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Les diagrammes suivants illustrant la mithode. irrata to pelure, n d 1 2 3 j2X 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hibrarg KINGSTON, ONTARIO " When yo shall have mprofitable servants : Thou therefore end PRINTED BT d--^J' 'U <.•-»— ^ c< CHRIST'S CLAIMS, ▲KBTn V '>• CLAIMS OF HIS CAUSE A TRACT FOR THESE TIMES. I I t • I I 1 I IS J 1 1 ' ■.lit' III); I • tail .•• * • » ■ I t* •. I I BY A MERCHANT : I I I ■ 1 .» J I ! ' I » ' i > k > vcv ip) When yo shall have done all those thingrs which are commanded you, say, wo we >rofttable servants : we have done that which was our duty to do. Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." MONTREAL : PRINTED BY JOHN LOVELL, 8AINT NICHOLAS STREET. 1855. Ij I'SSS ..... • • ..•• ';.•% • ••. • • ••#• »•••» ... !r;V; . ..,.. . • • .;;;. ••••:; • . ..... . .••. !••*•'. « • • . • • • ••.••; *•!*' . . ... ..... •..• . • * •••.•• !ii:! .... • . • • . . • . .... •..• .. . • . • ••• < •* . . « • . . !ii:*. . « • • . . . . <■ . . \ • • J .... . *.. « . •.••. .. . • ..• ' I; A TRACT FOR THESE TIMES. The Writer desires to call attention to tlio duty — the personal and present duty — of Christians, in respect of Christ's claims and the claims of His cause. Not without solicitude does he : venture upon the attempt. So much that is good is now-a- ^ days written — good in itself, and coming with the sanction of known names — that this Tract will perhaps be laid aside without perusal by the majority even of the few into whoso hands it may fall. Still it may have some readers ; and as his aim and hope are to be enabled to present facts and thoughts which may, to some extent, influence to earnest consideration of duty, and to adequate discharge of it, if there shall be even a few readers, and they so influenced, his endeavour will not be in vain, nor his hope dis- appointed. The conviction is strong upon his mind, that God's people are, as a whole, far — far indeed — short of duty in the matter of devotedness of themselves, and what they are and what they have to Him who hath bought them, and in their efforts to spread the knowledge of His name throughout the earth. Christ's claims 4ipon His people, if they are in theory admitted, are largely in practice denied. Covetousness was never more than it now is the sin of the Church, and consequently never more than now j^was it needful to say, " take heed and beware of covetousness." >:Nor ever more than now was it needful to beseech God's people ko present themselves a living sacrifice, in personal and active ■efforts to advance Christ's kingdom in the world. One tenth-part ;^f the power which the Church possesses is not put forth in the ipervice of the Great Head of the Church, although the world &eeds, and He commands its use. For this non-use of power piccount must one day be given. Tremendous in its consequences '■■$& this neglect of duty. Consideration of this whole matter, each ;%one for himself, is urgently needed, and is here respectfully but earnestly urged. Would that it were in view of these claims, the earnest question of the reader and of the writer : Lord, what *yf\\t thou have me to do ? and theirs, too, the intelligent response, |Thy will in Thy strength, Lord, we will do. This would be a I happy and practical result. )7c7c'lC> CHRIST'S CLAIMS. The great facts, that there k nouo righteous — no, not one ; that all the world is guilty before God, condemned, and receiving death as the wages of sin ; and that God so loved the world that he gave hia only begotten Son, who also gave himself, that whosoever believ- eth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life ; and that now God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, are unknown, as revealed truths, to most of mankind. They are amid darkness into which none of the rays of revelation yet penetrate. They know not of Christ, nor of His claims. And thus, in this awful moral gloom, grovelling and groping, are still probably 600,000,000 of our race. But these facts of man's guilt and danger, of Christ's redemp- tion work, and of man's obligation to accept the Saviour, arc truths known to those, — and they are now many, — who have the Bible ^ and none will deny them who do not deny that book. They know these thirigs, and they stand, consequently, as to responsibil- ity, upon ground entirely difterent from those without such know- ledge. And to them the command comes, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, for he that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned." To all possessors of the Book is this message sent. But of these while some do, many, alas ! do not accept this salvation, and yield themselves to this Saviour, and hence it crraes that there must be still another division separating those who believe and those who do not believe. Wonderful it is when we think of it, that this is so. Beings of a higher world doubtless look with feelings which we have not words to describe upon readers of the Bible — their God's message and terms of pardon to His fallen creature, man — in divided companies : the one a large number rejecting Christ, and — abroad and distinct line, that of faith, between them — the other still a small company who have received and who rejoice in and servo that Saviour. But the ground of this separation must be further shown. The dis- tinction needs a little to be dwelt upon. God's law to man is plain enough : " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul and mind and strength, and thy neighbour as thy- self." Consider these words. God to be loved with the whole heart, during every moment of life 1 How worthy of God this law 1 withou power! follows ment ii Have t once, of the obvious before it is, w Christ sinner's and He one wh^ tificatioi Christ's for your and Kin and to t this firSi awful all Be entn from sin holiness. They mand to who bel Spirit s and the the Bib gether i ding of no Tuan our inst this liio " Lord, hexQ arc ot one ; that oiving death that he gave oevor believ- ancl that now unknown, as laikncss into ley know not noral gloom, ) of our race. ist's redemp- •ur, are truths ve the Bible ^ book. They o responsibil- t such know- i on the Lord and he that the Book is ny, alas ! do Saviour, and n separating nderful it is^ igher world I to describe nd terms of panics: the distinct line, [ompany who viour. But |n. The dis- to man is with all thy hour as thy- Ih the whole of God this Hawl It requires from each one a perfect unbroken obedience, witliout failure once iu life. It claims all the affections and all the powers always for God. Failing once of this the condomnatiou follows. Has, then, God been so loved ? No ; not for one mo- ment in the whole life of any one of us has He been so loved. Have the atfections and powers been so yielded to Ilim ? No ; not once. Ilowever moral may bo the outer life, this positive character of the inner man is claimed of all, but in no one is it found. Uow obvious then is the condemnation ! Every one is brought in guilty before God ; all are condemned. Now hero, just at this point, it is, when the sinner is without remedy or hope in himself, that Christ interposes his perfect sinless obedience, rendered in the sinner's stead, and imputed to the sinner, who by faith accepts it, and He thus " becomes the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believes." Faith is here the condition, the essential ; jus- tification by faith is the doctrine ; " Believe " is the command. Christ's claim hero upon you, the individual, is direct and personal : for your acceptance of Him, and love of Him as your Saviour and King, for a surrender of yourself to Him, evermore to suffer and to do His will. lieader, dost thou so believe in Christ ? Ilaf this first claim He makes upon yon been yielded to ? Consider the awful alternative. You do to-day either receive or reject Ilim^ Be entreated, be encouraged ; believe — " That being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." They then, only, vv^ho have thus yieidcl to God's will and com- mand to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, who believing ate justified, and who being justified are also by the ■Spirit sanctified, having the righteousness of Christ imputed, and the righteousness of the Spirit inwrought — they only are, in the Bible sense. Christians — Christ's followers. They keep to- gether in practical view tliese twin statements : " without shed- ding of blood there is no remission of sins," and " without holiness no riian can see the Lord." One of old, whose ease is recorded for our instruction, afibrds a fine exemplification of the Christian, of this highest style of man. Trembling and astonished he cries, " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?" Here is the surrender : Ibere are the spirit and the attitude of the servant waiting to hiow that ho may do liis Mnster'a will ; hero is nllojjinnco avowed. Next ho is iiilroducecl to ns with tho words, *' IJehold he prnyctli" — words so full and so sinruiticant of cbaraclor, — tellinu; of the hreath- ings of the inner lifo. Further on he is presented at work, in earnest action labouring to build up that Kingdom which once ho laboured to destroy ; and still counting not himself to have apprehended or ta bo already perfect, forgetting those things which were behind, and reaching forth unto those things which were before, ho presents him- self a living sacrifice to Christ. In this Gospel sketch, which is worthy of close study, there is tho complete Christian character. Here are practical submission and obedience to Christ's claims; and here the individual appears as consistent with the often-repeat- ed scriptural representation of the Christian, as the servant and the soldier of Christ. Now, if the Christian is a servant and soldier of Christ, there is a work for him to do, and a warfare to wage. He has been viewed as not his own, but bought with a price, and devoted to the service of Him who hath bought him. And upon each one and all of such rests now the command, — they are successors to it, — " Go ye into the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." Their mission is, as His followei's, to turn men from darkness to light, and from the power and kingdom of satan unto God. Them- ftelves redeemed and renewed, there dwells in them that same kind of lovo which impelled their Lord and Master to give himself for a world that had wandered and was lost, to redeem it ; so that with love and duty to Uim impelling them, there is also compassion for the lost and ardent desire to reclaim them to Christ. But it is needful to consider the present condition of the world as to this Gospel, in order to estimate aright tho duty of Christ's people in relation to it. What then is the condition of the world ? Ai already stated, there are probably 600,000,000 of the world's people without this Gospel, amid the darkness and degradation which sin has induced, at enmity with God, and ruled by the prince of the power of this world, — ^-an awful multitude hastening to eternal death ! " They have changed the glory of the incor- ruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things ;" — at enmity with God, and filled with all unrighteousness ; — the subjects of a fearful usurpation ! BesI boon follow^ worshi unrifflJ vowed. Next c praycth" — of tlio brcntli- 3rk, in onrnest ;c l»o liiboured ehendc'd or ta e behind, and presents him- tch, which is an character, irist's claims; 3 often-repcat- I servant and hrist, there is [le lias been d devoted to on each one iccessors to it, ery creature." darkness to God. Them- lat same kind himself for it ; so that compassion t. )f the world of Christ's f the world ? the world's degradation jled by the e hastening the incor- an, and to -at enmity bjects of a Besides those, there are probably 160 to 200,000,000 who have boon reached by some rays of Gospel light, but who aro still the followers of the false prophet, or the subjects of a system of will worship and superstition, " who do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness." Now, Gof' having a..nounced mercy to all these, and commissioned His people to proclaim it ; Christ, having redeemed tho world, is to regain it, in spite of all opposition ; these dark places are to be made light ; tho kingdom and tho glory are to bo His. And the instruments Ho employs to effect this are men — not " legions of angels," but men whom He has redeem- ed from among men, — weak things of tho flesh, — soldiers of the cross, — they who, being salt, aro to leaven the world's mass of corruption, — they who, being light, are to give light, to spread it, advancing as from a centre, and dispelling darkness before it, — they who, being servants, are to go forth and persuade men to come into this Kingdom, and who, being soldiers, as the Lord's host, aro to win back this w^orld to Him. Think of these millions to be brought to Christ ! What a work tho Church has to do ! Words a]ce weak to tell it ; figures fail to express it. But if Christian people woidd think of it — would really think of it — they would realize some impression ; and if they would pray to the Lord to show them His claims and the claims of His cause, and to show them the work He has for them to do, they would then, doubtless, to fome extent see these things in their true light. But the solemn enquiry is, aro these claims of Christ heeded ? As matter of theory many know them ; but are they embodied into life and action ; are His people working for Him wholly and in earnest 5 Have they fulfilled, do they now fulfill, their mission to tho world ? The records of eighteen centuries answer. No ! and the cries of the perishing world to-day still respond a widely- echoed No ! ' It will dgubtless be conceded that Christ has put this duty and responsibility upon His Church ; and it follows, does it not ? that they have instrumentally the power. From this conclusion there seems no escape. If this be true, having failed so much, and come ^0 short, what an account is to be given ! No attempt is here made to put in words the failure, and the sin, and the account- . ability here involved. They are topics too solemn and too vast ; 8 but tlioy sliould bo pondered. Yot true it must bo bold to bo. If it bo truo, tliut of things inatorial tbero is cnougb for all, but that ono man hoklH in oxcchs, withholds, Avhat another is deficient of, — that one wastes what another wants : if it bo true, that one people holds in excess and under restiiction that which another people needs, and which nature designed that by intorchango it should obtain ; is it not true, that when Christ gave His Gospel, tho bread of life, to man, and bade him carry it to his fellow-man every- where, and promised His efficient spirit, subject to their faith and prayer, to go with it, llo put into his hands all that instrumentally was needed to eftect his mission ? Ilad all Christ's people always, at Ills feet, which is tho only true start-point of Christian eifort, said, as Paul said, " Lord, what wilt thou have mo to do ?" and had it always been true of them as it was of Paul, " he prayeth ;" — and here is tho chief power, for tho Lord has promised His spirit, and to work himself, in answer to prayer ; prayer being thus poten- tial ; — and then if, after consecration and prayer — this potential prayer — had they been in all these generations past, like Paul, at work in their Master's service, in what condition, as to tl^o Gospel, would tho world bo in now ? But tho Church has been straitened in herself. Like those in tho parable, she has long stood all the day idlo ; she has withheld prayer ; she has not used her power ; nor now, with all the ad- vance she has made, does " she apprehend that for which she is apprehended of Christ." Alas, no ! one-tenth of her power is not used. In other words, supposing that 10 out of every 100 of Christ's people meet to tho full his claims, 90 remain of those who are called his servants and his soldiers, who are idle and useless in his cause ; just as much as 90 laborers of 100 would be, who, hired for the harvest, should they stand with folded arms, and im- plements idle at their side, letting the ripo corn rot upon tho field; or as 90 soldiers of 100 ordered on active service would bo, who should stand at ease in the barrack yard, instead of rushing into earnest conflict with the foe, while the battle raged in the plain beyond. Safely, we think, in detail and enforcement of this general one, may the several propositions be advanced. — That there should be 10 men on the mission field for 1 there is : there should be 10 preacl 10 S;i| issued! are no pcopl there 9 lold to bo. If r nil, but that floficient of, — Hit Olio people nother people in^o it should pel, the bread »v-man overy- Iieir faith and nstruinentally eoplo always, ristian effort, to do?" and 3 prayeth ;" — led His spirit, ig thus poten- thia potential like Paul, at to tl)o Gospel, ke those in las withheld all the ad- hich she is ■)ower is not Bvery 100 of of those who nd useless in be, who, •ms, and im- on the field ; lid be, who •ushing into in the plain general one, e should be ould be 10 preachers and city inissionaries for 1 there is ; there are needed 10 Siibbritli schools and teachers for I there is ; there should be issued 10 Bibles for 1 there is; — ponder hero the fact that there are not yet 50,000,000 Bibles in the world to over 800,000,000 people ; — tluM'o should be 10 tracts circulated for 1 there is ; there should be 10 men working the religious and benevolent so- cieties of the day for 1 there is; and of money, that thing which Christians so much cling to, yet that least thing they can give to Christ and* His cause, of it, wo venture the proposition, there should be £100 given for 1 there is. In other words, there necds to bo personal and active agency multiplied 10 fold, and money multiplied 100 fold — both given to the Lord. Some of these statements may meet dissent, nor would it bo easy to adduce figures to sustain them ; but it is earnestly submitted whether investigation of given cases, applying them in a wide in- duction, and estimating the means in the hands of Christ's people, in the Scripture light of His claims and the claims of His cause upon themselves and all they have and are, would not establish their truth to the satisfaction of the candid Christian mind. Anxious and earnest consideration of duty in this respect, of each one for himself, is needed, and readiness to do what is found to be, duty. And were His people fully using their power in this way, the Lord would give more to bo used ; — so the Scriptures teach. Then Avould His cause advance. But earthly standards of comparison are followed ; ind far too low these standards are One gives as another gives ; one withliolds his efibrts because another withholds. Thus measuring themselves among themselves they are not wise. Every one must give account for himself. Less should man be looked at, more should Christ and His claims be looked at. Not should it be asked, what does my neighbor, but what demands my Saviour ? and if we are to be in- fiueuced by example, let the widow who " gave her all," and was commended, and Paul, who '' fought a good fight," and spent him- self, and was approved, be our examples. Ascending from the individual to the national duty and respon- sibility, what if Britain and America — the nations of nMssions, in which nearly all the religious power of the world lies — halFfully dis- charged their high mission ! How diflferent would the world be. If 10 God permitted aiicient Rome long to live, that she miglit mature and then give to the world her language, her literature, and her laws ; so Ave believe has God suft'ored England long as a nation to endure, — and ifshe yet endure, it still is, — that she herself and by her otl'shoots — some of them nations like herself — may give the world a higher civilization and a truer Christianity. But exalted as their position among the nations is, what higher greatness would be theirs, had they fully performed their moral mission to the world ! and this mission, which we believe still is theirs, aflbfds the best basis of the patriot's hope for their national prosperity and perman- ence and peace. But to insist yet more upon Christ's claims, and the claims of a lost world upon His people, they must be looked at as they bear lipon the individual Christian. Individual power and responsi- bility were never more recognized than they are now-a-days. The individual is not lost in the masses, nor must the individual re- sponsibility of the Christian be lost in that of the Church. He needs to remember that each one contributes to the character of the whole. How much the courage and ardour of one of a com- pany of soldiers act upon the whole ! Many of the incidents of the war noAv raging, in which, as has been said of the soldiers of our country by one competent to judge, each man proves hjmself a hero, illustrate thi;^. And not only this point of the appreciation of the individual man, but the whole subject of Christ's claims upon His people, has illustration in this war. Christians have been called subjects and soldiers of Christ. Are they acthig in a way consistent with this ? Sec the subjects and soldiers of Russia illustrate submission, of England duty, of France glonj ; as those of Russia move on in ready submission to the will of one, their master, or those of France prompted by the love of martial glory, or those of England under the high constrain- ings and inspirations of duty, the soldiers of Christ are instructed. These are all found in the warfare in which Christ calls his people to engage, — prompt and implicit obedience to his will ; yielding self, life, all to duty ; and glory, why all along the path of Christ's service thgre is glory — not what the world counts, but what is nevertheT^s true glory ! What deeds of heroic daring, determi- nation and devotion, have soldiers of our country done on yonder II it mature and hei laws ; so to endure, — licr ofi'slioots the world a ilted as their ss would be the world ! fds the best and pcrDian- le claims of as they bear nd responsi- a-days. The idividual re- Jhurch. He character of je of a com- incideiits of e soldiers of ovcs himself appreciation rist's claims of Christ. he subjects id duty, of amission to pted by the 1 constrain- instructed. 5 his people 1 ; yielding I of Christ's )ut what is g, determi- ou yonder distant field of the Crimea ! Would to God there were amongst all Christ's soldiers such heroism, such constancy, such daring and* devotion of self, for the cause of truth and righteousness, and for the freedom of mankind from the slavery of sin, of which cause Christ is the Great Captain. Now the appeal comes to each of Christ's followers, so to give himself to Ilis cause. To give his time, his talent, his influence, his money, his all, to Him : — in his own soul, in his family, in and through his secular calling, in his social circle, and in all the circumstances and relations of life, in all its conditions, so to serve and glorify Him. What is now most demanded of the Church ? Men ;• every- where the call is for men. The harvest is great, but the laborers are few. Men are needed devoted wholly to the Gospel work, — as Missionaii ': to the heathen, as Missionaries to the cities at home, as Pastors, as Teachers, as Catechists, as Colporteurs ; in every depa^'tment of Christian enterprize men are now needed ; they are asked for from all lands. " We would commission to- morrow," said a Secretary of the Amei-ican Tract Society, " 100 Colporteurs, could we find them." " We would engage to-day," said a Secretary of the American Board for Foreign Missions, " 60 Missionaries could w^o get them." Both these statements are of recent utterance ; they announce a present demand. Missionary and Bible, and Tract Societies in our own Canada are calling for men. Hearken to the call, young men of the Churches f Give yourselves to your Master's service on these high places of the field. And they who do not go forth, but who remain in secular pmouits, who arc of the home department, upon them lie special obligations to sustain those who arc in the field. Money, needful in all enterprize, they are called upon to furnish, devoting to the Master's cause of their earnings, whether mecha- nical, or mercantile, or professional, not a mere nothing, a trifle, but a-tenth, or j fourth, or a-third, or a-half, as propei" and dutiful regard to those of their own household, and having claims upon them shall determine. And when there shall be acquired enough to meet these latter claims, then giving the tohole of their earnings to Christ's cause, and still working on at their callings, just that they may continue still to give ; not refusing wealth, but 12 vising it, and the influcnco mid position which it gives, as moan^ of usefuhiess, and hiying all, together with themselves, at their Redeemer's feet. Does not he reasonably claim this of his people ? And in how many ways further do His claims appear ? They are called to aid in all social ameliorations, to promote education, and to encourage art and science. Religion does not oppose, but sanctions their duties of citizenship. The poor, who are always with them, have claims upon their personal sympathies and direct and ready help. To a true and hearty sympathy with sinful and suifering humanity, in all forms of its suttering, they are to add establish a aking was in over matter tter assumes away much )n the dam- rprize aban- ubtless mind )remaey and mes of dark- 5, have more ose. They 1 overcome. I' his cause. their sakes — their all. 'is work He s difficulties umbler still e livery of the greater service, the :rate at His ing," is His d, not unto jry. cause will n and satan . Onward, <^ord makes 15 it sure. Every victory makes it nearer, and His servants are called to labour, and His soldierb to conflict, with that issue close in view, knowing that their effort of to-day is to help it on, confident of the reward of their service, and the triumph of His cause. Again, to illustrate : the brave men who fell at Alma, Balaclava, and In- kerman were not the less ardent and valiant because they were not at the point of final triumph, because on that day the Crimea was not to fall, nor the campaign to close. No ! but in their day they did their duty, and victory then they knew was making victory again more certain. So thought their country, and hence they had and shall have her gratitude and (those of them who survive) Aer reward, though theirs was not the day of final success. So are the soldiers of the Cross now to do. They know, in fact, the day of final triumph to be distant. They know the conflicts must be many, and many battles must be won ; but it is written that Christ shall have the heathen for His inheritance, and of His , Kingdom there shall be no end; and faith makes that issue certain to them as if it were to-day. They know that the con- stancy, and the ardor, and the heroism of every individual soldier through this day's conflict, bear upon the grand result. In their day they do their duty. They glory in the triumph which is to come ; faith makes them partakers of it ; and if " fighting a good fight," they now should fall, they equally with those who fall on the day of that final triumph which angels and the hosts of heaven are to celebrate, shall hear the welcome 'and have the reward, — " well done good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." In summing up, and in application, will the reader permit and put to himself these questions : — First. — Have I made surrender of myself, my affections and my will, to Christ ? This is His claim. Second. — Am I devoted actively to His cause ? Am I a Sab- bath School teacher, or a Bible or Tract distributor ? Am I help- ing to support and work the religious institutions of the day ? Are my time and powers devoted to Christ ? Am I a servant and a soldier of the Cross ? Third. — Are my sympathies fully with Christ's cause? Do I pray for it ? Have I a loyal heart ? Ji 16 Fourth. — Am I withholding myself from the work of a Minis- ter of the Gospel, or Missionary to the heathen ? ' ' Fifth. — Do I give my money as the Lord claims it, " according | to my ability," to his cause, or do I hold it back ? Am I in busi- ness for my own purposes only, or have I reference to his claims upon my substance ? Sixth. — When Christ and His cause shall have final triumph, shall I be one of the victors, who, through Him, " have fought a good fight," and conquered ? Seventh. — Shall I have the welcome : " well done good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord ?" May the reader and the writer both be permitted, in due time, to enter into possession of that joy ! '?i:' ^ ^ i^