, and goats of sacrifice, s])oken of in the
Hebrew l>il)le, and the precious lilood of the later ( lospel, an-
varieil as])ect,s of the one gi'cat truth. *' Heaven and earth may
pass," said He of Calvary. ''l)Ut my words remain." Moun-
tains crund»le, forests jiassaway. seas (d»b and flow, moons wane,
stars mo\e, the sun sets, the sky changes, but the woi'd of our
( Jod standeth bu'ever.
Write, for the I'cvtdation is not conhned to you is not
foi' you alon(\ The (lod who made of one l)lood all nations of
men, has maih' truth of univei'sal a])plicati(>n ; so that the Holy
JJook has a message for all climes and elasses, conditions and
creatures. It is not dohn's revelation, this liook wherein 1 iind
my text. It is (Ion's revelation, given through dohn to us.
Ave, the (Jod who bids the sun sliine, the gentle shower descend,
the birds sing and the 1h>wer ])loom f(ti' man, has made us firstly
IIIK IJF-ESSKl) DKAI).
29
)t earth's
lilnsophy,
1, at vsoine
rtal never
n-auHMl it.
()\('i'e(l it.
utrtal.s do
oiee from
I'e for all,
no assiir-
.Vhraliaui,
promises
1 apostles
1 is mine,
is alter-
itten, ami
'in<,'s into
w truths,
of in the
Dspcl, ai'(-
'arth may
' Moun-
ons wane,
I'll of our
n — is not
lations of
the Holy
tions and
I'iu 1 tind
m to ns.
' descend,
us firstly
for Himself, and seeondly for each other. One spark of Divinity
makes the whole world kin. One is your Klder Brother, even
Clirist, and all ye are hrethren. When ye pray say, "'0\ir
Father;" and rememher every man is his hrother'.s keejx'r.
Your ton<,'ue (Jod ,1.,'ave for my instruction ; your hand (lod gave
for my defence. His tnitli He gave to us all.
VVrit(% we arc all writing. Life, this island lying on the
hroad hosom of Kternity's sea, is a record, no less than a ])rol)a-
tion. (lod is ever writing what we do; writing it on our
consciousness, on those wi- intUience, on tlm world. And this
book of life wc have to read page hy page and line by line ; Itu'
perha})s to save us keenness of anguish, our virtues are written in
capitals, and our vices in the smallest of ty[)e. We each cast a
shadow, each ex(!rt an inlhu'Uci', wc each set an e.\amj)Ie. What,
children of (Jod are we writing I .Vre the words ennobling,
heljtful, or degrading and weak J Let us see that the next
word we write in the book of life be a word that shall lighten
the heart and brighten the countenance of whoever may read it.
Blessed are^ the dead. All are blessed. But as many a hill
holds undiscovered gold, as the sea shell knows not of the
[)resence of the pearls, so many are luiconscious of the l)lessings
lying thickly around them. Imh' the old eailh, scarred though
she may be l)y tlu^ results of sin, is nevertheless beautiful and
good. Not on utilitariiiu princii)Ies did (lod fashion the woi'ld.
He gave the beautiful as well as the essential, the wheat
and the mayllower. They evidence their dioi'tness of vision,
and belitth^ their surromidings, who regard tln' world as a
machine, life as a drudgery. Highly favoured, gi'eally blessed,
is the [io(»i'est and least gifted of Adam's sons ; and all tlit;
living should bless (lod for their cr^ ction, and their inlnu'itance
of God and immortality.
But the text says, " IJlessed aic the I)EAn."' Tlu; dead an;
tlie majority. They greatly outnundu-r us. A (crowded city, is
the city of the dead. Brothers! iSisters ! Deatli's at work!
30
TMK ItLIWHKI) DEAD.
Un<-..u8in-Iy : In the starlight and tl.c snnsl.in.., in the nii.l
(lay and the mid ni<rht, on tl
K' sea and on shore. Deatl
work ! r^nspaiinj-ly. (latiierinjr md)lo.ssonie(l l)ud>
fruit, eallin<r tl
le unw.'aried, the heautiful, tl
1 s at
uni'ipeneil
at work I Ciiiversal
poor house, in the eountrv and eit\
hlessed !
le vouiiir.
I )eatl
I s
y. In all places, in the ))ala('e and the
'veiywhere. And they are
JS
o more trouble or toil
no more head care or lieart ael
goodbye sj.oken ; n.. si<,di heavi'd ; no tear shed • i
le ; no
lo weari-
ness ; jio w
oe ; no siekn(:
ss, sin, nor sorrow
JJlesscd are the dead.
Xo storm upon tl
pontile sea; no bitterness in tl
on the Jandsea])e : no thorn beside th(> fl
sky : no ojiening j^'ravo — -
Blessed are the dead.
lunj^H'r, never thirst ; m-ver shall tl
oppress tliem, or the \v..es of life o'ertake thei
no life, no death —
le cup ; no shadow
lower ; no (douc
led
Never sliall they 1
le wearniess
u; no ])ain,
Blessed are the dead.
The battles of life fou'dit : tl
le storms of lif
lessons of lif(. learn,.,! ; tjie pil<
e W(\ithered ; th
►Sinais, .Marahs, bilin;
tl
sei
ivones, harps, erowns, all |)resent --
Hlessetl are the dead.
;rimage of life trodden :
pents, burning sands, all i»ast;
And over tluu-e by the sil
bloom, where (lod reigiis, they will
<lear ones, at the pearlv gate, for we'll
there."
V(>r river, where the tl
owers ev(>r
await us. Linger f
or us.
'^"on be at lu»me over
Hlessed are the dead who di,> in the Lonl. (i,„l
w
here invsent, we live and move in lii
is every-
m, we are ever in the
THE HLKNtSKK ]»KAI».
31
<,'rfal Taskmaster's eye, \vr caimot thon-foic di,. withuut Mis
knowlc.lov au.l notice. H,. tliat fearctli (I.mI and workcth
ri^litc.usncss is accepted, those \v\um (lod areepts are Mis while
living, and wlien tliey die tliey die in the L.nl. Mis tender
mercies are over all His creatures. H,. is near when the si)arrow
falls. Me looks after the ^I'-wth of the lily. Me is not dis-
l.leasnl with the light-heartedness of yonth, for Me -rave the
ripple to the ])rook, the music to the hird, and the laughter to
the child, lie does not demand a system of theology from
every hoy, or melancholy from the one whose years are few,
hut wlx.se hopes are many and whose hv.ut is juhilant and
And ndigi.Mis life is many sided, and icligious changes are
often rapid an.l unnoticed. And right living is higlur tlian
right thinking. A firm grasp ..f Christi„nity-s essentials, a love
towards (;od which is evidenced l.y ohedience, an earnest
endeavoui- to imitate
^sus Christ, tl
lese a
re th
le evidences o
God's grace and spirit heing in the soul. W
for failing to pronounce a Shihlndeth, hut for refusin-- to he]
are not cond,emned
Christ. Jovousi
IrVr
less, mirth, light-hearted
the hright side of thii
selfishness, unchai'itahlen
ness, caiiacitvforseeinu
igs, ;ire not forhiddcn hy the (Jospel; Imt
ess, censoriousness. and sin, these are
the things that degrach^ a man, and hring d.,\vn up.,n him tin
retril»ution of M
eaven.
Th
t;il»le i>
m
(h
'le ample than the
creeds; mans little systems aie oidy hroken lights of (;,,d
Christ hlessed tl
M(
lose the discil.les relniked : the skv is hroad,
aven is high, and (Un\ is j.itiful.
And the i)ious deiel are hlessed "from heiicef,
orth
rom lienc(
■fortl
Ix'cause ( 'hrist
the " voic<' from Meavcn."" p
has flung light on life and immortalit
once ahout the resurrection and hoi>ed it true, thev mav i
ud
V, a
nd wl
icre men specu
attirm with unsw
lat.'d
low
ervmg assurance
A 1
lopc moi'e li
shone among men when the Sun of Right
hope that is ever hrightening, that is stalih as M
right
nul sol 111
eousness apj)eare(
eaven, he(;
uise
32
Till'; HI.KSHKI) DKAH.
foiuidi'd (HI the Rock <»f Ayes, juid buttresseil l)y ( Wxl's immuta-
bility tuid oinni])()t('ii('('.
Honoofortli tlicy who die in the Lord follow oidy where
(.■iirist has n(»ii(> hcfore, for in the toml) tho Saviour lay, through
Hades (Hirist has walked, rolthinj,' death of its stinj,', aud tho
grave of its victory. And henceforth they who stand where
graves are dug, soi'iow not as those who have no liope ; for well
they know, those who sleeji in -lesus will (Jod hrin,^ with llim !
And they rest from tlieir lahours. Walking through a
cemetry one<', I saw a tondjstone bearing the inserij)tion, "Come
unto Me an<i I will give you I'est.'' I thouglit the words deeply
suggestive. In a certain sense there is rest in the grave. Tlua'e
no word of misi'e])resentation can fall \\\Hm thi^ ear. There no
sorrow can disturl) the mind, or agitate; the heart.
They rest fi'oni their lal)om's. This world was never intended
for a"* nesting ))lace. Here we have no abiding city, but we seek
one yet to come. ( )ur home is not here in the weary desert ; not
here where sj)arkling waters fall into dripping sands as we draw
near; not here, where the cisterns are broken and all the fountains
dry ; not here, oh no, not here ; but yonder, in tlu' Father's
house, in the home of the immortals, in the palace of the great
King, that is oiu- home, an<l thei'e we will rest. They rest from
their labour. Nevermon; will tlie hand hang listless, never will
tlie foot be weary, No more unstrung niu'vos, no more heart
anguish, no more fruitless ell'ort to escape from the distressing
environment, but peace, deej», undisturbed, (lod given peace,
have all those who dying in the Lord rest from their labours.
And their works do follow them. We live in deeds, not
years ; in thoughts, not breaths ; in feedings, not in figures on a
dial. And these deeds, and thoughts, and feedings, follow us
wherever the soul may soar or sink, Wa write our life's
history in everlasting ink, our deeds are inerasil)le as diamond
marks on glass. We are primarily what Heaven nmkes us, but
THE IILKHHED DE\1),
ly ( Jinl's imiinita-
ll(»\v only where
iour lay, through
•i sting, and th(^
III) stiuid wlici'e
<) hope ; for well
•ring with iliiu !
king through a
•ription, "("onie
he words deeply
le grave. There
oar. Thei'e no
s never intended
ity, hut we seek
y.xvy desert ; not
mds as we draw
dl the fountains
in the Father's
ice of the great
They rest from
<tless, nevei' will
no more heart
the distressins;
)d given peace,
dieir labovu's.
' in deeds, not
' in figures on a
ings, follow us
,'i'ito our lifii's
)le as diamond
nuikes us, but
33
secondarily what we make ourselves. For as the body assi„d-
lates that wliich su.stains it, so the soul receives into itself the
result and con.se.|uence of what we do below. " Heaven means
character," said Confucius ; ''Their works follow them," saith'the
|Vnpture ; hence the in.portance an.l awful responsibilitv of
lie. Death, like the thumler, is only terrible on account of
what preceded It ; a christian life means a calm death usually
and a cahn death is generally a prelude to H(.aven.
Teach us then, (lod of eternity, how to live; heh) us to
va lantly tight the battle, and then, when on the blood v field we
fall, the consciousness of having fought a good fight will comfort
us ui the hour of departure, and make the crown of righteousness
a certanity, a fact.
3
TllK PKEACIIEK'S MATCnLP:S8 THEME.
BY REV. .T. LATHERN, U. D.
" For 1 (k'tciniinert not to know anything among jou, save Jesus Christ.a'id Him
cniclfle.i."— I Cor., 2-3.
'OR tlu; jjiilpit of this iiml every age, tlie best model is
furnislu'd in the ministry of 8t. Paul. Some of the
Apostle's most chariicteristic utterances crystalize the
ideals and aspirations of his life. To the Romans he
avowed his confidence in the (lospel. He knew that
whatever was niajcstic in conception or beautiful in art was to
be found in Rome. ]iut h(! would not hesitate to bring the
teachings of Christianity into competition with the science and
philosophy of the Imperial city. Hence the unshrinking
avowal : " I am not ashamed of the (lospel of Christ : for it is
the pow(M' of Cod mito salvation to every one that believeth."
In the epiv^tle to the Calatians, we find exulting reference to the
shamefid cross. There were men of influence in the churches
of Calatia who counselled compromise in regard to the central
and commanding truths of Christianity. In deference to pre"
vailing philosophic thought, these should l)e kept in the back-
ground. ConcealuKUit would concUice to personal comfort. But
that which others regarded as scorn and scandal, St. Paul was
ready to bind as a diadem of glory round his brow. He bore in
his body the marks of the Lord Jesus, and hence the solemn and
vehement asservation : " But Cod forbid that I should glory,
save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."
So in writing to the polished and yet wide-awake people of
Corinth, a community in which his preaching had been gloriously
HEME.
riHt.a'id Him
model is
no of the
tiilize tlie
oinaiis he
:new that
rt was to
])iing the
ience and
ishrinking
for it is
)eh"eveth."
snce to the
churches
le central
3e to pre"
the back-
fort. But
Paul was
le bore in
olonni and
uld glory,
people of
gloriously
TUB preacher's MArcm.KHM tiikmk.
35
successful, th(! affirniation was made, " I dctcrniinod not to
know anything among you, save .Tcsus Christ, and him crucified.''
I- — Tfie Affiumation of thk Ai'omtiJ':.
It has reference to the humiliation f.f Christ. It would not
have been surprising had there Ixmui reference to the Divine glory
of Christ, that glory which h.^ had with the Father before the
world was, the everlasting Son of the father. W,. should not
have wondered at an exulting allusion to the Incarnation glory
of the redeemed ; a glory which ])rought heaven and earth, God
and man together, the glory of (lod manifest in th.- Mesh, and
of the redeemed humanity in the image of (;„d, dothed upon
in the likeness of the .Saviour. "We b.'hcM His glory," said
the Lord's evangelist, " the glory as of the oidy beg(rtten of the
Father." It might have hv.vn expected that in A])ostoli(- testi-
mony there shouhl ])e remembrance of predicted triumph,
** dominion also from sea to sea." Nor would it have been
extraordinary had such a writer expatiated ui)on the mediatorial
exaltation of Jesus ; the sjiarpness of death overcome, the giites
of heaven oi)ened widc^ at His approach ; seated on the right hand
of the Majesty cm high, many crowns of richness and lustre
placed ui)on his radiant brow, a sceptre of illimitable sv/ay
placed in His hand, the paternal decree pealing foith, Thy throne,
O God, is for ever and ever. It is impossible not to feel the
thrill and i)ower of disclosures such as these; :
" The head tliat once was crowned with thorns,
Is crownetl witli glory n»)W ;
A royal diadem adorn.s
The mighty victor's brow. "
But this affirmation has reference to the liumiliation of the
Divine Saviour ; to Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. We have
need, as we w(u-e reminded on a memorable occasion, to be
explicit in statements at this point. When the name of Jesus
was first .mentioned to tlu! Sanhedrim, after liis exaltation, it
36
THE PKRArilKRH MATTHI-KHH THKMB.
wns 'Mtisiis Chrint of Nuziin'tli wlunn yo crucified," Mistakca of
ti HcriouH chunictiM' iimy nv'w oni oi im iil)n'vati()ii. "Kcmciultcr,"
wild tli(! grciit prciiclitT to whom aliiiHioii luis been made, " that
the iiaino of th(! Iiifiiiiti! Saviour, (»od tho Son, is .Ic.sus-.Iesus
Christ —Jcstis Christ, and of Na/arctli, — whom every man lias
crucified by his great sin." Crucified, nailed to the cross for our
reih'mption, woundi;d for our transgressions ; sj)illing the. blood
of that sacred body which He assumed for our sakes, tliat we
might liave " n.'iliMnption through His l)lood, c^ven the forgivtuiesR
of sins."
There is a touching story told on a classic; {)agc, dating
back SOUK! thrtr or four centuries before the Christian era,
wliich eml)oilies a In^autiful and lofty ideal of self sacriH(!e for
the salvation of a pooijle. It is told how on this j)rincii»le a
bravo Roman, the younger Curtius, (levot(!d himself to the
infernal gods. A wicUj chasm had opened suddenly in the
forum. The wisdom of the (;ity coiuicil failed to devise means
to meet the ominous exigency, and to fill up the yawning gulf.
Oracles were consulted. It was given out that the chasm could
be closed up only when the inost precious things of Konui had
been thrown in. The hero harnes.sed himself as for battle,
mounted his war horse, plunged into the abyss whicli at once
closed over his head. Such is the old L«oiu legend of pro|)itia-
tion. There is an infinitely higher sense in which sin opened
up a gulf between earth and Heaven, between humanity and
God. Only the wealtli of CJ oil-head freely bestcnved could
avail for the salvation of a simple race. No finite arm could
rescue or save or find out a ransom. As the Bra'd of Paradise
dei>icts the scene in an immortal passage, "on man's behalf
patron or intercessor none appeared." But the only begotten
Son of God interposed. He loved us and gave Himself for us.
He came from Heaven to earth, from majesty to meanness, from
the homage of angels to the scofi'ing of mortals, from a sapi)hire
throne to a shameful cross. He enteretl tl.ie grav^ in . mortal
liHtaki's of
iinenilwr,"
de, "that
us — Jesus
iimn hai^
088 for our
the. blood
, that we
orgiveiiesft
JO, (luting
stian »!ra,
critice for
rinciple a
If to the
ly ill the
ise means
ling gulf,
asm could
iouie had
or battle,
I at once
f propitia-
n opened
auity and
ed could
,rm could
Paradise
I's behalf
begotten
:lf for us.
less, from
, sapi)hire
in . mortal
THE rREACIIEIl's MATf'HI.KHS THEME.
37
flesh and dw(dt among .'he dead. An atonement \vm mad<- for
sin. The gulf was brMge.l over. A new and living wav cf access
to CJod was opene.l up thn.ugh the cross and i)assion of the
blessed Redeemer. Hut the humiliation of the cross was glory
in .ILsguise. The Saviour was assured that Ho should see of the
travail of His sou! and be satisfied. Kueh soul savt-d is a
monuiru'nt of redeeming nu'rcy.
The dying thief rejoiced in a W(,ndrous salvation, but he
was a unit only in thc^ mighty aggregate of the ran.som.Ml ones.
"After this," says John in the I'atmos vision, "I beheld, and
lo, a great multitude whi(di no man could number, of all nations
and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne
and before the Laml), ch.thed with white robes and palms in
their hands, and crie<l with a loud voice, sa\ hig, 'Salvation to
our God which sitteth upon the throne, ami u • > the Lamb.'"
Is it surprising tlum that such an aspect of < rist's atoning
wt.rk should fill the vision and tire the soul ui .St. Punll U
was no evanescent emotion whi -h found exjjression in the
attirmation concerning the Crucified One. The story of the
Saviours sufierings, the agony and })loody sweat, the humiliating
scenes in the judgment hall, the thorn-crowned brow and the
deep indignity of stripes, the cross with all its cruel shame and
pain, all willingly endured for our redemi)tion, never ceases to
move the sympathies of men as it has done in ages past.
With reverential feeling, after the conquest of Jerusalem by
the Crusaders, (iodfrey de Bouillon refused the olf(>red royal
insignia, for never would he wear a crown of gold in the city
where the Saviour had Ijeen crowned with thorns. The cruci-
fixion hymn exi)resses this feeling for all time :
" When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of (J lory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride. "
Oo
THE I'UKACIIEIIS MATCHLEHH THEME.
II. -The Imi'oht of this Apostof-ic Afeikmation.
1. The mini who iimdc this allirmatioii iniglit mean tliat ho
had (IcteniiiiUMl to he n, upecialist in the science of salvation.
There are specialists in otlicr departments of thought and
Investigation. Master minds of the age ^'itli t(!les('()pe or
nucrosco])(' in the; laltoratory or the lil»rarv, carry on their
investigations ; colhiting manuscripts, solving mysterious pro-
blems, studying the lower forms of life, deciphering hiero.
glyjihical inscriptions, wrenching from the gras]) of natun> her
]ong kept secrets, and carrying the lamp of science to the darkest
corners of t\w luiiverse. To those laborious in(iuirers, so far as
their own special stutlies and luilliant successes are concerned,
■we accord merite(l recognition. We gladly sit at their feet.
But merely intidlectual i)ursuits do not satisfy the soul.
There is a domain of thought beyond that range of exploration.
Mental science cannot suffice for man's spiritual ca[iacities and
po.ssibiIities. There is a science (tf sciences. Salvation has a
great and infinite glory which iills all things. As a student of
God, 8t. Paid was a specialist. Though versed in all the
culture and philosophy of the time, he counted these things but
as loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. He
sought to know ihe mystery hid from ages. To him we ;i.re
indebted for the most i)hilosoi)hic delineation of the atonement.
The subject is one; of stupendous interest. It was my privilege
to listen to Joseph Cook, on the occasion of his last visit to the
Provinces, tie discussed mysteries of Christianity. A defini-
tion of the biblical doctrine, of the atonement was followed by an
illustration based upon an incident of the revolutionary war.
The uni»|ue }»ower of Mr. <'ook lies along the line of apposite
illustration. Hy mc^ans of some historic fact, a discovery of
science, or a selection from tShakespeare, he reveals striking
analogies, deduces sta"tling conclusions, and sometimes in a brief
passage! seems to light up a whole field of thought. It was not
THE PREACHER'a AfATCHLBSM THEME.
39
ON.
n that he
at ion.
ight and
s<',()j)e or
on their
ious i)ro-
ng liiero-
itiiiv. her
I' darkest
so far as
ncerned,
feet.
-he soul.
)loration.
Ities and
)n has a
ident of
all the
lings ])ut
ist He
wi' ;'.re
)neinent.
[irivilcge
it to the
V defini-
ed by an
iry war.
ap])Osite
)very of
striking
n a l)rief
was not
surprising that men and women listened with breathless interest,
hoping for transparent statement of an abstruse subject. Hut
that was the least satisfactory part of the evening's eiibrt. It
reminded one of a noble bird with broken wing, looking towards
the sun, and struggling to soar, l)ut faltering and falling back
painfully to the ground. Others have failed, but in the light
of inspiration the Apostle Paul swept the (^mi)vrean of theolof'ical
thought. Read that luminous stat(Mnent in the E]>istle to the
Romans: " Whom God set forth to ])e a in-opitiation through
faith in His blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission
of sins that are past, through the forbearance of Cod, tf) declare,
T say, at this time his righteou.sness that he might U- just and
the justitier of him that believeth in desus."
The central idea of this delinition, its luirmonizing j)rinciple,
and that which constitutes its distinctive charat'ter and glory,
is the righteousnem of (iod. There is a room in the palace of
justice, in Rome, covered with superb fresco work. Floor,
walls and ceilings are all magjiiticently decorated. It was
designed, anil executed by a great itainter. Rut at the first
glance at the threshold, it seems all a maze, almost grotesque
in the sense of complexity or of confusion. There is one
point in that room, and but one, where you can luulcrstand
that work of art. To this spot all lines converge. Here you
get the pers])ective, and you now comi)rehend the masterly
design of the artist. Every line of each panel flashes out \\\)o\\
the wondering visitor, instinct with meaning and l)cauty. So
in our .studies on the Atonement, -as exhi])ited in the
teaching of the New Testament, a fundamental fact of the
Aj)ostle's doctrhie, it is necessary to find the right point of
vision. We must stand where St. 1'kuI stood and contemplate
the Righteousness of (lod. Here the whole Deity is known.
Contrasts are harmonized, jtroblems solved, and discordances
reconciled. xMercy and truth meet together. ( iod is glorified,
justice satisfied, the hiw magnified, satan van.piished, the
40
THE PUKACIIBRS MATCHLESS THEME.
world rcdcciiKHl, and inany son.s brou^^ht to glory. We. are
thus enabled to conipreliend with all saints what is the length
and breadth and dejith and height of the love of Crod manifested
thnnigh Christ ; its length, from everlasting to everlasting ; its
depth, down the lowest stratum of a fallen humanity ; its breadth,
a wideness in (lod's mercy like the Avideness of the sea ;
its height, never to be fully com])rehended until high in
salvation and in tlic climes of bliss, the ransomed people of
God are saved to sin no more. Can we wonder that the
inspired Apostle was al)sorl)ed in the thought of Jesus Christ,
and Him crucified 1 This is the theme of heaven as well as of
earth, of pure seraphs as well as of saved sinners. The
burnings of serai)him, as they j)onder the magnificence and
meaning of redeeming grace, swee]) into lofty ascription :
" Worthy is the Lamb that was slain." And if we could vie
with the Apostles, or higher, still emulate the rapture of an
angelic strain, wha*^. should lie our theme 'I
" I'd sing the precious blood He spilt,
My ransom from the dreiidful guilt
Of sin, and wi-atli divine ;
I'd sing His glorious righteousness,
And magnify the wondrous grace
Which made salvation mine."
2. The Apostle Paul, in making this affirmation, might
mean to say that he had resolved, at any cost and in spite of
temporary disadvantage, io identify himself with the Cause of
ike Crucifed One.
In afflictions, distresses, stripes, and imprisonment, there
was an unfaltering resolve : "Christ shall be magnified in my
body, whether it i)e by life or by death." He said, " I am
crucified with Christ." In his very first missionary torn-, after
passing through perils that would have chunited any ordinary
man, the intref)i(l Aposth' was beaten with stones and left for
dead. Hut no sooner does the guat missionary revive as if by
a miracle, and start \ipon his feet, than he wipes the trickling
We are
lie length
lanifested
*ting ; its
; breadtli,
tlie s(;a ;
high in
People of
that the
IS Christ,
veil as of
rs. Tlie
^.nce and
L'ription :
!oul(l vie
re of an
1, might
spite of
?ause of
it, there
(1 in niy
" I am
ur, after
ordinary
left for
as if by
sickling
THE preacher's MATCHLESS THEME. 41
blood from his brow, speaks with unquenched enthusiasm of
the great things that Jesns Christ will do for the world, and
speeds on with his burning message to regions beyond. His
heroie and consecrated spirit was more strikingly exhibited even
on his return from his last missionary excursion. The journey
lasted four years. I>orti()ns of two continents were traverse(i.
From Antidch, up through the gates of Cilicia, he made his
way to Iconium, up into the wild territory of Calatia, down to
Ephesus as a centre for ministry in Asia Minor, across yEgean
waters to Macedonia, down into Achaia ami Corinth, thence
back on his own track and over the sea to Asia lAIinor
There he M-as met by the elders of Ephesus. Confronted by
new perds, bonds and atfiictions awaiting him in everv city he
still spurned the thought of .langer. It was here, beneath 'the
pressure of friendshii), that the grandest utterance of his life
leaped to his lijvs, - i\one of these things move me." Stoned
at Lystra, imprisoned at ]^hilippi, fighting with beasts at
Ephesus, beaten with strii)es like the meanest slave, ship-
wrecked—tossed up on the shore, dripi)ing and helpless before
the stormy waves as the drifting sea-weed— there is no
shrinking from danger. Duty summons him to new scenes of
toil or suffering : " None of these things move me, neither
count I my life dear unto me, so that I may finish my course
with joy, and the ministry which I have received from the
Lord Jesus." Glorious Apostle ! Was not his the courac^e of
a hero and the endurance of a martyr 1 May his spirit s"tand
forth still in the sacramental host, and in the exigencies which
confront the Church of ( Jod !
" Let tlie purer flame revive ;
Such as in the martyrs glowed,
Dying champions for their (:loil."
It may be claimed that martyr's days arc over, and that
consequently there is no stern demand for the exhil)ition of a
martyr spirit. But such consecrated resolve is needed for the
z'
42
THE PREACHERS MATCHLB88 THEME.
work at home, for tireless effort amid the shims of groat cities,
for advance mo:'(;ments on all lines of moral r(;form, for the
maintenance of aggressive spii'itual effort, for the promotiijn of
all evangelistic enterprise. Such intrepidity of pnrjtose,
accom])anied by burning zeal for the salvation of souls, has
been exhibited in recently-established missions on the Congo
and in Central .Vfrica, where during a few years more men
have fallen at tlieir post, in proportion to numbers, than in any
other part of the foreign field. For mission work heroic and
heavenly-minded laborers are needed. Where are the successors
(jf Ci)k(' and Carey, Martyn and Moffit, Heber and Hannington,
Williams and Ociddie, Duff" and McDougall 1 Our hope is that
th(? apostolic succession may be maintained. It is a great
thing for the Churcli when her most gifted and cultured sons,
educated in honor ;>d institutions, turning aside from the
attractions of mtu'cantile success and professional distinction,
luNiring a \'oice that others do not hear, and seeing a hand that
others cannot see, in response to earnest appeal, say : " Here
am I, send me." These are the preachers the age demands.
For such the highest distinctions are' reserved. The warrior's
wreaths may fade, the g(jld of the millionaire canker, and the
monumental marble crum))le to dust, but the missionary of the
cross, faithful to tlie preaching of Christ crucified, shall shine
as the brightness of heaven and as the stars in the firmament
for ever and cvr.
3, In making this afhrmation, the Apostle, in his glow of
enthusiasm, miglit mean to say that Christ crucified should be
the cetUral thona of his Ministry.
St. Paul believed in the adaptation, sufficiency and unfailing
elHcacy of the gospel which had l)een committed to him, so as to
preach for the salvation of men. It was what that age
demanded. Everywhere, in queenly Anti()(;h, idolatrous
Kphesus, gorgeous Corinth, imperial Rome, he rehearsed the
wondrous story, and his flaming mcj-sage set the hearts of
:roat cities,
111, for the
oniotiou of
jjurpose,
souls, has
the Congo
more men
tian in any
lieroie and
successors
iinniiigton,
i)pe is that
is a great
;ure(l sons,
from tlie
listinction,
hand that
y : " Here
(himands.
B warrior's
■r, and the
ary of tlie
^liall shine
tirm anient
lis glow of
' should be
I unfailing
m, so as to
that age
idolatrous
parsed the
hearts of
THE preacher's MATCHLESS THEME. 43
thousands on fire with deathless love to Jesus. "Hut we
preach Christ crucified," he said t<. the Corinthians, " unt.. the
Jews a stuml)ling-l)lock and unto the (Greeks foolishness." It
has heen said that history repeats itself. We are (certain that
as forms of thought and national sentiment flowed in distinct
thougli divergent channels in the ol.l classic times so they take
a like course in this nineteenth century. Greeks were
rationalists ; Jews were ritualists. Both extremes of helief and
vvorsiiip are represented and reproduced in prominent current
movements. Still Christ crucifie.l, as i.resente.l and vitalized
in an earnest and evangelical ministry, is the power of (lod
unto salvation. It pleased God by the foolishness of
preachnig "-not foolishly preaching, God does not honor that,
but "the preaching of the cross" which "is to them that
perish foolishness "—to save them that lielieve.
It is well for us to note the manner of 8t. Paul's preaching
Corinthian audiences must have comprised a number of
cultured people. But he was not am])itious of being thought
an orator or a scholar. There was no attempt to rival the fame
of the wise men of liglit and lea.ling in the sclu.ols ..f
philosophy and science. He cared not to be thought an
eloquent man. It was nof his business as a preacher of
righteousness to dazzle or cai)tivate by the splendor or polish .^f
his rhetoric, His sermons were never designed to exhibit
merely brilliance of gifts, luminousness of reasoning, or range of
research : " Not with wisdom „f ^onls, lest the cross o'f Christ
should be made witli none effect." . It was with im].assioned
earnestness, day an<l night with tears, all but overwhelmed
with a sense of the burden of souls, that he sougiit to " save
some."
Has not such a ministry as that at Corinth lessons for this
age? It is not necessary to raise the (piestion as to the
efficiency of the pulpit in our time 1 Everything <lepen.|s upon
the preacher. We have with us genuine successors of the
Apostles, whose lii)s have been tcmched with hallowed flame,
44
THE PKEACHEUS MATCHLESS THEME.
and who sjioak witli tonj^ios of fire. Tho pulpit iii such oases
is a throne of power, and such a ministry is signalized by sovd-
saving results. It was so with Wesley and Whitfield, and
other flaming messengers of the cross, honored instruments in
the revival of the last century. It is remarkable that the
glowing words of St. Paul in relation to his ministry, "Fori
determined not to know anything among yon, save Jesus
Christ and Him crucified," f<)rm(>d tlie first text of Bishop
Asbury on this continent and of AVilliam Black's first sermon
in Nova Scotia. Distinguished jireachers of every denomina-
tion, down to the present time, Christlieb and Monod, Sj)urgeon
and Punslion, Guthrie and Maclaren, Simpson and Hall, and a
host of others, have made the doctrine of the Atonement,
Christ cru<'ifi('d, salvation through a suffering, living, glorious,
exalted Redeemer, Jesus' blood and righteousness, a distinctive
theme of tlieir ministry.
But must th(^ ])reach(!r for an age such as this, throbl)ing
with intellectual life, attluent in resources and daring in specula-
tion, l)e a man of one ideal Must modern thought and current
issues be ignonnl "i Cught not the i)reachcr to grapple with all
burning cpiestions 1 How was it with St. Paul at Corinth 1
\\'as not lie confronted by ]X'ri)lexing probl(>ms of lif(^ 1 In
this first ejustle to the Corinthians we have an admirable
ilhistration of his method and of the meridian by which all
his teadiings were determined. The first chajiter opens with a
vindication of his course as a preacher of the cross of Christ.
Divisions in the Church, assumption of ecclesiastical authority,
administration of Church discipline, rights and oldigaticms of
litigation, marriage relations, cases of conscience, ministerial
support, sacramentarian ideas, i)roi)rieties of public service,
women's rights, spiritual gifts, facts of the resurrection, relief-
funds of the Church, and a variety of subjects came to the
front, enough to test even apostolic gifts and graces. But one
princi])le swee})s the circle. Even in relation to keen and
exciting controversies, the standpoint of Christ crucified was
THE preacher's MATCUI.ESH THEME.
45
uch casos
1 by soul-
ic'ld, and
iinonts in
til at the
', " For I
ve Jesus
f Bishop
it sC^nnon
pnomina-
Sj)urgeon
ill, and a
onenicnt,
glorious,
stinetive
hrobbing
spocula-
1 current
with all
Oorinth 1
ife 1 In
Iniirable
hicli all
s with a
■ Christ,
ithority,
tions of
nisterial
service,
1, relief-
to the
]iut one
?en and
ied was
maintaine.1 : '« Whether Paul, or ApoUos, or Cephas, or the
world, or life, or death, or things present ; or things to come j
all an; yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is (lod'«.
The i)reaching of Christ cruciHed is what the ago needs.
"The world is not tired of hearing aI)out desus " said— the
venerable— -JJr. Woolsey, in his (jwn enii)hatie tone on a great
occasion. .Some years ago, in the old Centenary Church, St.
John, X. li, since gone up in Hanies, a mass nu'eting was held.
The immense edifice was thronged to its utmost capacity. A
dei)utation was present from the Cniteil States. It was Thane
Miller's Hrst visit to tlie J'rovin.;es. lie was to address the
young men of the city. But first of all, standing to tiie front of
the platform, he sang simple stanzas :
" I'ell mo the old, okl story,
Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of JesuH and Hiy love."
These lines have often been heard since then, have passed
into Sunday School hynuials, and are familiar to us as the
words of the household. Hut tlu^y were new then, and the
tone was strangtdy pathetic :
" Tell me the story simply.
As to a little child,
J"'or I am weak and weaiy,
And helpless and detiled."
Leading men of the community, merchants, lawyers, and
physicians, some of whom had rarely manifested much interest
in spiritual things, and all over the great audience chords of
feeling were touched, eyes were moistened with tears, and a
wave of emotion swept through the sanctuary. It was perfectly
explicable. The early dew of morning had passed away at
noon. There was deep down in each soul a sense of need
which responded to the exhaustless theme, Jesus and His
love. The preacher has good reason to say u ith St. I'aul, "For
I DETERMINED NOT TO KNOW ANY THING AMONG YOU, SAVE JesUS
Christ, and Him crucified."
PAUL'S CONFESSION BP:F0RE AGRIPPA.
BY REV. F. S. COFFIN.
" And Agrippa said unto Paul, with but litttle ))er8ua8i«)n, thou
wouldest ^iiju make nie a Chiistiiui. And Paul.tnit/, I would to (Jod that
whether with little or with much, not only those but all that hear me this
day, might become such as I am, except these bonds." — Acts xxvi. 28, 29.
HE iiiodifi'cations of this familiar and impressive pa.ssage,
which the Revised Version (from which I have read)
presents, will lie noted by every judicious student.
Long l)efore this Version was issued, the most devout
and accurate expositors had agreed, that the passage
oould not carry the construction commonly put upon it. Instead
of Agrijjpa's answer to Paul's challenge indicating anv inclination,
on his jtart, to accept Paul's reasoning, the reverse is undouht-
edly tin? fact. That answer not only evades the reasoner's
appeal, hut meets it with a sneer. It is as if the King had
said : " Dost thou suj^jiose that with such words, on such
slender grounds, thou wilt make me a Christian T Paul's
rejoinder is a line example of that consummate tact which was
so natural to him. He takes the word from the mouth of the
King, hut uses that word in a different sense from that M'hich
promi)ted it, as if he had not discerned Agrijjpa's scoff, " I
would to God that whether with little or with much j)ersuasion,
thou and all that hear me this day, might ])ccome such as I
am, except these bonds."
Paul's confession bekorb aorippa.
47
IIPPA.
ision, thou
God that
3ar me this
xvi. 28, 29.
ive reu(l)
student,
t devout
i passage
Instead
•linution,
inuloubt-
i-'asoner's
^ing had
on such
Paul's
lich was
li of the
it which
coft; "I
•suasion,
iich as I
The topic wliich r find in tlio text, and ui)on whicli I would
enhirgo in the address, is
Paul as a Confessor of Christ.
T need not tell you that there was a time when this man
would not have spok(Mi after this mannei. The history of that
life, previous to that mem(>ral)le journey to Damascus, is known
to you all. The inward conflict that was suftered during those
three memorable days of darkness, spent under the roof of
Ju.las, is not revealed, save in the words of the Lord to
Ananias : " BehoM he prayeth." But of this we are sure,
during those memorable three days this stricken man a1)solut('ly
forsook all for Christ; and when he went forth from that
house, all the world holds dear was gone. His earthly jiros-
pects were blasted ; his earthly fame was withered ; his name
was loaded with scorn ; his life was in momentary peril. The
very best that anyone outside the little circle of the Christians
would say of him was that he was a crazed fanatic. At the
time of this memorable interview with Agrii)iia, twenty-eight
years had elapsed since Saul had met -Jesus in the way.^ A^iid
what bitter experiences had been crowded, for liim, into those
years! Let him speak for himself: "In labors more
abundant, in stripes above measure, in jirisons more frequent,
in death oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes,
save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was 1 stoned'
thrice I suffered shii)wreck, a night and a day I have been in'
the deep. In journeyings often, in i)erils of waters, in jx-rils
of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in ])erils by tlie
h3athen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wildern(\ss, in
perils in the sea, in perils amongst false brethren ; in weariness
and painfulnees, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in
fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides those things
that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the can; of
all the churches." (2 Cor., xi. 24-28.)
48
I'AIJI/H CONFEH.SION HEFOKE AOUliTA.
Surely ull that the Hcverost oxpcricncc and that tiruc for
roflt'ction could ^'iv(^ had Iktu hrou^dit to bear upon this man
t(j drive him from Christ. But none of these thing's moved
him. Amidst them all he stands liki^ the towering cliU" that
rears its head abovo the rage and roar of the waves that dash
against it, powerless to alieet it, save to whiten its sides, or to
weave around its summit the gl()ry of the many-<M)lored iris.
Jt will b(^ hel|)ful to us to note some of the environments
whieh surro\uid this declaration of Paul's, juid whic^h enhance
the grandeur of the confession he here makes i»f Christ.
We may bo able to form an adecjuate conception of the
veneration with which the dev(»ut -Jew iTgarded his aiudent
religion, and of the; tenacity with which he clung to it. It
woultl l)e im[!ossibl(; for cireumstauces to exist which could
impart better-ground(Hl assurances of the divine authority of a
system, or that could invest that .system with .stronger claims
upon the inti01igenc(^ and hearts of its votaries, than were
a.ssociated with this old Jewish religion. No one antongst
them had ever (juestioned the institution of this religion by the
fathers under the authority of (lod Hiujself. Jts inauguration
was marked by the most signal and sublime dis])lays of
Jehovah's i)res(!nce and glory. It had all the venerableness of
remote anticjuity ; the wingbt of an array of names such as the
world had never elsewhere beard ; the command of a history
uneciualled in lustni ; the impressiv(!ness of a ritual, the
signiticance and splendour of which were })eyond comi)are.
The imposing rites of this religion were still Oi«erved, and
around this centre revolved all the intellefit and fashion, wealth
and pomp, of tlu^ Jewish nation and people. Could (^artli
present reasons strong enough to warrant the casting aside of a
religion with such exalted sanctions '?
And what was that for which this man claimed superiority
over this grand old system, and in which — he taught — that
system should be swallowed uj) and lost 1 The j)eriod of the
I'AUi.'s ciNFESflloN DBKollE AiillM'rA. 49
,m.mulK,,tio„ „f thi>Ml„,,,.i,,,. i„„l „„t v,„ , ,.„,: two ..,,,,
J •„«. It «•,.,, f„>„„|,,| i,v „ ,„„„„ ,„„„ „.,,,, ^^^^ ^
; ;T TTi ,'" ""■ '"' '"^^ "^'^^ ■■' '"■■■ ' '-ii'" '
"" ':;'";''"' '"''"■'■ ^" '!"■ -"■i-..te,.'» i„.,„.i, ,„, „ ,,,i '
■'"■1 " Mas,, „.„„., _,„ „,„ „„„^ i,„„„„i„i„„^ ,„^, .
•...n.K ,„a„ l„„l ,„,..v.iU.,, u t„ r„li„„. ,„.',•„,,,„." „'
.vl.....n tl,,v w,.,,. f,.„, I „„,.,. „,,,„ „„,,,„, ,,,. „,,'
-.l>l...t, : .,,,1, ,.„„t,,.st,.,l with „„. ,,t„ f „„. t ,
'--i-». , r:;:z:i,^:::;t::'trT"''
fl,.,f p.,,, I 1 , , ' '"'" "''A-^ tills re liqdll
.t...l. A „1 „lul,. s„..|, ,va» tl„. r,.,.|i„,, „f i|„. ,,,„^. ,„„
fo
niiur liiid jiot --civil powfr t
'"!'".'' ""'''1'' tl..' h.tt.r had that uhi.'h
inoyt horrible ell'cct. Look
th
i'Vt' to his lualrvolciKT (h
found ii
be
1 coiitij^uitv with H
csu.-
mipossiblt. to i
in
impotent, on the one hand
I'lK upon this rclitrjon ..f ,j
'"""' I"-«"ju<lir,. and puuer, it would
'•"•'' un])roiinsin.r and
uKine anything n
other ; wh-re inde8cribal)l
<»r more bitter and
curses upon all that would bridle tl
<• sensuality and eruelt
vigorous on the
y visited their
it'ir I'Mginjr.
And apart from the moral aspects of \h^
could be more thorougldy scorned by
ilay than this doctrine of Christ
■situatii
>Ji, nothins:
the philosophers of tl
theme of l»aul. To tl
K'ui the claim that
crucified, which was tl
lUt
K' great
a man with such an
so
PAUI/h «'()NKKSH1()N HKKOHK AfiKII'TA.
1,1 ,(
origin, life iiiid ilcatli Inul aiiytliiii^' to do witli l»{n('litiiij» the
World, Would 1)0 (•(»nfcin|»tuitusly rejected us ]»'\ui^ n t'Miitiisy
wliicli rmild (iidy spriii;^ liuni Ijie hniiii nf ,i madiiKiii.
Hut des|iite iill sucii coiisideratioiis, I'atd stands before \\h
ill all the jiositiveiiess of his ^reat manly luiture, as if tlie whole
world were on his side, instead of arrayi'd a^'ainst him. The
Name tliut was so < i to .lew and (Ireck was (o him the
most preeious name . ever mortals knew or ever an;,'els hoi-e.
In his estimation there was no Joy apart from union with
("hrist, no love so eimohliu^' as the love of ('hrist. All Iiis
hope and all his delijiht were in Christ. lie had no wish to
live, onl\ that he nii<,dit live to ("hrist. if he ever wisheil to
die, it was that he nnght he with Christ; and wealth, honor,
umhition, aff the woi'ld calls ^ood and j^'reat, he trod under his
f(M't, eountiu}.; them hut dun^', that lie mi^dit win Christ. Men
cidled him mad lu-cause he iih-ntitied himself with such a
cause. Little cared he what they ealleil him ! They taunteil
him, thev heat liim, thev chained him, thev carried him ahout
as an ohject of .scof md all hecause he would l)e < 'lirist's.
Jiut none of these ',fs nioveil him. On the contrary, he
took "• pleasure in inhriiiities, in reproaches, in necesaiti(\s, in
perHOcutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake." lie was ready to
go anywhere for Christ, lie was reatly to die at any moment
for Clirist. If he lived, he liveil unto the Lord ; if lie died, he
died unto tlie T^ord ; whether he liveil, therefore, or died, he
was the Lord's.
Why was it thus I "We may he sure that when such a man
suffc^rs and trium])hs after this manner, there must h(> a <food
reason for it. Men will not sutler as Paul sullei-ed foi' the sake
of a sini])le notion. Hitter scorn, jtoverty, the lash vifforously
laid on hy vicious hands, chains, dunj^'eons, death in its most
terrihle jfuise — these thin<^s j)ossess a wonderful power to
neutralize mere sentiment. Occasionally wo find men going u]>
and down our I'rovinces (generally in the lim^ summer tinu^)
PAULH CONFKHMION HKKOUK A'iKII'rA.
51
a mail
a <^(nn\
llir sak(!
imously
Is nitist
^v(T to
itin<Jt n]>
tiiiif)
proclalininj^' (>nj>I(h1(>(1 ohjiMHion.n und lilasjihcinous ribaMrv
ii^'aiiist (iiir ( 'luistiaiiitv ami iU Clin-t. I slroiij^'ly siis|ii'ct
I hat the I'cdiK'tioii nf th(' fooil-farc. <»f sin'lj diaractcrs to lircatl
luid water, two or three experienees of forty lashess eaeh at a
whippiiij^-post, or the (flitter of an executioner's iixi', nr th(>
sharj) outlines of a cross, or peivhaiiee the jjirowl of a huiij^'rv ami
!in expectant Mon, would make them without an exception —
as (lumli to all reproach of Christ, for the rest of their natural
life, as the cave of .Nlacphelah. Hut it was not >o with Paul,
nor have the hitterest of such e\p(M'iences ])roVed sullicieut to
comjuer, in Tuillions of cases since 'is day. Men and women
and even tender children have come to desus, heaid his voice,
looked into his f:j(!c, loved him, and hiive ^one. out to he
tortured, not acceptinj,' dcdiverance that they mij^dit ohtain a
better resurrection ; they had trials of cru(d mo(dvin<^fs and
scour^^ings, yea moreover of l)onds and ui.prisonments. They
were st»»ned, they were sawn asiuidei', were tempteil, wen;
.slain with the sw(U'<l ; they wandered al)out in sheepskins
and goat-skins, heinj^f destitut(% alllicted, tcrmenteil. iJut the
love that strengthelietl Paul's heart, and the joy that flooded
laud's soul, and the triumjdi that floated from Pa\d"s lips, were
theirs also ; and in tlu^ face of all that man could do unto them
they were still ahle to cry : —
Who shall Buparatu us from the love of Christ ? xhnll trilxilation.
or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or ])eril, or
sword ?
As it is written, for thy .sake we are killed all the day long ; we
are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him
that h)ved us.
For I am persuaded that neither death, noi- life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come.
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall he al)le to
separate us from the love of (iod, which is in t'hrist Jesus our Lord.
(Jiom. niii. 85;3'.).)
-^H
11
52
PAULS CONKESSIOX HEFORK A(iHIPI'A.
The cniitc'mi»latioii (»f Paul in tlic character of a C<nifcPsor
of Christ is fruitful in lessons (»f the higliest moment. A few
of them may be hen^ noted.
I. We lind in this confession tlie itnturnl mid IrrepreHsUJe
expression of thf- Jove of a saved sotd for his Saviour.
"lie loved mi! \u\ ^^ave Himself for me I"' O how much
the lieart can sulfer ami triuni|ili that is saturated with such an
experience ! What a talismanic jxiwer throbs in such a
consciousness to knit the soul tb.at ])ossesses it to Christ, with a
devotion that waters cannot (luendi or Hoods drown ! Like
the humble nej^ro boot-black in New York the nij^ht before
General (Jrant was liuried : he covered the front of his little
shanty with brush and blackin;^\ and then with white cambric
rosettes printed a<'r(j.ss tiie smeared surface : " //e helped to set
me free /'' Like the woinided soldier at the ])attle of Williams-
burgh, with an artery (jf his arm severe<l 1)y a rille l)all, who,
seeing the surgeon about to mount to go to the front for orders,
called him to come and save his life. The surgeon repaired lo
his side, took up the artery, and was in the act of leaving him,
when the Avounded man askeil him for his nnwe. " Never
mind, my brave fellow, what my name is, so long as your arm
is all right," was the surgeon's answer, as he vaulted into the
saddle. "But, doctor," cried the rescued man, " / ?/;a?i/ to
tell my wife and children irho it icas tltat saved tiuj life !"
Yes, and as we turn our eyes to-day to Tlini " who 1 tare om-
sins in His own ])ody on the tree," shall we not sing with lij)
and lieart :
" O let me kiss thy bleeding feet,
And l)iithe and w;ish thcni with my toar.s ;
The story of t hy love i-e{)eat
In every drooping .sinner's ears, '
That all may hear the <|uickening sf)und,
Sinee I, even I, liave mercy found."
Men sometimes claim that they may lo\( Christ, while
keeping all knowledge of the experiences shut up within their
PAUl/s CONFESSION I5EFORE AORIPPA.
53
own consciousness. It is to 1,.. ■alhnwA that a flinfc-stonc may
carry fir(>, hut it is not tlius tliat the lover of J(vsus will carry
himself towards his Saviour. Let th.> heart he ma.le to know
the love of Christ, and that h.^irt will leap to tell the story of
Jesus, and to the call for whatever s.-rviee mav l)e d.-nmnde.!
for His sake : the while the rin^inK ny of the grateful
psalmist will find its e.-h.. th.-re-- Praise ve the Lonl
Praise the Lord, my soul. \M,ilo I live will I praise the
Lord; I will sing jmiises unto my (iod while I have anv
eing.
II. <)ur subject alfords an illustration of the vujor which
true oneness ivith Christ imparts in the contest with 'the forces
of evil.
a
I <'an d(. all things through C.hrist that stn
me
I k
ngtheiieth
iinw whom I have heli.'ved. and am persuaded that
10 is able to keep that which 1 I
against that day." It is in the fact of thi
lavc fommitted unto him
only— that we lind the hidiu"-' of
s oneness
and 1
lere
for Christ
s sake
X
o Wdiidei'
that
(»ur power to do and suller
in the day of trial. The fact
so manv an
found
wautiii!
wh
lose root is the absence of tl
IS only a symptom of a disca
ic sense of Christ in the heart
se.
iis
a vitalizing f(U'ce. The .>v.>rlasting mountains are not so lirml^v
fixed as is the s(ml that has made the truth of God his shield
an.l buckler. The weakness of that soul has taken hold e^ the
strength of Cod bv faith, and
is in actual experience of the
presence of Him wl.o has said : '• For the mountains shall
removed, but my kindness shall not
dejiart and the hills 1
depart from thee, n^Mther shall tl
removed, .saith th.' Lord that hatl
liv. 10.) (liven a whole-souleil su
le eovenant of my j)eace b
1 mercv on th
,ee
(I
sail
establishment of His tl
rrender to Christ, and the
irone in the heart, and th
forth shall be repeated the triumph whici
portrayed when — in answer
ere and hence-
h the Saviour
declaration of his returned disciples, "Lord
the wondering and joyful
even tliP devil,-
54
Paul's confession m:Fi)r{K A(iUiF'PA.
m
W
if
are sul^ject unto us through Thy nium^ " — " he said nuto thimi,
I belicltl Satan as iiffhtuiiif,' fall fniiii hfavcii." (Luke x. 18.)
III. Our sulyoct funiishcs us with an inspiring illustration
of a Jinn (ulherence to truth in the testing time.
What a change has takin place in tlie relative positions of
tlie scoiiHT and the prisonei' since the dav that J'aul held aloft
that chaiiied arm and made his sulilime confession before these
royal auditors! Of all the men that have ever lived, it is
doubtful it' tlici'e has been a man \vh(j has left such an inijiress
on the thought, the life, the heart of the world as has this
Paul. And to-day he is moulding tiie world to the Way, the
1'rutii and the Life as never b(d'(pre. Indeed, his influence is
only yet in its int'ancy. O, hud h*- faltered, wliat a disaster —
humanly s])eaking ii should havi- proved to the world I
1 was wali'bing the nKUueuv.-.;. df a body of troops oi\ a
day of review. Tliey were marching in line, around a given
S(|uare. The man at whom the line swings is called the jiimt.
There are amongst the soldii-,, of ('lirist such men — pivot nn-n.
wl
liosc power j(ir
1(1 cannot be measuicd bv anv rule we
know, because they are line to Ood. The thr<M' Hebrew
children were s'.ich men ; and y<iu know that grand story, and
hdw, liefore the dav was over. Nidiuchadiiezzar Itlessed the
(lod of Shadrach, Aleshach anil Ahed-nego, and h(nv that
whole nation - swinging around these pivot men— was made to
reverence the ( !od of Israel. Uauiel was another pivot man,
and -lolin the Uaplist, and Luther, and Kno.\ and Wi'sley.
Such a man was I'aul. And as we look out on the past, we .see
them cAcrywhere, as they come forth bending beneath the
Cross, ciri'lcd witii martyr tires, crowned with piercing thoni ;
but to our sight they seem transfigured, and their faces shine
like the sun. and their raiment is white as the light. And
looking hea\ ell ward we behold "a sea of glass mingled with
lire, and them that liav(^ gotten the victoiy stand on the sea of
Paul's coxfes.sion refore agrippa. 55
glass, haviu- tlu- luirps of (U,.!." Tlu-y erne from every age
'"»<1 I'liii.c : and the |..uv uiul tl..- fiiithful whom wo, 'have
kuuwn— but whom th(. worl.l km-w not-^,, up frou. our
homes, uud from the places of k.yal s.-rviee of man au.l of (Jod,
to (Jod, to join tlieir glorious eomjnuiy ! () l)lessed martyrs,'
the earlier and the later grme ! (Jod eomi.ass us with v'.mr
pn'sence, fill our hearts with your eternal lif.-, and taki- us
when ..ur warfare's past into your fellowship and rest !
1 pray that we shall all go from tiiis interview witli a
lai-er sense of the innate greatness and of the sul)limity of the
issu.-s whieh are hound up in a iirui maintenance of the truth
at all tim.-s, ./;.,• the truth's sake. I wish I could promise you
all that the pursuit of such a course will always lead you into
th.' green pastures and l.esidr the still wat.M's of'worhlly
P"P"larity, profit and peace. Hut the safest and onlv safe
thing, under all circumstances, is to <lo rujht. Though it cost
you your mnn..y, though it surround yuu with fo..s, alienate
youj friends, and ruin, to 1
still, to ohey the truth for the truth's sal
uuuan appearance, all yuur juospects
will
nohility of chai'acter and
ensure to you a
piou
and
:i mnral pdWer which a policy of
VA
lit and of truckling to expediency cai
oti
lo(»k
eonipared with whieh geniu^
K'r worldly environments are nameless triH
1 never reach,
knowledge. Wealth and all
es.
w
e cannot
k out upon society and the world around us and fail t
how urgent is th.' (hunand for men and
integrity to truth who, instead of makin-' it tl
o see
Women (if such
leir su]»reme aim
to .AW their life, will he ready t.. l.ise it. to pour it out, for
Christ
and
ak.'
()
ur
inies ai'e markeil pre-
eminently l,y the consolidati.m of forces that were wont to hold
apart: and the struggle heiween ("iirist and IJelial is 1
•eciimine:
n
lore intense and wi.lespr.'a.l every day. A s[)irit of lawlessn.-ss
and lust, with uncompromising hitl
tl
lie wisest economic, social and moral restrietii
■riu'ss, arrays itself against
entrenched in wealth, and often shield. m1 hy civil
ns. ( )ppression,
l>ower, 18
■i
36
PAULS CONFES8ION HKFORE AGUIPPA,
sinitiiij,' with tist of wicktvlncss tlic ri^'lits of tlit> masses. A
frcc-iiiid-cjisy iiitcrprctntioii of the rule of lioii('stv,<'s])('cially along
the line of ordinary i'V(M'yilay life, woiild seem to lioncycomh tlie
foundation upon Avliicdi alone all that is true in the general
interest can tind sui-e repose. Divine truth as revealed to us
in Holy Scripture — and which in every possible relation of our
life on cai'th, is our oidy pillar of cloud hy day and of fire by
night — is assailed at every |)oint l)y undisguised or masked
enmity of iiiru mid women, who through the |)ri(»e of their
heart will not seek aftei' (lod. And "Ye are m>/ irihit'sses,
saith the Lord, and wy Hemtnts whom I hare chosen !" God
make us courageous and faithful, with that rectitude and valor
which live and move and have their being oidy in the life that
is hid with (,'hrist in (lod 1
IV. y^ie immediafe and iincondifioiiaJ surrender of
every life to the Lord Jesus Christ is a ])aramount obligation
involved in my text.
is it an unworthy conc^lusion for me to reach that there are
sonu' who shall read or hear tliese i)ages, and who are fully
convinced of theii* duty to accept the cross and to assume a
profession of Christ before the world, but who, through some
unbi'coming fear, shrink from that surrender to which an
enlightened conscience moves them'? It poorly liec'omes one
poor sinner to be lia''sh with another, and such is not the spirit
in which 1 say that it is a sad mark to be found in any man —
this dis])osition to sacrifice such a conviction of duty at the bid
of any pcison or circumstance that earth can furnish, l^'or
wliat can )>c more unreasonable, than a vohuitary enslavement
to forces that we know to be intent upon ^he wreck of oin-
own souls'? And what can lu; so ungenerous or unjust as this
slianie of the l^ord .Icsns Christ, who — by all that is intrinsic-
ullv glorious in His own Divine nature, and by all the
compassion and anguish of His humiliation for us — is set forth
PAUr/s CONFESSION BEFORE AGIUPPA. 57
befora all int..]lijr,MUM,.s and to all (.tornitv as " worthy to
recoive puw.-r, an-l ri.-lnvs, and wi.s.lom, ami stren^^th/ and
, honor, and ^^lorv, and hlessin^r?"
<>, my hrother, why do you turn your hack on .su.-li a
hayunivl Does He not como to you oHbrinK' for^ivon.'ss and
hfe? Does He not conic rcachin- out tho.se cut han.ls to
gather all your ways into His lovin- guidance ? Docs Tl.. not
^■omc to lean that hurt face over y„u i„ all vour s- now a.,.1
ihmmU Does not love look out of His .-vc to VMi with a
tenderness and a pathos as deep as His own infinite nature 7
Does not love thrill in .-verv tone of tl
lie voi(;c
son, give nie thv h<'art T
that
cries
'Mv
\nd his character, and claii
lis, and
pure, and <jood ? Why tl
rule— arc they not all nohle, and
do you not spring' to the side of such a S ,.,,
the wholeness of a glad surrender] Are iprnZslnuZl Z
Jesus ?
ivioui and Lord, in
When the flowers shall he ashamed to unf.dd
to the sun that paints them, or the clouds t
s, as if watching for ()p))ortunitv t
1
leaven
Iheir petal:
o sweep athwart tin
earth the treasures thev 1
tave receiV(
roll to th(
hreast that
derived — to emit h
unity to pour u]ion the
d from it, or the river to
sea as if in glad haste to th
L'ave
it 1
row itself upon th
of world?
"'Uig, or the mo<,n- radiant in liglit
K'l- milder rays uixai the surroundinu empire
that.
s ; even then h-t it not l)e told that tin- 1
like a lost sheep, has k
lumau soul
nown onlv the drearv
experience and ])ined in fruitless 1.
wast(
>f
th(^ tc
fold.
rrors of the wild(
mgings for deliver
iinc(> fi'oiii
niess and for the shelter and rest of tl
u-(,s ashamed of the heart that loved it
U'
even to the death.
i<l "f the hands that rescued it, and ..f the shouhh-r that 1
it home !
lore
Till tl
Till then I boast
len - nor is my boasting vain -
I Saviour slain :
And Oh 1 may this my glory 1
That Christ is not ashame(r()f
me
THK INB^rJ)FJ;S MISSION.
BY IfEV, HOWARD SPRAGUE, D. D.
.Tkukmiah VIII. 2 - " Thoy have healed tho hurt of tho daughter of my
people slightly, saying ' Peace, Peace,' when tliere is no peaco. "
IlKSK words ari' sjuikcn cf the proj>hots, prophets in
iiainc, but (Ic'ceivors in reality, who opjiosrd tho
^'/\J^ iiiissidu of .leremiiih, uiul encoiiraj^'ed the Kiuj^'s of
^V^V*^ ,Iu(hih and tlieir sul)jects in the iniblic jjoliey and the
^ irreli^dous life which lumii^dit the ruin of the State.
Persuading the ready ears of the peopU- that tlwy sj»oke tlie
truth of (}od, they luUetl thein int<i a false, security and
encouraged them to live wickedly by telling them they would
sutl'er no harm. "They healed the liurt of (lod's people
slightly, saying, ' Peace, Peace," wlien then; was no j)eace."
Events proved them to be false, when it was too late to avert
the ruin they had caused. Tlie army of Babylon, agent of the
displeasure; of God, surrounded derusalem ; eighteen months of
desperate resistance prolonged the horrors of the seige ; tho
false teachers were covered with confusion and shame; ; tho
King whn had healed them was carried a sightless captive in
the train nf his contiueror, and the people they had (h'ceiv(;d
and ruined were borne for long years of exile beyonil the
Euphrates.
A fuller description of these prophets is given in the
twenty-third chapter. There it is .said — and how true; it
generally is of those who forsaki' the "sure word of j)ro])hecy "
jfhtorof my
nplicts in
•< )siM 1 the
Kiii<fs of
V iiiul tlio
111' State.
ij>()k<! the
rity and
cy would
S ])('()J)lo
• ix'acc."
' to avert
lit of tlic
loiiths of
igi' ; the
;iie ; tlio
iptive in
doceiv(Hl
ond tlie
in the
true it
i)l)hecv "
THE IMIDEl/s MISSION.
59
and follow their own speeulatioius-that their way heeomes
"as shppory ways in tiie darkness: they shall he driven on
and fall therein ;" th.-y eonie to re^'anl their ,.wn thoiiKlits
whieh are hut dwnni,, as the truth of (iod, and they t.dl them'
a>^ sueh, "and eause my ].eoj,l,. to err hy their lies and hy their
lightness;" "theysi.y unto them that despise me, ' Thi' Lord
I'athsa.dy,. shall have j.eaee ;' and they say unto everv <.ne
that widketh aft(T the imaginatioH of his own heart, ' No evil
sl-all e.mi." upon you/ ^' "They say Peaee, I'eaee. wh,... th.re
is no peaee."
These wonls vry well deserihe manv wh<. ar.. found in
this and every age. Th<.re are always men who are ready to
ini*'<-t reliu-ious truth, however high its charaeter, however e'lear
Its credentials, howevr pure and healthful Instorv has prove.!
Us mfluemv to he; who, not e.mtent with th.-ir own denial,
make themselves th.- missionaries of unbelief: who preach a
I'ln.'osophythaten.ptics life- „f its meaning, or a religion that
thn.ws away the most soleniu and weinhty sanctions, and hy
their dreams eause the , .ople to forget (iod's name- an.l live for
s*'lt and sin; until at last, in shame and desj.air, they
iv-awaken to a sense of the nullities they have negle.-ted, and
*'Uise the philoM,],hy thM hefooled them and the religion that
told them lies.
Within the Christian church itself there are those who
proclaim pleasant views of (lod's relation to evi"
and mans
relation to eternily, which captivate the h
i»-l incr..ase their lack of eaiv. Without the Christian 1
tl
icre are many, there have al
wav:
th
emselves to doubt and d
learts of the careless
ines
oeen, wlio, having come
he the case if thev
eiiy. are not content (as would sureh
has faded from tl
were earnest men) that for tl
le universe and tlie glory 1
icm the ligjit
man. hut who are active in spreatling their views' a
(•thers into the orj>hanlu)od and l^nel
leen stri[)ped from
n<l }
•ringing
evei'V
ini'ss of douht ; who f
or
]>ang ot conscience' and for every son
row ot iK.'art, otier
60
TMK I.VriDKI, S MISSION.
tlit'ir cliccrlcss iK^j^ations, antl atit'iiipt to hciil tin; hurt of incn,
Hiiying " I'(ia('<!, j)cacc, wlicn then- is no pcaci!." And it is this
— what I may call " thr Mission of Inliilclity " — which 1 ask
yoti to consider with nic now.
I have no \voi'(l t.o say against the sincere and carni^st
uid)clie\(T. That donht may he honest and denial sincere may
he admitte(l, and such douht is wortliy of respect. Nor, in
proposing this (juestion do 1 for a moment assnme that it can
♦'ver hei.'ome a pi'actical one on a wide scale, that the world will
ever have to ask : " Now that we have lost Christianity, what
are we to do '?" 1 Ixdieve with a contidence eipial to that with
which I ai(H'pt the law of gravitation, that the foundations of
Christianity can never he destroyeil. Those foundations ai'e
th(! ])erson of -lesus Christ and the facts of 1 lis history. All
that human genius and ingenuity can do, idl that the critical
spii'it an<l accumulated learning of modern times can ellect. has
heen done to th'stroy those foun<lations, and what is the result 'I
That the great leailers of the attempt are hopelessly at variance
))etween themselves, that one explanatory theoi'V after another
sets aside all that have ]»receded, and that theories mutually
destructive, and ot \vhich not more than one could be triie, ere
j)ro])ounded with eipial confidence ;uid witli eiiual parade of
learning and sliow of reason : while the genuineness of the
Cos])els and the Acts of the Ajjostles and tlu'ir historic
character are made as clear as those of any historic documents
that are a thousand years old, and while, as a power in human
affairs, Christianity goes on with increasing influtMice, exhiltiting
and proving its divine and immortal life." Hut 1 projxtse this
question for any of you who may not have Ihatconiiih ace, who
nyiybe half ca})tivated by inlidel sophistries, or half afraid your
faith may l)e untrue. It is not, I think, a waste of time to
consider the mattei. I wish it were.
Suppose, then, the time has come when the work of the
infidtd is iinislu d and his end secured. The Bibli' is no longer
TirK infidki/m MIHSrON.
61
accepted ns a rcvcliitioii from (lod
-every vcsti.fc of Chrustian
faith lias disajipcarod from th«! world- -the Suhbatli is no I
kppt-
w
orsliip, if it i.s ofl'crod at all, is otfcred to th
link
oni^'cr
Mown
(Jod — the tlioiisiind inHuc
nces and af^'cncics, distinctly Christian.
liy which men seek to l.Iess their fellows, have lost their
inspiration and are dead. The triumph of infidelity is
coniplete. What is the balance between profit and loss? 1
can offer now only a few «,feneral considerations.
1. First, then, the mission of the infidel is to d
foundations an(
estroy til
1 sanctions of morality. 1 do not sav this is 1
us
luirjM.se, but this must be the result of his triumph
I ilo not mean that if the iJibl
Til
e ceased to be authoritative,
there would be no moral system, no moral c.mIc, reniainin*'
ere were moral philosophies in (;re<'ct> before C'hristiiinity
came, and there would l)e in America after it had died. The
moral sense is indestructible, for it is a part of man, and moral
obliu-ation, simj.ly as such, has a sure foundation tliere. And
].roceedin^^ ui)on its ju(|(rn,cnts, iin.l followinj:,' out abstract
princijjles, ]»hilosophy could construct moral codes that would
contain many of the matters of tl
le universal and immutal)le
morality. And the moral teachiuf^s of Christianity would, of
course, remain, and would make their nuld apjieal to the
judgments and hearts of men. Hut tlie life and the ])ower
■ould bo f?one. Morality, as a system of t}iouL,dit, mav havc^
M
retained all its truth, all its ])eautv, all its aiith(U'ity, but its
power woul<l be gone. It would b(> a government with laws
innumeriiblo uju)!! the statute; books, ])ut without
armies
courts, witliout any of tl
ler and its own
without magistrates, without
machinery necessary to the maintenance of ord
existence. Of the most perfect scheme of morality that could
be framed, it may be said, as Bishop liutler said of the
conscience, "Had it strength, as it has right had it power, as
it lias manifest autlu^'ity, it would absolutely govern the
world." But all history proves it has not the power— and with
(52
IHK IN I' I DELS MFHSION.
iu;
iill thf su]>])(>rt riiristiauity has i^'ivcii to it, it lias l)\it slowly
('Xtiinl('(l its (joiiiiiiion.
Now if that support wcro (Icstroyt'il, as it wfuild he, of
coiMsc, ill the triuiii];h of inti(h'lity, wliat would take its jtlacc 1
Thf iiitiih'l can hardly maintain that h'lx teaching,' pi'otnotcs
morality, oi' cini ever do so. II(> rmiy of course teach a piu'o
morality and may ]»ractice it himself, hut it is no part of
iiilidelity, which is a simple negative, and can have no moral
pnwci'. It teaches nothin<^'. It is a simple deiiinl of cei'taiu
thin<.^s, iind uidess the thing's which it denies ai'c promotives of
immorality, it can in no way |iroiiiot(s morality ]>y deiiyinj^
tiu'm. What it denies is the divine authority of the Mihlo.
It admires its liti-rary j^'ntatness and on the whole its moral
grandeur. It does, indeeil, take oul a few j)assa^'(^s, and
overlooking^ the times in whicli, the end for which, they were
written, an<l 1-he connections in which they staml, claims them
to he inniioral and ])romotive of immorality. Ihit it is dear
tlieir writers were not aware <tf any such tendency, and it is
also deal' that they do not have it in tiie characters and lives
of the lovers of the liihle. "To thi' pure adl thin^rs iire |iure."
There is a literature that deals wilh vice anil is utter |)oisoii.
Tlieie is ii literature that portrays vi(;e and makes it hidiMjus
and hateful. We are to jud;^e of the moral character of a ])ook
hy the side to which it turns our sym})athies. .\nd that the
iJihle, in any j)art of it, ttu'us our feelinj^s to the side of wrong,
rouses unholy thouj^dits and desires in us, is what no man can
say, unless he; s]ie,iks out of tlie experience of a heart already
so much deju-aved that he cares for the heautiful flowers only
for the sake of the poisonous extract his vile chemistry may
make them yi(dd. It may he said, it sometimes is, that some
of the threat doctriiu-s of the Bihle are immoral in their
tendency. I-'or iusiance, the central truth of atonement is so
represented. The hest way to te.st this is to ask if it has heen
found to he so. The teachings of the AjKistles, such as we
TIIR rNFIDRl/M MISHFON.
63
hi.l tl...,„ ,n th. npi.stl.-s of tlu, Now To.stun.,.„t, nvatn.l ,v
aocicty who8o purity stood i„ u'orM-wi.l,, contmst with tl...
inor.ll (h.gradation <.f th.> (Jn-ck an.l Homan world. Tl... l..tt..r
of tl... Ai,<..sth.s fr..in J<,rnHal..n. t.. tho Chiistiun ('hu.rh wliL-h
ha.l 1...,.,, gatln.ro.l in on,, of tl,.- most Liilliaiit .-apitals of the
ancont worl.i, ,lir,vt...i th...„ to al.stain f.o,,, a vi... wl.i.-h
prevail...! all aI.o„t th..i,., of whi.-h Ci.-ero, o,„. of tl... purest ..f
the Ai,.i..ut.s says that ji.. moralist ha.l thought it woitl, while
t.) ciuleiun it, an.l whi.-h was even aHso..iat(..l with tl..- w..rship
«1 the (I.kIs. In tl... ehapt..r ..f his hist.uT i.. whi.h ( lil.hon
en.leuvors t.. .liscnulit Christianity as a livin,. int. .position by
referrniK its .-arly triun.phs to natural eauses, h.- pla..,.s an...nK
tl... I.v.. that w.-r.; ni.,.st ettt-.-tiv,. th.. seven- morality ..f tl...
co.le an.l the manners of the .-arly .^hiiivh.
It is not easy t.) make eomparisons hetw-.-n Christian an.l
inh.L.l eomn.unities, boeuuse inH.l..lity has succoe.le.l so little in
creatnig <.on,n.uniti..s at all. I'.ut there was o,,,. short p,.ri.,d
when m F.^anee infi.lelity and atheisn. ha.l full swav, when
Tans a,..l the .-h^.f ...iti-s wen- won ov.-r to the al - >iul..
r..]....ti..n of n.liKion. If the t.-achings ..f the infi.lels who
P!vpar..,l th., way f.»r tl... r,.volution were not .lir.H-tlv its ..ause
they w..r,- responsible for its .haracter, for its (.'.nt..n.pt of
human Irfe, for the barbariti..s ,.na..t..d in the nan.e of lib,.rty
an.l to., tl... enthronement .. a prostitute, as the g..,l,l,.ss of
rea«..n, m the Cathedral ..f \otr<^ Dam...
N..W I ,1.. not say that a., inti.l.-l is a ha.l man, anv more
than that a man who calls hin.s.-lf a Christian is a -.j.^.l^ine or
that infi.lels generally inten.l to .lestroy moralitv, but f .1., sav
that this is the effect of their work, an.l it is vei'v .'asv to show
why. Man is inclined t.. ..vil. W,. ,,,....1 not inv..k.. fh..
Bible-history proves it. War, li....nti.msness, .lrunkenn,.ss,
dish..nesty, lying, abound. Tl.,.y hav. their ori-nn in the
human heart. Now infi.lelity not ..nly supplies no ch.-.k to
these evils, but it destn.ys the most potent .-hecks there are
()\
III K I N FI DIM- !S M ISHKJN.
i:
.i| I
(liviiu- aiithoritv, sup«'rrmturiil sjiiK'tioiiH, r(»nii!i^ jinlj^Miicnt.
'I'lic Hil)l(' ciuploys these. Iiitidelity siiys the iJihle. is not
true, uikI leuves man at least without any eertaiiify as ti> (omI,
moral ^'oveninieiit, jtersonai innuorality, and fiitiue jiidj^'iiieut.
And thus, l>y destroyin<^' the moral sanctions and fonuis whieh
alone ean restrain human passions, destniys morality itself.
If. The mission of iidididity is t(» silence the only voice
that meets the anxio\is ciy of the sin-hurdeiied conscience, to
tell the penitent prayiii^f for pardon, the fallen stru^'^dinj,' for a
new f<H. tin"; and a st(!iidy way, that there is n(» ]»ardon and no
help.
Christianity does not create tlie l(in<^'in^- of the heart for
(liid, tin' sense if sin, the tjesire fni' nmral renewal. It fmnid
them and had coiiie t(' meet, them. Vroui the old patriarch
cryiiij;, " () that 1 knew where I mi^dit lind llim," and the.
Psalmist sayiiij^', " Mv heart and my llesh crietii out for the
livin<< Ciod,'" to the heathen mothers who ha\e oll'ered their
children in sacrilic(^ this very day, tiie heart of man has calle(l
fi>i' (!o(l and heaveidy lielp. Jesus Christ answers this cit.
lie says " He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." Ho
speaks to all the trouhled, whether for sin or for loss, " CJomo
unto me and I will j^dve you rest." Men lielieve him and take
him at his word, and they sav. in eveiT jj;rade of society, iu
every rank of intellect, that tliry lind it true.
m
lidideiity di stroys this. Is a man troubled Ity* a sense of
sin? Inlidelity must say to liim, "Dry yotu' tears; you
cannot mak(^ it better by crying. No one knows wliether (}(jd
has any foi't,n\ cness. Xo one knows whether there i.s any Clod."
Is a man ti<f|iting against temptation and the power of cviH
Does he feel his v *vm .d lung for help? Christianity
says
(}od
V' " Like as a father pitieth his
children, a> I..* tict ,hem that fear him;" " He will
not sutrer Vi toHBie * uipteil above that you are able to l)ear."
THE 1NKIUEL8 MISSION.
G5
cry.
He
'dill*'
y, in
ISC of
you
( loil
lou.
■vil 1
unity
his
■ will
.car."
Iii(i(l<!lity Hays " It Im ii inistakt*. You must Htiind alone, and if
you cannot stand, you niu.st wink in sin and shanio."
III. 'riic iulitli'l's nussion is to dry u|) tlic chief fountain
of human t'onsolatioii an<l strciij^'th amid the maiufold trials and
sorrows whoso existeiu-e, alas, there is no need to prove.
Amid the trials of life our faith is of siipicnie inijiortanco ;
it can sustain the spirit and it alone, viz.. that " (lod is love."
Now this is not only a teaching' of Christianity; Christianity
alone has made it possible to hclieve: it. iVtUare does not
furnish the warrant for such a faith as this. Much as we
dwell upon her illustrations of the character of (roil, plainly as
she .sjx'aks of a power which swinj^'s the worlds in orhit and
steers the universt; in 8pac(^
iint
I of a wisdom which hts a
thousand contrivances to the production of a sinijlti end, she
gives no such j)roof of love as satisfies the .soul. .Miuy of thesis
very sul}'erin;.^s of body and sorrows of heart in which we call
for strength and comfort are of her makinif. The (ivils .she
inrti(;ts are so many and so ^'r(>at, that men have souj;ht an
explanation of them in a dualism of cn^ation and j^overiunent,
the coniiict of two eternal princii.les, one good, the other evil ;
while others, for whom a widenin<^ knowhidj^e of the universe,
with its universality of law and its continuity of (h^velopment,
has made this acc(uuit absurd, have l)een driviui to assume the
imperfection of the creatin<f Mcin;^' in goodness or power, or
both. And it is only when the satisfactory proof of Christianity
that " riod is love" siliuic.es all contradictory voice.s, that we
can believe the niyst<n-ies of nature; and life to he, in .some way,
we may not know how, tjonsistent with the goodness of an
infinite Being.
Nor do man's moral intuitions of th(unselves lead him to this
faith. The moral judgments of men, as we know them, are
after they have; [)assed through eighteen cc^nturies of Christian
education. Hut before Christ came they did not lead the
5
66
THE INFIDKI/S MISHION.
1::i
'm
m
vrorld to the unit} and goodness of (lod. Multiplicity nf Gmh,
good and evil, was the faith to which the world canu; with
nature and ]iliiloso})hy for guides. To us, it may he, it is
equivalent t(» an axiom that "God is love;" to the intidel it
may be the same, and he thinks it is the light of nature in him
that has disclosed it. J>ut the blood of fifty generations of
Christians is in his veins and he breathes an atmospliere that is
laden with the breath and fragrance of Christian thought.
Christianity gives light in the darkest hour, comfort in the
bitterest sorrov/, strength under the heaviest load, by its
revelation of the Fatherlnxjd of Cod, by its bringing of a
divine-human Saviour, by the sweet story of His life among
men, " bearing our griefs and carrying our sorrows," and l)y its
revelation of immorLality and heaven. The multitude of
Christian biographies, the i)eace that dwells in lowly walks of
Christian life, the radiant chambers of (h^ath, the victories of
"the nobli' army of martyrs," attest the sweetness of its
insi>iratioiis and tht; regality of its moral strength. Infidelity
destroys all this. It is not wonderful that the best intidcds are
unhappy, and candidly confess, or unconsciously betray, a
saddened view of life. Sonu^, of course, are careless and
heartless men, and hnd in their infidelity oidy a jusiifii;ition of
the freer i)ursuit of those frivoUms lives which they would any
way pursue. But the infidel of lofty mind and nol)h' heart,
who can not treat life as a children's playday, and who feels the
greatness and solemnity of life's problems, is made distinctly
utdiai»]iy by his creed. The jioetry, the philoso])hy, of
infidelity are distinctly sad. Sometimes they give utterance to
their sorrow as for a lost love. An English scei)tic wrote a few
years ago, a long and elaborate " Analysis of Religious J]elief,"
in wdiich he renounced all creeds, all revelation, all religion but
the bare Being of Cod, if indeed he could retain that. And he
decliired in the same work, in words of sorrow which touch a
Christian heart with pity, that with the loss of his religious
:|
THE infidel's mission ,;-
i^itl. he Wl lost the Joy of Hf. .„, the light had ..led f.l
^i« -sk.>. ^\e ,.an a.iinire, we must resj.oct, tlie sineeritv m.l
the courage tiiat eau faee th.. problems of I. ..U V '
J'*':,;-" '..- .,1 ,';: l£:^slz::::
r:ri::-:;;:5i;iS-:;F-"
An EnslisI, ,.th„i,t, |„„t,„. , ■ , _,
•KO shesaul, "I „,,s l..ft . ,vi.|„w with n.-ht ,1 ii "
Th'if io „.i, a 1- • ^"nuit, tn, It have goiu' 1)(. lore
ihdti. uhat my ,vl,o,ou has ,|on,. i\,r „..■ Wh^t 1,... v
way of thinking done for you ^" " W I V
an^vered the lecturer ,n hi. lll.t:::^;;i-^^^^^
•iisturb your comfort, hut --" - oj, tl..,f ; ♦ .,
"II, that IS not the .jucstion, '
tl
Wliat
'<^ woman. " K.".'). t" the point, Sir, if
endeavored t
tl
Jfis your way of thinking doric f,
you please.
evade the point
"' your The infidel
u^ peo])le, who saw that the vi.-t
and that all the fine soi.l
""^•<' more, hut was sil.Miee.l I
»y
ory
by a woman who had a 1
pliistries of the leetu
WIS with th<- (juesti.
leart's e>
xpei'ience to tell.
oner
rer were o'.'erturned
68
TUK INFIDELS MISSION.
i
Horn, thoii, an; tiircc ends of the infidel's iriissioii :
1. ric (Icstroy.s the practical sanctions of morality and
reverses the moral direction of the world. Thron<4h eij^hteen
hundi'ed years (vhristianity has liceti making men hetter. It
has been op]K>sed by many forces of evil, and great wrongb"
have l)een enacted in its very nam", lint it has changed the
barbarism of Kui(»|ie into social order, wiiich is more perfect in
pro])ortion to the fiver circidation of thf (lospid and i\w. purity
of the forms of faith. It has sought foreign lands in its lovo
foi' all men and its diisire to do them good. It has regenerated
tlie Sandwich Islands and lifteil Fij out of cannibalism into a
pc^aceful pi'ovince of the Ih'itish Kmpire, not by coiKjuest, but
1)V tl
le voluntarv choici
.f
I pt>ople who wis
bed
a closer
alliance with a land that had sent them the truth. It has
abolished slavery within the bounds of its dominion. It has
released woman from bondage and degradation, and made hor
the light and ruler of a home around whose ])urity and peace it
throws th(! sacred shield of its protection. It has organized
the great chariti(!s of Christendom, founded hosi)itals for the
sutl'ei'ing, and extended hidp to the poor.
The mission of itdidtdity is against all this. It does not
projKise to destroy it ail, and it could n< t do it at once. But
it ])ropo.ses to cut oil' the inspiration which has done it all,
relax the bonds of society, remove all the restraints on humi
passion which have been found to bav
m
e anv <
di.'i
encv, and
b
■dow deurees let "chi
los come aLfaui.
■_'. He mocks th(! deepest problem of the human soul.
" What must 1 tlo to be saved ?"' was asked before (Christ
came — it is askeil where he is not heard of -it would be asked
if he slKUild be forgotten. He answered this (luestion.
"Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of
sins," and millions who have heard his word have found the
peace of pardon and rejoiced in the favor of a father (lod.
It
TUK I\FinEl/s MISSION.
69
The infidel lau-h.. at th<' .,iu.sti.^n, th.-ugh the wi-.ost and the
best have asked it, Mi.d though he caniu.t say it may not he
founded in tlie truth.
3. He roKs men of tii.-ir strength and their consolation, in
those crise.s of lif„, wIum, tl,,. h.art, in its loneliness and its
grief, "knoweth its own hittmiess;' and lin.ls human li.lp to
fad. Your struggle in lilV may 1„. hard ; your way mav W a
rough and a lou.dy one : Christianity eomes to you an.l says,
"God sees you an.l L.ws you. Trust Him, II,> will .rjvo yoii
strength; ohey Him, II,. will l.ring you through; lov.- Iliui,
He will take y.m home ; and your afflietion which is fur a
8ea..son will work for you a far more exc<.eding Mud rtcrnal
I..- "
weight of glory" Jnlidelitv 1
had th(^ courage of it
Ills no word to say, or if it
and
you.
man an idiot on
s <'onvi<-tions, and if lif,. is what it teach
es
a crumbling throne," it wouhl ask
Whotlior 'tis iioljlet- in tl
Tlie .slings jiiid arrows of outi
le mind to .suffer
igcous fortune,
Ur to take arms against a .sua of troubl
And 1
ly opposing end tlieni.
and sugg(\st the suicid
fr
(> s
■eciuently, it is hcraiisc it
•'■^'':t|"'- If if docs not d(
is not suiv of its grouinl.
) it more
th
Your loved ,„„., over whr,„i you have tenderly
rough long days of susp,Mis.>, lies }„.f,,re you
wateh(>d
no hand
answers your pressure, no v..iee responds t
stand ])y her gravi' tl
o Miur cal
\
(tU
and your <
duld
are
says, *
house
I
jc eaHh falls with a dull sound, and
parted forever. Forever? Xo.
you
am th(^ r(!surr(;ction and the life
voice
." a
m mv
Fail
ler s
u-e many mansions;" "ami there (!od shall wi)
orever.
all tears fr
"for all I know, f
grave, an<l every spring shall
flower is withered an<r shall
»e away
•om your eyes." Fon'ver ? "Yes." the infid.d say,
" 7
I niay jilant flowers on the
renew their heauty, i)ut your
Yoi
keej) the ]>ieturc in the chami
nevi^r hloom
auam.
on m
i,y
'er, and kei'ji your mis(;rv alive
^^p
70
THK INFIDEI/S MISSION.
til
m
by frequont f^azinj^ nii tlic foatiirps of tho (load, hut with the
s])irit that ia ^oxw you can hiive fellowship no more."
And hy and by your time will have conn'. Lifo has not
lost its iiit(!r(\st, and tliou^'h you may he old, and life for you is
•greatly ehan^fed from wliat it was, you would .ather stay, than
go out into tlu! blackness of darkness forever. But if you
l?hve. tht; faith of [»ro[thets and psalmists and martyrs and tho
saints of all a<;es, you will say, " Thouf;h I walk throu<,'h the
valley of the shadow oi death, I will fear no evil." JJut an
inlidel comes to your bedside and says, " Death is an eternal
sleep. Kartli to (.'artli, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, and that in
all."
Her(i then is the (Josj)el of Christianity and the gospel of
infidelity. The one teaches the fatherhood of God ; the
brotherhood of Jesus, touchecl with a feeling of our infirmities;
}iai'don for all sin, hojie in death, and heaven and home
fortiver. The other tijaches that we cannot know Clod, have
no guarant(.'i: of Jlis love or of His being, no divine helper in
our sorrows and struggles, no hope in death. The one is good
neAvs — the other is bad news. We may tell men the one with
joy. How shoukl a man tell the other 1 Paul was in tears
when men showed a disposition to reject his messuge ; an
intidel should be in tears at the thought that any one would
receive his. If he must, and if he rejoices that he can, climb
the lonely mountain of unlielief, and breathe its thinner air,
and bear its biting cold, and face its awful .storms, let him go.
We would detain him, if we could, where the grass is green,
and the flowers ari^ bright, and life is glad, ]>ut he is a free
man and wir let him g(j. Why can he not let us stay 'I For
the sake of his i>ity vv(! will jiar(U>n his pride, if he will but say,
(lO down into tlic; valley and leave ine with the iiipht ;
1 UvAir tlio thunder Ijieak and liooni about tliis rocky lieight ;
Tliis place suits not tliy gentle tears, tliy face afeard and wliite.
THE INFIOEr/s MISSION.
71
Go down into the valley: the music of despair
(an find no echo in tiiy heart who art so frail and fair :
liut 1 iiave passe.l the hourne of hope, and love the thunder's hlare.
(!o down into the valley and leave me witli the night ■
^or 1 havo left the woods and streams and meadows of delicht
And needs must wrestle with the storm upon this rocky height!
^y^' will take his word ; and we will take the wor.1 of this
pn^phct who says to us, "Thus saith the Lonl, stan.l ye in the
ways and see, and ask for the old paths, wlu're is \he good
way, and walk therein, and ye shall find I'est for your souls."
THE TIIIIHF. riP.ARF.liS: TJIE MOCKER,
riiOCllASTINATOR, BELIEVER.
BY REV.
J. MOXA/'ATT.
" An<l when tlmy h-'iird of the. resurrection of the do id, some mocked :
MiC others said, ' We will JuMr thee again of this matter ' Howbelt
certain m<!n clave nrito him and helitived, amoii^ the which was
Diony.siiis tlic Arcnpai,'!!^', and a woman named Dam^u'is, Hnd others with
them."— Acts xvii. 82, 34.
AUL is prcacliiiij^f itt Athens. He has tlic philosoplier.*;
and fools of the. world listcninf; to him. But ho is
(Mjual to the occasion. Takin<r his stand in tho midst
'j of Mars' Hill, the most famous tribunal in the world,
^ with the jud^fi's around hini in a .soil of scmi-odicial
capacity, and choosini,' for his text an ins(!ri]>tion he had found
on one of tlic ])ulilic altars— "To the unknown < lod " -ho
preaches .lesus and llie I'esurrection.
It is worthy of remai'k that wherever you hear of Paul,
you hear of him ])i'ea('hin,if, and whenn-er you heai' of him
preaehinj^, you hear of him ])reachin<; Jesus.
I sup]>ose his seiiniui would ho a powerful one. There was
everything,' to ai'ous(> his nol)le soul, and lire, iiis elo(|uence.
What a ])rivile(To to hear .such a sermon ! lie would feel that
be was on trial, and the doctrine he jireached. lie had the
learning of th»^ world heforo him. He had tlu^ wisdom of
Greece listonin^if to him. But grander still, he had Christ's
claims to vindicate, and there were hundreds of ])reoions souls
to he saved. All this would in.spire him. So he preaches.
THUKK IIKAKKJtS: MOOKRIl, I'ROCRASTIXATOR, BELIEVER. T'A
Upw lu.l.lly iH- speaks out-no whimporin- How ^.raiullv ho
reasons. How f.lo.,ncntl.v ho ploa.ls for ( Wvvr,. How ..urn.l.tly
ho appoals to tho nohl,^st smtiinonts of hi.s hoarors. P.ut ho
fa.ls to carry thoni alon^,. with hin.. His h.^M'o is pow.-rh-ss to
convmoe tho.r stupi.l proju.lioo^,, a.,,1 ovon his olo,,u<-n,M. is
ins„lho.,cut to arouse thoir .loa.i .^o,.ls to tho claims an.l ain.s of
tho h.Khcr life. When ho spoaks <.f tho rosurroction moro
especially, his au,ii(.nce gn.ws to ho tumultuous an.l ilisordorly •
--son.o nuKkiuK, others intimating that th.^v will hoar him on
thut theme some other time, an.l so the mootin- e.mies to a
close. But the .sacred historian t.'lls us that his ellorts on tho
occasion wore not altopfother without results. -Howh.nt
certam m.m clave unto him an.l helieve.l, among the wliL-h
was )i..nysius the An-opagite "-this was one of tiie ju.lges of
the fanu.us trihunal-" ami a w.unan name.l Damaris, and
others with them."
Now, I want you to noti.-o to-.lay speciallv the three
representative cla.s.ses ,)f hearers in J'aul's au.lionce -the
mocker, the j.rocrastinator, an.l the heliev(>r. Wo mav lind
them in most audiences.
First, T,ie Mocker. "Ami when they heard of the
resurr(H-tion of tho dead, .some mo.'ko<l."
Now, it does not require much of ,.- h, ; wit .u- wis.l..m to
make a mock..-. It n..e.ls n.. hrains, r,om of the h^arniie^ of
the schools, an.l the loss sense the hotter, to make a first-class
mocker. Any]«)dy can get up a laugh at the oxi.onso of an
earnest man who lias some gran.l worl.l-idea on the brain that
the world has not yet come to believe in. Ki.liculing is an
easier way than reasoning to answer a i..,werful argument, an.l
with tho many it goes very much farther. If v.ai have an
oppcment who has the best of an argument, an.l who is
entivn,.}H.l m an impregnable position, .lo n.,t argue with him
bui Inigii at him-point som.^ silly jokes at his expense, and
,Tou will get tJio better of him.
74 'IIIUIOK IIKAIIKIIS : MOrKKK, riiorBAaTINATOR, HKI.IKVKH.
I
Thivt is about tlic sort of game the world has Jihviiya playod
lit ill (Iciiliiif,' with the iiicii who have iiiiiuf^urut('(l thf j^tuihI
Booiiil reforms, Biade the great discoveries-, and hh'ssed the
world with good. The old foolish world before the flood spent
the one hundred and twenty years of resj)ite (lod gave them in
mocking Noah and his ai'k-shi|). ilow the iihilosophers and
fools of that age ridiculed his ideas, niocked his earnestness,
and made game of his ark-building. Hut Noah was right, and
they wtjre wrong, and he lived long enough to see the day
when they would have given everything they iiad in tin; world
to have been in the ark with the preacher of righteousness.
Hut there was no j)lacc. for those old mockers in the ark, and
they iierished wretchedly.
Then too when Jc^sus came to redeem a lost world what a
ha-hah was raised among the mockers. How they laughed at
His hsheruu'n preachers, and predicted the sjieedy failure of His
scheme. They ridiculeil His juvtcnsions, and pooh-|ioohed at
His claims. An<l when they got Judas to betray Him, I'eter
to deny Him, and IMlate to crucify Him, how they wagged their
heads, and snapped their Hnger.s, and laughed as if they would
split their sides over it. They thought the whole thing had
su<ldenly collapsed. Hut from tlu' cross gleamed forth a light
that is gradually rolling back the clouds of darkness, and is yet
destineil to lill the world with glory.
.\ud still the mockers mock on, and will mock on, I
sui)pose, till the end. They mocked w-hen Jesus hung on the
cross. They mocked when the da^ of Pentecost was fully
come — they said the Apostles were drunk. They mocked
Peter, and they mockcnl Paul. They mocked And)rose and
Augustine, John Calvin and John Knox, Luther and
Melanctluju, Whitetiidd and Wesley, and all the earnest
preachers that *»ave ever opened th(ur months to cry down
the world's ruinous wrongs, and tell men the story of God's
love.
TllKKK HIOAUKUH : MOCKEH, I'lUJCUAHTINATfiK, BKI.IKVKIl. 75
Hut the preiicht'rs iin* not the »>nlY ones tlie iiiofkcrs have
iiuh'IvimI. Tlu'V iiKX'kt'd Colunilni.s aiul his 'u\vn of a Western
i vet
I
the
ally
<ed
iind
and
(Vinthient. Thev mocked Walt and liis steaiii-»'n<rine, (leoi
|((!
Stephenson and " pultinjj; Hilly." They nioeked Henjaniin
Franklin and his eleetrie kite, and Fulton and his stea!nlM)at.
They mocked Clarkson's idea of freedom for iJritish slaves, and
Robert Raikes' Sabbath schools, and Howard's prison reforms,
and Candy's mission schemes, and (iou<,di's total abstinence, and
everythin|4 else that has ever promised any i;ood for man or any
glory foi' (iod. There never has been a movement of any
conse([uen(;e. but there have been mockers to get up a laugh
over it, and turn it into ridicule, and run it down as an
iiniovalitjn and fraught with every evil. A man might well
i[uestion the utility of that ]niiject that tlie mockers did not
assail. A thing that was not worth the mocking at could not
be much good.
Hut, my hearers, did you ever hear of mockers inaugurating
any world-reform, setting on foot any scheme for tln^ benefit of
the race, and helping along any movement that has for its
object the general good '{ Su. They are good at hindei'ing,
but no good at helping. How much have the Tom I'aines,
till' Aaron Hurrs, and the \\»ltaires, anil such like, done to
bless society, and make the world better 1 Why, tlu-y were a
curse while they lived, and the books they wrote, and the lives
they liv(!(l, have gone on cursing ever since, and will do so for
.a long time to come yet.
I sup])ose there are mockers here to-ilay. They come to
laugh, */0 sneer, to have a fling at the gospel. At all events
there are plenty of mocki'rs in the city, whetiier they are here
or not. They ridicule religion and its friends as hard as the
fools and iihilosophers of Athens did Paul and his do(-trines.
According to their ideas, the earnest Christian is one of the
greatest fools that ever was. They laugh at his scruples.
They scoff at his piety. They call it cant, hypocrisy, fanaticism.
70 IIIUKK UKAUKHS : MOCKKH, PltoCFlASTlNATOH, UBr.IUVBH.
Rut, inockcu'H, if uiiy of yon arc here to-day, I want to say to
you, that you had hctlcr ^'ivc uj) your mocking,'. If you are
iiioikiuj^ .Icsus, you arc mocking' your b(!st friond, and t.ie chiy
will coinc when you will wish you had not done so. Tho
t'it^htccn fcnturics that have clajwcd since dcsus canii' to the
world should teach (^'ery <ine, hut tin; tnost consvnmnate fool,
that if then^ is any one worthy of our lovo and conlidence and
devotion, that one is dosus. The worlil, and the Church too,
arc full of corruption and deceit. Hut .lesus is true. 1 )o not
uiock at llini, then, nor his ])('m]i!c. They arc not what they
should l)e, ])ut He loves tlieni ; ami if lie loves them and holds
to them, then it will not du to desjiise them, ^'ou may lauj^di
at His poor st-rvants, and douhtless then^ is much tc laugh at in
them : hut if they ai'c His servants, you cannot laugh at them
without, laughing at Him. Vou think i)erhai)s that the HiMe
is a very al)surd hook, ami the jireacliing of the gospel the
luMght of foolishness, ami the doctrin(>s we li(diev(> in very
unreasonable, and the hopes we ai'c cherishing very vagu<^ and
uncci'tain. liut al)sin-d as all this may seem to you, there are
tliose among us who would >aciilirc all they have in the world,
and suH'er even to the death, for the Savio\ir they ludicve in,
and the Mihle they hold to he (ind's I'evclation to men, and the
doctrine's taught in it, anil the hopes they cherish. Yes,
(,'hristians have died for these things in ilays gon*' by, and they
would do it to-day too. ^'(lnl• mocking, then, is not going to
tiu'n the trui' and good fiom their faith. It will not greatly
hurt tlu^ Church, l»ut it will ruin you. The wisest and best
thing for you to ilo is to give up your mocking. The louder
you laugh and mock now, the louder you will weep by and by.
Do not be fools all your days : be wise and earnest.
Next, The Pijocmiastinatou. " We will hear thee again
of this matter."
There is much said all thrnugh Scripture about ludng
])roni])t, decided. "To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden
TIIIIKK UKAUKKS; MOCKKll, I'ltOCIlASTtNATDR. IIKI.IKVKH. 77
ni.t your luvu-ts." " iJ.hoM, now is tl.o arr.pt,..! tin... ; iK-hoM
»'^^v i.s tlu. ,lu,v cf Hulvuti.m." " CI inc. so yuu this day wl^.n.
yen will sciVf."
Tli;it is the way th<' Fiil.l,. talks. 1
inipoilaiKv, as tlu", salvation of tl
II a matter nf so imirji
tl
fx'ii III. '11 cfiin." to J.-sns aii.l t..|.| him tl
K' soul it will hrook no .Id
IV
ii'i
1' tath.'i's fun.'ntl hrUnv they s.a out t.. f..|l„w II
ley wanted to uo t(
nil, itV to (f
li'iiiie and lud their friends far
ahout it. He tuM them tu f
K^'
vw.'ll, 11,. was not at all ph.as,.,!
everythinj^: <'!>"• K
ollow liim at
once
and let
And th
Sn.
reason i
s ohvious.
Ti
me
luu-ertain. There is not a nioment u
may say, to-morrow will .lo, hut t
hort. \AU
IS
e can ca
II
<'ur own.
W
may ncv.-r see it. II
n-niorrow is not ours, aiiil we
and attend to t!
eanu! th.
only tiiui!
<)\v manv hav.^ int.ni.lod to follow J
It'll- souls some lini.' or other; hut cw. that t
"• opportunity was g,.ne, an.l th.^v w.Te
iU'.i SUIT of is th.' i)r.'s.'nt, and
lost.
csus,
im.>
lie
Wl!
duty is to seok salvation. Kv.'rythin- ,ds.> ,.an"l
iin.l no ^r,.,..,t loss a.'.'rue I
I'very one's pr.'sent
u' p.tstpon.'d,
•salvation, he do.
<' H man ; hut if he jiostpone 1
lis
of losing his .soul. II.. runs tl
s so at a trenien.lous risk. I It
runs th.. rfsk
distil
u: ris
pieasur.', and grieving away th.' .spirit. II
spon.lmg an eternity in w
o..
\
k of incurring the divine
.' runs th.' risk .)f
.savi'd to-nion
'.nv
comes, you find that (lod 1
ou may say, " I want to h
n to-nioi'row
I am t..o husy t<j-.lay." But wh.
las iio (
iir.
y«»u. Ili.s Linu. was wl
wn
H
■I's of .salvation to mal
to he His. I la. I you yieldeil tl
been oasy, for the sjiirit w
e came t.i you, and entreated
ko
v.ui
K'li, y.jur .salvation would havi
be
IS willing, and J
grai-ious. But wh.'u d.'sus }
l.'sus Was waiting to
man's s.)ul, h.' is forev
las with.lrawn him.s.'lf t
ov undone. He m
very much. Theiv, will he jilenty
the Archangel's trumpet blow.s. ( )1
many of the people in .mr fair .-ity whose f
I'oni a
ly want t.i he saved
wanting to he .saved when
1 y.'.s, you will see ever so
in the House of (iod, aiul wl
iice.s you never se
lom
you couhl not persuade to
go
w
7H TllltKK IIKAURRS : MorKRR, PIKICUASTINATOU, MIMvtKVKU.
t<!ii yards to hoar about .Tcsns and tho j?reat salvation — yon will
WW th«iin torribly in canu'st about it. But what \h the u.s(> of
Ixiinj,' in cann'st tlmn 1 it is too lato.
How many in tbis audionco to-day bavn bi'fn br-arin;^' about
.luHus all their days, and ynt T suppose thoy will ^'o away
to-day just as th»?y have boon doin}» for tho last ton, twenty,
porbaps fifty yoars, sayin^^, *' "Wo will boar tboo n^^ain of this
niatto.i'." If tboy aro sparod to soo noxt Sabbath, they will lio
l)ai'k ai^ain to hoar hoiiio inoro, and that sort of tbinj,' will j^o
on until sonio day they will not be able to ronio any nioro.
Kvory coiuinunion s(!ason tboy expect to lie ready to come tho
next time ; but the next time, and the next time, and tho last
time, eouK^ and ;.,'o, and they are still not thoro.
How inconsistent men aro I These same men who dilly-dally
with .lesus so lonj; without ever comiuLj to the point, lo not
aot so in business. Tell them just, once h<nv to make a littlo
niiMiev, and before the day is dom^ they will li
tl'VUI",' it.
Th(\y knf»w the vahie of j)romptitudi> and decision in a matter
of that kind. Hut tboy must hoar you a^ain and a^Min oh so
often, about Jesus and the ,1,'roat salvation before you can <^ot
tlunn to move.
And indetnl, some of thorn .sooni to think that delaying
such a ste.jt as choosing desus, is rather a virtue than otherwise,
They will shake, their wise heads ominously when they .soo
youuL,' j)(!ople coming to a decision so- soon, and they think
ministers should discom-age anything lik(> that. It is too
important a stej) to take suddiuily this deciding to bo a
Christian. Tho IJible says. Now I now I believe now, repent
now, the sooner tlu! 1)otter, the younger the litter, seek me
early, to-day is the day of salvation 1 Ibit their time is
to-morrow, next we(d<, next winter, next communion sea.son,
later on ui life, old age, a death-l)ed, and so on. They want to
hear again of this matter befon; they fleiide.
k
THKKK FIEAHKIW : MOCKKH, I'lloCHASTINATOll, JJKI.IEVKU. 70
11 SO
•ing
•ISO,
sec
link
too
t(> a.
X'llt
1110
' i.s
iSOIl,
it to
Uh, is it nuirh of a wondor tliat .losus j^oi.s tirod nut waitiiij*
«n tlicni 1 I hiivo oftcMitiiiics woikUmciI at TUs iiutionrc. My
«oul within mo has hoon wonriod out listoiiiiij^ to iiion's
wrotohoil oxfiiHos ami j)ut-on's, and my pationco has hoon
oxhausto<l many a tinio waiting on thorn to dociiio. And thoro
is such a thing as tho jiationco of .losus hoing worn out. I am
afraid His patiuncu will bo worn out with somo of us hofoin
long.
Oh, my hoaror, cannot you c(»mo to .los^s to-day ? (^innot
you docido right now 1 Men somotimos complain that tln\v
have not time. Thoy want to think about it first. Ihit how
long oiiglit it tako any one to make u). his mind to lio a
follower of C'hrist 1 Why, as soon as wo aro toM what flosus
is, and what Ho wants of us, wo should ho j)roparod to yield to
His daim.s. Ho does not oxpotit us to think hmg about it.
H<^ does not always give us tinit^ to do so. Ho wants us to
decide at once, and wc; do not decide right, if we do not
ilocido at fince.
There was Taul, ho was not long in coming to th(> point.
Moi' peter either. The woman of Samaria soon .settled the groat
matter of her soul's salvation. So did thi^ thief on the cro.ss. So
did the tliiec thousand on the day of rentecost. So did the
I'hilippiaii jailor, and a groat many others. And tli(\v did not go
back either. They decided at once and forever. And -lesus
wants those who have come to no decision as yet to deeido now.
If you cannot decide to-day, you cannot decide at all — 1 mean to
say, it will never be any easier. There will always lie (lUlicultios
in the way, always something or other influoncing you to delay
and delay, (^h do not \m\ like those procrastinators in Athens :
" Wo will hoar thee ayain of this matter !" Were you to hoar
again and again a thousand times, you woiild not be any iioan^r
it than you aro now. Cast yourself at the feet of the Christ
now, and from this moment be forever His.
80 TIIUKK HEARERS : MOCKER, PROCRASTIN'ATOR, RELIEVKH.
Thirdly, The I>eliever. " Plowbeit rortain men clave
unto Him, and l)(^liovt',<l, amon;^ the wliich was Dionysius the
Ar('(>pa<j;itc, and a woman named Damaris, and otliers with
tnem."
Tli(\y did not all nioek. They did not all procrastinate.
The ^freat body of that assembly did. But still there were a
few men, and one of them a distinguished man, one of the
judffes of the fam'U! court, I)ionysius by name, v.ho lielieved.
And there was one woman, a brave true-heartetl woman she
must have lieen. Her name was Damaris. Now, how much
we would lik(? to know something more, about those mi^n and
tliat one woman, who were iible to withstand the sneers iuul
scolJ's of their fellow-citizens, and cleave to the A[)Ostle, and
b(di',n't' in the world-ropudiat:'d (u»ctrhies of -lesus ! Hut this
that we have here is all we know al)out them. And it speaks
volumes. That they clave to Paul in tin; face of so much
opposition, and lielievc;! ; that they dareil stem the current of
popular oi)inion and fury, a. id set themselves against the
wisdom of Athenian philosophers ; that they had the strength
to o'vn Ji'sus in spite of all the iutluence that would be
brought to bear upon them ; — that shows us v h.tt a mighty
power there is in the simiile gospel, and what the graces of
(iod can do in the most unfavorable (;ircumstanc(!s.
As I'aul looked around uptii iiis audience when he got up
to 3peak, and saw nr. uuich sneering going on in one corner,
and so much downiight carelcssne.ss in another, and so much
liard-fgctHJuess everywhere, he would Im- very a]»t to say to
himself, a- least I woidd be very ai)t to say to myself; " Well,
there is not going to be much good done here to-day. ' llut as
he went on telling them of desus, he eoiud see Dionysius
softeniufi; down, and Damaris weeping, and several others
throughout the assendtly tleeply atlected. and when the
meeting Wi.s (dos( d, there were those who came and took him
THREE HEARERS : MOCKER, PROCRASTINATOR, UELIEVEK. 81
got up
IcoriU'l',
|i iiuu'h
siiiy to
' \v,ai,
r.iit as
Imysiiis
ntht'l'S
111 tho
ik him
by the hanil, and thanked liini with tears in their eyes fur the
faitliful sermon he had preached them that (hxy.
And in this audience to-day, there are men and women who
believe in Jesus. There may be those who sneer and scotf,
and there may be thos(^ wlio pn^crastinate, but then' are akso
those who believe, and who so strongly believe, that all the
opposition and persecution of the world cannot move th(5m.
Thank God for those noble-hearted men and those brave true,
women who believe. They may not have the wit or wisdom
of the scoH'er. They may not be adepts in the shuHling policy
of those who put you ofi' without giving you a decided yea or
nf). They may not have the social standing, or tin.' wealth, or
the influence of those who follow the world, but as Ixdievers
they occupy the proudest position that a mortal can occupy.
There are those who think it a weakness to believe what the
Bible teaches, and the Pauls and Peters preach. They laugh
at the man or woman who pins faith to the ipse dixil of
a Matthew, or a Mark, or a Luke, or a John. Hut those
who do not believe the insjjired men of tlie Hible, have fiiith
enough to believe in the absurdities of Tom Pain<! and othere
of that ilk. The intidel boasts that he has not faith in this
and that and the other thing, and he glories in his independence
of thought and opinion ; but reiilly there never has been a
believei' in the Bible who was si^ nuuli the slave of all sorts of
fancies i'ud speculations iuid absurdities as the intidcd. It is
no degradation of any human mind, nor any dishonor to it, to
take for granted the facts of history and i)liilos(.phy, even
though we do not know and cannot know the wiiy and
wherefore of such facts. There are thousiinds of things in the
'i;Me and nature that I do not know anything about, and I am
not ashamed to own it. But, thank < iod, I can hf^lieve what
is w'.-itten iiere, whether I can understand it or not. The
doctrine of the resurrection may baffle my couiprehension,
and may seem to ni_y reason to i>e an utter absui'ditv. P^vcry
_ - "^
82 TI1IU':K IIEAUEUS : MOCKKR, riKJCllASTlNATOR, HELIEVEU.
time I look down into an open grave, aiv.l I do that pretty
often, the (jucstion conu^.s up to jne, what is the resurrection?
But I can l)elieve it, and find comfort and hope in it. I am
not worried and perplexed a1»out it beciiuse there is here so much
I cannot understantl. J f(ud I can trust (iod in this as wexi as
in other things, and I trust Him. T\n' dying heliever can lay-
down his head on the death-pillnw iiiid die, feeling that he
will wake up again, see his friends again, and liask in the sun-
shine of tlie fa(;e of .lesus.
Infidels have heen sneering for thousjinds of years at the
Bible, and mocking the preachers and peo])le who preach and
believe and live it. Ihit the l)iltle has outlived all the
sneering and phiJo.sophizing of the past, and it will do so. The
preachers still j)reach, and the people, still believe, and there
are more now than ever before who are fools enough to risk
their souls for all eternity on what the Uible .says. ^V' "u the
Humes and the Strai's.ses, the l)arwins and TyndalLs, and soon,
and all their splendid theories iuid s])ecidations have gone down
into the deeji grave of ol)livion ikucm- to have a resurrection,
the Bible will still be the I)il»le, the liook of books, the great
directory of faith and morals, truth and I'ighteousness.
But 1 must close these sim])le remarks, and in closing I
would like to feel that there are .some here to-day who, like
Dionysius aiid Damaris, have Ixvmt led to ludievc in Jesus. O
my hearers, you can tiust Ilim. He will not f'vil you. The
world will fail you. The money you are gathering and hoarding,
perhaps idolizin;;, will fail you. Voui' friends will fail you.
1 care not what it is, tiie time is coming when you will find
that there is nothing on earth that you can reiy on. But
Jesus will be true forever. 1I(> will never leu you. never
fov' "ke you. Oh then take Him, and take Him now.
Around you on every hand lie mysteries that cannot now bo
cleared uji to you — tluMuysteriesof life, the wa3'sof j)rovidenco,
MEVEll.
hat pretty
iirrection 1
it. I am
■e so much
as weii as
er can lay
2; that he
1 tlie siin-
irs at the
reaf'li and
1 all the
so. The
and tlioro
;h to risk
A-'-'ii tho
uid so on,
one down
Iirrection,
the great
THREE HEARERa : MOCKFU nn,» ,
MOCKER, PROC.U8TI.VATOR, BEUEVElt. 83
l-f"ro,o„, and your foju. g,,^, ' ' ^ ' '^ "■"■"".« "P
this i„„„,„„t „„ i,,,^ tl„.sl,„M „f , ^ '""■"' >■"" «''""1
Hositak. no lon„or To .iJ , ' '■ ^''"'"' "' 'l>on.
-ys it to you. a,.a„o,,,.....y.,,„„;:,„f ;;;--; co,,,„, "^
closing 1
M'ho, like
esus.
nil. The
hoarding,
fail yon.
will tind
itn. P)ut
I Ml. never
ill! now.
I now be
Dvidenco,
THE LORD'S NEED.
BY REV. ALLAN SIMPSON.
" The Lord bath need of him."— liuke xix. 34.
Ills brief text is simple, and does not call for any words
of exposition. Its meaning is \Ainu to tlie most
cursory reader. The Lord, who at the time was jnst
^^^K. about to enter Jerusalem, needed a colt on which to
(9 / <y
^"^ lide, for it had been foretold of Him, you know, that
He should enter the holy city riding on a colt, the foal of an
ass. Th(> text sim])ly tells us that the Lord Tieeded tliat colt.
The idea that arrests our attention as we look at this verse
is the idea of tlie Lord needluij. It makes comparatively little
difference what it v/as that Hi; nei'ded (tliough as a matter of
fact it was one of the hnver animals). The striking thing is
that He should need anytliiug that man can su])ply or that
earth can furnish. At iirst blush one feels inclined to say,
" Surely there must be some mistake here !" Is not Christ the
Lord i)f lieaver. and earth 1 the makei, jwssessor, and disposer
t)f all things'? Can He not command the forces of nature and
the energies of all His creatures 1 In a word, is He not Lord
of all \ Of whom and through whom and to whom are all
things'} True, all true. Is it not strjinge, tiien, to hear Him
rpisak of needing anything'? Well, .strange or not. He did so
speak. The text is genuine. Jt is part of the story of the
triumphal entry. The Lord did need the colt that belonged to
Ji
THK LORDS NEED.
85
ly words
he most
was just
whicli to
\ow, that
oal of ivii
that colt,
.his verse
cly little
natter of
tiling is
or that
I to say,
'hrist the
disposer
iturc ami
not Lord
a are all
Ifar Hii"
;le did so
y of the
[longed to
a poor Judean villager. May we not say He could not do with-
out him, hut must liave him? His way of getting jio.ssession of
the colt, too, was ahout as remarkable as the fact of His needing
him. He said to two of His disciples: "Go ye into the
village over against you, in the wiiich at your entering you
will find a colt tied. Loose him and bring him hither. And
if any man ask you ' Why do ye loose him f thus shall ye
say imto him, ' 77t« Lord hath need of Jfim.'" The disciples
did as they were commanded, went to the village, saw the colt
there tied, began to loo.se him, and when the owners oljected
and wanted to know why they were loosing the colt, tln^y
answered as they had lieen instructed, saying " 7Vie Lord
hath need of Him." That answer silenced and satisfied the
owners.
Tlie one thought this ■ gives us is — the Lord needing,
may I say tlu' Lord ncrdy -in want of that which poor men
could furnish — dependent upon His creatures.
If 1 shoidd announce tlie independence of Christ as the
heme of my tli.«^<'ourse, and .sliould ]»roceed to show that He is
ndependent of ail His creatures — that as He existed througli a
past eternity without them, so H(^ might have continued to
exist through a coming et(U'nity without them, I would have a
scriptural tlieme and a grand one too. But the theme that I
do announce is exa(;tly tlie opposite f)f that. It is the
dependence of Christ. Now, sonu; t)ne may he ready to ask,
*' Can dependence ami independence be ])(>th atfirmed of one
and the same per.son T Yes, they can be })oth athrm(.'d of
Jesus Christ. As God He is independent of His creatures, but
as man He is di'j)endent. And this text tells us, that at the
very moment of His triumphal entry into .lerusalem, wlien He
was about to receive the Ilosannas of tlie multitude, He was
dependent upon a poor dudean villager for the colt on which
H<> rode. liy His incarnation ('hrist ]>ut Himself in a juisition
of dependence, and all the while He Wivs liere upon earth He
86
THE lord's need.
was d('])en(l('nt iiixdi others ; and even now tliat Hi; ha«
ascended on lii^di, and lias all power in lieaven and earth, He is
still dej)endent upon the ehildren of men. There is a sense in
wliieh Christ cannot do without \\h, He needs the love of our
hearts, the- otlerin<^s of our hands and the service of our lives.
He necids all we can «,dv(! Him, and all we can do for Him.
We are v(!ry familiar witli the thou<fht of our need of tlie
Lord's hel|). It is constantly tindin<^' expression in our prayers
anil praises, as for instance in tlie hymn we fre(|uently sing :
" I need Thee, oh ! I need Tliee,
Every hour I need Thee."
Ihit we are not so familiar with the thought of the Lord's
need of our help. And yet it is tauglit in a nundjer of passages
all through the ]iil)le. Let us look at three. (1st) Judges
v. 23 : " Curse ye Meroz — curse ye bitterly the iidial)itant6
thereof, because they came not to the Indp of the Lord, to the
help of the Lord against the mighty." The Lord was fighting
a Itattle with His enemies and the enemies of His people-
And did He need liclp 1 Is He not the Lord of Hosts ? Can
He not command the armies of heaven, not to speak of the
armies of earth'} l)id Hi' not make the stars in their
courses fight against Sisera I All true, yet He needs the
assistance of His own people, and because the inhabitants of
Meroz did not come to His assistance when He needed them,
they were cursed. Tl.e Lord's liattles camiot be fought ;
victory will not perch upon His standards unless His peoj)le
conu' to His aid. (2nd) Acts i. S. : " Ve shall ])e witnes.ses
unto me, both in Jerusalem and in all Juih'a and in Samaria,
and unto the uttermost parts of the earth." Witnesses unto
Christ ! Does He neeil any one to witness for IHni ; He of
whose goodness the earth is full, and whose glory tlie heavens
declare 1 He does. He does. He needs all His people to
witness for Him at all timen and in all icai/s that they can.
rHK LORD a NEKD.
87
• hasi
Uv is
use in
3f our
• lives.
u.
of the
)vayerR
; sing :
Lord's
lussagos
.hulgcR
ihitaute
, to tlie
itighting
people-
1 Can
of the
1 their
(Is the
ants of
1 tliem,
ought ;
]n'o]»le
tnesses
aniaria,
s unto
He of
leavens
)ple to
ley can.
(3r(l.) Mark xvi. I"). H) : "(lo ye into all the \vorh I and preach
the (lospel to every creature. He tii:il helievt'th and is
baptized shall he saved, l»ut he that hclievelh not shall be
damned." Does Christ need weak, fallible, iniperfrct iniMi to
be preachers of His (}osj)el, and does He make the salvation of
the world de])end upon their willingness to go and jirea(;li that
Gospel everywhere 1 He does. He does. It is not too much
to say that the Lord needs man's brain, man's heart, and man's
consecrated life. He urgently needs them, so urgently that
He cannot, at least, will not give the glad tiilings of His
salvation to the dying millions of earth — the ti<lings they so
much need — without or apart from man's consecrateil activity.
These texts (U)niirm the teaching of the i)assage before us,
which is that the F.ord is dependent upon His people for the
execution of His nreat and gloi'ious purposes.
The text in hand, however, gives the most intense expression
to that idea. One would not wonder so much at the Lord
needing the wealth of the rich or the influenci' of the great or
the discoveries of the gifted among men; but that He should
need a colt, tlu^ foal of an ass — the pro])erty of a ])oor .ludean
villager — that is strange. There is nothing to shcnv that the
owner of the colt was a disciple of Christ, or that he had any
intention of serving Christ in any way. Hut all the same,
when the Ltnl needed a colt to carry Him into the holy city,
He made use of that one. Wi' learn that the Lord neecls and
can use meiTs j)ro[terty, even though in accunnilating it num
have no thought of serving Him with it. Men build sriips
that traverse th(' ocean in all directions safelv
an(
si)e(M
lily.
They construct railroads that connect city with city, province
with ]»rovince, and country with country. They stretch
telegrai)h wires across wide continents and under dei'p sea.s —
around the world. The present is an era of great worldly
activity. \Vealth is accumulating rapidly, and the discoveries
of modern science are revolutionizing the world. Sound,
HH
TlIK LOHDH SKVAK
stoain, »'l(!c,tri(rity, w<' iimy say tli« forces of nature, f^ent>rally,
ari' men s servants to-day, and they are usin<f tlieni m ior\vardinj]f
the world's work.
Now of these, and all such thin<.;s as these, can it he said
the Lord has need of them 1 Yes it (lan. And as a matter of
fact He is making' use of them — use of them all in the
extension of His kin^nlom on earth. It is true the authors, of
these iiKidei'ii <lisco\('ries had no thou<,'ht of serviuf,' Christ with
tiieni, Just as the nwnei' of the <-olt li;td no thinij^dit of servin<]f
(vlirist with his lieasl. Uut as Christ needed the colt then and
made use of it, so to-day lie needs the inventiveness and skill
hikI lalior of men, and makes use of them. lie takes the ships
they huild, the roads they ('on.struct, tlu; lines of telegraph they
sti'e tell the ] trod nets of their hraiii and the woikmanshij) of
their hiuid. lie takes it all and uses it in the, dissemination of
His Woril and tlu^ advam^i^ment of His kingdom on earth.
In one sense He cannot he .said to own it, as Hi; did not own
the heast of burden tliiit hurc llim into deru.salem, yet lie u.se.s
it as if He did own it. And it serves His piU'))o.se just as well
iis if it were made expressly for Him. Much of the woi'ld's
wealth and of the lu'st products of the, human hrain is in those
grt^at worldly enteritrises. They are not consciously or directly
given to th<' Lord. Indeed, some of them arc in the pos.session
of nu'U who do not acknowledge His claim or sympathize with
His work, Still all the same, He uses them and is advancing
His kingdom on earth through and liy tlieir agency. Of each
and every one of them it can l)e truly said the Lord has need
of them.
l)Ut if the Lord has need of uncon.scious agents, and of
unintcdligent and irrational agents, like the colt that carried
Him into JerusahMu, and uses them, much more has He iu'amI
of intelligent and rational agents such as we arc. Hi' needs us
wh(j have hccn made in (Jod's image, cared for hy His provi-
d(mce, ami redeemed hy His precious blood. He needs us all —
TFIK l.Oim's NKKI).
89
women a.s w.-ll an m»M, young as well as n.i,l.ll,.-ajrnl an.l „M
poor as well as rich, learno.l or unloarn.,1, .•ontcn.plativo or
activ.., He n..o<ls us. In particular Uo nods two tliin-s „f an,!
from us. First, the love of our hc.u-ts, an.l see.md, tlir s.-rvi.-e
of otu- lives.
First, I say the Lord n.-eds tlie love ,.f our lu-arts. ft is
not all the same to Him whether we love Him or not Tfe is
so far like us that He wants to I,e l„ved. Does a parent nee.l
his ehil.rs love, a wife her husband's, a pastor his peopl,.'s ?
tven so, the Lord who is very man of very man, as well as
very God of very (;od, needs the love of His j.eople's hearts
and wdl not he satisfied until He reeeivos it. It may he said'
He enjoys the love of His Father, a lov,. that is unehan-in.
and uneeasmg, infinite in degre.. and eternal in .luration -^iC
enjoys the love of the Spirit, a love that is unspeakahlv tender
and precious; He enjoys the love of those hri^ht ..nd hhv.sed
intell.Kenees that dwell ever in His in-esenee and praise Ilin,
without ceasing. H.', enjoys the love of h.-aven's h..sts an.l
heaven's Go.l. Is that not enough? Knjoying all that
unuttrrable wealth of affection, ,loes He ncd the l„ve of
human hearts-of weak, wavering, sinful hearts like yours and
nnne ? He does, He does. Love always ne.-ds ove in return.
Christ has loved us as Ho has not loved th(. ang.ds of li«ht as
H.> has not loved any of the other int.-lligencvs He has created
His love to us is amazing. It is the wonder of all h(>aven, an<l
will he the theme of all eternity. Such love must he re.piited
in a measure, or the h.-art from which it comes cannot he
satisfie.1. So far from it l,eing true that because Christ is the
Being that He is. He does not need our love, the very opposite
IS he truth. ]]e,>ause He is what He is, because He has loved
us as He lias, therefore He needs our love. Say ! did the
father of th(^ ])rodigal not need the love of his jirodigal son ?
Was there no place in his heart empty because for a "time he
had not the love of his prodigal }n,y 1 \Va« he fullv satisfied
90
IIIK I-<HU»H NKKI).
to do without the lovf, of the Wimdorcr bccauHo lie liml the
love of liis elder hrothcT ? You know he was not. You know
liis lic.iirt yciinu'd for the i>rddi<^Mr.s return, and for tlic 1(»V(^ of
his ]ioor prr (lif^al hoy. And so am I not correct in sayinj^ that
Christ's heart yearns for tlie love of His prodij^al chihh'en, and
cainiot he satistitnl witliout it. .Vs thou;^di He were here in
person, and we individually heard His ])leadiM^' voice, He is
saying to us all, " Son, daughter, give ine thine heart ; love nic."
1 know right wtdl that it is for oui' sakes He makes that
a{»])eal. lie knows we cainiot l)e happy if we do not love Him
first and most. Hut I also lielieve He makes that appeal for
Jlis own sake. lie needs the wealth of love our hearts can
give Him. .\nd oh ! what a wealth of love there is in our
hearts I Weakh that will he, must he expended on some
ohject, for it can no moi'e he shut uj) in the heart itself than
thought can lie shut uj) in a thinking hrain or water in a
Mowing fountain. And who so worthy to receive this wealth
of love as tlie Lord Jesus (jhrist, H(! who asks for it and pleads
for it, because He needs it 1
The second thing Christ needs from ns is the service of our
lives. It is not for us to say whether or not He could have
found other agents to do His will. It is euougli for us to
know He wants us to he His agents and do His will. I
sui)po.se the Lord could have foiuid othei' beasts of bunh'n than
the one on whieli He ro(le. Hut it was enougli for the owner
of that i)articular one to know that lie needeil his. Knowing
that it was alike his duty and his ]irivileg(^ to give it.
8o, brethren, it is enough for us to know that the Lord Inis
need of the service we can render, as miicli need of it as if there
were no others to render Him servicer There is work to be
done in the Lord's vineyard that will not be done — can not }»e
done, if we do not do it. Our own vineyards will not })e cared
for if we our.sidves do not care for them. There are men and
women in our tiwn immediate circle who need the encourage-
THE LUUUS NKED.
91
inent imd help we can give tlu'iii, iuul who, Imniaiily siu'iikin^',
cannot be brou^lit to till' love uml service uf Cliiist if we do
not brinj,' them.
1 want to make it eU'ar to my own mind and yours, that
notwithstandin},' tlie resourees of Christ, (and we set no limits
to them), notwithstanilin;,' that all aj^'ents and aj,'eneies are 11 is
to be em[»loyed by Him, if He will, there is a jtlace for each one
of us to till that will not be filled if we do not fill it; woik for
each one of us to do that will not be done if we do not do i.;.
There are souls that will not be saved if we are not Heaven's
agents in (itl'ecting their salvation. The Lord hath need t)f each
one of us as much as if there were no others. It is a weighty,
almost an ojipressive thought, that eternal issues hang upon
our action- — that the Lord's triumphant entry into the cities and
lands of this needy world depentls upon us and our doings. He
cannot move on con(iuering and to con([uer unless we supply
Him with the means necessary for His victorious advance. May
Heaven keep us from thinking and saying that Itecause there are
others to do His work- itthers j)erha)»s who arc wiser and
stronger than we are, therefoi;- we can be sparetl. We caniKjt be
spared — not one of us. .
There are thousands and thousands of stars in the Heavens,
some of them stars of the first magnitude that shine brilliantly
by night, but that is no rea.son why stars of the tiftii magnitude
should not shine. 8o there are thousands of Avorkers in the
Lord's vineyar.l, many of them mastisr workmen too, but that is
no rea.son why the poorest and weakest of us .-hould not work
They cannot till your }>lace or do your work. Young men I the
Lord has need of you while the dew of your youth is on you.
While your brain is active and your heart is responsive to love,
and your strength is firm and your future is bright with promise-
With all your manly powers the Lord has need of you.
Young Avomen ! the Lord has need of you. There is a
place in His house you are peculiarly well fitted to till. Your
delicacy of feeling, sweetness of voice and attractiveness of
r«,
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92
THE LORDS NEED.
manner, give you an influence for good that is peculiarly your
own. With all the graces and accomplishments you possess, the
Lord has need of you.
Men in active life proving yourselves equal to the tasks that
are laid upon you ! with all the experience you have acquired
and all the influ* iice you have gained, the Lord has need of you.
Matrons ! busy with your household cares ! the Lord has
need of you. If He has given you children to teach and train
for his service, teach and train them diligently and prayerfidly.
And if He has not, there are s(!ores of needy ones not far away
to whon^. you can act the part of Dorcas, and in IxMiefitting and
blessing whom you will benefit and bless yourselves. With all
your matronly love and care and wisdom the Lord has need of
you. None are exempted or excepted. The Lord needs the
love of every heart, the })raises of every tongue, the offerings of
every hand and the service of every life. And His work can-
not pros[)er in your Church and community as it ought to
prosper unless you, dear reader, come to His aid with a loving
heart and a helping hand.
Li closing, let me call special attention to the lordliness of
tone there is in these few simple words. \i the owner of the
colt asks — " Why do ye loose him? Thus shall ye say — "The
Lord hath need of him." Tiiat's all. Xo further explanation
is necessary, that word is sufficient to sihMice all objections.
The Lord's neeil is the most ;»ressing of all needs, and all other
needs must yield to it.
Men say, home needs us, society needs us, business needs us,
the world's affairs need us. And they say truly. ]?ut first of
all tlie Lord .lesus Christ needs you. And let me add, you will
serve your homes best, and society best, and your business best,
and tlu! world generally best, when you acknowledge Christ's
claim and give yourselves to Him and His service in all the
love t»f your hearts and all the service of consecrated lives. To
al! claimants let your answer be one and the same, — this — "The
Lord — My Lord needs me"
LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF HEROD
ANTIPAS.
BY REV. R. F. BURNS
D. D.
:. "r'^r r! 'a'^J^r:'?' *!:^ '^ ^ - ^ '-* -- -'^ - ho.,, and ob^rved
him, and when he heard him he did
VI., 20.
man: tHu.i;» i heard him gladly ."-Mark
HERE are several strong points of resemblance between
Elijah and John the IJaptist. Tlu^y resembled one
^^ an<.ther in dress and diet. Both More a leathern
-^? girdle and a camlet cloak. The one fed on bread and
water, tlie other on locusts and wild honey. The
circumstances connected with their early history correspond."
With su1)lime abruptness Elijah steps upon tjie stage. A
cloud conceals his cradle. Of his early life not a syllable is
reconled. Though the birth of the JJaptist be told minutely,
still, over everything that transi)ired prior to his formal entrance
on liis pu])lic ministry, a kindred veil is drawn. The two
appeared at similar eras in the hist(M-y of the commonwealth of
Israel. Bual monopolized the aliections (.f all luit 7000 hidden
ones. Ichabod formed the national motto, when Elijah, like a
meteor shot athwart the sky, a light shining in a dark j'.lace. '
An ago of degtuieracy had again set in. Sujierstition under
long robed Pharisees was forging its chains, making voi.l tlie
law of (;od by useless traditi-ons, and substituting tne mum-
meries of empty formalism for the simple worship of spirit and
of truth. Scepticism, through the instrunieutality of the
94
LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF HEROD AXTIPAS.
V
SiuMucoos, was breaking men loose from the moorings of tlieir
ancient faith, standing them adrift on nn ocean of uncertainty,
tearing into shreds th(; chart of Heaven and eclipsing the star
of hope. At such a time the Baptist appeared, a burning,
a shining light, to guide men's feet ir^to the way of peace.
The two ])ore similar characters and occuined similar posi-
tions. They were cast in an iron mould and flinched not before
the fire of the hottest opposition, and shunned not to declare
the whole counsid of (iod. It was in each case a time of Refor-
mation. They l)oth stood forth in the capacity of moral
Reformers. It was Flijah's \)i\rt to rekindle on the altars of his
country the sacred fire which the Baal blasphemy had put out.
Of the Baptist it is said — " He shall go in the spirit and {)ower
of Klias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, anil
the childriin to the fathers, and the disobedient to the wisdom
of the just, to make rea;ly a j)eo])le prejiared for the Lord." They
liiwl both to stand before kings. If Elijah had an Ahab, John
had his Herod.
% At first sight there seems not a redeeming trait about either.
They w(\re the offspring of wicked jiarents. Omri, the father
of Ahab, wa<led to the throne through a sea of blood, and
during the twelve years of his reign proved a relentless tyrant.
Of the father of Herod it is enough to say that it was at his
instance the innocent babes of Bethlehem were so cruelly
butchered. The character of the parents was re-produced in
the children. Ahab did evil " exceedingly." He told himself to
Commit inicjuity. The career of Herod was stained )iy crimes
of the de(;pest dye. In private he was a shameless debauchee.
In public he was an overbearing despot.
They wen^ both miited to worthless partners, who exei-ted
over them a most injurious influence. Ahab had his Jezebel,
a woman whose very name was tlu^ symbol for everything that
was l)ad. Herod had his Hcrodias, a woman who in cruelty
and caprice, yielded not to her ancient representative. But
LEHSONS FROM THE LIFE OF HEROD ANTII'AS.
95
•1,
lilt
ty
there is yet another point in whidi the kings aj^rof. They had
both what in familiar language may he called '* religious fits."
There were seasons in their history when their feelings were
roused. Their natures suseeptible of impressions, either good or
bad, Mere powerfully wrought u^'on.
Towards the elose of the 21.st Cliapter of First Kings, we
find Ahal) influenced hy the j)owerf\d denunciations of Elijah,
descending from his throne, divesting himself of his royal
robes, patting on sack-cloth, and going "softly." In like
manner we find Herod so much influenced by thi; preaching and
the practice of John that he " feared and observed him, and
when he heard him he did' many things and heard him ghully.'
Let us attempt by the aid of the Divine Spirit some
delineation of the lessons this incident is fitted to teach.
I. We are furnished with a striking illustration of the
J^orce of circuinntances in the formation and development of
character.
Herod, like Ahab, was possessed of a pliable nature, c.apal)le
of being inclined to one side; or the other according to the
influences brought to bear upon him. Had his connections
been decidedly pious and his associations of a pure and elevat-
ing kind, there is no saying but that his character wouhl have
caught a different complexion and his course received adiirerent
bend. But he was the son of a bad father and husband of a
■ wicked wife. He was cradled in infamy and ntu'tured in
ignorance. He breathed in an atmosjthere of moral corruj)tion
and laid himself open to everything that was calculated to
debase his soul, and i o stimulate into vigorous activity his wicked
propensities. Silken cords bound him to Satan's chariot wheels.
Thus was he "led captive by tin; Devil at his will." This
j)liability solves the problem of many a moral inconsistency.
Could it be supji<)sed that the man who crouched a trembling
-and seemingly sincere penitent at the feet of Elijah, was the
96
LB8SON8 FROM THE LIKE OF HEROD ANTIPAS.
same vvho had recourse to the meanest trickery and the coolest
barbarity to wrest from the honest Hebrew farmer his littlo
homestead. Could we have for a moment thought that the
man who hung, a gratified listener, on the lips of the IJaptist,
would have been tbe very one to murder him. " Is thy
servant a dog that he should do this thing." Yet so it is.
These are mysteries of Iniquity. But here at least is one
explanation. By reason of the cdrcumstances in which they
were situated, the bad that was in thtm wsvs brought out, which
else might have lain dormant. From within, out of their evil
hearts, through the operr.cion of these circumstan(;es pro(;eeded
" evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders." Let it not be
inferred, however, that these will render one irresponsible, or in
the slightest, exonerate from ])lame. We are all directly
accountable for the suggestions we entertain, the opinions we
form, the society we keep and the extent to which we i)ermit
outwiird objects and associations to affect us.
Lot was responsible for pitching his tent towards Sodom.
David for stretching his couch on the top of the house. Peter
for standing by the fire in the High Priest's palace. None of
them could plead circuiustances as an excuse for the sins they
sul)se(piently committed. Besides, by dint of prayerful j)er-
severence and a holy ingenuity, a thorough mastery may be
gained over the most unfavourable circumstances so as to render
them subservient to our interests instead of subversive of them,
A cloud of witnesses attest that such a victory has been gained.
Joseph, in the house of Potiphar, and subsequently in the cell
and at the court; Obadiah and Nehemiah in the palaces of
Ahab and Artaxerxes ; l)ani(;l and his noble compeers at
Baljylon ; Paul innnersed in the Philippian prison, tossed on
the Adriatic waves and facing the imperial lion at Rome ; these
and such like show how we can become each the sovereign of
circiunstances instead of their slave. Let us strive for this
mastery, else, we may be floated down on the tide of accident
LEHHON.S KKOM TllK [-'KK oK I1KI{<»I> .WTIl'AS.
97
1)0
er
hu.
tell
of
at
Ion
?se
of
(lis
bt
he canicMl alioiit at the iiicrey of jKission's lilf'.il ^nists. miki likn
Hcroil, tihi])\vn'ck our (.'haractfrs on any rock of oll't'iict' wliicli
like some liitlilen coral reef may lie sunk heneatli t!i(> surfaee of
life's (lang'vous sea.
11. 'riii.s story teaches us the iuthi'-ncr whirh MoK.vr,
( iiAitAciKli exer'ii cu the minds aud uiovcnients nf nieu.
It is writte.i resju'ttinj,' Kinj^ .loash tiiat "he did that wliieii
wa:-; vh^hi in the si«rht oi' the Lord all the dnifx of Ji-lioiiudt the.
/'rifsf.'' He respected tl.(^ ven(;rahle priest who had stood to
him in tlu' relation of <,niardiau, of tutor, ot' parent. Tlui
thi)U<^dit of his eye restinj^ on him acted as a salutary check, hut
not like -Ichovahs who hath said—" 1 will ;^niide thee wil.li mine
eye." Soon as .lehoiada'
ll
s eve was sea
led
HI (leatn
th
like
tl
le
orse or the mule wliicli liave no un(k'rstan(lui
k%tl
U' VOUULf kui''
gave loo.se rein to his insurjj;ent passions anil rusjied hea Hong to
ruin. There was .something ahout the character of -lehoiaihi,
when living, to whicli he wtus constrained to pay homage. And
so
it is 1
lere
There was a similar something ahout tiu^
Baptist's character that exerted on Herod, natur:dly wi(
ked
thou'di lu' v/a.s, a similar iniluence.
He feared dohn and
ohservei
1 hin
Vou will notice wliat that something was. Milton pictures
Satan as he eyes Eden hefore the fall, reflecting " How awful
goodiu'.^s is !" The (joodness which was incarnated in the yet
unfallen creatures, the emhodinuuit of its ojtposite "oliserved ''
and "feared." dohn was "great in the sight of the Loid," hut
it was his "goodness" attracted the dissolute monarch's notice
and respect. The influence proceeded from the heart rather
than the head. Herod "olwerved" his moral niori' than. hi»
mental ([ualities. He was not hlind to his incomparahle t.;dents,
nor was he deaf to his thrilling (docjuence, hut the special
reason why lie " fi^ared him and idhserved jiim " was
" for 1
tl
IKS.
le was a, just man and an holy." The very elennMit in
98
LE8HON« KKOM I'lIK MFK OK IIEIUM) ANTIPA9.
wliicli lie was lacking,' cxtoi-ts his iulniii-ation in aiintlior. < )li !
tliercf's an irrcsistil)!*; jxjwcr in <f()()(ln(!ss wliirh breaks down tlio
most foiinidal>l(! barriers and steals its way alnicxst iniiuM'ceptably
into the iciest heart. Herod was often rel)uked by the sttsm
preacher's strictnijss, wliich contrasted with his own notorious
laxity. Perha])s in presence of the fawning sycophants that
vSurroinKhid him and the easy virtue jjrevalent in his time, he
niiglit hohl up to ridicuh; the lUKiouth stranger who had caused
8U(;h a stir. The CiiricatiU'ists of the ih'iy nught exiiaust their
vocabulary of jests and lanijioons, to take (/If the outre manners
und "righteous overmuch ' rules and restrictions of the new
Reformer. It was nothing to him. He coiuited it a very small
thing to 1)6 Judged of man's judgnient. IJnafl'ected by the
frowns as he was by the flj'tteiy of men, he ludd f>n his
way, and by a patient I'ontinuance in well-doing, won the
admiration even of fiercest adversaries —
Assailed l>y scandal and tlie tongue of strife —
His only answer was a blainoless lite,
And he that forged and he that tlirew tlie dart
Had eaeli a l)rother's interest in his heart.
Oh ! brethren, there is a power in simple piety which
belongs not to shining ability. Pharisaeic formality ; the
worldlings cold and defective morality ; the hypocritical
pretender's assumeil stillness, disgust as their hollowness a})i)(;ar
— but there i;; a charm and a dignity about a holy consistent
walk which the most car(d(\ss are not backward to own.
IJrilliant parts disassiK^iated from fervent ])iety are as the
fleeting, freezing Northern Lights, wdiilc the other is as the
"Sun shineth in his strength " illuminating, Avarming, (dieering,
making men willing for a .season tt» rejoice in that light, flohn
was such a burning and a .shining light. Let Youu light so shine
before men that men they see you and observe you, and seeing
your good works, may glorify your Heavenly Father.
111. Tl„m. ,■„„■,.., „„t i„ n,„ t|,i,,| I ,|iir,.,,.,„,.
Tl,.. |„,.,„l,i„« „f ,I„1,„ |„„| „ ^ „„;.
»n.', tl,,M.u,.„a, h„no,p,,,, „i,.,. in tl,,. wi,,,,.,.,,,.,, ,;,,,,,
rnr '''"'■:"■ -r- ' ^- " '"■■''i-
JH. \> IMrilf'l el' s< 1 ii/>\/.l .....I .i.:i ■
to \vl
prcwIuT s(. ii,,v<.l and striki,
llcli
•'"'•.s polite" won. unuscl, aiwl tl
'n> iiii'l niiiclinl in a I
aii'Miatrc
nuuiiKT a fascination and a fun
H'lv Was altout hif
■"•' "heard liini dadl
•w? that held captive the kii
lil.
M
^ adn.ircl his niaid.v indej.cn.l..nt
witli tlie in(
heart
an ennn-ers wlu, swanned
was in his hand, with the skill o|
■spirit, ediitraslin^r ^o
n'ound him. The kin-,''s
qnivenn^M-oi-ds, andth.-vfora t
1
iinn ai.j)lied the prophets cj
line vihi'atiMl in m
' iiiastec he swept its
iison.
iiaving a pleasant voice, A'c." Ky,rk
lar^M' --Thou art as th
Vet t(
I' SOJln- ,,t one
I'C
tJlO
mained nnswept by the ^\'ind of tl
.'5. -5.
•■{!'. Tl
lese coi'i
nion
tl
and an
n.usic of the skies. Hero,] hear.] . I of, n -dad 1
"'■"^pi fit and oav,. „(.( f.,rtl
lan oneofthestoney
on n-'itJi joy received it. " H
,V- Hnt he Was no
round ljear..rs, who "heard th,. wor.1
his ancient parall,.l,Ahah.nn.l,.rtl
i«<'iiioti,)ns were stirred. Lik,
under tli
'' l'""-,.rful juva.diin- ,,f Hin, wl
"' P''<'a<'iiinKof Klias, If,.,,,,!
an,l spirit, " walk,-,] softlv in the I
lo ,'ani,. m
tl
fe
icro was
lo d(.j)tli ,.f ,.artl
•ittern.
His
^•^ ol his .'■oul.
eliiif,', of repentanee, of
1"- I
work.
Herod,
Tl
in
ex])erienc
'"'•■-ons.so,)n,di,Uhe promising hlosso,
.lis, IS
itcl
tl
HHK wirs. The kinn-,1
!•' n-pi-osentative of ,
po w,.r
Hut
1" d,.pth of knowledu-,., ,,f
was mere surface
IIS wither away.
It
nanv
Tl
lev have
lere ! Lo ! there." Tl
K'l'iin IS associate,! witl
I evf.rv
I
Tl
ley are of an emotional U
K\v are si^nsational in tlu-ir t,.n,l.
<o
tliey would t
Discourse as to
in])eram(.nt.
() an
iH-y.
ley LCo to chnrch as
a
oratorio or an opera. Thev listen to a
piece of acting or music. The Preacl
performer "as one i)layi„. well on an instrument
U'rvj'/lc. 1>>.<^ .1 . Al . .. _
ler IS a
words Jmt d,) them not " Tl
•im.
'they hear his
J Tactical, pointed personal
1:^
100
MOHHONS I'UOM IMF, I, UK <i|' IIKKoK ANTII'AM.
dcaliri},,', tlioy do in'l li1<r. It is all vory well, dcjiliii^' witli sin in
tli(! iiltrttnict but to fuiiH' down with sncli slcd^'p liiitnnicr force on
one's own Ixisettin^' sin, they do not fancy. It was tiius witli
ne,ro<i. No fault, Itut tin; reverse wiien John came not t.) close
(juarters witli him. Hut when, from standiu;^ at a res))e(;tful
distance in the outei' court he i-anie, riudit into the inner man'of
the heart, and dealt a hlow at the Idol enshrined thci'e, when
conl'ronteil him
<llv with "Thou ;ii't the .Mini." with
remorseless linger I'eelin;^' for his Plague spot, and with lancet
keenne
|iroliin;.
iim
tl
le (lUlck
Ol
that
was a V(!rv
lereiit matter: and soon the slumherin'f hevil within him
a wo
sin.
ke and he struck at the intruder who holdlv
ass,
died \\\>
In a sindlar manner, act many who prefer pai'ting with
theii' souls to ]iartin,ii' with their .-^n/v. The_y hear <,dadly. (lood
hopes are had of them. I>ut when a surrender must he made
if they would he really " apprchende(| of Christ Jesus,"—
wjien some darliu' lust iiiust he saerilice(l, hye and hye they are
ofl'ended. When seen in sinful dalliance with some unholy
habit and the miiuster of (iod, usinj^f great jilainnessof speech,
holdlv savs — ^" It is not lawful for thee,"" it is regarded as an
impertinent interfei-ence. They "eanru^tuway witli it." "Am
I lu'come your enemy h(M'ause I t(dl you tlie truth 1'" gets prac-
tieallv an aflirmative answer. F«»r a while
tl
lev
.sec. in
to 1)
r(
Hk
10 lis.
Tl
lev
lave
I sliow o
f 1
lumilitv.
W
lere-
f(U'e have we fasted (say they,) but thou takest no knowledge
But,
m the mask droi)s oH" and as they sin yi^t
more am
more, evidence sad and ])lain is jiresented of the impossibility of
renewing again to rei)entanc(! those once enlighten<'(l and who
liave tasted of the heavenly gift, if they shall fall away. ( )ver
not a few such (ases have (iod's siu-vaiits to cry " Ye did run
well, who did hinder you 1" "O Kphraim ! what shall 1 do unto
you. () Judah! wdiat shall 1 do unto you, for your good-
ness is as the morning cloud and early dew, it goeth away."
U
l.KHSONS KIIO.M 11 lie I.I IK n|' IIKHOD AM 1 1' AS.
101
IV. W'r rt'iuiirk in \h('J'i>nrf/i jilacc tliat rff'oninifltm of'
miinnrrs nitii/ CD-rrlsf irif/i f/ii' I'ufirf ahsnior i>f' ri'i/i'ii'i'iifmn <>/
lic'd't.
In listfiiiii^' III tlic furi'ililr |»ivacliiii;^' and \vitnfssin<;
the consi.'^tcnt liracticc of .Idlm, llcrod was m\ jxiwcrfully
aH'cctctl that "he did many tliiiif.fs." I )(tnl)tli'ss nol a little
essentially f^'ood was done. Almst's which liad ariuinulatctl, he
rcniiivcd. ( )liiioxiitns acts that lon.ij had hlackcnt'd the Statute
hook, he r('j)eal('(l. A ).,'reatfr nicasurc (if leniency may have for
ii time marked his administration of the Lfovenimeiil. lie
iiv<tided for a season some of the t^ros.ser forms of sins, and <^ave
himself a hreathin^j time in his race after forhiilden |ileas\n'es.
The reins of lust were drawn in. Thei'e was a sns)iension of
those forms of horrid cruelty with which he stood previously
(•hai'<^eahle. He reformed much that was wron;^ and performecl
much that was rii^ht. ^'es, "he did many things.'' So far, so
well : hut "one thin>.^ thou laekest."
si'dit of. He min'l(>. 1 no^ the- "one thii
Til" main point was Ittst
1'' .ee Iful." Theiv is lio
mention made of faith or rei)entance -- ''re]ientani'e towanls ( lod
and faith in tln' Lor.l -Jesus C-hrist." There was outward
reformation without inward regeneration. The con-<e(pienee
was, that v,dienever oeeasioii oilered and the excitini,' inllueiiee
was removed, his ungovernahlo passions hroke out as hefore, and
he hesitated not to imhrue his hands in the hlood of him whom
he had professed to lov<^ and admire. My hearer.^ there are not
a few who "do many thin<,'s " in themselves eommendal»le, hut
in reality nothin<,' to the pur])ose, from failing' to rememher that
until
i revolution occurs in our
heart
s, our
hahit
s ean
not h
eifeetually altered, There must 1;e a reversal of the oilier hei'e
oKserved. The evil lies at the fountain head, and at this lirst
must the remedy li(> a]»])lie(l. How many are there who con-
ifratulate themscdves on tin; abandonment of tidsevil practice or
the other, whos(^ moral pnn(;i])les all the while remain radically
unsound. We must tirst make the tree ^ood ere the fruit can
102
I.K.SSONM I'ltoM IHK I. IKK ol IIKUOl) ANTII'AH.
Itc lii!i(l<i to corrcsjioinl. T(» li>j) <){]' useless suckers, t(i sl'.ako
away serecl iuul yellow leaves, t(» let (ll(i|» from the (lecuycd
liraiieli this or the other eluster of I'otteii fruit, is foolish in tho
extreme so lou^f as the root is all'ectc^d ami n worm lies stM-reted
there. l)otli a fountain send forth at the same |ilace sweet
Wiit/4'rs and hitter 1 The heart must he eariMl for and kept with
all dili^'enee. Then only will the life exhihit the jfi'a(u's of the
spirit and the heauties of holiness, an<l throuj^diout the entire
walk will he displayed whatsoever thin<,fs are true, honest,
lovely and of <;o(id report.
I )o we not lind it thus J Sometimes j^'reat animal exeitt^-
ment is ]»rodu('e(l, ap]iliaiie<'H are hrouj^ht into re(|uisition hy
which tlu! feidinj^'s are roused. .Men are stirred uj) to make con-
vulsive elVorts. ( )n the spiu" of the moment under the consti'uin-
in^' influen<'e ofthe a]t|)aratus hiouj^ht to hear on them, thoy "do
many thin;^fs.'' All this may shake a man it will not .savt; him.
It may produce, terror, it will not produce trust. It may induce
him to turn a now leaf, it will not hy itself impart to him the
priceless ))lessinj^ of a new heart. And, my hearers, it is vain for
us to cut ott" even the ri^dit hand, or to pluck out t'>e right eye,
so long as tlie whole hody lies dead in trespas.ses an<l sins. The
mainspring in the inner m(;chanism must he touched hy the
omnipotent hand of the Spirit. All the hi'oken cords of the
soul must he retunetl in order that that melodv which is
sweetest in the ear of (lod may he drawn out — the melody of a
holy life. W'e must put oil' concerning the former conversation
" the old man "' and " put on the new."
V. Xotice Jlftlih/ that one besettiny niu may effectually mar
<i character tntd master a man.
I?i dissecting the character of Herod, there i
s one sui
which like a putrefying sore glares repulsively in the eye,
•,\\\i\ t\\i\i is the lore of sensual indidyence. He maintained an
vndioly and unnatural connection with his brother Phili])'s wife
and followed greedily after the devices of his own heart. Rule
LKSHONS KROM TIIK I, IKK OK IIKUoli ANTII'AS.
103
Kir
"(tvcr his (»wii spirit" he Imd ikuic. lie rcsj'iiiKh'tl "ii city with-
(mt walls" fxposcil to the assaull of any i)assiiif,' invath'r ami the
siiimltaiiiMMis rising' up witliiii iiiiii of an army of earthly,
Hcnsual atfi'ctiouH. Much thouj^h he loved aiitl admired .loliu,
the jfratificatioii of his pj'.ssions was dearer to him still. Ho
wotdd rather peril his so\d than |iart with his sin, and Ix-head
John than dasli in pieces liis idol, llow often has this sin wrou^dit
havoc amonjfst the hoines of men, and proved the Itaneof their
happincHH. See what desolation it on the earth hath wrou^'ht!
This was Horod'H lu'settinj,' sin. Kvervthin<,' was made to l)ow
before it. Round every iihre of his constitution it was twined,
ap<l when .John tried to cut it out, he fidl a victim to hi.s fidelity.
Woe inito the wicked it shall he ill with him.
There was another sin which hidd sway over lleroil,
thou<.,'h subordinate to the master sin to which we liavo
adverted. lie loved f/ie. pr<iise of ririi moi'c than of G'od.
He professed to he exceedin<,dy sorry about the (ixectution of his
faithful monitor. " Nevertheless for his oath's sake and they
that were with him,'' lie con.manded his lu'ail to be brouj^ht.
He could not bear at a time of festive i-njoynient to meet
the displeasure of boon companions. He had so much pritle, ho
could not bear the thtiught of drawin<^' back from his word.
He must stick to it thou^di it ])e at the sacrifice of the life of
one of the most eminent of '. lod's scu'vants. Kipially pernicious
has this j)rin(iple jtroved in every a^e. Pilatis wished to release
Christ, but the cry was — "If tliou let this man gq, thou art
not Cfpsar's friend." Tiie temporising Judge could not uu^etthe
frown of the priesthood and the fury of the populace, and he
consented to perpetrate a crime far more heinous than that of
Herod, to kill tlie holy one and the just. Felix, a man (»f
kindred spirit who united in his single person the covetousness
of Aliab and the cruelty of Herod, "willing to show the Jews
a pleasure left Paul bound." Let us "serve, not witli eye service
as miMi ]>leasers."
104
LHHSONS IHo.M IIIK l,!!"!-; OF ll.SKOh ANTIl'AM.
^^ hilt is the l^icath of liuiiiun ;ii)])liius(' 1 It is l>li<,'h(in^- as
the SiiiKKiiii (il the desert, and Heetint^ us tlu^ cloud \vlii(;li
uj)ji(:ai'eth for a little time and then vanisheth awav. Better far,
by iv h(»ly and consistoiit ife to attain the testimony aciMirdtMl t(»
Enofh that we ])lease (Jod, and so when "we are not" to l)e
taken l;y Mim to ^'lory, than like the other Herod to inhale the
nconse of j)o])ular adulation — to have our ears ring with tlu^
mpious sh(nit "" It is tlie voice of a (rod," and so to go down
to shaiiie and everlasting e.onteni))t, miserable monuments of the.
vengeance of Mini wlio will not give ?Iis glory to another.
\'l. Notice, in iini% the illustration which this histoiy of
Herod su])]»lies of the danger of sfifUmj rovvictions and trilling
with (•<>)isc{e)ire.
The iu'eachiiig and |)rai'tice of dolni wrought on the con-
science of tlie king. He trendiled at the ])owerful reasoning
in his ]>r(>scnce of i'ighteousne.ss, temperance and judgment to
come. lint his tremliling was not followed Ity trust. He had
reached no further than Sinai. He had not come to Mount
, Sion He was in some measure convinced Init not co).,erte(l.
It was H(M'od's manifest duty to cherish and improve the
serious impressions thus producetl in him. Had he followed
them out, he would ha"i> found the long suH'ering of (Jod to h{\
indee(l Salvation, for He is not willing that any should perish.
But instead of cherishing he checked them. The good seed of
till! kingdom whi<'h was hegiiniing to elVect a lodgment in the
soil of his heart was choked ])V th(- lust of other tlungs. (lod's
Spirit strove with him, hut he (|Ue!ich(ul the Spirit. Instead of
following out to theii blessed issue the monitions of conscienc(>
and the strivings of the Spirit, he stood out against tnem, till
the Spirit ceased to strive, and conscience became scareil as with
a h(^t iron, and his name was added to th(^ niunher of thos(> of
whom it is written '"He that being often rei)roved hardent'th
his neck, hall >uddeidy be cut oti', and tliat without reme(ly."
LESSONS FROM THE MI'E OK IIEUOD AMIl'AS.
lO.')
1.
if
ill
nil
(.f
After ii while his shiniln'rin^f conscieiife was ioummI for a few
l)ri('f inoinciits. Whcii he heard of the fame of .Tesus. lie said in
a tone of alarm : "It is Jolin the Baptist, he is Hscmi from the
dead, and therefore migl)tv works do show themselves forth in
liim.'' That p)rv head, that dri]i|iin<:j charger never faded from
his view, and though a Saddueec'. a gross materialist and
theoretieally disltelieving the doetrines of a Resurrection and
of sjiirits, his (,'onscienee got th(> better of his creed, and the
headless lia]'tist, in his silent seimlclire, made the monaich
trenddc on his throne. lint, further on, how callous had that
conscience become wlien the illustrious jirisoner whose ]iione(>r
the Bajttist was, referred by Pilate to him, was haih^l only to
gratify a vain curiosity and niidvc sport for himself ami bis
coarse ami cruel guards. And mark the end. His own l^rotber
Agrijtjta .a'cuses him of high treason to the Km])eror. I'ei'cfl
of his vice-royalty, banished for life to a jienal settlement in
Gaul with Ilerodias, the partner of his guilt and shame, be
drags out a wrt>tche(l existence, and soon comes to an luitinK^y
end. Salome, the lewd dancing girl, falls through a hole in
the ice, and gets her head taken otF by tlie fall. Thus aie the
wickeil "driven away in their wickedness." " \Vo(> unto tlie
wi(;ked — it shall bc^ ill with him, for the icuaid of his bands
shall be given him."
Oh! it is a risky thing to trifle with conscience to
tamper with conviction — tti resist the Holy (ihost. I'tu'haps,
by a stirring sermon, by a rousing tract, by some startling
]»rovii1ence — the .striking down of a dear frieu'l by your side,
the removal for ever ttf a parent or clnid, a husliar.d or wife,
a bi'other or sister— you are KmI to serious thought, it is the
touch of (Jo(l on your conscience. It is the whisper of (iod to
your heart. "Hear that your soul may live." Yield yourselves
unto Ood. Say not with a youth some time since, " I would
rather be damiuid than yield." .\las ' (iod took him at bis
word, and in the mortal agony which followed the Divine
Tf
106
LESSONS FROM TUB LIFE OF HEROD ANTIPAS.
.stroke, his last articulate utterance was, " I am (laiiined, I am
damned." Oh ! tlie biting of that worm that never dies, the
burning of tliat fire which never shall be quenched !
How true will be the wise man's picture, " Thou slialt mourn
at the last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, and
say, ' How have I hated instruction and my heart desi)ised
reproof, and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor
inclined my ear to them that instructed me." Then will
sucli as "fear and observe" and in a measure do, l)ut not
savingly and to profit, know the meaning of the Master's
solemn exclamation : " If thou had'st known, ("ven thou in this
thy tlay thc^ things that belong to thy peace, but now are they
hid from thine eyes !"
It is wrong to say a thing hastily in presence of others, and
then through sheer pride and obstinacy to stick to 'it at all
hazards. Such speeches arc better far in the breach than in
the observance. Better far not to keep such a word when it
has l»('en spoken unadvisedly, and frankly own : " 1 was
inconsiderate; in committing myself thus. I did it under the
influence of strong feeling." It would be worse far, in such
circumstances, to keep it than to break it. Some alas ! act
contrary to their convictions, do the most inconsistent things,
fly in the face of what they know to be right, grieve their
friends, vex their associates, ami damage their own souls,
because they have not t\w corn-age to own that they did
wrong in so foolishly committing themselves. Many illustra-
tions might be given in which the spirit of Herod's rash vow
is re[)roduc(Hl to the serious detriment of those who so
inconsiderately act, and the harm and loss of the Church of
Christ.
Avoid rash promises. Allow not the fine enamel to be
taken off conscience. Be not surface professors. See that the
root of the matter be found in you. ('opy the nol)ility, tiie
LESSONS FROM THE UFK OF ukrod aXTIPAS. 107
moral heroin., aed the self-denying conseerati.m of the Baptist.
Mave the J olestar of principle and tlio " Fair Havens " ever
■".your eye. ''Keep your lower lights l.urning," and <Mve a
wide herth to those juttir.g rocks and sunken reefs and danger-
ous .pncksands, on which Herod Antipas n.ade shi,nvreck, and
was drowned in penh'tion."
ClIKTSTTAN IIOPF. AND CONFTDKNCM
BY REV. DR. HOLE
2 Timotliy, iv. 0. 7, S -" I iini now ready to be offered, and tlie fiine of
my de|>arttire is at liiuid. \ hnw. fou;j:ht ii^'ood tight, 1 have finislied my
course, I hnve kejit the faith : Hciicef^.-rth thorc in 1 lid up for mo a i.rown
of righteousness, which the Lord, tho righteous judgo, shall give itie at
that day : rnd not to me only, hut unto all them also thujt love his
appearing."
HK8K words of tho <;roat Apostle of thf (Icntilcs arc
invested with a special interest when we consider the
circumstances of the writer at the time of hispenniiio;
them. For the second time he was a jirisoiier at
Roi e. Years had passed since his former imprison-
ment, and, with the lapse of time, a great change liad pa.'ssed
over the rrnnds of the Roman rulers (m tho subject of the
professors of Christianity. Before, Paul had ap])ealed, as a
Roman citizen to (^jipsar ; and hui^ for that a])peal, whatever
fate the hitter enmity of the Jews intended for liim, the
Roman authorities felt that he might have been liberated.
Having, however, ap])eale(l to Cpesar, —to CfPsar must he go.
His arrival at Rome was met by the welcome of the brethren ;
and his ca])tivity was an honorable and easy one. Chained to
a soldier indeed, but allowed to dwell in his own hired house,
the Apostle continued his evangelizing labours until his release,
no man forbidding him. But after his release he continued
.hi^' zealous endeavours to j)ropagate the gospel in conjunction
with the rest of the Apostl(>s, and it was .soon seen that the
followers of Christ could no longer be regarded as a sect of the
(HRrfSTIAN riOf'K ANI» CONKI |)RNri5.
109
exclusive .lews, but that they wt-n; to he dreaded a.s untiring
|)ro|ia;^faudists, whose priiiciples demanded tliat they should
wajj;*! a ceaseless war a<,'ainst al! tliose corrupt and idolatrous
forms of helief and practice, which were hound u]» with the
education, prejutlices and hahits of the heathen. Hence Nero
found it comparatively easy to carry out his m-farious scheme
of transferring the indignation exiMted hy th." burning of Houk!
from himself to the Christians, whom he accused of the crime
of whi(.'h he was himself the author. It was with the ])id)lic
mind in this excited state that a j)rete.xt was found for the
arrest of Paul, the most active emissaiT of the new religion.
And we have clear indications that in this his s(!cond iniprison-
ni'-nt he sull'ered the full rigour residting from the hatred
rousetl against the Christians. In the ninth verse of the second
(;ha])ter of this Epistle, he speaks of himself as sullering
trouble, as a malefactor, or evil doer, <'Ven unto bonds, and
although his friends might visit him it was clearly at their
peril they did so, for in chap. 1. verse 16 he signalises the
devotion of one of them in the words " The Lord givi^ niei'cy
unto the house of Onesiphorous ; for he oft refreshed me, and
was not ashamed of my chain." .Vnd what a touching picture
of tlu' suilerings of Paul, the aged, is conveyed to us in tho.se
natural, sinijile words of the great Ajjostle to Timothy in the
13th veise of the chaj)ter from which onr text is taken "The
cloke that J left at Troas with ("arpus, biing with thee."'
But that which gave to this hust imprisonment its jM'culiar grief
and trial, was his comparativi' loneliness, aggravated by
desertion. Many who had been with him weie scattere(l by
the ])ersecution,- Titus had de|)aited to Dalmatia, and, worst
of all, — Demas had forsaken him, having loveil this present
woi'kl ; so that, with the excejition of one faithful, noble
follower, he was left alone. " (-)nly Luke is with me," he
says. Yet here, broken, aged, lonely and forsaker., suffering
from the severities of a rigorous continenient, witii the certain
110
CIIIUSTIAN lloPK AM) COXKIDKNCE.
j>rosiioct of a violent ilcath, he could look all in the face, and
with a serene and even joyful si)irit could utter the words of
our text,- -" I am now," etc.
Surely, niy brethren, it is worth while for us, who profess
to serve the same Master, and to he i)artakers of the same hojie,
to pause to examine the ground of such a glorious hope, and to
try and test our consciences in order that we may asciu'tain
how far our express and implied (Christianity is founded ui)on
the same basis as that of the A]»ostk', or only sui'h a
Christianity — worldloving and worldbound -as was professed
by a Demas. Let us then, praying for the holy spirit to guide
us, for a f(!W moments examine the words of our text, not with
a view to exhaust their teaching, but to gain from them some
of the thoughts, with whii'h they are so pregnant, for our
profitable consichu'ation. 1 l)eg you then to consider with me, —
I. The Apostle's contemplation of his approaching end.
II. The reward he looked for, and tht; ground of his
assurance of its enjoyment, — and
III. Whei'eni all Christians may ])artak(' of the same calm and
assured conlidcnce.
I. The Apostle's (contemplation of his apjiroaching end,
1 am now ready to be ottered, or if we render the j)assage
literally it should stand-"! am already in the very act of
being poured out as a libation." The Apostle compares his
own ileath not with a sacrifice projjcr, but with a drink
ottering. In Numbers xv. 5, the penitent is told to bring
"the fourth i)art of a bin of wine, for a drink ottering," "with
the burnt ottering or sacrifice." So the expression of the
Apostle " I am about to be poured out " indicates the true
place which his death should occupy in our estimation. As the
wine and oil were su])plemental to the sacritice, but were not
the sacritice, so his dying for the truth is connected with the
CHRISTIAN FIOIU'; AM) roNKlDENCE.
Ill
-(loiith of the only tnio witness and sacrilice, .lesus Christ, as ii
testimony of his own faith iiiul devotion, but not as a siuniHce.
Lik(! our hlessod Lord who represc-nts liia own (h.-ath as
necessary that it may brin^ forth much fruit, St. Paiil likens
liis own (loath, under a lovely ti;^fure, to the libation jjoureil
out with the sacrifiee, and the calm re])Ose with which he looks
forward to the event proves how litth^ he fears it. "The time
of my departure is at hand." The word translated " departure"
is deriveil from the loosinjjj of the anchor and rope which hold
a shii), and so hinder it from steering its course to the idace of
its destruction. How expressive is this oi the Apostle's happy
condition ! To him indeed to live is CJhrist, but to die is
gain. The earthly cords of life now hold him back, but they
are soon to be unloosed, and his liberated sjjirit will Hee "as a
bird to the mountain," and his desire '* to depart and be with
Christ which is far better," shall receive its blessed accomplish-
ment. His calmness and joy arise fiom the consciousness of
safety, the askured safety of one who has fulfilled his task, and
knows his Master is satistiod, and will reward him. Fn no
boasting or self-complacent spirit, but still with unhesitating
confidence he expresses this in the Avords — " I have fought the
good fight," or, perhaps more exactly " F have run the good
race," or more literally, " 1 have completed the glorious
contest," wdiere he recurs to his favourite image, of the
comparison of life to a conflict : how true a com])arison it is,
and how powerfully the Apostle addresses the Inuuan heart
and experience in making the comparison, — W(; all, F think —
can testify — for 1 am sure we all ex])erienc(! that lifi; is a
battle — " the battle of life " has become a proverbial expres-
sion. Constantly lo we all find that there are fightings without
and fears within ; amid the strife of competition and
effort men seem so eager and absorbed wielding (effectually
tlieir own weapons for defence and attack, that too often th(^
chivalry and generosity of the Christian soldier are forgotten, —
V
112
<!inUHTIAN lIOi'H ANO CoNKlDKNCK.
but all imi.st fool thn appropriatoiK^sn of thi; Apostle's iiictaphnv.
lliippy shall we he. if we ciiti s(» carry on the inevitable
warfare in which we are en;^'agcil as to Ix; able to contemplate
its close with the same holy sense of reli(^f, and the same joyful
hope which animatecl him. To do so we must realize, as ho
ilid, that this world is not our final restinj^-place. We must,
therefore, use the world as not abusinj^j it, feelin<^ that hei'e wo
have no abidinj.,' x^ity, but that we " look for a city wliich hath
foundations, whose builder and maki-r is (lod." 'Twas thus
the Aposth; was able to speak with such undoubtin;^ confid(;nce,
' I have finish(!(l my course," comj)aring here life to a race-
death the goal ~Ls not this peculiarly a.pplicable to us? What
a race life is inchuid ! and h(»w sundy -whatever (UU' failures,
whatever our su(!cesses^ — is dtuvth thp goal ! Oh ! that \\r may
act during this race with such a constant consciousness of and
preparation for its enc?, that whatever we have to encounter —
whether the storms and rigiMirs of adversity's biting wind, or
the not less trying ordeal of the seductions of pleasure, or of
worldly success — we may l)e enabled to adopt for our o'vn the
language of the Ajxjstle in another placi^ and say, — "None of
these things move me, lu-ither comit I my life dear unto
myself, so that I may linish my course with joy." To do this
the princijile oi the Apostle must be. ours. Flumble, absorbing
trust in (y'hrist, love to iJesus which overmastered every other
passion, by which we may say with him that we count not
ours(dves to have apprehended but this one thing we do,
forgetting tho.se things which are behind, and reaching forth
unto those things which are before, we prcjss toward the mark
for the i)rize of the high calling of (loil in (jhrist Jesus." It
was thiy principle which enabled him, and whii-h, if in the
strength of the Holy Crhost, we resolve to adopt it, shall enable
us, in the coutemphition of the last solemn moments of death,
to ileclare — " 1 have kept the Faith," in spite of all difficulties,
of all temptations— of all persecutions — ^I have kept the Faith
CHRISTIAN HOI'K AM) CONFIDENCE.
113
of tiesus. Oh ! what a nohh; ovidonce of the oxaltod cliaracter
of the Apostle is tliis cry of victory, lie speaks with the
confident assurance of a man secun; of his reward. I am now-
ready to l)e ottered, tlie time of my iU'|)arture is at hand, 1 have
completed the fflorious contest, the palm of victory is mine, for
" [ have kept the Faith."
We now proceed to consider
II. Tlie reward the Apostle looked for, and the ground of
his assurance that he should enjoy it —
*' Henceforth then; is laid up for me a crown of rigliteous-
ness." Tlie Apostle has gazed steadfastly on death and the
grave ; he now looks beyond them both to the prize, a cnnvn
of righteousness laid up — perfectly seciire — it cannot escajH' him,
it is the Christian's j)eculiar privilege. He "knows whom he
has believed, and is persuaded that He is able to keej) that
which he has committed to Him against that day." He is able
to rejoice in the " hope that is laid up for him in heaven," and
to feel secure of his iidieritance incorruptil)le and undetiled, and
that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for him. Thus the
Apostle knows that his prize is laid up for him. And that prize
"a crown of righteousness." It is a crown, the emblem of
victory — of royalty — How are we to understaiul this as
applicable", to the humble Christian 1 The crown to be bestovt-ed
is no merited crown. It is a crown of righteousness ac(piired
by the Apostles, as by all who, through the Holy Spirit's grace^
have remained faithful until death, the righteousness of Christ,,
the crown or life of glory ai)plied to every faithful one, the
righteousness which is by faith. Here is no dependence on
man's merit, no assumption of human right, but the joyful
outcome of the humble, believing sovd who taught the trup
Christian humility, in the words, *' Who maketh thee to ditt'er
»
from another '? And what hast tliou that thou didst not
receive 1 Xow, if thou uidst receive it, whv dost thou glory
8
lit
CmUHTIAN HOl'K AND CONFIUKNOE.
as if thou liad'st not roceivod it V Tho rownnl ho looks for in
one of j^nioe, grateful (^xpcctfition of one, who, so far from
iMMit(MMiig in or referring to hiniaclf any merit, j)n!-supposes the
(lenpeHt huii'lity. It is the same person, who had to Tiniothy
in the hrnt chapter of the lirst K})istle .so toiichingly portrayed
hia own unworthineaa, and magnitied the grace of God thereby.
"This is a faithful saying" he says, "and worthy of all
ac(!eptation, that Chri-st Jesus eanie into the world to .save
sinners of whom I anv vh'wf. Ilowheit for this c.au.se I
o )taineil mercy, that in me, first Jesus Christ might show forth
all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter
believe on iiim to life everlasting." Tho words are the linal
ex])ressi()n of a ripe Christian, with faith strengthened, peniep-
tion spiritualized, who, on the verge of the unseen world, is
permitted to realiye to the full tho reality and substantiality of
that faith, which he (dsewhero defines as the "substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." And thus
favoi-ed, his hope, and joy in that hope, are uttered in the lofty
and beautiful exclamation —" Henceforth there is laid up for me
a crown of righteousness." But there is another clause in this
pas.sag(; which demands our grateful recognition and enquiry.
Not to the Apostle alone, noi' to those alone who, like him,
were the inspired ju'eachers of (Jhrist ; not to tho.se alone
specially gifted with spiritual gifts, but to all, the humblest
Christian, who indeed may be in (tod's eye, the most eminent
saint -to all of whatever degree and condition, is laid up the
same glorious crown, the same unmerited, but freely conferred
eternal reward, " Not to me only " shall the Lord, the righteous
Judge, give that crown, .says the Apostle, "but unto all them
also tliat love his apj)earing." We enquire, therefore,
ill. Wherein all Christians may partake of the same calm
and assured confidence.
Let us see how the Apostle is represented to us in the
Ijassage before us -
ClIHISI'IAN IKd'K AM» (ON F1[)KN('K.
115
(1.) He is ii prisoner for tlic ciiusc of tnitli, iiinl ;is such h»'
juiticipatos, with an luirunicd spirit, the tiiiif and iiiimucr of his
<h'iith, looking Jipon tliis us a happy rch'asc fntin his captivity.
(2.) As one who has Keen cugai^cil in a contlict, |)uttinj^
forth liis \itniost cncrj^'ics, and wlio, despite many dis(M»uraj^e-
rneuts and some successes on the i)art of the enemy, has at last
come out of the hatth' victorious. Thus at the end of the
contest he surveys tlie strife, and cahnly looks forward to his
rest.
(3.) Knowin*,' tlie success with whi<li hy the grace of CkmI
he has heeii hh'ssed, he rejoices in his c(»n(juest, and as h
victor he triumpliantly awaits his crown.
(4.) Hut with his strong tinman sympathies, and ahounding
charity, he does not htrget those who after him will have the
same hattle to light, the same enemies to contend witli, the
same conquest to achieve. Me, therefore, presents himself to us
as an ally encouraging his comrades. He ye, he seems to
say, hut constant, and faithful, lighting in the strength whicli
God suppliovS, ye sliall, as I have heen enabled, come otf more
than concjuerors through him that 1oV(mI you, and as I (!an
promise you the same victory, so can I assure you of the same
reward : not to me only, but to all those who love His apjiearing
shall the Lord give a crown of righteousness. An<l surely the
Christian can take comfort to himscdf in com])ariug his state
with that of the Ajiostle.
To you, my Christian brethren, tliis com{)arison is full of
hoj)e and encouragement. Are not you placed on the same
battle-ground as was St. Paul? Vou have not the .same
outwartUy ailverse circumstances to contend against, but those
inward foes with which he wrestleil are equally your fo(!s : the
world has .still the same enmity against sj)irituality of soul that
it ever had, the carnal desires of your natiu'al heart, are still as
inimiiiii o the hiw of (iod as they ever were. The.se, then, are
w
ih;
CIIHIHTIAN IIOI'K AND CONFIDKNCK.
the foes y<»u liiivc to cohIi'IkI with. It is ii »ni('stii)ii deeply
i:ni>()rtiuit ior you to iMk. Do you reco^'uize thene spiritual
forces us eiiemi«!H'{ Arc you seeking' (lod's Holy S])irit for
strength to contend successfully aj^'iiinst them ? Renieniher
that the Christian life is a conflict, and you must have sonio
experience of it as such if you are truly converted to (lod. If
you tlius (!Xperience these dilHculties in your warfare with your
own heart and with Satan, you have the Apostle's l)lessed
encouragement that, if you are only faithful to your Lord, you ^
are assured of victory ; you will achieve tlie same con(iuest as
the Apostle did ; ftn you will h(> conferred the same glorious
reward- a crown of rigiit(!ousness, and you will experiences at
the close of yoiu" career the same jjcace, calm, joyful, triiniipliant
as that which filled the breast of the Aposth^, for it will spiing
from the same source;, sIkmI abroad in your hearts l)y the same
means the peace of (lod which |)iissetli all luulerstanding. lUit
here a word of caution seems appiopriate. This great
blessedness is obtainable, l)ut the Apostle's life is our monitor,
and it teaches us that the (Jhristian's life is no light and trifling
matter. His rest is not here, but that he is surrounded l»y foes,
and Jiis dangesr the greater when he himself feels most secure ;
that, therefore, his inner, spiritual life must be ke])t sound by the
exercise of patient watchfiilness. " Forasmuch then as Christ
hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with
the same mind." The Christian must continually assail the
Lord with prayer, with the spirit of " rserving importunity
which po.ssessed Jacob, when he said, "I will not let thee go
unless thou bless me," and, withal, he must, while altogether
suspecting himself, and repudiating all reliance on his own
resolutions, be animated with a firm confidence in the will and
power of God to aid him. His language must be " As for (lod
his way is perfect ; the word of the Loi-d is tried ; he is a
buckler to all those that trust in IHni." Hut 1 fancy 1 hear
some such olyection as this rising in the minds of some : —
CIIhlSTIAN noi'K AND roVFIDKNCK.
ir
" Til is is all vnry well for nn Ajtostli', oiio apcciully favored of
God, hut to an ordinary (christian in this workaday world, with
its roiiiinon|)la('o inci<l(',ntH and distractinj^' cart', such a
standard is unattainahlc. We nnist he content with lf)Wor
attainments and h'ss cxaltcil hopes." Let us hear tht> Apostle's
account of the niiitt(M', and see how far this line of tliouj.,dit
nlll do fur anything' hut an excuse for slothfulness and
inditlerence. Tie speaks of hiinsidf as the least of the Apostles,
not meet to he called an Apostle, hut he contin
ues.
Hv the
grace of (Jod 1 am what 1 am." And n;^'ain he says, "Tnto
me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this ^race
given, that 1 shoidd preach anion},' the (lentiles tlu^ uns(>arcliahle
riche.>- of ('hrist." TIk' Apostle was human, haviiij,' exactly
the .saints intirmities and s|)iritual dUlicultios to contend aj^ainst
as ours(dves, and the {.(race of (lod which was mij^hty in him
Th
d>l
IS as mi<.,ditv now to work in us i iir iiumoh^ and assund
deaths of thousands prove this. Without insisting; on the
glorious evidence of this mij^dity j^race in the martyrs, who in
the various ages of th<^ Chur-di have shed their hlood for the
truth, and hy the gract; of (lod looked death, clothe(l in Ins
most terrihle aspect, calmly and joyfully in the face, look at
8U(!h men as Addison, the scholar, the wit, th(^ hrilliant
essayist, the graceful poet, the Inisy statesman, surrounded hy
whatever coiihl make life jirecious, and according to human
view, death a dire calamity. liook at the grace of (lod
enahling this man at the hour of death, cheerful, resigned,
sending for his son-in-law, on whos(^ mind he desired to
produce a solemn imia-ession, and calmly taking him hy the
hand, saying, "See with what calmness a Christian can die."
And, on the other hand, how many a time has hccn witnessed
in a hovel, the inmate of which has heen alllicted with pain
and illness, pos.sessing nothing to give joy, or hope, or comfort,
how often has there heen witnes.scHl in such a place a sj)irit of
exalted piety, of (juiet suhmission to tins will of (lod, and of
Tm
118
CIIIUSTIAN HOPE AND ("ONFIDENCE.
peace shed abroad in the heart, wliieli kings might liave
envied. All this shows that as stone walls do not a prison
make, nor iron bars a cage become, the mind and thought are
free, so the grace of God is indeptMident of all outward circum-
stances. There is, therefore, no reason why y<^^i should not
(aijoy the same hope and realize the same joy as did the
Apostle in the prospect of death. If you fei;! that you could
not do so now, I pray you pause and ask yourself the reason
why? The fault cannot be in the Lord. He is ready to send
His grace ujk)!! you. " By His death He ha.s taken away thi;
bitterness of death, and hath sweetly perfumed our graves by
the burial of His own blessed body, so that we may taste
nothing but the sweetness of death, and may now courageously
and triumphantly sing, and say, " (.)h ! death where is thy
sting, oh ! grave where is thy victory f
If you cannot regard the thoughts of death with something
of this courageous spirit, is it not because you do not now live
that life of faith, manifesting itself by a desire to conform to
the image of Christ 1 Is it not because you are bound by the
pleasures, the interests, the occupations of life, to this world,
and do not look beyond it t Is it not because your Christianity,
such as it is, is a fair-weather Christianity, well enough for
manitaining the outward ])roprieties and respectabilities of life,
but knowing nothing of an inner life, a .self-teaching co!>o;',ious-
ness of weakness and sinfulness, a conflict against your own
evil heart and the wiles of 8atan, n want of heartfelt penitence
in view of your own sin, that sin which caused the death of
(rod's dear 8on, a lack of that faith in the Cruciiied Redeemer.
His atoning and accomplished work is the sole ground of
your acceptance with (lod, without which it is impos.sil)le to
please Him. Yet these thoughts*, feebly as obey are expressed
induce in you a cry to (lod for IHs Holy Spirit to rouse you to
earnestness in your Christian life, to a decided, steadfast
grappling with your foes ; to a full consciousness and a ready
ve
m
re
II-
10
(1
11
il
e
CHHISTUN HOPE AXn COXK.OE.XCK. ,19
Jicc/uiesceiice in the tnifh fk,^ .i
"'gaged in the «amo arena nn„ \{ , '"""' ' """ '"
«nally triumphing oTerrb-'th I,""' """" '""'• -"^
™ given to the Ipc' i; ' o 'T' ■^''"'«'"-' ««"■ "'"rf'
victory and »av, " I h" . ' """ ^^ """ '"Wi™" P»"n of
Henceforth there i« hi.i , " f "' ""' «'"™"» ''""-'•
which the Lord tl,c ri„l,. ■""'. " ''™™ "' rightoousness
j^^„ I, th, „ghU.ou,, J,„,ge, „hall give „,e „t that
IH
HEGENEKATION.
BY REV. J. C. RYLE, D. D., LORD BISHOP OF
LIVERPOOL.
HE subjert of Rcigoneration i.s a most ini])ortant one at
any time. Tliose words of our '^jord Jesu.s Christ to
Nicodcnms are very solemn : " Except a man be .
born again, he cannot see tlie kingdom of (Jod."
(John iii. 3.) The world has gone through many
changes since those words were spoken. P^ighteen hundred
years have passed away. Empires and kingdoms have risen and
fallen. ( Ireat men and wise men have lived, laboured, written,
and died. But there stands the rule of the Lord Jesus
unaltered and unchanged. And there it will stand, till heaven
and earth shall pass away : " P]xcei)t a man be boi-n again, he
cannot see the kingdom of (xod."
But the subject is one which is peculiarly important to
members of the ('hurch in the present day. Things have
happened of late years which have drawn special attention
to it. Men's minds are full of it, and men's t^yes are
fixed on it. Regeneration has been discusseil in iiews})apers.
Regeneration has been talked of in private society. Regenera-
tion has been argued about in Courts of law. Surely it is a
time when every true Churchman should examine himself
upon the subject, and niivke sure that his .views are sound. It
is a time when we should not halt betwecMi two opinions. We
should try to know what we hold. We should be ready to
give a reason for our belief. When truth is assailed, those
who love truth should grasp it more Hrmly than ever.
REGENERATION.
121
I pro]>os(> in this pai)er to attempt throp things :—
I. Firstly, to explain what Hegeneration, or he.inq born
agatn, means.
II. Secondly, to show the necessif,/ of Regeneration.
III. Thirdly, to point out the marks and evidences of
Reyeneration.
If I can make these three points clear, 1 helieve I shall
have done my readers a great service.
_ I. Let me then, first of all, explain rvhat Regeneration, or
being born again, means.
Regeneration means, that change of heart and nature which
a man goes through when he becomes a true Christian.
I think there can be no question that there is an immense
difference among those who j.rofess and call then.selves
Christians. Beyond all disi.ut. there are always two classes in
the outwanl Church : the class of those who are Christians in
name and form only, and the class of those who are Christians
in deed and in truth. All were not Israel who were called
Israel, and all are not Christians who are called Christians
''In the visible Church," says an Article of the Church ..f
England, "the evil be ever mingled with the good."
Some, as the Thirty-nine Articles say, are " wicked and
void of a lively faith:" others, as another Article .savs, "are
made like the image of Cxod's only begotten Son Jesus Christ
and walk religiously in good works." S„me worshi]. Cod as a
mere form, and some in si)irit and in truth. Some give their
hearts to (Jod, and some give thrm to the world. S.^me
believe the Bible, and live as if th.-y ])elieve<l it: ..thers do
not. Some feel their sins and mourn over them : others do
not. Some love Christ, trust in Him, and serve Hi-n : .others
do not. In short, as Scrijiture says, some walk in th.- narrow
way, some in the broad ; some are the good fish of the (iospel
M
li^i
122
REGENERATION.
net, some are the bad ; some are the wheat in Clirist's Held,
and some are the tares.*
I tliink no man with his eyes open ean fail to see all this,
both in the liiblc, and in the world aronnd him. Whatever he
may think about the su})ject I am writing of, lie eannot
possibly deny tliat this difference exists.
Now what is the explanation of the difl'erencc 1 1 answer
unhesitatingly, Regeiuiration, or being born again. 1 answer
that true Christians are what they are, because they are
regenerate, and formal Christians are what thev are, because
they are not regenerate. The heart of thi' Cliristian in deed
has been changed. The iieart of the Christian in name only,
has not been changed. Tiie change of heart makes the whole
difference.!
Tliis change of heart is spoken of continTially in the Bible,
under various emblems and figures.
Ezekiel calls it ";i taking away the stony heart, and giving
an heart of flesh ;" — " a giving a new heart, and putting
within us a new .spirit." (Ezek. xi. 19 ; xxxvi. 26.)
The Apostle John .sometimes calls it being "born of God,"
— sometimes being "born again," — sometimes being "born of
the Spirit." (.lohn i. 13; iii. 3; iii. 6.)
The Apostle Peter, in the Acts, calls it " repenting and
being converted." (Acts iii. 19.)
* "There be two manner of men. Some .here be that be not justified, nor
regenerated, nor yet in the state of salvation ; that is to say, not God's servants.
They lacli the renovation or regeneration ; they be not come yet to Christ."— Binhop
Latimer'n Sermons, lOhS.
t The reader must not suppose there is anything new or modern in this statement.
It would be an endless work to quote passages from standard divines of the Church
of England, in which the words " regenerate " and " uiiregenerate " are used to
describe the diflference which I have been speaking of. The pious and godly members
of the Church are called "the rearenerate,"— the worldly and ungodly are called " the
unregenerate." I think no one, well read in English divinity, can question this for a
moment.
ItEOHlNERATION.
123
)f
d
The Epistle t(t the Romans speaks of it as a " being alive
from the dt-ad." (Rom. vi. 13.) The second Epistle to the
Corinthiiuw calls it "heing a new creature: old things have
passed away, and all things become new," (2 Cor. v. 17.)
The Epistle to the E|ihesians speaks of it as a resurrection
together with Christ: " Voii hath He (juickened who were dead
in trespasses and sins" (Ephes ii. 1): as "a putting off the
old man, whidi is corrupt — being renewed in the spirit of o\ir
mind, — and ]»utting on tlie new man, which after God is
created in righteousness and true holiness." (Eplies iv. 22, 24.)
The Epistli; to tiie Colcjssians calls it " a putting otV the old
man witli his iUmmIs ; and patting on the new man, which is
renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created
him." (Coloss. iii. 9, 10.) The Epistle to Titus calls it "the
washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy (ihost."
(Titus iii. 5.) Tin; first Ejtistle of Peter speaks of it as "a
being called out of <larkness into (rod's marvellous light."
(1 Peter ii. 9.) And the second Epistle, as " being made
partakers of the Divine nature." (2 Peter i 4.) 'I'he first
Ejjistle of John calls it *' a passing from death to life."
(1 -Fohn iii. 14.)
All these; expressions come to the same thing in the end.
They sire all the same truth, only viewed from different sides.
And all have one and the same meaning. They describe a
great radical change of heart and nature, — a thorough alteration
and transformation of the whole inner man, a participation in
the resurrection life ef Christ ; or, to borrow the words of the
Church of England Catechism, '' .\ death unto sin. and a new
birth unto righteousness."*
This change of heart in a true ( 'hristian is thorough and
complete, so com[)lete, that no word could be chosen more
' " All these expressions set forth the same work of frraee upon tbo lieart, though
they may be understocx) under (iiflferent notions. "--Bt.t/if</> llvpklntt. 1«7".
124
RKGKNKRATION.
fittinj^ to ox])r(!ss it tluiti the word " Regenoration," or " new
birth." Doubtless it is no outward, bodily alteration, but
undoubtedly it is an entin^ alteration of the inner man. It
adds no new faculties to a man's mind, but it certainly gives an
entirely new bent and bias to all his old ones. His will is so
new, his tastes so new, his o])inions so new, his views of sin,
tile world, the Bible, and Christ so new, that lie is to all
intents and |)urj)oses a luiw man. The change seems to bring
a new being into existence. It may well be called being " l)orn
again."
This change is not (t/wat/n f/uien to believers at the same
time in their fives. Souk; ai'e born again when they are
infants, and seem, like Jeremiah and .lohii the Baptist, filled
with the Holy (Jlujst even from their mother's womb. Some
few are born again in old age. The great majority of the
Christians probably are liorn again after they grow up. A
vast multitude of pensons, it is to be feared, go down to the
grave without having ])een born again at all.
This change of heart (foes not ahvays heijin in the same
way in those who go through it after they have grown u]).
With some, like the A])ostle Paul and the jailor at ]'hili])])i, it
is a sudden and a violent change, attended with much distress
of mind. With others, like Lydia of Thyatira, it is more
gentle and gradual : tlunr winter becomes spring almost
without their knowing how. With some the change is l)rought
about by the Spirit working through aillictions, or providential
visitations. With others, and probably the greater niuuber of
true Christians, the Word of (iod preached or written is the
means of effecting it.*
* "The preaching of the Word is the great means which God hath appo'ntcd for
Regeneration: 'faith conietli by hearini;, and hearin;r by the Word of God.' (Roiii.
X. 17.) When God Hrst created man, it is faid that ' Ho breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life,' but when <Jod new creates man, He l)reathes into his ears. This is the
Word that raiseth the dead, calling them out of the grave ; this is that Word that
opens the eyes of the blind, tliat turns the hearts of the disobedient and rebellious.
UKCJENEHATION.
125
it
This chiing<' is ohp. which can only he. known and discerned
by its effects. Its bejiinnings are a hidden and secret thing.
We cannot see them. (.)ur Lord -Ichus Christ tells us this
most plainly : " The wind lilowetli where it listeth, and thou
hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh
nor whither it goeth ; so is every one that is born of the Spirit."
(John iii. 8.) Would we know if we ww. regenerate 'J We
must try the ([uestion, by examining what we know of the
effects of Regeneration. Those eifects are always the same.
The ways by which true Christians are led, in passing through
their great change, are cortainly various. But the state of
heart and .soul into which tliey are brcmght at last, is always
the same. Ask them what tlury think of sin, Christ, holiness,
the world, the Jiible, anil prayer, and you will find them all of
one mind.
This change is one which no man can (/ire to hiinseJj', nor
yet to another. It would be as reasonable to exj)ect the dead
to raise themselves, or to require an artist to give a marl)le
statue life. The sons of God are born " not of blood, nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
(John i. 1.3.) Sometimes the change is a.scribed to God the
Father : " the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ hath
begotten us again unto a lively ho})e." (1 Peter 1, 3.) Some-
times it is ascribed to God the; Son: "the Son ([uickeneth
whom He will." (John iii. 21.) " If ye know that He is
righteous, ye know that every one tliat doeth righttHmsness is
born of Him." (1 John ii. 29.) Sometimes it is ascribed to
the Spirit, — and He in fact is the great ngent by whom it is
always effected : " That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit."
And thou);h wicked and profane men sooff at pre.achinjr, and count all uiiniHters'
words, and God's words too, but so much wind, yet they are such wind, believe it, as
is able to tear rocks and rend mountains : such wind as if ever they are saved, must
bhake and overturn the foundations of all their carnal confidence and presumption.
Be exhorted therefore more to prize and more to frequent the preaching (jf the Word."
- -Dinlwp IJopkiun, 1670.
126
REGENERATION.
■^1
wm
(John iii. 0.) Hut man has no power to work th«' chiinf^c. It
is something far, far heyond his reach. " Theeondition of man
after th(^ fall of Adam," says the tenth Article of the ("Inu-eh
of England, "is Huch that he cannot turn and prepare himself,
by his own natural strength and good works, to faith and
calling upon God." No minister on earth can convey grace to
any one of his congregation at his discretion. He may preach
as truly and faithfully as Paul or A polios ; hut (lod mu.st
" give the increase." (1 Corinthians iii. 6.) He; may haptize
with water in the name of the Trinity ; hut unless the Holy
(ihost accompanies and hlesses the ordinance, there is no death
unto sin, and no new hirth unto righteousness, riesus alone,
the great Head of the Church, can baptize wilh the Holy
Ghost. Blessed and happy are they who have the inwanl
baptism, as well as the. outward.*
1 believe the foregoing ac(;ount of Regeneration to l)e
Scri])tural and correct. It is that change of heart which is the
distinguishing mark of a true Christian man, the invariable
companion of a, justifying faith in ('hrist, the inseparable
conseipience of vital union with Him, and the root and
beginning of inward sanctification. 1 ask my readers to ponder
it well before they go any further. It is of the utmost
importance that our views should be clear Uj)ou this point, —
What Regeneration really is.
" " The Scripture carries it, that no nions than a child can beget itself, or a dead
man quicken himself, or ,i nonentity ere ite itself ; no more can any carnal man
regenerate himself, or work true savinf." grace in his own soul."— fitWjop llnpkhm,
1«70.
"There are two kinds of Baptism, and both necessary: thu one interior, which s
the cleansing of the h"'art, the drawin;; of the Father, the operation of the Holy
Ghust; and this baptism is in man when he believeth and trusteth that Christ is the
only method of his salvation.*'— 6wA«»p llooptr. 1.547.
" It is on all parts gladly co. 'essod that there may be, in divers cases, life by
virtue of inward baptism, where outward is not found." -/{u'/jact/ Hooker,
"There is a baptism of the Spirit as of water."— JJw/jop Jeremy Taylor. 1660.
RKdENEKATION.
12<
km
3
Iby
I know well that many will not allow that Regeneration is
what 1 have doscribeii it to be. They will think the statement
I have mad*?, by way of clelinition, much too strong. Somi'
hold that Regeneration only means a<lmission into a state of
ecclesiustical i)rivileges, by being made a member of the
Church, but doe.s not mean a change of hoart. Some tell us
that a reg(!nerate man has a certain power within him which
enables him to rejtent and believe if he thinks tit, but that he
still needs a further chang*; in order to make him a true
Christian. Some say there, is a ditFcu'ence between Regeneration
and being born again. Others say there is a ditierence between
being born again and conversion.
To all this I have one simple rei)ly, and that is / ran fiyid
no such Regennrat'wii .ytokan of ani/fvhere in tlir liihli'. \
Regeneration which only means admissicMi into a statt? of
ecclesiastical privilege may be ancient and primitive for
anything 1 know. But something more than this is wanted.
k few plain texts of Scripture are needed ; and tliese texts
have yet to be found.
Such a notion of Regeneration is utterly inconsistent witli
that which St. -John gives us in his Fir.st Epistle. It renders
it nece.ssery to invent the awkward theory that there are two
regenerations, and is thus eminently calculatjui to confuse the
minds of unlearned people, and introduce false doctrine. It is
a notion which seems not to answer to the solemnity with
which our Lord introduces the subject to Nicoilemus. When
He said, " Verily, verily, except a man be born again, he
cannot .see the kingdom of God," did He only mean except a
man be admitted to a state of ecclesiastical privilege ? Surely
He meant more than this. Such a Regeneration a n)an nught
have, like Simon Magus, and yet never be saved. Such a
Regeneration he nught never have, like the penitent thief, and
yet see the kingdom of (iod. Surely He must have ujcant a
change of heart. As to the notion that there is any distincti(jn
128
UKdKNKHATlON.
l)(!t\v('(ni hoinj,' liogciicriitc* iuid hinng born again, it is on<i
vvlii(!ii wiil not Ix-iir (!xaniination, It is the, gtuicral o|)inion of
all »vlio know (ri-iuik, that tlio two oxi)reHHion8 mean one. and
the same thing.
To nie indeod thero sci'ins to Ixi much confusion of id(3as,
and indistinctness of appriduMision in men's minds on this
simple point, — what Keg(!noration really is, — and all arising
from not simply adhering to the Word of (lod. Tiiat a man is
admitted into a state of great j)rivileg(' whciu hr is made a
mend)cr of a pure Church of Christ, 1 do not for an instant
deny. That he is in a far hetter and more advantag(!ous
position for his soul, than if he did not belong to the ('Inu'ch,
r make no question. That a wide door is set open l)efore his
soul, which is not set before tlie poor h(>athen, I can most
clearly see. But I do not .vf; IIkU the Jiihle ever calls this
Retjeneratioii. And I cannot find a single text in Scripture
whi(!h warrants the assumption that it is so. It is very
important in theology to distinguish tilings that differ.
Church privileges are one thing ; Regeneration is another. J,
for one, dare not confound them.*
I am quite aware that great and good men have (dung to
that low view of Regeneration to which 1 have adverted. f
But when a doctrine of the everlasting Gospel is at stake, I can
call no man master. The words of the old ])lnlosoph(>r are
never to be forgotten : " I love ]^lato, I love Socrates, but I
love truth better tlian either." I say uidiesitatingly that those
* " The mixture of those thinj^s by speech, which by nature are divided, is the
mother of all error." — Hooker. 15i)5.
t For instance, liishop Davenaiit and Bishop Hopkins) frequently speak of a
" sacramental regeneration " when thej' arc handling the subject of baptism, as a
thing entirely distinct from spiritual regeneration. The general tenor of their
writings is to speak of the godly as the regei ^.-rate, and the ungodly as the unre-
generate. l!ut with every feeling of respect for two such good men, the question yet
remains. -What Scripture warrant have we for saying there are two regenerations?
I answer unhesitatingly,— We have not at all.
HKOKNKHATION.
I2{>
f- '"-."-If: ,m„ tl,„ ,. ,, r ; "t '""' ""■' "'"" "'"'•
«™ i" .S,.,i,,l,„v i, ,„„ ,, ., I •' '^'W""'->ll"M thaf I ,,„,
''■!"■ <l,„;i,.i„„ i„.fore „„ j„ ,„„, „f .
W„,„ „c,,„ai„t„,I witi, it. l„t n,."',,""™ '•"' ""''■y'''
">"■ i"^Jd,::,z "T" ""■ ""•■' ''•■'"■'»• -^^
""""■"S »bo„t It witi!'," **'«""'"'""■'- "■ "ft'- "il w„k„ow
'""* W. I„,,, asai„.» (,,,;,,„";;; 3 ")"' ^ '"^ ""*" 'l'"". Vo
"ot the t,,i,„. of t„„ 8,.;^;? ,;„,";:;: •"■'" ■"-; ---th
""to him." (1 Coi- ii 14 rr •*' "'■" f""l'''i"ie.ss
-^p...%,,.a,;un.ir;:,;it;.!::,,tr^
I'M)
HKOKNKUATION,
nmn'H luMxrt imtunilly iiirliiio to wluit is evil. Wo lovn our
soiil's cucinics, we dislikfi our soul's fritMids. VV(i call j^'ood
(!vil, iiiiil we (;iill evil good. We tiikt', phnisurc in ungodliness,
wv t!ik(! no pUiiiHun^ in Christ. We, not oidy connnit sin, lt\it
wiMilso lovo sin. VV»! not only nc^cd to b<i dean.scd from tlio
guilt of sin, hut wi! also need to he (hdiverod from its power.
The natural tone, bias, and currcnl of uur minds nnist Ix;
complotcly altored. 'Hw imag<! of (lod, which sin ha.s Itlottoil
out, must he rcstorcil. Tluj disonh'r and confusion which
reigns within ns must he i)ut (hnvn The; tirst things must no
longer he last, and the last lirst. The Spirit must let in the
light on our hearts, put everything in its i-ight place, and create
all things new.
It ought always to l)e remend)ered that tlusrc are two
distinct things which the Lord desus (Jhrist does for every
sinner wdiom he undertakes to save. He washes him from His
sins in His own blood, and gives him a free pardon : /Aw w
his jusfijirafion. He puts the Holy 8j)irit into his heart, and
makes him an entirely new man : — this is his Rejjeneratioii.
The two things are l>oth ahsol utel y necessari/ to salratiim.
Tlu! change of heart is as necessary as the pardon ; and the
pardon is as necessary as the change. Without the pardon we
have no right or title to heaven. Without tiie change we
should not lu; meet and ready to enjoy heavtiu, even if we got
there.
The two things are neiier separate. They are never found
apart. Every justified nuui is also a regenerate man, and every
regenerate man is also a justilied nuui. When the Lord Jesus
Christ gives a man remission of sins. He also gives him rej)en-
tance. When He grants peace with God, He also grants
*' power to become a son of ( iod." There arc; two great standing
maxims of the glorious (iospel, which ought never to be
forgotten. One is : " He that believeth not shall be damned."
.1
UEUKNKIiATlDN.
131
iU-
hts
lug
be
(Mark xvi. 10.) 'Plic other is: "If lUiy man liatli not i\u>
Spirit of Clirist, he is now of llis." (Kom. viii. 9.)
Tilt' man who dcnii's the universal necessity '»f Uej^enera-
tioii, ran know very little of the heart's corrnption. He is
blind indeed who fancies that pardon is all we want in order to
get to heaven, and does not set- that pardon without a change
of h(>art would he a useless gift. IMessed l»e (lod that hoth are
freely ofl'ered to us in Christ's (if)spel, and that Jesus is ahio
and willing to give the one as well as the other !
iSurely we must Ik? aware that the vast majority i>f peo|)l('.
in the world see nothimj, feel nofJiinf/, ami ktioir iiofliin;/ in,
re/l(/!.(»i (IS tlu'if oiK/ht. How and why is this, is not the
j)resent ([Ui'stion. I oidy put it to the eonscicince of cvtry
rea.ler of this volume, — Is it not tlie fact 1
Tell them of the sinfulness of many things which they art-
doing continually; and what is generally the reply? "They
see no harm." Tell them of the awful peril in whicii their
souls are, — of the shortness of time, — the nearness of eternity, —
the uncertainty of life, — the reality of judgment. They feel
no danger. Tell them of their need of a Saviour, — mighty,
loving, and Divine, and of the imi)ossil)ility of being saved
from hell, except hy faith in Him. It all falls Hat and dead
on their ears. They see no such great harrier between them-
selves and heav(m. Tell them of holimjss, and the high
standard of living which the lUhle retjuires. They cannot
com])reliend tlie need of such strictness. They see no use in
being so vei-y good. There are thousands and tens of thousands
of such people on every sitle of us. Tliey will hear these
things all their lives. They will even attend the ministry of
the most striking preachers, and listen to the most powerful
appeals to their consciences. And yet when you come to visit
them on their death-ljeds, they are like men and women who
never heard these things at all. They know nothing of the
132
REOKNEHATION.
lefuHiig (locitrincs of tlio (..tspd l<y experience. They can
render no reason wliatever of their own hope.
And why und wherefore is all this 1 VViiat is the explana-
tion ? — What is th(! cause of siuth a state of things 1 It all
conies from this, —that man naturally has no sense of sj)iritual
things. In vain the sun of righteousness shines before him :
the eyes of his soul are hlind, and cannot see. In vain the
music of Christ's invitations sound around him : the ears of his
soul are deaf, and cannot hear it. In vain the wrath of Clod
against sin is set forth : the preccjttions of his soul are stop])ed
up ;- -like tlve sle(q)ing tniv(dler, he does not perceive the
coming storm. In vain the l)rea(l and water of life are offered
to him : his soul is neither hungry for the one, nor thirsty for
tlie other. In vain he is a(lvise<l to flee to the ( rreat Physician :
his soul is unconscious of its disease ;— why should he go '? In
Vi.'.n you put a pric(! into his hand to buy wisdom : the mind
of his soul wanders, he is like the lunatic who calls straws a
crown, and dust diamonds ; he says, " 1 am rich, and increased
with goods, and have need of nothing." Alas! there is
nothing so sad as the utter corruption of our nature I There
is nothing so painful as tin? anatoiay of a dead soul.
Now what does such a man need 1 He needs to be born
again, and made a new creature. Ho needs a com})lete putting
off the old man, and a complete putting on the new. We do
not live our natural life till we are liorn into the world, and
we do not live our spiritual life till we are born of the Spirit.
])Ut we must furthermore be aware that the vast majority of
peo])le are lUtc.rly unfit to cnjoi/ heaven in their present state.
I state it as a great fact. Is it no so 1 Look at the masses of
men and women gathered together in our cities and towns, and
observe them well. They are all dying creatures, — all immortal
beings, — all going to the judgment-seat of Christ, — all certain to
live forever in heaven or in hell. Hut where is the slightest
KKGEXEHATION.
133
evidence that most of thein are in tlie least (fe^'ree meet and
llo
id
lit.
lof
te.
of
ms.
ready for heaven 1
Look at tlie greatei- i)art of those who are called Christi
in every part throughout the; land. Take any parish you
please in town or country. Take that whicli you know best.
What are the tastes and ])leasures of the majority of people
who live there ? Wiiat do they like best, when they have a
choice 1 What do they enjoy most, when they can have their
own way? Observe the manner in which they spend their
Sundays. Mark how littl(> delight they seem to feel in the
Bible and prayer. Take notice of the low and earthly notions
of pleasure and hai)piness wliich everywhere prevail, among
young and old, -among rich and poor. Mark well these
tliiiigs, anil then think (puetly over this question : " What
would these ])eoj)le do in heaven 1"
You and I, it may be said, know little about heaven.
Our notions of heaven may be very dim and indistinct. ]5ut
at all events, I sujjpose we are agreed in tliinking that iieaven
is a very lioly place,— that God is there,— and Christ is there,—
and saints and angels are there,— that sin is not there in any
shape,— and that nothiig is said, thought, or di)X\o, which (lod
does not like. ( )nly let this be granted, and then 1 think there
can be no doubt the great majority of people around us are as
little fit for heaven as a Itird for swimming l)eneath the s"a, or
a fish for living upon dry land.*
^ "Tell me, thou that in holy duties arudprest at every word that is spoken ; that
thinkest every summons to the public worship as unpleasant as the sound of thy
passing bell ; that sayest, ' when will the Sabbath be i:ono and the ordinances be
over?' What wilt thou do in heaven? What shall such an unholy heart do there,
where a Sabbatli shall be as long as eternity itself ; where there shall be nothing but
holy duties; and where there shall not be a spare nii'-ite, so nuioh as for a vain
thought, or an idle word? What wilt thou do in heaven, wiierc whatsoever ihou
Shalt hear, see, or cmverse with, all is holy? And by how much more perfect the
holiness of heaven is than that of the saints on earth, by so much the more irksome
and intolerable would it he to wick-^d men, for if they cannot endure the weak light
of a star, how will they be able to endure the dazzling light of the sun itself'?"—
Binhop llopkinn.
134
UK<iKNP:RATION.
And what is it that they need in order to make thoni fit to
enjoy heaven 1 They need to be regenerated and horn again.
It is not a litth; (ihanging and outward amendment that they
HMjuire. It is not merely the putting a restraint on raging
jtassions and tlie (juieting of unruly affi'ctions. All this is
not enough. Old age, -the want of opportunity for indulgence,
the fear (»f man, may produce all tliis. The tiger is still a
tig(U', even when he is chained, and the serpent is still a
serp(mt, (>v«'n when he lies motionless and coiled up. The
alteration neeilcd is far greater and deeixu-. Every one must
have a new nature i)ut within him ; every one must be made a
new creature; the fountain-head must be ])urified ; the root
must bt! set right ; each one wants a new heart and a new
will. The change required is not that of the snake when he
casts his skin and yet nuuains a rei)tile still : it is the change
of the caterpillar when he (li(!.s, and his crawling life ceases ;
but from his Ixxly rises the butterfly, a new animal, with a
new nature.
All this, and nothing less, is required. Well says the
Homily of Oood Works : "They be as much dead to God that
lack faith as those are to the world that lack souls."
The plain truth i.s, the vast |)roi)ortion oi professing
Christians in the world have nothing whatever of Christianity
except the names. The reality of Christianity, tlie graces, the
exjjerience, the faith, the hopes, the life, the conflict, the
tastes, the hungering and thirsting after righteousness, — all
these are things of which they know nothing at all. They
need to l)e converted as truly as any among the (lentiles to
whom Paul preacluMl, and to be turned from idols, and renewed
in tlu' spirit of their minds as really, if not as literally. Anil one
main i»art<^f the message which should l)e continually delivered
to the greater portion of every congr(sgation on earth is this :
" Ye must be born again." 1 write this down deliberately. I
know it will sound dreadful and imcharitable in niajiy ears.
REGENERATION.
135
Jiut I ask any one to take the New Testament in his liand, and
see wliat it says is Christianity, and eoniparo that with the
ways of professing Christians, and then deny the truth of what
I have written, if he can.
And now let every one wlio reads these pages remember
this grand principle of Scrij)tural religion : " Xo salvation
without Regeneration, — no spiritual life witliout a new birth,—
no heaven without a new heart."
Let us not think for ii moment that the subject of this
paper is a mere matter of controversy, — an em])ty (juestion for
leui'ned men to argue about, but not one that (concerns us. It
concerns us deeply ; it touches our own eternal interests, it is
a thing that we must know for ourselves, feel for ourselves, and
experience for ourselves, if we would ever be saved. No soul
of man, wfuiian, or child, will ever enter heaven without havjng
been born again.*
And let us not think for a moment that this Regeneration
is a change which people may go through after they are dead,
though they never went through it while they were alive.
Such a notion is absurd. Now or never is the only time to be
saved. Now, in this world of toil and labour, and money-getting,
and business,— »to?<; we must be prepared for heaven, if we are
ever to be prepared at all. Now is the only time to be justified,
now the only time to be sanctified, and now the only time to
be " born again." So sure as the Bible is true, the man who
dies without these three things will only rise again at the last
day to be lost for ever.
We may be saved and reach lieaven without many thing.s
which men reckon of great importance, — without riches,
* " Make sure to yourselves this great chance. It is no :iotion that I iiave now
preached 'into you. Your nature and vour lives must he clianfred, or, l)elieve it, you
will be found at the last day under the wrath of Cod. For Cod will not chansre or
alter the word that is jrone out of His mouth. He hath saiil it: Christ, who is the
truth and word of Ood, hath pronounced if.,— that without the new liirth, or regen-
eration, no man shall inherit the tiinjcdoni of Oodt."—Bi>ihop Hofjkins, 1670.
136
REOENEUATIOM.
witliout learning, without books, without worldly comforts,
witliout hoaltli, without house, witliout lands, without friends ;
— l)ut without Rcjfeneration we shall never he saved at all.
Without our natural birth we should never have lived and
moved and read these pages on earth ; without a new l)irth we
shall never live and move in heaven. I bless God that the
saints in glory will be a multitude that no man can number. I
comfort myself with the thought that after all there will be
*' much people " in heaven. But this J know, and am persuaded
of from God's Word, that of all who reach heaven there will
not be one singh; individual who has not been born again.*
III. Let me, in the third place, point out the marks of
being Reyenerate, or born ayain.
It is a most imi)ortant thing to have clear and distinct
views on this part of the subject we are considerii g. V¥c have
seen what Ii(!generation is, and why it is necessary to .salvation.
The next step is to find out the signs and evidences by which
a man may know whether he is born again or not, — whether
his heart has been changed by the Holy Spirit, or whether his
change is yet to come.
Now these signs and evidences are laid down i)lainly for us
in Scripture. God has not left us in ignorance on this point.
He foresaw how some would torture themselv(!S with doubts
and (questionings, and would never believe it was well with
their souls. He foresaw how others would t' ke it for granted
they were •' n^generate," who had no right to do so at all. He
has therefore mercifully proviiled us with a test and guage of
* " Rejfeiieration, or *he new birth, is of al)solute necessity unto eternal life.
There is no other change simply necessary, hut only this. If thou art jioor, thou
mayest so continue, and yet be saved. If thou art despised, thou maycst so continue,
and yet be saved. If thou art unlearned, thou mayest so continue, and yet be
saved. Only one chantje is tiecessary. If thou art wicked and ungodly, and
continuest so, Christ, who hath the keys of heaven, who shutteth and no man
opencth, hath lliniself doomed thee, that thou shalt in no wise enter into the kingdom
of QoA."—BUhop llopkiiiii, 1670.
8)
REGENERATION.
13^
our spiritual couditiou, in the First Epistle goucral of St. .lohn.
There lie has written for our learning what the regenerate man
is, and what the regenerate man does, — his ways, his luihits,
his manner of life, his faith, his ex])erienee. Every one who
wishes to i)Ossess the key to a right understanding of this
suhjeet should thoroughly study the First Epistle of St. John,
I invite the reader's partieular attention to tliese marks and
evidences of Regeneration, while I try to set them forth in
order. I might easily mention other evidences besides those I
am about to mention. I'.ut 1 will not do so. T would rather
confine myself to the First Epistle of St. .John, because of the
peculiar explicitness of its statements aV)out the man that is
born of (lod. He that hath an ear let him hear wluit the
beloved Ajwstle says about the marks of Regcmeration.
(1) First of all, St. John says, " Who.soever is born of
God doth not conimit sin ;" and again, " Whosoever is born of
God sinneth not." (1 John iii. 9 ; v. 18.)
A regenerate man does not commit sin as a habit. He no
longer sihs with his heart and will, and whole inclination, as
an unregenerate nuxn does. There was probably a time when
he did not think whether his actions were sinful or not, and
never felt grieved after doing evil. There was no quarrel
between him and sin ; — they were friends. Xow he liates sin,
flees from it, fights again.st it, counts it his greatest plagae,
groans under the burden of its presence, mourns when he falls
under its influence, and longs to be deliveted from it altogether.
In one Avord sin no longer pleases him, nor is even a matter of
indifl'erenco : it has become the abomina])le thing wliicli he
hates. He cannot prevent it dwelling within him. " if he
said he had no sin, there would be no truth in him " (1 John i.
8) ; but he can say that he cordially abliors it, and the great
desire of his soul is not to commit sin at all. He cannot
prevent bad thoughts arising within him, and .short-coming.s,
omissions, and defects, appearing, both in his words and action.s.
138
REGENERATION.
Ho knows, as St. James says, that " in many thinj^s we offend
all." (James iii. 2.) Hut he can say truly, and as in the sight
of (rod, that these things arc a daily grief and sorrow to him,
and that his whole nature does not consent unto them, as that
of the unregenerate man does.
(2) Secondly, St. John says, " Who.soever helievctli tliat
Jesus is the Christ, is horn of God." (1 John v. 1.)
A regenerate man believes that Jesus Christ is the only
Saviour hy whom his soul can be pardoned and justified, that
He is tiie Divine Person appointed and anointed by God the
Father for tliis very purpose, an that beside Him there is no
Saviour at all. In himself he sees nothing but un worthiness,
but in Christ ho sees ground for the fullest confidence, and
trusting in Him he ludieves that his sins are all forgiven, and
his ini<[uiti(!s all put away. He b(dieves that for the sake of
Christ's finished work and death uj)on the cross he is reckoned
righteous in God's sight, and may look forward to deatli and
judgment without alarm. He may have his fears and doubts.
He may sometimes tell you he feels as if he had no faith at all.
But ask him wliether he is willing to trust in anything instead
of Christ, and see what he will say. Ask him whether he will
rest his hopes of eternal life on his own goodness, his ow^
amendments, his [)rayers. Ids minister, his doings in church and
out of church, either in whole or in part, and see wdiat he will
reply. Ask him whether he will give up Christ, and })lace his
confidence in any other way of salvation. Depend upon it, he
would say, that though he does feel weak and liad, he would
not give up Christ for all the world. De])end upon it, he
would say he found a preciousness in Christ, a suitableness to
his own soul in Christ that he found nowhere else, and that
he must cling to Him.
(3) Thirdly, St. John says, " Every one that doeth
righteousness is l)orn of G(.)d." (1 -John ii. 29.)
KKCIKNERATION.
39
Tho regenerate lUiin is a holy man. He endeavours to live
according to (iod's will, to do the things that please God, to avoid
the things that (lod hates. His aim and desire is to love (tod
with heart, and soul, and mind, and strength, and to love his
neighbour as himself. His wisli is to be continually looking to
('hrist as his example as wcdl as his Saviour, and to show
himself Christ's friend by doing whatsoever Christ commands.
No doubt he is not perfect. None will tell you that sooner
than himself. H(! groans under the burden of indwelling
corruption cleaving to him. He finds an evil j)rinciple within
him ('(jnstantly warring against graiu', and trying to draw him
away from (}f)d. Hut he does not consent to it, though he
cannot ])revent its presence. In spite of all short-comings, the
average bent and bias of his way is holy, liis doings holy, his
tastes holy, and liis habits holy. In spite of ail his swerving
and turning aside, like a ship beating up against a contrary
wind, the general course of his life is in one direction, toward
Cod and for (lod. And though he may sometimes feel so low
that he iputstions wheth(U' he is a Christian at all, in his calnu^r
moments he will generally be able to say with old .lohn Newton,
" I am not what I ought to be : I am not what 1 want to be ;
I am not what I hope to be in another world ; but still 1 am
not what 1 once used to be, ami by the grace nf ( Jod I am what
I am."*
(4) Fourthly, St. John says, ''We know that we have
passed from death unto life, because wc jdvc the brethren.'
(1 John iii. It.)
A regenerate man Jnis a special love/or all true disi'lples of
Christ. Like his Father in heaven, he Inves all men witii a
great general love, but he lias a special love fitr them who are
' " Let none conclude that they have no grace because they have many iniper-
fections in their obedience. Thy graie may be very weak and imperfect, and ye
thou niayest be truly born apaiii to (Jod, and lie a ;:enuine son and heir of heavcH." —
Binliop llopkiiDs. ItjTO.
140
UKdKNKIlATlON.
of f)ii(^ mind with liiiiis(^lf. Like his Lord and Saviour, ho lovos
the worst of siiuK^rs, and (•ould wee)) over thoni ; hiit lio has a
peculiar love for thosi^ who are bcdievcu's. He is never so much
at home as when he is in their (^)m[)any : he is never so happy
as when he is amonj,' the saints and the (;xcell»!nt of the earth.
Others may value learning', or (cleverness, or agreeahleness, or
ri(;hes, or rank, in the society they choose. The regenerate
man values grace. Those who have most grace, and are most
like (yhrist, are those he most loves. He feels that they are
UKunbers of the same family with himsidf, - his brethren, his
sisters, children of th(> same Father. He feels that they are
fellow-soldiers, fighting under the same captain, wai'ring against
the same enemy. He feels that they are his fdlow-travellers,
joiu'neying along the same road, tried by the same dilKculties,
and soon about to rest with him in the same eternal home.
He understands them, and they understand him. There is a
kind of spiritual freemasonry between them. He and tluiy may
be very dift'erent in many ways, — in rank, in station, in wealth.
What matter 1 They are Jesus Chaist's people: they are His
Father's sons and daugliters. Then he cannot help loving them.
(5) Fifthly, St. John says, " Whatsoever is born of (^od,
overcometh the world." (1 .lohn v. 4.)
A regenerate man does not make the ivorJiVs ophiion his
rule of ri(fht and tvrong He does not mind going against the
stream of the world's ways, notions, and customs. " What will
men say ?" is no longer a turning point with Him. — He over-
comes the love of the world. He finds no pleasure in things
wdiich most around him call hapjnness. He cannot enjoy th(;ir
enjoyments : — they wccary him : -they appear to him vain,
unprofitable, and unworthy of an immortal being. — He over-
comes the fear of the world. He is content to do many things
which all around him think unnecessary, to say the least.
They blame him : — it does not move him. They ridicule him :
REGENERATION.
141
he does not give way. He loves tli(! praise of (loil more than
the praise of man. He fears otleiKliiig Him more tlian giving
oil'enee to man. He has eonnted the cost. He has taken hi.s
stand. It is a small thing with Him now, whether he is
hlamed or jjraised. His eye is upon Jlim that is invisible.
Him he is re.solved to follow whith<'r.soever He goeth. it may
be necessary in this following to come out from tlu^ world and
be se})arate. The regenerate man will not shrink from doing
so. Tell him that he is unlike other ptntple, ihat his views are
not th(! views of society generally, and that he is making
himself singular and peculiar. You will n(jt shake him. He
is no longer the servant of fashion and custom. To please the
world is (juite a secondary consideration with him. His first
aim is to please God.
(6) Sixthly, St. -lohn says, "He that is begotten of God
keepeth himself." (1 .lohn v. IS.)
A reg(!nerate man is very atreful of his ovm son/. He
endeavours not only to keep clear of sin, but also to keep (dear
of everything which may lead to it. He is careful about the
company he keeps. Ho feels that evil communications corrupt
the heart, and that evil is far more catching than good, Just as
disease is more infectious than health. He is careful about the
(^mj)loyment of his time : his ch'wl desire about it is to sj)end it
profitably. He is careful about the l)ooks he reads : he fears
getting his mind imisoned by mischievous writings. He is
careful about the friendships he forms : it is not enough for
him that people are kind and amiable and good natured : — -all
this is very well ; but will they do good to his soul 1 He i^
cartful over his own daily habits and Ixdiaviour : he tries to
recollect that his own heart is deceitful, that the world is full
of wickedness, that the devil is always labouring to do him
harm, and therefore he would fain be always on his guard. He
desires to live like a soldier in an enemy's country, to wear his
armour continually, and to be prepared for temptation. He
142
UK(iKNKrtATI()N.
finds l)y ('Xiu'rioncc tliat liis soul is ever iinioiii^ i'iii!iiii(;s, and lio
studies to 1m' u wuti.'liful, liuiultlc, pniycrful iinin.
Such iirc the six j^'rcat marks of Kcj^'iMitM-iition, which (lod
lias ^ivi'U for our hiiu'uing. Lot ovorv one who has ^mw so far
with nic, read thoin ovor with attention, and hiy them to heart
I believe they were written with a view to S(^ttle the great
question of the present day, and intende(| to prevent disputes.
Once more then I. ask the riMuha' to mark and consider them.
I know there ia a vast dill'erenee in the depth and distinct-
ness of these marks amon<^ those who are " rej^'enerate." In
some people they are faint, dim, foebh;, and hardly to hv
discerned. You almost need a microscope to make them out.
In others they arc bold, sharp, clear, plain, and unmistakable,
so that he who runs may read tliem. Some of these marks are
niori! visil)le in some people, and others are more visible in
others. It seldom hap|)ens that all are equally manifest in one
and the same soul. All this I am quite ready to allow.
Hut still, after cv(!ry allowance, here we Hud boldly painted
the six marks of beinj^ born of God. Here are certain ])ositive
things laid down by St J (dm as j)arts of the regenerate man's
character, as plainly and distinctly as the features of a man's
face. Here is an inspired A[)ostle writing one of the last
general Epistles to the Church of Christ, telling us that a man
born of God does not commit sin, — believes that Jesus is the
Christ, — doeth righteousness, — loves the brethren, — overcomes
the world, and keepeth himself. And more than once in the
very same epistle, when these marks are mentioned, the
Apostle tells us that he who has not this or tluit mark is " not
of G<xl." I ask the reader to observe all this.
Now what shall we say to these things 1 What they can
say Avho hold that Regeneration is only an admission to outward
Church privileges, I am sure I do not know. For myself I say
boldly, I can only come to one coiudusion. That conclusion is,
that those persons only are " regenerate " who have these six
REOENEUATION.
IVA
«™.i:;;r;;;;'i*:,L;r,t; ,:rr , ;:■" -'■': -■
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tro.
ON ALL TIllNCJS BIOING GIVMON US
WITJL (JIIKLST.
BY HEV. JOHN NEWTON.
Hf that spaiiMl nut his own Son, hut dolivorod him uj) for us all, liow
Hhall III! not with him also freely give us all thingH? Rom. viii. 32.
jAKHM'S liMvc hcfii tlic (lisj)uU's, and various tho
mistakes of iiicii, coiKU'rniuij; the thiii<,'s of (lod. Too
(tftcii, amidst the heat of tierce eoiiteiidiiij^' parties,
(Q truth is injured by hoth sith's, Ix-frienih'd by neither.
^-^ Relij^'ion, th(! pretended eause of our nia' controver-
sies, is sometimes wholly uneoncerncHl in them : 'an, that
pure relii^ion and uudeliled, that wisdom which ecmicth from
above, alKunids with proof of its divine orij^'inal, Ix'ing " {)ure.,
peaceable, <^fentie, and easy to be (Uitniuteil, full of mercy and
*^ood works, without partiality, and without hypocrisy," James,
iii. Keli^fion is :: serious and a personal concern. It arises
h'om a ri}.fht knowledge of (Jod and oiu'.selves ; a .sense of the
great things he has done for fallen man ; a persuasion, or at
least a well-grounded hope, of oiu' own interest in his favour ;
and a principle of unbounded love to him who thus first loved
us. It consists in an entire surrender of ourselves, and our all
to God ; in setting him continually l)eforc us, as the object of
our desires, the scope and inspector of our actions, and our only
refuge and hope in every trouble : finally, in making the good-
ness of God to us the motive anil model of our behaviour ta
our fellow-creatures, to love, pity, relieve, instruct, forbear, and
'" "■'■ '•'""""' ""'■- "»- u. w,n, .,„„sT. ,45
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146
OS ai.Ij things heixg ciivEN u.s wrrii cintisT.
o])n()xiou8 to iill misery ; incapable of restoring !iiiiis(.'lf, or of
receiving tlie least assistance from any power in heaven or in
earth ; (lod spared not his only-liegotten 8on, hut in his
unexamj)l('(l love to tin; world, gave him, who alon<' was al)l(! to
repair the hn-aclj. Every gift of God is good ; the hounticis of
his common providence are very valuable : that he should
contiinie life, and supply that lifi; with f(jod, raiment, mikI a
variety of comforts, to those who by rebellion had fn-feited all,
wub wondei'ful : but what are all inferior blessings, compared
to this mis])eaka])le gift of the Son of his love 1 Abraham had
given many proofs of liis love and ol)edience before he was
commanded to oilei- u]) Isaac upon the altar; but God seems to
pass by all that went before, as of small accoinit in com]xirison
of this last instance of tluty : " Now I know that thou fearest
God, seeing thou hast not with-held thy son, thine only son
from me," Gen. xxii. Sundy we likewise must say, 'In tints
was manifested the love of God to us, because he gave his Son,
his only Son, to be the lif(; of the world." But all comparison
fails. Abraliani was bound in duty, bound by gratitude ;
neither was it a free-will oU'ering, but by the express connnand
of God : but to us the mercy was undesired, as well as
undeserved. " Herein is love, not that W(> loved God ;" on the
contrary, we were enemies to him, and in rebellion again.st him ;
" but that he loved ns, and sent his Son to be the propitiation
for oui' sins," the sins we had connnitted against himself. My
friend.s, ought not this love to meet a return 1 Is it not most
desirable \o be able to say with the a])ostle, upon good grounds,
*' We love him, because he first loved us V Should it not be
our continual inquiry, '' What shall we render to the Lord for
all his benefits'?" esi)ecially for this which is both the crown
and the spring of all the restl Are we cold and unaiie(;ted at
this astonishing proof of divine love, and are our hearts not
grieved and hund)led at our own ingratitude 1 th(!n are wo
ungrateful and insensible indeed !
ill
b,
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it
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V'
of
th
of
Tlifi justice and sovorifv nf p ^ i ,
i'ix Koo,l,u..s in these wo ,t "" "", "" ™"»l"-"""^ "-•"
for ou,. .sake. „ hi f V'' "'""'■• ""* '" ^'"■" '"'^ «"»
(Luke iv.) .iv,r 1 „ ' "'■ '"'" '■" ''"■ ""■'"■■"<-'
ten,ptat,„„ ,: , ZJ '", 'iTT: ""■' "■^■^™'""' 'y ""•
A .liiu .si\, Was ever somnv 1 ko nnfn l,; . ,
with the Lon, affli,,e,i hin, in tl ! , , ^ p' ' "•'"■'''-
Ho« i„eo„eeivable i,n,.f tl,,. ' ""' '"-''■''• """"^'
ro,.e „ his ho.,, .. BehoUn l..Uy! :tT .': ^^
be,o„., an „.„ hi.!"';:; ;; k. rrr-:;;;; .:; -;: ■"»'-»
hast thou forsake,, „er St P " ' '"-' '""'• "'''^
=:-v;»:=:;r:;rs '-f ''■■-•-
148
ON ALL TUINOS J5BING GIVKN US WITH CHRIST.
nor was the dreadful weight removed, till he, triumphant in
death, jn'onounced, " It is tiiiislied," John xix. Let us not
think of this as a matter of speculation only ; our lives, our
precious souls, are concerned in it. Let us infer from hence,
how fearfid a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living
(Jod, Heh. X. The apostle Peter (2 Peter ii.) admonishes those
to whom he wrote, from the fearful example of the angels who
sinned, and of the old world ; where the same word is used as
in Miy text, iwK ecpeiaaro : "He spared them not:" that is, ho
punished them to the utmo.st ; he did not alibrd them the
least mitigation. It is a freijuent ligure of speech, hy which
much iiioic is understood than is or i-an be ex])ressed. Much
more, then, may we say, if (Jod spared not his own Son, " what
shall Ih; the end of those who ohey not the gosp(d T' 1 Peter
iv. If the holy Jesus was thus dealt with, when he was only
accounted a sinner hy imputation, where shall the imitenitent
and the ungodly appear 1 " If these things were done in the
green tree, Avhat shall he done in the dry?' Luke xxiii The
jmnishment of sin in the soul in a future state is twofold : the
wrath of (iod in all its drea<iful effects, typified ])y tire
unquenchable (Mark ix.), and the stings of conscience, re])n!-
sented by a worm that never dies. < )ur Lord endured the
former ; but the other perhaps coidd have no jilace in him, who
was absolutely perfect and sinless. But if the prospect of one
UKule him amazed and sorrowful beyond measure, what
consterr..ition must the occurrence of both raise in the wicked,
when they shall h(nir and feel their irrevocable doom. May
we have grace to reflect on these things, that we may flee for
safety to the hope set before us, to Jesus Christ, the only, and
the sure refuge from that api)roaching storm, which shall sweep
away all the workers of iniquity as a flood, Isa. xxiii.
II. Here, as in a glass, we may see the evil of sin. The
bitter fruits of sin are indeed visible every where. Sin is tiie
ox ALL ™..V0« BEING GIVEN US W,n„ o„„,„.,, ,„
th uhok creation Rro,,,,.,. Sin often makes nun, a t,.,T„r an.l
burden, both t„ „i„,...|f and tl,„.e „l,„nt l,l,n. S ,.,.„;
1..S.-0 ,1 an,l confn.io fan .,,, „^,,^ ,„.i ^
- .dway, <,n.e.ted the n.areh, and ,.„,,„red the su^essof tho
nstlaunents „! dnine ven«,,.„..e ,vh„n, we .style .Mi„htv
Co .,,e,.„,..,. T ose rava..,,.., of n,anl<„,.,. „,,o spread deva. .!
t.on and horror far and wi.h, and ™h, n.oro in a few day, than
ases ean re„a,, have only afforded so n.any n.elaneholv p"
of the nad,,.n,tyof .sn,. Korthis, ashower of flannn, hrinlsto, „
fell upon a whole eonntry ; for this, an ovenvhelnnn. deln-e
we e east fron, heaven, and are reserved un.Ier ,.l,a ns of
<."kness(oPeterii.)toamoredreadfnldoon,. Bnt none "
thcSO t lltl..« Jini- n 1 -vf fl . . .1 ... - '"Jilt. <U
oft)
;•«, nor all of tl.(>ni tf^gother, affonl suci
le luMiious iiatiin", ai:,l destructive (iffeets of
^'ithcr from th
<'se words, " TI,> spaivd net hi
i n eonviction
sin, as We niav
■s own Son.
HI. Here wc niav likew
soul. W
(' ordinarily judw of tl
ise see the value of the 1
price which a wi.se mail, who is
excell
i<! worth of a tl
UIH
lumun
hv the
oncy, i.s willing to give foi' it. N„\v tl
icfjuainted with its intrinsir
was of such estimat
wh
»ul (if
en it was siida'ng into endl
ion in the sight of (;<„!, who made it tl
I man
i.'it.
Son, Init freely delivered him up f
esi)ocially render the soul tl
luiii, he sj)ared not hi.^
I» foi' om ransom. Two tl
own
lings
HIS uuportant in the view of infinite
wisdom : Ut, The ..apacity h," had given it ; f,
for 1
11
mself" (Lsa. xliii.), eapahle of k
'1' "he formc(l it
enjoying God ; and hv
knowing, serviiiL'
any thing beneath liim ; for notl
the attainment of its
con.se.iuence, incapahle „f Jiap,
rn
and
mess in
nng can sa
tisfv
iiny being but
had
th
assigne.l it, beyond the limits of ti
proper end ; and 2dly, The duration h
e nmterial world. The most excellent and exalt
only the creatur.- of a day, would I
me, and the existence of
ed being, if
worthy of little reguj-.
150
ON AF.I. THINGS BEING GIVEN UH WITH CHUIST.
Oil the other hand, immortality itscdf would hn of small value
to a creature that could rise no hij^dier than the j)ur.suits of
animal lif(^ : liut in the. soul of man, the cajiahility of complete
ha]>)»in.\ss or exijuisite misery : and that for ever, makes it a
prize worthy the contention cf did'erent worlds. For this an
oj)en intercourse was nuiintained between heaven ami earth, till
at length the Word of (lod iipjieared "in the likeness of sinful
flesh," that, in our nature, he mi<;'}it encounter and subdue the
sworn enemy of our species. All that has been transacted in
the kinjfdoms of j)i'ovidenc(! and grac(% from the beginning of
the world, lias been in subs(!rviency to this grand jioint, the
redemj>tion of the deathless soul. y\nd is it sol And shall
tlu're be found amongst us numbers utterly insensil)le of their
natural dignity, that dare dis])arage tlu! plan of infinite wisdom,
anil stake those souls for trifles, which nothing less than the
blood of Clirist could rcMleem ? There is need to use great
))lainness of speech ; the matter is of th(> utmost weight ; be
not, therefore, ofl'ended that 1 would warn you against the
deceitfulness of sin. Sutler not your henrts to be entangled in
the vanities of the world : either they will fail and disa}»j)oint
you in life, or at least you must leave them behind 30U when
you die. You must enter an invisible, unknown state, where
you cannot expect to meet any of those amusements or
engngenients which you here And so necessary to j)ass away the
tedious load of time that hangs upon your hands. You, to
wlumi a few hours of leisure an' so burdensome, have yo\i
consider 1 how you shall be able to support an eternity 1 You
stand ui)ou a brink, mid all alumt you is uncertainty. You see,
of your accpiainlance, some or other daily called away, some
who were as likely to ilv" as ycuirselves. You know not but
you may be the very next. You cannot b(> certain but this
very night your soul may be required of you, Luke xii.
I'erhai)s a few hours may introduce you into the presence of
that l5od whom you have been so little desirous to please. And
ox Ar,L THINGS BEIXG GIVEN US WITH CHRIST. 151
(•an you, in siu-h a situation, sport and play, witli as little
conrcrn as the lainb, already niai'kcd out to i)l(.('d to-morrow?
Oh! it is strange! How fatally has the god of this world
blinded your eyes! nnd how (hvadful must your situation he in
death, if death alone can undeceive you !
IV. Lastly, w(! imiy gather from these words the certainty
of tli(> gos[Kd-sdvation. (i.ul himself d.div.^red up his Sou for
us all. He declared himself well pleased with him (.Matt, iii.)
as our Sui'cty, ujjon his first entrance^ ui)on his work ; and
testified his acceptance of his undertaking, in that he raised him
from the dead, and received him into heaven as Dur Advocate
Now, " If (},„1 himself he thus for us, who can l)e against us 1"
Rom. viii. If he who oidy has a right to judge us, is [)leased
to justify us, " who can lay any thing to our charge ? If Christ
who died " for our sins, an<l is risen on our behalf, has eiuwred
to "intercede for us, who shall coiul
emu
'Th.
condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." N
all
re IS now no
or is this
)ut everything we stand in n<-ed of is fully provided; and
wo may well argue, as the ajjostle has taught us elsewl
wh
en we were enemies, Ave were r
death of liis S
on, much more, being reconciled.
;ave(l by his life." (Rom. v.): or,
u^ve, " If
•ecoiiciled to (lod by the
we shall bo
us in the passage before us,
all.
He that s{)ared not his own Son, but delivered him ui) for
w
hen we were alienated from 1
us
with him freely give us all thin
lim, " how slmll he not
gs," now he has tauuht
pray, and given us his own promises to plead for all
This brings me to the
us to
we ask
?-
second clause of the text ; only it ii
u- upon it, to subjoin two cautions, to
bo propel-, before I ent^
prevent mistake's from what has Ixh-u already said.
1st. Let us remember that all is a free rrift. Fb
lay
Son : he gives all things with him. Tl
ave h
IS
for merit of our
10 gospel allows no place
own
ni any respect, there was no moving cau.so
in us, unless ou»' misery m;iy be deemed such. ( )ur del
iverance.
152
ON ALL THINGS lJEI\(i (ilVKX U.S WJTll CHRIST.
in its rise, j)roaross, and accomi,lishinont, nm.st be asrribcl to
grace alone; and he tl.at would glory, n.nst ^dory only in the
Lord, ] Cor. i.
2dly. Let us observe the aj.ostle's j.hmse. He says not
absolutely for all, but for us all ; that is, those who are deseribe<l
in the former part of the elmpter, - who are le<l by the Spiri^
of God, who walk not after the flesh, who are d..livere<I fron.
the Ijonda^e of corruption," who have liberty to eall Cod
"Abba, father," and prove their relation by following hiin as
"dear .•hildro.i." Christ is " the author of eternal salvation to
those only who obey hiui," Heb. v. It cannot be otherwise
snic.. a branch of that salvation is to deliver us " from our sins "
and "the present evil worhl "((Jal. i.) ; " to purify us from dead
works, to serve the living God." - Be not deceived, God will
not be mocked ; whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he reap
He that soweth to the flesh, shall," notwithstanding all that
Christ has done or suiiere.I, yea so much tlu, rather, "of the
fiesli reap corru])tion," Gal. vi.
The text having declared, that God spared not his Son for
our sakes, procee<ls to inf..r, that "with him h,- will assuredly
give us all tJ.ings." Here we may take notice, first, that the
words all thmys must be limited to STich as are nee.lful and
good for us. rt may be sai.l of many of our <lesires, " ye know
not what ye ask" (.Matt, x..) : in such cases, the l)est answer
we (.in receive is a denial. For those blessings which God has
promised absolutely to give, siu-h as ,)ardon, grace, and eternal
lite, we cannot be too earnest or exi.licit in our prayers • but in
temporal things we should be careful to ask nothing but with
submission to the divine will. The promises, it is true apner
tain to "the life that now is, as well as that which is to' come "
Tim. iv. " Whether Paul, or Ai,ollos, or Cephas, or life or
death, or things present, or things to come : all are ours if' we
are Christ's," 1 Cor. iii. But the particular modus of these
ON ALL THINGS IiEIN(, o.VEN U.S WITIJ CumST. 153
things G.Kl has reserved in his own Lands, to b.stow then, as
bes shall smt our various ten.pors, al.ilitios, and occasions.
stv I] r "'''"' '' '' -^^ ' ^'"' ^^-^ '^'"^'"j'l -"- -i" -.-
meddle with what would hurt then,, hut refuse the n.ost
salutary n.ed,eines, if unpalatable; so we often pursue, with
earnestness and anxiety, those things, whieh, if .e eould
obtani he)n, would greatly harn, if not destrov us. Oft.n
too, ..th a rash and Idind in.patienee, we struggle to avoid o;
escape those d,fhculties which (iod sees fit to appoint for the
most gracious and merciful purposes,-to correct our pride and
vanity to exercise and strengtlien our fait,, to wean us from
n .k" , "; ' ''"" <lependence upon himself, and to
awaken our desires after a better inheritance.
Ag.iin, as God by his promise freely to -nve us all things
has no engage to comply with the measure of our unreas,;:
able, short-sighted w.shes : so neither has he ..onlined hin.self
as to the time or manner of l>e.stowing his gifts. The ble.ssin.
we seek, though perhaps not wholly improper, mav be .t
present unseasonable ; in tliis case, the Lonl will suspend it
tin he sees it will ailord us the c-omfort and satisfaction hj
intends us by it : and then we shall be sure to have it. Some-
times It IS withheld, to stir us up to fervency and importunity
in our prayers, sometimes to make it doubly weh-ome and
valuable when it comes. So likewise as to tlie manner : we ask
one good thing, and he gives an equivalent in somethin.. else •
and when we come to weigh all things, we see cause to .^ay his
choice was best Thus David acknowle<iges : '' In the dav that
I called, thou didst answer me, and strengtheiiedst me' with
strength in my soul," Psal. cxxxviii. David asked for deliver-
ance from trouble ; the Lord gave him strength to bear it ; and
he al ows his prayer was fully answere.l. A parallel case th.>
apostle records : he besought the Lor.l thrice (2 Cor xii ) for
the removal of that trial which he calls "a thorn in the flesh •"
in 4
ON AIJ, THINGS BEINO GIVEN UH WITFI rTTRIST.
the answer he received was, " My grace is sufficient for thee.'
S'leh an assurance was more vahiahhi than tlie deliverance ho
sou^dit could he. Sometimes w(! seek a thiii<^' in a wiiy of our
own, by uieans ;uid instruments of our own dtivising. God
crosses our feehh; purposijs, that he may give us the jjleasure of
receiving it immediately from himself. It were easy to enlarge
on this iiead ; let it sulHce to know, our concerns are in his
hands wlio tloes all things well ; and who will, and does,
appoint all to work together for our good.
From the latter clause, thus limited and explained, many
useful directions might he drawn. I shall only mcntioii two or
three, and conclude.
1st. 8iiu'e we arc told, that (rod fi'ccly gives us all things,
let us learn to sec and acknowledge his hand in all we have,
and in all we meet with. When Jacob was returning to
Canaan after a longal)s(>nce ((leu. xxxii.), the fear of his brother
Esau occasioned liim to divide? his family and substance into
separate; companies ; and, comparing his present situation with
the poor condition in which he had been driven from homo
twenty years l)efore, he breaks out into this act of praise : " I
am not worthy, () Lord, of all thy mercies ; for with my staff
I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands !"
How j)ious and how cheering was this r(>flection ! And after-
wards (Gen. xxxiii.), when his brother Ksau asked him con-
cerning his sons, "They are the children (said he), which God
has graciously given thy servant." Such a deep and aluding
persuasion of the most liigh Goil ordering and over-ruling all
our concerns, would, like the light, dittuse a lustre and a
beauty u|)on every thing around us. To consider every
comfort of life as an effect and proof of the divine favour
towards us, would, like the feigned alchymist's stone, turn all
our possessions into gold, and stamp a value upon things
which a common eye might judge indifferent. Nor is this
more than the truth : " The hairs of our h-ad are all numbered,"
(»N AlA. THINCiS ni:iN(! CIVKN I'S Willi Clllilsr.
i)h
Matt. X. The <■>•(' of divine inctvitlcnoe is upon cvory
sparrow of tlic field ; imr ciiii we lu'operly tenii any circuin-
stanee of our lives small, siiiee siieli as seem most tritliiij^ in
themselves do often ^ive Mrth to tlinse wjiicii Avejudt-e most
important. On the other hand, to he ahle to discover the
wisdom and j^ooihiess of our lieavenly Father throu<,di the
darkest elond of trouhles and alllictions, to see all onr trials
a}>pointed to us, in numher, weight, and measiu'e ; nothing
hefalling us hy chance, nothing without need, nothing without
a su])i)ort, nothing without a designed ailvaiitago ; what a
stay must these a]ij)rehensions he to the soul 1 Tak(^ away
these, and man is the most forlorn, hel])less, miseialile ohject
in fill' woi'ld ; pining for every thing he has not, trembling for
everything he has ; e(iually sutierjng undf!! the pn>ssure of what
does haj)}ien, and the fear of what may : liable to thousiinds of
unsusi)ected tlangers, yet unable to guard against those which
are most obvious. Were there no future life, it wouhl be our
interest to he truly and uniforndy religious, in order to make
the most of this. How unhap])y must they !»(>, to whom the
thoughts of a God ever-present is a burden they strive, in vain,
to shake off! But let us learn to acknowledge him in all our
ways, and then he will direct and bless our paths, Prov. iii.
2nd. Since all we have is the gift of (lod, let this teach
us, in whatever state we are, therewith to bo content. Our
heavenly Father knoweth what we have need of before we ask
um, i^
Matt
VI.
The earth is his, and the fulness thereof
(Psal. xxiv.): and his goodness is eipial to l^is power, a ])roof of
which we have in the text. He has already given us more
than ten thousand worlds. Are you jioor? Be satisfied with
the Lord's appointment. It wo'e as t'asy to him to give you
large estates as to sui)])ly you with the br(>ad you eat, or to
continue your breath in your nostrils : but he sees poverty best
for yon ; he sees jiros])erity might prove yoiu'ruin : therefore he
I
150
"X AM. TH.NUS „h:,n„ ,„vra „„ „,,,„ ,,„|„^,,.
h , ,,,„nt,.. ,v„,, tl,,. l,„„„„r of hein« in this r..,,,,,,, ...uif,,™,.
N to your r.or,l, w ,„ wl„.„ on ™rt., i„„, „„t „,,!.,. to ,„, „i„
t V , ,„ w „,o l,f,, von t,,„nj,|,t yonr own livo, l,onn,l up? B„
»t.ll,.u„f know ti.al l„. i, Co,!, ivin, xiri. It wa. „■ who
Kav,. you that fncn,!; hi. M,.s.,inK u,a,l,. yo„,. fH,,,,! „ „,„,f„rt
oyou; an tho,,«l,tho.st,,,,n, i» v .u,t o«; th,. f„u„t,iu i,.
If II l-.."ll.i-aw,l,M,ullina,„.t;thoLo,,lha»„,any
»...vs to turn you,. „,nin(. into joy. .A,v anv of vou «i,/?
'Im.k how th.. co,n|,as»ion„t,. .losns hoal.,! .lisoaso's with a
woid, ,u th.) lav.s of his n,.s|, M„. I , ,1
now ., 1) '. II , ' '"'""' till' same pownr
now a. I,™) lla»l„.„ntthe»am,. lov„J Ha. h,., iu hi,
oxaltcl Stat. lo,sot his , ,■ lauj-uishin-- u>«nhor.s ■,. l,..l.,w^
No, vonly : ho still .vtaius his ,vn„,atl,y ; hv is toudu., .vith'
-l.UKofou, ,u,.n,iti,.s:h,. l<„„ws ■ f,,uuc. ; ho ,.„n,™>.
b -v.. a,,, hut, Inst, |.sahn,.iii. lti,sho,.a„sosioI<„,.,ssi
better for you than hoalth, that ho th„s visits von. U. ,loa t
"• ""• *"'■" "»' '■ "■'^'' ''■■-'-. "I'-' la. hn ,ohn i
Kos,sn yoursolvo.,, thorof-u^o to his wis.iou, ,,,,„, ;„ ..j^
lovo. Ihore ,s a lan.l wluu. tho hlos,o,l inhahitant .sh,
rno,.o.ay,"Jan>«iok"(,sa x.v..iii.). an,l t ,.• „l, th, t .
; ::: 'T »'-";l™t>y l-. a,,. a„y of you to,„pto,n
Bios 0,1 ,., ho ,uan tlu.t ouduroth l,.n,ptati„u ; for whou h,. is
tnecl, he shall roooivo tho cmwu of lif,, whi,.], tho I.or,l has
F""..so,I to thon, that love hiu,,» .7au„.., i. «„,.,, y,.„ ,„,,, '„
other ,u.g„n,o,,t to ho oontont, sl,all I .say, or to rejoi,. au,l ho
»coo,l„„ ,la,H .. M,. sou, ,lospiso not thou tho ohast,™,,,, of
the Lord, „or font who,, thou art rohnko,! of hi„,," „„,, ",;;
Be ,t n, poverty or losses, in ho,ly or u.iu.I, i„ vourowu
perso,, or another's it is all app„i„t„., ,„ o„,,^ „,„, ;,„,„ .^ ^
.n^your groat heuefit, if you are of tho nu.uher of those th:
3rd. Onoe more, sinoe it is sai,l that all things are freely
«.ve„ „s ,„ and togetlu,.r with Christ, lot us "give all dilil^Z
ON ALI- IIIINCS HKIN(i (ilVKN I'S Willi (IIUIST.
157
to iimke (Mir calliiit,' ami election sun'' ("J IVt, i.); to know that
we have an interest in him and liis mediation ; and then (if 1
may horrow a common expression) we are made forever. The
Lord Jesus ChriBt, sent from (iod on a mereiful errand to a lost
world, ilid not come empty : no ; lie is frauj^dit with all hh'ss-
iiij,'s, snitaMe to all persons, exteiiilin;,' to all times, endnrin<;
to all eternity. < > make it your great care to know him and to
please him ; study his word, call upon his name, fre(|uent his
ordinances, ohserve his sayings, seek to know him as the only
way to (Iod (.lohn xiv.); tin; way to pardon, jii-ace, and divine
eommunion here, and to eom])lete hapjiiness hereafter. When
once you can say, " ^ly Beloveil is mine" (Song ii.), 1 account
all his interest my own ; "and I am his," 1 have given myself
up to him without reserve, — you will, you must he happy.
You will he interested in all his attributes and eommunicahle
perfections. His wisdom will he youi' liigh tower, his provi-
dence your constant shicdd, his love yo\ir continual solace.
" Jle will give his angels charge over you, to keep you in ;dl
your way.s," T'.sal. xci. In times of ditliculty he will direct
your counsels ; in times of danger he will till you with comfort,
and "keep you in perfect peace" (Isa. xxvi ), when others
(piake for fear. 1I(! will hless your l)asket and your st(U'e,
yoiu- substance and your families : your days shall hapjiily pass
in doing your Father's will, and receiving renewed tokens of
his favour ; and at night yon shall lie down, and your sleep
shall he sweet. When alllictions hefal you (for the.se likewise
are the fruits of love), you shall see your (Iod near at hand, "a
very present helj) in trouble (Psalm xlvi.); you shall Hud your
strength increased in proportion to your trial ; you shall in due
time be restored, as gold from the furnace, i)uritied sevenfold,
to praise your great deliverer, l^verything you meet in life
shall yield you profit ; and death, which puts a fatal pcu-iod to
the hope of the wicked ; death, at whose name thousands turn
pale, shall to you be an entrance into a new and endless life.
158 ON MA, 1IIIN(JM UKINO (UVEN VH WITH (UIIUST.
\l\' who tiisU'd dt'iitli for you (llch. ii.), and saiK^tilitul it to you,
shall loud and support you throuj:,'!! that dark valloy : you shidl
shut your oyea upon tiic thing's of tiiuo, to open them the next
monKMit in tlu» hlissful presence of your reconciled (lod. You
that a minute Ix^fore were surroundtMl hy wei'ping, helpless
friends, shall, in an instant, he transported and ins])ired to join
that {glorious son^', "To him that lovcfd us, and wasln^l us from
oiu" sins in ids own hlood, and haUi made us ])riests and kings
to (lod and his Fatlier ; to him he glory and strength for (iver
and ever. Worthy is the Lamh that was slain, to reccivo
power and I'iches, an<l wisdom, and strength, and honour, and
glory, and hlessing," Rev. v. Thus "blessed shall the man bo
that fears th« Lord," I'salm cxxviii. "Thus shall it be done to
him whom the King delighteth to honour," Esth. vi. Amk.v.
I
1
Nova Scotia I'rintimj Company.