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BEACON LIGHTS: 
 
 A SERIES OF SHORT SERMONS. 
 
 BV 
 
 JOSEPH A. SEISS, D.D., LL.D., L.H.D., 
 
 AUTHOR OF 
 
 Lectures on the Gospels and Epistles for the Sundays and Festivals of the 
 
 Church Year— On the Apocalypse— On the Book of Daniel— The 
 
 Letters of Jesus— The Gospel in Leviticus— A Miracle in 
 
 Stone— The Gospel in the Stars, etc., etc. 
 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 BOARD OF PUBLICATION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 tonal Council of % (fcbangdual JTuijjeran Cfjnrtlj 
 
 IN NORTH AMERICA. 
 
 No. 1522 Arch Street. 
 1900. 
 
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 M 
 
 45258 
 
 Copyright, 1899, 
 By JOSEPH A. SEISS. 
 
 All rights reserved. 
 
 TWO COPIES RECEIVED, 
 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 IT is a vital truth, never to be overlooked nor 
 allowed to sink out of practical regard, that the 
 supernatural elements in our holy Christianity, 
 and not its mere ethical teachings, constitute its 
 characteristic life and only saving power. The 
 true dignity, inspiration, and effectiveness of the 
 pulpit, as well as the living perpetuity of the 
 Church, depend upon the clearness, emphasis, and 
 supreme prominence given to these elements. If 
 these be explained away, relegated to the back- 
 ground, or superseded by something else, all com- 
 manding appeals to the human heart and consci- 
 ence are disabled, the design of Revelation is con- 
 travened, and the sublime purpose of the Chris- 
 tian ministry is subverted. Hence, to voice the 
 Gospel in its sacred fullness, in the plainest, 
 strongest, and most direct way, with its most 
 pungent addresses to the minds and religious sen- 
 sibilities of men and women, apart from all 
 rationalistic glosses or compromises with popular 
 tendencies and tastes, is the first and paramount 
 
4 PREFACE. 
 
 duty of the faithful preacher, tempered of course 
 with the earnest and loving Spirit of the Master 
 himself. 
 
 How far this has been successfully carried out 
 in the Sermons here following the readers of them 
 may determine. They differ somewhat from the 
 Author's previous publications in the same line, 
 — not in doctrine and aim, but in condensation 
 and brevity, and in the choice and treatment of 
 free and shorter texts. In these busy times, when 
 the disposition is to avoid elaborate discussions, 
 this feature may the more commend them to pop- 
 ular favor. It will the better fit them for use in 
 families and for lay-reading in churches in the 
 absence of a regular minister. They have been 
 selected from a mass of the author's preparations 
 for the pulpit. They have all been preached, 
 and are here printed as preached. And they are 
 thus given to the public with the hope and prayer 
 that God may own and bless them to the edifica- 
 tion of His Church, the maintenance of the true 
 faith, and the furtherance of genuine piety. To 
 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, one 
 God, be the glory for all, both now and forever. 
 
 Amen. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 SALVATION COMETH. Pp. 13-22. 
 {First Sunday in Advent.) 
 " For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The 
 night is far spent, the day is at hand." — Rom. 13 : 11, 12. 
 
 THE PROMISED DELIVERANCE. Pp. 23-30. 
 (Second Sunday in Advent.) 
 "Watch ye therefore, 'and pray always, that ye may be accounted 
 worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand 
 before the Son of Man." — Luke 21 ; 36. 
 
 A GREAT MAN'S PERPLEXITY. Pp. 31-41. 
 ( Third Sunday in Advent.) 
 " Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent 
 two of his disciples, and said unto Him, Art Thou He that should come, 
 or do we look for another." — Matt, ii : 2, 3. 
 
 THE JOY OF FAITH. Pp. 41-49. 
 (Fourth Sunday in Advent.) 
 " Rejoice in the Lord alway : and again I say, Rejoice." — PHIL. 
 4: 4. 
 
 THE GLAD NATIVITY. Pp. 50-57. 
 (Christmas.) 
 " For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared." — 
 Titus 2 : 11. 
 
 THE GRACIOUS ERRAND. Pp. 58-63. 
 
 (Sunday after Christmas.) 
 
 " For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was 
 lost." — Luke 19 : 10. 
 
 5 
 
O CONTENTS. 
 
 A NOBLE TESTIMONY. Pp. 64-73. 
 {Epiphany?) 
 " Behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying, 
 "Where is He that is born King of the Jews ? for we have seen His star 
 in the East, and are come to worship Him." — Matt. 2:1,2. 
 
 THE OFFENDED NAZARENES. Pp. 74-82. 
 (First Sunday after Epiphany.} 
 " Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, 
 and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon ? And are not His sisters here 
 with us? And they were offended at Him." — Mark 6 : 3. 
 
 THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. Pp. 83-89. 
 (Second Sunday after Epiphany .) 
 " Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the Light of the 
 world : he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have 
 the light of life."— Jno. 8 : 12. 
 
 A MARVELLOUS BELIEVER. Pp. 90-99. 
 
 ( Third Sunday after Epiphany.) 
 
 " When Jesus heard it, He marvelled, and said unto them that fol- 
 lowed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not 
 in Israel." — Matt. 8 : 10. 
 
 THE FRIGHTENED VOYAGERS. Pp. 100-108. 
 
 (Fourth Sunday after Epiphany?) 
 
 " And He said unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith ?" 
 — Matt. 8 : 26. 
 
 THE GOSPEL YOKE. Pp. 109-116. 
 
 (Fifth Sunday after Epiphany.) 
 
 " Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me ; for I am meek and 
 lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke 
 is easy, and My burden is light." — Matt, ii : 29, 30. 
 
 THE CHRISTIAN STADIUM. Pp. 117-125. 
 ( Septuagesima . ) 
 " Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiv- 
 eth the prize? . . . Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but 
 We an incorruptible." — 1 Cor. 9 : 24, 25. 
 
CONTENTS. 7 
 
 RESPECTFUL HEARING. Pp. 126-135. 
 {Sexigesima.) 
 " And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit be- 
 fore thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not 
 do them." — Ezek. 33 : 31. 
 
 THE PASSING SAVIOUR. Pp. 136-144. 
 ( Quinquagesima.) 
 "And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by." — LUKE J 
 18 : 37. 
 
 THE LENTEN CALL. Pp. 145-153. 
 {Ash Wednesday.) 
 " Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will 
 give you rest." — Matt, ii : 28. 
 
 SATANIC SIFTINGS. Pp. 154-161. 
 {First Sunday in Lent.) 
 " And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to 
 have you, that he may sift you as wheat : but I have prayed for thee, 
 that thy faith fail not." — Luke 22 : 31. 
 
 THE SUPREME INQUIRY. Pp. 162-171. 
 {Second Sunday in Lent.) 
 " Dost thou believe on the Son of God." — Jno. 9 : 35. 
 
 HEAVENLY SYMPATHY. Pp. 172-180. 
 ( Third Sunday in Lent.) 
 ♦ " I say unto you, There is joy in the presence of the angels of God 
 over one sinner that repenteth." — LUKE 15 : 10. 
 
 THE MUNIFICENT SAVIOUR. Pp. 181-190. 
 {Fourth Sunday in Lent.) 
 " When Jesus then lifted up His eyes, and saw a great company 
 come unto Him, He saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, 
 that these may eat." — Jno. 6 : 5. 
 
 THE ALL-AVAILING OFFERING. Pp. 191-200. 
 {Fifth Sunday in Lent.) 
 " For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer 
 sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how 
 much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit 
 offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead 
 works to serve the living God." — Heb. 9 : 13, 14. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 THE MOUNTED KING. Pp. 201-208. 
 {Palm Sunday.) 
 " Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, 
 meek, and sitting upon an ass." — Matt. 21 : 5. 
 
 VOICES FROM THE CROSS. Pp. 209-215. 
 ( Good Friday.) 
 " When they were come to the place called Calvary, there they 
 crucifted Him." — LUKE 23 : 33. 
 
 THE DAY OF GLADNESS. Pp. 216-223. 
 {Easter Sunday.) 
 " This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be 
 glad in it." — Ps. 118 : 24. 
 
 RELIGIOUS CERTITUDE. Pp. 224-231. 
 {First Sunday after Easter.) 
 " Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, hav- 
 ing our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience." — Heb. 10 : 22. 
 
 HEAVENLY GUARDIANSHIP. Pp. 232-239. 
 {Second Sunday after Easter.) 
 " The Lord is my Shepherd." — Ps. 23 : 1. 
 
 KNOWING THE LORD. Pp. 240-247. 
 ( Third Sunday after Easter.) 
 " And none of the disciples durst ask Him, Who art thou? Know- 
 ing that it was the Lord." — JOHN 21 : 12. 
 
 THE REFRESHING WORD. Pp. 248-256. 
 
 {Fourth Sunday after Easter?) 
 
 " Hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop 
 
 as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon 
 
 the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass." — Deut. 32 : 1, 2. 
 
 DIVINE JEWELS. Pp. 257-265. 
 {Fifth Sunday after Easter.) 
 " And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when 
 
 1 make up my jewels." — Mal. 3 : 17. 
 
 THE SUBLIME DEPARTURE. Pp. 266-271. 
 {Ascension Day.) 
 " And a cloud received Him out of their sight." — ACTS 1 : 9. 
 
CONTENTS. 9 
 
 HEAVENLY ENTHRONEMENT. Pp. 272-279. 
 {Sunday after Ascension Day.) 
 " The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until 
 I make thine enemies thy footstool." — Ps. no : 1. 
 
 STRENGTH AND COMFORT. Pp. 280-286. 
 {Whit Sunday.) 
 
 " They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall 
 mount up with wings as eagles ; they shall run, and not be weary ; and 
 they shall walk, and not faint." — ISA. 40 : 31. 
 
 THE ADORABLE GODHEAD. Pp. 287-296. 
 ( Trinity Sunday.) 
 " For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to 
 whom be glory for ever. Amen." — ROM. n : 36. 
 
 THE FAITHFUL SERVANT. Pp. 297-305. 
 {First Sunday after Trinity.) 
 " His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; 
 thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over 
 many things ; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." — Matt. 25 : 23. 
 
 DIFFERENCE IN WORSHIPPERS. Pp. 306-316. 
 {Second Sunday after Trinity.) 
 "Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, 
 and the other a publican." — Luke 18 : 10. 
 
 THE SINNER'S FRIEND. Pp. 317-323. 
 ( Third Sunday after Trinity.) 
 " And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man re- 
 ceived! sinners, and eateth with them." — Luke 15 : 2. 
 
 SEEKING AND FINDING. Pp. 324-329. 
 
 {Fourth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 
 " They found Him on the other side of the sea." — JNO. 6 : 25. 
 
 THE TEMPLE GATES. Pp. 330-339. 
 {Fifth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 " He that entereth in by the way of the North gate to worship shall 
 go out by the way of the South gate ; and he that entereth in by the 
 way of the South gate shall go out by the way of the North gate : he 
 shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall 
 go forth over against it. And the Prince in the midst of them, when 
 they go in, shall go in; and when they go forth, shall go forth." — 
 Ezek. 46 : 9, 10. 
 
10 CONTENTS. 
 
 THE BLESSED RIVER. Pp. 340-349- 
 {Sixth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 " There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of 
 God." — Ps. 46 : 4. 
 
 THE PERISHING SPENDTHRIFT. Pp. 350-360. 
 {Seventh Sunday after Trinity.) 
 " And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants 
 of my father's house have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with 
 hunger." — LUKE 15 : 17. 
 
 THE WAY TO THE FATHER. Pp. 361-369. 
 {Eighth Sunday after Trinity!) 
 " Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life : no 
 man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." — Jno. 14-6. 
 
 BLESSED PRIVILEGE. Pp. 370-376. 
 {Ninth Sunday after Tri?iity.) 
 " And He turned Him unto His disciples, and said privately, 
 Blessed are the eyes which see the things which ye see ; for I tell you, 
 that many prophets and kings have desired to see the things which ye 
 see, and have not seen them ; and to hear those things which ye hear, 
 and have not heard them." — Luke 10 : 23, 24. 
 
 DANGEROUS EXPOSURE. Pp. 377-387. 
 {Tenth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 " Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain 
 deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and 
 not after Christ." — Col. 2 : 8. 
 
 A SERIOUS PROBLEM. Pp. 388-396. 
 {Eleventh Su?iday after Trinity.) 
 " Wherefore do the wicked live ?" — Job 21 : 7. 
 
 GRACIOUS THOUGHTS. Pp. 397-405= 
 ( Twelfth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 " I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, 
 thoughts of peace, and not of evil." — Jer. 29 : 11. 
 
 PERSISTENT FAITH. Pp. 406-411. 
 ( Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." — JOB 13 : 15. 
 
CONTENTS. 1 1 
 
 A GREAT CURE. Pp. 412-421. 
 
 {Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity!) 
 
 "And his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and 
 he was clean." — 2 Kings 5 : 14. 
 
 FUTILITY OF A DIVIDED SERVICE. Pp. 422-429. 
 
 {Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 
 " No man can serve two masters ; for either he will hate the one, 
 and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the 
 other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." — Matt. 6 : 24. 
 
 A STANDING PROCLAMATION. Pp. 430-437. 
 {Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 " Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out." — JNO. 6 : 37. 
 
 BENEDICTIONS UPON THE WRESTLER. Pp. 438-444. 
 
 {Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 
 " I will be as the dew unto Israel : he shall grow as the lily, and 
 cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his 
 beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon." — HoSEA 
 14 : 5, 6. 
 
 THE MESSAGE OF CONSOLATION. Pp. 445-453. 
 
 {Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 
 " Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye 
 comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accom- 
 plished, that her iniquity is pardoned." — ISA. 40 : 1, 2. 
 
 A DISASTROUS CHOICE. Pp. 454-464. 
 
 {Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 
 "And Lot . . . pitched his tent toward Sodom." — GEN. 13 : 12. 
 
 THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. Pp. 465-476. 
 
 ( Twentieth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 
 " How is it that Thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a 
 woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 
 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and 
 who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink ; thou wouldest have asked 
 of Him, and He would have given thee living water." — JNO. 4 : 9, 10. 
 
1 2 CONTENTS. 
 
 THE TEARS OF JESUS. Pp. 477-485. 
 
 ( Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity.) 
 
 " And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over 
 it." — Luke 19 : 41. 
 
 THE PRECIOUSNESS OF LIFE. Pp. 486-495. 
 ( Twenty-second Stmday after Trinity.) 
 " For a living dog is better than a dead lion." — ECCLES. 9 : 4. 
 
 THE FRUITLESS TREE. Pp. 496-502. 
 
 {Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity.) 
 
 " Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this figtree, and 
 find none : cut it down : why cumbereth it the ground ?" — LUKE 13 : 7. 
 
 THE LOST CHANCE. Pp. 503-517. 
 ( Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity?) 
 
 " The harvest is past, the summer ended, and we are not saved." — 
 JER. 8 : 20. 
 
 ZEAL FOR GOD. Pp. 518-529. 
 ( Twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 
 "And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord." — 
 2 Kings 10 : 16. 
 
 THE GLORIOUS BEYOND. Pp. 530-539. 
 
 ( Twenty-sixth Sunday after Trinity.) 
 
 " And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that there be some 
 of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have 
 seen the kingdom of God come with power." — MARK 9 : 1. 
 
galbatfon atometf). 
 
 First Sunday in Advent. 
 
 For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night 
 is far spent, the day is at hand. — Rom. 13 : II. 
 
 ALVATION! Our salvation! Our sal- 
 vation, nearing and at hand ! This is 
 the salutation with which the opening 
 of the new Church-year greets us to-day. 
 The word is to believers, to those who have heard 
 of Christ, accepted Christ, and are hoping for eter- 
 nal life through Him. 
 
 The little word " for," at the beginning of the 
 text, intimates that the statements it contains are 
 meant to serve as a reason, motive, and argument 
 for certain activities and duties with which they 
 stand connected. The persons addressed are con- 
 templated as more or less asleep and oblivious to 
 the great matters of which the apostle is treating, 
 and these great and startling facts are stated to 
 arouse them from their slumbers, and to get them 
 fully awake to their situation, so as to bestir them- 
 selves accordingly. 
 
 There is no difficulty in understanding this 
 drowsy and sleepy condition as it applies to those 
 who make no pretensions to religion. It is night 
 
 13 
 
14 SALVATION COMETH. 
 
 with them; and they are spiritually in the state 
 which night brings. They are like men asleep. 
 They have no right sensibility. They neither see, 
 nor feel, nor care for the things of God, nor the 
 condition and needs of their souls. They may be 
 dreaming of security and happiness, but the real 
 situation they do not take in. Being asleep, they 
 are inactive, and as good as dead, touching the 
 great things of salvation. What they need above 
 all is to be aroused to spiritual consciousness^ and 
 stirred up to active life and duty, or they will 
 sleep the sleep of death, to awake when it is too 
 late to be of avail. And although sometimes 
 temporarily disturbed by the alarms which God's 
 word rings into their ears, or by the divine judg- 
 ments which strike by their sides and in their 
 homes, they put off the needed action by the plea 
 of u time enough yet," and are presently as deep 
 in the old slumbers as before. 
 
 But the implication here is, that even Christian 
 believers are liable to be dull and drowsy with 
 reference to the things that make for salvation. 
 Even in those apostolic times, when Jewish and 
 heathen persecutions tended to make Christians 
 such in very truth or not at all, many were so 
 dull and sluggish in their piety as to need stirring 
 up. Though things were so warm and sharp 
 about them, and the conflict so intense, that we 
 can hardly see how it was possible for them to 
 sleep, yet they did often sleep, perhaps not in 
 such dead sleep as the indifferent and unbeliev- 
 ing, but still in a condition so dull and sluggish as 
 
FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 1 5 
 
 to need the apostle's sharp admonition to stir 
 them up to greater earnestness and devotion. 
 
 People are not apt to become thorough saints at 
 a single bound. Much of the old deadness and 
 depravity still cliugs even to the most enlightened. 
 The good work begun in them needs culture and 
 nursing, and oft revival of energy and exertion, 
 to be kept up to the mark. While the bridegroom 
 tarried all the virgins became drowsy and slept; 
 and so it frequently is with Christians. Once 
 awake and active, the}' subsequently begin to 
 consult their own ease, yield more or less to the 
 fashion and current of things about them, leave 
 off one and another of their Christian duties, 
 become dilatory and self-excusing, and wonder 
 to themselves sometimes whether it is worth their 
 while to give so much attention, work, and 
 anxiety to religious matters. Carnal likes and 
 laziness plead for indulgence, and they get it. 
 The spiritual life sinks, languishes, and largely 
 disappears. Sleepiness takes the place of proper 
 feeling and the necessary zeal and faithfulness. 
 The things of God, heaven, and duty cease to 
 touch, impress, and animate them as once. They 
 do not trouble to call themselves to account for 
 their way of living and doing. They take for 
 granted that all is right. They have joined the 
 Church; they confess the orthodox faith; their 
 consciences are not burdened with any worse life 
 than the average of Christian people; and so they 
 rest. They have done good service in the past, 
 and think now let others take the place and do as 
 
1 6 SALVATION COMETH. 
 
 well, while they retire. Yes, there be many pro- 
 fessed Christians who are not only drowsy, but 
 almost as fast asleep as those who have never 
 been spiritually awakened at all. And it would 
 be well if we were free from the reproach. Xow 
 such a condition is no credit to any one, and is so 
 dangerous and so much of a hindrance and scan- 
 dal to the Christian profession that the apostle is 
 very anxious to have it broken up. And the 
 Church, in setting his words before us to-day, 
 would have us make a new start with the new 
 Church-year. She would have us know and feel 
 that the time for greater wakefulness is here; that 
 sleep and drowsiness are now quite out of place; 
 that our proper business is to throw off slumber, 
 listlessness, and what pertains to the night, and 
 equip ourselves for the work and battle of the 
 children of light. 
 
 And that the admonition may not be without 
 effect, let us consider what we have at stake. 
 Think of the soul; that living inspiration of God, 
 by which we were made to resemble Him, and to 
 live in blessed fellowship with Him forever. 
 Think of the preciousness of being that has thus 
 come to us, and the sublimity of its capacity for 
 expansion, growth, usefulness, and enjoyment. 
 What indeed can a man give in exchange for his 
 soul? The material world and all things in it 
 cannot represent the value of the soul. Created 
 for eternity and for eternal alliance with the 
 Father of spirits, no limit can be set to its worth. 
 
 And what if the soul should be lost! Who can 
 
FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 1 7 
 
 compute so great a calamity! People sometimes 
 lose valued and dear friends, and are crushed 
 almost to death under the loss. But the loss of 
 friends is not the loss of everything. Jesus still 
 lives. Heaven may still be ours. The separation 
 need not be forever. And some kind ones remain 
 to help with their sympathy. But when the soul 
 is lost all is lost. No one is left to condole with 
 us — no refuge to which to look — no hope — no 
 means of overcoming or moderating the grief — no 
 end to the misery. When the soul is lost all 
 capacity for improvement and happiness is gone. 
 Other losses may be without our fault; but the 
 loss of the soul imprints upon it the immortal 
 consciousness of its own wicked folly and fills it 
 with incurable remorse. O the depths of the 
 wretchedness and privations of a lost soul! 
 
 Think also of the perils of incurring this loss. 
 Not one of us is beyond the reach of danger. In 
 the natural course of things the chances are largely 
 against us. We were all born with a tainted 
 nature, biased toward evil as sparks fly upward, 
 and with every constitutional tendency that makes 
 for our utter ruin, if not arrested by some super- 
 natural power. The enemy of our peace thus 
 already has property in every one of us. And 
 while inwardly impelled to wrong, and disinclined 
 to lay hold of the proffered help, the whole world 
 around us is full of temptations and treacherous 
 persuasions adverse to our salvation. We cannot 
 take a decisive step in the line of the soul's eter- 
 nal safety, but we must fight our way through 
 2 
 
IS SALVATION COMETH. 
 
 many contentions within and without. It is easy 
 enough to profess Christianity, for that is a sort 
 of fashion that society in general approves; but it 
 is a very much harder thing to be a Christian in 
 reality, and to hold out in it with growing fidelity 
 to the end. And in view of these facts it is great 
 folly for you or me to think we are in no danger 
 of losing our souls. There is danger; and we do 
 intense injustice to our eternal well-being by fail- 
 ure to consider and believe it. 
 
 Consider also the costly provisions that have 
 been made for our rescue and deliverance. Unfa- 
 vorable and imperilled as our condition is, there is 
 no need for any of us to be finally lost. There is 
 such a thing as Salvation — salvation for each of 
 us— salvation even for the worst and wickedest. 
 And far greater than the loss of the soul, on the 
 one hand, is the salvation of it on the other. 
 What a stir was in the mind and heart of God and 
 in the counsels of eternity when it was decreed to 
 provide redemption for our fallen race! What a 
 humiliation and sacrifice of the eternal Son of the 
 Father, and what a hell of anguish had He to 
 endure, in order to open for us the doors of deliv- 
 erance! What added activities of angels, and 
 toils of men, and providential expenditures, ex- 
 tending through the ages, were required to bring 
 to us the offers of forgiveness, sanctification, and 
 eternal' life, through faith in Jesus! And who 
 can contemplate these momentous facts and not 
 feel the gross ingratitude, shame, and guilt of 
 sleepy and slothful indifference to what has been 
 
FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 1 9 
 
 done and endured to render our salvation pos- 
 sible! 
 
 Consider also what that salvation means to a 
 condemned and perishing soul. If it were a 
 license for the mere temporary indulgence of the 
 likes and pleasures of sense — an offer of earthly 
 gain, power, or honor — the proposal of exemption 
 from bodily infirmity, sickness, or disability — we 
 may be sure that hearers would instantly start up 
 with ample interest and energy to possess it. Is 
 it nothing for a criminal, sentenced to be hung, 
 to have sealed pardon and release brought to him 
 from the King? Yet here is authentic pardon 
 and release from an infinitely worse condemna- 
 tion. Here is cure for an infinitely worse disease 
 than ever assailed a human body. Here is pro- 
 vision for a life that never dies — a life akin to the 
 life of angels and the life of God — a life of unend- 
 ing expansion in light and glory— a life in all the 
 highest blessedness and sublimities of immortal 
 being. And is there nothing in all this to awaken 
 interest and zeal in souls so ailing, and needy, and 
 helpless, and doomed amid their trespasses and 
 sins ? O the transcendent good fortune to him to 
 whom Christ is made his wisdom, righteousness, 
 sanctification, and redemption! Even in this life 
 there is a peace in believing, a safety of soul, and 
 a joy in God, which no troubles can drown, and 
 no adversities destroy, to say nothing of the life 
 that is to come. And shall we not care to possess 
 them? 
 
 And the greatness of salvation, when once 
 
20 SALVATION COMETH. 
 
 fully complete, who shall tell it? Think of a 
 world regenerated, redeemed, and freed from all 
 presence and effects of sin and sinners. Think of 
 a society in which all are saints and equal unto 
 the angels. Think of unending and ever-growing 
 life in the smile of God, under the effulgence of 
 the Sun of Righteousness and in visible associa- 
 tion with the King in His beauty. This, and 
 nothing less, shall mark the consummation of 
 salvation in the time to come. 
 
 And this glorious consummation is now near at 
 hand, and daily impending. Death may overtake 
 us any day or hour, and death brings one far on 
 the way to the final settlement of complete salva- 
 tion or utter failure. But Advent-time points 
 onward to the nearing coming of the Lord him- 
 self, to be glorified in His saints, to complete the 
 redemption of His people, and to be admired in 
 all them that believe. It will be too late then for 
 dull sleepers to awake in time to be admitted to 
 the marriage of the Lamb. And because we know 
 neither the day nor the hour when the Son of 
 Man cometh, and are admonished by a thousand 
 signs that His coming cannot now be long de- 
 layed, the urgent message is, to put away from 
 us all carnal slumbers, to break away from all 
 works of darkness, and to steady ourselves in 
 faith and duty for what is before us. The 
 doors stand open to us now; but who knows 
 how soon they may be shut against all unready 
 sleepers! 
 
 And what must be the consequence if we neglect 
 
FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 21 
 
 so great salvation ? Its offers are made to us now 
 — offers the costliest the universe has ever known; 
 and how shall we escape if we disregard and 
 neglect them ? Its means are now within our 
 reach. The grace of God which bringeth salva- 
 tion is here, present and potent in the word and 
 sacraments, and abundantly efficacious for all who 
 dilig'ently avail themselves of them. And how 
 shall we escape if we turn our backs upon them 
 and prefer to indulge our sloth and indolence? 
 Much time has already gone to waste. Much 
 neglectfulness and criminal indifference can be 
 charged against us all. Our best piety has been 
 very infirm, and our prayers often more a travesty 
 than proper devotion even when not omitted and 
 forgotten. While many have not made any one 
 decisive move in the momentous matter, yet the 
 way is still open, and again the gracious warning 
 comes to admonish us that our time is growing 
 short. And how shall we escape if we continue 
 to slumber on in such a dead or dying state ? 
 
 Dear friends, if you were told for a certainty 
 that this is the last sermon you will ever hear, 
 that this is the last Advent season you will ever 
 see this side of the great day, are you satisfied 
 that you are safe and ready in the state and man- 
 ner of life in which you now are ? If not, is it 
 not then high time to awake out of sleep, to stir 
 up energy for a more earnest and vigorous devo- 
 tion, faith, and Christian life; to abate and crucify 
 earthly vanities and ambitions, and to think, and 
 live, and do for God, the soul, and eternity, that 
 
22 SALVATION COMETH. 
 
 that day may not come upon you unawares? Sal- 
 vation is provided. It is salvation for us. And 
 it is salvation that must soon be accomplished. 
 By no means then let us sleep as do others, and 
 neglect it. 
 
Second Sunday in Advent. 
 
 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted 
 worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand 
 before the Son of Man. — Luke 21 : 36. 
 
 "HE context of these words treats of a 
 momentous crisis in this world's his- 
 tory. Reason itself, apart from revela- 
 tion, might anticipate something of it. 
 Everything that lives, or moves, of which we 
 have any knowledge, is plainly tending to a time 
 when it comes to its fullness, and a marvellous 
 change occurs. Conscience also suggests some 
 great moral juncture as the harvest of what man- 
 kind has been sowing, — some decisive outcome 
 and consummation that will explain the many 
 riddles which perplex our philosophies. Even 
 the heathen were persuaded that there must 
 come a time of judgment and retribution for the 
 world, as for the individuals who inhabit it. But, 
 when we go to the sacred Scriptures, given by 
 inspiration of God, we are left in no doubt that 
 ' l He hath appointed a day, in the which He will 
 judge the world in righteousness." And the 
 main features of that great crisis, as also the chief 
 
 23 
 
24 THE PROMISED DELIVERANCE. 
 
 duties by means of which to secure our safety 
 when it comes, are duly set forth. 
 
 First of all, it is described as a time of alarming 
 portents, commotions, and distresses. The Saviour 
 tells of strange and terrifying disturbances in 
 earth, and sea, and sky, and such startling mani- 
 festations everywhere, that men's hearts will fail 
 them for fear, and many will faint and perish for 
 very terror at what is coming on the earth. Nay, 
 the word is, that the very stabilities and powers 
 of the heavens shall be shaken. 
 
 We may not be able to explain accurately what 
 all is meant by these terms ; but they certainly in- 
 clude great and terrible convulsions. The Scrip- 
 tures, in many places, speak of those times as 
 dreadful in the extreme. They are called "the 
 great and terrible day of the Lord," when moun- 
 tains and islands are shaken out of their places, 
 and many flee for safety to the dens and caves of 
 the earth, calling upon the rocks to fall on them, 
 to hide them from the scenes then to be mani- 
 fested. 
 
 But, with all, it is the time of redemption for 
 God's people. The Saviour says, "When these 
 things begin to come to pass, then look up, and 
 lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth 
 nigh." 
 
 There is a redemption of price; and there is a 
 redemption of power: the one past, and the other 
 yet to come. The price was paid when Christ 
 surrendered His life for us on the cross, so that 
 there is now no more condemnation to those who 
 
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 2$ 
 
 believe on Him. But we are still helpless, and 
 subject to disease, pain, and death. There must 
 be the putting forth of power to lift us out of our 
 many weaknesses and miseries, to recover us from 
 corruption and death, in order to complete our 
 salvation. And the time for that is this very 
 judgment time. With all its alarming accom- 
 paniments to the common world, it will be a time 
 of superlative blessedness and glory to the saints. 
 
 Furthermore, it is the time of the promised 
 return of our Saviour. The statement is, "Then 
 shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud 
 with power and great glory." From the day that 
 Jesus ascended to heaven from Mount Olivet, the 
 chief consolation of the Church was "that blessed 
 hope, even the glorious appearing of the great 
 God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." And yet, 
 how many persist in neglecting it, and in explain- 
 ing it away! The world of our time is specially 
 skeptical on this point, and there be plenty of 
 scoffers to say, "Where is the promise of His 
 coming?" But the Lord is not slack concerning 
 His promises as some men count slackness. He 
 that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. 
 No unbelief of men will stay His chariot wheels. 
 And when He does come, woe to them that de- 
 spise or make light of His word! 
 
 But the text speaks particularly of a way of 
 escape from all these things, before the worst 
 comes. 
 
 It must be borne in mind that what is called 
 the Second Advent, like the first, will not be all 
 
26 THE PROMISED DELIVERANCE. 
 
 at once, on a single day or hour, or in one scene 
 or act. It will embrace different stages and mani- 
 festations, extending through years. There is, 
 first, a coming "as a thief in the night," unper- 
 ceived by the common world, and known only by 
 the absence of what has been taken. The Scrip- 
 tures tell of a paronsia, — a presence; and of an 
 epiphania of that paronsia, — a showing of that 
 presence ; with an interval between covering many 
 acts of judgment upon the living world. In the 
 one case, Christ comes for His people, and then 
 afterwards comes with them. And His coming 
 for His people is at the beginning of the great 
 judgment time; and only later on will He so 
 come as that "every eye shall see Him." 
 
 The very first thing, then, w T ill be the sudden 
 and miraculous taking away of His ready and 
 waiting people to meet Him in the heavenly 
 regions. Paul gives it as a special word of the 
 Lord, that when He shall come, "the dead in 
 Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive 
 and remain shall be caught up together with 
 them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." 
 So again he says, "Behold I show you a mystery; 
 we shall not all sleep, — not all die, — but we shall 
 all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of 
 an eye." And this sudden ereption from the 
 earth to the heavenly spaces, is what is described 
 in the text as being "accounted worthy to stand 
 before the Son of Man," quite saved from the 
 terrible things then to befall the unbelieving 
 world. 
 
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 2J 
 
 It was thus promise was given to certain of the 
 Church of Philadelphia, saying, "Because thou 
 hast kept the word of my patience, I also will 
 keep thee from the hour of trial, which is to 
 come upon the whole world. ' ' And it is most of 
 all to this exemption by means of translation, as 
 Enoch was translated, that it is said of the right- 
 eous man, "When the wicked are cut off, thou 
 shalt see it." 
 
 There is, then, such a thing as being saved 
 from the terrors and sorrows of the great judg- 
 ment time; and saved even from death itself, if 
 living when that time comes. The only great 
 matter on our part is, to be prepared and in con- 
 dition for the blessed exemption. And what such 
 readiness involves is sufficiently set forth. 
 
 First of all, this exemption was promised only 
 to Christians — to the followers of Christ. No 
 such hopes are anywhere held out to non-Chris- 
 tians, heathen, or unbelievers. A Christian is 
 one who accepts Christ for his Saviour, and obedi- 
 ently submits himself to Christ's ordinances and 
 commands. And where there is no orderly en- 
 listment under the Christian banner, there is no 
 word of hope against the terrible trials of the 
 great day. Furthermore, there must be careful 
 guard against carnal and worldly excesses, which 
 weigh down the soul and choke spirituality. 
 Surfeiting, drunkenness, debauchery, and all 
 wicked indulgences, as well as too much engross- 
 ment with the cares and interests of this present 
 life, must be avoided ; for there can be no standing 
 
28 THE PROMISED DELIVERANCE. 
 
 with the Son of Man if overtaken in what so ill 
 befits a Christian. There be many whom that 
 day will take unawares, as a snare upon an unsus- 
 pecting animal, because too much preoccupied 
 with earthly cares and vanities. Even otherwise 
 Christian people may imperil everything by lack 
 of carefulness on this point. 
 
 Another direction is to watch. This is one of 
 the Saviour's oftenest spoken and most empha- 
 sized admonitions; and it means constant wake- 
 fulness and expectancy. It means the treatment 
 of the coming of the great day as a fixed and un- 
 doubted certainty, and the time an absolute uncer- 
 tainty. If we do not believe in any such crisis to 
 come, we cannot be watching for it; nor can we 
 rightly watch for it if we persuade ourselves that 
 it cannot come in our lifetime. 
 
 And, with this watching, there must needs also 
 be continuous praying. The word is, "Watch, 
 and pray always, that ye may be accounted wor- 
 thy to escape all these things that shall come to 
 pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." 
 Prayer is as essential to true religion as language 
 to poetry, or the atmosphere to music, or thinking 
 to philosophy. There is no Christian life which 
 does not voice itself in prayer. How indeed can 
 one love God who never speaks to Him, and 
 avoids all communion with Him! 
 
 But our praying must include a specific and 
 earnest aim and desire for this exemption from 
 the tribulations of the judgment times. We may 
 die before Christ comes; but if we die expecting, 
 
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 20, 
 
 watching, and looking for Him, as if He may 
 come while we are yet alive, we certainly shall 
 not fail to be among those who sleep in Jesus, 
 and whom He will bring with Him when He 
 comes. In this line, therefore, are we to direct 
 our aspirations and our prayers, being duly care- 
 ful also to live as we pray. 
 
 And the nearer that time may be, the more 
 cause there is for us to rejoice. However mys- 
 terious and solemn, we are abundantly certified 
 that it will be in all respects a blessed time to 
 those who have made Jesus their trust and hope. 
 Our Lord speaks of it as the time of our redemp- 
 tion, the opening of a glorious summertime for 
 the Kingdom of God. Having been ' ' once offered 
 to bear the sins of many ; unto them that look for 
 Him shall He appear the second time without sin 
 unto salvation." 
 
 And a great and blessed salvation it will be. 
 What all is involved we cannot fully tell. 
 
 Think of change from mortal to immortality 
 without tasting of death! 
 
 Think of these coarse, cumbrous, earthy, aching, 
 dying bodies suddenly transfigured into the like- 
 ness and beauty of the glorious body of Jesus, 
 lifted into equality with angels, and purged of all 
 weaknesses, weariness, and waste! 
 
 Think of painless and triumphant escape from 
 a world smarting under the curse, convulsed with 
 judgment, and tortured with the throes of ap- 
 proaching dissolution! 
 
 Think of mounting up, as on eagles' wings, to 
 
30 THE PROMISED DELIVERANCE. 
 
 the heights above the clouds, there to stand ac- 
 cepted before the Son of Man! 
 
 Think of the blessedness of meeting that 
 Saviour whom we love, seeing Him as He is, and 
 being ever with Him! 
 
 Think of the immortal crowns, the golden seats, 
 and the sublime association with * the King of 
 Glory in His judgment of the world! 
 
 Think of the excellences of the new heavens 
 and earth, and of Kingly rule with Jesus there, 
 where tribulation, tears, and death are forever 
 done away! 
 
 O dear friends, is not this enough to make us 
 rejoice, and be glad at sight of signals that the 
 time is near? Who indeed can enter into the 
 subject as the Scriptures present it, and not feel 
 the prayer rising to his lips: Come, O Thou Prince 
 of all the Kings of the earth! Put on the visi- 
 ble robes of Thy imperial Majesty, and come; for 
 now the voice of Thy Bride calleth Thee, and 
 all creatures sigh to be renewed. Even so come, 
 Lord Jesus. 
 
Third Sunday in Advejit. 
 
 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he 
 sent two of his disciples, and said unto Him, Art Thou He that 
 should come, or do we look for another? — Matt, ii : 2, 3. 
 
 VERY great and good man is here 
 brought to our attention. He was 
 greater than the prophets that were be- 
 fore him, — greater in his own depart- 
 ment than any that had lived. Of this we have 
 the testimony of Christ himself, who declared 
 that "Among them that are born of women 
 there had not risen a greater than John the Bap- 
 tist. ' ' He was also a great preacher. He thrilled 
 the nation with his . eloquence. Crowds, from 
 Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the regions 
 round about Jordan, including Pharisees, Sad- 
 ducees, and people of all classes, flocked to hear 
 him, and to be baptized by him. And what is 
 more, the one great topic of his preaching was, 
 the coming of the Christ and the needed prepara- 
 tion to stand before Him, which is everywhere 
 the great theme of the Scriptures, and of all the 
 inspired prophets, apostles, and greatest preachers. 
 Yet, strange to say, we here find this great, 
 
 31 
 
32 A GREAT MAN S PERPLEXITY. 
 
 good, and powerful man "in prison." He had 
 dared to rebuke sin in high places; and he was 
 arrested and locked up for it. This shows what 
 God's faithful servants are likely to receive from 
 the unsanctifled world. Men may apologize for 
 it as they please; but it has ever been resentful 
 and ill-tempered toward honest truth-tellers and 
 messengers of Heaven. It may respect and hear 
 them for a time, and give them right in many 
 things so long as favorite lusts are not assailed, 
 and easy-going selfishness is not disturbed; but 
 the moment carnal likes are crossed, and the 
 demands of righteousness are pressed, the soul 
 flushes with displeasure and resentment. When 
 has there ever been a holy prophet who did not 
 meet with a surly reception at the seats of earthly 
 power? The Herods carousing in their palaces, 
 and the Johns pining in their prisons, is a type 
 of the common history. People may flatter them- 
 selves that human nature is changed, and that the 
 world of to-day is animated by a different spirit; 
 but the offence of the cross has not ceased. L,et 
 the test be applied, and the carnal mind will be 
 found, as always, at enmity with God. It spat on 
 Christ and nailed Him to the cross; and whatever 
 civility it may show under modern constraints, it 
 is ever ready to discount the standing of true 
 Christians, to pass them by with smiles that are 
 sneers, and to despise and hate those who cour- 
 ageously assail its wickednesses. It will not be 
 so always. There is a day of righteous retribu- 
 tion coming, when all these inequalities shall be 
 
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 33 
 
 rectified. But in the present order of things, 
 and while this dispensation lasts, the good and 
 faithful cannot expect to get their reward here. 
 The Church of Christ is bound to bear the cross 
 till Christ comes for her deliverance. 
 
 For a time John was not unhappy in his im- 
 prisonment. A good conscience is a great com- 
 fort when a man is wrongfully dealt with; and a 
 man like John the Baptist would willingly suffer 
 rather than be untrue to his commission or un- 
 faithful to his ministry. But he was sustained by 
 a higher consolation. He believed in the near- 
 ness and presence of the great Judge himself. Of 
 this he was profoundly convinced. He had had 
 the evidence from God that the Messiah was then 
 already in the world. He had heard the voice 
 from heaven saying, " This is my beloved Son, in 
 whom I am well pleased." He had baptized 
 Jesus, and had seen the Holy Ghost descend upon 
 Him, and testified, saying, "He that sent me to 
 baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon 
 whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and 
 remaining on Him, the same is He that baptizeth 
 with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bear record 
 that this is the Son of God." He had repeatedly 
 pointed to Jesus, saying, ' ' Behold the Lamb of 
 God that taketh away the sin of the world." He 
 was, therefore, sure that the great Lord and 
 Judge was already present, with fan in hand to 
 separate the chaff from the wheat, and about to 
 burn it up with unquenchable fire. He knew 
 that it was part of the great Messiah's work to 
 3 
 
34 A GREAT MAN S PERPLEXITY. 
 
 bring blessed deliverance to His people, to open 
 the prison doors to them that were bound, and to 
 visit judgment upon their oppressors. This is 
 what he had preached. And the persuasion that, 
 in a little while, the Saviour would avenge the 
 wrongs he suffered, dethrone the tyrant, and 
 clothe His faithful servant and forerunner with 
 glory and honor, was a special consolation to him. 
 
 There is a marvellous power in the doctrine 
 of the near coming of the Christ. It is specially 
 adapted to comfort and sustain believers amid 
 their earthly tribulations. Its adversaries have 
 called it the doctrine for evil times, which, to its 
 credit, it surely is. It blunts the edge of afflic- 
 tions. Nothing can crush the spirit that is daily 
 looking for the coming of the Lord with full re- 
 demption for His people and ample compensations 
 for all their pains and hardships here endured. 
 And this it was that upheld and cheered the soul 
 of this baptizer in his imprisonment. 
 
 But, with all his confident anticipations, he was 
 presently overtaken with a sore mental perplexity. 
 What it was the text indicates. When he heard 
 in the prison the works of Christ, and what 
 blessed things were being done for other people, 
 he could not understand why nothing was done 
 for him. Was he not a sufferer for truth's sake? 
 Had he not been faithful to his mission ? If any- 
 body was to be favored, was he not entitled to it, 
 at least to the extent of being given his liberty ? 
 Was he not Christ's own relative? and had he not 
 also accredited Him as the Christ ? How was it 
 
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 35 
 
 then that he was left to pine in prison, while his 
 oppressor was left to nourish ? He was sure that 
 Jesus was the Christ, and he knew what work of 
 righteous judgment the Christ was to perform,- 
 and yet that work was not being done as he con- 
 ceived it. 
 
 The plain truth is, that John was not only mys- 
 tified, but hurt; I might say somewhat offended, 
 Ivike all the Old Testament prophets, he had not 
 learned to distinguish between the two Advents. 
 He was under the persuasion that everything 
 prophesied of the Christ was to be fulfilled and 
 accomplished all at once; and the slowness of the 
 Saviour to take in hand to destroy the wicked, 
 and deliver His faithful relative and forerunner, 
 confused his thinking, disappointed his faith, and 
 somewhat ruffled his feelings. 
 
 It is not uncommon for believers, even those 
 strongest in faith, to be thrown into perplexity 
 and distressing questionings. Luther, with all 
 his robust faith and confidence in the divine 
 word, had his days of spiritual anguish and de- 
 spondency. Bunyan, with a spirit of assurance 
 that could body forth things unseen as if he saw, 
 and heard, and could touch them, tells of times 
 when he felt so assailed and dismantled that the 
 very foundations of his faith and hope seemed 
 stricken from under him. Nor is it to be won- 
 dered that John, so long wasting in prison, so 
 sure that the Christ had come, and counting so 
 firmly that all the prophets had said of Him was 
 now to be fulfilled without further delay, was 
 
36 A GREAT MAN'S PERPLEXITY. 
 
 thrown into a sad condition of mind and feeling 
 when he heard of the works of Christ, that they 
 were nothing but mercy to the poor and afflicted, 
 while the tyrant was undisturbed, and he was left 
 to suffer for righteousness' sake. It could not well 
 have been otherwise, believing as he did. The 
 very faith and confidence of Christians may some- 
 times be troubled with puzzles and confusing dis- 
 appointments through imperfect apprehensions 
 and erring expectations. 
 
 But hurt, perplexed, and disappointed as John 
 was, he pursued the right course for relief. He 
 did not sulk in resentful anger, or impatiently 
 drop the whole matter as no longer worthy of his 
 attention. It was a thing too solemn for that; 
 and he was too great a man to surrender to such 
 pettish littleness. He resolved to bring his feel- 
 ings to the attention of Christ himself, and first 
 get what He had to say by way of explanation. 
 A prisoner in jail, he could not go himself; there- 
 fore he sent ' ' two of his disciples ' ' to carry and 
 represent his case. 
 
 Many would have disdained such a course. 
 Even good people take up prejudices and strong 
 dislikes from very much smaller things, which 
 they interpret as slights, and are quick to resent. 
 Construing a thing into an offence, they refuse to 
 have any more to do with the one concerned. 
 Some reason themselves into unpleasant doubts 
 and perplexities in matters of religion, and then 
 stand aloof, more than half skeptical, because 
 they cannot reason themselves out again. People 
 
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 37 
 
 find it hard to make the truths of revelation, or 
 the plans and doings of God, answer to their pre- 
 conceptions and crude notions; and, right off, 
 Christ, and Church, and sacraments, and all 
 faith, are consigned to the dogs. And some 
 esteem it manly and intellectual so to order them- 
 selves. To right thinkers there is no greater im- 
 becility. All just reason, and all proper feeling, 
 are on the side of John. Because he was hurt, 
 and tried, and thrown into a whirl of distressing 
 perturbation with respect to Christ, he did not 
 throw aside his former confidence, or drop all fur- 
 ther interest in his Lord. He would first bring 
 the matter to the One he was disposed to blame, 
 and give chance for some modifying solution of 
 the trouble. Nor can we ever do better than to 
 follow his example in all such cases. 
 
 John's course proved a happy success. With 
 the utmost sympathy and kindness, the merciful 
 Saviour answered to his message, although it had 
 in it the tone of dissatisfaction and complaint, if 
 not of censure. Jesus knew the goodness, hon- 
 esty, and fidelity of the great baptizer, and could 
 appreciate his trouble. There was really no flaw 
 in the matter at which John felt so perplexed and 
 offended. All was going exactly right. John 
 was not mistaken in his identification of Jesus as 
 the Christ; and all was bound to come out as was 
 predicted. Only he was too far in advance in his 
 expectations. Had he fully estimated and under- 
 stood " the works" of which he had heard, he 
 would have seen that the Messianic activities 
 
38 A GREAT MAN'S PERPLEXITY. 
 
 were going on, and that very power being exer- 
 cised which would accomplish all; only the time 
 for the final judgment, and the violent suppres- 
 sion of Herod and all anti-Christianism had not 
 yet come. Such was the tenor of the Lord's 
 reply, directing the messengers to show John 
 again what was being done, and sent His Mes- 
 sianic benediction upon His hurt and perturbed 
 friend, saying, "Blessed is he, whosoever shall 
 not be offended in Me. ' ' 
 
 It was enough. It pacified the illustrious pris- 
 oner. It assured him that Christ knew what He 
 was about, and that all would come out right, as 
 God planned and prophets foretold. It helped to 
 reconcile him to his situation. It comforted and 
 relieved his perturbed spirit. It taught him 
 patience and rest in the blessed Lamb of God. 
 And so he passed in triumph to a martyr's crown. 
 
 Yes, if you feel offended with your friend, go 
 to him first; tell him of your feelings; hear his 
 side of the matter without prejudice; and the 
 chances are that the trouble will be much abated, 
 and probably entirely removed. And if your 
 cherished hopes and ideas in matters of religious 
 faith meet with disappointing and vexatious re- 
 verses, and your experiences do not turn out as 
 you supposed; go to Jesus; consider more care- 
 fully His method, purposes, and word. Look 
 again at what you thought you so well under- 
 stood, and prayerfully .seek the light you need; 
 and you will not be left without comforting satis- 
 faction. Try it; imitate the great baptizer in his 
 
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 39 
 
 perplexity; and you will never have cause to 
 regret it. Nay, whatever we may think or feel, 
 of this we may be sure, as John was assured : 
 
 1. The word of the Lord stands firm. Forty 
 centuries had passed, and multitudinous changes 
 and revolutions had rolled over the world from 
 the time the first promise of the victorious seed 
 of the woman was given; and yet He had not 
 come. But the word was neither dead nor for- 
 gotten by Him who gave it. When the fullness 
 of the time was come, He came. With all the 
 unbelief and apostacies of men, and with all the 
 machinations of hell, there was no failure of what 
 the Lord had spoken. Let come what will; let 
 erring reason question and doubt as it may; the 
 word of the Lord stands firm. 
 
 2. The zvork of the Lord goes on. Unseemly 
 and doubtful as may be the appearances, there is 
 neither hindrance nor stoppage to the outworking 
 of Jehovah's will and purposes. Elijah may de- 
 spond, and give up all for lost. John may be 
 driven to extremities, and feel as if compelled to 
 surrender what he so honestly believed and so 
 earnestly preached. And the wiseacres of this 
 world may give out that the Church is moribund; 
 that the hopes of the saints are nickering to 
 extinction; that the old faith must go. But, 
 God is on the throne. His cause is ever safe. 
 And, amid all the turmoil, the changes, and the 
 doubts, the work of the Lord goes on. 
 
 3. And the consummation cometh. Unbelief 
 may vaunt itself and ask, "Where is the promise 
 
40 A GREAT MAN'S PERPLEXITY. 
 
 of His coming?" Scientists may argue the per- 
 manence of nature, and claim that, "since the 
 fathers fell asleep, all things continue as from the 
 beginning of the creation." The very Church 
 itself may become oblivious to the foreshowings 
 of the prophetic word. But "the Lord is not 
 slack concerning His promise as some men count 
 slackness. ' ' He has no cause for haste. Eternity 
 is His. And what He has begun He will carry 
 to completion. In the decrees of invincible God- 
 head it is settled that ' ' the Lord will come, and 
 will not keep silence ; ' ' and that out of the ashes 
 of a world baptized and cleansed by fire shall 
 come "new heavens and a new earth, wherein 
 dwelleth righteousness. ' ' 
 
 And what, then, dear friends, is the great mat- 
 ter for us? The way of duty is plainly given. 
 We must hold fast our faith. We must have con- 
 fidence in the Christ. And "seeing that we look 
 for such. things," we must be diligent, in order to 
 be found of our Lord in peace, without spot, and 
 blameless. 
 
©f)e Jog of J^attf). 
 
 Fourth Sunday in Advent. 
 
 Rejoice in the Lord alway : and again I say, Rejoice. — Phil. 4 : 4. 
 
 T would seem that the apostle considered 
 it the privilege and duty of all Christians 
 to be uninterruptedly happy and joyous. 
 This is a very remarkable presentation. 
 
 It is remarkable, as coming from St. Paul, who 
 was a man of incessant toil and tribulation, ever, 
 in conflict with visible and invisible powers, an 
 example of sufferings which made him a spectacle 
 to men and angels, and a man whose temper was 
 intensely serious, severe, and vehement. 
 
 It is remarkable, in view of the ordinary state 
 of mankind in this world, which is everywhere 
 mixed with sorrow, the sunshine often interrupted, 
 and the shadows often very deep. 
 
 It is remarkable, in being addressed to these 
 Philippians; who were much grieved over their 
 apostle's imprisonment at Rome; who, with 
 Christians in general at that time, were in con- 
 stant anxiety by reason of abounding persecution, 
 and around whom everything was more or less 
 adverse to their peace of mind. 
 
 It is remarkable, also, in being placed in spe- 
 
42 THE JOY OF FAITH. 
 
 cific connection with the prospect of the speedy 
 coming of the Lord; regarded usually as a matter 
 of solemn fear and awe, calling rather for the 
 utmost seriousness and anxious concern. 
 
 And it is well worthy of our devout considera- 
 tion that such a man, at such a time, to such peo- 
 ple, under such apprehensions, should give it as a 
 matter of privilege and duty, not only to be free 
 from all saddening depression and disturbing per- 
 turbation, but to be cheerful and happy withal, 
 maintaining a mood and temper of constant and 
 peaceful rejoicing. 
 
 Many have the notion that to be a Christian is 
 to be austere, morose, gloomy, and adverse to all 
 the natural enjoyments that give zest to life. The 
 Gospel does, indeed, require some things which 
 carnal nature does not fancy. Nor is any one 
 more positive than this same apostle in demanding 
 self-denial, the giving up of sin, and the mortifi- 
 cation of the works of the flesh. But with all 
 this, he both inculcated and exemplified a spirit 
 of gladness and spiritual rejoicing. The things 
 to be renounced are those only which disable, 
 harm, and destroy, and which a right man should 
 be glad to be rid of. Why regret to abandon 
 lusts which war against the soul, or selfish desires 
 which contract and harden the heart, or turbulent 
 passions which fill the mind with disquiet and the 
 world with disorder, or the sins and follies which 
 sacrifice purity, degrade character, and plunge 
 into temporal and eternal ruin ? These and such 
 like, Christians must needs surrender, and ever 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 43 
 
 fight against. But, as well might we condemn 
 the surgeon for amputating a gangrened limb, or 
 the physician for prescribing rigid treatment to a 
 patient bloated with disease, as to fault and reject 
 Christianity for insisting on the abandonment of 
 what otherwise would surely kill and destroy 
 both body and soul. Nor is it at all out of place 
 to inculcate and cherish the spirit of grateful re- 
 joicing even in combination with a season of 
 penitence and spiritual humiliation. 
 
 What is there, then, in Christianity that should 
 enable those who receive it to rejoice alway? 
 And what is it so to rejoice in the Lord ? 
 
 First of all, the believer has reason to rejoice 
 alway in the great fact that a good, wise, and 
 almighty God reigns; without whom nothing can 
 happen, and who stands pledged to overrule 
 everything for the best. This is the unequivocal 
 teaching of Christianity, which no one can doubt 
 or question and still be a proper Christian. And 
 a wonderful source of comfort it is to all who duly 
 take it in. It is something upon which the soul 
 can rest in hopeful gladness, amid the worst ad- 
 versities. With a living, good, ever-present, and 
 almighty God to depend on, and knowing that 
 He careth for us with a father's tenderness, we 
 have an effectual bar against the inroads of de- 
 spondency and despair. Fully persuaded that 
 His gracious providence is in whatsoever comes 
 to pass; that nothing can exceed His wisdom or 
 escape His control; and that under His governance 
 all things must work together for good to them 
 
44 THE JOY OF FAITH. 
 
 that love Him; we may, with joyous confidence, 
 cast all our care upon Him, and say with peaceful 
 submission and content, "It is the Lord, let Him 
 do unto me what seemeth to Him good." 
 
 The believer also has reason for incessant re- 
 joicing, in the divine provisions for our salvation. 
 The worst thing in the world is sin. All the ills 
 and evils that earth has ever known have come 
 from sin. What a curse and damage has it 
 brought upon our race, and upon all nature in 
 and around us! What distresses, what alarms, 
 what fearful apprehensions, has it brought upon 
 the human conscience, wherever awake to the 
 real facts! Why it has been permitted in the 
 realm of good Almightiness, is one of those mys- 
 teries which we must leave to God to solve; but 
 it is here, and upon every one of us, damaging 
 our peace, and sure to sink us into endless miseries, 
 unless met with arrest and deliverance which can 
 only come from God. 
 
 But Heaven has commiserated our condition, 
 and provided a ransom, and laid help upon One 
 mighty to save and strong to deliver. There is 
 no reason now why any one living should perish ; 
 and no true believer in Christ Jesus ever shall 
 perish. There is no condemnation to them that 
 have taken refuge under the cross. Are we guilty? 
 He hath borne our sins in His own body on the 
 tree. Have we become defiled in heart and life 
 by the unclean thing? His blood cleanseth us 
 from all sin. Does anything stand in the way of 
 our eternal salvation? Christ is "made unto us 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 45 
 
 wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemp- 
 tion." And all this is abundantly availing on the 
 easy terms of faith and loving obedience to Him 
 who first loved us and gave himself for us. 
 Surely, here is matter for grateful rejoicing and 
 everlasting gladness. 
 
 Furthermore, the Christian has reason to rejoice 
 in the fact that all his privations, disabilities, and 
 sufferings here will soon be over forever. "The 
 Lord is at hand." The Saviour is presently to 
 come again, — to come "to be glorified in His 
 saints, and to be admired in all them that believe," 
 when "the dead in Christ shall rise," and "we 
 which are alive and remain shall be caught up 
 together with them in the clouds, to meet the 
 Lord in the air, and so be ever with the Lord." 
 The Apostles contemplated that event as impend- 
 ing, and liable to occur even in their day; and 
 surely it is much nearer now. The times and 
 seasons God has reserved in His own power; but 
 the Saviour himself has given us command to 
 watch and be in constant readiness for that sub- 
 lime Epiphany. That promised coming of the 
 Lord was a ' ' blessed hope ' ' to the early Chris- 
 tians. They comforted themselves with it amid 
 their many trials. They saw in it an end to their 
 sufferings, which they deemed as nothing com- 
 pared with the glory then to be awarded. It is 
 not hard to submit to pain if we know it will be 
 brief and will add to our joy. Nay, we may even 
 glory in infirmities when assured that they are to 
 bring diviner strength and eternal benediction. 
 
4.6 THE JOY OF FAITH. ' 
 
 Meanwhile also the believer has ample resource 
 in every time of need. There is a throne of grace, 
 accessible at all times and from all places. In 
 fact, he need never worry about anything, if only 
 true to God and duty. Using his Christian privi- 
 leges, and with grateful prayer and supplication 
 making known his requests to God, he will not 
 be left destitute of aught that is for his good. On 
 this point the promises are numerous, positive, 
 and most sacredly pledged. It matters not what 
 the situation may be, the necessary help is within 
 reach. And as nothing can separate the believer 
 from the love of God, so nothing can separate him 
 from the unfailing resources he ever has in the 
 mercy and grace of God. 
 
 Such, then, are the contents and blessings of 
 Christianity to every one who truly embraces it. 
 O the vastness, the richness, the wonderfulness 
 of the assurances, possessions, and privileges of a 
 believer in Jesus! What more could he ask to 
 make him happy and ever joyous! 
 
 Now, then, what is it to rejoice in the Lord? 
 Here there is often serious mistake. 
 
 To rejoice in the Lord is not a mere spurt of 
 aroused emotion or temporary ecstacy which clasps 
 hands and shouts Glory! Halleluia! True, re- 
 ligion is nothing if it does not touch the heart 
 and enlist the feelings; but mere emotionalism is 
 not necessarily Christian at all. It is found asso- 
 ciated with the vilest superstitions and with the 
 densest ignorance of the only saving truth. 
 
 Nor is rejoicing in the Lord a self-congratu- 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 47 
 
 latory elation over one's own virtues, devotions, 
 and attainments. The Pharisee exultantly thanked 
 God for his personal purity and his strictness in 
 religion; but the Saviour did not therefore con- 
 sider him an approved worshipper. His rejoicing 
 was in himself, and not "in the Lord." Of 
 course, faith fails if it does not lead and impel 
 to a virtuous and dutiful life ; but a boastful good- 
 ishness is a fearful taint to spiritual holiness. 
 
 Neither does continuous rejoicing in the Lord 
 consist of a life so even, calm, composed, and 
 peaceful as never to feel a sorrow, grief, anxiety, 
 or painful disturbance. Christianity does not ex- 
 empt from adverse experiences, nor lift us above 
 the common wants, cares, and frictions of this 
 world. Neither is it meant to make us stony and 
 unfeeling Stoics. Quiet submissiveness even is 
 not a grace in itself, except as conjoined with 
 faith, zeal, and active endeavor. Every one's day 
 has its clouds and unpleasantnesses, which often 
 seriously affect and fret the soul. Nothing on 
 earth is perfect, and neither is our rejoicing in 
 the Lord. Our knowledge is imperfect; our faith 
 is subject to trials ; our surroundings are not 
 always happy; and our duties are often hard. 
 Even the Pauls sometimes cry, "O wretched man 
 that I am. ' ' The surface of the sea is never per- 
 fectly at rest, and is often terribly lashed and 
 tossed; but, deeper down, all is as calm and 
 peaceful as the starry heavens. And so with our 
 earthly jo) r in the Lord. There may be tempo- 
 ran- and disturbing commotions on the surface; 
 
48 THE JOY OF FAITH. 
 
 but, deep down in the soul that has lain hold on 
 God and His Christ, there is a calm and peaceful 
 trust, always hopeful, always glad and joyous in 
 the Lord, always thankful for His goodness. 
 
 What is it then to "rejoice in the Lord alway?" 
 It is to have firm and unyielding confidence in 
 God, firm faith in Jesus, cheerful devotion to 
 duty, and a serene hopefulness in the sacred 
 promises. Where there is doubt, unbelief, de- 
 jection, despondency, discontent with the dispen- 
 sations of Providence, and lack of courage to do 
 and bear for Christ's sake, there is no joy in the 
 Lord. When Christian duty is a burden, and in- 
 difference takes the place of diligence, and carnal 
 ease is consulted, rather than the will and require- 
 ments of God, there is no proper joy in the Lord. 
 When people shrink from the confession of Christ, 
 refuse place in the Church of Christ, and are more 
 captivated and controlled by the ways, vanities, 
 gains, pleasures, and pursuits of the world than 
 by the love and calls and promises of Christ, 
 their joy in Him is fatally weak. 
 
 A reasonable enjoyment of the good things of 
 this world is not inimical to joy in the Lord; for 
 they are all from Him, meant for the comfort of 
 His people, and to be received and appropriated 
 with thanksgiving. Diligence in business, cheer- 
 ful mingling with society, and the honest filling 
 of places and relations in the social economy, 
 need not hinder our joy in the Lord; for they are 
 parts of the service ordained for human welfare 
 and the divine glory. Joy in God carries with it 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 49 
 
 the honoring of all that is of God, as Christ him- 
 self has set us the example. And, when the heart 
 is right, there may be this joy even amid cares 
 and sufferings. 
 
 Our Maker means us to be happy, — happy in 
 Him, — happy in His service, — happy in the lot 
 providence has assigned us, — happy in every duty 
 thereby imposed. For this He has made us, and 
 redeemed us, and given us the directory of His 
 Word and the gifts and guidance of His Spirit. 
 There is a giddy mirth which is like "the crack- 
 ling of thorns under a pot, n blazing, noisy, and 
 soon expiring in smoke and darkness. There is 
 a reckless and boisterous hilarity of life which 
 takes delight in ignoring God and outraging the 
 dignified solemnity of our being; but it is short- 
 lived, and as melancholy in its end as it is silly in 
 character and contemptuous of the cries of man's 
 better nature. Of such abnormity and folly God 
 and reason would have us beware; for there is no 
 true nor lasting happiness in the paradise of fools. 
 
 Hear, then, the conclusion of the whole matter: 
 "Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man 
 glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man 
 glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in 
 his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, 
 that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I 
 am the Lord which exerciseth loving kindness, 
 judgment, and righteousness in the earth: for in 
 these things I delight, saith the Lord." 
 
Eift ffilafc f^attbitg. 
 
 Christmas. 
 
 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared. — 
 Titus 2:11. 
 
 HE seasons in their round have brought 
 us once more to our annual Christmas 
 celebration. It is a glad festival, wel- 
 comed by all. It comes in the darkest 
 part of the year, when the days are shortest, na- 
 ture deadest, and the season roughest; but it 
 comes to create for us a garden of delight amid 
 the drear and bleakness. It comes to cheer our 
 homes, brighten friendships, transfigure childhood 
 with angelic mirth, and make the old feel young 
 again. It kindles new life and stir in the world, 
 and fills our sanctuaries with grateful Halleluias. 
 What, then, is the real meaning of Christmas? 
 On what is its gladness founded ? We read the 
 answer in the text : ' ' The grace of God that bring- 
 eth salvation hath appeared." 
 
 We stand by a manger in Bethlehem. In that 
 manger lies a newborn babe, helpless, wrapped 
 in swaddling clothes, and needing the service of 
 friendly hands. But what is there remarkable 
 or strange in that? L,et us see. From heaven 
 
 50 
 
CHRISTMAS. 5 I 
 
 comes word that this is no ordinary child. Born 
 in time, He is yet said to be from old, from ever- 
 lasting. Sacred messengers proclaim Him "the 
 Son of the Highest. ' ' And the Eternal Father, 
 bringing His first-begotten into the world, saith, 
 " Let all the angels of God worship Him." 
 
 We look, and listen, and hear, and wonder. 
 Indeed, we are in the presence of the greatest 
 miracle of time. Here is Deity in lowly infancy. 
 Here is Divinity with our human nature taken 
 into personal unity with himself. Here is one, 
 "who, being in the form of God, and thinking it 
 not robbery to be equal with God, laid aside the 
 show of Deity, took the form of a servant, and 
 was made in the likeness of men. ' ' Here is divine 
 immensity in a little human body; omnipotence 
 in infant weakness; the adored of angels in the 
 condition of a weeping child; the Lord of glory 
 born of a woman, and lodged in a cattle-cave! O 
 the mystery, the impenetrable mystery of the In- 
 carnation ! Verily ' ' Great is the mystery of God- 
 liness, God manifest in the flesh." Our eyes are 
 dazzled and blinded as we attempt to look into it. 
 But the wonderful fact is there, and nothing can 
 overthrow it. All history attests it. Our glorious 
 Christianity sinks into empty flatness without it. 
 Unbelief may scoff, and seek to explain away the 
 miracle; but, with all that has been said, or can 
 be said, the only consistent solution is that which 
 the orthodox Church holds and confesses. That 
 Babe is very God incarnate. 
 
 What if it does transcend all scientific explana- 
 
52 THE GLAD NATIVITY. 
 
 tion ? What if the depths of it are too great for 
 human intelligence to fathom ? It is the same in 
 other things. What in all the universe do we 
 understand? And "a religion without its mys- 
 teries is like a temple without its God." We can 
 know the fact, and that is enough to explain 
 everything a hundredfold better than any skepti- 
 cal theorizing man has ever broached. 
 
 And why doubt or reject it because we cannot 
 explain it? If we are not to believe or act on 
 anything until we perfectly understand it, we 
 must unmake ourselves, and life becomes an im- 
 possibility. But, God be praised, it is not necessary 
 for us to understand either the biology, the physi- 
 ology, or the metaphysics of our Saviour's Incar- 
 nation. Joseph and Mary did not understand it. 
 The shepherds who heard the angels sing over it 
 did not understand it. The wise men who read 
 the story of it in the stars did not understand it. 
 But that did not hinder their believing and grate- 
 ful joy in it. We believe a thousand other things 
 that we cannot understand. Millions believe and 
 know the worth and warmth of the sunlight, who 
 are utterly at a loss to comprehend or explain it. 
 The mystery of it is no barrier to their joy in it. 
 And whether we understand or not how the eter- 
 nal Son of God could become one with humanity 
 in the condition of a babe, the wonderful fact 
 stands revealed, and that is sufficient. Christian 
 faith grasps it and rejoices in it; for therein it 
 finds the grace of God that bringeth salvation. 
 
 This grace was once a mere promise, — only a 
 
CHRISTMAS. 5 3 
 
 word, — which the ancient Church received, be- 
 lieved, and was jubilant in hope of Him who was 
 to come. Christmas Day changed that grace of 
 word and promise into the grace of living ful- 
 filment, — and shows it outwardly embodied in 
 human flesh and blood. The promise has cul- 
 minated in a birth. Divine provision to save a 
 fallen world hath u appealed." We see it in 
 this manger at Bethlehem. We find it written, 
 and we now behold it born, — born to grow, and 
 mature, and act, till sin is cancelled, and the 
 Kingdom of Heaven opened to all believers. Here 
 is grace that has stirred the hearts and songs of 
 angels, — even Divinity personally conjoined with 
 humanity, and man's nature made one with the 
 divine, to redeem us from the curse and con- 
 demnation of sin. 
 
 Is it asked whether this was necessary ? Judg- 
 ing from what the Scriptures say and the nature 
 of the case, the answer must be Yes; it was 
 necessary. The Redeemer had to be a man to 
 fulfill the law in the nature that sinned, and to be 
 able to sympathize with those whom He came to 
 redeem. But He had to be more than a man in 
 order to satisfy the law and meet its penalty so as 
 to avail for others. Nay, He had to be divine to 
 have power to lay down His life, and then to take 
 it again. And as God cannot suffer, nor man 
 meet all the violated law's demands, so the divine 
 had to take our nature, and through personal one- 
 ness with the human to bring redemption. Hence 
 the Son of God, the very outbeaming of the 
 
54 THE GLAD NATIVITY. ' 
 
 Father's glory, to purge our sins, took not on 
 Him the nature of angels, but took on Him the 
 seed of Abraham, sharing with us our common 
 humanity, sin only excepted. Yes, it behooved 
 Him in all things to be made like unto His 
 brethren, that He might be a merciful and faith- 
 ful High Priest, make reconciliation for the sins 
 of the people, destroy him who had the power of 
 death, and deliver those who through fear of 
 death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 
 And this wonderful, indispensable, and unsearch- 
 able union of Deity in humanity, inseparable for 
 ever in the Person of our adorable Lord and 
 Saviour, is what this day brings before us in that 
 manger-cradled Child. 
 
 This, then, is what Christmas means. And 
 now, how should we be influenced and affected 
 by it? How keep and celebrate it? How mark 
 the anniversary of the appearance of that astound- 
 ing grace of God that bringeth salvation? 
 
 Let us not heathenize it with the absurd fiction 
 of "Santa Claus." That is a trick of Satan to 
 betray Christians into idolatry. Children will soon 
 find out the cheat, and so learn from parental 
 example to lie and deceive. And why put the 
 long dead St. Nicholas in the place of the ever- 
 living Christ-child — the Christ- kind lein of our 
 pious Saxon fathers, — the Christ-child, to whom 
 Christmas owes its existence, and from whom 
 come all Christmas gifts and joys, as every other 
 good that is in the world. Make the young ones 
 happy with your joyous surprises; but let them 
 
CHRISTMAS. 55 
 
 know it is all from the blessed Christ, and not 
 from a mythic saint, or a fictitious and prepos- 
 terous thing that does not, and never did, exist. 
 
 Christmas, as its name expresses, is a Christian 
 festival, and should be pervaded with the Chris- 
 tian spirit. It calls for joy indeed, but not for 
 heathenish fantastics and lies. Let homes and 
 friends be merry. Let there be light and cheer 
 for every one. Good-willing is the spirit of the 
 occasion. Let gifts and blessings flow in streams 
 to gladden life and refresh and lift the soul. Let 
 music swell, at least the music of the heart. Let 
 every dwelling put on a goodliness to image a 
 new Eden. All this is due and fitting. But let 
 it not be forgotten that it is the birthday of the 
 Christ, who is the spring and reason of it all. 
 
 There is much merriment and rejoicing at 
 Christmas time without thought or care for Him 
 whose Nativity it commemorates. It is with 
 many as with the crowd following a procession. 
 They move with it; they are excited over it; 
 they wildly cheer as it passes; but they are no 
 part of it. The meaning of the thing they do 
 not realize nor consider. In the true joy of it 
 they have no share. They sing, and shout, and 
 are boisterous and liberal enough in their re- 
 joicing. They are even more gay, and loud in 
 their merry-making than those who are deepest in 
 it. Like Saul when he heard the singing of the 
 prophets, they sing and dance most violently of 
 all, but without the genuine inspiration. There 
 is no right Christmas where there is no reference 
 
56 THE GLAD NATIVITY. 
 
 to the babe of Bethlehem, no appreciation of the 
 grace of God in sending us so great and wonder- 
 ful a Saviour, no heart-gratitude for the coming 
 of the Christ. 
 
 There is in Bethlehem an old church edifice 
 which roofs over the grotto in which it is believed 
 Jesus was born. A large silver star lies on the 
 spot, and over it hang golden lamps, kept always 
 burning. These tell of The Bright and Morning 
 Star and the never-dying golden light that issued 
 from that dark place. Deeply impressive is the 
 scene. I have seen even rough men drop upon 
 their knees before it to give glory to God for what 
 there came into the world. And to that spot our 
 Christmas brings us to-day. Where the Shep- 
 herds knelt in lowly adoration around that babe, 
 there in spirit we would kneel, and for like pur- 
 pose. Cherishing in our hearts the sweet picture 
 of that sweetest, purest, holiest, divinest Child 
 that ever appeared on earth, we know what has 
 come of Him; what grace of God came with 
 Him; what a work He has done for perishing 
 humanity ; what a Kingdom of salvation He has 
 set up; what glory and dominion He hath with 
 the Father; what loving sympathy He feels for 
 those who believe on Him; what a blessed heaven 
 He is providing for us after we are done with this 
 world ; how He condescends to hear our prayers, 
 and feed and nourish us by His word and sacra- 
 ments; and we would forfeit all claims to reason 
 and righteous sensibility, not to rejoice in reverent 
 thankfulness for His Nativity. 
 
CHRISTMAS. 57 
 
 A precious Sacrament He has also left us by 
 which to remember Him. In this He proposes to 
 have us commune with Him in His glory, and to 
 seal unto us all the fruits of His merciful achieve- 
 ments. To this, then, let us come with glad and 
 joyous attestation of our faith in Him, as the 
 acme and crown of our Christmas Festival, and 
 as our highest earthly converse with Him who 
 was born at Bethlehem, crucified on Calvary, and 
 is alive for ever to fill the world with His glory. 
 
®i)e ©racious ©rrani, 
 
 Sunday after Christmas. 
 
 For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was 
 lost. — Luke 19 : 10. 
 
 "HE Christian world is still aglow with 
 the glad celebration of our Saviour's 
 birth. In the text we have His own 
 naming of himself, and of the purpose 
 of His coming. 
 
 You will notice that He does not say, / am 
 come, although He means himself. His language 
 is, "The Son of Man is come." This is the 
 formula in which He often designated himself, 
 and not without important significance. 
 
 It is not intended as a denial of His divine 
 Sonship. He all the while assumed and marvel- 
 lously demonstrated that He was truly the Son 
 of God. Peter confessed Him as ' ' the Christ, 
 the Son of the Living God," and He answered to" 
 it with commendation and blessing, as the very 
 truth on which His Church was to be built. But 
 the great wonder in His case was, not that the 
 Son of God should concern himself in human 
 affairs, but that He should have taken on Him 
 man's nature, to become a real member of our 
 
 58 
 
SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. 59 
 
 race. This, however, was a necessity in order to 
 be to us an effectual Saviour; and hence His care- 
 fulness to impress and emphasize the wondrous 
 fact, that, though the very Son of God, He was, 
 and ever will be, as truly and unchangeable "the 
 Son of Man. ' ' 
 
 This way of emphasizing his human Sonship 
 implied that He had none of the limitations, 
 narrownesses, or imperfections that mark other 
 men. He was not the Son of a section, or of a 
 particular age, country, or class; but the Son of 
 man, as if the whole human race had come to its 
 highest bloom in Him. He was a Jew by birth, 
 but with nothing of Jewish peculiarities or preju- 
 dices to separate Him from the rest of mankind. 
 He was cosmopolitan in all the elements and 
 make up of His character. Everything truest 
 and best in every man, and everything tenderest 
 and purest in every woman, was summed up in 
 Him, making of Him, as a man, the very flower 
 of all humanity. 
 
 The same also emphasized His nearness to us. 
 As the Son of Man, He is the relative and brother 
 of every member of our race — bone of our bone, 
 and flesh of our flesh. He is therefore capable of 
 being ( ' touched with the feeling of our infirmity ; ' ' 
 and, being "tempted in all points like as we are," 
 He is the better able to "succor them that are 
 tempted." And one of the greatest of consola- 
 tions that Christians have, is, that God hath sent 
 us a Saviour who has a brother's heart, as well as 
 an almighty arm. 
 
60 THE GRACIOUS ERRAND. 
 
 As a man He can sympathize with us in all our 
 weaknesses and trials; and as the Son of man, 
 and not of a sect or party, His sympathies are as 
 wide ranging as the race itself, embracing Samar- 
 itans as well as Jews, Roman soldiers as well as 
 honored scribes, the Magdalenes as well as the 
 sisters of Bethany, the fishermen of Galilee as 
 well as the priests of Jerusalem, the Zaccheuses 
 and Levis as well as the Peters and Johns, chil- 
 dren and menials and lepers and sinners and male- 
 factors as well as the greatest and worthiest of 
 mankind. He is "the Son of man;" therefore, 
 wherever beats a human pulse, or a heart that 
 sighs for deliverance, there He is with a true 
 brother's love and tenderness. 
 
 All this is certainly included in His description 
 of himself as the Son of Man." 
 
 Notice now His account of the purpose for 
 which He came into the world, — "The Son of 
 Man is come to seek and to save that which was 
 lost" 
 
 Men act from different impulses and aims in 
 life: some to better their condition, to augment 
 their fortunes, to gratify their lusts and fancies; 
 some for glory, to win applause, to make them- 
 selves a name; and some to help the poor and 
 helpless, to maintain right, to deliver the suffer- 
 ing and oppressed, and to promote the enlighten- 
 ment and general good of their fellow-men. But 
 that which moved the Son of God to take our hu- 
 manity upon Him, and to become the Son of Man, 
 was, ' ' to seek and to save that which was lost. ' ' 
 
SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. 6 1 
 
 Some years ago, a man was at work amid a lot 
 of strange bones that had been dug up out of the 
 earth. No one knew to what sort of a creature 
 they belonged, and few cared to know. But the 
 man was familiar with comparative anatomy, and 
 was thus enabled to bring those strange old frag- 
 ments together in place, and to fill out what was 
 wanting by what was necessarily implied. And 
 when he had done his work, there stood forth a 
 wondrous form of being, as it lived and moved a 
 hundred ages in the past. And so, when the 
 Son of Man came, the world had become a gen- 
 eral wreck. Humanity, as depicted in Ezekiel's 
 vision, had become a valley of dry bones. And 
 to gather up and reconstruct these damaged re- 
 mains to something of their primeval type, to 
 breathe life into them, and to restore man to his 
 original God-likeness and glory, was the purpose 
 for which the blessed Saviour came. ' ' For the 
 Son of Man is come to seek and to save that 
 which was lost." 
 
 The man of science, at work with his old bones, 
 could do no more than recover a dead form of the 
 past, which would always remain dead. He could 
 not put life into it. But the office of the Son of 
 Man is to give life, to quicken dead souls, to 
 shape them into saints, and to endow them with 
 a blessed immortality. 
 
 And by very simple means does He accomplish 
 this. Having purchased redemption by His cross, 
 by His word, providence and Spirit, He now 
 seeks out the sinful, the sorrowing and the lost, 
 
62 THE GRACIOUS ERRAND. 
 
 offers His free forgiveness to the contrite and 
 penitent, and breathes into them the life of faith, 
 hope, and charity. By a principle of love which 
 never wanes, by a human sympathy which never 
 tires, and with a plenitude of renewing power 
 which never exhausts, He comes to every lost and 
 anguished soul, offering to assuage its misery, to 
 lift it out of its distresses, and to set it on the 
 path of eternal salvation, on the simple terms of 
 His Gospel. His mission, as named by himself, 
 is, to comfort them that mourn, to bind up the 
 broken-hearted, to speak peace to the downcast 
 and troubled, to mollify the sorrows of the af- 
 flicted, and to give hope and happiness to those 
 ready to perish ; for He is come ' ' to seek and to 
 save that which was lost. ' ' 
 
 And what, dear friends, are we, without Him, 
 but damaged, helpless, and lost men and women? 
 Even in the vast favors amid which we have been 
 reared, and our instruction in the things of Christ 
 and salvation, we can scarcely look at ourselves 
 and think of the judgment without trembling 
 and fear, or call ourselves to strict account with- 
 out realizing how utterly hopeless our case is 
 without the gracious forgiveness to be found alone 
 in Jesus. But the Son of Man is come for our 
 help. Sinful and unclean, He is here for our 
 relief and cleansing. Poor and friendless, He is 
 here to sympathize with us, and to speak words 
 of consolation to our souls. Homes darkened 
 with sorrow, He is here to illuminate and cheer. 
 
SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. 63 
 
 Slavery to sin and vice, He is here to break and 
 to strengthen the released for abiding deliverance. 
 With death and the grave before us, He is here to 
 sustain in the mysterious voyage, and to make a 
 dying bed feel soft as downy pillows are. And 
 whatever else there may be to weigh us down, or 
 to make us despair, He is here to modify and 
 banish it, and to bless with the joys of an ever- 
 lasting salvation. For " the Son of Man is come 
 to seek and to save that which was lost. ' ' 
 
 And to assure and certify this to us all the more 
 tangibly and individually, He has instituted the 
 Holy Sacrament of His Supper, in which He 
 gives to each His Body and His Blood, broken 
 and shed for us and for many for the remission 
 of sins; that, as we take and eat, and take and 
 drink, we have from Him the personal pledge of 
 the redemption which He is come to fulfill to 
 every believer. For whoso eateth of this bread, 
 and drinketh of this cup, firmly believing the 
 words of Christ, and resting devoutly upon Him, 
 dwelleth in Christ, and Christ in Him, and hath 
 eternal life. 
 
 He was the Word that spake it ; 
 He took the bread and brake it ; 
 And what that Word did make it, 
 Let us believe and take it. 
 
Epiphany. 
 
 Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, 
 Where is he that is born King of the Jews ? for we have seen his 
 star in the east, and are come to worship him. — Matt. 2:1,2. 
 
 HK Festival of the Epiphany, although 
 one of the oldest and most significant 
 of our Church Festivals, is, for the most 
 part, indifferently observed. The facts 
 which it celebrates are certainly remarkable, and 
 instructive enough to deserve our earnest atten- 
 tion. 
 
 At the place which Micah had named, at the 
 time which Daniel had indicated, and in the won- 
 derful manner which Isaiah had described, the 
 great Messiah was born. An angel had announced 
 the fact to the humble shepherds in the vicinity, 
 and the heavenly hosts had sung their ' ' Glory in 
 Bxcelsis ' ' over it. Those who witnessed these 
 wonderful demonstrations, had hasted to see what 
 had come to pass, and were publishing abroad 
 what had been told them from heaven concerning 
 this manger-cradled Child. 
 
 A grand and glorious Epiphany had thus been 
 made; but it was confined to Judea and the Jews. 
 
 64 
 
EPIPHANY. 65 
 
 The text refers to another, no less marvellous, 
 touching the same facts, outside of the race and 
 lands of Israel. While to Jacob's seed pertained 
 the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, 
 and the giving of the law, and the service of God, 
 and the promises; and from them as concerning 
 the flesh came the Christ, blessed for ever; the 
 Gentile world had not been forgotten, nor left 
 without demonstrations of the advent of a Saviour 
 for all men. Far-off saintly sages were made 
 aware of the fact, and came to worship Him, and 
 laid their costly offerings at His infant feet. The 
 manifestations in Judea were to be expected, as 
 the promises were to the children of Israel ; but 
 these manifestations among the far-away ethnic 
 peoples are the more to be wondered at and ad- 
 mired. 
 
 It is a great mistake, however, to think the 
 whole race outside of the chosen people had been 
 delivered over to the evil one, and that all were 
 alike without God and without hope in the world. 
 We must not forget Job, and Melchisedec, and 
 Jethro, and Balaam before his fall, and other men 
 of faith in God of whom we read in the sacred 
 Word. And so, at the time Christ was born, 
 there still were some noble souls who clung to 
 the primeval promise of the Seed of the woman, 
 and read of Him in the heavenly Constellations, 
 and found among the stars the signs and tokens 
 that He had come. 
 
 Just who these people were has not been told 
 us. That they were Gentiles, the Church as- 
 5 
 
66 A NOBLE TESTIMONY. ' 
 
 sumes and nearly all interpreters maintain. That 
 they were from the far east from Palestine, is 
 clearly asserted in the record; but whether from 
 Chaldea, or Persia, or Bactria, or Arabia, cannot 
 be determined by present knowledge of the sub- 
 ject. That they were Kings, and that their num- 
 ber was three, as some have assumed, the Scrip- 
 tures do not say. That they were distinguished 
 men, rich men, and men of high degree in the 
 communities in which they lived, is certainly 
 implied. That they were "wise men," — men 
 skilled in the best learning of their time and 
 country — is abundantly indicated. The ancient 
 Magi were a learned priestly order, mostly occu- 
 pied with matters of religion, astronomy, and the 
 sacred sciences. They were the teachers of kings 
 and people in divine wisdom. Daniel in his day 
 was the president of their guild in Babylon; and 
 from among them Cyrus choose his priests for Per- 
 sia. Their theology was the noblest and purest 
 then extant in the ethnic world. And to this 
 order, Matthew tells us, these men from the sun- 
 rising belonged. 
 
 They came to Jerusalem, showing a very defi- 
 nite knowledge and a very assured faith with 
 regard to the birth and character of the Christ. 
 They contemplated Him, even in His cradle, as a 
 great worshipful Being, by birth a Jewish Prince, 
 but one whom it was their devout desire to see, 
 and their religious duty to greet with humble 
 adoration. 
 
 Whence thev obtained such clear and definite 
 
EPIPHANY. 6? 
 
 knowledge, has been the subject of much learned 
 and unsatisfactory conjecture. The alleged wide- 
 spread expectation of a great triumphing Prince 
 then about to appear, cannot explain it. Frag- 
 ments of Hebrew prophecies that may have floated 
 down among the Gentiles from the times of the 
 Jewish Captivity in Babylon, cannot explain it; 
 for these Magi knew more about the matter than 
 the Jewish Scribes and Pharisees. A special rev- 
 elation for the occasion, without further record, 
 is so unlike what we know of God's methods, and 
 so improbable, that there is no adequate warrant 
 to suppose it. The appearance of a new light in 
 the heavens, a comet, a meteor, a sort of Will-o'- 
 the-wisp to go before them and lead the way, 
 cannot explain it, without something more to tell 
 them that it referred to the birth of an adorable 
 Prince in Judea, and that it was their duty and 
 interest to follow it. They speak of having "seen 
 His star in the east;" but that must needs have 
 been contemplated in connection with a further 
 record or system containing the full story of the 
 virgin-born Redeemer. 
 
 Such a starry record we now know did exist, and 
 exists to this day, in the forty-eight Constellations 
 of the Primeval Astronomy, in which the whole 
 story of the Serpent and the Cross was hung upon 
 the stars from the beginning. In the Zodiac, with 
 its Decans, — in what Herschel called "those un- 
 couth figures and outlines of men and monsters 
 usually scribbled over celestial globes and maps, ' ' 
 — the French atheists traced the main features 
 
68 A NOBLE TESTIMONY. 
 
 and hopes of Christianity, thinking thus to prove 
 our Gospel a mere copy from these old Constella- 
 tions. Those who attempted to reply to their 
 presentations, on examination were obliged to 
 confess that the picture of the Son of the Virgin, 
 including His conflicts, work, and final triumph, 
 is there in very vivid outline. And there it cer- 
 tainly is. It is a sublime truth, which needs 
 vastly more attention than it receives, that the 
 Primeval Astronomy was Evangelic Prophecy, — 
 the faith and hopes of the early Patriarchs, by 
 inspiration of God, written on the face of the sky, 
 symbolizing with startling clearness the Christ, 
 in His whole character and work hitherto, and in 
 what He is yet to achieve for our afflicted world. 
 
 The Magi were special priest-astronomers, — 
 devout students of these sky-records ; and thence 
 it was that they, for the most part at least, ob- 
 tained their knowledge and certifications concern- 
 ing Him whom they came so far to find. The 
 Psalmist says, " The heavens declare the glory of 
 God," not only His wisdom, power, and handi- 
 work, but much more His moral attributes and 
 exhibits. The chief glory of God is Christ, who 
 is "the image and glory of God;" nay, "the 
 brightness" — the very outbeaming — "of His 
 glory." There can be no declaring of God's 
 full and proper "glory" which does not take in 
 Christ, and the story of redemption through Him. 
 As the heavens, then, "declare the glory of God," 
 the story of Christ and redemption must some- 
 how be recorded there. And there it is, in speak- 
 
EPIPHANY. 69 
 
 ing Constellations, arranged by inspired believers 
 before the flood, and furnishing a record which 
 may still be read. 1 
 
 And from the ' ' signs ' ' and Constellations noted 
 in the Primeval Astronomy, and the legends and 
 traditions connected with them, these "wise men" 
 had their knowledge of the promised Seed of the 
 woman. That was their Bible — the text-book of 
 their faith and hope. Nor are we at a loss to un- 
 derstand how they read from it what they did. 
 
 By three successive conjunctions of Jupiter and 
 Saturn in the same year, they knew, according 
 to the traditional significance of conjunctions of 
 these planets, that a birth of unprecedented char- 
 acter and importance was about to occur, or had 
 just occurred. By a new and very brilliant star 
 then shining in the Constellation of Coma, the 
 Constellation of the desired One, and located in 
 the head of that Infant, hence called "His star" 
 they knew that the birth indicated was the birth 
 of "the Desire of nations," even the great Prince 
 that was to come. And by all three of these sig- 
 nificant and very rare conjunctions, in the Con- 
 stellation of the Fishes, which was the Constella- 
 tion traditionally assigned to God's chosen people, 
 and so to the Jews, they knew that this marvellous 
 Prince was born in Judea — u born King of the 
 Jews." And so, by the impulses of the Spirit, 
 which always attend the devout study of the 
 truth, these "wise men" were moved to make 
 their pilgrimage to Jerusalem, to find the miracu- 
 
 1 See my Gospel in the Stars. 
 
JO A NOBLE TESTIMONY. 
 
 lous Child, and to pay to Him their adoring 
 homage. 
 
 An admirable record did these ethnic sages thus 
 make for themselves. Some hold that ignorance 
 is the mother of devotion ; but here were men, 
 among the most learned of their time, whose 
 science served to bring them to a knowledge and 
 recognition of the Christ. A little learning is 
 often "a dangerous thing ;" but depth and honest 
 thoroughness is sure to lead the soul to God, 
 without whom nothing can be intelligently con- 
 strued. These men wisely directed their studies 
 toward spiritual ends ; and they reached clear con- 
 victions, on which they were willing and ready to 
 act, and did act, without regard to cost or incon- 
 venience. In this respect they greatly shame and 
 rebuke the materialism of our day, which ignores 
 what concerns the soul, and most favors conclu- 
 sions that would dethrone the Deity, and destroy 
 the centre of the world's sublimest hopes by re- 
 ducing the divine Christ to a myth, or a being 
 like ourselves. Their opportunities for learning 
 and knowing the truth were far more limited and 
 difficult than those of the Jews of their day, or 
 than those of the people now living ; and yet 
 they learned it better, and sacrificed a thousand- 
 fold more for it, than the loud professors in Jeru- 
 salem, or the great body of so-called Christians 
 in our day. When they knew where to find 
 Christ, no distance, expense, or difficulties could 
 hinder them from making their way to Him ; 
 while many who have Him continually preached 
 
EPIPHANY. 7 1 
 
 to them as a present and almighty Saviour, ready, 
 waiting, and entreating to become their salvation, 
 only turn a deaf ear, and never stir a step to come 
 to Him! 
 
 Very marked and cheering also is the testi- 
 mony which these distinguished sages gave to 
 the Saviour in whom we trust. They came ' ' to 
 worship Him." They found a newborn babe, 
 surrounded with extreme lowliness and poverty ; 
 but that did not stagger them. When they saw 
 Him, they ^fell doivii, and worshipped Him" 
 and presented Him treasures, as to the worthiest 
 and most honorable of kiugs. 
 
 It is useless to say that this was only an expres- 
 sion of ordinary civility. Men so great would 
 not travel so far, at cost so heavy, to an insignifi- 
 cant foreign country, to pay common compliments 
 to a babe in rags, of whom the king knew noth- 
 ing. Such a view of the case is simply absurd. 
 In the Constellations from which they had their 
 knowledge, Christ appears as the Son of a virgin, 
 the Desire of nations, the Man of double nature 
 on the Cross, the revived and exalted Shepherd 
 and Harvester, the Vanquisher in the conflict 
 with evil, the triumphing Hero, the Upholder of 
 His people, the Binder of Satan, the invincible 
 Ruler, the great Deliverer, the Captain of Salva- 
 tion. And so it was that they conceived of Him 
 when they came inquiring, " Where is He that is 
 born King of the Jews?" In such a view their 
 ''worship" could not have been a mere civil 
 obeisance. And the character of it, in men so 
 
72 A NOBLE TESTIMONY. 
 
 great and high, and rendered to a babe in His 
 condition, had quite another significance. It was 
 sacred homage, and nothing less. It was the 
 devout bowing of their souls in recognition of a 
 Divine Saviour. It was an acknowledgment of 
 their assured belief that the hope of the world lay 
 in that swaddled Infant. In it we read a sublime 
 confirmation of our Christian faith. These men 
 had found the truth as we hold it, and they were 
 consistent and true in confessing it by lowly 
 homage and royal gifts. 
 
 And a very worthy example did these " wise 
 men ' ' set for our imitation. Their profoundest 
 interest and anxiety had reference to the Christ, 
 the long-promised Seed of the Virgin. They 
 studied and searched for information concerning 
 Him, as the worthiest subject of all human inves- 
 tigation. Has this been our case ? Have we con- 
 cerned ourselves to reach clear and settled under- 
 standing as to who and what Jesus is, and what is 
 due Him from us ? 
 
 Nor was their faith in this newborn Saviour 
 and King a mere dead and inert intellectual per- 
 suasion. It stirred their hearts. It awakened 
 their activities. It fashioned their purposes. It 
 directed and controlled their lives. It moved 
 them to great and costly exertions to come to 
 Him as soon as they learned that He was within 
 their reach. Has our learning of Him effected 
 the same in us ? What movement have we made 
 to come to Him ? What appreciation have we 
 shown of our superior privileges in this regard ? 
 
EPIPHANY. 73 
 
 What sacrifices of ease and convenience have we 
 made to behold, acknowledge, and honor Him as 
 our Lord and King ? 
 
 These men worshipped Him even in His cradle. 
 Is He the object of our sacred adoration? Do 
 we look upon Him as our Lord, our Hope, our 
 Saviour, even the incarnate God, after all the 
 demonstrations He has given ? How do these 
 Gentiles shame the abounding unbelief of our 
 time ! 
 
 These people gave their hearts, and with them 
 much of their richest possessions. This material 
 help was needed to assist in the flight to avoid the 
 murderous designs of the bloody-handed Herod ; 
 and the Saviour's cause is always in need of the 
 liberal and substantial gifts of His worshippers, 
 as much to prove their sincerity, as to further His 
 triumphs. True faith means gifts and sacrifices. 
 With the believing soul must go the generous 
 hand, of which these Magians give us the proper 
 illustration. Nor is it possible ever to do too 
 much for Him who has done so much for us. 
 
 Were the whole realm of nature mine, 
 
 That were a present far too small ; 
 Love so amazing, so divine, 
 
 Demands my soul, my life, my all. 
 
 And where genuine devotion reigns, God's favors 
 are sure to be shown ; and holy intimations will 
 come to direct us in our journey home. 
 
®f)e ©ffotfcrtr Inarms. 
 
 First Sunday after Epiphatiy. 
 
 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, 
 and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon ? And are not His sisters here 
 with us ? And they were offended at Him. — Mark 6 : 3. 
 
 gjg|]ROM this it appears that our Saviour was 
 a mechanic, a carpenter ; and that He 
 followed this trade up to the time of His 
 public ministry. Though the family was 
 of royal descent, the vicissitudes of the Jewish 
 people had greatly reduced it ; and honest labor 
 was accepted in preference to trying to maintain 
 a wasted nobility in proud idleness and rags. 
 
 It was a wise inculcation of the ancient rabbis, 
 that every Jew should have some sort of trade. 
 The saying was, that a parent who did not teach 
 his son a trade, put him in training to become a 
 thief. It would also be greatly better for the 
 community, and give a more hopeful outlook for 
 society, if greater weight were attached to this 
 among us. High schools may be good things ; 
 but when they come in the way of the training 
 of our young people to earn an honest living, 
 they had better not be. Saul of Tarsus, though 
 one of the best educated young men of his day, 
 74 
 
FIRST*. SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 75 
 
 had to learn to weave tent-cloth and make tents, 
 which came good to him even in his great work 
 as an Apostle of Christ. 
 
 It is no disgrace to be a mechanic. Skill in 
 any useful art or handicraft is just as honorable 
 as skill in any other department, and may effectu- 
 ally help out where what is thought more digni- 
 fied is of little or no account. People of wealth 
 and blood, who boast their high estate, only prove 
 their lack of sense by sneering at tradesmen and 
 laborers. To be a competent shoemaker, tailor, 
 baker, or bricklayer, is far worthier in all right 
 valuation, than to be a genteel dog-fancier or sim- 
 pering dude. Bishop Sanderson was not wrong 
 when he said that idle gentlemen, the same as 
 tramps and beggars, are the plague and scandal 
 of a nation. If God himself were to come down 
 into our world, to live here as a true man, He 
 would choose some useful trade or occupation, 
 and would attend faithfully to its duties. Yea, 
 verily ; for He did thus come in Jesus Christ, and 
 Jesus was a carpenter, a builder and repairer of 
 houses, and a maker of plows and yokes. And 
 it is particularly unbecoming in those who profess 
 His Name to be ashamed of work, or to look with 
 contempt upon craftsmen and operatives, as if 
 they were a class of inferior beings. A thousand- 
 fold more honorable is it for people to be occupied 
 in honest toil, than to be idle vagabonds, and 
 lounging do-nothings, living on the labor of 
 others, or improvident spendthrifts frittering away 
 their substance in extravagance and folly, paying 
 
y6 THE OFFENDED NAZARENES. 
 
 their debts by bankrupt acts, depending as pen- 
 sioners on their friends, and perhaps ending their 
 lives in State prisons. The Lord of all was a 
 carpenter ; and it detracted nothing from His 
 heavenly dignity, and wrought no detriment to 
 His greatness. 
 
 It also appears from the text that the holiest 
 lives, to outward view, may be much the same as 
 others. Life has its daily rounds of work and 
 rest, duties and necessities, for the pious the same 
 as for every one else. For thirty years Jesus 
 lived and wrought in and around Nazareth, with- 
 out showing any specially marked difference from 
 others of His age; and yet He was the purest and 
 holiest man that ever lived, and really the Lord 
 of all. 
 
 It is altogether a mistake to suppose that piety 
 means eccentricity, or is made up of certain extra- 
 ordinary demonstrations. True religion does not 
 require the carrying of a label on one's back to 
 keep the world advised of it. People can be as 
 good and holy in the ordinary paths of common 
 life and duty, as in showy acts and manners which 
 draw upon them public notice and attention. 
 The Gospel calls us to be Christians, and the 
 cheerful and honest discharge of the duties of our 
 lot and situation belongs to proper Christianity. 
 And no one is the holier, or the better off for 
 heaven, for being a nun or an anchorite. 
 
 We cannot say that all states and conditions 
 of life are equally favorable to piety. There are 
 situations in which it is hard to maintain a good 
 
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. J? 
 
 conscience. But, if one cannot be true and faith- 
 ful to God and right in the place or business in 
 which he is, he must get out of it ; for a man had 
 better starve and die than sell his soul for a little 
 earthly gain. The Lord always has a way for his 
 Daniels, Shadrachs, Meschacks, and Abednegos 
 to maintain their souls untarnished even in the 
 midst of a world of idolaters; and in most cases 
 people can serve God quite as well by fidelity to 
 the common duties of their lot, as by trying to 
 make a providence of their own. The great mat- 
 ter in any case is, to have faith in God, and to 
 make sure of being on terms with Him, content 
 to serve Him in such spheres and duties as have 
 fallen to us, however trying or humble, till it may 
 please Him to transfer us to other fields. 
 
 But it further appears from the text that preju- 
 dices and prepossessions are often great hindrances 
 to salvation. These people were familiar with 
 Jesus as an ordinary working-man, and one of 
 themselves, and they could not bear the thought 
 of His being the great Messiah when He began to 
 assert His claims. They knew Him to be virtu- 
 ous, industrious, kindhearted, truthful, and ex- 
 emplary, and had heard Him read and preach 
 with such clearness, power, and unction, ' ' that 
 they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this 
 man these things ? and what wisdom is this that 
 is given unto Him?" They had never known 
 Him to be fanatical, or given to extravagance, 
 egotism, or insanity. They knew of His wonderful 
 works. And they had every reason to believe 
 
yS THE OFFENDED NAZARENES. 
 
 that He would not claim to be what He was not. 
 Yet ' ' they were offended at Him, ' ' so much so 
 that they even sought to kill Him. The trouble 
 was that their prejudices got the better of their 
 reason and good sense. They were looking for 
 the Messiah to come as a great and mighty Caesar, 
 to break the Roman yoke and make them the 
 masters and possessors of the earth ; and hence 
 they could not brook the idea that one from 
 among themselves, belonging to so ordinary a 
 rank of life, could be the sublime King and Re- 
 deemer of the world. It so crossed their ways of 
 thinking, and so offended their prejudices, that it 
 stirred up their resentful passions, and caused 
 them to reject and seek to destroy the true and 
 only Saviour. "He came unto His own, and 
 His own received Him not. ' ' 
 
 And so it is even to this present. Nothing is 
 more adverse to faith and salvation than the in- 
 veterate prejudices and prepossessions of those to 
 whom the Gospel comes. It is not that Christ 
 fails adequately to commend himself to their con- 
 fidence and acceptance. It is not that eternal life 
 has not been brought near to them, even to the 
 doors of their dwellings. The only trouble is 
 that it comes in a way that does not suit their 
 fancy. It does not come with pomp and circum- 
 stance to captivate their carnal likes. It does not 
 fit their notions. It conflicts with their estimates, 
 tastes, and ideas. It demands admissions and 
 concessions against themselves which do not 
 flatter their self-consequence. There is too much 
 
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 79 
 
 of the carpenter, and the common, — too much 
 humiliation of human pride, — too much bringing 
 down of vain conceits, — to be relished by them ; 
 and so Christ is rejected, the mighty work He 
 would do for them is repelled, grace is refused, 
 and salvation retires, leaving them to their ill 
 judgments and unpardoned sins. 
 
 Dear friends, it is a bad thing to set up our 
 dreams and fancies against the claims of Jesus. 
 Whether He comes as we would prescribe and 
 prejudge, or in ways quite different from our likes 
 and expectations, He comes with ample proofs 
 and tokens that He is all that He claims and pro- 
 fesses ; and it is our interest and duty to receive 
 and welcome Him. His Christhood is not to be 
 determined by the humbleness of His birth, or 
 the rank of His schooling and trade, or the ordi- 
 nary character of His relatives. Some of the 
 world's greatest benefactors arose from very low 
 estates. 
 
 Neither can we be justified in thinking meanly 
 of His Church because of the unattractiveness 
 of its members, or the sacrifices to be made in 
 accepting place in it. There is after all a superior 
 glory in it beyond anything this world can offer. 
 Though Christ was a carpenter, He was also the 
 architect of the world, and its all-sufficient Re- 
 deemer. And it was part of His glory that, being 
 in the form of God, and thinking it no robbery or 
 wrongful assumption to be equal with God, He 
 condescended to partake of our common life and 
 
80 THE OFFENDED NAZARENES. 
 
 lot, to be to us a Saviour, to whom we can look 
 and feel as toward a brother. And to let our 
 worldly temper turn us away from Him because 
 He was a carpenter and lived among men as other 
 men, is the height of unwisdom ; for its effect is 
 to deprive us of the most precious opportunities 
 that ever came to needy mortals, — to sacrifice our 
 salvation to our own petty notions, — to repeat the 
 folly of these offended Nazarenes. 
 
 And equally at fault are they who plead the 
 lowliness of their own station, trades, or occupa- 
 tion, as an excuse for neglecting Christ and their 
 souls. Jesus earned His living and supported His 
 mother by serving as a carpenter, and it was no 
 hindrance to His maintenance of a holy life. 
 With His service at the bench He could still 
 fulfill every duty to God and every precept of the 
 law. No one is so disabled by his situation that 
 he cannot also at the same time successfully 
 attend to his spiritual wants. No demands of 
 worldly business can justify or excuse impiety 
 or neglect of God. Business men, and laboring 
 men, and every sort of men, can also be Christian 
 men, if so minded, without any detriment to 
 legitimate earthly interests ; and they live beneath 
 their privileges and their duty if they are not 
 Christians. People may follow their daily avoca- 
 tions and still serve God acceptably. Jesus did 
 it, and worked as a carpenter at the same time 
 that He ' ' increased in wisdom and in favor with 
 God and man." Even trade, and labor, and 
 common duty, belong to the service of God, if 
 
FIRST SUNDAY AFTKR EPIPHANY. 8 1 
 
 undertaken in a right spirit, for a right end, and 
 with proper reference to the divine will and favor. 
 Therefore, let no one say that he is too low down 
 in life, too much driven, too busy, too much con- 
 strained by his situation, to serve his Maker ; for 
 such is not the truth. 
 
 Consider, then, dear friends, how the blessed 
 Saviour comes to us, and what example He hath 
 set us of humble, honest, and godly living. 
 Think upon your manner of life, aud to what 
 extent your hearts and energies are conditioned 
 to His gracious proposals. Many, alas, are re- 
 peating the conduct of these unbelieving Naza- 
 renes. To many He is nothing but a carpenter, 
 the brother of James, and Joses, and Juda, and 
 Simon, beyond which they have no further use 
 for Him. Though impressed by the grandeur of 
 His teachings and the wonderfulness of His works, 
 they are u offended at him" when He demands 
 their confidence and their hearts. Many rail at 
 His Gospel, and only despise those who believe 
 and obey it. Yea, great is the company of those 
 who disdain serious attention to the calls and 
 claims of Jesus. 
 
 O, ye people of unfaith, give ear, and consider 
 your ways. You have much to question and 
 object respecting this Jesus of Nazareth ; but in 
 whom will you find a better? You have little or 
 no regard for His Church ; but where else will you 
 get such a salvation as it holds forth, proclaims, 
 and effects? You object to the doctrines it 
 teaches and the demands it makes ; but by what 
 
82 THE OFFENDED NAZARENES. 
 
 other faith or conditions can you count on accept- 
 ance in the judgment and a blessed eternity ? 
 You sometimes dream of a better world ; but how 
 will you ever reach it, while putting aside Him 
 who alone is the Way, the Truth, and the L,ife ? 
 You deem yourselves exempt because of your 
 station or disabling surroundings ; your poverty, 
 your daily labors, your unfavorable associations ; 
 but, if Christ could live a perfect life as a poor 
 carpenter for all those years in Nazareth, without 
 interference with His business, how can you be 
 justified in neglecting your soul for any such rea- 
 sons as you allege ? 
 
 Be not deceived, dear friends. If you are still 
 among the unbelieving and unsaved, the trouble 
 is not that you cannot do better, but that you 
 will not. The Christ is here, teaching, and 
 preaching, and proposing himself as the anointed 
 Saviour; and His own word is, "Blessed is he 
 that shall not be offended in Me." Why, then, 
 give preference to your own erring fancies, and 
 let the great salvation go ? O the unwisdom of 
 the unbelieving! 
 
E\)t Higfjt of tf»e ffiSJodo. 
 
 Second Sunday after Epiphany. 
 
 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the Light of the 
 world : he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall 
 have the light of life. — Jno. 8:12. 
 
 " HE Scriptures tell us that there was once 
 a time, when this world, now so full of 
 beauty, order, and pleasantness, was but 
 a huge mass of confused matter, wrapped 
 in impenetrable darkness. It had no form, no 
 order, no beauty. It was chaos. But a home for 
 immortal beings was to be constructed out of it. 
 It was to become a garden of God. It was to be 
 filled with the children of joy and happiness. Its 
 deformity was to be reduced to form, its disorder 
 melted into shape, its darkness transformed into 
 light, its death brought into life. And for this 
 the Almighty spoke, and the grandest of gifts 
 was the result. Darkness heard, and vanished. 
 Death heard, and hasted away. Disorder heard, 
 and began to shine with beauty. "God said, 
 Let there be light, and there zvas tight." 
 
 Humanity, like the world in its rudimental 
 ugliness and disorder, needed a like putting forth 
 upon it of Almighty power. All its order was 
 
 83 
 
84 THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. 
 
 disorder; all its harmony, disharmony; all its 
 light, darkness ; all its life, death. If anything 
 blessed was ever to come of it ; if that moral 
 chaos was ever to be lit with order, beauty, and 
 good ; there needed to be another going forth of 
 God's potent word, — another "Let there be light" 
 to effect it. And that new word for this new 
 creation is ' ' THE word ' ' which was made flesh, 
 and dwelt among men, whose glory men saw, and 
 whose blessed life our souls have felt. As light 
 is the utterance of God in the natural world, so 
 is Christ in the sphere of the spiritual. 
 
 The purest and most untarnishable thing in the 
 world is light. Snow is pure, ice is pure, water 
 is pure, air is pure ; but either of them will admit 
 of defilement, and may be marred, polluted, and 
 made the instrument of pollution. It is not so 
 with light. Man's hand cannot soil it. No cor- 
 ruption can infect it, or cleave to it. Nothing 
 can defile its rays, or attach pollution to its beams. 
 And such is Christ. All creatures have shown 
 themselves liable to sin and moral taint ; but 
 Christ passed through a world of sin, and the 
 hell of its punishment, as a sunbeam through a 
 lazarhouse, and came forth as pure and blessed as 
 He sprang from God himself. He took on him 
 sin's form, that He might endure sin's due ; but 
 its stain He never knew. In Bethlehem's manger 
 He was the Holy Child ; and to heaven He re- 
 turned the spotless Lamb of God. He lived a 
 human life, tried by all its cares and sorrows, 
 oppressed with all its necessities and temptations, 
 
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 85 
 
 grew up among its corrupt children, associated 
 with its erring population, encountered its subtle 
 passions, suffered its coarseness, its rebuffs, and 
 its villainies, and died a martyr to His efforts to 
 reform its defections ; but in all this "He did no 
 sin\ neither was guile found in His mouth." He 
 was pure, for He is Light. 
 
 Light is also as bright as it is pure. Things 
 are bright in proportion as they are full of light. 
 The day is bright when no clouds shut out the 
 sun. The prospect is bright when illumined by 
 the greatest number of rays. The hope is bright 
 which is freest from gloomy forebodings and fullest 
 of the light of promise. And such is Christ. He 
 is brightness, — "The brightness of the Father's 
 glory." The brightness of every Divine perfec- 
 tion. And His office is to dispense light. That 
 is the brightest time in the soul when there is 
 most of Christ in it. That is the brightest page 
 on which most of Christ is found. That is the 
 brightest sermon in which most of Christ is 
 heard. That is the brightest life in which most 
 of Christ is seen. That is the brightest world in 
 which Christ is most fully received. And that 
 heart, that church, that world, is but lead and 
 darkness where Christ is not. 
 
 Light likewise is free. It comes without cost, 
 and it comes ungrudgingly. Though the first 
 dawn of day be feeble, its first rays dim, and its 
 first presence seen only upon the highest summits; 
 those beams increase in distinctness ; the ruddy 
 glow deepens into crimson and gold ; and pres- 
 
86 THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. 
 
 ently the heavens are aglow with its brightness, 
 and the earth is flooded with its splendors. No 
 poverty is so great as to debar from its blessings. 
 It gilds the halls of the great and the huts of the 
 humble, and all alike without money and with- 
 out price. Nor is there an open crevice in all the 
 wide world into which it is unwilling to enter, 
 or where it fails to throw in its heaven-lit smiles. 
 It is free. And so is Christ. The Gospel day 
 opened gradually as man could bear its light. 
 Only some of the more exalted of the race caught 
 its first morning beams. But it has since diffused 
 itself into every nook of the world, and now 
 struggles for entrance into every heart' in every 
 nation. Christ is offered now as freely to Gentile 
 as Jew. He is the Saviour of the poor as well as 
 of the rich, and on the same terms of free grace 
 to each and all willing to accept Him. He is the 
 true Light, ready to lighten every man that cometh 
 into the world. 
 
 It also appertains to the nature of light to be all- 
 revealing. Darkness obscures the vision. Where 
 darkness prevails perception is limited. A pit 
 may gape at our feet ; a murderer may be waiting 
 in our path ; a dagger may be aimed at our heart ; 
 each touch may be a stain and each step defile- 
 ment ; but darkness prevents our knowing it. 
 Only when daylight comes can we see and know 
 the truth. 
 
 And Christ is the great Revealer. By Him we 
 come to know God and our true selves. By Him 
 we learn who and where we are, what our needs 
 
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 8? 
 
 are, and how to relieve them. One of the hardest 
 things in the world is to make people believe that 
 they are guilty and lost beings. The reason is, 
 they are in the dark. They need the light to 
 show them themselves. And that light is Christ. 
 Only let a man compare himself with Jesus, and 
 try himself- in the light of Christ's life and/teach- 
 ings, and it will not be long till he sees that self 
 of his to be a mere mass of guilt, that world of his 
 love a monster, whose very embrace is filth and 
 whose cup of joy is death. 
 
 Light is self-revealing. It shows itself. And 
 so is Christ. No one can contemplate Him with- 
 out being impressed with His great glory. His 
 person, His cross, His love, His blood, His word, 
 and everything concerning Him, have depths of 
 preciousness which are manifest to those who 
 draw near to Him, and enter into close com- 
 munion with Him. It is when we walk with 
 Him in the way, and sit down with Him to meat, 
 and hear Him lay open to us the Scriptures, that 
 His excellences appear as beauties in the sunlight. 
 
 Light is lifegiving. The world is dead without 
 light. Where the sun rarely shines there is bar- 
 ren dreariness. Perpetual winter, or perpetual 
 darkness, is perpetual desolation* It is the warm- 
 ing light of spring that starts the dormant germs, 
 swells the buds, and clothes the vineyard, the 
 field, and the wood with life, fragrance, luxuri- 
 ance, and plenty. So is Christ. Where He is 
 not, there is spiritual barrenness. But when His 
 beams shine in upon the soul, the seeds of virtue 
 
85 THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. 
 
 put forth, and the tree of faith lifts up its starry 
 bloom, and the fruits and flowers of love and 
 grace fill the face of heaven with praise. 
 
 Is it your desire then, dear friends, to enjoy that 
 light? Throw open your heart, and it is yours. 
 Open to it, and it will flow in, as water through 
 the lifted gate. You need waste no time in gath- 
 ering up the wherewithal to purchase it. All 
 your worth is nothing. All your merit is only 
 demerit. Your very best is mixed with sin. Only 
 plead misery and take mercy. Bewail darkness 
 and accept light. Cast away your earthy tapers 
 and take to the sun of righteousness. Wait on 
 God, and the Dayspring of Salvation will visit 
 you with joyous light. 
 
 Many false lights have been kindled on these 
 shores of time, — many which lure to rocks, and 
 quicksands, and whirlpools of destruction. Vain 
 meteors glare from many pulpits, and in many 
 books, and on many platforms. And many are 
 being led into the bogs and abysses of error and 
 darkness. But, as there is but one sun in the 
 firmament, so there is but one Christ in the Bible, 
 — but one true lamp of life. Nor need any one 
 be without that light, if willing to accept and 
 possess it. No one is condemned because there 
 is no light ; the condemnation is this, that light 
 is come into the world, and men love darkness 
 rather than light. People fail of true light be- 
 cause they avoid it, and dislike it, and are not 
 willing to suffer the rebukes which it brings upon 
 their darling sins and ignorances. Put away sin, 
 
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 89 
 
 crucify evil lusts, turn away from beholding van- 
 ity, look to Jesus, and you will find the light 
 which bringeth salvation. 
 
 Some of you, dear friends, have found that 
 light, and find it sweet and pleasant. Your light 
 has come. The Daystar from on high hath visited 
 you, and poured in His blessed rays upon your 
 souls. Be careful then to walk in that light. 
 Keep to it until, like Moses on the mount, you 
 become luminous from it. Drink it in, and reflect 
 it, that others seeing your good works may glorify 
 the Father in heaven. So shall you be light in 
 the Lord, and Christ shall be your everlasting 
 tight 
 
 Walk in the light ! So shalt thou know- 
 That fellowship of love, 
 
 His Spirit only can bestow, 
 Who reigns in light above. 
 
 Walk in the light ! and sin, abhorred, 
 
 Shall ne'er defile again ; 
 The blood of Jesus Christ thy Lord 
 
 Shall cleanse from every stain. 
 
 Walk in the light ! and thou shalt find 
 
 Thy heart made truly His, 
 Who dwells in cloudless light enshrined, 
 
 In whom no darkness is. 
 
St J»atMlous ISdfcber. 
 
 Third Sunday after Epiphany. 
 
 When Jesus heard it, He marvelled, and said unto them that fol- 
 lowed, Verily, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, 
 not in Israel. — Matt. 8 : io. 
 
 HAITH is the great thing in practical 
 Christianity. The Scriptures everywhere 
 assign it a most exalted place. We are 
 justified by faith. "Without faith it is 
 impossible to please God." And as our eternal 
 salvation depends on our faith, all the doings and 
 appointments of the Saviour with reference to 
 mankind look to the creation and development 
 of it. 
 
 The text stands in connection with a case in 
 which Jesus found faith so great as to command 
 His special admiration. It is said that He " mar- 
 velled" at it. This does not mean that it took 
 Him by surprise, or that it came upon Him as an 
 astounding wonder ; for He well knew what was 
 in man. And whatever of the marvellous or the 
 uncommon there was about it, it was wrought by 
 His Spirit. But it was so superior, in a case so 
 unpromising, and begotten under so many dis- 
 advantages, that He held it up as a marvel unto 
 
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 9 1 
 
 men, carrying in it a just rebuke to the incredul- 
 ity and skepticism of the Jews and of all unbe- 
 lievers. 
 
 People often greatly mistake as to what faith is. 
 They have a notion that things must be positively 
 demonstrated before they can safely be believed. 
 Their philosophy is that u seeing is believing." 
 But it is a mistaken philosophy. It is not the 
 way they act in ordinary things. Faith does not 
 rest on demonstration. It is a confident looking 
 to an end which is not and cannot yet be a matter 
 of demonstration. The man who sows his seed 
 for a future harvest believes ; that is, he confi- 
 dently expects that by these means the harvest 
 will come ; but he has no absolute proof that it 
 ever will come. A merchant embarks in business 
 believing ; that is, confidently expecting that he 
 can make it pay ; but he has no certain guarantee 
 that it wilL A traveller takes passage on a ship 
 believing ; that is, confidently expecting that it 
 will bring him safely to the point he wishes to 
 reach ; but he is without demonstration that so it 
 will be. In all such cases people adventure on 
 probabilities, not upon demonstrated certainties. 
 Having considered the nature and possibilities of 
 the case and found the balance of probabilities in 
 their favor, they have no hesitation in entering 
 upon it. They trust that all will turn out as they 
 hope ; and this is their faith, which makes real to 
 them for the time what is simply a thing of 
 expectation. And it is the same in matters of 
 Christianity. We must trust for what we cannot 
 
92 A MARVELLOUS BELIEVER. 
 
 see. We must rest on probabilities and promises. 
 To demand and wait for absolute demonstration 
 and infallible certainty as a condition of believing, 
 is an absurdity, — a contradiction in terms ; for 
 what is thus made absolutely sure is knowledge, 
 and no longer faith. 
 
 The faith referred to in the text certainly was 
 not founded on absolute demonstration. It was 
 simply the result of a contemplation of facts, and 
 honest reasonings from those facts, begetting in 
 the man the strong persuasion on which he acted, 
 and which he so splendidly expressed. And so it 
 is in every case. 
 
 Let us consider, then, wherein lay the greatness 
 of this man's faith, and how it worked. 
 
 First of all, it was great in view of the disad- 
 vantages under which it was formed. The man 
 was a Gentile, a heathen. He had been brought 
 up amid the darkness and falsities of paganism. 
 All his early impressions were very unfavorable 
 to correct religious belief. Much of his early 
 education, and of his national and family influ- 
 ence, he had to overcome, as well as the prevail- 
 ing contempt in which the proud Romans held 
 the Jews. 
 
 Moreover, he was a soldier, a captain of the 
 Roman army stationed at Capernaum to keep the 
 restless Jews in order. The military profession 
 can hardly be regarded as favorable to godliness. 
 It is an intensely worldly and self-consequential 
 profession, beset with peculiar temptations to 
 recklessness, profanity, dissoluteness, sensuality, 
 
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 93 
 
 and vainglory. It is in general animated by a 
 spirit quite alien to the virtues that belong to a 
 devout Christian. 
 
 But with all these hindrances and disadvan- 
 tages, this man became a thorough believer, a 
 proselyte to the Jewish faith, and thence an hon- 
 ored confessor of the power and glory of Christ. 
 
 Some are disposed to think themselves excus- 
 able from all attention to matters of religion be- 
 cause of their unfavorable surroundings. But 
 they, dishonor themselves and dishonor God by 
 such a plea. Where the light of the Gospel shines 
 there is no situation in this world in which God 
 and His Christ may not be remembered, honored, 
 and believed in, even to the saving of the soul. 
 People belie the truth to their own hurt when 
 they allow themselves any other conclusion. They 
 may charge their ungodliness and pray erl ess in- 
 difference upon their peculiar circumstances, but 
 the real fault of it lies in their own breasts. Had 
 they the will, the desire, the earnestness, no ex- 
 ternal surroundings could hinder them. Nay, the 
 greater the antagonisms, the greater the triumph. 
 The giant saints of old, such as Moses, Elijah, 
 and Daniel, were not hothouse nurslings ; and all 
 the greater was this heathen soldier's faith, be- 
 cause it came and grew in spite of pagan prepos- 
 sessions, and the snares and ambitions* that beset 
 military life. 
 
 The faith of this man was great also in contrast 
 with that of the Jews. Of them it was expected 
 that they would accept and welcome the Christ. 
 
94 A MARVELLOUS BELIEVER. < 
 
 They had been brought up and trained to that 
 end. Their whole education, and the spirit of 
 their nation from the beginning, ran in this direc- 
 tion. Their advantages were the most favorable 
 on earth. But when the Messiah came they were 
 among the slowest to believe. They had every- 
 thing to convince and persuade them. They 
 demanded miracles, and He gave them in abun- 
 dance. They called for authority, and He quoted 
 to them the testimony of Moses and the prophets, 
 and of John the Baptist, whom they knew and 
 honored. There came a voice from heaven at 
 His Baptism declaring Him the beloved Son of 
 the Eternal Father. And even the demons let go 
 their holds on men and ran howling from His 
 presence, and in their terror declared Him the 
 Son of the living God. But the Jewish rulers 
 explained it all away, and there were few to credit 
 His claims. And to their shame and condemna- 
 tion this Gentile, this heathen soldier, believed 
 and was blessed. 
 
 Great also was his faith, in the manner in which 
 he reasoned it out. His own unfavorable profes- 
 sion furnished the foundation for his argument. 
 He was a man under authority, and he could do 
 no otherwise than obey the orders of those above 
 him. But he also had soldiers under him, who 
 were obliged to do his bidding. And this was the 
 groundwork of a strain of reasoning more forcible, 
 more affecting, more sublime, than imagination 
 had ever conceived, or heart felt, or tongue ex- 
 pressed. Jesus was to his view the mighty and 
 
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 95 
 
 invincible Caesar in the realm of spiritual and heal- 
 ing forces, who needed only to speak and it was 
 done, or to command and it would be as He said. 
 Here was faith in its grandest conceptions, such 
 as Jesus had not found even in Israel. 
 
 There is a faith, very orthodox and exalted in 
 its conceptions, yet very inert and feeble in its 
 effects upon the heart and life. The Scriptures 
 call it a dead faith. It may be theoretically true, 
 but has nothing practical to answer to it. The 
 faith of this centurion was not of that sort. It 
 was with him a living, active, and influential prin- 
 ciple. It affected his whole nature, spirit, and 
 conduct. It was a living faith. 
 
 It made him humane and kindhearted, as shown 
 in his tender regard for his slave. Roman mas- 
 ters were sometimes gentle, but mostly harsh, 
 severe, and barbaric toward those in such rela- 
 tions ; but this man had a heart to feel for his 
 suffering fellow-man although a slave, and to do 
 all he could to relieve his sufferings and save his 
 life. And so, though we speak with the tongues 
 of men and angels, and have the gift of prophecy, 
 and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, 
 and have faith even to remove mountains, and 
 have not charity, all our Christianity is defective, 
 and all our religion is mere emptiness. 
 
 This man's faith made him active and generous 
 toward the cause of true religion. He respected 
 and favored the Jews because they worshipped the 
 true and living God ; and he gave decisive and 
 magnificent proof of this in building them a syn- 
 
96 A MARVELLOUS BELIEVER., 
 
 agogue. He realized the value and importance 
 of public worship, and of fitting accommodations 
 for it ; and he voluntarily gave plentifully and 
 ungrudgingly of his private means to that end. 
 And wherever living faith exists, there will needs 
 be deep practical interest in the maintenance of 
 the sanctuary and the support of divine service. 
 To neglect that is to discount the whole cause we 
 profess to honor, and our faith is not yet what it 
 needs to become a living reality. 
 
 And still another feature developed in this man 
 as the direct fruit of his faith in Christ was his 
 remarkable humility. This he showed in the 
 manner of his solicitation of the Saviour's inter- 
 position in behalf of his suffering servant. He 
 was a Roman military officer, in command of the 
 place ; and yet with what modesty, diffidence, 
 and reverent fear of offending, did he apply to 
 Jesus! Twice he sent messengers, made up of 
 the highest Jewish officials, deeming himself un- 
 worthy to approach in person one so high and 
 holy as Jesus. And when the Saviour was on 
 His way to the man's home he met Him with 
 entreaties not to trouble himself further, but to 
 speak the word only, as he, a soldier and an alien, 
 was not worthy to have Him come under his 
 roof. Nor is it possible for us to have true faith 
 in Christ without feeling our unworthiness, or 
 without being deeply humbled in His presence, 
 by reason of the vast distance which our sins 
 have interposed between us and His sublime holi- 
 ness. A true believer is humble and modest. 
 
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 97 
 
 And in these expressions, outworkings, and 
 fruits of this man's faith, we get a still deeper 
 insight into the greatness of what the Saviour 
 so highly commended and what is so necessary 
 for us. 
 
 And now a few observations on the general 
 subject. 
 
 The first that strikes me is the pungent reproof 
 and rebuke which the case of this Centurion 
 brings to modern unbelievers. He came to hon- 
 ored faith in Jesus under very limited opportuni- 
 ties and against very serious disadvantages. And 
 if there was ground for wonder at his faith, how 
 much greater the ground for surprise at the un- 
 faith of those who, after the fulfilment of so much 
 that was foretold, the revolutionary and new creat- 
 ing power of the Saviour's" life, death, and resur- 
 rection, — after all the wonderful manifestations of 
 His gifts, — and after the glory the centuries have 
 woven around His Name, the progress of His 
 Church, the dethronement of paganism, the con- 
 version of the Caesars, and the common sentiment 
 of the most enlightened people on earth, — still 
 doubt, and hesitate, and take upon themselves to 
 reject and confute what the toils of Apostles and 
 martyrs, and the experiences of eighteen hundred 
 years, have so universally and divinely planted 
 and authenticated! If the queen of the south is 
 to rise up in the judgment with the men of that 
 generation, and condemn them, because she came 
 from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear 
 the wisdom of Solomon, while they despised and 
 
98 A MARVELLOUS BELIEVER. 
 
 rejected the Greater than Solomon ; will not this 
 Roman soldier rise up in condemnation of the 
 people of our day, who have a thousandfold better 
 chances than he, and yet never cast a believing 
 thought to the blessed Christ, or at all apply to 
 Him as their Saviour and hope? Ho, ye neglec- 
 tors of your sick and dying souls, whither will ye 
 look for help, with Jesus spurned and His Salva- 
 tion trampled under foot ? 
 
 But there is a more cheerful inference from the 
 faith of this Centurion. It is an inference formu- 
 lated by the Saviour himself. If this man, against 
 so many disadvantages, could rise to faith so ex- 
 alted, why may not many others in similar cir- 
 cumstance? Yes, this case shows there may be 
 many consistent believers where we would not 
 expect to find them ? Hence the Master's decla- 
 ration : "I say unto you, That many shall come 
 from the east and west, and shall sit down with 
 Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom 
 of heaven," while those from whom everything 
 was to be hoped, even the very children of the 
 kingdom, fail altogether. We must not judge 
 outsiders too harshly, nor condemn the heathen 
 and soldiers too indiscriminately ; for, with all 
 their unfavorable surroundings, they may turn 
 out better than ourselves. 
 
 However, the great central lesson for us all is, 
 to make diligent use of our opportunities ; to em- 
 brace the Christ as He comes to us ; to take Him 
 as our Helper and glorious Lord ; to look to Him 
 in our need ; to trust implicitly to His Word ; 
 
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 99 
 
 and humbly to submit ourselves to Him as the 
 great and merciful spiritual Caesar, whom none 
 can neglect nor disobey without forfeit of all that 
 is most precious to the soul, whether for this 
 world, or that which is to come. 
 
&¥ jfrigfjtenetr tJagasers* 
 
 Fourth Sunday after Epiphany. 
 
 And He said unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? — 
 Matt. 8 : 26. 
 
 HE Speaker here referred to was Christ. 
 The place was on board a boat on the 
 inland sea of Galilee. The occasion 
 was the alarm and outcries of the dis- 
 ciples in the midst of a terrific storm. The whole 
 scene was one of impressive sublimity, beautifully 
 described by the Evangelist in a few simple sen- 
 tences, and full of suggestive significance. 
 
 That sea is a picture of this world. Those 
 afloat upon it represent the voyage of life. And 
 that storm symbolizes the adversities and troubles 
 often encountered in this voyage. 
 
 I. It appears, then, first of all, that the follow- 
 ing of Christ sometimes brings into very trying 
 scenes. He went aboard this boat, and took His 
 disciples with Him into the storm. Christianity 
 does not exempt from trials in this world. The 
 following of Jesus may save from many a sorrow, 
 but there are others into which it leads. This 
 was specially true of the first Christians. 
 
 Earthly life is like that Tiberian lake, some- 
 100 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. IOI 
 
 times calm aiid beautiful, but frequently thrown 
 into violent commotion, often lashed with furious 
 tempests. And our way lies through that lake. 
 The Saviour himself said, "In the world ye shall 
 have tribulation;" and that word has held true 
 in every age. If any one expects to reach the 
 happy land without encountering storms and trou- 
 bles of one sort or another, he will be greatly 
 disappointed. 
 
 But all such experiences have in them a good 
 and beneficent purpose, or the Saviour would not 
 lead His followers into them. They are not acci- 
 dental. They belong to a divine system so or- 
 dered as to make u all things work together for 
 good to them that love .God. ' ' This storm on 
 Genessaret was not unforeseen by the Saviour, 
 but was meant to give and impress lessons which 
 could not otherwise be so well taught. 
 
 These disciples needed to be made more sensible 
 of their own helplessness and their dependence 
 on their Lord. They needed to be more deeply 
 convinced of His abundant power and sufficiency 
 in every emergency. He had wrought many 
 great and wonderful things on land ; but there 
 they had some chance for helping themselves. 
 It remained for Him to show the greatness of His 
 power over the winds and the sea, where they 
 had no recourse but in his almightiness. And 
 some beneficent results are contemplated in all 
 the troubles and afflictions of the saints. Hence 
 we are exhorted not to think it strange that fiery 
 trials come, as though they were something quite 
 
102 THE FRIGHTENED VOYAGERS. 
 
 out of the ordinary range of things ; but to look 
 upon them as from God, meant to try, purify, 
 develop, and bless us, and to perfect us in the 
 likeness of our Lord. 
 
 When the farmer sifts his wheat, it is not to 
 damage it, but to separate it from intermixtures 
 which depreciate its worth. When the black- 
 smith thrusts the piece of steel into the hot fires, 
 it is not to harm or destroy it, but to soften it to 
 answer better to his purposes and its own exalta- 
 tion. And for similar reasons Jesus leads His 
 people into storms and troubles. The cross is the 
 way to the crown ; and our greater glory in the 
 end stands connected with these earthly trials. 
 
 II. In the next place, it is to be noted that 
 Christ was with these people in the ship. Poor, 
 unthinking mortals are apt to overlook this in 
 their troubles. When things are all smooth before 
 them they take it as a matter of course ; but 
 when afflictions and dangers are upon them they 
 fear and despair as if they had no Saviour, no 
 God. They do not realize that Jesus is with 
 them in the ship, and so miss the consolation they 
 might otherwise have. 
 
 The great Roman Emperor was once in a dread- 
 ful storm at sea. The appearances were that all 
 would be lost. The captain of the vessel was full 
 of alarm and ready to despair. But the Emperor 
 said to him, "Why do you fear for the ship? 
 Know you not that it carries Caesar?" But 
 mightier and greater than all the Caesars is Jesus, 
 who is with His people amid whatever storms 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. IO3 
 
 may come ; nor can fatal disaster happen while 
 He is with them in the ship. 
 
 But though Jesus was with these people, ' ' He 
 was asleep." He knew what was coming, but 
 He was quite composed and serene in view of it. 
 He knew what the distress and terror of His disci- 
 ples would be, but He slept, — slept while the waves 
 were dashing over the ship and the sea was ready to 
 engulf them. Though He is the omnific Saviour, 
 and is never oblivious touching the wants and 
 dangers of His people, He is not careful to exempt 
 them from troubles, nor to help them out of them 
 till the purpose of them has been fully tested. 
 Sometimes He gives over His people to the most 
 unequal conflicts, and to extremities that might 
 seem to prove that He cared not for them. It 
 was so with Job. It was so with Israel in Egypt. 
 It was so with David under the persecutions of 
 Saul. It was so with John the Baptist pining in 
 Herod's prison. And it is so with many suffering 
 saints in all lands to this day. But still, though 
 thus seemingly regardless of their distresses, He 
 is with them in the ship, so that they cannot sink 
 or perish without His sinking and perishing with 
 them. Hence His Word : "Why are ye fearful, 
 O ye of little faith?" 
 
 III. Still further, these occurrences were meant 
 to teach, that, however great the storms and trou- 
 bles that may come upon Christ's followers, glori- 
 ous deliverance is at hand. He who commands 
 the winds and the sea, though asleep, is within 
 call, and ready to help in every time of need. He 
 
104 THE FRIGHTENED VOYAGERS. 
 
 lets things go on to try our patience and our faith, 
 to prove to us our utter helplessness without Him, 
 and to turn our eyes, and prayers, and despairing 
 cries to Him. 
 
 But, in the last distressing hour, 
 He's sure to show His saving power. 
 The thickest danger is the place 
 Where He displays His saving grace. 
 
 And when these alarmed ' c disciples came to Him, 
 and awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us; we perish. 
 He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and 
 there was a great calm." Their "little faith" 
 still served to turn them to their Lord for succor, 
 and their cries were not disregarded. He reproved 
 them for fearing the ship would sink with Him in 
 it, but not for breaking in upon His repose. 
 A distinguished preacher, commenting upon the 
 scene, exclaims : "I see Him opening His eyes, — 
 but not with surprise. Nothing astonished him. 
 I see Him going upon deck, — not in haste. Haste 
 is from confusion. He was never in haste. I see 
 Him facing the storm, and speaking to it as a 
 living thing that could hear Him. He rebuked 
 the winds and the sea. — But what said He? — The 
 wild elements understood, and they obeyed. And 
 there was a great calm." It was a wonderful 
 miracle, — a miracle of deliverance, — that so as- 
 tounded those for whom it was wrought, that 
 they marvelled, saying, "What manner of man 
 is this, that even the winds and the sea obey 
 Him?" 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. 105 
 
 But therein was the demonstration that no 
 troubles or adversities of this world are too great 
 for Him to control, and that we need never despair 
 of His help when we cry to Him as our Saviour. 
 It was the picture and pledge of what all suffering 
 and praying believers may count on in any ex- 
 tremity to which they may be reduced in this 
 present evil world. Even where deliverance 
 would seem impossible it is at hand in our Sa- 
 viour's almightiness, if only we prayerfully and 
 obediently address ourselves to Him. 
 
 IV. Furthermore, it is here shown and empha- 
 sized that the hand to lay hold on Christ's help 
 in trouble is faith. Weak and little as was the 
 faith of these disciples, it brought them deliver- 
 ance. It turned them to Christ as their only 
 Helper. It caused them to bring their trouble to 
 Him, and it animated their cries for His interfer- 
 ence to save them. They had no idea how that 
 deliverance was to come ; but their faith was in 
 Christ, and to Him they looked as their only 
 hope, if perchance He could do something for 
 them. They were sure they would perish unless 
 He could help ; and it brought them salvation. 
 And if " little faith" could accomplish so much, 
 what may not a strong and vigorous faith secure ? 
 
 Here then is our recourse in all straights and 
 necessities. In Jesus is our strength and hope. 
 He is always with His people even unto the end 
 of the world. He has covenanted never to leave 
 nor forsake them. He is as near, if not nearer, in 
 their sorrows and trials than in their hours of joy 
 
106 THE FRIGHTENED VOYAGERS. 
 
 and peace. His ear is not heavy that it cannot 
 hear, nor His arm shortened that He cannot save. 
 But our eyes must be toward Him as our only 
 help. We must believe that He is able and will- 
 ing to do for us according to our need, and to 
 bring us safely through. We must confide in His 
 power, His goodness, and His superintending care. 
 And for this His invitations, promises, and 
 pledges are ample. He has given proof enough 
 that He is a Saviour, and a great one, able and 
 ready to save unto the uttermost all that come 
 unto God by Him. And why then, in any case, 
 should we doubt or despair? All we need is 
 faith, — faith that lays hold on Jehovah's strength, 
 in patient assurance that He will make all right 
 in the end. 
 
 Triumphant faith ! 
 She can pluck mountains from their rooted thrones, 
 And hurl them into ocean ; and from pain, 
 And prisons, and contempt. — extort the palm 
 Of everlasting triumph. 
 
 Wherever faith is there is power, there is vic- 
 tory, there is salvation. Be the difficulty, the 
 trial, the sorrow, the trouble what it may, where 
 there is faith to lay hold on Jesus, to rest believ- 
 ingly on Him, it makes sufferings light, dulls the 
 edge of pain, and swallows up despair in the as- 
 surance of glad deliverance in the end. Hence 
 the word : u Be not afraid ; only believe. " " Why 
 are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" 
 
 A great and miraculous calm was wrought by 
 Christ for these tried and despairing disciples 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. \OJ 
 
 when they looked to Him in their distress. And 
 what He did for them on Galilee He will do in 
 His own good time for all His storm-tossed people 
 who in like manner look to and confide in Him. 
 This whole transaction prophesies the ultimate 
 outcome of the work of the Christ. One word ex- 
 presses it ; and that word is Peace. 
 
 To all fearful and distressed believers, Peace. 
 To disturbed and troubled nature, Peace. To 
 growing and suffering creation, Peace. Yes, from 
 Jesus of Nazareth there is yet to go forth upon all 
 disastrous winds and waves of earth a new com- 
 mand, to silence their afflictive commotions, to 
 calm their fierceness, to tame down their wild 
 fury, and to spread over all this disturbed and tur- 
 bulent scene of things u a great calm" amid 
 which He shall stand out in the glory of divine 
 Lordship, while His rescued and delivered people 
 kneel around Him in adoring wonder, as blissful 
 as it is sublime. 
 
 The great matter is to have Jesus with us in 
 our voyage over this troubled sea. Without Him 
 no ship can outweather the storms, or land us 
 safely on the further shore. We may think we 
 can make it in our own strength and wisdom; but 
 we soon shall find how helpless we are against ab- 
 solute despair. 
 
 But, to have Jesus with us in the voyage, we 
 must enter the ship wherein He is embarked. 
 That ship is the old ship of Zion. It is not an 
 imposing craft, but it is the only one that can 
 bear us in safety to the better land. 
 
108 THE FRIGHTENED VOYAGERS. 
 
 These are days in which many undertake to 
 make crafts of their own, and venture upon them 
 where no Jesus is. But they know not the 
 strength of the storms that await them, and will 
 find out too late what miscalculations they have 
 made. 
 
 God help us to be wise, and to understand this, 
 to consider wherein our salvation lies ! 
 
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany. 
 
 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me ; for I am meek and 
 lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke 
 is easy, and My burden is light. — Matt, ii : 29, 30. 
 
 'UR blessed Saviour had just uttered that 
 sublime and touching invitation, ' ' Come 
 unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy 
 laden, and I will give you rest;" — an 
 invitation which still stands open to all the bur- 
 dened and sorrowing children of men. Let the 
 trouble be what it may, there is relief for it in 
 Jesus, and His offer is to help and comfort all who 
 rightly come to Him. 
 
 But, in proposing to accept His gracious invita- 
 tion it is important for us to understand what it 
 involves. In seeking unto Christ as our Helper, 
 there must needs be a willing submission of our- 
 selves to His will and way ; — a taking upon us of 
 His yoke. He has his own manner of dispensing 
 His mercies. They can be had for the taking, but 
 not as we may fancy, prescribe, or dictate. He is 
 an adequate resort in all trouble and unrest, but 
 He has His own manner of imparting the bless- 
 ing, and we must defer to Him, trust Him, and 
 wait His time. 
 
 109 
 
110 THE GOSPEL YOKE. 
 
 To come to Christ means the putting of our- 
 selves in the hands and care of Christ, accepting 
 Him as our Lord and Guide, and giving ourselves 
 to walk, and serve, and trust, as He may direct 
 and order. 
 
 Nor are we to suppose that there is nothing 
 burdensome in it. Jesus here speaks of both a 
 ' ' yoke, ' ' and a ( ' burden, ' ' which those who come 
 to Him are to take up, and bear. The language 
 is figurative, but very significant. 
 
 The "yoke" tells of restraint upon natural 
 freedom, likes, and pleasures, and of service to 
 be rendered. Harnessed oxen are not left to go 
 and do as they please, but must move, and use 
 their powers, as the Master wills ; and the same 
 holds good in our being joined to Christ. 
 
 And so the " burden " tells of something to be 
 borne, — some weight to be carried, — some sort of 
 load laid upon the shoulders. Naturally, there is 
 much to be left, which it is not always easy to 
 sacrifice. A new course of life is to be followed, 
 which is not always what we would fancy. There 
 is a profession to be made, much native selfish- 
 ness and pride to be cast off, and a new Master to 
 be served. And it is not always easy to abandon 
 old ways, to vanquish heart-unbelief, to endure 
 the taunts and ridicule of the despisers of religion, 
 and to keep up genuine zeal and fidelity in Chris- 
 tian duty. 
 
 There is then something of a yoke and burden 
 in the case. The Scriptures employ various fig- 
 ures to describe it, all of which, when analyzed, 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. Ill 
 
 imply the same thing. It is called a wrestle, — a 
 race, — a warfare, — calling for pluck, watchful- 
 ness, training, and energy, even to the giving 
 up of body, life, and limb, when the question is 
 whether we are to be true to our Lord or not. 
 
 But while Christianity brings under the yoke, 
 and has its peculiar burden, the Saviour here 
 assures us that His yoke is "easy," and His 
 burden "light." Many would not so take it. 
 Considered with respect to worldly interests, or 
 apart from everything else, the undertaking looks 
 formidable enough, — so formidable that multi- 
 tudes cannot be persuaded to adventure beyond a 
 few outside rudiments. Depraved, selfish, proud, 
 and vainglorious human, nature is not so ready to 
 surrender its self-consequence and return to the 
 condition of childhood to begin life over again. 
 And yet, here are the plain words of Christ him- 
 self, that His yoke is easy, and His burden is 
 light. How then is this to be understood. 
 
 Well, Christ's yoke is easy, as compared with 
 the yoke which the Pharisees' laid upon people's 
 necks. Think of the taxes of one-tenth of the 
 increase of everything, — of the costly offerings 
 required at almost every turn or event of life, — 
 of the laborious and expensive triennial visita- 
 tions to Jerusalem to keep the great feasts, — of 
 the endless round of legalistic observances, gifts, 
 and sacrifices, which, after all, could not justify 
 him that did the service. All this made up a 
 yoke and a burden which Peter says was more 
 than man could bear. But, from all this, Christ 
 
112 THE GOSPEL YOKE. 
 
 hath set us free. These oppressive taxes, painful 
 rites, expensive offerings, and vexatious laws, are 
 all done away in Christianity. The law of our 
 dispensation is, u Let no man judge you in meat, 
 or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the 
 new moon, or of the Sabbaths," which were but 
 shadows of the better things that have now come. 
 And in comparison with that slavery to shadowy 
 ceremonies, the yoke of Christ is easy and His 
 burden light. Here are only a few simple and 
 easy rites, which oppress no one. Here are sub- 
 stantial and eternal benefits to be enjoyed without 
 money and without price. And while there is 
 call for grateful acknowledgment and thank-offer- 
 ing, it is all left to men's freewill, and the im- 
 pulses of the loving Christian heart, to apportion 
 and do. 
 
 So Christ's yoke is easy compared with the 
 yoke and burden of sin. The way of the trans- 
 gressor is hard. It may be flattering, and agree- 
 able at the start. But for the wayward and god- 
 less the evil day will come. The triumphing of 
 the wicked is short. Conscience, long suppressed 
 and trampled, will assert itself at the last, biting 
 like a serpent and stinging like an adder. 
 
 Nor is any mere worldling as happy as he seems. 
 If our gay and godless people would speak out the 
 truth, they would be compelled to say with Solo- 
 mon, that "all is vanity and vexation of spirit." 
 And what sad wrecks of homes, and happiness, 
 and life itself, are constantly overtaking those 
 who give loose to their lusts and carnal ambition 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. II3 
 
 at the expense of purity, honesty, and righteous- 
 ness ! What throes of incurable remorse ultimately 
 come to those who thus sell themselves to the 
 devil ! How do their souls agonize when they 
 think of the loving ones they have sent to the 
 grave with broken hearts, the ruin they have 
 brought upon the confiding and the innocent, the 
 dishonor and shame with which they have loaded 
 their names, the sorrows and irremediable damage 
 brought upon them by their sins ! And when it 
 comes to the solemn encounter with death, judg- 
 ment, and eternity, how many are turned to utter 
 madness by their guilty remembrances, or plunged 
 into horrors which they cannot bear ! O how 
 often are our hearts made to bleed and melt in 
 pity over the mental anguish and inconsolable 
 torment of men, who, for a little momentary 
 gratification, have yielded to the tempter ! Can 
 we look at the facts, and not be compelled to con- 
 fess that the yoke of Christ is a paradise by the 
 side of such burdens? What Christian has ever 
 mourned at the last for having given his life to 
 God and righteousness ? When has regret and re- 
 morse ever come to him, except for having been 
 so slow and poor in the service of his Lord ? 
 
 Easy also is the yoke and light the burden of 
 Christianity, as compared with the task of those 
 who propose to secure justification and heaven by 
 their own works and virtues. To fill out in heart, 
 word, and deed all the demands of the law for 
 every day and hour of life is what no mere man 
 ever has done or ever can do. He who tries it, 
 
114 THE GOSPEL YOKE. 
 
 even to the utmost of his powers, will find the bed 
 too short and the covering quite too narrow. He 
 may sometimes persuade himself that he has suc- 
 ceeded, as Paul once thought, or that he is in a 
 fair way to succeed ; but when he comes to look 
 at things as they are, he soon finds rents in his 
 garment which he tries in vain to mend. Seeing 
 himself in the light of God's truth, his confidence 
 must cower and his hopes wilt, as did those of 
 Paul, because he has not yet begun to meet what 
 is required. What matters it that he has not been 
 an atheist, a liar, a thief, a murderer, an adul- 
 terer, and is quite free from many black stains that 
 are upon some others? If his heart has never 
 been given to God, and he has never accepted 
 Christ as his Redeemer, he is still under condem- 
 nation. The Christian is indeed bound to live 
 virtuously, but he never thinks of being saved by 
 his works. He has a Saviour who stands for 
 him ; and because he has made Christ his refuge 
 and hope, there remains for him no more condem- 
 nation, notwithstanding his deficiencies and fail- 
 ures. In and through the Christ, in whom he 
 trusts, his peace is made, and he is not oppressed 
 with a work which he cannot accomplish. 
 
 Christ's yoke is easy also, because of the loving 
 spirit in which it is accepted and borne. Love is 
 never weary in doing and bearing for the object 
 in which it delights. What would not a true 
 mother sacrifice for the child she loves? And 
 when the soul is once filled with adoring admira- 
 tion and gratitude for the matchless goodness of 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. I I 5 
 
 Jesus and His unspeakable sacrifices for its re- 
 demption, and considers the exceeding great and 
 precious blessings which He has purchased for it 
 by His blood, nothing is too hard for it to do and 
 bear for Him. To be able to serve such a friend 
 and Saviour then becomes a delight, an honor, a 
 privilege. Love thrills the heart. Love quickens 
 the step. Love inflames the zeal and desire to 
 please. Love does away with all sense of hard- 
 ship in the service it renders. And where true 
 love to Jesus has been begotten in the soul, it is 
 glad to confess His Name, and to do and suffer all 
 His good and holy will. 
 
 And yet again, His yoke is easy, and His 
 burden light, because of His gracious help and 
 sympathy. He does not leave us to struggle 
 alone in our weakness, trials, and difficulties. He 
 knows what it is to bear adversities and suffer- 
 ings, and can be touched with the feeling of our 
 infirmities. His tender compassion and the com- 
 forts of the Holy Ghost are ever with us. His 
 eyes are upon us in every perplexity and in every 
 moment of want or weakness. He has set up 
 for us a throne of grace to which we may come 
 with boldness to obtain mercy and grace to help 
 in every time of need. And if we do but trust 
 Him, He has engaged never to leave nor forsake 
 us. Having bought us with his blood, He is most 
 anxious to bring us through to share His glory. 
 He knows when we become faint and weary, and 
 has provided many a meal for us in our pilgrimage 
 by which to refresh us in our heavenward journey. 
 
Il6 THE GOSPEL YOKE. 
 
 When things are dark about us He often causes 
 light to spring up, of which we never dreamed. 
 What we thought would be impossible to bear we 
 do not find half so crushing as we supposed. At 
 every point the assurance is of the presence of 
 grace sufficient. And with all is the promise of 
 a blessed heaven, in which all the suffering, toil, 
 and services in this world will have their everlast- 
 ing compensation. 
 
 'Tis thus Christ's yoke is easy and His burden 
 light. And we have only to take that yoke upon 
 us and learn of Him, who is meek and lowly in 
 heart, to find the coveted goal of life — even rest 
 for our souls. 
 
Ci)e Christian jBtairium. 
 
 Septuagesima. 
 
 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiv- 
 eth the prize ? Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we 
 an incorruptible. 1 Cor. 9 : 24, 25. 
 
 " HE Apostle was here writing to a people 
 familiar with the Isthmian games, which 
 consisted of racing, wrestling, and pugil- 
 ism. He had perhaps witnessed some 
 of these himself. At any rate, he knew of them, 
 and saw in them a striking picture of earthly 
 life, particularly of Christian life. And we have 
 only to consider them to be impressed with the 
 aptness of the figure. 
 
 This world is a stadium, — a race-course, — and 
 the great mass of the population is running, strug- 
 gling, competing for some prize. With some, to 
 their shame, life may be entirely aimless and in- 
 different ; but most people have some goal for 
 which they are striving. It is not always the 
 same thing, but always something which enlists 
 their energies and efforts. The racers and com- 
 petitors in the Grecian games sought to win a 
 certain crown of honor and glory awarded to the 
 victor; and so nearly every one is aiming, con- 
 
 117 
 
Il8 THE CHRISTIAN STADIUM. 
 
 tending, and laboring for some object on which 
 the heart is set. It may be gain, — a comfortable 
 living, — riches, — place, — office, — honor, — distinc- 
 tion in society, — lustful gratification and pleasure, 
 — or something else. 
 
 We have only to look abroad upon the world 
 around us to see the agitation and tumult of 
 human beings striving and contending on the 
 stadium of life. And this intense and ever-inten- 
 sifying commotion and putting forth of energy 
 and strength would be a spectacle of interest to 
 heavenly beholders, if the object of it were always 
 worthy of beings created in the image of God and 
 having an immortal inheritance to gain. 
 
 Unfortunately, such worthiness does not gener- 
 ally obtain. Earthly interests, indeed, are not to 
 be undervalued or neglected. Too much depends 
 upon them to be despised. We must live, and 
 we need to exert ourselves for an honest living. 
 There is much to be done and cared for respecting 
 this world in order to make the best of ourselves 
 and of the purposes of life. But this scene of 
 tumultuous endeavor, contention, and activity, in 
 the great majority of cases, is moved by princi- 
 ples, feelings, and hopes limited to this present 
 life, and hence in ill accord with what becomes 
 beings presently to be transferred to an untried 
 eternity. This world's prizes are often mere 
 vanity and emptiness ; and the securement of 
 them is frequently more of a misfortune than a 
 gain ; while the pursuit of them is a sore vexation, 
 if not a miserable degradation. At best, the high- 
 
SEPTUAGESIMA. II9 
 
 est earthly gain is only u a corruptible crown," — 
 the possession of a day quickly passed, — a glory 
 that must soon disappear forever. And for beings 
 made but a little lower than the angels, to devote 
 all their highborn faculties and powers to the 
 winning of what this world has to give, at the 
 sacrifice of the soul and an eternity of blessed- 
 ness, is an infatuation ignoble enough to make 
 the very angels weep. 
 
 But there is a nobler and worthier race for man 
 to run. It is the race which the Gospel of Jesus 
 sets before us. Christianity also has its stadium. 
 We come to it by our Baptism. We enter upon 
 it when we begin to act and live for Christ and 
 eternity. We run this race when, with faith and 
 hope in Jesus, we steadfastly persevere in Chris- 
 tian duty and effort, striving against sin, and 
 doing our best to live godly, upright, and useful 
 lives. This terminates when the summons from 
 on high comes to call us away from earth. We 
 win its prize when, by divine grace, we hold out 
 faithful until death. And the victor's crown we 
 shall receive when our Lord and Judge shall come 
 in His glory to give reward unto His saints and 
 to all who love His appearing. 
 
 And to the running of this race, as candidates 
 for an immortal crown, all are invited ; and to 
 earnest and unflagging effort to win in it, all pro- 
 fessing Christians are everywhere exhorted. It 
 may involve trying and disheartening discipline ; 
 it may require many a hard conflict ; and, so far 
 as this world is concerned, self-denial and tribula- 
 
120 THE CHRISTIAN STADIUM. ' 
 
 tion may have to be encountered ; but the word 
 of the great Exemplar and Leader is: "Follow 
 Me" — " To him that overcometh will I grant to 
 sit with Me in My throne, even as I also over- 
 came, and am set down with My Father in His 
 throne." And hence the apostolic appeal, "Let 
 us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth 
 so easily beset us, and let us run with patience 
 the race set before us, looking unto Jesus the 
 Author and Finisher of our faith ; who for the joy 
 that was set before Him endured the cross, despis- 
 ing the shame, and is set down at the right hand 
 of the throne of God. ' ' 
 
 Have we, then, entered upon this race? We 
 are all in the common race of life, and must some- 
 how run it, whether we will or no. But have 
 we entered upon the Christian race, where alone 
 the immortal crown is to be won? If not, the 
 greatest and most momentous purpose of our ex- 
 istence is as yet untouched. And if we have 
 entered the lists to run this race, we have under- 
 taken what demands all the strength of will and 
 vigor of action we can in any way command. It 
 requires earnestness and determination to be an 
 approved and victorious Christian, and a perse- 
 verance which knows no surrender. The stadium 
 is lined with wrecks of people who entered with 
 joyous hearts and glad hopes, and some who ran 
 well for a season, but when trial came, and they 
 were obliged to fight and agonize to maintain 
 themselves, they became weary and faint in their 
 minds, dropped out of the ranks, and so perished 
 
SEPTUAGESIMA. 121 
 
 by the way. The Christian race is also a life- 
 face ; and only those who hold on, steadfast unto 
 the end, can win the crown. 
 
 And yet, alas! the vast majority of people are 
 far more devoted and persistent in their efforts for 
 the perishable and transient things of this world 
 than to secure the crown of immortal kings. The 
 contestants in the ancient games exerted every 
 power in them to win the fading garlands held 
 out to the victors ; and yet where substantial and 
 eternal honors are at stake men act as if they 
 were nothing worth, or would anyway come to 
 them without troubling to secure them. 
 
 Look at the devotee of Mammon. Who can 
 number his cares and anxieties ? Who can meas- 
 ure his fatigues, exposures, and self-denials just 
 for wealth ? Nothing is too much for him. No 
 failures or dangers hinder him. His days and his 
 nights, his health and life, are all freely thrown 
 into his schemes and efforts for gold and riches. 
 He may think himself a Christian ; but what does 
 his Christianity receive in comparison with what 
 he gives to greed and avarice ? 
 
 Look at the devotee of ambition. What pains, 
 and sacrifices, and toils, and cares, even to the 
 compromise of all righteous principles, does he 
 bring to the idol of his worship ? What watchful 
 caution, — what surrender of dignity, — what press- 
 ure of anxiety, — what burden of soul, — is he 
 willing to assume, if only he can win the prize on 
 which his heart is set ? The securement of the 
 favor of God and eternal blessedness would cost 
 
122 THE CHRISTIAN STADIUM. 
 
 him no greater sacrifices, no severer curb, no 
 more earnest exertion ; but his carnal ambition 
 commands him, while the claims of God and im- 
 mortality are dishonored and put aside. 
 
 Look at the worshipper of lust and pleasure. 
 His vices bring upon him inevitable punishments 
 even in this present life ; but he bears them all, 
 and braves perseverance in filthy ways, while de- 
 nouncing Christian life as too burdensome and 
 hard. Pursuing amusement, and fashion, and 
 frolic in its varied rounds, what labor or expense 
 in preparing for them, — what care and impatience 
 in waiting for them, — what exhaustion and fatigue 
 in acting out his part in them, — what lassitude 
 and ennui in recovering from the effects of his 
 participation in them, — does he accept and en- 
 dure; while the ways of wisdom and salvation are 
 rejected as too repulsive, too severe. 
 
 Nay; look where you will; observe in all the 
 world the people who are racing and struggling 
 for its prizes; and you will see multitudes willing 
 and ready to do, sacrifice and endure more, to win 
 for themselves destruction, than for God, or Christ, 
 the salvation of their souls, or the crown of ever- 
 lasting life. Even professed Christians volunteer 
 their hundreds for clubs and lodges and worldly 
 leagues, while grudging their tens or fives to the 
 Church of the living God. 
 
 O the inconsistencies and follies that obtain on 
 this momentous matter ! O the subtle witchery 
 which the Arch-deceiver has succeeded in throw- 
 ing over the children of men! What prize of 
 
SEPTUAGESIMA. 1 23 
 
 earth can warrant or excuse such absorption and 
 expenditure for its attainment, which is so short- 
 lived, so unsatisfactory, and when attained must 
 so soon be given up? What if some are successful 
 enough to win what they so eagerly strive for, 
 when they must presently have done with it as 
 completely as if they never had had it? Will that 
 measure the real worth of life, or be a just com- 
 pensation for such lifelong cares, toils, efforts, and 
 expenditures, which, by the time we touch it, and 
 think ourselves happy in its possession, perishes 
 in our hands, or death comes and cuts us off from 
 it for ever? Ah me; "What shall it profit a man, 
 if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own 
 soul?" 
 
 Dear friends, there is nothing in this world that 
 pays, blesses, and rewards, like believing, earnest 
 and unfaltering service of God and His Christ. 
 One who tried it at the greatest cost declares, 
 "Godliness is profitable unto all things, having 
 promise of the life which now is, and of that 
 which is to come." The true Christian man, no 
 matter what the earthly condition, is the noblest, 
 truest, and happiest man; for he is abundantly 
 armed for life and for death; and no reverses or 
 surprises can rob him of his spiritual comforts or 
 his joyous hopes. 
 
 First of all, he who earnestly and perseveringly 
 runs this race is sure to win. It is not so in 
 other races. They which run in them, "run all, 
 but one receiveth the prize." Many a noble 
 Grecian athlete, having done the utmost in his 
 
124 THE CHRISTIAN STADIUM. 
 
 power to succeed, had to retire discomfited and 
 crownless, because some one else was able to outdo 
 him. But such a thing can never happen to a 
 faithful Christian racer. Here every one may 
 win. Many may have the strength to distance us 
 in the way ; but the weakest, if they will only 
 exert what strength they have, cannot fail. Here 
 the child has an equal chance with the adult, the 
 woman with the man, the feebly endowed with 
 the greatest. 
 
 And the crown in this case is ' ' incorruptible. ' ' 
 Those leaves of olive with which the victors in 
 the ancient games were crowned soon faded and 
 disappeared, and all the honor and glory which 
 they expressed. Where are those chaplets or their 
 wearers now ? Perished are they all, their names 
 forgotten, and nothing of all they ever wore worth 
 a farthing to them. But the prize held out to 
 those who run the Christian race is an imper- 
 ishable crown. It is a crown of life that never 
 fades, and whose wearers are never called to lay 
 it down. 
 
 Nor is it an unreal crown; for there are no 
 mockeries or unrealities in heaven. It is a crown 
 that carries with it all that a true crown signi- 
 fies. Genuine Christians are princes of the blood. 
 They are in their minority now, but destined to a 
 glorious coronation, and to rule and reign with 
 their blessed Lord in the principalities of eternal 
 empire. Through the promises and revelations 
 of God I look over into that ' ' world to come, ' ' 
 and I see thrones, and they sit upon them, and 
 
SEPTUAGESIMA. 12$ 
 
 ruling 1 power is given unto them, and they live 
 and reign with Christ in resurrection life as ver- 
 itable kings of the earth bringing their glory and 
 honor into that golden city of which the Lord 
 God Almighty and the Lamb are the light. 
 
 O the grandeur and glory of the prize of the 
 high calling of God in Christ Jesus! Contem- 
 plate it, O ye negligent, weary, and faint-hearted, 
 and see and know the worth of a diligent and 
 earnest Christian life. Is it any wonder that the 
 devout apostle should wish and exhort us all to 
 run this race, and so to run it that we may obtain ? 
 
 And shall we not give heed to his encouraging 
 admonition ? To neglect the grand opportunity, 
 and not to win in this race, is to lose the highest 
 good of our being. The great Apostle Paul had 
 sacrificed everything earthly to run this race, and 
 had made sublime progress in it ; yet he labored 
 on in godly fear, lest after all he should be a 
 castaway. What then shall be the fate of those 
 who refuse to enter these lists, or loiter in the 
 way, or think to carry this world with them into 
 heaven ? 
 
 Come, O Spirit of the living God, and quicken 
 us all to spiritual earnestness, that we may each 
 run this race, so as to receive at last the ' ' crown 
 of glory that fadeth not away!" 
 
Hespectful Rearing. 
 
 Sexigesima. 
 
 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before 
 thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do 
 them. — Ezek. 33 : 31. 
 
 51ZEKIEL was a great preacher. Fancy 
 has pictured him as young and slender, 
 with extended locks and stooping as if 
 under the burden of the Lord. A visible 
 fire was in his eye, and an invisible fire seemed to 
 burn in his soul and inflame all his nature. A 
 ghostly earnestness possessed him ; a wild beauty 
 hung around him ; and an air that said he was not 
 long for this world added a supernatural impres- 
 siveness to his youthful aspect. He moved among 
 his people as a saintly apparition, a sun-gilded 
 storm in human shape, untouched by the love of 
 maidens, unterrified by the countenances of elders, 
 undismayed by danger or death, and pursuing his 
 high object with an eagerness of purpose which 
 nothing could dampen, divert, nor turn. Detained 
 in the company of men in flesh and blood, he 
 seemed not of them ; and while walking the earth 
 the companionship of his soul was with the cheru- 
 bim of glory. 
 
SEXIGESIMA. 12/ 
 
 But the most heavenly, devoted, and earnest of 
 preachers do not always have the most satisfac- 
 tory congregations. The text gives God's own 
 account of the people to whom Ezekiel ministered. 
 
 They did not pass the prophet by in total in- 
 difference. He so far arrested their attention that 
 they made him the subject of very frequent con- 
 versation. They talked of him often and much. 
 Ministers of God are apt to be talked about. 
 Church-going people are much disposed to pass 
 observations on their clergymen, their sermons, 
 abilities, and nearly everything relating to them. 
 It is natural that they should ; and it is not always 
 an unfavorable symptom. They may sometimes 
 talk of the preacher as they talk about the weather, 
 for want of something else to say ; but often it is 
 from real sympathy and interest in him, their 
 pleasure in his efforts, their comfort in his minis- 
 trations, though once in a while perhaps in the 
 way of dissatisfaction, faultfinding, and deprecia- 
 tion. In this case, however, we may suppose that 
 the talk was more on the favorable than on the 
 unfavorable side. The record is that these people 
 acknowledged Ezekiel to be a true and worthy 
 prophet. There was something also in his oratory 
 and efforts which arrested their attention, and set 
 them to talking among themselves as they met 
 along the walls and passed each other's doors. 
 There may have been some unfavorable criticisms 
 and comments ; but better those than nothing. 
 
 They also encouraged and invited one another 
 to go and hear him. This is not always the ob- 
 
128 RESPECTFUL HEARING. 
 
 ject and result of people's talk about preachers. 
 But whatever these Jews thought of Ezekiel, they 
 considered him well worth hearing, and spoke one 
 to another, and every one to his brother, saying, 
 u Come, I pray you, and hear the word that cometh 
 forth from the L,ord. There be many professed 
 Christians who have very hard work to get them- 
 selves out to hear the preached word. These 
 people, however, were not of that sort. They 
 were willing and pleased to go hear Bzekiel them- 
 selves, and they were enough interested to try to 
 bring their brethren and acquaintances also to hear 
 him. 
 
 Nor was it only for his peculiarities, his elo- 
 quence, and the way he handled himself in his 
 ministrations, that they frequented his ministry. 
 It was to hear the word of the Lord that came 
 forth through him. This was another good indi- 
 cation for them. 
 
 They likewise behaved with great religious 
 decorum and propriety in their attendance upon 
 the prophet's ministry. The record is that they 
 came with due orderliness as Christian people; 
 that they waited before the prophet the same as 
 if they were in all respects the true, devout, and 
 believing people of God; and that they took in 
 with avidity all that the prophet had to say. 
 
 It is a question whether God's book has a like 
 favorable account of those who make up the at- 
 tendants upon our modern churches. If you will 
 observe the temper and characteristics of those 
 assemblies to which the community most throngs, 
 
SEXIGESIMA. I29 
 
 you will generally find a ranting mountebank in 
 the pulpit, and a light-hearted and laughing con- 
 gregation in the pews. They come not after the 
 manner of God's reverent worshippers. They do 
 not sit and hear after the manner of God's people. 
 They do not listen to learn the word of the Lord. 
 They go most for amusement, — for the wit and 
 droll hits of the preacher. In these respects 
 Ezekiel's audiences put to shame many of the 
 most crowded congregations of our modern so- 
 called churches. They came as the most devout 
 people came. They listened and heard as God's 
 people listened. And they conducted themselves 
 in every regard, outwardly at least, as became 
 the most reverent and respectful of worshippers. 
 There was no levity, no indifference, no drowsi- 
 ness, no wishing that the preacher would get done 
 and let them off. There was real interest, and 
 real desire to hear what God had to say to 
 them. They also professed great attachment to 
 the prophet. They enjoyed and praised his ser- 
 mons. , His utterances were to them "as a very 
 lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and 
 can play well on an instrument." They held his 
 doctrines to be true and magnificent, his elocution 
 good, his language beautiful, his manner graceful, 
 his illustrations grand and stirring, and every- 
 thing as it should be in a prophet of Jehovah. 
 All this was very fair and good, and a vast im- 
 provement on the average audiences found in our 
 sanctuaries. Any one beholding their devoted 
 manner, seeing their rapt attention, and hearing 
 
130 RESPECTFUL HEARING. 
 
 their admiring speeches, might have supposed 
 them saints of the very highest order. 
 
 But they were very faulty nevertheless, and in 
 the eye of God came very far short, as the text 
 clearly affirms. 
 
 There is a great difference between being deeply 
 interested in the ministry of a true and talented 
 preacher, and genuine God-fearing piety. The 
 one may exist without the other. There is in 
 man a strong innate craving for excitement. It 
 is this that sustains places of amusement, theatres, 
 balls, race-courses, risky adventures, and much 
 of our popular literature. Human nature sighs 
 for new sensations: and if it cannot have them in 
 one way, it will try to have them in another. 
 And there is much in the ministry of a skilful 
 and able man of God to gratify this craving. 
 There are many sacred subjects which, in the 
 hands of a bright man, are capable of raising 
 the soul to the highest pitch of interest and de- 
 light. 
 
 We also have in us a native desire for knowl- 
 edge, a curiosity to know and understand. Like 
 the Athenians of old, we are all anxious to be 
 informed about ever}- new thing. And a vigorous 
 ministry of divine truth has much in it to teach 
 and please. A gifted and true preacher will ever 
 and anon be bringing forth things that are novel, 
 electrifying, and pleasing, even though they may 
 not sway the life. 
 
 People also like to hear how they can be most 
 comfortable and happy. They like to hear of 
 
SEXIGESIMA. I 3 I 
 
 heaven, even if they never put themselves on the 
 path to get there. They like discourses on the 
 glory, the kingdom, the purposes, and the prom- 
 ises of God, though they never become His will- 
 ing subjects. It pleases them. It makes them 
 feel better. It helps to make them forget their 
 cares, troubles, and vexations. And so, where 
 there is a warm heart, a lively imagination, and 
 some artistic skill and dramatic genius in a min- 
 ister of God, there is plenty to make him a popu- 
 lar favorite, on whose lips the multitude delights 
 to hang. It is a pleasant song to them. But 
 there may be all this, as in the case of Eze- 
 kiel's hearers, and yet be no spiritual and saving 
 benefit. 
 
 The true test of a profitable hearing of the 
 word is not emotion, but obedience, — not the 
 feeling of delight and joy over the impressive 
 magnificence of the truth, but in the power it has 
 to influence our conduct and shape our life. The 
 great defect in Kzekiel's hearers was, not that 
 they were not charmed by what he said, or did not 
 love to hear him descant with that burning vehe- 
 mence of thought and pictorial description which 
 appear in his prophecies, but that it wrought no 
 change in their hearts, and left them as dead to 
 God and holiness as they came to it. It was not 
 that they lacked in zeal and pleasure in listening 
 to him, or in hanging on the utterances which he 
 brought them from the Lord; but that his beau- 
 tiful presentations did not arouse their consciences, 
 nor move them to repentance, nor bring them to 
 
 J 
 
132 RESPECTFUL HEARING. 
 
 faith and spiritual consecration. They were full 
 of eagerness to hear his words, and admired them; 
 but the trouble was, that they did them not. 
 
 And just so it is with multitudes of Gospel 
 hearers in our day. They love to go to church. 
 It is their delight to hear what they call a good 
 sermon. It kindles their imaginations. It rav- 
 ishes their souls. It works them up to a lofty 
 pitch of ecstatic feeling, and brings around their 
 fancy such an array of solemn and affecting 
 images that everything else in the world for 
 the time seems to be nothing but emptiness and 
 vanity. They melt with emotion; they swim 
 with exultation; they are lifted with transport; 
 they glow with enthusiasm; heaven itself some- 
 times seems to open around them; and their whole 
 being is again and again pervaded through and 
 through with what wears the semblance of the 
 most saintly sacredness. But the vision passes. 
 The whirlwind of rapturous enjoyment subsides. 
 The entrancing song ceases. The picture is with- 
 drawn. And presently they are just what they 
 were before. With all their weeping, and admir- 
 ing, and faculties put upon the stretch of intensest 
 gratification, there is no motion of effective obedi- 
 ence. With their judgment persuaded, their fancy 
 enlivened, their hearing charmed, and all within 
 them feasted by the rich and varied luxuries of a 
 banquet of heavenly truth, they are not brought 
 to the turning point of conversion, or to the prac- 
 tical embrace of a single item of dutifulness. They 
 hear the word, and do homage to the preacher as 
 
SEXIGESIMA. I33 
 
 one who can play well on an instrument; but the 
 impression soon dies away, and sinks into nothing- 
 ness, like the cadences of a lovely song, without 
 practical effect. 
 
 But, of what use is it to have and to hear the 
 word of God, if we fail to conform to it? The 
 preaching of the Gospel is not for amusement, 
 pleasurable entertainment, or aesthetic gratifica- 
 tion. It is to move us to action, — to awaken us 
 to a right consciousness of our wants and our duty, 
 — to make thorough Christians of us, and obedient 
 children of the Lord of hosts, doing His will on 
 earth, and living and waiting for the glory that is 
 hereafter to be revealed. Where this fails, every- 
 thing fails, however delighted we may be to hear 
 the word, or laudatory of those who preach it. 
 " Not the hearers of the law are just before God, 
 but the doers of the law." Our hearing must 
 make us better men and women, or we are only 
 the worse for it. 
 
 It is indeed a great thing to hear the word of 
 God. Our eternal life depends upon it. But 
 unless its presentations move us to actions, and 
 work in us fruits of obedience, we lose all the 
 good which it is meant to be to us, and our eter- 
 nity will be all the more unhappy. 
 
 And what, then, is the reason that so many are 
 pleased to hear the Gospel, and willingly assent 
 to its great truths, and are delighted when they 
 can listen to men who can preach it with power, 
 and yet fail to submit themselves to it? The 
 hindering cause may not be the same in all cases; 
 
134 RESPECTFUL HEARING. 
 
 but the text states where the difficulty lay in 
 Ezekiel's admiring auditors. God's eye saw 
 where the trouble was, and located it first of all 
 in this that their heart went after their gain. It 
 was not that they didn't regard Ezekiel as a true 
 prophet. It was not that they disputed the truth 
 of what he taught. It was not that they did not 
 feel the deepest admiration for his efforts and 
 presentations. But the trouble was that their 
 hearts were at bottom so pre-occupied with what 
 related to their immediate earthly comfort, gain, 
 and pleasure that their admiration of his grand 
 sermons wrought no practical obedience. 
 
 And here is the one great trouble with very 
 many church-goers still. They believe in relig- 
 ion. They honor the Church. They favor the 
 Gospel and all its good and faithful ministers. 
 They are pleased to hear the truth of God master- 
 fully preached. They speak with eager commen- 
 dation of many sermons to which they have lis- 
 tened. Their voices may often be heard inviting 
 and urging friends and neighbors to come and 
 hear certain ministers. All of which is very 
 good, and speaks well for them as far as it goes. 
 But when we ask them to confess that Saviour of 
 whom they like to hear ; to enlist fully under that 
 banner which they like to see unfurled and de- 
 fended with eloquence and power ; to renounce 
 the devil and his works and ways, they are never 
 quite prepared. Their bottom feelings after all 
 run in a different channel. They have their own 
 preferences and likes and ideas, to which they 
 
SEXIGESIMA. 135 
 
 give precedence over the plain and acknowledged 
 demands of God. And in heaven it is written of 
 them, u their heart goeth after their gain ," — after 
 their own choosings and pleasure. 
 
 Ho, then, ye people who hear God's words, but 
 do them not, — ye that have so long been listening 
 with satisfaction to the messengers of Heaven, 
 but have never found it in your hearts to obey 
 their message, — ye that have been so often de- 
 lighted with the glorious truths of the Gospel, 
 and are so pleased to hear them expounded, — 
 where do you stand to-day in the matter of obedi- 
 ence ? Has your hearing of the truth made you 
 followers of it ? Do you, as newborn babes, desire 
 the sincere milk of the word that you may grow 
 thereby ? Are you making practical use of that 
 blessed Gospel, in whose masterly presentations 
 you have often found so much pleasure? Alas, 
 for those who have no higher homage to give to 
 the messages of Heaven! 
 
®f)e passing Sabiour- 
 
 Quinquagesima . 
 
 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. — Luke 
 18:37. 
 
 f|ESUS of Nazareth! Who has not heard 
 of Jesus of Nazareth? For more than 
 eighteen hundred years the world has 
 been resounding with His name, as the 
 sublimest Personage that ever walked the earth in 
 flesh and blood. Nor has there ever lived a man 
 who has drawn to Him more hearts, or more 
 deeply influenced human history and condition. 
 Millions on millions throughout all the earth this 
 day rejoice to call Him Saviour, and build on 
 Him their highest hopes and supremest confi- 
 dence. 
 
 We here behold Him on a journey, marching 
 on foot, accompanied by His chosen disciples, 
 and surrounded by throngs of excited people. It 
 was the most momentous journey ever performed 
 on earth, not indeed in the grandeur of its form, 
 but in its intent and consequences. It was a 
 journey on which hung the hopes of the world, 
 and of all men, for time and eternity. It was 
 
QUINQUAGESIMA. 1 37 
 
 the journey of the only begotten Son of God to 
 give himself up to betrayal by one of his own 
 familiar friends, — to buffetings and lashings and 
 mockings and maltreatment by His enemies, — 
 to the shame and horrors of crucifixion with the 
 worst of criminals, and to immolation, death, and 
 the grave as an atonement for human transgres- 
 sion, that He might redeem a world lying under 
 the condemnation of a violated law. He was not 
 being dragged or driven to it, nor moving without 
 knowing what was to happen; but voluntarily, 
 and with full comprehension of every item of 
 what He was to endure. Aye, it was a journey 
 at which we may well stand amazed, and at which 
 the principalities of the upper worlds doubtless 
 were moved with mysterious wonder. 
 
 In this journey we here behold Him in the 
 vicinity of Jericho, — a town nearest the site of 
 those cities of the plain which God's fiery judg- 
 ments had blotted out, — a town which had itself 
 once been miraculously destroyed, and concerning 
 which a curse had been pronounced on the man 
 who should attempt to rebuild it. Of all the 
 Jewish cities, it was the one on which God's con- 
 demnation rested, and a significant type of this 
 world, in which the curse has been festering ever 
 since Adam's expulsion from Eden. God then 
 said to Him, " Cursed is the ground for thy sake; 
 in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy 
 life;" and to this day we still see and feel what 
 was then spoken. But even to this city of the 
 curse Jesus of Nazareth comes, with ears open to 
 
I38 THE PASSING SAVIOUR. 
 
 the cries of the helpless, and with ample power 
 and ready will to relieve, bless, and save. 
 
 Nor was His presence there unheralded or un- 
 explained. Zaccheus learned of it, and climbed 
 the sycamine tree to get a view of Him. There 
 was a commotion which arrested the attention of 
 the blind beggar by the wayside, and led him to 
 inquire what it meant. There were also people 
 to tell him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing. 
 It was not a concealed nor hidden thing that this 
 notable Personage had come to Jericho. 
 
 And so it is even to this present. He still 
 presents himself to this Jericho. Wherever two 
 or three are gathered together in His name, there 
 He is, in the midst of them, able to save unto the 
 uttermost. Nor is this presence without mani- 
 festations. There are stir and agitation enough to 
 indicate it, and plenty to tell and explain the 
 meaning. 
 
 A devout young woman was asked what the 
 ringing of the church-bell every day at six o'clock 
 meant. Her answer was, "It means that Jesus 
 of Nazareth is passing by." It was a truth, but 
 one not always perceived or considered. No 
 church-bell ever rings at its regular time, but to 
 tell those who hear it that the blessed Jesus is at 
 hand. The movement of every company going 
 in or out of the place devoted to Christian wor- 
 ship, every sound of sacred song, every voice of 
 prayer, every Gospel sermon, every call to devo- 
 tion, every Christian assembly, tells that Jesus of 
 Nazareth is passing by. And a thousand things 
 
QUINQUAGESIMA. 1 39 
 
 in every one's experience, if only there is an ear 
 to listen or a heart open to be impressed, utter 
 and proclaim the same. Those solemn feelings 
 in the chamber of death ; those touching remem- 
 brances of a mother long since in heaven, of the 
 little prayers she taught, and the heart-throbs and 
 tears that came when standing in silence by her 
 grave; those thoughts of God and eternity that 
 press upon the soul in hours of sleepless lone- 
 ness; and those disturbing dreams of what is to 
 be when this present life is over; — all betoken 
 the mysterious presence of this Jesus of Nazareth 
 meant to arrest attention and induce application 
 for His saving power. And this day, this service, 
 and these very words I am speaking; what are 
 they, but notifications to you of the great truth 
 told to the poor blind man at Jericho? 
 
 We cannot see this wonderful Personage, as he 
 could not ; but we can believe what is so credibly 
 told us, as he did. " The goings of our God and 
 King are in His sanctuary." Where His people 
 are, and His Gospel sounds, there He is. And if 
 any are not willing to believe it, it is their loss, 
 and not the fault of those who explain and declare 
 it to them; for He has come, and is here to bless. 
 
 When this poor man learned that Jesus was 
 passing he felt that the supreme moment of his 
 life had come. Realizing that He who had given 
 sight to other blind, opened the ears of the deaf, 
 loosed the tongues of the dumb, cleansed lepers, 
 and even raised the dead was there, he could not 
 
I40 THE PASSING SAVIOUR. 
 
 let the opportunity pass without crying out with 
 all his might for a like deliverance from his in- 
 firmity. And the sublimest chance that can pos- 
 sibly come to ailing man is when Jesus comes to 
 him and makes His divine presence known. The 
 hour in which he learns of the Saviour's presence 
 is the hour of his eternal salvation, if he will only 
 seize upon and improve it, — the time in all the 
 duration of his being for securing the highest 
 boon of his existence. 
 
 There is often much to discourage prompt and 
 energetic effort to avail one's self of the Saviour's 
 presence, even when we know that He is passing. 
 This world is no friend to grace. When we fain 
 would cry for mercy there are plenty of voices and 
 influences to urge us to desist and wait. There are 
 unbelievers to say, Hold your peace ; it is all delu- 
 sion and folly. There are worldly wise to say, Hold 
 your peace ; you are only disgracing yourself. 
 Depraved nature and carnal pride protest and say, 
 Hold your peace, and don't sacrifice the joy of 
 life for a heaven you know nothing about. Even 
 some professed divines are ready with cautions 
 against being righteous overmuch. And com- 
 rades and relatives sometimes frown and say, 
 Hold your peace, and do not scandalize yourself 
 and friends with such hysterical craziness. 
 
 Thus it was that many sought to silence this 
 poor blind man's cries. "But he cried so much 
 the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on 
 me." It was his matter, not theirs; and he had 
 too much at stake to be turned from the great and 
 
QUINQUAGESIMA. 141 
 
 only opportunity of his life. And if any would 
 truly profit by the presence of Jesus, they dare not 
 heed such ill advice nor slacken in the earnestness 
 of their prayers. 
 
 Greatly to our encouragement, however, we here 
 behold the Saviour halting in His journey to give 
 gracious answer to this beggar's cries. How dif- 
 ferent from the unfeeling multitude! What others 
 deemed a nuisance He regarded with tender con- 
 sideration. No sooner did He hear those cries 
 than He stopped and had the suppliant brought 
 to Him. How marvellous, that One so great, so 
 famous, on so momentous a business, followed by 
 all the country, eagerly waited for by multitudes 
 at other points, and with the redemption of a 
 world weighing on His soul, should suffer himself 
 to be interrupted in His journey by the seeming 
 impertinence and clamor of an insignificant men- 
 dicant! Ah, but people do not begin to under- 
 stand the tenderness and charity of the heart of 
 Jesus. The more miserable and helpless the souls 
 that cry to Him the more ready is He to give ear. 
 No matter what else may claim His attention, all 
 must stop till those prayers are answered, and the 
 needed relief given. ' ' We have not an High Priest 
 who cannot be touched by the feeling of our in- 
 firmities." And even amid the sublimities of His 
 heavenly administrations there is nothing that 
 more enlists Him than the prayers of needy souls 
 that crave His mercy. Nay, He ever waiteth to 
 be gracious. Men may doubt, and fear to ap- 
 proach Him, and think themselves too mean and 
 
142 THE PASSING SAVIOUR. 
 
 guilty to presume that He would consider such as 
 they ; but it would be against His very nature to 
 reject or disregard the guiltiest, meanest, and 
 most unworthy sinner that humbly and earnestly 
 calls upon His Name. O happy, happy we, to 
 have such a Saviour on whom to call amid our 
 ailments and distresses! 
 
 His heart is made of tenderness, 
 His soul is filled with love. 
 
 And what a blessed good fortune it is that this 
 Jesus has come so near and within gracious hear- 
 ing of our cries ! It means salvation come within 
 our reach. It means the presence of divine power 
 to open our blind eyes', to heal our ailing souls, to 
 modify our sorrows, to give us light for darkness, 
 to fill our mouths with joyous songs, and to give 
 us place among the pilgrim hosts on their way to 
 the heavenly Jerusalem. It means the King of 
 glory at our very doors, ready to help and save 
 whosoever in humble faith and earnestness applies 
 to Him. 
 
 Dear friends, have you learned to appreciate the 
 wonderful condescension of gracious Heaven? 
 Has it ever come to you to think of the transcen- 
 dent opportunity divine goodness has thus vouch- 
 safed? Have you become at all awake to the 
 momentousness of the presentations ? Do you at 
 all realize the unspeakable favor to us poor sinful 
 mortals contained in the great Gospel truth that 
 "Jesus of Nazareth passeth by?" 
 
 And what, then, have you done to avail your- 
 
QUINQUAGESIMA. 1 43 
 
 selves of His gracious presence? — you, whose lives 
 have been so burdened with afflictions and trials ? 
 — you, who have so long felt your unreadiness to 
 meet your righteous Judge ? — you, who have spent 
 so much of your time in worldliness, indifference, 
 and sin ?—you, who have had so many solemn ad- 
 monitions of Providence, and on whose hearts and 
 homes so many strokes have fallen to awaken you 
 to a better life ? — you, who have so often felt the 
 degradations and punishments of a reckless and 
 godless waywardness, and tasted the bitterness 
 that comes from the service of lust and folly ? — 
 you, who have nothing to count on for a happy 
 life when this world ceases to be your dwelling 
 place ? — you, who were so carefully brought up to 
 proper living, yet have so deeply fallen from a 
 faithful mother's teachings, and in spite of a 
 mother's prayers and tears? — you, who have been 
 intending, and promising, and waiting, while the 
 years have glided away, and your heads are blos- 
 soming for the grave? — you, to whom the mes- 
 sage has so frequently been declared "that Jesus 
 of Nazareth passeth by? What have you done 
 for the saving of your soul ? Alas, how few there 
 be to put up the cry for mercy while they may ! 
 
 And now that we are approaching our annual 
 L,enten services, the time has come when we may 
 say, u that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by." There 
 is a stir that tells of His nearness. And if any 
 one is in real earnest to secure His merciful help, 
 this is the opportune time for setting about it. 
 Other such seasons have come and gone, and left 
 
144 THE PASSING SAVIOUR. 
 
 many just where they were before ; shall it be so 
 again with those who have never yet done any- 
 thing to have place in the Saviour's company? 
 When Jesus thus passed through Jericho it was 
 the last time. He never returned to that place 
 again. And so there must come a last time for 
 sinful souls to possess themselves of His salvation. 
 
 L,et me then emphasize the truth, "that Jesus 
 of Nazareth passeth by. ' ' He is now at hand ; but, 
 "passing by," means departure as well as pres- 
 ence. He is on His journey to Jerusalem, and 
 will not long be within the reach of those who 
 most need His help. The procession is moving, 
 and soon will be beyond those who neglect to call 
 upon Him. When it gets beyond Jericho, it will 
 be too late for its blind and destitute inhabitants 
 to make their cries heard by Him who alone can 
 help them. And how will they then blame and 
 distress themselves that they were so negligent ! 
 
 Now, therefore, is the accepted time; there may 
 never come another. Now, while "Jesus of Naza- 
 reth passeth by," is the day of salvation. And 
 if this incident has anything to teach and impress, 
 it is the supreme importance of prompt and ener- 
 getic effort to secure the Saviour's merciful atten- 
 tion and gracious help now, while the chance is 
 here. 
 
 God help us all to take in the lesson, and to 
 profit by it ! 
 
Qlty ILattot (ffialL 
 
 Ash Wednesday. 
 
 I m ill u 
 
 Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will 
 give you rest. — Matt, ii : 18. 
 
 \ ANY look upon the season of Lent as a 
 time to impose burdens on the flesh, and 
 observe it in that spirit, or disregard it 
 for that reason. Some starve and afflict 
 their bodies, and load themselves with onerous 
 tasks, hoping thus to recommend themselves to 
 the divine favor, or to satisfy for their past failures 
 and misdeeds. But the true idea is rather to help 
 us lay off our burdens, to lift us out of our de- 
 pressions, and to minister to our peace. Lent 
 commemorates a long fast and a sore conflict on 
 the part of our blessed Saviour, but not so much 
 to have us imitate His experience as to have us 
 see the cost of our redemption, and gratefully 
 appreciate that costly purchase by intensifying 
 our devotion and coming to Him for deliverance 
 and rest. 
 
 There be many weary and heavy-laden souls. 
 There are millions on this fair earth, whose bur- 
 dens, pains, and heartaches God only knows. 
 Some suffer in one way, others in other ways. 
 
 10 145 
 
I46 THE LENTEN CALL. 
 
 We cannot open our eyes without seeing the evi- 
 dences and signs of care, anxiety, unrest, and 
 distress. Even the sunniest life has its dark days. 
 From all sections of the world, and from all 
 classes, the cry comes : " O where shall rest be 
 found — rest for the weary soul ?' ' And one great 
 office of the Gospel is to direct and lead such 
 oppressed and longing spirits to the only source 
 of true relief. 
 
 The central voice of the Gospel is articulated 
 in the word of Jesus given in the text: "Come 
 tmto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, 
 and I will give you rest. ' ' 
 
 This tells us that there is rest in Jesus, and 
 that it is His prerogative to impart it. He hath 
 purchased it by His fasting, toils, tears, and blood. 
 He is enthroned at the right hand of eternal 
 majesty to give it to all those who seek it at His 
 hands. And to bring, offer, and bestow it upon 
 the troubled and sorrowing, He has constituted 
 His ministers and Church, and sent forth His 
 word to all people. 
 
 He does not propose instant and entire release 
 from all cares, trials, and afflictions incident to 
 this present life. Ours is an adverse and per- 
 turbed world; and in our passage through it we 
 must encounter many trying and often painful 
 vicissitudes. Indeed, this necessarily belongs to 
 our discipline and preparation for the proper ap- 
 preciation and enjoyment of His rest. 
 
 Neither does He propose to benumb our sensi- 
 bilities, so as not to feel the poignancy of sorrow 
 
ASH WEDNESDAY. 1 47 
 
 and trial. The rest offered is not the rest of a 
 stone, nor of a corpse. A Christian is as much 
 alive to the hardships and burdens of life as any 
 one. 
 
 Nor is it proposed to exempt us from effort, toil, 
 and labor. Man was made for activity. The sen- 
 tence requiring of us to get our bread in the sweat 
 of our faces is as much a mercy as a curse. Leis- 
 ure, idleness, and nothing to do is not rest, but 
 the breeder of ennui, discontent, mischief, and 
 unhappiness. 
 
 Nor is the proposed rest the immediate and 
 total suppression and eradication of the vexatious 
 workings of indwelling evil. The best of Chris- 
 tians here carry with them a corrupt and tainted 
 nature. Paul had been in the third heaven ; but 
 when he came back he still found a law in his 
 members warring against the law of his mind, 
 which much distressed him by its power. 
 
 What, then, is the Rest which Our Saviour 
 offers to the weary and heavy laden ? 
 
 The greatest burden that ever fell, or can fall, 
 upon man is the burden of sin, and God's con- 
 demnation on account of it. And the first and 
 greatest element of rest in Jesus is release from 
 the impossible task of giving satisfaction for our 
 many defects and faults, or of working out a 
 righteousness of our own in which to stand justi- 
 fied before God. There lives not a man nor woman, 
 if moral sensibility has not been wholly oblite- 
 rated, who is not conscious of having done many 
 
I48 THE LENTEN CALL. 
 
 wrong things, or does not feel that something 
 must be done to placate the just wrath of offended 
 Heaven. It is the common cry of guilty man : 
 "Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord, and 
 bow myself before the high God ? Shall I come 
 before Him with burnt offerings ? Will the Lord 
 be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten 
 thousand rivers of oil ? Shall I give my first-born 
 for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the 
 sin of my soul ?' ' What have men not done to 
 propitiate the Almighty ! — What pilgrimages, sac- 
 rifices, payments, offerings, and mutilations of 
 the poor body, — what endless ritualistic doings, — 
 ascetic tortures, vows, resolves, and oathbound 
 abjurgations, — what torments of life and being, — 
 and all without avail ! O the burdensome weari- 
 ness of man in trying to be just with God ! And 
 such despairing and heavy laden souls, above all, 
 we are commissioned to invite to rest in Jesus. 
 He is u the propitiation for our sins ; and not for 
 ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. ' ' 
 What no works of man, no doings or renderings 
 within our power, can ever accomplish, He hath 
 taken upon himself to do and fulfill for us, quench- 
 ing divine condemnation with His blood, and con- 
 secrating through His flesh a way for us into the 
 holiest. Having made Him our Refuge, condem- 
 nation is gone, sin is forgiven, and we are free 
 from all that the law may have wherewith to hold 
 us under its penalties. 
 
 Yes, ill-deserving as we are, and much as we 
 have provoked the wrath of righteous Heaven, 
 
ASH WEDNESDAY. 1 49 
 
 Jesus has made peace through His cross, laid 
 down His own life to pay the forfeit of ours, pro- 
 cured for us the favor of God, and now invites us 
 to come and receive from Him the blessed rest 
 from the impossible task of saving ourselves. 
 
 And with this comes the further rest of heart 
 and mind amid the cares and troubles of this 
 brief life; — not exemption from them, but compos- 
 ure and patience in them. Accepted in Christ as 
 God's dear children, and with His unfailing prom- 
 ises to see us through in safety, there remains no 
 doubt that we shall come out all the more profited 
 by what we suffer here. He who clothes the lilies 
 of the field, which' neither toil nor spin, and feeds 
 the little birds, which neither sow nor reap, will 
 not fail to clothe and feed those whom He hath 
 purchased at so great a cost. Caring for us more 
 than a mother careth for her babe, we may be 
 sure that all He sends, or withholds, or permits, 
 is for our greater ultimate good, — overruled by 
 His gracious hand for our benefit. And herein is 
 true and blessed rest, even in the midst of earth's 
 hardest trials and sorest afflictions. L,et the days 
 bring forth their worst, we can still say with 
 Paul: Dying, yet, behold, we live; chastened, yet 
 not killed ; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing ; poor, 
 yet making many rich ; having nothing, yet pos- 
 sessing all things. 
 
 And along with this is rest from all tormenting 
 fear of death. Timid nature shrinks from the 
 contemplation of the tomb. But Christ has over- 
 come death, robbed it of its sting, and transformed 
 
1$0 THE LENTEN CALL. 
 
 it into a peaceful and sweet repose from earthly 
 anxieties, pains, and weaknesses. It is a great 
 privilege to live and labor for Christ; but to 
 depart and be with Him is far better. To the 
 child of God death is a friendly messenger, bring- 
 ing much more gain than privation. The dark- 
 ness, to earthly vision, may seem chilly and deep; 
 but it is only a temporary shadow. As the 
 waters of Jordan rolled back when the priests' 
 feet touched them, and let Israel cross in triumph; 
 so it will be with believers when called to cross 
 this mysterious river of death. And in the calm 
 of this assurance Jesus invites us to rest. 
 
 But all this is only preliminary to an immortal 
 rest beyond this present world. ' ' For we know 
 that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were 
 dissolved, we have a building of God, an house 
 not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.'' 
 By the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the 
 dead we are begotten again to a lively hope of 
 an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that 
 fadeth not away, reserved for us in heaven; a 
 hope that is an anchor to the soul both sure and 
 steadfast. And what a peace-giving comfort is 
 this to our weary and heavy-laden spirits ! 
 
 O glorious rest ! O blest abode ! 
 We shall be near and like our God ! 
 
 This, then, may serve to indicate the rest which 
 Jesus offers and pledges to those who come to 
 Him. 
 
 And how it exalts Him above everything to be 
 
ASH WEDNESDAY. 151 
 
 found on earth, that He should have it in His 
 power to propose to do such mighty things ! Who 
 can give peace to a troubled soul ? Yet, He makes 
 this claim, and engages to fulfill what He pro- 
 poses. He does not say, " I will show you rest,'' 
 or, "I will telly on of rest." An ordinary herald 
 might do that. The word is, " / will give you 
 rest." He claims that it is in His power and 
 province to give it; that He has the unquestion- 
 able right to give it; and that it is His will and 
 purpose to give it. How sublime the presenta- 
 tion ! What a basis for the confirmation of our 
 faith in Jesus ! He who has the power, the right, 
 and the gracious will to make such proposal and 
 promise, may be trusted to do what He says; for 
 He thus shows himself to be the invincible Christ, 
 the omnific Son of God. 
 
 And for the impartation of all this blessedness 
 His only conditions are that we come to Him for 
 it. There is no limit to His invitation. All that 
 labor and are heavy laden are invited; and all 
 they have to do is to come. 
 
 Nor is there any long and tedious journey to be 
 performed. He is here. Wherever His word 
 sounds, He is in waiting to be gracious. 
 
 No laborious preparation is required. The thief 
 on the cross, within a few hours of his death, 
 could make an effectual application, and find ad- 
 mission into Paradise. All the fitness we require 
 is to feel our need of Him. The simple matter is 
 to come. 
 
 Of course, this means belief that He is, and 
 
152 THE LENTEN CALL. 
 
 that He is the true Saviour, able and willing to 
 save all who come. Of course, it means an earnest 
 looking unto Him as our only hope and help, the 
 lifting to Him of the suppliant eye, the breathing 
 to Him the penitential prayer, and the sending 
 out of the heart to lay hold on Him and His word 
 of promise. We are indeed weak, unworthy, 
 inapt, and helpless; but that is no barrier. The 
 more we feel our want the more tender and 
 urgent His invitations are; and His Spirit is ever 
 with His word to help our infirmities and to fur- 
 ther our prayers. The sick and wasted child, 
 stricken with death and speechless, can still cast 
 an imploring look into the face of its watching 
 mother; and so may we, even from our deepest 
 extremities, look to Jesus and be saved. 
 
 Dear friends, these are precious Gospel truths, — 
 truths upon which hang the only abiding peace 
 of burdened souls, — truths which it is a happiness 
 to be privileged to declare, — truths which we 
 should all rejoice in and eagerly embrace. What, 
 indeed, could be more worthy of welcome to sin- 
 ners such as we ? 
 
 x\re you sorrowful, then, sick of soul, and laden 
 with unhappiness ? Is your heart heavy and sad 
 over blasted hopes, or a life wasted in folly ? Have 
 you found it a weariness to live, your way over- 
 clouded, your heart ready to despair ? This Len- 
 ten Season brings a word for you. It is the word 
 of Jesus. He speaks it to you. His heart yearns 
 to comfort and help you. And His word to you 
 is, " Come unto Me, and I will give you rest." 
 
ASH WEDNESDAY. 153 
 
 Have you been a backslider — an unfaithful ser- 
 vant — a truant from the school of Christ? Has 
 the world allured you from your sacred vows, and 
 silenced your devotions ? Have you made a wreck 
 of your once joyful faith, and drifted away from 
 God, and church, and piety? Is your soul bur- 
 dened with the sad retrospect ? And would you 
 really find forgiveness and restoration ? Look to 
 the merciful Jesus. His word is to you : ' ' Come 
 unto Me, and I will give you rest." 
 
 Or, are you of those who have till now been 
 neglectful of God and indifferent to the things 
 that make for eternal peace? Has Mammon, 
 pleasure, vanity, ' been your God, monopolizing 
 your worship, absorbing your powers, wasting 
 your energies, and destroying your life ? Do you 
 realize how much of a sinner you are, without 
 God and without hope in the world, unable to 
 think of death and eternity without painful mis- 
 givings? And is it your honest wish to find shel- 
 ter and peace for your neglected and needy soul 
 when God shall call you hence ? Look to Jesus. 
 His word is to you: "Come unto Me, and I will 
 give you rest." 
 
 Thus, then, the message is delivered. God help 
 the hearers of it to take it to their hearts, that they 
 may not fail of the rest that is in Jesus ! 
 
Satanic Sittings. 
 
 First Sunday i?i Lent. 
 
 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to 
 have you, that he may sift yott as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, 
 that thy faith fail not.— Luke 22 : 31, 32. 
 
 JOMB people are pleased to make a jest 
 
 of Satan, and do not believe there is a 
 Devil. Even Christian believers do not 
 always sufficiently consider how much 
 they are exposed to the malignant and treacher- 
 ous wiles and instigations of this evil spirit. The 
 Gospel for to-day speaks of him as a subtle 
 tempter, who even assaulted the holy Christ and 
 sought to destroy Him : and here the Saviour 
 tells of his desire to compass the ruin of the Apos- 
 tle Peter. It was this evil being who beguiled 
 our first parents, and brought sin into the world, 
 with all its mischiefs. The Bible represents him 
 as a murderer, a liar, and the primal source of all 
 wickedness and untruth. He it is who inter- 
 feres with the effect of the divine word on men's 
 hearts, who sows tares among the wheat, — who 
 takes on the garb of an angel of light to mislead, 
 deceive, and destroy. And quite a different world 
 
FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT. 155 
 
 ours would be, if it were not for the doings of this 
 foul enemy of all good. 
 
 In the text the Saviour tells of his desiring and 
 asking to have Peter in his power, especially on 
 account of his prominence and bold professions, 
 that he might try and test him. 
 
 It was thus that he desired to have Job, because 
 that venerable patriarch was esteemed "a perfect 
 and upright man, one that feared God and eschewed 
 evil." The motive was purely malicious, mean- 
 ing to put these men to the test, to buffet and try 
 them, claiming that their piety was selfish or 
 hypocritical, and would soon give way if subjected 
 to his rigid sifting. 
 
 And a most dangerous foe he is, because of his 
 great intelligence, subtlety, and might. He is an 
 archangel fallen, a leader of revolt that depopu- 
 lated a part of heaven, a dark and unseen spirit, 
 the head of an empire of evil spirits, having direct 
 access to our minds and hearts, and capable of af- 
 fecting us from without and from within. The mass 
 of the world's population is more or less under 
 his dominion and control, and he is largely potent 
 in all its history and elements. He has allies in 
 the depravity that lurks in our own nature, and 
 can readily stir up evil thoughts and passions, as 
 well as foment sore temptations from without. 
 There is scarcely an agency or motive by which 
 men are moved which he cannot use to turn souls 
 from God and righteousness. 
 
 He is indeed under bonds. He could not touch 
 Job without divine permission, and was obliged 
 
I56 SATANIC SIFTINGS. 
 
 to stop where God commanded him to stop. He 
 had to ask consent to sift Peter. And the L,ord 
 Almighty could easily make an utter end of him, 
 as He one day will. But, in the present stage of 
 the divine economies, Satan is allowed to exercise 
 his subtle and malicious power, though in measure 
 curbed, that those who are so minded may, by 
 divine grace, resist and overcome him. 
 
 Candidates for favors need to be tested, that 
 they may prove their fitness to receive them. 
 Untried virtue is always uncertain. People must 
 be made to show what they really are, in order to 
 righteous promotion. And as we are called by 
 the Gospel to very exalted dignities and honors, 
 it is but just that our faith and devotion should 
 be put to the test to prove our fidelity and dutiful- 
 ness. Though the danger is that some will utterly 
 fail, it is due to those who have in them the grace 
 and strength of steadfastness to have the chance 
 to show the fact. 
 
 Besides, there are many fruitful vines which 
 need purging in order to full fruitfulness. There 
 are husks, and chaff, and light grains, and noxious 
 seeds, mingled with the best of wheat, which only 
 close and trying sifting and winnowing can re- 
 move. Trials are not an unmitigated misfortune. 
 Even temporary failures under trial may be the 
 means of correcting errors, helping the good, and 
 strengthening steadfastness. Sore temptation, 
 though for the time it may sadly shake and cloud 
 the Christian's integrity, is often the very best 
 thing that can happen to him. The sifting of 
 
FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT. 1 57 
 
 Peter, which resulted in his melancholy fall, cured 
 him of his overweening self-conceit, and by the 
 grace and prayers of Jesus made of him a bet- 
 ter man and a more efficient apostle. And hence 
 St. James says: ' ' Blessed is the man that endureth 
 temptation; for when he is tried he shall receive 
 the crown of life." 
 
 And for these siftings and trials of believers, 
 compelling them to watch, and fight, and struggle 
 to maintain their spiritual standing, God gives a 
 certain liberty to these infernal powers to exert 
 their malignity. They mean it for ruin; but He 
 permits and overrules it for good. But for the 
 sore trials that Satan was permitted to inflict upon 
 Job there could have been no such illustrious 
 demonstration of his integrity. We never could 
 have known the full strength of Abraham's faith 
 had it not been put to so severe a test. Paul was the 
 happier and the stronger apostle from the buffer- 
 ings of Satan; they drove him the closer to his 
 Ivord. Nor would the saints be as saintly on 
 earth, or as highly exalted in heaven, were it not 
 for these very assaults, siftings, and temptations 
 with which Satan is permitted to ply them. Jesus 
 was "led tip of the Spirit to be tempted of the 
 devil," that He might conquer, and prove His 
 immaculate spiritual fitness to become the Re- 
 deemer of the world. And the Saviour did not 
 interfere to keep Peter from falling into the hands 
 of Satan to be sifted and tried, but only prayed 
 that his faith might not fail. 
 
 Dear friends, it is not possible for any of us to 
 
I58 SATANIC SIFTINGS. 
 
 escape temptations and trials. It lies in the con- 
 dition of onr nature, of the world we live in, and 
 in the economy of God, for us to contend with 
 evil, and to face the risk of being vanquished by 
 it. Our faith and devotion must be tried and 
 proven, in order to our promotion with the glori- 
 fied. As followers of Christ, we must needs wres- 
 tle, not only with flesh and blood, but against 
 principalities and powers, against world- lords of 
 darkness, against spiritual hosts of wickedness 
 that infest the very atmosphere we breathe. Even 
 when by the grace of God, as pictured of St. 
 George, we succeed in getting the dragon beneath 
 our feet, he still lives, and the conflict with him 
 is not ended so long as we are in this world. 
 
 Fortunately, we are not left to ourselves when 
 the hour of trial comes. Though we cannot es- 
 cape Satan's assaults and sifting, heavenly forces 
 are not wanting to aid us in the conflict. Jesus 
 prayed for Peter that his faith might not fail. 
 His sympathy and His intercessions went with 
 His servant in the impending trial, and it availed 
 for His disciple's help. Just how it applied we 
 cannot describe ; but it was there, and it was effec- 
 tive. The trial came with sudden violence where 
 it was not at all suspected. Though forewarned, 
 the over-confident disciple was taken by surprise, 
 and quickly found himself steeped in sin and 
 shame. But it was only a temporary fall. It was 
 permitted to prove to him his weakness and the 
 folly of his bold self-conceit ; but it did not de- 
 strov his faith in the Lord whom in his weakness 
 
FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT. 1 59 
 
 he so profanely denied. He immediately saw 
 and realized his sin, and was profoundly humili- 
 ated. His soul was wrung with anguish for the 
 wickedness into which he was betrayed ; and with 
 untold bitterness he bewailed and lamented it. 
 Clouds dense and oppressive were upon him. But 
 he still loved and believed in Jesus, fearing only 
 that Jesus might now abandon him. His repent- 
 ance was quick and genuine. Humbled by his 
 sore experience, Jesus did not cast him off, for He 
 never casts off a penitent soul ; and Peter was all 
 the wiser and better from the terrible sifting Satan 
 had given him. The trial was sharp and sudden, 
 and for the time disastrous ; but he came out of it 
 the gainer. 
 
 Great is the power of Satan, and strong is the 
 hold he has upon us by reason of the evil that is 
 in us. We cannot escape his cruel and dangerous 
 assaults. But we have a precious ally and inter- 
 cessor in Jesus. His heart and tender sympathy 
 go with us in our trials. Having himself suffered, 
 being tempted, He is able also to succor them that 
 are tempted. Having overcome in the dreadful 
 conflict, He is the more concerned and the better 
 qualified to help us in ours. He is anxious for 
 His people when in peril. He prayed for Peter, 
 and He prays for us. He does not pray that no 
 trials may come to us ; but that when they come 
 we may have strength to bear them. And a 
 blessed consolation it is that while we are agoniz- 
 ing in the furnace of trial, Christ is agonizing in 
 prayer that we may come through in safety. 
 
l60 SATANIC SIFTINGS. 
 
 The prayers of Jesus avail much, but they avail 
 only for those who hold on to their faith. There 
 is no victory without faith ; and for people to give 
 up and abandon their Christian faith is to lose all 
 help. Jesus had prayed for Judas too ; but Judas 
 had parted with his faith and sold himself to the 
 enemies of his L,ord, and the day of his tempta- 
 tion was his destruction. Of all things, when 
 trials come, the great matter is to hold on to our 
 faith. We may sometimes be disposed to think 
 it is useless to try further, — that there is no good 
 in prayer or hoping in Christ, — that we may as 
 well give up first as last. And this is exactly the 
 state of mind to which Satan would bring us. 
 Having destroyed our faith, he knows that our 
 ruin is sure. But though we have failed never so 
 sadly, we must not yield our faith in Jesus. He 
 is still our loving and pitying Saviour, and to His 
 mercy we still must cling, and come back in 
 humble penitence to trust and confide in Him. 
 
 What Christ most desires in us is faith. Every- 
 thing depends upon our faith. We are justified 
 by faith. The victory that overcometh the world 
 is our faith. All the assaults of Satan cannot 
 result in our ruin so long as we hold on to our 
 faith. Though we be thrown into the deep waters, 
 faith is the rope that still connects us with the 
 shore. And the great anxiety and prayer of Jesus 
 is that, amid the trials and siftings to which we 
 are subjected in this world, our faith fail not. 
 Confiding in Him we are safe, however weak. 
 Though we many times trip and fall, we shall not 
 
FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT. l6l 
 
 be utterly cast down. And through Him that 
 loved us, and gave himself for us, we shall still 
 make the heavenly port, and have an abundant 
 entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our 
 adorable L,ord and Saviour. 
 
 In the hour of trial, 
 
 Jesus, plead for me ; 
 Lest by base denial 
 
 I depart from Thee. 
 When Thou see'st me waver 
 
 With a look recall, 
 Nor for fear or favor 
 
 Suffer me to fall. 
 
&ty Supreme jfnquirg, 
 
 SecoJid Su?iday hi Lent. 
 
 Dost thou believe on the Son of God ? — Jno. 9 : 35. 
 
 " RIGIN ALLY, this striking question was 
 addressed to a poor blind beggar at Jeru- 
 salem. The particulars concerning him 
 form one of the most remarkable and 
 instructive narratives in the New Testament. I 
 can only say now that at the time he was asked 
 this question he was the subject of a wonderful 
 mercy and of a very outrageous wrong. Blind 
 from his birth, the gracious Saviour noticed him, 
 and miraculously gave him his sight. This started 
 a popular commotion and controversy leading to 
 official investigations, all concerning the character 
 of Christ. As in most such cases, there was much 
 bad blood, and neither party was able to convince 
 or satisfy the other. At length the man himself 
 was called, questioned, and badgered on the sub- 
 ject; but his testimony was so clear, and his argu- 
 ment so conclusive, that the enemies of Christ 
 were intensely angered, fell afoul of the poor 
 man, denounced him as an apostate, and excom- 
 municated him from the synagogue. ' ' They cast 
 him out." 
 
 162 
 
SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT. 1 63 
 
 Honest witnessing to the truth sometimes brings 
 into trouble; but when called to speak, nothing 
 will excuse silence nor the least prevarication. 
 The sympathies of Jesus are always with those 
 who suffer for the truth's sake, and He will not 
 fail to favor and bless them, as shown in the case 
 of this man. 
 
 When it came to the Saviour's ears that the 
 poor man had been so unjustly treated, He sought 
 him and asked him the question of the text. It 
 was not in censure, but in the tenderest of loving 
 compassion, that the question was asked. It was 
 meant to open the way for augmented blessing. 
 As the Jewish officials had cast him out of their 
 fellowship, this question was put as a gracious 
 preliminary to his admission into a heavenly citi- 
 zenship. He had never before heard of ' ' the Son 
 of God," and therefore could not at once answer. 
 But he asked, "Who is the Lord, that I might 
 believe on Him ?" Opportunity was thus created, 
 as in the case of the woman of Samaria, to make 
 the saving revelation. "And Jesus said unto 
 him, Thou hast both seen Him, and He it is 
 that talketh with thee. ' ' It was enough. Evan- 
 gelic light broke in upon his soul, as the light of 
 day had come into his darkened eyeballs. c ' And 
 he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped 
 Him." 
 
 And now, in a like spirit, and for a like reason, 
 this question comes to every one, ' ' Dost thon be- 
 lieve on the Son of God?" 
 
 It certainly is a question of very great impor- 
 
164 THE SUPREME INQUIRY. 
 
 tance. Christ himself is the author of it, and He 
 never speaks trifles, nor deals in matters of indiffer- 
 ence. It is, indeed, one of the deepest, broadest, 
 and most vital questions that can be asked. More 
 hangs upon it than on any other that can engage 
 the human mind. There are many other im- 
 portant questions, — questions of science, govern- 
 ment, social order, education, commerce, hygiene, 
 and the like, — but none to compare in value and 
 significance with this. Matters of the very highest 
 moment, and the furthest reaching in extent, are 
 involved in it. It is the question upon the answer 
 to which each one's eternal destiny must turn. 
 It is a question respecting Faith, without which 
 it is impossible to please God, and without which 
 there is no eternal life for any of us. 
 
 The question is also intensely personal. It was 
 originally spoken to one individual. Faith and 
 salvation concern each soul individually. The 
 question is not what bodies of people entertain, 
 what parents or friends believe, or what the 
 Church to which we belong confesses; for no 
 community, parent, or Church can believe for 
 us any more than they can eat or sleep for us. 
 We must each believe for ourselves, — each man 
 for himself, and each woman for herself, just as 
 each is held separately accountable to God. The 
 wording is in the singular, ' ' Dost thou believe 
 on the Son of God?" and the matter cannot be 
 turned over for some one else to answer in our 
 place. It is Christ's address to each separate 
 soul, — His word to you and me. 
 
SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT. 1 65 
 
 The question also is very specific. It says 
 nothing about pedigree or past history, whether 
 good or bad. Nor is it simply whether we believe 
 in a God. Many do that who do not at all believe 
 that He ever had a Son, or that Christ is the 
 only begotten of the Father. Nor is the question 
 whether we are religiously inclined; for people 
 may be given to devotional services and belong to 
 churches, and still not believe on the Son of God. 
 The pagans of Athens were "very religious ;" 
 but they called Paul* a babbler, and ridiculed the 
 story of Jesus and the resurrection. Jews, Ma- 
 hommedans, and. zealots of other systems often 
 put Christians to shame by their strictness in 
 their several religions; yet do not at all believe 
 in Jesus as the Son of God. Some who even 
 profess and call themselves Christians make it 
 a point to repudiate and deny that Jesus is the 
 Son of God in any other sense than as an exalted 
 and highly endowed creature; while others, who 
 find no reason to doubt what the Scriptures say 
 of Him, still give themselves so little concern 
 about it as to be in no condition to say whether 
 they believe on the Son of God or not. 
 
 It was said to this man, that seeing and hearing 
 Jesus was seeing and hearing the Son of God. 
 This was spoken in the sense of the common or- 
 thodox creed. So the man certainly understood 
 it ; for he at once set himself to worship Christ, 
 who instantly took place in his heart and mind as 
 a Divine-human Being — God manifest in the 
 flesh — his Divine and worshipful Redeemer and 
 
1 66 THE SUPREME INQUIRY. 
 
 Ivord. And this is the definite and specific matter 
 of faith covered by the Saviour's question ; — this, 
 and nothing else. 
 
 It is, furthermore, a question to which every 
 one is expected to give an affirmative answer. 
 This was expected from the man to whom it was 
 first addressed, although he was not yet in full 
 condition to answer it. The very asking was to 
 prepare and help him to the answer. It is for the 
 purpose of begetting and developing such faith 
 and trust in Jesus that all His words and presen- 
 tations are vouchsafed. He was born and lived in 
 our world, and taught, and wrought, and suffered, 
 and sent forth His witnesses, and has given His 
 Spirit, that men might learn to know and believe 
 in Him, the same as did this poor beggar. It is 
 therefore expected of all hearers of the Gospel to 
 believe, confess, and trust in Jesus as the Christ, 
 which is the sublimest of all privileges within 
 human reach. And if we do not come to such 
 belief and hope in Him, ours is the fault and the 
 loss. 
 
 It is further implied in the original asking of 
 this question that it involves no great difficulty. 
 Faith, even saving faith, is a very simple thing. 
 Here was a man, blind from his birth, an unedu- 
 cated man, a man of very limited opportunities 
 and small attainments, a poor beggar, living on 
 alms ; yet he was expected to believe, and he did 
 believe, and believe effectually, and could tell that 
 he believed. Believing, indeed, is one of the 
 commonest acts of life. We have faith in men, — 
 
SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT. 1 67 
 
 faith in the government, — faith in institutions and 
 enterprises to which we entrust our means, — faith 
 in methods of conveyance to which we commit 
 our lives, — faith in what friends and reliable peo- 
 ple tell us, — faith to act in things without any 
 certain assurance of what the result may be ; and 
 scarcely a step in life do we take except on some 
 kind of faith. We cannot move without it. And 
 believing on the Son of God is in easy accord with 
 our nature and our everyday habit. It is trust, 
 confidence, reliance on what we regard as trust- 
 worthy and true ; only that it is directed to Christ, 
 and takes in what is testified of His greatness, 
 love, and power to save. 
 
 Embarking on a ship to cross the sea is a sim- 
 ple act ; but it is an act of faith. It means confi- 
 dence in the strength of the vessel, in the capacity 
 of the captain, in the existence of a further shore, 
 and in all the arrangements for a successful voy- 
 age ; — such confidence that we willingly let go of 
 the land, launch out upon the trackless ocean, and 
 commit ourselves without fear to the craft that is 
 to carry us over. Believing on the Son of God is 
 an act of the same sort, equally simple, and, with 
 the helps and assurances God has given, equally 
 easy. In the one case there is no need for us to 
 study shipbuilding, navigation, aud astronomy 
 before we adventure. That has been done better 
 than any of us can do it, and can avail for us 
 whether we understand it or not. And so, in the 
 other case, it is needless first to acquaint ourselves 
 with all the profundities of theology, and to mas- 
 
l68 THE SUPREME INQUIRY. 
 
 ter all the mysteries of the economy of grace. 
 That has all been thought out and arranged with 
 infallible wisdom. Our part is simply to surren- 
 der ourselves wholly to Christ, and to the plan of 
 God for saving men, and trust to Him to bring us 
 to the desired haven. And when we thus give 
 ourselves, confidingly and adoringly into our 
 great Captain's hands, willing to sail and be gov- 
 erned by His commands, we believe on the Son 
 of God, and have the faith unto salvation. 
 
 And yet faith in itself cannot save. It only 
 links us to what can ; that is, to the all-sufficient 
 Saviour. Faith is not the ship ; but the gangway 
 by which we enter the ship. It is not the sun ; 
 but the eye that perceives the light and makes it 
 of service to direct the walk. It is not the treas- 
 ure ; but the hand that takes and appropriates it. 
 It is not salvation ; but it is the stepping aboard 
 of what is arranged to land us in heaven. 
 
 And where this faith exists it is bound to show 
 itself. In the case of this poor man, what his 
 heart felt his mouth spoke. His belief he con- 
 fessed ; and according to his belief he acted. He 
 worshipped his Saviour. There may be ortho- 
 doxy in the head which does not affect the heart 
 nor influence the life; but "faith without works is 
 dead." True faith is a living principle, which 
 moves the soul and speaks out in all manner of 
 spiritual utterance and activity. Belief on the 
 Son of God responds to His question, confesses 
 His Name, and adoringly submits to His will. 
 This is as natural and certain as that a sun shines, 
 
SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT. 169 
 
 a fire burns, or a fountain flows. Dreams, tokens, 
 and sudden impulses, as well as a lifeless creed, 
 are nothing worth apart from these practical 
 demonstrations of a living faith. And we can 
 know whether we are thus affected, moved, influ- 
 enced, and controlled with reference to our Lord 
 and Saviour, as well as we can know that we are 
 alive, or that we devote ourselves to anything else. 
 
 As to the degree and strength of our faith, that 
 is another matter. Faith has its degrees. It is 
 sometimes weak and sometimes strong, even in 
 the same individual. The question is not as to 
 the amount of our faith, or as to a steady and un- 
 clouded assurance ; but whether we embrace and 
 hold to Christ as our divine Lord and Saviour, 
 ready and willing to do and suffer as He may 
 direct and appoint. This is believing on the Son 
 of God, and this is what is contemplated in the 
 inquiry of the text. 
 
 The great question, then, comes directly and 
 personally to each hearer, ' ' Dost thou believe on 
 the Son of God ?" And there can be but one an- 
 swer, Yes or No. If it cannot honestly be Yes, it 
 is No. God means and desires that it should be 
 Yes in every case ; and blessed are they who can 
 truly say, " Lord, I believe," with the same con- 
 fidence of this poor man. It was a world of 
 consolation and happiness to him, and it is the 
 same for every soul so taught and helped by the 
 Spirit. Even feeble faith, which can say no more 
 than, ' ' Lord, I believe, help Thou mine unbe- 
 
I70 THE SUPREME INQUIRY. 
 
 lief," is full of promise and joyful hope, and, if 
 devoutly nourished, will not fail to bring the soul 
 into touch with Jesus and His salvation. But 
 those who cannot so answer have the most mo- 
 mentous matter of their lives yet to be attended 
 to. And surely this question of the Saviour 
 should make them think about it, and start them 
 on the great work of seeking the Kingdom of God 
 and His righteousness. 
 
 Dear friends, some of you are in the morning 
 freshness of your lives. This then is your most 
 favorable time to be about this important busi- 
 ness. The word of the Master is, "They that 
 seek me early shall find me." While the heart 
 and memory are receptive, the affections warm, 
 the thronging cares and troubles of life yet few 
 and distant, and the soul not yet set in its habits, 
 is of all time the best and most hopeful for learn- 
 ing to love and believe in Jesus. O let it not be 
 wasted in wilfull neglect ! 
 
 Some of you have passed the meridian of your 
 day. You are therefore verging on a time when 
 you will most need the consolations of a mature 
 Christian faith, and when the absence of it will 
 be to you a sore privation. So long a life with 
 no Saviour in it ! So near eternity, and no prep- 
 ' aration for it ! So blest with opportunities, and 
 all neglected ! So helpless and unpardoned with- 
 out Christ, and yet no faith to assure the soul of 
 His saving mercies ! This is a condition so de- 
 plorable that we should think it impossible for a 
 rational man or woman to risk it. Do you then 
 
SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT. 171 
 
 believe on the Son of God ? If not, your chance 
 is rapidly passing away. 
 
 For all of us, like for this man, Jesus has done 
 great things. You put great value on the liberty, 
 the civilization, the intelligence, the beneficent 
 laws, and the many other blessings and advan- 
 tages which distinguish the country in which you 
 live. But these all are traceable to Christ. They 
 are from the spirit infused into mankind by His 
 teachings and religion. Things were not always 
 so, and are not so where Christianity has had no 
 sway. Even the wicked and most indifferent 
 among us are thus reaping vast benefits which 
 Jesus, by the planting and influence of His King- 
 dom, has conferred. And how unreasonable and 
 ungrateful that there should be so little asking 
 after Him, so little reverence for His Name, so 
 little care to please Him, so little faith in One 
 who is the source of all the good we enjoy, or ever 
 can enjoy. 
 
 O careless, prayerless, and unbelieving children 
 of His gracious providence ! Be admonished, and 
 see to it that ye believe on the Son of God. 
 
f^eabenlg g>gmpatf)g. 
 
 Third Sunday in Lent. 
 
 I say unto you, There is joy in the presence of the angels of God 
 over one sinner that repenteth. — Luke 15 : 10. 
 
 " HIS text stands like a cut diamond among 
 gems. It is so full of light on every 
 side that one cannot look at it without 
 being struck with its peculiar brilliancy. 
 A distinguished English preacher has expressed 
 his doubts whether the whole compass of holy 
 writ affords a text of intenser brightness or more 
 touching interest. 
 
 First of all, it introduces us to the most exalted 
 orders of created beings, — to those elder sons in 
 the great family of God who sprang from His 
 creative power before our world was made, — 
 to seraphic principalities and powers, immortal 
 spirits, princely lights, ever burning sons of glory, 
 that make up the equipage of Eternal Majesty. 
 
 Next, it tells of gladness and rejoicing on the 
 part of these celestial orders. They sang and 
 shouted when the world was made. They lighted 
 and cheered the plains of Bethlehem with their 
 glory and their chantings when the Christ was 
 born. John in vision saw and heard them filling 
 
THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT. 1 73 
 
 immensity with their mighty Halleluias at the 
 great consummation. But here was quite another 
 matter; not the creation of a world nor the birth 
 of a Saviour, but only the repentance of a poor, 
 sinful man. And yet, these sublime intelligences 
 rejoice over it. What then must be the signifi- 
 cance and worth of one man's penitence that it 
 renders heaven jubilant? 
 
 In order to enter somewhat into the meaning 
 of this presentation, let us consider what a sin- 
 ner is. 
 
 This is not always understood and weighed as 
 it should be. When we speak of sinners we are 
 apt to have before our minds only the lowest, 
 most degraded, and least worthy of all the human 
 family. Talk of sinners, and we think of none 
 but the most repulsive of our race, the pests and 
 outcasts of society, who hardly deserve to live. 
 But this is a very crude way of looking at the 
 matter. 
 
 What is a sinner ? Whatever else may be said 
 of him, he is a being created in the image of 
 God;— a soul framed for communion with heaven 
 and endowed with capacities for development into 
 eternal life and blessedness; — a living creature, 
 meant to shine in splendors of intelligence and 
 glory when stars have faded, and capable of 
 growth and progress in Godwardness without 
 limit or end; — an offspring of Deity, concerning 
 whose creation there was counselling among the 
 eternal Powers, and it was said, ' ' Let us make 
 man in our image, after our likeness." 
 
174 HEAVENLY SYMPATHY. 
 
 Furthermore, a sinner is this sublimely capaci- 
 tated creature seduced from rectitude, betrayed 
 into sin, involved in guilt, made a slave to evil, 
 and brought under penalty of death temporal and 
 eternal. A sinner is like a star of the morning 
 overtaken with calamity, eclipsed, humiliated, 
 cast down into depths of shame and condemna- 
 tion, and on the way to become a total wreck. 
 
 What is a sinner? He is this noble creation, 
 captured and in helpless bondage, yet considered 
 in heaven, pitied of God, and made the object of 
 a plan of mercy and salvation which the angels 
 desired to look into; — a plan of mercy and salva- 
 tion which included the incarnation, life, teach- 
 ings, sufferings, death, resurrection, and heavenly 
 administrations of the Son of God. The sinner 
 here is a humiliated, damaged, benighted, ailing 
 convict, disinherited of his primal estate, exiled 
 from Paradise, tossing amid the vicissitudes, trials, 
 and perturbations of a world on which the curse 
 has fallen; but not yet abandoned to the desola- 
 tions and horrors of eternal doom. For him and 
 his deliverance there are still unspeakable anxiety, 
 interest, and activity, both in heaven and on 
 earth. Christ at the head of all power, a Provi- 
 dence in its course, the Spirit of God in manifold 
 operations, angels in their varied ministrations, 
 holy men and ministries of God in this world, — 
 all are in ceaseless effort to recover perishing man 
 to life, holiness, and eternal salvation. 
 
 From this, then, we may form some idea of 
 who and what a sinner is. 
 
THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT. 1 75 
 
 Let us consider next what the Repentance of a 
 sinner is; for this is the particular subject of the 
 angelic joy of which the Saviour speaks. 
 
 The meaning of the word ' ' repentance ' ' covers 
 a change of mind, a change of heart, and a change 
 of life. It implies a thorough awakenment to the 
 deplorable condition induced by sin, and to the 
 guilt and condemnation it has incurred. It im- 
 plies compunction, alarm, and distress on account 
 of these, and dread of deserved and impending 
 wrath. It signifies a looking back with painful 
 regret upon the past life of alienation from God, 
 and the ill-bartering away of the soul for the 
 vanities and pursuits of the carnal and unsanc- 
 tified. It means earnest and honest turning from 
 the old careless, prayerless, and sinful way of 
 living to accept the forgiveness proffered through 
 Christ, and to obey, follow, and honor Him as our 
 gracious Lord and Redeemer. It is the effectual 
 shining into the soul of the illuminating and 
 moving Spirit of God through the Law and the 
 Gospel, awakening a sense of danger and guilty 
 need, creating an appreciation of the unspeakable 
 goodness and grace of the heavenly Father, and 
 begetting a willing, grateful, and persevering pur- 
 pose and effort to live to His honor and praise. 
 
 What, then, is a repentant sinner? It is an 
 alien, benighted, and damaged soul, by God's 
 grace recovering from its delusion, insanity, and 
 sad captivity to lust, self, and Satan. It is a 
 noble creation of divine wisdom and goodness 
 being extricated from the jaws of eternal ruin. 
 
1^6 HEAVENLY SYMPATHY. 
 
 It is the rebel and apostate being restored to the 
 estate of loyal citizenship and reconsecration, — 
 the long-demented one being clothed once more 
 in his right mind. It is the guilty and wretched 
 prodigal brought back to his injured but loving 
 Father's home. It is the lost child found, — the 
 dead one rebegotten to proper life, — the imperilled 
 soul reborn into the blessed family of heaven. 
 
 From this we may begin to see why there would 
 likely be "joy in the presence of the angels of 
 God over one sinner that repenteth. ' ' Angels are 
 happy and dutiful subjects of Jehovah, and con- 
 cerned most of all about what relates to the honor 
 and glory of His Name and Kingdom. They are 
 beings full of tender benevolence toward the de- 
 luded, distressed, and helpless; and they cannot 
 but be gladdened by the snatching of souls from 
 the eternal burnings. 
 
 The angels are everywhere represented as in- 
 tensely interested in the divine plan of grace, 
 watching its development and progress and pleased 
 with every instance of its success; and every re- 
 pentant sinner is to them a forepledge of the great 
 triumph, — an immortal jewel won for the crown 
 of their Lord. 
 
 Angels know the connection between repent- 
 ance and spiritual life, — between the changes in 
 the heart and standing of a true penitent and the 
 glorious immunities of the Kingdom of God, — 
 between the awakenment, turning, and submission 
 of a sinner and the eternal blessedness; and in 
 every instance of the one they behold a blessed 
 
THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT. I J J 
 
 earnest of the other. How can they be otherwise 
 than joyous over every sinner that repenteth? 
 And the practical proof of their joy is given in 
 this, that they are all ministering spirits, doing 
 manifold and willing service to those who thus 
 become heirs of salvation. 
 
 But now let us consider further, The purpose 
 for which our Saviour made this particular state- 
 ment. 
 
 From the context it is plain that it was given 
 in answer to the accusation made against Him by 
 the captious Jews. They denounced Him as a 
 bad man because He received sinners and ate 
 with them; and this was part of His answer to 
 that charge. And a just and very complete answer 
 it was. Were not the holy angels good? And 
 if it is a matter of joy to them when even "one 
 sinner" repents, why should He be blamed and 
 regarded as profane for welcoming these poor 
 despairing outcasts, who came nocking to Him, 
 eager to hear His gracious words, behold His mer- 
 ciful works, and share His saving goodness? 
 
 But it was further meant as an argument to 
 convict and shame these heartless malignants. It 
 was as much as to say to them: "If God's holy 
 angels rejoice over one repenting sinner, what un- 
 heavenly creatures are ye to condemn My kind- 
 ness to these burdened souls so anxious to be 
 taught the way to eternal life." It was the cita- 
 tion of a heavenly truth which not only vindicated 
 His conduct as embodying the very spirit of 
 heaven, but revealed the base uncharity of their 
 
I78 HEAVENLY SYMPATHY. 
 
 hearts and the shameful injustice of their hos- 
 tility. 
 
 It is not worth while for men to undertake to 
 fault the Christ, nor to reason out a case to convict 
 Him of a mistaken goodness ; for they are sure to 
 get the worst of it. 
 
 It was also intended by this citation to show 
 the heavenly dignity of the work of bringing sin- 
 ners to repentance. It may seem foolish to the 
 philosophy of this world to lay so much stress on 
 the preaching and the efforts made to win care- 
 less sinners to Christ and salvation ; but it is a 
 work in the spirit of angels and in the spirit of 
 Jesus, — a work which gladdens heaven by every 
 item of its success. 
 
 Much is made in this world of advancement in 
 knowledge, art, commerce, and civil liberty, — of 
 the glory of wise statesmanship, the honoring of 
 heroes, and the upbuilding of empires. But these 
 are not the things that most enlist the contempla- 
 tions and sympathies of angels. According to our 
 sublimest Guide and only Saviour, the bringing 
 of a single soul to genuine repentance is a greater 
 achievement, and more delights heaven, than all 
 any worldly savant, statesman, or philosopher ever 
 accomplished or can accomplish. Earth's heroes 
 and sages may for the time gladden nations here ; 
 but he who succeeds in winning a sinner to God 
 gladdens heaven and eternity. 
 
 Nay, still more was this citation meant to as- 
 sure us, and all burdened and guilty souls, how 
 ready and willing Jesus is to receive sinners. It 
 
THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT. 1 79 
 
 really proclaims Him the special friend of the 
 sinful, ailing, and needy, who seek His favor. It 
 re-echoed as well as vindicated His word: "Come 
 unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, 
 and I will give you rest." He knows what sin is, 
 — what corrosions it begets in the heart, — what 
 an evil thing and bitter it is to depart from God 
 and righteousness, — what utter hopelessness ob- 
 scures the outlook of the guilty without His re- 
 deeming mercy, — and hence it is His pleasure, 
 and the delight of angels, when even one of these 
 alien and sorrowing ones is brought to repent- 
 ance. 
 
 See, then, dear friends, what wonderful interest 
 is felt for us sinful mortals, even in the highest 
 worlds. All heaven is concerned and anxious to 
 have every one of us turned from our sins, — our 
 unbelief, — our neglect of God, — our prayerless- 
 ness, — our indifference to the great and pressing 
 wants of our souls. The everlasting Father in 
 His goodness and mercy, the everlasting Son in 
 His unceasing love and compassion, the eternal 
 Spirit in His ever-gracious ministrations, and the 
 holy angels in anxious sympathy, are profoundly 
 concerned for us. And the toiling Church, in un- 
 tiring activities of instruction, admonition, en- 
 treaty, prayer, and every variety of endeavor, is 
 moved by the one great and absorbing wish to 
 have us turned from the evil that is in and about 
 us to Him who alone can save. Nor can we 
 thoughtfully contemplate the facts without feel- 
 
l8o HEAVENLY SYMPATHY. 
 
 ing that here is matter so momentous in signifi- 
 cance that it is supremest madness and supremest 
 crime for any one to disregard it. 
 
 O ye prayerless neglectors of your souls and 
 your God, regarding your own selfish ease and 
 pleasure more than to be in accord with heaven 
 and participant in the redemption that is in Christ 
 Jesus: Is there nothing in all this to make you 
 think upon your careless ways? It is now, by 
 divine grace, within your power to make the holy 
 angels glad and to secure a destiny the equal of 
 theirs. Your own earnest and heartfelt repent- 
 ance out of your negligence and unconcern will 
 do it. And why not imitate the prodigal as he 
 came to himself, and say, "I will arise and go to 
 my Father, and will say unto him, Father, I have 
 sinned against Heaven, and before Thee, and am 
 no more worthy to be called Thy son?" Saying 
 and doing this, with a good and honest heart, you 
 will send a thrill of joy through celestial orders, 
 and put you on the way to become like them. 
 And now is your time. 
 
 God help us all to be genuine penitents ! 
 
®f)e JBluntticent g>abiour* 
 
 Fourth Sunday in Lent. 
 
 When Jesus then lifted up His eyes, and saw a great company 
 come unto Him, He saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, 
 that these may eat? — Jno. 6:5. 
 
 'HE first thing I note in this text is a 
 great crowd of people greatly interested 
 in Jesus. He had just come from a se- 
 vere conflict with the captions and ma- 
 lignant Jews, and had retired with His disciples 
 into a desert place to "rest awhile." But His 
 movements were watched, and the people from 
 the towns and villages along the shores of the sea 
 of Galilee joined each other in a general move- 
 ment to follow Him into His retreat. About five 
 thousand men were in the crowd, jostling each 
 other in their hurry and press to come where He 
 was, that they might see and hear Him. 
 
 Some, doubtless, were moved by mere idle cu- 
 riosity, or by the general stir. The community 
 always abounds with people ready to run and gape 
 whenever something unusual occurs, although 
 seldom profited by what they learn. Having seen 
 and told their story, they are ready for the next 
 new sensation. Some people can hardly live ex- 
 ist 
 
102 THE MUNIFICENT SAVIOUR. 
 
 cept in some sort of excitement, for which they 
 are prompt to sacrifice everything. 
 
 But, in general, this crowd of people was not 
 of that empty and idle-minded class. More seri- 
 ous considerations were moving them. The 
 preaching of John the Baptizer had made a deep 
 impression on the whole nation, and awakened an 
 anxious looking for that illustrious Messiah and 
 Judge whose coming and presence he had so posi- 
 tively announced. Many had also come to the 
 belief or suspicion that this Jesus was that very 
 One of whom John and all the prophets had spo- 
 ken. His words, works, and wonders had deep- 
 ened this feeling and produced a general stir on 
 the subject. And when He was known to be in 
 the vicinity the community around, almost as 
 one man, arose and sought to make its way to 
 Him. 
 
 Nor can I otherwise than admire and commend 
 these people for their zealous interest in Jesus. 
 He was altogether worthy of their profound atten- 
 tion, as of that of all that live. He was the most 
 marvellous and wonderful Being that had ever 
 appeared in human flesh and blood, the greatest 
 teacher, preacher, and wonder-worker that ever 
 set foot upon earth. And why should not they, 
 as all men, be profoundly interested in One who 
 spake as never man spake, who had power to 
 heal their sick and raise their dead, and who 
 showed by all His acts that He had come forth 
 from God, and had upon Him the favor of God? 
 Another character, so unique, so preeminently 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT. 1 83 
 
 worthy of attention, or that so supremely chal- 
 lenges the regard and study of rational man, had 
 not before been shown in our world. And all 
 history since their day has set the seal of wisdom 
 and right on the zeal of these people to see and 
 hear this marvellous Personage. It was the Won- 
 der of the ages that attracted them. His life and 
 career present a problem of momentous import, 
 the proper solution of which involves the deepest 
 interests and the highest possibilities of the whole 
 human race. No just philosophy nor system of 
 human thinking can afford to pass Him by. Nor 
 has there ever been a solid explanation of the 
 facts concerning Him, except that which was so 
 reverently confessed by Peter, when he said, 
 "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" 
 — "Thou hast the words of eternal life." 
 
 What better, worthier, or wiser thing, then, 
 could these people have done, when opportunity 
 presented, than sacrifice convenience and all other 
 claims to use their chance to meet, and see, and 
 hear this great and glorious Messiah of God? 
 The wonder is rather that so many who know 
 of Him, whence He came, and for what He 
 lives and reigns, give themselves so little con- 
 cern about Him. O the unwisdom of neglecting 
 the Christ ! 
 
 A second thing I note in the text is, the interest 
 of Christ in those interested in Him. He once 
 said, " Him that cometh unto Me, I will in no 
 wise cast out;" and here was a marked exem- 
 plification of that saying. If at any time He 
 
184 THE MUNIFICFNT SAVIOUR. 
 
 might reasonably seclude himself, it was at this 
 time. He had gone into remote retirement, worn, 
 wearied, and seeking a little rest; but He inter- 
 posed no barricades against intrusive approaches. 
 He gave no orders to His disciples to warn 
 away the invading multitude. He showed no 
 unwillingness or reluctance to receive all that 
 might come. Nay, when this crowd of eager 
 seekers were yet at a distance from Him He 
 lifted up His eyes upon them, thought of their 
 wants, and began to prepare for their entertain- 
 ment. 
 
 And so He is ever ready to receive all who come 
 unto Him. His interest and sympathy go out 
 toward those who are interested in Him. When 
 yet afar off, His attention is enlisted and His 
 eyes are lifted upon them. He sees and knows 
 what is going on in their hearts; what desires and 
 estimates are moving them ; what hindrances they 
 have to overcome; and is already concerned about 
 their comfort and peace. Retirement and rest 
 are nothing to Him, when perishing souls are 
 hungering and thirsting for light and salvation. 
 Had He consulted His own repose, He would 
 have remained in the glory which He had with 
 the Father before the world was, and never taken 
 upon Him the humiliation, burdens, and woes re- 
 quired for the working out of our salvation. But 
 it was His love for man that moved Him. He 
 was in the world thus to minister. He came to 
 seek and to save that which was lost; and it 
 was not in Him to deny himself to any earnest 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT. 1 8$ 
 
 comers, whatever needed rest as a man He might 
 have to forego. 
 
 Yes, dear friend, the eyes of Jesus are lifted 
 and open toward you, even in your most hidden 
 thoughts about your soul's salvation. That secret 
 anxiety in your hours of solitude, — those sighs of 
 spirit over the question of what is to become of 
 you when done with this world, — those longings 
 for surer knowledge and greater nearness to God 
 and the only Saviour, — those inward promptings 
 to try to be a better man or a better woman, — those 
 frequent wishes that you were a Christian, and 
 struggles with self and circumstances about be- 
 coming one, — those disturbing doubts and fears, 
 unbreathed to men, as you were made to think 
 of death and eternity, — those little attempts at 
 prayer, and occasional resolves and promises to 
 seek the Kingdom of God and His righteous- 
 ness, — and all those conflicting and unsettled feel- 
 ings working often in your breast, — He under- 
 stands full well. His Spirit has created them, 
 and He has been looking all the while for the 
 outcome of full surrender to Him. That reflec- 
 tion on the unsatisfactoriness of your past, — that 
 slightly quickened attention to the preached word, 
 while half afraid that it will demand more than 
 suits your wishes, — that timid doubtfulness and 
 dread which have held you back when thinking 
 to come to a final decision, — that hesitating con- 
 sent to take the step which yet is not taken, — all 
 has been under the interested eyes of Jesus, as He 
 looks forth to welcome you to His presence and 
 
1 56 THE MUNIFICENT SAVIOUR. 
 
 favor. Yea, His great heart yearns over every 
 awakened and anxious soul. He is interested in 
 those who are in any way interested in Him. 
 
 A third particular I note from the text is, that 
 great good comes to those who come to Christ. Be- 
 fore this great company reached Him, and from 
 the moment He saw them coming, He began to 
 speak and arrange for their comfort. What He 
 said to Philip had nothing directly to do with the 
 provision made ; but it showed that the Saviour 
 was concerned about the matter, and already had 
 in mind what He meant to do. He received 
 them kindly ; He preached to them ; and He 
 wrought one of His greatest and most convincing 
 miracles for their benefit. They saw the Lord ; 
 they heard His words ; and they each had satisfy- 
 ing proof of His beneficent kindness and creative 
 power. They were given plentiful provision for 
 their bodies, and joyous nutriment for their souls. 
 Nor is there any thing else with so much promise 
 in it as coming to the Lord Jesus. 
 
 A compassionate Preserver of His people is 
 Jesus. He careth for their bodily life and com- 
 fort as well as for their spiritual wants. In this 
 case He took a small barley loaf into His hand 
 and broke it ; and it enlarged in the breaking, and 
 became sufficient to feed a thousand men seated 
 and waiting to receive it. The whole multitude 
 were thus served and filled. This showed that 
 the hand of Jesus had in it all the fecundity of 
 the earth, and all the excellence of power by 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT. 1 8/ 
 
 which our harvests are produced and our bread 
 supplied. And while He thus fed their bodies, 
 He was at the same time feeding their faith and 
 filling them with a double benediction. Their 
 hunger was satisfied ; and their hearts were con- 
 vinced. They said, "This is of a truth that 
 prophet that should come into the world. ' ' Yea, 
 so overwhelming was the glad demonstration that 
 they were determined to crown Him on the spot, 
 whether He would or no. 
 
 But He had. better things for them, which had 
 to be wrought out in a different way. They had 
 debts to the law, which they could not pay ; and 
 sins to be cancelled, which required the shedding 
 of His blood ; and a way to heaven needed to be 
 opened for them, which could only be by His 
 resurrection and celestial enthronement. Accord- 
 ingly, He avoided the outburst of their patriotic 
 enthusiasm that He might procure for them a 
 higher blessedness. 
 
 Our salvation requires more than an earthly 
 king, however great or wonderful His power. 
 We need a spiritual Saviour — a propitiation for 
 our sins, a righteous advocate with the Father, 
 and a heavenly I^ord to minister repentance, re- 
 mission of sins, and life everlasting. Hence while 
 moved with tenderest interest for our earthly com- 
 fort and welfare, Jesus refused that earthly crown- 
 ing that He might be to us "wisdom, righteous- 
 ness, sanctification, and redemption." 
 
 And that world to come, of which He spoke so 
 much, — that realm into which He as the Fore- 
 
l88 THE MUNIFICENT SAVIOUR. 
 
 runner hath entered, — that better country, and 
 heavenly, to which the pious in all the ages have 
 aspired. — that inheritance incorruptible, unde- 
 nted, and that fadeth not away, — those crowns 
 that never dim, and powers that never decay, and 
 pleasures that never pall, and glories which no 
 earthly language can describe, — that home of the 
 good, where they live and reign with their God 
 and Redeemer, and all tears are dried, and death 
 and sorrow and pain never come, — all these, and 
 more than human thought can compass, the ador- 
 able Jesus hath in reserve for them that come to 
 Him. 
 
 And yet another thing I note in the text is, the 
 wise example set by these people. Jesus was in 
 their neighborhood. They knew not how long 
 He would remain, nor whether He would ever re- 
 turn after He should leave. This was, therefore, 
 their golden opportunity to see, and hear, and 
 satisfy themselves with regard to this wonderful 
 man. And they energetically seized upon their 
 opportunity. 
 
 Xor does our situation differ much from theirs. 
 The Christ has come. Report of Him has gone 
 abroad assuring us of His nearness. He is within 
 the reach of every one. It is now in our power 
 to find Him. Our opportunity is here. How long 
 it may last no one can tell. If we would come to 
 the Saviour, the present is our chance. To-mor- 
 row may be too late. Consultation of our own 
 ease may bring loss that never can be retrieved. 
 And our truest wisdom in the case is to imitate 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT. ISO, 
 
 the conduct of these Galilean people, act with 
 vigor while we can, seek the Lord while He may 
 be found, and call upon Him while He is near. 
 Otherwise we risk eternal failure. 
 
 If there were any other hope for us, the matter 
 would not be so urgent; but everything depends 
 on Jesus, and our coming to Him. Allowing 
 Him to go unsought, we neglect the sublimest 
 privilege that can ever come to mortal man, and 
 impose a sad privation on ourselves, and a loss for 
 which nothing can compensate. This, then, is 
 our time for action. Another such a time we may 
 never have. 
 
 Dear friends, these truths are not unfamiliar to 
 your ears. You have been hearing of this won- 
 drous Son of Man, His gracious doings and saving 
 offices, from your earliest recollection. And the 
 very familiarity of the presentations may have 
 dulled and deadened your interest in them. Many 
 tire of what they call the humdrum of the faith- 
 ful pulpit. But, let me say to you, one and all, 
 that nothing worthier of your devoutest attention 
 and most earnest solicitude ever came to your 
 ears. Many kings and righteous men have de- 
 sired to see what ye see, and have not seen them ; 
 and to hear what ye hear, and have not heard 
 them. And if the tidings of the nearness of the 
 Saviour in all His compassion and saving great- 
 ness have thus far fallen dead upon your hearing, 
 awakening no anxious desire for His favor, arous- 
 ing no activity to profit by His presence and 
 power; the time is here for you to break up your 
 
I9O THE MUNIFICENT SAVIOUR. 
 
 dull indifference, and apply at once to Him who 
 alone can give the bread of life, or save from an 
 eternal starvation. Is it wise ? — is it right ? — is 
 it not a thing of infinite blame and guilty stupid- 
 ity — for any one to spend a lifetime serving vain 
 fancies, and letting the only chance of salvation 
 go ? And of how many who are listening to me 
 now has the blessed Jesus been obliged to say in 
 sad complaint, * ' Ye will not come unto Me that 
 ye might have life." Yet, to this present He 
 tarries and waits to be gracious ! O the folly 
 and guilt of men ! the goodness they slight ! the 
 mercies they disregard ! the opportunities they set 
 at naught ! 
 
W^t aikabatling ©ffrang. 
 
 Fifth Sunday in Lent. 
 
 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer 
 sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh : how 
 much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit 
 offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead 
 works to serve the living God. — Heb. 9:13, 14. 
 
 i]HEN called to deal with such a text as 
 this a certain class of teachers begin by 
 admonishing us very self-complacently 
 to separate ourselves entirely from all 
 theological systems, even of the most orthodox 
 divines, and go directly to the great Shepherd 
 himself. This sounds well; but is not so much 
 from desire to bring out the true heart and essence 
 of the Gospel, as to get rid of what does not agree 
 with their preconceived notions. They would 
 have us avoid orthodox systems, in order to make 
 room for some system of their own which is not 
 orthodox. Accordingly, instead of leading us, 
 as they say, from stagnant and muddy pools of 
 human tradition to the translucent river of more 
 independent thought, they land us in the quag- 
 mires of an errant rationalism, where there is 
 neither orthodoxy nor any genuine Gospel. And 
 
 191 
 
192 THE ALL-AVAILING OFFERING. 
 
 if we are not to heed and believe the clear testi- 
 mony of such inspired men as the Apostle Paul 
 and the writer of this Epistle, we might as well 
 cast our Bibles into the fire and make common 
 cause with skeptics and infidels. 
 
 But not so readily can we consent to drop out 
 of our holy faith what is everywhere so fully 
 taught in the New Testament and so elaborately 
 foreshadowed in the symbolisms of the old — 
 namely, that forgiveness of sins is only through 
 the blood-shedding of Christ, and eternal life 
 only through His atoning sacrifice. Nor need we 
 go any further than the text before us to vin- 
 dicate and justify the faith of all orthodox be- 
 lievers from the beginning until now. 
 
 First of all, we are here introduced to a very 
 wonderful and worshipful Personage, whose proper 
 dignity forbids His being ranked with dependent 
 creatures. He is called "the Christ;" which 
 means "The Anointed," as only priests and kings 
 were anointed. Elsewhere in this Epistle He is 
 described by the highest terms known to our lan- 
 guage. He is spoken of as the Son of God ; the 
 heir of all things ; the Maker of the worlds ; the 
 effulgence of the Father's glory; to whom the 
 Father gives the name of God, as when ( ' to the 
 Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and 
 ever." He is repeatedly called "The Lord," and 
 is proclaimed to us as " the same yesterday, and 
 to-day, and for ever." And yet, with all, He is 
 a true man. The word is that, "As the children 
 are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT. 1 93 
 
 took part of the same, ' ' and was ' i made like unto 
 His brethren, that He might be a merciful and 
 faithful High Priest." Yes, a true man, but 
 verily a God-man. And this we get, not from 
 the muddy ponds of human reasonings, but from 
 the limpid stream of the divine Word, given by 
 inspiration of God, out of which we will not suffer 
 ourselves to be defrauded by the cunning crafti- 
 ness of men nor by philosophy falsely so called. 
 
 Next, we are here certified of the great Gospel 
 truth, that this wonderful God-man, — this Son of 
 the Eternal in human flesh and blood, — volunta- 
 rily gave himself to a sacrificial death for our re- 
 demption. 
 
 There are people who have no place for this 
 truth, although the words are plain as words can 
 be. The invincible statement here is that this 
 Christ, as our great High Priest, offered Himself 
 without spot to God, as a sacrifice and payment 
 to Eternal Majesty and justice for our sins, and to 
 procure for us standing as accepted servants of the 
 living God. In the first chapter of this Epistle it 
 is written that " He by himself purged our sins." 
 In the next chapter it is written that He "was 
 made a little lower than the angels for the suffer- 
 ing of death ; that He by the grace of God should 
 taste death for every man ; that through death he 
 might destroy him that had the power of death, 
 that is, the devil, and deliver them who were all 
 their lifetime subject to bondage." So again in 
 the lesson before us the word is, that " neither by 
 the blood of goats and calves, but by His own 
 
 13 
 
194 THE ALL-AVAILING OFFERING. 
 
 blood, He entered once into the Holy Place, 
 having obtained eternal redemption for us." And 
 to this it is added, " Christ was once offered to 
 bear the sins of many ;" that when He came into 
 the world He said, " Lo, I come to do Thy will, 
 O God, by the which will we are sanctified 
 through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ 
 once for all ;" and that " by the blood of Jesus " 
 we now have "liberty to enter into the Holiest 
 by a new and living way which He hath conse- 
 crated for us through His flesh. ' ' And if this is 
 not enough, take the declaration of the Saviour 
 himself, where He says, ' ' this is my body, which 
 is broken for you . . . this is my blood, which is 
 shed for many for the remission of sins." Noth- 
 ing of this is from human systems nor from man's 
 lucubrations ; but from the pure oracles of God, 
 which everywhere give testimony to the doctrine 
 of the vicarious and atoning death of Christ and 
 salvation through His blood. 
 
 But we have here the still further assurance of 
 the abundant efficacy of our Saviour's offering of 
 himself. This is strongly brought out by com- 
 parison and contrast with the old ceremonial ob- 
 servances, which were not mere empty rites. 
 They were efficacious to the ends for which they 
 were intended. Although they were "carnal or- 
 dinances, imposed until the time of reformation, " 
 they were divinely appointed. They were "fig- 
 ures for the time then present," — types of better 
 things to come. Of themselves they "could not 
 make him that did the service perfect, as pertain- 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT. I95 
 
 ing to the conscience;" but they did serve for 
 ceremonial and bodily purification. Nay, they 
 had in them something of spiritual profit also; for 
 the promises of God were connected with them. 
 Worthless apart from what they typified, they yet 
 had a divine consecration to a purpose which they 
 did not fail to subserve. And so, with an invin- 
 cible logic, the writer here argues, if these observ- 
 ances availed, — "If the blood of bulls and of 
 goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the 
 unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, 
 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who 
 through the eternal Spirit offered himself without 
 spot to God, purge your consciences from dead 
 works to serve the living God ? ' ' 
 
 Here is an admeasurement of the efficacy of 
 Christ's atonement which is completely over- 
 whelming. How shall we figure it out ? There 
 was important virtue in the old Levitical sac- 
 rifices, though offered by men who had first to 
 offer sacrifice for their own sins, before they could 
 offer for the sins of the people; but here the High 
 Priest "is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from 
 sinners, and made higher than the heavens." 
 The one was a carnal administration in an earthly 
 and perishable tabernacle; but the other a spir- 
 itual and heavenly, in " a greater and more per- 
 fect tabernacle, not made with hands." Aaron's 
 sons offered by material fire; Christ, "by the 
 eternal Spirit." The old sacrifices had to be 
 repeated year by year, for • the same need ever 
 recurred; but Christ "by one offering hath per- 
 
Ip6 THE ALL AVAILING OFFEI 
 
 fected for ever them that are sanctified. ' ' The an- 
 cient priests offered the blood of brute beasts; but 
 Christ ''offered himself," — "His own blood," — 
 with which He "entered into heaven itself/' 
 What are bulls and goats in comparison with the 
 coequal and coeternal Son of God, so much bet- 
 ter than angels, and the very effulgence of the 
 Father's glory? O the depth and force of this 
 argu:::e::t ! How can words reach or minds meas- 
 ure the superior efficacy thus ascribe:, to the sac- 
 rifice of Jesus? 
 
 But there is another way of looking at it. We 
 have here a specific statement of what Christ's 
 offering to God through the eternal Spirit was 
 meant to do, and truly does for man. 
 
 11 The blood of Christ." in Scripture language, 
 stands for His wmole offering in our behalf, — the 
 crown of all His obedience and endurance for 
 our sake; and it is here said to "purge the con- 
 science. ' ' Conscience is the umpire which charges 
 sin and guilt upon the soul, quite disabling any 
 free approach to God or any acceptable divine 
 service. Hence, the purging or purifying of the 
 conscience can be nothing less than the doing 
 away with the condemnation due to sin, and the 
 cleansing of the soul from its pollution. Both 
 justification and sanctification are necessarily in- 
 cluded; and both are thus unequivocally ascribed 
 to the atoning sacrifice of Christ as the procuring 
 cause. Apart from that sacrifice, all works on 
 our part are mere " dead works, ' ' which cannot 
 answ 7 er for our past guilt, nor recommend us to 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT. 1 97 
 
 God. Everywhere the word is, that " the blood 
 of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all 
 sin ; " and if His blood does this, nothing else 
 does it. And this it does first by adequate expia- 
 tion and atonement, as represented by "the blood 
 of bulls and of goats; " and then by a continued 
 process of personal sanctification, as represented 
 by the sprinkling of the ashes of, an heifer to 
 purify the ceremonially unclean. 
 
 Great and wonderful are the virtues and effects 
 thus ascribed to the blood of Christ. It blots out 
 all our transgressions, so that we stand as inno- 
 cent, and no longer condemned before the Law. 
 It puts.us in condition to render acceptable service 
 to God. It opens for us a new and living way 
 into the very Holy of holies. It gives us liberty 
 to "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that 
 we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in 
 time of need." And it gives motion, impulse, 
 and encouragement to "draw near with a true 
 heart," purifying ourselves even as He is pure. 
 
 Just how "the blood of Christ" operates to 
 bring about these sublime and wonderful results, 
 we may not be able in all respects to explain as 
 earthly science may demand. The matters in- 
 volved are so heavenly and beyond our power to 
 trace their action and relations that they are nec- 
 essarily mysterious. We cannot trace the whence 
 or whither of the wind, much less the things of 
 the Spirit of God. But it is not necessary that 
 we should be able fully to comprehend or scien- 
 tifically construe such divine transactions. Our 
 
I98 THE ALL-AVAILING OFFERING. 
 
 business is to accept, believe, and rest on God's 
 word, no matter whether we can adjust everything 
 to our limited thinking or not. Bread will nourish 
 us, though we know nothing of the processes of 
 digestion. Medicine can relieve and cure, if we 
 have the confidence to take it, although the man- 
 ner of its action, and even the materials of which 
 it is composed, may be beyond our knowledge or 
 understanding. Many were healed by Christ's 
 word, by the touch of His hand or His garment, 
 or by clay made of His spittle, who never could 
 explain the connection between the means and 
 the cure. All they knew was, that virtue thus 
 came out from Him which released them from 
 their infirmities. And although the offering of 
 the Saviour's blood may have mysteries which we 
 cannot solve, that does not vitiate its reality or its 
 saving virtue. Multitudes on multitudes are now 
 in heaven, giving thanks to Him who "redeemed 
 them to God by His blood," who lived and died 
 in simple faith and trust in what the inspired 
 Word declares, without knowing or troubling 
 about the dynamics of the atonement or its 
 mysterious forensic relations. It was enough for 
 them to know, believe, and experience that "the 
 blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit 
 offered himself without spot to God," and not the 
 dead works of man, can purge the conscience 
 and help to develop a grateful, childlike, and 
 acceptable service of the living God. In this was 
 their joy and their salvation. Xor are we in need 
 of anything more to give us peace in believing 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT. 1 99 
 
 and joy in the Holy Ghost. Simple faith in the 
 Word will do the business. 
 
 What use, then, dear friends, have you been 
 making of these transcendant and most vital 
 truths ? Do you believe them ? Are you resting 
 your soul and grounding your hope upon them ? 
 Are they to you the real heart and core of the 
 Gospel you have accepted? Or are you among 
 those who higgle at them, and doubt, and say you 
 can't believe them, because unable to adjust them 
 to your alleged understanding ? I pity the people 
 who cannot believe " that Christ died for our sins 
 according to the Scriptures," or who doubt that 
 the Sinless One was ever ' ' made sin for us, that 
 we might be the righteousness of God in Him." 
 I pity those who think the ways of eternal Deity 
 must be gauged, and his word revised and cor- 
 rected, according to the taper light of their erring 
 judgment. I pity them that they can find it in 
 their hearts to tread under foot the Son of God, 
 and count the blood of the covenant an unholy 
 thing. I pity them for their non-acceptance of 
 our adorable and only Mediator, and their refusal 
 to accept "redemption through His blood." I 
 pity them, because they "enter not by the door 
 into the sheepfold," but think to "climb up some 
 other way." God have mercy upon their hesi- 
 tancy and unbelief, and turn their hearts to the 
 only saving truth ! 
 
 But these great truths may be mentally honored 
 without affecting the soul or the life. There is 
 such a thing as holding the truth in unrighteous- 
 
20O THE ALL-AVAILING OFFERING. 
 
 ness. People may have a historical faith in 
 Christ without realizing the overwhelming great- 
 ness of His love, or feeling the need of His atone- 
 ment, or cleaving to His cross for forgiveness and 
 heaven. Let it not be so with us. We believe 
 in God ; let us believe also in Jesus, — in the wor- 
 shipful divinity of His person, in the sublime suf- 
 ficiency of His mediation, in His perfect compe- 
 tency to "save unto the uttermost them that 
 come unto God by Him." We believe that Christ 
 died for our sins, and rose again for our justifica- 
 tion ; and let this be a vivid and ever-living real- 
 ity to our souls, that we may feel the vastness of 
 our obligation to His goodness and show the 
 fruits of our faith in our service of the living God. 
 
©f)e iWountetr mug. 
 
 Palm Sunday. 
 
 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, 
 meek, and sitting upon an ass. —Matt. 21:5. 
 
 i]OR the first time in His earthly history 
 our Saviour here assumed the character 
 of a King, — very humble indeed, but 
 still a King, — a triumphing Hero and 
 Ruler. He commands both men and beasts. He 
 rides as a King. The multitudes hail Him as a 
 King. Ancient prediction pointing to the occa- 
 sion designated Him as Israel's King. And as a 
 conquering King has been His career through the 
 world ever since. 
 
 Whatever men may think or say of Christ, or 
 in whatever way they may try to dispose of His 
 story, He is, and has been thus far, the greatest 
 and most powerful personality in history, the cen- 
 tre of the mightiest and divinest forces that ever 
 penetrated the spirit or ruled the thinking and 
 activities of man, the potent source of the grand- 
 est moral, civilizing, and beneficent influences 
 that ever affected the condition and career of our 
 race. Even the coldest critics confess to a won- 
 
 201 
 
202 THE MOUNTED KING. 
 
 derful fascination and commanding power in trie 
 presentations He makes ; and the most daring 
 free thinkers, in spite of their unbelief, have 
 again and again shown a beautiful reverence for 
 His character and moral sublimity. 
 
 In the instance before us Jesus is mounted. 
 For the only time in His life He rides. Every- 
 thing around Him is in boisterous commotion. 
 He is entering a city filled with enemies. He is 
 riding to His death. But He holds on His way 
 as if all were calm and peaceful, and as undaunted 
 as if the way were as open to Him as that of a 
 star in the emptiness of space. And such has 
 been His progress through time. Amid all the 
 perturbations and revolutions of nations and ages 
 He has simply ridden on in His meek majesty, 
 nothing daunted by obstacles, — nothing doubting 
 that the sovereignty of the world is His. 
 
 Ever greater than the Church He founded, — 
 greater than any movement within it, — greater 
 than the greatest agents called into being for its 
 service ; He has never wavered, never faltered, 
 never failed. Through all the long history of the 
 Church ; through all its fevers, conflicts, and de- 
 pressions ; through all the defections within and 
 antagonisms from without : He has stood as the 
 invincible standard for the rallying of His people, 
 "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." 
 
 Great and many have been the impediments 
 thrown in His way. The great heart of perverted 
 humanity, in the full tide of its power, has been 
 against Him as against everything divine. Its 
 
PALM SUNDAY. 203 
 
 lust, and pride, and selfishness, and hatred of re- 
 sponsibility has ever been in some sort marshalled 
 to retard His progress. But on He rode, and on 
 He still rides, and on He will ride till every knee^ 
 shall bow and every tongue confess that He is 
 Lord. 
 
 Fickle and false have been many of His pro- 
 fessed friends. Again and again has He been 
 wounded by those of His own house. There have 
 been generations of Judases to betray Him, of 
 Peters to deny Him, and of disciples to desert 
 Him. Often has He been sold for less and baser 
 coin than thirty pieces of silver. But, with all, 
 He still rode on, conquering and to conquer. 
 
 Ridicule, mockery, and blasphemy have assailed 
 Him in every age. Vast crowds of doubters, and 
 skeptics, and foes, great and small, have sallied 
 forth to crush Him. His every claim has been 
 questioned, criticized, denied, and tossed hither 
 and thither with wildest freedom and unbelief, 
 His miracles denied or explained away, His teach- 
 ings spurned, His Cross and Passion reduced to 
 mere example or the result of mistaken ambi- 
 tion, His glorious Resurrection and Ascension 
 denounced as silly fables, artfully palmed upon 
 the world. And yet, on He rode, and on He still 
 rides, and on He will ride, till all His enemies 
 are put beneath his feet. 
 
 His progress in the past is pledge of His vic- 
 torious progress in the future. Having conquered 
 on so many fields, transforming fiercest enemies 
 into willing allies, He is bound to ride on in tri- 
 
204 THE MOUNTED KING. 
 
 umph to the end. A distinguished bishop has 
 lately said, ' ' I tremble not with others at the 
 breaking down in the present day of the ancient 
 barriers erected against ungodliness, and the out- 
 rush of waters of strife and unbelief and doubt; 
 for I know that all this is an old story worn 
 threadbare in the telling — a phase of opposition 
 that in varied shape has occurred again and again, 
 and will occur to the very end. But this I know, 
 that no antagonism, however fierce or fatal, can 
 crush out Christ. The fire of man's hatred can- 
 not burn Him; the floods of man's strife cannot 
 drown Him; the sword of man's wrath cannot 
 pierce Him; the bitterness of man's tongue can- 
 not injure Him; the wild vagaries of man's brain 
 cannot weaken Him; because He is the Christ, 
 the Son of the living God, the Almighty." 
 Amid all antagonizing crowds and questionings 
 milleniums fall behind Him, and no old foes re- 
 vived, nor new ones springing up, can ever stay 
 Him. On, on, He rides to-day, and will ride on, 
 till He who lived, and died, and rose again, is 
 hailed invincible Conqueror. 
 
 It was in the midst of an exulting crowd that 
 the royal Hero rode into Jerusalem. With many 
 it was a mere sentimental enthusiasm, which de- 
 parted with the day; but with others it was the 
 utterance of deep, genuine, and adoring convic- 
 tion. They saw in that mounted Hero the realiza- 
 tion of some of their most solemn beliefs and 
 most eager expectations. They beheld in Him 
 a Messenger from heaven, even the triumphing 
 
PALM SUNDAY. 2C>5 
 
 ' ' Seed of the woman, ' ' the long-promised King 
 of Israel. They believed in Him as their glorious 
 Redeemer. They hailed Him with acclaim as 
 the blessed Son of David, come in the Name of 
 the Lord. And their exulting spirits turned to 
 Him as the needle to the magnet, uttering song 
 so true and genuine that if suppressed the very 
 stones would have cried out. 
 
 Jesus presented himself to them as the King of 
 Salvation, and they joyfully and obediently ac- 
 cepted Him. They fell in line to follow Him, 
 and found in Him that great Messiah ' ' of whom 
 Moses in the law and the prophets did write." 
 And by the honest faith with which they thus 
 embraced Him, from fishermen and taxgatherers 
 they were transformed into the illustrious princes 
 of His realm, lifted to apostolic thrones, and given 
 a spiritual regency in a sublimer state than Plato 
 ever imagined or Solon ever dreamed. Moved 
 and sustained in their untiring activities by their 
 faith in Him and by the quickening powers of 
 His Word and Spirit, no poet or philosopher, 
 warrior or statesmen, of the ancient world, ever 
 did as much as they to create and nurture the 
 better, higher, and more lasting elements of 
 human virtue, civilization, and liberty. And 
 while this world stands, neither poetry nor prose, 
 eloquence nor song, will ever get done with the 
 devout celebration of c< the glorious company of 
 the Apostles. ' ' 
 
 Nor has this King of Zion, in His ride through 
 the centuries, ever failed to have a like following, 
 
206 THE MOUNTED KING. 
 
 who rank with the noblest of their day and gen- 
 eration, and numbers of whom have left a blessed 
 impress on the world. Think of the Clements, 
 the Chrysostoms, the Augustines, the Luthers, 
 and a whole catalogue of mighty men of God, 
 whose names the Church treasures among her 
 choicest jewels, and whose inspiration, strength, 
 and greatness came from their following of this 
 meekly mounted Hero. A very zone of blessed 
 light and joyous song has thus been pushing its 
 way around this old earth of ours by means of 
 the example, testimony, and ministrations of those 
 to whom it was given to sing Hosanna to this Son 
 of David. 
 
 And it is for us, dear friends, to be among that 
 joyful company, and to share a like blessedness. 
 We too can make contribution to the glory of the 
 King, and to the volume of happy song that ever 
 attends His march. To this end He comes to us 
 again in this solemn season of grace. The Al- 
 mighty lifts up His finger and says to us, " Be- 
 hold !"— " Behold, thy King cometh unto thee." 
 Not with our natural eyes can we behold Him. 
 Not as man paints royal majesty and beauty is 
 He to be seen. Meek and humble is the man- 
 ner of His approach. He comes not as a 
 sombre Judge with sword and executioners; but 
 in plan Records and easy Sacraments, — a Prince 
 of Peace, — a merciful and compassionate Re- 
 deemer. He comes, not to condemn and punish 
 for our undutifulness and sins, but to pardon and 
 release us through the merit of His cross, and 
 
PALM SUNDAY. 
 
 207 
 
 to bring us with songs and gladness into the 
 heavenly Jerusalem. 
 
 How then are we to become a part of that great 
 and joyous procession extending through so many 
 ages and so many lands, from Judea even to the 
 ends of the earth? 
 
 First of all, we must recognize in Jesus our 
 divine Lord and Saviour. It is under this con- 
 viction and belief that the whole procession moves. 
 Its leadership, its centre, its joy, its inspiration, 
 is " He who cometh in the Name of the Lord." 
 And until we learn to know, appreciate, and 
 honor Him as the meek and glorious King of 
 Salvation, our place is not in that happy com- 
 pany. 
 
 Furthermore, our hearts must be attuned to the 
 excellent song of these people. Zacharias led off 
 in it when he said, " Blessed be the Lord God of 
 Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His 
 people, and hath raised up a horn of salvation 
 for us in the house of His servant David." The 
 aged Simeon re-echoed it when he sang, "Lord, 
 now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, 
 according to Thy word ; for mine eyes have seen 
 Thy salvation." Mary voiced it, saying, "My 
 soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath 
 rejoiced in God my Saviour." Paul struck the 
 grand keynote of it when He exclaimed, ' ' Thanks 
 be to God, which giveth us the victory through 
 our Lord Jesus Christ. " And all the myriad hosts 
 gathering around the sacred altar have never 
 ceased to sing it, as with angels, and archangels, 
 
208 THE MOUNTED KING. 
 
 and all the company of heaven, they praised and 
 magnified the glorious Name of the Eternal, say- 
 ing, " Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He 
 that cometh in the Name of the Lord." And 
 only as we learn that song, and keep it living in 
 our hearts and on our tongues, are we of that 
 blessed company, moving with the King to live 
 and reign with Him in the City of God. 
 
 How is it then with you, dear friends ? Have 
 you learned to recognize and honor your rightful 
 King and only Saviour? There be professed 
 Christians who make more of a brutal ball-game 
 than of a divine sacrament. Is that a following 
 of Jesus ? There are people who are louder and 
 heartier in their praises and laudations of victors 
 in trials of muscle and carnal contests than over 
 Him who conquered death and hell and opened 
 for them the Kingdom of heaven. Is this a fol- 
 lowing of Jesus? O the follies and hallucinations 
 of people who fain would count themselves the 
 children of God ! But to all the meek and for- 
 bearing King comes once more, offering to be 
 their Saviour and everlasting friend. He comes 
 with free forgiveness and eternal life for every 
 one who will receive Him. Open then your 
 hearts and homes that He may enter. Receive 
 Him, that He may cast 'out all alien powers, and 
 become your everlasting Lord and Benefactor. 
 And blessing, and honor, and glory be unto Him, 
 both now and for ever ! Amen. 
 
Voiitx from tlje <£xo$$. 
 
 Good Friday. 
 
 When they came to the place, which is called Calvary, there they 
 crucified Him. — Luke 18: 33. 
 
 HOOD Friday brings before us the blessed 
 Jesus, faint and weary under the weight 
 of His cross, on the way to be nailed to 
 it, and to die upon it. He trod that dol- 
 orous way that we might have hope and consola- 
 tion in our journey to our death. And on that 
 cross He hung with arms outstretched to shelter a 
 world of perishing souls. 
 
 Seven times He spoke while hanging there. 
 Those seven words form the Pleiades in the con- 
 stellations of our faith, whose "sweet influences" 
 no one can ever bind or destroy. 
 
 As the nails were being driven, or as the lifted 
 cross was dropped into its socket with the suffer- 
 ing Saviour hanging upon it, He spoke and said, 
 1 ' Father, forgive them ; for they know not what 
 they do." It was not complaint, threatening, nor 
 lament. It was a prayer,-- — not for himself, but 
 for His cruel murderers, — for all His crucifiers, 
 and so for us also, since our sins helped to drive 
 those nails. How precious to know that we have 
 
 14 209 
 
2IO VOICES FROM THE CROSS. 
 
 a Saviour so merciful in His intercessions and so 
 ready to forgive even His crucifiers ! 
 
 But there were others crucified with Him. Two 
 notorious malefactors are His companions in the 
 affecting exhibit, the one on His right, the other 
 on His left. By word and gesture, from rulers 
 and rabble, much cruel mockery and reviling 
 were hurled at Him as He hung upon the cross ; 
 and these two wicked men at first took part in it. 
 But the heart of one of them soon softened, and he 
 began to take the Saviour's part. Having learned 
 of the promised Christ as King, he called Him 
 "Lord" even in those agonies, and prayed Him 
 to be remembered when He should come into His 
 Kingdom. Here was belated penitence and faith; 
 but it was genuine ; and the gracious answer 
 came from the suffering Saviour, ' ' Verily, I say 
 unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with Me in Para- 
 dise. ' ' 
 
 It was a blessed assurance to a wicked man in 
 the last extremity ; and it set up a monument of 
 mercy to guilty penitents which has thrilled and 
 comforted the hearts of myriads in all the ages 
 since. And what a demonstration of the Saviour's 
 divine power ! that, dying like a helpless mortal, 
 He could open the gates of Paradise to a believing 
 suppliant ! In such a Saviour we may well trust. 
 
 Beneath that cross stood His heartbroken 
 mother, with other sorrowing women. In com- 
 pany with them was the Apostle John. And 
 when Jesus saw her, and "the disciple whom 
 Jesus loved," standing by, He spoke again, and 
 
GOOD FRIDAY. 211 
 
 said, u Woman, behold thy son /" meaning John ; 
 and to John, ' ' Behold thy mother ! ' ' 
 
 His first word was a word of intercession for the 
 guilty ; His second was a word of mercy and prom- 
 ise to a believing penitent ; and His third was a 
 word of filial tenderness and sympathy. As 
 Christians, we have a spiritual mother, of which 
 Mary was the representative. The same was also 
 the mother of Jesus ; for He was born of the 
 Church, "like unto His brethren!" And the 
 dearest object of His love and sympathizing care 
 is that "mother of us all." From His cross He 
 made richest provision for this oft-sorrowing 
 mother for all the period of her earthly life. 
 With His dying words He committed that mother 
 to our loving care. It was His last will and testa- 
 ment as a man that He thus gave to John to exe- 
 cute ; and it is His last will and testament to us as 
 our Lord and Redeemer to care for, nurture, and 
 protect the Church, from which we have our 
 spiritual birth. 
 
 And now the mystery of His Passion verged 
 toward its close. The hour had come for the 
 final payment of the price of human redemption. 
 Nature grew dusky, black, and fearfully ominous. 
 The jeering crowds dispersed in terror. The 
 voice of taunt and mockery subsided into solemn 
 awe. In silence, amid the blackness of a sunless 
 day, the Saviour hung, wrestling with His ago- 
 nies. And as the flaming wrath due to a race of 
 sinners struck into His soul, He cried, with an 
 awful cry : "Blot, Eloi, lama sabachthani — My 
 
2 I 2 VOICES FROM THE CROSS. 
 
 God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me!" 
 What all that betokened only He who uttered it 
 can ever know. It seemed like a cry of utter 
 despair ; and yet it was not utter despair. It told 
 of the dreadful experience of the Son of God as 
 the hell of horrors due to our sins was emptied 
 upon Him. Thought and reason are stunned and 
 stupefied as we contemplate the mountain weight 
 of agony expressed. 
 
 And yet there comes from it the confirmation 
 of the prophet's words, that His soul was made 
 an offering for sin. Surely, here was adequate 
 payment of our debt. And how, indeed, can any 
 penitent sinner ever be lost for whom such a price 
 has been paid ! — in whose behalf such a sacrifice 
 has been offered ! 
 
 But, with these burning fires drinking up His 
 soul, His long- continued anguish, His losses of 
 blood, His fevers of pain, and His parched body, 
 the blessed Saviour spoke again. "Knowing 
 that all things were now accomplished, that 
 the Scripture might be fulfilled, He saith, l I 
 thirst:" 
 
 There is no keener bodily anguish than great 
 thirst, and the suffering Saviour felt it to the full. 
 Beginning with His bloody sweat in the garden, 
 there had been a continuous drain upon all the 
 moisture of His system with never a draught to 
 cool His tongue. In His long and awful inward 
 wrestling with the demands of justice the anguish 
 of His body seemed lost ; but now that He had 
 touched the bottom of His atoning grief and 
 
GOOD FRIDAY. 21 3 
 
 reached the further side of His great spiritual 
 conflict, the tortures of His physical condition 
 asserted themselves. 
 
 It was first a thirst for moisture for His fevered 
 body ; but that was not all. It was also a thirst 
 for God, who had so withdrawn himself. And it 
 was furthermore a thirst for the consummation of 
 those consolatory results for which He gave Him- 
 self to these horrors. It was not a prayer, — not 
 an appeal to God, nor to those watching by His 
 cross. It was simply the utterance of a condition 
 of torture and distress. Sour drink was put to 
 His lips, and the light of the Father's favor again 
 began to dawn upon Him ; but the thirst for the 
 fruits of "the travail of His soul" continued, 
 and still continues. It was a thirst for us to 
 thirst for Him, and find redemption through His 
 blood. Nor can we better refresh the Saviour's 
 soul than by coming to Him to drink salva- 
 tion, so dearly purchased and now so freely 
 offered. 
 
 And yet again He spoke. Having tasted the 
 coarse draught put to His lips, He said, "It is 
 finished." There is often a sudden waking up 
 of energy in the dying ; and so it was in the dying 
 Jesus. With a greater and louder voice, He ut- 
 tered these words. There was a tone of triumph 
 in them, though spoken out of the very article of 
 death. What did they mean ? 
 
 Many momentous things had been written by 
 the prophets respecting these mysterious occur- 
 rences. Many momentous things were made his- 
 
214 VOICES FROM THE CROSS. 
 
 tory by them. And many momentous things, 
 stretching through time and eternity, there took 
 their start. And these words set His seal upon 
 them as now virtually accomplished. ' ' Finished ' ' 
 was all that was written, foreshadowed, and de- 
 creed, concerning the humiliation of the Christ. 
 1 ' Finished ' ' was all that the law required for the 
 opening of the doors of salvation for a guilty race. 
 "Finished" was everything for the evolution of 
 His holy Church, the new creation, and the reign 
 of eternal righteousness. Wide was the glance 
 of the dying Jesus summed up in those brief 
 words. From the covenant with the Father be- 
 fore the world was — from the first promise down 
 through all that the prophets had spoken — from 
 the depths of His awful experiences up to the 
 eternal glories to come of them — all was taken 
 in, and the great Amen affixed. 
 
 And with this ending of His earthly life there 
 remained but one more word to be said. And 
 that word was, "Father, into Thy hands I com- 
 mend my spirit." He went upon the cross speak- 
 ing the Father's Name, and He there ended life 
 with that Name upon His lips. Obedient unto 
 death, He could confidently commit His soul into 
 that Father's hands, as the believing and faithful 
 ever may. A vanishing instant of unconscious- 
 ness, and He awoke among the blessed, to rest in 
 Paradise till the Easter morning dawned. 
 
 Aud so it is now appointed for all who trust 
 to His gracious mediation. Serving Him while 
 living, we shall go to Him when dying. And 
 
GOOD FRIDAY. 21 5 
 
 under the ' ' sweet influences ' ' of these seven 
 stars, that shine so serenely from our Saviour's 
 cross, may we ever live, and have grace to carry 
 us safely through this chilly night of time to the 
 Paradise of God. 
 
 . It is not death to die — 
 
 To leave this weary road, 
 And 'midst the brotherhood on high, 
 To be at home with God. 
 
©aster- 
 
 The Day of Gladness. 
 
 This is the day which the Lord hath made ; we will rejoice and be 
 glad in it. — Ps. 118 : 24. 
 
 " HE Saviour of the world was dead. He 
 had spoken His last word from the Cross. 
 He had given up the Ghost. His body 
 lay cold and lifeless in the sepulchre. 
 A few believing women had gathered some fra- 
 grant spices, and, as soon as they dared, hastened 
 to that sepulchre at the early dawn to do honor to 
 His remains. They came, thinking only of their 
 loss, hoping only to get one more look upon the 
 gracious countenance of the friend they so much 
 loved. 
 
 They came; but they found nothing as they 
 expected. The heavy stone, which they feared 
 would defeat their purpose, was rolled away. The 
 sepulchre was open and empty. Their Lord was 
 not there. Had He been stolen ? or what ? Ah, 
 the power of God was there before them. The 
 course of nature had been disturbed. Bonds 
 were severed which never before were broken. 
 Angels of glory were there. Voices from the 
 other world were heard. The women were almost 
 
THE DAY OF GLADNESS. 217 
 
 paralyzed with dread. The truth was, that a mo- 
 mentous miracle had been wrought. A mighty- 
 wonder had come to pass. An angel of God an- 
 nounced it, saying, " Be not affrighted: Ye seek 
 Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: He is 
 risen /' ' And that return of the L,ord Jesus from 
 the tomb is what gave being to our Easter Day, 
 "the day which the Lord hath made." 
 
 Since the world began, there never was another 
 day like it. No other day ever made such a change 
 in the hopes of man. No other day ever shed 
 such blessed and enduring light over our be- 
 nighted world. No other day of such sure and 
 solid gladness to the dying children of men had 
 ever dawned before. There had been numerous 
 and joyous types of it; — as when righteous Noah 
 looked forth upon the newly baptized world in 
 which to live a happier and brighter life; — as 
 when Abraham received back the Son of promise 
 from under the doom of death; — as when Israel 
 came up out of the Red Sea to sing the jubilant 
 songs of an unexpected deliverance; — as when 
 Jonah found himself once more in the land of 
 the living. But these instances were all limited, 
 temporary, and extended not beyond the present 
 life. Easter Day brought deliverance, not for 
 one person, one family, one people, or only for 
 this life; but for all tribes of men, past, present, 
 and to come, and stretching out through all 
 eternity. 
 
 Easter Day was a glorious day to the first dis- 
 ciples; but it was not for them alone. When 
 
2 I 8 EASTER. 
 
 they were gathered to their rest, others came to 
 whom it was as great a joy. And it is the same 
 to-day it ever was to any people. Bven to us 
 upon whom the ends of the world have come, it 
 is still as truly and as much a thing of triumphant 
 gladness as to any who lived before us. Ages have 
 not deadened its light, nor diminished its joyous- 
 ness or its glory. The Resurrection of Jesus 
 Christ from the dead, is still a potent and present 
 fact, which can never lose its virtue or signifi- 
 cance. It is a perpetual and never-failing spring 
 of hope and strength to every generation of be- 
 lievers. 
 
 We know something of the force and meaning 
 of what Easter Day has been and still is to the 
 Church of God. We know how everything in 
 our Christian faith and hopes rests upon it. The 
 word of inspiration has long since taught us that 
 "if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching 
 vain, and your faith is also vain; and they also 
 which have fallen asleep in Christ are perished !" 
 We know the joyous stress which the Apostles 
 and early Christians laid upon it, — the sublime 
 courage and unfaltering persistence with which 
 Paul preached it, clung to it, and rejoiced in it, — 
 the exultant thankfulness of Peter for the abun- 
 dant mercy of God vouchsafed by it, — the tri- 
 umphing in it of the Church in all the ages. 
 
 In grateful exultation 
 
 Their notes let all things blend, 
 For Christ the Lord is risen, 
 
 Our joy that hath no end, 
 
THE DAY OF GLADNESS. 2 1 9 
 
 was the song of John of Damascus, which Chris- 
 tians have not ceased to sing even to this day. 
 
 Easter Day has given us our Christian Sunday. 
 The original creation- work and God's restful con- 
 templation of what He had made gave us the 
 ancient Sabbath ; and so the new creation, which 
 broke from the tomb of Jesus on Easter Day, has 
 given us the better light of our Christian Sunday, 
 every recurrence of which is something of a little 
 Easter Day — the Church's stand-up day. 
 
 Nor is it difficult to see and appreciate why the 
 Church from the very beginning has ever made so 
 much of Easter Day. 
 
 It was the day of illustrious vindication for the 
 character, claims, and teachings of our Christ. 
 While He lived He was denounced as a deceiver, 
 His miracles ascribed to Satan, His professions 
 condemned as blasphemy, and His body crucified, 
 because He said He was the Son of God. Easter 
 Day wiped out all these lying accusations, and 
 declared Him " to be the Son of God with power." 
 
 Easter Day affixed the great seal of Heaven to 
 the completeness and sufficiency of Christ's aton- 
 ing sacrifice. He had taken upon Him our nat- 
 ure, endured the privations, toils, and sufferings 
 of human life, and surrendered himself to death, 
 even the death of the cross, to fill for us the place 
 of a second Adam, and by these means to buy 
 back what the first Adam had forfeited and lost. 
 It was as surety for guilty man, and with willing 
 consent to pay all our debt to the violated law, 
 that He submitted to that awful death, and came 
 
under its dark dominion. Nor was it possible 
 for Him ever to be released from those bonds 
 without the rendering of full satisfaction to eter- 
 nal Majesty and Justice. And when Easter Day 
 showed him gloriously alive, it was the invincible 
 demonstration from the eternal Throne that the 
 debt of man was paid, justice satisfied, the law 
 honored, and condemnation forever done away for 
 every one that believeth. 
 
 Easter Day was the day of glorious victory for 
 Christ over all His enemies. Up to that time 
 they seemed to have everything their own way. 
 For thirty pieces of silver they had secured His 
 betrayal into their hands. Without a contest 
 they had obtained His condemnation and Pilate's 
 consent to have Him crucified. They nailed Him 
 to the cross. They succeeded in killing Him, and 
 in getting the seal and guard of state to secure 
 His sepulchre. We can imagine the powers of 
 darkness grinning to each other over the effectual 
 end they had put to this Son of God, who had 
 shown himself so great a menace to their king- 
 dom. But Easter Day came upon them like a 
 devastating cyclone, while the cross stood uplifted 
 as the banner of the victorious Christ. Our Sam- 
 son had awakened from His slumbers and carried 
 off in triumph the very gates of death. 
 
 Easter Day was the effectual forepledge of a 
 blessed resurrection to all believers. The dread 
 sombreness of the reign of death it quite brushed 
 away. It showed the bonds of Sheol broken, so 
 that all our graves now lie open toward heaven. 
 
THE DAY OF GLADNESS. 221 
 
 That day gave us the sublime earnest of our im- 
 mortality. What was accomplished by Christ, 
 was accomplished for all that are His, and must 
 ere long be accomplished in them. Having risen 
 from the dead, He hath become the first fruits of 
 them that slept. His resurrection guarantees the 
 resurrection of all who die in Him, just as the 
 first fruits prove and foreshow a general harvest 
 of the same kind. Yes, these flowers and Easter 
 jubilations, dim and perishable as they are, pre- 
 lude a glorious morning, when angels of God 
 shall throw open the tombs of all that sleep in 
 Jesus; and from earth and sea the myriad hosts 
 shall rise and shine in the splendors of their 
 Master's likeness. 
 
 Easter Day is our sublimest illuminant of the 
 invisible world. It gives us rays of light that 
 extend beyond the tomb. It demonstrates that 
 death is not an obliteration of our being, but only 
 an incident in our history. It furnishes assurance 
 that the great ones gone, the high souls passed 
 from earth, and all the holy and beloved dead 
 from our own hearths and homes, still live to God, 
 happy in their rest and hopes, and only awaiting 
 greater glory and nobler life in the unfolding of 
 the great purposes of God. It proves to us that 
 Paradise itself is only a vestibule to a nobler, 
 higher, and eternal estate, into which Jesus our 
 Forerunner has for us entered, and to which the 
 resurrection is to bring His saints. ( It shows us 
 our loving and dear Saviour full Master of the 
 realms invisible, and Head over all things for the 
 
222 EASTER. 
 
 glorification of His people. And in it we have 
 outlooks into infinitudes of blessedness, and end- 
 less cycles of Godward expansion and supernal 
 peace. 
 
 Nor need I stop to tell what an invincible fort- 
 ress our Easter Day is to our beleagured faith for 
 further proof that this Day the Lord hath made 
 for us to rejoice in and be glad. 
 
 Nor is Easter Day any less important now, — 
 any less significant, — any way diminished in its 
 joyousness, grace, and potency, — than when it 
 first dawned upon the world. The Resurrection 
 of Jesus is a thing of undying power. The Risen 
 One is the very same to-day who spoke to Mary 
 Magdalene, reproved the doubting Thomas, talked 
 on the way to Emmaus, and broke bread on the 
 shore of Gennesaret. All that could be said of 
 Him then is true of Him still. What He did for 
 His friends then He is as competent to do now. 
 And all the gladness, rejoicing, glorying confi- 
 dence, and conquering comfort, strength, and 
 hope which Easter Day had then, may also be 
 ours. 
 
 Only this must not be forgotten, that Easter 
 Day is a call to a new and better life. Our glory- 
 ing is not good, except as it tends to lift us from 
 the death of sin to the life of righteousness. We 
 cannot truly keep the feast with the old leaven 
 of malice and wickedness cleaving to our souls. 
 Christ died and rose again that we might rise 
 from the death of sin and cast off all the works 
 of darkness. He did not take our place to make 
 
THE DAY OF GLADNESS. 223 
 
 us more secure in negligence and unbelief. He 
 did not conquer death and triumph over it that 
 we might yield ourselves the more freely to the 
 corruptions and follies of a carnal life. 
 
 Easter Day is not for mere outward jubilation, 
 but for the soul to cleave to Him who is the 
 Resurrection and the Life; to confirm our faith 
 in Him; to quicken us in His service; to animate 
 us to unfaltering love and glad obedience. 
 
 Easter Day was meant to create new eagerness, 
 as well as new hope, in a wasted and perishing 
 world; to reinforce man's life and aims and ener- 
 gies for a new career; to inspire with ardor to 
 reach that God-like stature which belongs to a 
 candidate for a blessed immortality. And while 
 we rejoice in Easter Day, let it be in deadness to 
 sin and its allurements, and in joyous life to God 
 through our Lord Jesus Christ; to whom, with 
 the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and 
 glory, world without end. 
 
Religious ffiertttuto. 
 
 First Sunday after Easter. 
 
 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, hav- 
 ing our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience. — Heb. io : 22. 
 
 SSURANCE is the firm persuasion of the 
 certainty of a thing. It may respect a 
 matter of fact, a matter of belief, or a 
 matter of hope. In the text it means a 
 thorough persuasion that Christ is an all-sufficient 
 Saviour, and that through what He has done and 
 suffered for us we are now accepted as God's chil- 
 dren and heirs of heaven. 
 
 It is a great thing to have such a believing con- 
 fidence. So long as a matter like this hangs in 
 dim uncertainty it is impossible to have solid 
 spiritual peace. It is only when our souls are 
 sure, and we can say with Paul, "I know whom 
 I have believed and that He is able to keep that 
 which I have committed unto Him," that we 
 enter upon the proper life and joy of our faith. 
 
 Whether such assurance is to be taken as a 
 part of faith, or as a degree of faith, or as only a 
 consequence or fruit of faith, it still remains true 
 that there must be some kind or degree of cer- 
 tainty in order to enter into the peace of believing. 
 
 224 
 
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 225 
 
 It is important, however, to note the distinction 
 between assurance about what Christ is and pro- 
 poses, and our persausion that we certainly are 
 among the saved. We may be satisfied and sure 
 of all the great doctrines about Christ, and believe 
 them without a doubt, and yet not be sure that 
 we have personally embraced Him unto salvation. 
 We may even truly believe in Him, and really 
 belong to the number of the forgiven and saved, 
 and yet not be sure of it in our own minds. 
 
 It is just here that much mischievous confusion 
 often exists. Some say you must be entirely sure, 
 and know for a certainty that you are saved, or 
 else you are not saved. But this is very unfair 
 and misleading. It tends to make over-confident 
 self-deceivers on the one hand, and to dishearten 
 and undo what may be genuine faith on the 
 other. Hence we have people who are very sure 
 that they are Christians, and seem to have no 
 question that they will go direct to heaven when 
 they leave this world, and yet have no real faith 
 in Christ. Their religion is nothing but noisy 
 emptiness, a flattering dream. They think them- 
 selves something, while they are nothing. So, 
 again, there are many humble and timid children 
 of God, who truly embrace Christ and His salva- 
 tion, and have some dim hope that He will own 
 them at the last, but would not dare to say they 
 have no question or fear about their ultimate sal- 
 vation. 
 
 It was the shrewd remark of an old clergyman, 
 that when he got to heaven, if God in His mercy 
 
226 RELIGIOUS CERTITUDE. 
 
 should ever bring him there, he would find three 
 great surprises : First, at not finding there some 
 who were very sure of getting there ; second, at 
 finding there some who were afraid to hope for so 
 great a mercy ; and third, and the greatest of all, 
 in finding himself there. 
 
 I would therefore have you note and mark this 
 fact, that saving faith in Christ and personal as- 
 surance of our salvation are two different things. 
 Faith in Christ as our Lord and Saviour is one 
 thing ; but faith in our own faith is another thing. 
 The two may, should, and often do go together. 
 When one truly believes in Christ he ought to 
 know that he believes ; but he may truly believe 
 and still not be as confidently certain about it as 
 he would like to be. The absence of full confi- 
 dence in our own faith is a disability, a discom- 
 fort, and a hindrance to our spiritual peace and 
 joy ; but it does not necessarily argue the absence 
 of saving faith, for there may be saving faith 
 where there is no firm assurance of it. 
 
 The ' ' Assurance of Faith ' ' respects two things, 
 about which we can and should be certain. 
 
 First, we can and should be sure about the ob- 
 ject on which faith rests. We cannot be believers 
 without believing something ; and that something 
 we must feel sure about in order to believe it, or 
 we do not believe it. That on which faith rests 
 is the word and promise of God in Christ. Here 
 there can be no doubt nor misgiving, if we have 
 faith at all. God's word is and must be true. 
 His promises are yea and amen. If we cannot 
 
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 227 
 
 rest on them, we cannot rest on anything. And 
 if we do not take and believe them, we have no 
 Gospel faith. Here then faith has assurance. 
 Where it is in living power it must believe the 
 word and promises of God. It belongs to the very 
 essence of faith thus to take God at His word. 
 
 In the next place, taking the Gospel as true, we 
 can know and be certain whether we take for our 
 Saviour and hope that Saviour whom the Gospel 
 offers. True faith makes the word and promise 
 of God in Christ a real thing to us, — a thing on 
 which we fix our trust, hope, and firmest calcula- 
 tions, for time and eternity. We may hesitate to 
 take to ourselves the undoubting persuasion that 
 we are and certainly shall be saved; but it cannot 
 be because we cannot tell and be sure whether 
 we believe God's word or not, or whether we take 
 and rest on Christ as our Saviour, or not. 
 
 But while it belongs to faith to be sure and cer- 
 tain on these points, it is not to be overlooked 
 that faith has its degrees. It has not the same 
 clearness and strength in every one, nor in the 
 same believer at all times. And in so far as as- 
 surance is a mere degree of faith it does not affect 
 the existence or essence of faith. Faith may be 
 sure that it rests on Christ, and yet be weak and 
 timid in taking to itself all that is covenanted to 
 one who so believes. This is what we may call 
 weak faith; but though weak, it is real, and it 
 justifies and saves, whether we are as sure and 
 satisfied about it as we would like, or not. As 
 one of our old theologians has properly said, "We 
 
228 RELIGIOUS CERTITUDE. 
 
 are justified by faith, not because it is a virtue so 
 firm, robust, and perfect; but on account of the 
 object in whom it rests; that is, because it appre- 
 hends and holds to Christ as the Saviour." It is 
 not the strength and power of the grasp with 
 which one embraces Christ that justifies and 
 saves; but the fact that Christ is grasped, and 
 that on Him we build and hope. The proper 
 object being grasped, though that grasp be feeble, 
 provided only there is sincere desire and determi- 
 nation to hold fast, there faith is genuine and 
 saving, although the believer may not yet have 
 reached the full assurance of faith. The drown- 
 ing man, clinging to the rope cast to him, may 
 not be sure it will bring him safely to shore; but 
 if he holds on to it, even though with but one 
 hand, that rope will bring him in nevertheless. 
 The disciples believed and were accepted in their 
 belief, even when they craved a greater degree of 
 faith. 
 
 Thus much is necessary to be said and under- 
 stood that timid and weak believers may not be 
 thrown into despondency and despair. Doubting 
 Castle is a sombre place for a believer to get into, 
 and its walls, and gates, and bolts are very strong. 
 And when souls are in danger of being locked in 
 there every help and precaution must be used to 
 keep them out. The devil has no better delight 
 than when he can impose on believing souls the 
 idea that their faith is worthless because so feeble, 
 or that they are no Christians at all unless they 
 can always be on the glorious mount of exultation 
 
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 229 
 
 and assurance. If your faith is weak, pray that 
 it may be strengthened, and use the means of be- 
 coming more clear and confident; but, above all, 
 do not let go the rope nor give up in despair be- 
 cause you "cannot feel certain and sure whether 
 you will ever get safely to shore or not. 
 
 But still, if any one has doubts and misgivings 
 in so great a matter, let him not rest satisfied with 
 his estate, as if it would all come right of itself. 
 God sometimes hides His face in this way, just to 
 spur us on to deeper experiences and to a better 
 enjoyment of Christ. 
 
 It is intended that we should have assurance 
 of faith. Every provision for it exists. It is one 
 of the offices of the Holy Spirit to impart it. 
 And we should ever strive to become more and 
 more assured by the bringing forth of the fruits 
 of faith. 
 
 Two practical cautions, however, remain to be 
 stated: One is, Don't expect too much at once. 
 Faith is small at first. It has to learn to see, to 
 walk, and to feed itself. Those people who seem 
 to leap right out of sin into assurance of faith 
 are apt to be very artificial believers, and are rest- 
 ing on what is likely to fail them after a while. 
 Faith that comes into being at full stature is an 
 abnormity, — a thing that has not come according 
 to the ordinary laws of things. A child must 
 learn its A, B, C's before it can read and enjoy 
 Shakespeare. And, above all, do not think to 
 have the assurance of faith in any outward signs, 
 excitements, visions, ecstacies, or extraordinary 
 
23O RELIGIOUS CERTITUDE. 
 
 experiences. If you wait for that, you will never 
 be sure; and you deceive yourself if you rest on 
 any such thing. 
 
 Again, do not expect assurance and certainty 
 of salvation while you do not attend to the duties 
 and ordinances of religion. If you live on good 
 terms with the world and your carnal self, neglect 
 church, and prayer, and the communion, and ex- 
 cuse yourself here and there to indulge your own 
 likes, indifference, and laziness, you ought to 
 doubt of being a right Christian ; for, if you have 
 faith, you are doing the very thing to weaken, 
 smother, and kill it. A faith that does not work 
 practical obedience is dead. We are sinners all, 
 and we must lament and confess it ; but Christ 
 has died for us, and procured full forgiveness to 
 all that believe in Him. And if we believe in 
 Him as our Saviour, we will also draw near in 
 His ordinances with a true and honest heart, that 
 we may be assured. 
 
 Faith grows and strengthens, like love, like 
 hope, by converse and communion with that on 
 which it feeds. Therefore there must be a dili- 
 gent use of those things which have been merci- 
 fully given us as means of grace. A life of un- 
 watchfulness, prayerlessness, or self-indulgence 
 tends to the decay of faith, stands in the way of 
 confident assurance, and, if persevered in, will 
 extinguish saving faith altogether. The founda- 
 tions stand ever sure, but they become so obscured 
 to a vision dimmed by the love of sin and unduti- 
 fulness that the soul cannot take to itself the 
 
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 23 1 
 
 assurance which the Gospel promises are meant 
 to give. 
 
 Having therefore, brethren, liberty to enter 
 into the holiest, by the blood of Jesus, by a new 
 and living Way which He hath consecrated for us, 
 through the veil, that is to say, His flesh ; and 
 having a great High Priest over the house of 
 God ; let us avail ourselves of our high privileges, 
 establish ourselves in the faith that rests on Jesus, 
 and draw near with a true heart, observing the 
 Christian ordinances, and maintaining a con- 
 science void of offence. In such case there is no 
 ground for wavering in our hope, for He is faith- 
 ful that hath promised. 
 
i^eabcnhj ©uarfcianstfjip. 
 
 Seco7id Sunday after Easter. 
 
 The Lord is my Shepherd. — Ps. 23 : I. 
 
 'HIS little Psalin contains one of the 
 fullest and tenderest utterances of as- 
 sured faith to be found in any of the 
 songs of Zion. It has perhaps made 
 more precious melody in the hearts of God's chil- 
 dren than any other composition ever given to the 
 ancient Church. No tongue can tell the tears it 
 has dried, the fears it has dispelled, the hopes it 
 has begotten, the confidence it has inspired, and 
 the peace it has breathed into timid and troubled 
 souls, in its descent through these man}* ages. 
 And it is so calm, beautiful, and overflowing with 
 joyful faith, that we almost fear to touch it lest 
 we should spoil it. 
 
 Thousands of years have passed since first it rose 
 from the heart of the man who made it. For 
 centuries it was sung by Hebrew tongues in old 
 Judea; and weeping captives beside Babel's rivers 
 comforted themselves with it in their sorrowful 
 captivity. Dispensations have since been changed, 
 and new revelations have found place in our world ; 
 but this inspired song still holds its place in the 
 
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 233 
 
 affections of believers. It comes to us redolent 
 with precious memories and with a clearer and 
 sweeter light since Jesus was on earth. Won- 
 drous has been its influence and its life, and eter- 
 nity alone can reveal the comfort and blessing it 
 has been to souls. 
 
 It is generally ascribed to David, to whom 
 nature and life were parables of the sacred and 
 divine. It seems to rise directly out of his own 
 shepherd life. What he was to his flock imaged 
 to him God's tender providence. His leading of 
 his sheep into the watered pastures, where they 
 could feed and rest in peace, pictured to him the 
 goodness and grace of Jehovah. In his watchful 
 guardianship to protect his flock against the wild 
 beasts that prowled around, he read the unsleep- 
 ing care of God to protect and defend His people. 
 In conducting his charge through dark and threat- 
 ening gorges, where he had to be near his timid 
 sheep to encourage and direct them by his staff, 
 and thus bring them out into new fields, he saw 
 a life picture of Jehovah's nearness to His people 
 amid earth's trying changes, and their passage 
 through the valley and shadow of death. And 
 that new land thus reached directed his thoughts 
 to the better country beyond, and the gracious 
 reception and entertainment of the worn and 
 weary one in the blessed house of God. J>eauti- 
 ful and happy contemplations ! How natural ! 
 How truthful ! How full of comfort to the soul ! 
 
 Jehovah exercises a rule and authority over all 
 men and over all things; but there is a peculiar 
 
234 HEAVENLY GUARDIANSHIP. 
 
 and special office which He exercises over His 
 chosen people, which is best illustratad by that 
 of a shepherd over his flock. Accordingly we 
 find this imagery constantly applied both in the 
 Old and the New Testaments. Thus Asaph 
 prayed, "Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou 
 that leadest Joseph like a flock. " So it was pre- 
 dicted of the coming Saviour, "He shall feed 
 His flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the 
 lambs in His arms, and shall carry them in His 
 bosom, and shall gently lead them that are with 
 young." So the Lord Jesus himself declares, 
 "I am the good Shepherd, and know my sheep, 
 and am known of mine; and I give unto them 
 eternal life." Hence also the Apostles write of 
 Him as "the great Shepherd of the sheep," — 
 ( ' the Shepherd and Bishop of souls. ' ' 
 
 It is not easy in our modern times to realize 
 what all is included in this designation. We 
 know what a merchant is, a farmer, a legislator, 
 a minister, an engineer, a soldier, a navigator, a 
 mechanic, an author ; but when we would have 
 an idea of what is meant by a shepherd we have 
 to go far back among phases of society so different 
 from ours as to be totally foreign to what we now 
 see and know. 
 
 Naturally, we might suppose a shepherd to be 
 a very humble, servile personage ; but in ancient 
 times, when riches consisted chiefly of flocks and 
 herds, a shepherd was one of the most distin- 
 guished of men. The office bordered on princely 
 dignity. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and 
 
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 235 
 
 David served as shepherds. And such an idylic 
 beauty and gracious authority connect with the 
 office that the greatest and mightiest kings used 
 it to denote their relations to their people. The 
 shepherd was far above his flock in intelligence, 
 strength, and ruling power. He was the king, 
 lord, and absolute commander and guide of his 
 sheep. They were his property, his possession. 
 But for that very reason he was most concerned 
 for their welfare. He was even joined to his 
 flock, and never separated from it by day or by 
 night. All his time, interest, and affection were 
 given to the serving of it, guarding it from dan- 
 ger, leading it into good pastures, and exercising 
 toward it all manner of tenderness and love. And 
 in this we are to see and read the picture of our 
 blessed Saviour's care of those whom He has 
 bought with His blood. They are His possession 
 — His peculiar treasure. 
 
 And with the great and glorious Jehovah filling 
 such an office toward him, the Psalmist was full 
 of joyful confidence. 
 
 Herein he found assurance of sufficiency for all 
 his wants. No good shepherd will ever suffer his 
 flock to starve. Times of scarcity may come, but 
 he will see to it to find enough to serve them. 
 Nor will our divine Shepherd do less for His peo- 
 ple than the shepherd for his sheep. Wealth and 
 abundance are not pledged ; for wealth and abun- 
 dance cannot feed the soul. Even leanness and 
 famine may be the richer blessing. But with 
 Jehovah as our Shepherd there can come no des- 
 
236 HEAVENLY GUARDIANSHIP. 
 
 titution that can destroy, — no real want that will 
 not be amply met. 
 
 Herein also was plentiful enjoyment. As a 
 flock in a valley of tender grass, where it could 
 eat to fullness, drink of the purest waters, and lie 
 down in quiet by the gentle streams ; so blest did 
 the Psalmist find himself as he believed and real- 
 ized that Jehovah was his Shepherd. 
 
 In the midst of such lives as we are forced to 
 live there is nothing that is more welcome to the 
 soul than the idea of rest. But we seek it in vain 
 in the pursuits and possessions of this world. 
 None better know the utter hollowness of all that 
 earth can give than those who have the most of 
 it. The soul was made to rest in God, and can 
 rest in nothing else. The truest enjoyment, and 
 the only abiding peace, is in the living conscious- 
 ness that Jehovah is our Shepherd. 
 
 Herein also all the trials, hardships, and sor- 
 rows of life are modified and transformed into a 
 healthgiving discipline. "All we like sheep 
 have gone astray," wide wandering from the 
 paths of right. Hurts, bruises, and sorrows are 
 the result. But the Son of man is come to seek 
 and to save that which was lost. By His word 
 and Spirit He comes to the faint and perishing, 
 restore th their lost strength, helps them back to 
 their true place, and overrules their very afflic- 
 tions to further them in righteousness. There is 
 more joy in redemption than if there never had 
 been need of it. Heaven is all the happier for the 
 saints for the hurts of sin which they have felt. 
 
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 237 
 
 Not indeed because there is merit and virtue in 
 the miseries of transgression, but wholly and alone 
 through the goodness and grace of an overruling 
 God, and for His own Name's sake. 
 
 Herein also was comfort and fortification for 
 the soul amid all the dark and threatening transi- 
 tions that mark human existence. No earthly 
 estate is secure and abiding. Those happy to-day 
 may be in deepest sorrow to-morrow. Riches 
 often make way for all the sorer poverty. He 
 who is most honored one day may be execrated 
 the next. And every one that lives must soon 
 leave this world for quite another. All these 
 transitions have chilling shades and disturbing 
 elements from which nature shrinks. Whether it 
 be from the adverse changes in this world, or the 
 deeper shadows to be passed in leaving it, the 
 soul is in great need of supports and assurances 
 which only faith in God can give. But with the 
 ever-living and allwise Jehovah for our Shepherd 
 there is no occasion for alarm nor fear. Dark as 
 things may seem, where He directs, and walks 
 with us, and assures us by His presence and 
 promises, the threatening gloom is lost in the 
 light of His smiles, and His rod and His staff 
 give ample comfort in the passage to the richer 
 pastures in the beyond. 
 
 And as a princely host receives an honored 
 guest, spreads before him a refreshing feast, 
 anoints his head with fragrant oil, and fills his 
 cup to overflowing ; so the believer, who main- 
 tains his trust in God, comes out at last in abun- 
 
238 HEAVENLY GUARDIANSHIP. 
 
 dant triumph over all his foes. In the mansion of 
 the Father's house He is favored with the wel- 
 come and joyous hospitality of God. When all 
 foes have done their worst, and death is past, and 
 the last in the train of the sad consequences of sin 
 is gone, the shadows lift, a glorious morning 
 breaks, and the soul stands washed and beautiful 
 before the face of Him who has bought it by His 
 blood. 
 
 And in all this is rooted and embodied the tri- 
 umphant inference that goodness and mercy will 
 surely attend us amid all the vicissitudes and 
 changes of this life, and home with God be our 
 eternal inheritance. 
 
 With the infinite and eternal One joined to us 
 in all the intimacy, care, and abiding tenderness 
 of the good and faithful shepherd, there can be no 
 better security for our peace. Even the presence 
 of an earthly friend is a wonderful comfort in pain 
 and sorrow. The infant's fears subside in its 
 mother's arms. The shrinking child gathers 
 courage when its father is by its side. The flock 
 feeds in contentment while it sees its shepherd 
 near. And when the soul is assured of the loving 
 presence of its almighty Guardian and Saviour, 
 all cause for unmanning fear departs, and in its 
 place there comes a peace and confidence that is 
 proof against all the ills and adversities of time, 
 and takes fast hold upon eternal blessedness. 
 
 Many good Christians are often full of disturb- 
 ing doubts and fears. They believe, and yet they 
 have serious misgivings. They are in trouble, 
 
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 239 
 
 and cannot see how things are likely to eventuate, 
 and so they fear the worst. They wonder how 
 they will ever be able to get through. Will God 
 interfere in their behalf? Is it wise to hold out 
 in hopeful confidence when everything is so ad- 
 verse and dark ? How will they ever be able to 
 meet death ? Never mind, desponding soul. Learn 
 to reason from this Psalm, and take courage from 
 its writer' s logic. Behold Jehovah' s tenderness and 
 love, and rise to the victorious blessedness of faith. 
 
 The one only great matter is to be able to say 
 in truth, u The Lord is my Shepherd." It is not 
 enough to believe that He was the Shepherd of 
 the Psalmist, the Shepherd of the devout Jew; or 
 that He is the Shepherd of other people, and of 
 the Church in general. He must be to us per- 
 sonally and individually our Shepherd. -He pro- 
 poses indeed to be the Guardian and Saviour of 
 every one willing to accept and come to Him. 
 But this personal acceptance of Him, and obedient 
 submission to His directions and commands, and 
 surrender of heart and life to His care, trusting 
 alone to His goodness, can by no means be dis- 
 pensed with. And only as we thus give and sub- 
 mit ourselves to be led and saved as He wills, does 
 He become our Shepherd. 
 
 O that we had more of the precious trust of 
 this sweet singer ! That we could without reserve 
 repose in the saving guardianship of Jesus ! How 
 it would silence our murmurs, and hush our 
 tumults, and swell our joys ! God help us in our 
 weakness ! and may His banner over us be love ! 
 
Unotomg tf)e ILcirir, 
 
 Third Sunday after Easter. 
 
 And none of the disciples durst ask Him, Who art thou ? Know- 
 ing that it was the Lord. — Jno. 21 : 12. 
 
 WERY careful reader of the Gospel must 
 have noticed the mystery which hangs 
 over the condition and movements of 
 our blessed Saviour, during the forty 
 days after his resurrection. Where He stayed, 
 how His time was occupied, what sort of life He 
 lived, are deeply hidden from human knowledge. 
 About twelve times He appeared to His dis- 
 ciples; but His interviews were short, and His 
 manifestations were unsearchably mysterious. He 
 entered the room where they were without the 
 opening of the door; He forbade the familiarity 
 which they had previously indulged; and He van- 
 ished from them in ways which no human intelli- 
 gence could follow. Mary Magdalene recognized 
 Him, when, with the old familiar voice, He called 
 her by name; but when she thought to touch and 
 embrace Him He withdrew himself and disap- 
 peared. He walked in close converse with the 
 two disciples on the way to Emmaus, entered 
 their home, sat down with them to their meal, 
 
 240 
 
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 24 1 
 
 and made himself known to them in the breaking 
 and blessing of their bread; and then was gone. 
 To the affrighted assembly of His followers He 
 showed His scarred hands and pierced side, and 
 invited them to handle Him and see that He was 
 a real being, the same Jesus they had seen die; 
 but by the manner of His coming and of His 
 going, by the salutation He addressed to them, 
 and by the endowment and commission which He 
 gave them, He raised in their thoughts and feel- 
 ings a sense of a divine presence and dignity. 
 No proof of His humanity could be more con- 
 clusive than His proposal to Thomas, "Reach 
 hither thy finger, and behold my hands, and reach 
 hither thy hand and thrust it into my side;" 
 but, at the same time, there went with it what 
 evidenced the superhuman and divine, eliciting 
 the response and confession: " My Lord, and My 
 God. ' ' 
 
 And so in the case before us. He stands on the 
 shore as His disciples come in from the fishing. 
 He says to them, u Children, have ye any meat? 1 ' 
 And when they tell how unsuccessful their night's 
 work had been, He bade them " Cast the net on 
 the right side of the ship." They went as He 
 directed, and while they let down the net He 
 kindled a fire on the sand, prepared for them a 
 morning meal, and bade them " Come and eat, " 
 when they returned. In all this He acted in the 
 most human manner, so much so that they did 
 not at first distinguish Him from ordinary fre- 
 quenters of those shores. But with these simple 
 
 16 
 
242 KNOWING THE LORD. 
 
 transactions, there was a demonstration of majesty 
 which well nigh overwhelmed them. That cast 
 of the net at His request flashed the conviction 
 upon John: "It is the Lord." And by the time 
 they got to shore and partook of the meal He 
 had prepared, ' ' none of the disciples durst ask 
 Him, Who art thou? Knowing that it was the 
 Lord." 
 
 The proper recognition of the Christ amid the 
 duties of' this present life is thus suggested for 
 our consideration. 
 
 The Sea of Galilee presents a picture of our 
 earthly life. It is not wide. It is bounded by 
 narrow limits. It is islandless and without stop- 
 ping-place from one shore to the other. It is very 
 varied in condition. And it is beset with many 
 dangers. Yet there is much good in it that may 
 be fished up for our comfort and enrichment. 
 And such is our life on earth. 
 
 It was around this sea that the particular inter- 
 est of Christ clustered. His home was there. He 
 walked on its waters, quelled its waves, and re- 
 buked its storms. On its shores He dispossessed 
 the demons; cast out evil spirits; fed the hungry; 
 healed the suffering; uttered His richest parables ; 
 and spoke His loving beatitudes. About it He 
 lingered, and showed himself, and called men to 
 be His followers, and dealt out His mysterious 
 bread and fishes, and gave commands concerning 
 His sheep and lambs. And so He is occupied to 
 direct and help us in this earthly life of trouble 
 and need. 
 
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 243 
 
 Nor can anything of abiding worth be made out 
 of this sea of earthly life without Him. Men may 
 embark upon it with all their wisdom, and toil 
 with all their skill and power, and continue their 
 endeavors till the morning breaks ; but without 
 Christ's word and help they will eventually come 
 to shore with the sad confession that they have 
 taken nothing. They may have good intentions, 
 as these disciples had. Their aims may even be 
 unselfish and beneficent. But if Jesus has not 
 sent them, or their going* is only according to 
 their own devising, they will return with empty 
 boats and wasted strength. 
 
 The world is full of such fruitless effort. People 
 go where Christ has not sent them, or try to fish 
 up good in ways in which Christ has not bid 
 them, and they only toil in vain. They may con- 
 stitute societies, institute moral reforms, bind 
 themselves by solemn oaths to be faithful in 
 moral deeds and devotion to one another ; but if 
 they cannot, show a Thus saith the Lord for their 
 proceedings, they will come back hungry and 
 empty. Men may cast their nets without Jesus 
 but then they will have to draw them without 
 fishes, and find that they have toiled for naught. 
 
 We need to know that there is a Christ, who 
 has bought us with His blood, and who lives, 
 clothed with majesty, authority, and wisdom to 
 direct and control our lives and energies. With- 
 out this truth living in our deepest convictions 
 there can be no lasting good of life. We must 
 believe that Jesus is ; that He is the man who was 
 
244 KNOWING THE LORD. 
 
 crucified ; that He is risen from the dead ; that all 
 authority and power in heaven and on earth is 
 His ; and that it is His prerogative to prescribe 
 and command what we shall do, and how employ 
 ourselves. In other words, we must know that 
 He is the Lo7'd, and be so persuaded of it as to 
 have no question on the subject. " The disciples 
 durst not ask Him, Who art thou ? Knowing that 
 it was the Lord. ' ' 
 
 Christ has really appeared upon these earthly 
 shores, — appeared as a brother man, — although 
 the incarnate Son of God. He has appeared also 
 in resurrection pow T er and glory, the mighty Vic- 
 tor over death and hell. His voice has sounded 
 over these w T aters, and His word has come even 
 into our ears. And He still presents himself to 
 the view of our faith, as He presented himself to 
 these disciples, and speaks to us the same direct- 
 ing words which He spoke to them. And what 
 we need is to recognize Him as our friend, our 
 Lord, our God, who, to all His human sympathy 
 and kindly approaches, conjoins the majesty and 
 authority of the Almighty. There is no lasting 
 success without proper recognition of the Christ. 
 
 And knowing the Lord, w T e need to be obedient 
 to His word. He has come to these shores to tell 
 and show us where we ! ' shall find. ' ' He tells us 
 where to let down the net. Into the deep we are 
 to launch out ; — into the deep of penitence for our 
 sins, and humility for our unworthiness ; — into 
 the deep of self-denial and self-forgetfulness ; — 
 into the deep of pure and controlling reverence 
 
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 245 
 
 and love for our I,ord and Saviour; — into the 
 deep of effort and self-sacrifice for Him. 
 
 ' ' On the right side of the ship ' ' we are to let 
 down the net. The left side is the world's pro- 
 verbial symbol for wrong, emptiness, and loss. 
 The left side is the side of the unsanctified and 
 the unsaved. Therefore the word is, u Cast the 
 net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall 
 find." However unpromising or difficult the way 
 of righteousness and honest duty may seem, it is 
 the only way of effectual success. If we are not 
 willing to take the side of justice and right, we 
 must consent to come empty to shore. In all the 
 duties and endeavors of this world it behooves us 
 to be sure of this that we cast the net "on the 
 right side of the ship." 
 
 There is also this encouraging fact that, while 
 we are engaged doing the Master's bidding on the 
 sea, He is tenderly watching us from the shore. 
 He has long since passed over to His glory. But 
 while His disciples are yet on these waters He 
 keeps himself near the margin and looks down 
 upon them in their toil. His great heart goes out 
 to them, and yearns to have them know and do 
 the right, that they may have plenty. In all our 
 disappointments, trials, difficulties, and disheart- 
 ening endeavors Jesus is never far off. He 
 walks the shore of every sea of trouble. And 
 when we are ready to despair He meets us with 
 His friendly words and fills our nets with ample 
 compensation for all our obedient toils. 
 
 Jesus has indeed passed beyond the flood and 
 
246 KNOWING THE LORD. 
 
 entered upon the glory which He had with the 
 Father before the world was; but He has not for- 
 gotten us, and joins us in every moment of dis- 
 couragement, and speaks to us as His children, 
 and comforts us with His word and grace. 
 
 Blessed Jesus ! Thy mercies are unsearchable, 
 and Thy goodness is past finding out ! Wonderful 
 is Thy grace ! 
 
 And then, when these disciples got to shore 
 with their well-filled net, they made a still more 
 cheering discovery. They were hungry, and cold, 
 and exhausted with their night's toil; but "as 
 soon as they were come to land, they saw a fire 
 of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread." 
 It was a grateful sight to men in their condition. 
 Jesus had anticipated their wants; and while 
 they were toiling on the waters He was making 
 ready a warm and gracious meal for them on their 
 landing. 
 
 These shores represent the world to which our 
 blessed Lord has gone; and this incident explains 
 what He is doing there. He is making ready a 
 glorious repast for His wearied and toilworn dis- 
 ciples. And when once we reach those shores 
 we will find there the fire of coals to warm us, 
 and the blessed meal ready to satisfy us, and the 
 glorified Saviour to deal out to us the viands and 
 refreshment of the life eternal. 
 
 Oh, it was a happy morning for these disheart- 
 ened men when they thus met their Master, and 
 knew that it was the Lord ! But it was only a 
 1 dim foreshowing and feeble foretaste of the joy 
 
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 247 
 
 of our final landing beyond these troubled waters, 
 when the word of our Lord shall be : " Come and 
 dine" — eat and be satisfied, drink, and never 
 thirst again ! 
 
 Behold, then, dear friends, the mercy and maj- 
 esty — the condescension and glory — the sym- 
 pathizing humanity and the commanding power 
 and goodness of our Lord. Behold how He loves, 
 and pities, and follows, and helps, and serves, at 
 the same time that He directs and governs. Be- 
 hold how heavenly almightiness comes to mingle 
 in our earthly toils, to reward and bless our earnest 
 labors, and to welcome us at last- to the Christ- 
 made repast preparing for us on yonder nearing 
 shores. Behold, and let your fears and doubts 
 and questionings be done away. Behold, and 
 know, that it is the Lord, even your Lord and 
 your God. 
 
Fourth Sunday after Easter. 
 
 Hear, earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop 
 as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon 
 the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass. — Deut. 32 : 1,2, 
 
 i]E see from this what great store God 
 places upon His Word, and the minis- 
 tration of it to the children of men. 
 He likens its effect to that of the most 
 precious things in nature. It is like the dropping 
 rain to the parched earth; — like the distillation 
 of the dews upon wilted plants; — like the showers 
 upon the grass; — like the small rain upon the 
 tender herb. 
 
 The natural man, spiritually considered, is like 
 a plant without adequate moisture, — wilted, with- 
 ered, parched, and perishing. There may be 
 outward gayety and thrift, but inwardly all is dry 
 and dying. The soul is in the condition of a 
 plant that is yielding up its life for want of rain. 
 And the word of God is that precious thing which 
 alone can refresh and revive it. 
 
 We know what a sad thing a drought is. The 
 ground becomes like rock; the streams forget to 
 flow; the fountains fail; the verdure disappears 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 249 
 
 from the fields; the leaves shrink and shrivel; the 
 flowers lose color and fragrance; the flocks are in 
 distress of hunger and thirst; the birds hide away 
 and refuse to sing; nature becomes pulseless; and 
 all things are ready to perish. But when God 
 sends His clouds over the land, and pours out 
 rains from heaven, and sends His dews and show- 
 ers, how glad and marvellous is the change ! 
 
 And so it is where God's word comes into the 
 soul with its life-giving freight. Where its blessed 
 tidings are received, sinking strength recovers, 
 and dying hopes rekindle, and perishing souls 
 revive, and refreshing from the Lord sets a thou- 
 sand springs a flowing, and the Spirit of the Al- 
 mighty awakens long-suspended pulsations, and 
 everything sings and rejoices with a new-begotten 
 animation. 
 
 Gently also are all these great things wrought. 
 There is no bluster nor tempest. When the winds 
 are high there is no dew. It cometh not with 
 observation. It forms under the wing of silence 
 and quietude. The quickest ear cannot hear its 
 motions ; the clearest eye cannot detect the deli- 
 cate process of its formation. No man can trace 
 its beginning, and no commotion or violence ever 
 betrays its presence. Yet it comes to every leaf, 
 touches every blade of grass, bathes every grow- 
 ing thing ; and when the day dawns the whole 
 landscape is arrayed in its glittering wealth. 
 
 And so it is with the divine word. God some- 
 times speaks in the thunder and the tempest ; but 
 that is in wrath and judgment. The Gospel is 
 
250 THE REFRESHING WORD. 
 
 gentle and quiet. Storms can break ships in 
 pieces, unroof palaces, overthrow forests and tow- 
 ers, and fill a continent with terror ; but they are 
 not the symbol of God's saving w T ord. The earth- 
 quake can convulse the seas, engulf cities, shake 
 the mountains ; but it is not the symbol of God's 
 saving word. Fire can lay habitations in ashes, 
 and sweep with a power which no resistance can 
 overcome ; but from all such terrific agents we are 
 conducted to the still, small voice, the gentle rain, 
 the genial showers, the quiet dew, as the images 
 of God's working upon the soul. Not amid ex- 
 citements and boisterous agitations, but in thought- 
 fulness and silence, — not in uproar and wild con- 
 fusion, but in solemn meditation and the hidden 
 places of prayer and calm soul-searching, — does 
 the life-giving power of God impart itself to will- 
 ing hearts. 
 
 The still hours are the hours of the dew ; and 
 they are in like manner the hours for God's word 
 to do its holy offices. The command is : " Com- 
 mune with your own heart upon your bed, and be 
 still." When we withdraw ourselves from the 
 noise and bustle of the w r orld ; — when we calm 
 our minds in solitude ; — when we quietly muse 
 upon the great themes of what and where we are, 
 whither we are going, and what is to become of 
 us ; — when we softly lift our thoughts to God and 
 heaven ; — these are the moments and attitudes in 
 which the Spirit speaks most effectively, and the 
 sacred messages of heaven gather and flow in upon 
 our souls to quicken us unto salvation. 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. ■--. 25 I 
 
 The same figures tell us of plentiful variety. 
 Rain, and dew, and small rain, and showers fill 
 out a catalogue of copious abundance, suited to 
 every necessity and reaching every need. In the 
 common course of things rains and dews cover 
 whole countries at once, and touch every growing 
 thing, and supply all alike. And so God's refresh- 
 ing word is a common blessing, which comes to 
 each, and offers its reviving power alike to every 
 one. If any are not saved, it is not because God 
 has not sent out his word to them, nor because 
 that word is in any manner inadequate. If the 
 dropping of the rain fails, there is the dew and 
 the small rain ; and if these fail, there are the 
 showers. There is no deficiency in form or plen- 
 tifulness. Abundant prosperity is thus assured to 
 the receptive and obedient. 
 
 Very near to us also are these blessed agencies. 
 The rain does not come from the stars. The 
 showers do not spring from other worlds. The 
 dews are not imported from the distant heavens. 
 All these blessed things reside in our atmosphere, 
 and have their source in what God has ordained 
 for our world. A little change in the temperature 
 makes them ours. They are in continual readi- 
 ness to drop in blessing upon the earth. Fit 
 symbol this of the precious word and grace of 
 God ! It is everywhere and always about us, and 
 in us, and ready to do all its offices of good upon 
 us. ' ' The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, 
 and in thy heart : that is, the word of faith, which 
 we preach." It is in the very air we breathe. It 
 
252 THE REFRESHING WORD. 
 
 surrounds us wherever we go. It needs only the 
 right conditions in us to discharge its treasures 
 into our bosoms. We have only to believe, — to 
 assure ourselves of it, — to receive it, — and it is 
 ours. If only the heart of unbelief be put away, 
 and the flare of this world and its noisy doings be 
 shut out from the soul, and the calm glories of 
 heaven allowed to spread open their wonders to 
 our contemplation, no matter where or when, 
 there the dews of eternal life distil in all their re- 
 viving freshness, and there the powers of God's 
 salvation are. The odors of the divine presence 
 are there, and all the reviving touches of immor- 
 tality. Unspeakable treasures are at hand for 
 hearts open to receive them. 
 
 Good prospects are also symbolized by these 
 figures. The rain, the dew, the showers, in their 
 season, prophesy of plentiful harvests. When 
 God promised to be as the dew unto Israel it 
 meant growth and fruitfulness. It pledged that 
 Israel should bloom as the lily, and cast forth his 
 roots as Lebanon, and spread out in beauty as the 
 olive tree, and fill the earth with fragrance. And 
 so the Lord hath declared : " As the rain cometh 
 down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth 
 not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh 
 it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to 
 the sower and bread to the eater; so shall 7ny 
 word be, that goeth forth out of my mouth." 
 
 Whether we be lilies or olive-plants, vines or 
 cedars, grain or grass, God's word is meant to 
 nurture us, to make us grow, and strengthen, and 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 253 
 
 bring forth fruit to His praise. To this end it is 
 adapted, as the rain and the dew. By it we may 
 nourish ourselves into the lily's loveliness, the 
 olive's beauty, the cedar's excellence, the vine's 
 glad fruitfulness, and the worth of the harvest's 
 golden sheaves. 
 
 God also expects this of us. For this He hath 
 given His word. It has no other end than that 
 we should hear it, receive it, and walk worthy of 
 the Iyord unto all well-pleasing, being fruitful in 
 every good work. 
 
 There is, however, still another thought in this 
 imagery. Rain is not comfortable while it is fall- 
 ing. It is only when it has fallen, and the clouds 
 clear away from the sky, and the sun comes forth 
 in its beauty, that the good is realized. Then it 
 is that the joy comes. Then the brooks and the 
 birds sing; the fields are alive with gladness; the 
 leaves glisten with joy; the clouds on the horizon 
 take on tints of molten gold; the rainbow arches 
 in majesty over the green hills; glory is on all the 
 face of nature; and a voice from heaven calls: 
 4 ' Rise up, my fair one, and come away ; for the 
 rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the 
 earth, the time for the singing of birds is come, 
 and the vines with the tender grapes give a good 
 smell." 
 
 The dew comes with night and darkness. It 
 is only chilling till the morning breaks. But as 
 soon as the day opens the loveliness appears. 
 Then it seems as if an angel had oversown the 
 fields with diamonds and hung a brilliant on 
 
254 THE REFRESHING WORD. 
 
 every blade and leaf. The very air is redo- 
 lent of heavenly fragrance. And the whole 
 earth is breathless in the glories of a celestial 
 baptism ! 
 
 And so it is with the precious work of grace 
 upon the soul. It has its discomforts. Its bene- 
 fits cannot be without sacrifices. The word calls 
 for repentance; and repentance is never pleasant. 
 Clouds often come, and afflictive experiences. 
 But they are for good, and soon clear away. The 
 night does not last. And when the sunlight 
 comes, and day renews itself, then shall mag- 
 nificence greet the vision beyond all that we 
 have ever dreamed. Then first shall be disclosed 
 the glorious fruits and living splendors wrought 
 in this time of our sufferings, toils, crosses, and 
 penitential prayers. Then, what was filthy shall 
 be clean; and what was dead shall glow with life; 
 and what was dark shall glitter with resplendent 
 light. Then shall break forth the long-silent 
 songs. Then shall flow and swell the blessed 
 river. Then shall vanish the curtains that con- 
 ceal heaven's gates of gold and pearl. And 
 over all the hills and plains shall stand up a 
 myriad congregation of living jewels, flashing 
 with the glory of the dew of righteousness. 
 
 The great matter is, for us to hear the word. 
 This is God's call to all the earth. And it is a 
 gracious call, which it is our highest interest and 
 our highest duty to obey. The direction is: 
 ' ' Receive with meekness the engrafted Word. ' ' 
 Our ears must be open to the truth; our hearts 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 255 
 
 must receive it; our minds must be made up to 
 obey it. This is the demand. 
 
 Not all hearing of the word is blessed. There 
 is a hearing so lacking in appreciation, so indif- 
 ferent in its attention, that all good, of it is soon 
 lost. There is a hearing which for the time en- 
 tertains and believes; but it is so superficial in its 
 regard, so shallow in depth of interest, and so 
 feeble in persistence, that all good of it soon wilts 
 and disappears. There is a hearing with every 
 element and promise of thrifty results and a 
 blessed harvest; but which soon becomes so en- 
 cumbered u with cares, riches, and pleasures of 
 this life," that ultimate fruitfulness is hindered 
 and choked. There are rocks on which dews and 
 rains have no effect to cure their sterility. There 
 are sands and deserts through which the rainfalls 
 sink away and no fruitfulness ever comes. And 
 there are swamps and wilds where everything 
 grows with luxuriance, but where the weeds and 
 briars are left to take the lead, and no good ever 
 comes of the rich and well-moistened soil. And 
 so it is with the hearing of the word. It depends 
 upon our temper and spirit whether the true 
 blessedness of these heavenly dews and rains is 
 to result. In themselves they are freighted with 
 unspeakable benediction; but devout attention 
 and earnest dutifulness on our part are needed to 
 get the benefit. Some hear much and learn but 
 little; while others hear but little and profit 
 much; and the whole difference lies in the honest 
 endeavor to be " not a forgetful hearer, but a doer 
 
256 THE REFRESHING WORD. 
 
 of the work. ' ' And when God says, ( ' Hear, O 
 earth, the words of my mouth," the meaning is 
 that the whole benefit of His mercies toward us 
 now depends largely upon ourselves; and that 
 only those who have a hearing ear, an under- 
 standing heart, and a willingness to believe and 
 obey, can share the rejuvenating power and grace 
 which the word of God is meant to impart. 
 Therefore the Saviour's admonition is, u He that 
 hath ears to hear, let him hear." 
 
 Thy Word, O Lord, like gentle dews, 
 
 Falls soft on hearts that pine ; 
 Lord, to Thy garden ne'er refuse 
 
 This heavenly balm divine. 
 Watered by Thee, let every tree 
 
 Forth blossom to Thy praise, 
 By grace of Thine bear fruit divine, 
 
 Through all the coming days. 
 
JBibine Jetods, 
 
 Fifth Sunday after Easter. 
 
 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when 
 I make up my jewels. — Mal. 3:17. 
 
 )]0D has His jewels. And when we con- 
 sider the immensity of His possessions 
 we wonder that these jewels should be 
 dwellers in this world, even children of 
 men, like ourselves. But, as far as we know, 
 God has centred more interest, affection, and ex- 
 penditure upon our race than upon any other por- 
 tion of His universe. Even now He is carrying 
 on here a system of gracious operations for the 
 gathering of jewels for the adornment of His ever- 
 lasting throne. 
 
 Who, then, are these spiritual gems and treas- 
 ures? and how are they distinguished? The 
 answer is in the context. 
 
 Malachi wrote in very evil times. Great cor- 
 ruptions of faith and life had seized upon the Jew- 
 ish people. Even many of the priests were infi- 
 dels, and the mass of the people were correspond- 
 ingly irreverent. But the apostacy was not total. 
 God never leaves himself altogether without wit- 
 nesses. In the darkest hours of the Church's his- 
 
 17 257 
 
258 DIVINE JEWELS. 
 
 tory there were always some few lights left. And 
 so it was in the days of Malachi. 
 
 The first mark noted of these better people is 
 that they did not drift with the corrupt cur- 
 rent, — they did not follow the multitude. If 
 people would serve God, they dare not be con- 
 formed to this world. If Enoch, Methuselah, and 
 Noah had gone with the ordinary course of feel- 
 ing and sentiment in their day, their names would 
 not be on the roll of saints. Abraham, Isaac, and 
 Jacob had to separate themselves from the com- 
 mon herd of men and to live as strangers and pil- 
 grims on the earth. Moses had to alienate him- 
 self from Egypt, and Daniel to take firm stand 
 against the heathenisms of Babylon. Christ took 
 issue with the ruling tone of His day, and chose 
 His disciples out of the world, so that while in it 
 they were no longer of it. And so the L,ord's 
 people are ever a peculiar people, having re- 
 nounced the vanities of the world and set them- 
 selves to seek a city yet to come. 
 
 A second mark of these people was the principle 
 on which they acted. The record says " they feared 
 the Lord." Jehovah was an immense reality to 
 their souls. It was not that they were alarmed 
 and terrified at thought of His presence, and 
 crouched like slaves before the majesty of His 
 power. It was not that they lived in unmanly 
 dread of His anger, lest He should blast them 
 with His judgments. But they saw and recog- 
 nized in Him the ideal of all perfection, whom it 
 was their sublimest happiness to know, honor, 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 259 
 
 and obey. They saw and recognized in Him the 
 worthiest object of human thought, and a min- 
 gling of greatness so exalted with goodness so 
 unsearchable as to command their profoundest 
 awe and their supremest reverence and affection. 
 They saw and recognized in His service the high- 
 est good of man, and that to which every one is 
 bound by the most sacred of obligations. All this 
 was so planted, rooted, and living in their souls 
 that they made it their superlative aim to direct 
 all their ways and doings with reference to Him, 
 ready to spend and be spent as His dutiful and 
 loving children. One thought absorbed and con- 
 trolled them, and that was, to be on terms with 
 so worthy a Being, so great a King, and so tender 
 a Father. This was the principle from which 
 sprang the difference between them and the per- 
 verted multitudes. The Scriptures call it "the 
 fear of the Lord" which is ''the beginning of 
 wisdom," and which is also the middle and end 
 of all sanctity. 
 
 They were also further marked by the way they 
 nurtured a?id kept alive this principle. Realizing 
 the existence and majesty of God, it is said of 
 them that they "thought upon His Name." 
 
 Everything depends on our thinking. Words 
 are only the wings of thought. Actions are only 
 incarnated thinking. As the thinking is, so is 
 the man. Our whole visible life is simply the 
 blossom and fruit of invisible thought. As the 
 hidden machinery of the clock moves the hands 
 to tell the hour; so the mental operation of what 
 
26o DIVINE JEWELS. 
 
 lies behind all human words and actions deter- 
 mines the manifestations of the life. And think- 
 ing on God's Name, which signifies Himself, is 
 one of the vital things in true religion. God's 
 Name is nothing to us if we do not think upon 
 it, do not mentally apprehend it, do not spiritually 
 take in its significance. The reason why people 
 get so far away from Him is, that they do not 
 have Him in their thoughts. But these people 
 thought upon God's Name. They kept before 
 them what God is, and so learned to love, honor, 
 and trust in Him, as their supreme good. 
 
 And yet another mark of these people was, 
 they took pleasure in communicating with each 
 other on the great subject. "They spake often 
 one to another." 
 
 When something commanding possesses the 
 soul, it is always a delight to find others of like 
 mind with ourselves. Full kindred hearts over- 
 flow into each other, and the confiding intercourse 
 multiplies the pleasure. The human soul loves 
 sympathy, and is greatly built up, warmed, and 
 established by companionship in common feelings, 
 aims, and ideas. ' ' As iron sharpeneth iron, so a 
 man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." 
 
 There w T as a time in Israel when the people 
 "took sweet counsel together, and walked unto 
 the house of God in company," and their pious 
 conversations made even the valley of Baca a 
 pleasure. But it was not so in Malachi's time. 
 Then the ways of Zion mourned. The faithful 
 were few, and everything around them was a grief 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 26 1 
 
 and sorrow to their pious souls. They could only 
 sigh and cry over the abominations that were 
 done. And we can well understand how precious 
 it was to them to find one and another here and 
 there with whom they could commune touching 
 what so engaged their hearts and prayers. 
 
 We know how it was with the sorrowing dis- 
 ciples on their way to Emmaus as they conversed 
 of their common grief, and what a blessed satis- 
 faction it was to them that a stranger who fell in 
 with them took such an interest in their conver- 
 sation. We know with what fervid emotion they 
 afterward referred to that experience, remarking 
 how their hearts burned within them while He 
 talked with them by the way. And such blessed 
 seasons did these saints of the text have as they 
 came together in little companies to speak about 
 their common griefs, faith, hopes, and interest in 
 the Name and promises of God. 
 
 It is hardly in human power for a man to be a 
 saint for himself alone. Religion is personal, but 
 it is also social. We are particularly exhorted 
 not to forsake the assembling of ourselves to- 
 gether, but to exhort one another daily. We are 
 to teach and admonish one another in Psalms and 
 hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in 
 our hearts to the Lord. All this we profess to do 
 in our meetings for holy worship, where the 
 Word is handled, instruction given, prayer, con- 
 fession, and exhortation made, and the Name of 
 the L,ord praised and exalted. Such sacred con- 
 verse helps to keep true religion alive. The ut- 
 
262 DIVINE JEWELS. 
 
 terances of one heart awaken feelings in other 
 hearts, and the interaction begets a swelling train 
 of influences, the power of which is very great and 
 salutary. 
 
 Hence we find it one of the marks of the saint- 
 ship of these people that ' ' they spake often one 
 to another. ' ' They had not the opportunities for 
 it that we have, but they made opportunities, 
 and they improved them. And so it must be 
 with us, if we would be favorably recorded in 
 the book of God. Society in relgion is to be 
 cultivated. 
 
 These, and such like people, God calls "jewels" 
 — His jewels. It is a precious and significant 
 figure. A jewel in its native .state is but a stone, 
 lying in darkness, covered with clay, clogged up 
 in its matrix. It must be brought out of its 
 coarse envelope, cut, ground, polished, and set, in 
 order to come to its place of distinction and honor. 
 And thus it is with these jewels of God. In their 
 native condition they are part of the common con- 
 glomerate of earth. They are capable of being 
 fashioned into gems of beauty and value ; but all 
 passes for nothing until some intelligent power 
 from without is brought to bear upon them. 
 
 Much cleansing, testing, and grinding is neces- 
 sary to develop their proper worth and beauty. 
 Hence many of the severities and hardships expe- 
 rienced in this world. God handles, and rubs, and 
 tries, and grinds His jewels to bring out their 
 qualities. The process is not quickly over. One 
 washing, or severe application, is not enough. 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 263 
 
 No one becomes a saint in a day, or by mere 
 transfer from the quarry to the workshop. Many 
 a sharp tool and severe friction has to be employed. 
 Cut after cut is inflicted to bring the rough gem into 
 shape, rid it of its flaws, and adjust its surfaces. 
 First one side and then another is pressed to some 
 gritting and tearing substance until it would 
 seem as if the intention were to destroy it. But 
 so God's jewels are dressed and fashioned. Arch- 
 bishop Leigh ton used to say, ' ' Those that God 
 has selected for His cabinet He polishes most, and 
 has His tools oftenest upon." If we were mere 
 clay or common rock, He would not deal with us 
 in ways so trying. He takes us for jewels ; He 
 knows what we are capable of becoming ; there- 
 fore, to bring out our qualities, He takes us 
 through oft painful experiences. He does not 
 mean harm to us by what He makes us endure, 
 but chastens us because we are sons, and is at 
 work to trim, and shape, and polish us for the 
 greater glory and the higher place. Patient sub- 
 mission and humble trust are meanwhile our duty. 
 Jewels are a peculiar treasure. Great fortunes 
 are stored in them. They are held as a special 
 joy, and prized with greatest fondness by their 
 owners. And thus precious to God are His peo- 
 ple. They are His jewels. He guards and treas- 
 ures them. All things are conditioned and or- 
 dered with reference to their good and honor. 
 Here these jewels of God are in the shop of the 
 lapidary. They are not yet set, or "made up." 
 They are not yet in place as the displayed orna- 
 
264 DIVINE JEWELS. 
 
 ments of the King. But God hath appointed a 
 "day when He will make up His jewels." 
 
 We know about that day. The Scriptures are 
 everywhere full of it, and of what is then to hap- 
 pen. It is the day for which all other days were 
 made, — the day when the whole mystery of provi- 
 dence and grace shall come to final consumma- 
 tion. The Iyord is yet to come forth out of His 
 royal chambers, put His jewels on, and array Him- 
 self in the glories He has all this while been 
 accumulating and fashioning. Then He will 
 "make tip His jewels '," join them to Himself in all 
 the triumphant blessedness of His Kingdom. And 
 in that day His people shall be His, and appear 
 with Him in their final settings. Then they shall 
 glow and shine as the rings of His fingers, the 
 bracelets of His arms, the clasps upon His gar- 
 ments, the girdle around His breast, the necklace 
 on His shoulders, the crowns on His head, the 
 sceptre in His hand, and the sapphire throne on 
 which He sits ; while the canopy that spans over 
 Him, and the very streets, and gates, and even 
 foundations of the city in which He dwells shall 
 flash and blaze with these immortal brilliants, 
 kindled into living beauty by the light of His 
 own ineffable Self. 
 
 Jewels are precious even before they are made 
 up. Great sums are paid for them. Immense 
 store is set upon them. But the common world 
 knows lktle or nothing of them. It is only when 
 they are "made up" put in place, and appear 
 upon their owners on occasion of their use that 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. 265 
 
 their excellences are manifest and their full 
 glory shown. So God's people are dear and pre- 
 cious to Him now. Christ hath purchased them 
 at a great price, not of silver and gold, but of His 
 own precious blood. He knows where they are. 
 They are never out of His mind or special care. 
 The world does not know them, but God knows 
 them, and looks after them, and holds them in 
 His regard as His treasures. But only in the day 
 when He shall make up His jewels, and the sun- 
 light of eternity is lifted upon them will their 
 worth and glory appear. 
 
 And a blessed day to God's people that will be. 
 The very graves shall open and all the long-for- 
 gotten dead shall live again. A new and brighter 
 Sun shall rise, never more to set. The everlasting 
 day shall then have dawned. Heaven and earth 
 shall have come to a new Genesis. 
 
 Dear friends, to this honor and this destiny are 
 we poor sinful mortals called. To turn our backs 
 upon the emptiness and follies of this perishing 
 world, to shape our lives by the principle of Godly 
 fear, to think upon Jehovah's Name, to speak 
 often one to another in meek confession and faith- 
 ful converse, and to plant ourselves upon His 
 blessed promises in full confidence and hope in 
 His mercy; this is what He asks of us, that we 
 may be His in the day when He shall make up 
 His jewels. His Name be praised for such un- 
 speakable favors ! And His grace be with every 
 one willing for dedication to such a fortune ! 
 
&§t SbutUmt Beparture. 
 
 Ascension Day. 
 
 And a cloud received Him out of their sight. — Acts I : 9. 
 
 " UR Saviour's earthly life had now reached 
 its end. The forty days of His stay 
 after His resurrection were accomplished. 
 The time had come for Him to resume 
 the glory which He had with the Father before 
 the world was. He had held His last interview 
 with His disciples. And now, having led them 
 out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands 
 and blessed them. And it came to pass, while 
 He blessed them, He was parted from them and 
 carried up into heaven. "And a cloud received 
 Him out of their sight." 
 
 There is something very sad in a final separa- 
 tion from a good friend. We know how the 
 Elders at Miletus were affected when parting from 
 St. Paul, who had done so much for them, ' ' sor- 
 rowing most of all that they should see his face 
 no more." How must it then have touched the 
 hearts of these disciples to see their blessed Lord 
 withdraw from them His earthly presence for 
 ever ! But His departure was so beautiful, so 
 assuring, and so full of blessed promise, that 
 
 266 
 
ASCENSION DAY. 267 
 
 "trjey returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 
 and were continually in the temple praising and 
 blessing God," — not for their bereavement, but 
 for the glad significance embodied in that sublime 
 ascension. 
 
 Not without good reason, the Christian Church 
 from the beginning has made the Ascension of 
 our IvOrd the subject of a special annual Festival. 
 The fact is that the Ascension of Christ ranks 
 in importance with His birth, death, and resur- 
 rection; but, strange to say, much less attention 
 is given to it. Many are prompt and devout in 
 noting and observing Christmas, Good Friday, 
 and Easter; but when it comes to the grand as- 
 cension and heavenly enthronement of our blessed 
 Lord, though furnishing equal cause for our grati- 
 tude and rejoicing, few seem so to regard it, and 
 few concern themselves about its celebration. 
 This ought not so to be. 
 
 Viewed at its lowest, the Ascension of Christ 
 was the crowning of a life of condescension, self- 
 denial, and sacrifice for the welfare of perishing 
 mankind, which deserves to be held in ever grate- 
 ful remembrance. It was abundantly merited by 
 such a life; and it shows what those may. expect 
 who copy Christ's example and devoutly follow 
 His steps. It should therefore fill us with joyous 
 confidence in the righteous goodness of the heav- 
 enly Father, as it assures us that He will not for- 
 get any work or labor of love we may show toward 
 His Name, or in ministering to the welfare of His 
 Church and people. 
 
268 THE SUBLIME DEPARTURE. 
 
 But the Ascension of Christ was necessary to the 
 completeness of His mediatorial work. The great 
 atonement for the congregation of Israel demanded 
 more than the slaying of the victim and the gath- 
 ering up of its blood. The High Priest had to 
 take that blood up into the Holy of holies and 
 present it before the divine Presence ere the great 
 absolving benediction could go forth. And so 
 Christ, our Great High Priest, had to pass into 
 the heavens, into the greater and more perfect 
 tabernacle not made with hands, into the Holiest 
 of holies, not with the blood of goats and calves, 
 but with His own blood, in order to obtain re- 
 demption for us. Having giving His life a sacri- 
 fice for our sins, it yet remained for Him to have 
 it accepted in heaven, in order that repentance 
 and remission of sins might be preached in His 
 Name. Neither His being delivered for our 
 offences nor His rising again for our justification 
 could effectually avail without His Ascension to 
 the Father, there to present His meritorious sacri- 
 fice for us. With all the transcendent virtue of 
 His death and resurrection, u so long as He re- 
 mained on earth, there was no evidence that He 
 had won for our nature readmission into Paradise. 
 While He hung upon the cross the curse was being 
 exhausted; and when He came forth from the tomb 
 it was pronounced to be wholly removed ; but the 
 taking away of the curse was not necessarily the 
 restoring of the nature to all its forfeited privi- 
 leges and blessings. If we stop at the resurrec- 
 tion, we do not reach all our lost honors. Christ 
 
ASCENSION DAY. 269 
 
 raised from trie dead can only assure of deliver- 
 ance from the grave ; we must have Christ raised 
 from the dead and received up into glory for as- 
 surance that, springing from the dust, we are to 
 soar into God's presence. ' ' Our hope must anchor 
 within the veil, or it is not of a sort to satisfy ; 
 but that can only be by the entrance there of our 
 Representative and Forerunner, even Jesus, our 
 great High Priest. Yes, as Christ had to die to 
 atone for our sins, and rise again in proof of the 
 sufficiency of His sacrifice, so He had to go to 
 secure recognition of it in heaven, and to prepare 
 a place for us among the many mansions of the 
 Father's house. , 
 
 But the Ascension of Christ was necessary in 
 still another important respect. Our condition in 
 this world, and our preparation for the next, re- 
 quire the dispensation of the Spirit to apply the 
 truth, and to enlighten, guide, comfort, and sanc- 
 tify. Without this "power from on high," — this 
 ministration of the Holy Ghost, — there could be 
 no effectual salvation for any of us. And that this 
 Helper and Advocate might come, Christ had to 
 go away, and thus put himself in position to send 
 the Comforter. Without the presence and influ- 
 ences of the Holy Ghost, the Apostles would have 
 been helpless, and the Church never could have 
 been securely planted. Indeed, the whole success 
 of Christianity in the hearts and lives of men de- 
 pends upon the presence, aid, and sanctifying 
 power of the Spirit. A blessed thing for man it 
 therefore was that Christ ascended to the Father 
 
27O THE SUBLIME DEPARTURE. 
 
 to send us the help and comfort of the Holy 
 Ghost. He had to be thus glorified before the 
 Spirit could come in His fullness. 
 
 And a still further reason for being joyfully 
 thankful for our Saviour's Ascension is that it 
 gave earnest and pledge of our own. He is the 
 Head which the members must needs follow. He 
 ascended as our Forerunner, and a Forerunner 
 means that others are on the same way to the 
 same place. His entering for us implies our en- 
 trance also. His Ascension took our nature into 
 heaven, and as we are branches of that same vine, 
 and joined to Him in the same organism, His As- 
 cension is virtually our ascension, the first fruits 
 of a like harvest to follow. Taking our stand on 
 Olivet, and gazing on the blessed Saviour as He 
 mysteriously mounts up into the high heavens, 
 we behold our L,ord cleaving a way for us into 
 that upper world, and giving us example of how 
 all believers are to ascend in due time to the same 
 heavenly realms. Yes, 
 
 In our blessed Lord's Ascension 
 We by faith behold our own. 
 
 Who, then, can question or deny that there is 
 as much to enlist our interest and awaken our 
 grateful joy in our Saviour's Ascension, as in any 
 other event of His marvellous history? Mark 
 this, dear friends, and remember it, that you may 
 give due honor to an event so blessed and on 
 which so much depended. Christmas joy is right; 
 and Easter joy is right; but there is no less reason 
 
ASCENSION DAY. 2J\ 
 
 for joy in the Ascension of our Lord than in His 
 birth or His resurrection. 
 
 And if, indeed, we be risen with Christ, and 
 have duly entered into the joyous truths of our 
 faith, the practical effect is plain. We cannot 
 follow the history to its consummation in heaven 
 with true appreciation of the facts, without being 
 moved to "seek those things which are above, 
 where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God." 
 Following Him in His Ascension, with true faith 
 in its reality, and its great worth to us, there will 
 needs go with it a corresponding uplifting of our 
 affections to that home of blessedness whither 
 He has gone, and which He is making ready for 
 all His believing people. Our treasure being 
 in heaven, our hearts will also ascend thither. 
 Quickened together with Him, it is also our high 
 privilege, by the same faith, to sit together with 
 Him in heavenly places, and to enjoy through 
 hope something of the heavenly life even while 
 strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 
 
 Let us, then, as citizens of a celestial common- 
 wealth, seek to demean ourselves accordingly, 
 ever grow in zeal for that heavenly country, and 
 eagerly look for the coming again of our glorified 
 Lord to change our vile body into likeness with 
 His own, and to receive us unto himself; that, 
 where He is, we may be also. 
 
Sunday after Ascension. 
 
 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand until I 
 make thine enemies thy footstool. — Ps. no : I. 
 
 "HBSB words tell of the majesty and 
 glory of Jesus, our Saviour. 
 
 They ascribe to Him great personal 
 dignity. Our hopes do not rest on an 
 arm of mere flesh, but on one who is here called 
 David's Lord as well as David's Son. David, by 
 inspiration, here calls Him Jehovah — a name 
 never given to a created being, and he elsewhere 
 represents the eternal Father as calling Him God; 
 for though He was a true Man, He is at the same 
 time true God, — of one substance with the Father, 
 ' ' God, over all blessed for ever. ' ' 
 
 And along with this personal dignity is very 
 sublime exaltation. The eternal Father saith to 
 Him, u Sit Thou at My right Hand." 
 
 Our Saviour's life on earth was very lowly and 
 humiliated; but, having suffered, being despised 
 and rejected by men, persecuted, crucified, and 
 slain, God hath highly exalted Him. The right 
 hand is always the place of highest honor, and 
 thither has Jesus gone. Moreover, He is seated 
 
SUNDAY AFTER ASCENSION. 273 
 
 there; not made to stand as a servant, but to sit 
 as an equal, — to share the place and throne of 
 God. When the Word came from eternal Maj- 
 esty: "Sit Thou at My right hand," there was 
 investment with participation in the government 
 and dominion. So Jesus himself declared to the 
 Church of the Laodiceans, that He is ' ' Set down 
 with His Father in His throne." According to 
 St. Paul, "God hath given Him a Name which 
 is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus 
 every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and 
 things in earth, and things under the earth." 
 And His Ascension from Mt. Olivet was not only 
 a removal from visible connection with the present 
 world, but a glorious investiture in heaven. It 
 was His exaltation as a Prince and Saviour to 
 give repentance and remission of sins to as many 
 as will accept Him as their Lord. Yes, it is one 
 of the great and glorious truths of our holy Chris- 
 tianity that He who was born at Bethlehem, cruci- 
 fied on Calvary, and buried in Joseph's tomb, is 
 now enthroned as the Lord of angels, the Prince 
 of life, the Head over all things. 
 
 But with all, Jesus has enemies in this world. 
 We would hardly suppose this. The conclusion 
 would rather be that all rational beings would 
 ' ' kiss the Son ' ' and haste to be on terms with a 
 potentate so great and mighty, while He waits to 
 be gracious, lest they should be driven from His 
 presence and perish forever. We would think 
 that such unexampled love and goodness pro- 
 moted to the throne would command all hearts 
 
274 HEAVENLY ENTHRONEMENT. 
 
 and set all the children of men singing Halleluia. 
 But it is not so. Although enthroned over all 
 and blessed for ever, His reign is not yet enforced 
 upon all. There be countless multitudes in the 
 enjoyment of His bounties who refuse to have 
 Him rule over them. Men hated Him while He 
 lived on earth, and the masses of men hate Him 
 still, and refuse to accept and serve Him as their 
 Lord and Salvation. The story of the cross has 
 not melted them, and the glory of His Majesty 
 has not awed them into submission. Their 
 hearts, their lives, their philosophies, and all 
 their temper and thinking, are against His 
 rights, teachings, and merciful overtures. What- 
 ever they may have to say by way of excuse or 
 apology for it they must be rated as His enemies. 
 They are under the power of the carnal mind, 
 which is not only inimical toward God, but ' ' en- 
 mity " itself; and whatever fair or plausible name 
 they may assume, they are the seed of the devil, 
 — the enemies of the mediatorial King in whom 
 our salvation stands. It is a sad record, but it 
 is true. 
 
 These ' ' enemies ' ' of the Christ are not to re- 
 main for ever. They are bound to be subjugated 
 or destroyed. The eternal Father hath decreed 
 to put them under the feet of His Anointed, — to 
 make them his "footstool." They must be 
 brought under, or the Kingship of Jesus must 
 remain limited and imperfect. His very invest- 
 ment at the right hand of eternal Majesty is fore- 
 pledge and guarantee that His rule must go into 
 
SUNDAY AFTER ASCENSION. 275 
 
 universal effect and absolute enforcement. There 
 is nothing in existence that can withstand it; and 
 as Christ is L,ord, all antagonism to Him must 
 needs be subdued and put down. 
 
 There are different ways of destroying enemies. 
 
 There was once a king who came to his throne 
 against very malignant opposition. He was after- 
 ward reproached for being so kind and gracious 
 to those who had shown such bitter enmity. His 
 answer was : ' ' Don' t I destroy my enemies when 
 I make them my friends ?' ' And this is the way 
 in which Jesus subjugates and destroys many of 
 His enemies. It is now the thing to which His 
 chief attention is given. These are the days of 
 His patience and long suffering, in which He is 
 engaged by His ministers, Spirit, and Providence 
 to win His enemies into submission, reconcilia- 
 tion, and love. He is not willing that any should 
 perish, but that all should come to repentance. 
 Hence He continues to bear with them, to show 
 them every kindness, to ply them with merciful 
 overtures and gentle pleadings, that He may bring 
 them to a better mind. And by these means 
 myriads on myriads of those who were among His 
 bitter foes have been persuaded, melted into will- 
 ing submission, and made His devoted friends and 
 champions, who counted it an honor to suffer or 
 even die for Him. In all the ages since Jesus 
 ascended up into glory people have thus been 
 won from their old satanic master, fallen out of 
 the ranks of the enemy, and accepted place under 
 the banner of Christ and salvation. We can to- 
 
2J6 HEAVENLY ENTHRONEMENT. 
 
 day count millions on millions who have been 
 persuaded to drop their unreasonable enmity and 
 hatred and to accept fellowship with God's saints. 
 
 And this is altogether the most desirable way 
 Christ has chosen for destroying His enemies. It 
 is one of those blessed results of the heavenly 
 enthronement of our Saviour, in which we may 
 well rejoice and be glad. But for this, our own 
 case would be hopeless, and no happy eternity 
 would there be for any of us. It is because Jesus 
 now fills the throne that the Holy Ghost is sent, 
 that the gifts of mercy are so amply bestowed, that 
 a way has been opened for us into the holiest of 
 all, and that we are now privileged to anticipate 
 a blessed home with Him in glory everlasting. 
 
 But there be masses of Christ's enemies who 
 are not melted nor changed by all these gracious 
 ministrations to win and save them. His cross 
 and tender compassion do not impress them. His 
 goodness does not avail to bring them to repent- 
 ance. They are so enamored with their own selfish 
 likes, so wedded to their carnal ways, so satisfied 
 to risk it without troubling to please their right- 
 ful King and Benefactor, that their place is with 
 His enemies, for their hearts are not with Him. 
 What, then, is to be done with such? Surely 
 they cannot go on forever in the enjoyment of 
 God's merciful goodness, while trampling thus 
 upon all His royal rights and making light of all 
 His costly arrangements for their salvation. An 
 absolute dominion cannot always permit and tol- 
 erate incorrigible rebellion. And when all gra- 
 
SUNDAY AFTER ASCENSION. 277 
 
 cious means have failed, what else remains in 
 such cases but to bring armed force to bear for 
 their suppression ? Interposing only persistent 
 hardihood against all the instrumentalities and 
 efforts of patient love, what is left to them but to 
 be crushed by that invincible Power which they 
 have so unfeelingly defied? There is no other 
 remedy. Loath and slow as the King may be to 
 resort to it, He cannot be King and not do it. 
 The word and provisions of mercy spurned, must 
 bring the sword of judgment at the end. 
 
 Jehovah is in a manner silent during these years 
 of grace. Sentence against an evil work is not 
 executed speedily. It is not that He is indifferent 
 as to how His word and mercies are treated. It 
 is not that He is slack concerning His promises, 
 as men count slackness. It is wholly from His 
 long suffering to usward, that He may not ruin 
 those whom peradventure would yet be brought 
 to terms with His gracious Majesty. But, in the 
 very nature of things, there must come a time 
 when His forbearance can go no further, — when 
 patience is exhausted, — when mercy itself must 
 take the form of wrath, — when those who will not 
 bend must break. Otherwise the devil will prove 
 mightier than God, and human hardihood stronger 
 than inflexible justice. 
 
 This then is the fixed and unalterable law: 
 " He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; 
 and he that believeth not shall be condemned — 
 condemned with an everlasting condemnation. 
 Even the worst and most careless can be saved, 
 
2?8 HEAVENLY ENTHRONEMENT. 
 
 if they will; and those most steeped in rebellion 
 against God and righteousness may have free for- 
 giveness and eternal life, if they will but throw 
 down their arms and submit to the merciful 
 Saviour as their King. But, if the people will 
 persist in neglecting and rejecting the costly over- 
 tures of divine grace and goodness, there remains 
 to them nothing but the blackness of darkness 
 for ever. It is useless for any to demur, for it 
 cannot be otherwise. 
 
 This, then, is the showing of our text. Our 
 Jesus has ascended to the right hand of the 
 Father, and made co-partner of enthroned God- 
 head. He is there as Head over all things for 
 His Church, — there to give gifts unto men, — 
 there to minister eternal salvation to all who be- 
 lieve on Him. He is there in glorified humanity, 
 as well as in the glory of Deity, and so with a 
 brother's heart wields an almighty arm. In the 
 place and power of an invincible King, He has 
 experimental knowledge of human weaknesses, 
 wants, and sorrows, and can be touched with the 
 feeling of our infirmities. Exalted far above all 
 principalities and powers, He still cherishes a 
 tender good will to us, and would fain bring us 
 all to His heavenly glory. 
 
 But the showing also is, that it will not do to 
 neglect or despise His word. With Jesus on the 
 Throne, it will never do to take sides against 
 Him, or to be found among His enemies. Fail- 
 ing to be on terms with Him, we must needs be 
 friendless in the last extremity. And therefore 
 
SUNDAY AFTER ASCENSION. 279 
 
 our supremest duty, as our highest privilege, is, 
 to seek His favor, accept His offers, and serve 
 Him all our days. 
 
 Princes to His imperial Name 
 
 Bend their bright sceptres down ; 
 Dominions, thrones, and powers rejoice, 
 
 To see Him wear the crown. 
 
 Archangels sound His lofty praise 
 
 Through every heavenly street ; 
 And lay their highest honors down, 
 
 Submissive at His feet. 
 
 Those soft, those blessed feet of His. 
 
 That once rude irons tore, — 
 High on a throne of light they stand, 
 
 And all the saints adore. 
 
 This is the Man, th' exalted Man, 
 
 Whom we, unseen, adore ; 
 But when our eyes behold His face 
 
 Our hearts shall love Him more. 
 
grtrengti) an* atnmfort 
 
 Whit Sunday. 
 
 They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength : they 
 shall mount up with wings as eagles ; they shall run and not be weary ; 
 they shall walk and not faint. — ISA. 40 : 31. 
 
 51VERY Christian has a race to run, heights 
 to ascend, burdens to bear, and victories 
 to achieve. And for this every Chris- 
 tian needs strength and a large degree 
 of spiritual power. In an unsympathizing and 
 hostile world, such as we have to deal with, re- 
 ligion cannot be made a mere by-play or recrea- 
 tion. Humanity is so weak; there is in it so 
 much indisposition to spiritual activity; carnal 
 preferences are so strong; and we are so prone to 
 be turned aside by temptations and discourage- 
 ments, that a good store of active energy is re- 
 quired to bring us through in safety. 
 
 Spiritual power is the great want of the Church. 
 It was so in the ill days in which Isaiah lived, 
 and it is the same to-day with many professed 
 Christians. Some have never half entered into 
 their profession. Some who were once among 
 the brightest and most devoted, have become 
 weary and slack in their Christian life. Some 
 have fallen victims to temptation, and never re- 
 
WHIT SUNDAY. 28 I 
 
 turned to duty. And so the Church, which was 
 meant to be Christ's spotless Bride, presents the 
 aspect of a hospital, full of impotent people, weak, 
 ailing, prostrate, and scarcely alive in spiritual 
 things. 
 
 And a blessed thing it is for us that help is 
 within our reach. Apostatizing Israel was not so 
 far gone that they might not have their strength 
 renewed and their alienations cured. There was 
 still a balm in Gilead and a competent Physician 
 there. And the same is even more blessedly true 
 in our case. The means of improvement are at 
 hand. It is not by might or power of an earthly 
 sort, but by that Holy Spirit, given of God to 
 help our infirmities. 
 
 When Christ ascended to the Father He sent 
 forth the Holy Ghost, as this day commemorates, 
 whose presence abides with His Church from age 
 to age, and whom the Father is ever willing and 
 ready to bestow upon them that ask Him. There 
 is indeed abundance of quickening and renewing 
 power for those who seek it. 
 
 We know what the Holy Ghost did for the first 
 disciples ; and what blessed transformations He 
 wrought in them. New graces and powers came, 
 lifting them high above all that they were before. 
 Presently they showed themselves knowing, con- 
 fident, joyous, and efficient to a degree which as- 
 tonished the world. They had been weak, timid, 
 forgetful. They had forsaken their Lord in the 
 hour of trial. But by the Baptism of Pentecost 
 they were confirmed, established, and made strong 
 
282 STRENGTH AND COMFORT. 
 
 in all spiritual qualities. All fear of man, all 
 doubting, and all dread of death were effectually 
 cast out. He who denied his Lord when con- 
 fronted by a maid was now emboldened openly to 
 accuse Sanhedrim and people with the murder of 
 the Christ, and to preach with such heavenly unc- 
 tion that thousands were convicted, turned from 
 their enmity, and at once enrolled under the banner 
 of the crucified One. O for such another Baptism 
 for the Church ! What new life it would bring ! 
 
 And why should we not have it? There are 
 indeed degrees in the manifestations of the Spirit's 
 power. The Holy Ghost does not work in all to 
 the same extent, because all are not called to the 
 same specific service or sphere of action. The 
 first disciples needed more than is needed now, 
 and they got it; but the same Spirit still lives and 
 abides with the Church. The promises concern- 
 ing Him hold now that held then. Like provision 
 for like necessities still exists, and should be more 
 earnestly sought. God's hand is not shortened 
 that He cannot save, nor His ear heavy that He 
 cannot hear. Responsibility for our deficiencies 
 and defects cannot be charged on Him, nor on any 
 changes or weakening in the economy of His 
 grace. If Christians now are invalid and infirm, 
 it is not because God has withdrawn His gifts and 
 promises. Many only half believe ; or compro- 
 mise with the world ; or enslave themselves to 
 their selfish greed and ambition ; or give them- 
 selves to vanity and folly ; and so load themselves 
 with thick clay that they cannot rise, and then 
 
WHIT SUNDAY. 283 
 
 blame God and religion for it, concluding that 
 grace has either lost its virtues, or was never 
 meant to work the same in them as in the saints 
 of old. It is a sad and ruinous mistake. God is 
 the same ; Christ is the same ; the Holy Ghost is 
 the same ; humanity is the same ; the promises 
 are the same ; but people's hearts are unbelieving, 
 selfish, earthy, and hence their disability and 
 spiritual wretchedness. 
 
 How then are we to renew our strength and 
 enter into the full power and blessedness of our 
 religion ? The text very plainly tells us. They 
 are the strong ones who ' ' zvait ufto?i the Lord. ' ' 
 
 Important things are included in this simple 
 and beautiful phrase. It implies a deep and per- 
 vading sense of our own unfaithfulness, guilt, and 
 need. It implies a firm confidence in the power 
 and grace of God and His willingness to help us. 
 It implies the letting go of what is contrary to 
 Him and earnest seeking unto Him as our only 
 hope and strength. It means a waiting on Him 
 for instruction and guidance, with a heart willing 
 to hear and obey, as the pupil waits upon his 
 teacher, and as a servant waits upon his master. 
 It means a diligent and devout attendance upon 
 His appointments and ordinances by and through 
 which He gives His Spirit and builds up His peo- 
 ple in faith and communion with Himself. It 
 means a persevering obedience to His word and 
 patient waiting for the fulfilment of all that He 
 hath spoken. 
 
 And in such a disposition of ourselves the prom- 
 
284 STRENGTH AND COMFORT. 
 
 ises are great and assuring. All who thus ' ' wait 
 upon the Lord shall renew their strength. ' ' The 
 doubtful and timid heart will find confirmation, 
 courage, and confidence. Views of truth and duty 
 will become clear and decided. The affections 
 will cease to waver and be more definitely and 
 warmly fixed on things above. The whole pur- 
 pose of the spiritual man will become more con- 
 centrated, vigorous, and determined. Tempta- 
 tions will lessen and lose power. Ability to see 
 and withstand wrong will be increased. And a 
 strength and decision of character will be devel- 
 oped that cannot be swayed or fail to produce 
 steady consistency of life and influence for good 
 and blessedness. 
 
 They who thus wait upon the Lord shall also 
 ( ' mount tip with wings as eagles. " It is the 
 nature of piety to lift and exalt. There is some- 
 thing in it to release the spirit, to give it wings 
 for heavenward ascensions, far above the vexa- 
 tions and attractions of this present world. Christ 
 having ascended into heaven, the minds and 
 hearts of His faithful people ascend with Him, 
 and anticipate the time when they shall reach the 
 same exalted heights. The wings on which they 
 rise are the wings of faith, and love, and blessed 
 hope. Waiting upon the Lord, we realize that 
 we belong to a heavenly kingdom, — that our 
 proper home is above the clouds, — and that pres- 
 ently Our Lord will come to take us thither. 
 
 Furthermore, they that wait upon the Lord 
 shall be wonderfully facilitated in their race. 
 
WHIT SUNDAY. 285 
 
 " They shall run and not be weary y They will 
 not feel it a hardship to hold on their way as 
 Christians. They will not grow tired of their 
 profession or their faith. There will come an 
 ever-increasing inspiration to animate their souls 
 and lighten their steps. Whatever there may be 
 to weaken or discourage, there is always enough 
 to quicken and exhilarate, and to give courage for 
 ever new attempts till the goal is won. There is 
 no such thing as exhaustion in those who have 
 come into the full spirit of faith and waiting on 
 God. Their heart is in their religion, and the 
 Spirit so helps their infirmities that they never 
 feel fatigue in the work of gaining heaven. They 
 are enabled to run without becoming weary, and 
 to walk without becoming faint. Persuaded and 
 satisfied as to what awaits them in the end, they 
 hold on their way, ever rejoicing, ever growing, 
 and ever safe. 
 
 Let it then, dear friends, be the first, the high- 
 est, and the constant aim of our lives to wait upon 
 the Lord. In His house, in His ordinances, in 
 hopeful dutifulness in what pertains to us as 
 Christians, let us wait on Him. This is the way 
 to strengthen our souls. This will elevate us 
 above the turmoil, adversities, and distractions 
 that surround us here. This will bring us into 
 closest fellowship with the heavenly powers and 
 arm us with ability to overcome in the day of 
 trial. And thus, when He upon whom we wait 
 shall come, we shall be found of Him in peace 
 and rest with Him for ever. 
 
Trinity Sunday. 
 
 For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things : to 
 whom be glory for ever. Amen. — Rom. ii : 36. 
 
 ^\ 
 
 <IDO subject is so overwhelming to the human 
 understanding as the Being and Nature 
 of God. It is too high, too deep, too un- 
 searchable for the mind of man to com- 
 pass. Though at the base of all things, all relig- 
 ion, all right thinking, it opens out into boundless 
 realms and depths which will require all eternity 
 to explore. 
 
 Yet there are some things which we can know, 
 and which we need to know, and to have ever 
 present to our minds, that we may rightly adjust 
 ourselves to our place in the universe, and so 
 make the best of our lives. 
 
 Whether we can fully understand it or not, it is 
 evident to our consciousness, assumed in Revela- 
 tion, and sustained by all just reason, that there 
 is, and necessarily must be, an original and al- 
 mighty Being, greater in all directions than the 
 whole created universe. This is so deeply inlaid 
 in the whole framework of our nature, and so ac- 
 cordant with all its instincts and mental activities, 
 
 2S6 
 
TRINITY SUNDAY. 287 
 
 that the denial of it comes upon the soul like a 
 cyclone, tearing up all that is deepest rooted in 
 its consciousness and most vital to its peace. 
 
 In logical consistency this Eternal Source of 
 all things, whom we call God, is one, — an indi- 
 vidual and indivisible Essence ; — for there cannot 
 be more than One Almighty, One Supreme. 
 Even those who have distributed their worship 
 among "lords many and gods many" still held 
 to the thought of One Almighty and Supreme 
 God. And Paul expressed the teaching of all 
 holy prophets when he said, ' ' Though there be 
 that are called gods, to us there is but 0?ie God." 
 
 Nevertheless, the Scriptures teach that there is, 
 in this One Supreme and Almighty God, some- 
 thing of a plural or complex manner of being and 
 manifestation. Hence arises what we call the 
 doctrine of the Trinity, to the contemplation of 
 which the appointment of this day invites us. 
 
 There is what is called God, the Father. There 
 is what is called God, the Son. And there is 
 what is called God, the Holy Ghost. And these 
 Three, while distinguishable in some respects 
 from each other, are nevertheless One, — a Three- 
 ness in One, and a Oneness in Three ; that is to 
 say, a Three One, or Triune God ; as all proper 
 Christians believe and confess concerning the in- 
 finite and unsearchable object of their faith and 
 worship. 
 
 It is not our belief that the Three are One in 
 precisely the same sense that they are Three. 
 The structure of our minds could not take in such 
 
288 THE ADORABLE GODHEAD. 
 
 an arithmetical contradiction. Our doctrine on 
 this mysterious and unsearchable subject is that 
 God is One in the sense to which we give the 
 confused name of Substance, or Essence ; and that 
 He is Three in a sense to which we give the im- 
 perfect name of Person. We cannot fully define 
 or determine what is this Substance, nor what is 
 this Personality. The subject reaches too far be- 
 yond human terms or conceptions to do more than 
 dimly indicate the truth. Some have attempted 
 to explain and define, but have found themselves 
 launched upon a sea without bottom or shore, the 
 same as in all attempts to tell what God is. It is 
 like the child in St. Augustine's dream trying to 
 dip the ocean dry with its little cup. The most, 
 the clearest, and the best that the Church has 
 been able to say on this profound subject appears 
 in what is called the Athanasian Creed, where we 
 read : 
 
 ' ' The true Christian faith is this : that we wor- 
 ship One God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity ; 
 neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the 
 Substance. For there is One Person of the 
 Father, another of the Son, and another of the 
 Holy Ghost ; but the Godhead of the Father, of 
 the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all One, the 
 Glory Equal, the Majesty Coeternal. Such as 
 the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the 
 Holy Ghost : the Father uncreate, the Son un- 
 create, and the Holy Ghost uncreate ; the Father 
 incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and 
 the Holy Ghost incomprehensible ; the Father 
 
TRINITY SUNDAY. 289 
 
 eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost 
 eternal. And yet they are not three Eternals, 
 but One Eternal. As also there are not three un- 
 created, nor three incomprehensibles, but One 
 uncreated and One incomprehensible ; so likewise 
 the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and 
 the Holy Ghost Almighty ; and yet they are not 
 three Almighties, but One Almighty. So the 
 Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy 
 Ghost is God ; and yet they are not three Gods, 
 but One God. So likewise the Father is Lord, 
 the Son is Lord, and the Holy Ghost is Lord ; and 
 yet not three Lords, but one Lord. For like as 
 we are compelled by the Christian Verity to ac- 
 knowledge every Person by Himself to be God 
 and Lord : so are we forbidden by the true Chris- 
 tian Religion to say there be three Gods, or three 
 Lords." 
 
 And as to the distinction between the Persons 
 in the one Godhead, the same Confession further 
 says: 
 
 " The Father is made of none, neither created, 
 nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone, 
 not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy 
 Ghost is of the Father, and of the Son, neither 
 made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. 
 So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one 
 Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three 
 Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is afore, 
 or after other; none is greater, or less than an- 
 other; but the whole three Persons are coeternal 
 together, and coequal: so that in all things, as 
 19 
 
29O THE ADORABLE GODHEAD. 
 
 aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity 
 in Unity, is to be worshipped. " 
 
 And yet, with all, who can fathom these depths? 
 Who can penetrate the inscrutable Mystery ? 
 
 But why should reason stagger at the presenta- 
 tion of Unity in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity. 
 Throughout all nature we find it written on nearly 
 everything. ' ' Like begetteth like, and the great 
 sea of existence in each of its uncounted waves 
 h6ldeth up a mirror to its Maker. Iyike begetteth 
 like, and the spreading tree of being, with each 
 of its trefoil leaves, pointeth at the Trinity of 
 God." 
 
 It is from the Scriptures alone that we get the 
 doctrine of the Trinity. The proofs of it do not 
 rest on deductions of reason, or on any mere 
 analogies of nature. But when people come with 
 their rationalistic talk of contradictions and ab- 
 surdities, it is our right to point out triune things 
 in nature, and to demand of them to show how 
 this could be, as we find in actual fact, before 
 allowing their arguments against the triunity of 
 God. Nor need we go far to find instances enough 
 of three in one, and one in three. 
 
 Consider for example the sun in the heavens, 
 deluging and warming the earth with the glory 
 of its beautiful light. In that grand luminary we 
 observe a great material orb, light radiating from 
 that orb, and a warming heat emitted through 
 those rays of light. Here are three things, dis- 
 tinguishable from each other, and yet these three 
 are inseparably one. The sun viewed as an orb 
 
TRINITY SUNDAY. 29 1 
 
 is one thing, with its own distinct properties; the 
 light sent forth from it is another, also with dis- 
 tinct properties; and the warmth from that light 
 is still another, with other properties; and each 
 separately and the three conjointly are called the 
 sun. A man contemplating the grand centre of 
 our planetary system calls it the sun. Right 
 Another stands where the rays of sunshine pour 
 down upon him, and he says he is standing in the 
 sun. Right again. Another comes in oppressed 
 with the solar heat, and he says, the sun is hot; 
 and he also is right. The mind readily discrimi- 
 nates between these three things; and yet they are 
 not three suns, but one sun. They are not all 
 the same. They are quite distinguishable. And 
 yet they are one and the same sun. 
 
 Consider man himself, designated in the Scrip- 
 tures as eminently u the image of God." And 
 what is he but a trinity, — a three in one? The 
 Apostle describes him as body, soul, and spirit," 
 — physical corporiety, life, and a thinking and 
 willing intelligence. Here are three, and these 
 three are one. Taken separately, we speak of each 
 as man, the same as when taken together. We 
 speak of a tall, handsome, deformed, or strong 
 man, when thinking only of the body; of a 
 talented, intelligent, or stupid man, with only 
 his mind in view; and we say the man is dead 
 when thinking only of the discontinuance of his 
 animal life. But they are not three men, but one 
 man, — a trinity in unity. Nor are these mere 
 isolated instances. 
 
292 THE ADORABLE GODHEAD. 
 
 Matter, and breath, and instinct unite in all the beasts of the field ; 
 
 Substance, coherence, and weight fashion the fabrics of the earth ; 
 
 The will, the doing, and the deed combine to frame a fact; 
 
 The stem, the leaf, and the flower ; beginning, middle, and end ; 
 
 Cause, circumstance, consequent ; and every three is one. 
 
 Yea, the very breath of man's life consisteth of a trinity of vapors, 
 
 And the noonday light is a compound, the triune shadow of Jehovah. 
 
 The crust of the earth is a triple unity of pri- 
 mary, secondary, and tertiary stratifications. A 
 modern chemist finds all matter a unity of attrac- 
 tion, repulsion, and vitality. A late attempt to 
 give c ' a basic outline of universology, ' ' comprises 
 the whole unity of things in three," — "unism, 
 duism, and trinism." And even the spherity of 
 the material worlds is but the clothing of the 
 triangle, the symbol of the Trinity of God. 
 
 Religion itself is a trinity, — a knowing, a 
 doing, and an experience; and these three are 
 one. 
 
 It is the great glory of Christianity that it 
 stands between an abstract, cold and heartless 
 Deism and an idolatrous polytheism, completing 
 what is wanting in the one, correcting what is 
 false in the other, and rendering effective and 
 profitable the better conceptions of both. It calls 
 away from the altars of a plurality of gods, and 
 lifts the soul to the One eternal; yet that Eternal 
 in a threefold aspect, showing the stream of an 
 infinite Love from the Father in our creation, 
 from the Son in our redemption, and from the 
 Holy Ghost in our renewal and sanctification. 
 Nor is it possible to enter into the full under- 
 standing, appreciation, and enjoyment of the love 
 
TRINITY SUNDAY. 293 
 
 of God, apart from faith in what is embraced in 
 the doctrine of the Trinity, which includes the 
 proper Deity of Christ and the Personality of 
 the Holy Ghost. And whatever seeming contra- 
 diction there may be in it, and however confusing 
 it may be to our poor understanding, the Church 
 and the world can ill afford to reject it. 
 
 The question may be asked, Why trouble our- 
 selves with a doctrine so deep, so hard to compre- 
 hend, and so much in controversy? Some think 
 it makes no great matter whether we believe and 
 hold to it, or lay it aside as beyond our concern. 
 Alas, it is a sad and perilous thing for a Christian 
 so to conclude. All proper hopes for man rest 
 upon the truth of the doctrine of the Trinity. It 
 underlies the whole substance of saving faith. 
 To throw it out is to emasculate Christianity. 
 Reject the doctrine of the Trinity, and Jesus is 
 no longer a Saviour in the sense of the Scriptures, 
 and cannot be accepted as able to save unto the 
 uttermost. Put aside the doctrine of the Trinity, 
 and you brand all worship of Christ as wicked 
 idolatry, deny that there is any atoning merit in 
 His blood, and repudiate Him as an impostor 
 who had the temerity to make himself equal with 
 God. Deny the doctrine of the Trinity, and you 
 necessarily discredit a large part of the most 
 precious things in the Bible, and demand a re- 
 vision and material rescission of its language and 
 contents from the first verse of Genesis to the 
 Amen of the Revelation. And so long as it is 
 of any account to us to hold fast our hope and 
 
294 THE ADORABLE GODHEAD. 
 
 consolation in a Divine Saviour, trusting for re- 
 demption through His blood, we cannot afford to 
 let go, or even to think lightly of, the doctrine of 
 the Triunity of God. 
 
 And what if there are depths and altitudes in it 
 beyond the reach of our plodding capacity? 
 What if we cannot take into our feeble under- 
 standing the how or the possibility of it ? God is 
 the highest, the most inscrutable, the most hid- 
 den, and the most unknowable to man of any being 
 in the universe ; and we can just as easily compre- 
 hend His Triunity, as we can understand how He 
 can fill immensity and eternity, or be present at 
 every point in all time and space with all the 
 fullness of His infinite being. We do not yet 
 half know ourselves. Who can form a compre- 
 hensible estimate of a mind, a soul, a spirit, or 
 how the ego within us is connected with the house 
 in which it lives, or with the machinery through 
 which it acts ! What right then have we to un- 
 dertake to decide what is possible or impossible 
 in the nature and conditions of infinite and self- 
 existent Godhead? 
 
 I find no fault with Revelation because of its 
 mysteries. It is what sound reason would expect. 
 In the very nature of the case it could not be 
 otherwise. A divine Revelation without mys- 
 teries, or a God who does not transcend man's 
 comprehension, is to be discredited and rejected. 
 And though I cannot look so far into the secrets 
 of eternal Godhead as to be able to understand 
 and tell how and why the object of my profound- 
 
TRPNITY SUNDAY. 295 
 
 est adoration is a Trinity, it would be the height 
 of presumption for me on that account to insist 
 on an expurgation of the Bible. Why should I, 
 a worm of to-day, quarrel with Eternal Majesty 
 for revealing Himself as One in Three any more 
 than fault Him for making the sun so glorious 
 that I cannot look into its noonday blaze with 
 naked eye? Nay, I praise Him the more for 
 giving me the intimations of such everlasting 
 progress in intellectual and spiritual growth and 
 expansion in the explorations of His Being, His 
 attributes, and His works. 
 
 L,et us then, dear friends, humble our proud 
 reason before Him, of whom, and through whom, 
 and to whom are all things. Accepting the 
 Scriptures as His Revelation, let us be content to 
 receive and hold fast its statements, much as they 
 may confound our capacity to explain them. It 
 is well to follow our reason where we have no 
 better guide ; but when we have a word from 
 Heaven it is better still to bring our thinking into 
 captivity to a large and unquestioning faith. The 
 sacred Scriptures plainly teach us that there is a 
 Father who is God, a Son who is God, and a Holy 
 Ghost who is God ; but that there are not three 
 Gods, but one God. We are abundantly assured 
 that divine compassion has been felt for us in the 
 Father-heart in heaven ; that the same has been 
 manifested in the incarnation and mediatorial 
 work of Jesus ; and that it is rendered effectual to 
 our salvation by the operations of the Holy 
 Ghost. On this let us confidently rest, and 
 
296 THE ADORABLE GODHEAD. 
 
 thereon build our hopes. And if we err in so 
 doing, we err with the great congregation of 
 Christian believers on earth and in heaven, and 
 may feel sure we shall not be condemned for hon- 
 oring the Son, even as we honor the Father. 
 
 Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord, 
 
 God of hosts, eternal King, 
 By the Heavens and earth adored, 
 
 Angels and archangels sing 
 Chanting everlastingly 
 To the blessed Trinity. 
 
 Alleluia ! Lord to Thee, 
 
 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
 Three in One, and One in Three, 
 
 Join me with the heavenly host, 
 Singing everlastingly 
 To the blessed Trinity. 
 
a jFaitftfuI jgerbant 
 
 First Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant ; 
 thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over 
 many things ; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. — Matt. 25 : 23. 
 
 " HIS was one of the servants in the Sa- 
 viour's Parable of the Talents, where 
 He compares the kingdom of heaven to 
 a man travelling into a far country, who 
 called his servants and delivered unto them his 
 goods, giving to each a certain number of talents 
 with which to trade and get gain until he should 
 return. 
 
 The servants of those times were mostly persons 
 captured in war, and often were people of intelli- 
 gence, skill, and business capacity. Except that 
 their lords had property in them, and had the 
 right to command them, they were not at all to 
 be confounded with the slaves with which we 
 used to be familiar. Nor was it uncommon for 
 one and another of these ancient masters to let 
 out their money or properties to the sole manage- 
 ment and control of their servants to do business 
 for the mutual profit of owner and servant. And 
 it is a servant of this description that is here in 
 view. 
 
 297 
 
298 A FAITHFUL SERVANT. 
 
 The Saviour would teach us that it is after this 
 manner He deals with us as His servants. All 
 men are His; but He does not hold nor force them 
 as slaves. He does not lash them to their tasks. 
 He gives them liberty of action. He lets or de- 
 livers to them certain talents, which they are free 
 to use as they deem best, only that they must 
 account to Him for them in the end. 
 
 This servant had been entrusted with five tal- 
 ents, a very large sum of money. It was double 
 the amount given to another servant, and five to 
 one of what was given to a third. 
 
 God does not give to every one alike. There 
 are often very wide diversities. Some are rich 
 and some are poor. Some have much and others 
 have but little. And yet these distributions are 
 not arbitrary or capricious. They are made on a 
 just principle, — u to every man according to his 
 several ability." Kach gets as much as he can 
 handle. 
 
 These "talents" include all our endowments, 
 faculties, powers, possessions, and means and op- 
 portunities for profiting ourselves and others, 
 and for securing gain for the great Master. 
 There are diversities of gifts. "To one is given 
 the word of wisdom ; to another, the word of 
 knowledge ; to another, faith ; to another, the 
 gift of healing ; to another, the working of 
 miracles ; to another, prophecy ; to another, the 
 discerning of spirits ; to another, divers kinds of 
 tongues; to another, the interpretation of tongues. " 
 And as with these spiritual gifts, so in respect to 
 
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 299 
 
 natural capacity, culture, fortune, office, relations, 
 and positions in the world ; all of which are par- 
 celled out according to the divine will and good- 
 ness. And all these together constitute the tal- 
 ents with which the great Master has entrusted us. 
 
 This servant made good use of what he had re- 
 ceived. It was meant that he should use these 
 talents and trade with them, and he did it. 
 
 And this is what our Lord intends for us to do 
 with our gifts and talents. Whether they be 
 great or small, many or few, they are meant for 
 active, earnest, and gainful use. The Lord in 
 giving them means business, — honest, resolved, 
 faithful, and soul-eugaging business. When par- 
 ents give their children capital, it is not that they 
 may waste it, bury it, or throw it away on idle 
 prodigality ; but that they may go into business 
 with it, invest it in profitable trade, make their 
 fortunes out of it, and be able to give a good ac- 
 count of it to the credit and joy of all concerned. 
 And so the divine command with regard to the 
 pounds and talents given us is: " Occupy till I 
 come" — use them, work out of them all the profit 
 you can. 
 
 Just what sort of business this servant did is 
 not told ; nor is it prescribed to us precisely how 
 and where we are to lay hold in order to make the 
 most of our talents. In general, the opportunities 
 lie all around us, in such spheres of life as Provi- 
 dence has assigned us, or to which He seems to 
 be calling us. We are where we are, and have 
 what we have, that we may act and do profitable 
 
30O A FAITHFUL SERVANT. 
 
 service for Christ and ourselves. As pastors, 
 teachers, parents, Churchmen, learners, profes- 
 sionals, business men, and masters and members 
 of homes, we all have the openings for good, 
 usefulness and gain near at hand, and can make 
 much out of them by proper diligence and fidelity. 
 In a measure we may choose our fields, spheres, 
 and methods of operation; and a true religious, 
 honest, and dutiful spirit in such offices and rela- 
 tions will never fail to yield us honorable gain. 
 The great matter is, to be true to God and duty. 
 
 This man was pronounced a ' ' good and faithful 
 servant;" that is, he had well filled his position. 
 He was minded to do his best for his lord; and 
 he did it. He was willing, thoughtful, conscien- 
 tious, diligent, earnest, and persevering. He felt 
 that he had work to do, and responsibilities to 
 meet; and he gave himself to them in good earnest. 
 In the nature of things, his career was not all 
 sunshine. He had his difficulties, perplexities, 
 disappointments, and reverses, as all people in 
 this world have; but he was not therefore dis- 
 heartened. He pressed on through fair weather 
 and through bad. He did not give up because 
 things were not always to his mind. He believed 
 in the goodness of his lord. He knew what the 
 master expected of him. And he kept at it with- 
 out faltering, surrender, or despair. With cheer- 
 ful alacrity he held on his way, doing the best in 
 his power, and never falling out with his duty. 
 
 And this is what the Lord expects of us. He 
 
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 3OI 
 
 demands no impossibilities, and has covenanted 
 that His grace shall be sufficient for us in all 
 emergencies, if only we are true to Him. But 
 sloth, negligence, and indifference to our duty 
 and calling He will not and cannot honor. We 
 are not responsible for what we cannot do; but 
 u he that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, 
 to him it is sin." There was one servant who 
 hid his talent and let it lie unused, having made 
 nothing out of it, murmuring perhaps that he 
 had not as others had. But he fared badly in the 
 end. A lazy, unwilling, or fault-finding soul can 
 never hope for the Lord's commendation. There 
 are people on whose tombstones it may be written: 
 " Here lies the man who never did an hour's work 
 for God in all his life. ' ' Men may be very active 
 and energetic in affairs of this world, but all for 
 self and pelf, and never in the way of dutifulness 
 to Him who has given them the power to do. 
 Neither the slothful, the careless, the selfish, nor 
 any mere Mammon- worshippers, can be called 
 the Lord's good and faithful servants; nor yet 
 those who do well for a time and then drop off, 
 or do only in some things while others are left. 
 This servant was held accountable for his tal- 
 ents. It was u a long time " before his lord came 
 back from his journeyings; but he came; and 
 when he came it was to receive account of what 
 had been done with his money. And so it is ap- 
 pointed unto us. Our Lord will call every one to 
 account for the manner in which we have dealt 
 with His gifts and graces, whether rich or poor. 
 
302 A FAITHFUL SERVANT. 
 
 He means to reward the faithful and honor their 
 fidelity; but He must first see whether they have 
 duly appreciated His kindness, and with what 
 sort of activity and temper they have dealt toward 
 Him. Hence, He "reckoneth with them;" not 
 in the way of harsh and severe arraignment, as 
 culprits to be punished; but as servants whom 
 He is anxious to reward and bless. The day of 
 judgment is not meant to distress us, harm us, or 
 make our comforts less. There is no judgment 
 unto condemnation to those who are in Christ; 
 nevertheless there must be inquiry respecting our 
 fidelity and works, on which our rewards depend. 
 A school examination may be a time of anxiety 
 to the pupils; but it is not for their disturbance 
 or disadvantage. It is simply to ascertain their 
 progress in learning, and their fitness for advance- 
 ment, for which they have meanwhile been can- 
 didates. And so it is with Christ's reckoning 
 with His servants. It is for our promotion and 
 greater joy, and not for our grief. 
 
 The inquest will, indeed, necessarily be strict, 
 impartial, and just. Nothing can be kept back, 
 — nothing can be hid. People may wonder how 
 the lives and deeds of so many myriads on myriads 
 can be so minutely examined ; but there will be 
 no difficulty in the case. Everything concerning 
 every one is fully written on each one's own soul, 
 and a single glance from the Lord will read and 
 reveal every item. There can be no shams, no 
 trickery, no misrepresentation, no disguises, no 
 mistakes. Every one's whole life will stand open, 
 
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 303 
 
 and what each has been doing with his talents 
 will appear. There can be no concealment or 
 equivocation. And as the facts are, so will the 
 award of our Lord and Judge be. 
 
 People generally think of that time, if they 
 think of it at all, with some degree of alarm and 
 terror. The best of us have been such unprofit- 
 able servants that we naturally fear to be called 
 to account. But it is necessary and part of the 
 process to bring us to glory. All our occupy- 
 ing and doing for our Lord would be a bootless 
 drudgery, if He were never to come again to take 
 account of us, and to adjudge to us our promised 
 reward. Our faith and devotion would have no 
 outcome, no crown, without this. The gladdest 
 day this servant ever had was the day his lord 
 returned, — even the day of reckoning. Often had 
 he been in doubt and danger by reason of his in- 
 firmities and failures. Many had been his anxi- 
 eties, his trials, his straits, his discouragements. 
 But he had faith in the goodness of his Lord ; and 
 when tempted to despond he rallied to the music 
 of the promises, and held on even in his tears. 
 And now, at last, his Lord came ; and with holy 
 boldness and joy he hastened to meet Him, his 
 heart bounding with delight and words of exulta- 
 tion bursting from his lips : u Lord, thou deliver- 
 edst unto me five talents ; behold, I have gained 
 besides them five talents more. ' ' 
 
 And so it shall be with all who truly love the 
 Saviour, and are honestly set to serve Him. Be- 
 lieving in Him, working for Him, and awaiting 
 
3O4 A FAITHFUL SERVANT. 
 
 His coming, the final meeting will be one of tri- 
 umphant gladness. And then shall come the 
 blessed commendation, ' ' Well done, good and 
 faithful servant ; thou hast been faithful over a 
 few things, I will make thee ruler over many 
 things ; enter thou into the joy of thy L,ord." 
 
 Dear friends, a blessed assurance is thus given 
 us. No faith in Jesus shall ever be disappointed. 
 No efforts, labors, gifts, sacrifices, or sufferings, — 
 no prayers, tears, sighs, or loving anxieties for 
 Him and His cause, — shall ever be lost. Their 
 record is on high. They are all treasured in 
 heaven. And not so much as the gift of a cup 
 of cold water given in His Name and for His sake 
 shall lose its reward. 
 
 And that reward ! How does it here loom up 
 before us ! How vastly does it transcend the best 
 that any one can do to deserve it ! The measure 
 of it is not the greatness of the work we have done, 
 but the faith and fidelity with which we have 
 done the little that is within our power. It is the 
 faithfulness over the few things that brings ruler- 
 ship over many things. The mercenary spirit is 
 not the true Christian spirit. Not for wages-nor 
 reward, but out of love and devotion to our Lord 
 and His cause we are to serve Him. Neverthe- 
 less, where such love is the motive reward will 
 come, — reward far beyond the desert of our doing. 
 True and loving service carries joy and blessed- 
 ness in itself. Where that exists and controls 
 there is always an inward satisfaction, of which 
 nothing can deprive the soul. But beyond this 
 
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 305 
 
 is the approval and commendation of the L,ord, 
 and glad welcome into His own joy, with promise 
 of rulership and dominion. 
 
 The holiest and most useful will, of course, rise 
 the highest and share the most. "They that be 
 wise shall shine as the brightness of the firma- 
 ment ; and they that turn many to righteousness, 
 as the stars for ever and ever. ' ' But for the weak- 
 est and the poorest, if faithful in doing for the 
 Master the best they can, there is blessedness 
 eternal. 
 20 
 
difference in &iHorgi)iwn:0. 
 
 Second Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 Two men went up into the temple to pray ; the one a Pharisee, and 
 the other a publican. — Luke 18 : 10. 
 
 "HESE two men were both religiously 
 moved. They both honored the divine 
 ordinances and appointments. And they 
 both desired God's favor and blessing. 
 They both ' ' went up to the temple to pray. ' ' So 
 far they both acted commendably, and furnish us 
 an example to be followed. Neglecting the temple 
 and the services God has ordained, we cannot 
 count on His favor. We cannot have the benefit 
 of God's house if we go not to it, or give no atten- 
 tion to those things for which it has been estab- 
 lished. When God institutes ordinances He re- 
 quires their observance. 
 
 But the mere formalities of religion are not 
 enough. Both these men went up to the temple 
 to pray, and they both stood and prayed ; but one 
 of them went down to his house justified, and the 
 other did not. If anything, the one who was the 
 most punctilious was the least favored. Rites, 
 ceremonies, and outward observances are nothing 
 if unaccompanied with a right heart and a right 
 spirit. 
 
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 2>°7 
 
 There may also be qualities that speak well for 
 a man, and yet not avail to recommend him to the 
 divine favor. This Pharisee was an outwardly 
 respectable and moral person. He was not extor- 
 tionate or unjust in his business, — not an adulte- 
 rer, — not backward in paying his debts. He was 
 what the world would call a reputable and worthy 
 man, — a good citizen. 
 
 He was also quite religious in his way. He 
 practised certain austerities and disciplined his 
 body in strict sanctimoniousness. He fasted 
 twice in a week, which was even more than the 
 law required of him. 
 
 He was also a prompt and conscientious sup- 
 porter of the Church. He gave tithes of all that 
 he possessed, the full tenth of all the products of 
 his fields, cattle, and investments. He also felt 
 that he had much for which to thank God, and 
 for which he did give thanks after his fashion. 
 He was likewise interested in the morals of men 
 around him, and very severe on all injustice, dis- 
 soluteness, and irregularity. People who did not 
 come up to his standard had to hear from him and 
 feel his censorship. 
 
 But with all this he was an unapproved wor- 
 shipper. His chaste and regular life was not 
 against him ; for no one can be a true worshipper 
 who is not made up to live righteously, soberly, 
 and godly in this present evil world. But with 
 so much that was favorable in his case he was 
 not accepted. It takes more than respectability 
 and outward morality to make a child of God. 
 
308 DIFFERENCE IN WORSHIPPERS. 
 
 What, then, was the trouble? Certainly not 
 that he was outwardly virtuous and religious, but 
 that he was one of those 4 ' who trusted in them- 
 selves that they were righteous and despised 
 others. ' ' 
 
 He could not agree to accept place with com- 
 mon worshippers. He was so pure and holy in 
 his own esteem that he could not stand anywhere 
 near the publican who entered the temple with 
 him. He must stand apart by himself. He was 
 a Pharisee; and both the spirit and name of the 
 Pharisees said, u Stand aside, for I am holier than 
 thou." It was not that he stood to pray, for the 
 other man also stood; but it was his Pharisaic 
 self-righteousness that would not let him stand 
 with other people, lest his superior holiness should 
 be contaminated. 
 
 His prayer itself showed the same character- 
 istic. He thanked God. That was a very proper 
 and right thing to do. A religion which has no 
 thanksgiving in it is of poor account. We are 
 to "give thanks always for all things unto God." 
 But thanksgiving may easily run into self-lauda- 
 tion and vain boasting. And so it was in this 
 case. There was no giving of God the glory, 
 but the taking of it all to himself. Under the 
 form of thanking God, he merely recited his own 
 praises and paraded his own virtues. The biggest 
 and most pervading thing in it was the large /, — 
 /am so and so, — /do so and so, — /fill out the 
 conditions of righteousness, — / am not a sinner 
 like other men. And if there is one thing more 
 
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 3O9 
 
 offensive to God than another, it is such spiritual 
 pride, egotism, and self-commendation. Had this 
 man been as good and pious as he professed, he 
 would have devoutly ascribed it all to the grace 
 of God, and humbly acknowledged that he was 
 nothing in himself ; for it is only by the abound- 
 ing goodness and grace of God that any of us are 
 any better than the base and wicked around us. 
 
 And with such a lofty, proud, and self-com- 
 placent spirit there goes also an uncharitable cen- 
 soriousness and contempt of others. Hence this 
 Pharisee's prayer was as full of ill-natured com- 
 parisons and accusations of other men as it was of 
 self-flattery and spiritual self-exaltation. Dwell- 
 ing supremely on his own pieties, he could see 
 nothing but baseness in any one else. Other 
 people were only licentious profligates in the eyes 
 of such exalted saintship. His brother worshipper 
 he scorned to acknowledge as of the same flesh 
 and blood with himself. Even in his prayer he 
 made a personal thrust at the poor publican, and 
 condemned him in most unfeeling harshness. 
 And if any consider themselves too good to kneel 
 at the same altar with other people, and cannot 
 worship God without supercilious judging of 
 their fellow- worshippers, they may set it down 
 that they are in no condition to profit by their 
 devotions. 
 
 This publican may not have been as good and 
 honest a man as he should have been. Men of 
 his profession in general had a bad reputation for 
 extortion and unjust exactions; and he may not 
 
3IO D1FFERENXE IN WORSHIPPERS. 
 
 have been quite clean of these wrongdoings. But 
 there is nothing to show that he was any worse 
 than people in general. He reverenced God and 
 religion. He came to the temple for holy wor- 
 ship, the same as the Pharisee. He was just as 
 devoutly anxious to possess the favor of God as 
 any one else. And if it had been in his heart to 
 do it he might readily have retorted upon the 
 Pharisee after the same style and spirit. It is not 
 a safe thing for people who live in glass houses to 
 throw stones. Had the Publican been so minded, 
 he might have said: "God I thank thee that I 
 am not as some men are, conceited, proud, un- 
 charitable, censorious, and malignant, or even as 
 this Pharisee. I do not boast of my virtues. I 
 do not cast malevolent flings at other people. If I 
 am a sinner, I can have sympathy and mercy for 
 other sinners who feel their guilt and are earn- 
 estly seeking God's forgiveness." But such was 
 not his mind nor temper. Whether the Pharisee 
 was a holy man or not, he would not undertake 
 to decide. He knew that he himself was anything 
 but holy. If his life had not been one of daring 
 wickedness, he nevertheless felt himself far short 
 of deserving anything but God's just condemna- 
 tion. Other men might be sinners; but that was 
 not for him to say. They might be proud, de- 
 ceitful, hypocritical, arrogant, and full of offensive 
 self righteousness; but to God they must answer; 
 he w T ould not be their judge. He had his own 
 soul's safety to look after and not the faults of 
 others. Not his virtues and Goodness, but his 
 
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 31I 
 
 sins were the things he had to do with. If others 
 condemned him, his condemnation of himself 
 was deeper. For aught he knew, others might 
 be holy and deserving of heaven; but as to him- 
 self he felt that he was not, and that without 
 God's merciful consideration there was no hope 
 for him. 
 
 Here was a spirit the very opposite of that of 
 the Pharisee, and showing itself in every particu- 
 lar. The contrast is perfect. The Pharisee came 
 up to the temple and walked boldly to the most 
 conspicuous place, as if it were his by right. The 
 Publican came with holy fear and trembling. He 
 scarcely dared to adventure within the threshold. 
 He * ' stood afar off, ' ' as not worthy to have place 
 among God's worshippers. The Pharisee spread 
 forth his hands in ostentatious self-consequence. 
 The Publican did not ' ' lift up so much as his 
 eyes to heaven." The Pharisee with lofty coun- 
 tenance told the IvOrd of his goodness, his moral- 
 ity, his piety, and his worthy deeds. Downcast 
 and oppressed in soul, the Publican had nothing 
 to tell about himself but his unworthiness and 
 sins. The Pharisee stood looking up with un- 
 ruffled self-satisfaction. The Publican was so 
 mortified and full of self-reproach that u he smote 
 upon his breast, ' ' as totally fallen out with him- 
 self, and aching in spirit over his guiltiness before 
 God. The Pharisee proclaimed himself a spotless 
 saint. The Publican profoundly lamented that 
 he was nothing but a sinner, the same as if he 
 were the only sinner in the world. The Pharisee 
 
312 DIFFERENCE IN WORSHIPPERS. 
 
 censured and condemned everybody but himself. 
 The Publican blamed and condemned nobody but 
 himself. The Pharisee's prayer was no prayer at 
 all. It asked for nothing. The man was already 
 so perfect that he felt no need. The Publican's 
 prayer was prayer, pure and simple. It was all 
 looking, depending, impleading with a God-w r ard 
 earnestness which could offer nothing, rest on 
 nothing, expect nothing, but what God in His 
 merciful goodness might bestow. The Pharisee 
 gave a long harangue about his own superiority. 
 The Publican, in the depths of compunction and 
 grief, could only say, " God be merciful to me a 
 sinner!" The Pharisee rested upon his own 
 righteousness for acceptance and justification. 
 The Publican only pleaded guilt and the propitia- 
 tion God's mercy hath provided. He looked for 
 help and salvation only through the altar of sacri- 
 fice ; for the full rendering of his prayer would be : 
 ' ' God, be propitiated to me, the sinner ! " It was 
 God's merciful forgiveness that he so humbly en- 
 treated ; but he had no thought of receiving it 
 except through the blood of atonement. And 
 thus, while the Pharisee trusted to his own virtues 
 and worth, the Publican was thoroughly evangelic 
 in his faith and hope, and laid hold on the only 
 availing righteousness. 
 
 The results in these two cases may be readily 
 anticipated. 
 
 Many would be glad to have the feeling of con- 
 scious rectitude in which this Pharisee indulged, 
 and would rejoice to be able to say that no extor- 
 
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 313 
 
 tion, injustice, or lewdness had ever touched their 
 lives, — that they had been strict in their respect 
 and attention to God's ordinances, — that they 
 could lay claim to a purity and righteousness such 
 as he boasted. But what could that help him 
 when so self-sufficient that he had nothing more 
 to ask. Had he been able to claim for himself 
 far greater things than he named, his pride and 
 uncharity were enough to cause his utter rejec- 
 tion. For though a man should speak with the 
 tongues of men and of angels, have the gift of 
 prophecy, understand all mysteries and all knowl- 
 edge, bestow all his goods to feed the poor, have 
 faith to remove mountains, and even give his 
 body to be burned in sacrifice, and have no real 
 love and charity in his heart, it cannot weigh a 
 particle to recommend him to the favor and bene- 
 diction of God. Morality and good works alone 
 are not religion. Justifying ourselves is certain 
 to meet with God's condemnation. Those who 
 make their own righteousness their dependence 
 find no occasion for divine mercy, and hence can- 
 not have it. Accordingly this man, with all his 
 morality and devotion, went down to his house 
 unjustified and unsaved. 
 
 On the other hand, this despised and sin-bur- 
 dened Publican was accepted and blessed. His 
 life may have been in many respects irregular, 
 and many might regard him as a morbid enthu- 
 siast for being so anxious about his sins; but he 
 was honest; he was humble; he was contrite; he 
 threw himself upon the only plea that man has to 
 
3 H DIFFERENCE IN WORSHIPPERS. 
 
 avail before God; he earnestly prayed that he 
 might find mercy; and God heard his prayer and 
 honored his devotion. He was accepted, and went 
 down to his house justified. His humble peni- 
 tence took hold on the divine compassion, and 
 from the depths of his self-condemnation he 
 was lifted to the status of an approved child 
 of God. 
 
 Such, then, is the teaching given us in this 
 text; and easily enough can its application be 
 discerned. If we would come acceptably before 
 God in His holy ordinance, bringing with us a 
 good and regular life is altogether desirable; but 
 we dare not come with the proud, self-righteous, 
 and censorious spirit of this Pharisee. At the 
 best we are very sinful beings, and much greater 
 sinners than we know; and we must never for a 
 moment think otherwise. And yet, to congratu- 
 late ourselves that w T e are not as this Pharisee, is 
 after all to be like him, and to involve ourselves 
 in his fatal mistake. In our own righteousness 
 we cannot stand, and only the mercy of God in 
 Christ Jesus can avail for us. The moment we 
 begin to think that now we are fit and worthy, 
 we render ourselves unfit and unworthy. We 
 are poor sinners all; without any claim whatever 
 upon God's favor; and in that character, and 
 feeling that such is our character, must we come, 
 if we would be accepted. 
 
 But though we be sinners, corrupt in nature 
 and derelict in practice and life, our sins are no 
 barrier, if we come in the right spirit. It was 
 
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 3 I 5 
 
 not the righteous, but sinners Jesus came to call. 
 The Publican, in all his sins, is as welcome as 
 the holiest Pharisee, if he only will come in the 
 right way, penitently confessing his sins, praying 
 earnestly for God's merciful forgiveness through 
 the blood of atonement, and made up to forsake 
 the sins he confesses. To this man Jehovah says 
 He will look, even to him who is of an humble 
 and contrite spirit, and trembleth at His word. 
 To be thinking that we are not as bad as other 
 people, will not do. Neither will it answer to 
 comfort ourselves that we are free from gross 
 offences against the law, and have in the general 
 observed the outward precepts of religion. It is 
 good if our lives have been virtuous; but we can 
 by no means justify ourselves, and nothing but a 
 contrite and honest acknowledgment of our sin- 
 fulness, and an humble throwing of ourselves on 
 God's mercy in Christ Jesus, will bring us His 
 benediction. 
 
 And especially must we avoid censorious judg- 
 ing of our fellow-worshippers, as if we were so 
 much better than they, and of too much conse- 
 quence to be reckoned as helpless sinners. Human 
 nature is apt to be severe with others while very 
 lenient to itself ; but the Saviour calls this hypoc- 
 risy. If we are better than others, we damage 
 our claim to it by exulting over them or seeking 
 to keep them down. Our duty is rather to pity 
 them, to pray for them, and to help them to the 
 better. It is enjoined upon us not to judge, that 
 we be not judged. And if we would be God's 
 
3l6 DIFFERENCE IN WORSHIPPERS. 
 
 children indeed, it pertains to ns to be severe 
 upon our own faults, and forbearing and forgiving 
 toward those of others, remembering that con- 
 descension and charity are better than sacrifice, 
 and that he who exalteth himself shall be abased. 
 
Third Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man re- 
 ceiveth sinners, and eateth with them. — Luke 15 : 2. 
 
 T was not a false accusation which these 
 people brought against Jesus. It was 
 true that many unsavory characters did 
 flock around Him ; that He did receive 
 them kindly, and did accept invitations to their 
 homes and hospitalities. 
 
 He was in all respects a very marvellous man, 
 and an attractive preacher. There was some- 
 thing in His manner, in His sympathies, in His 
 teachings, in His whole spirit that greatly im- 
 pressed and captivated the masses. Even those 
 whom society discarded, — the sinful, the con- 
 demned, and the outcast, — were drawn to Him. 
 They saw in Him a new style of goodness, which 
 commended itself to their judgment, touched their 
 hearts, disarmed their resentment, and cheered 
 their souls. They saw in Him what commanded 
 their interest, their respect, their confidence. 
 Though pure and holy, He seemed closer to them 
 than they had supposed a holy being could come. 
 Hence their drawing to Him. 
 
318 the sinner's friend. 
 
 And He welcomed their approaches. He took 
 them up into His own deep sympathies. They 
 felt that He felt for them ; and many, whose 
 seared consciences answered to no other touch, 
 realized in Him the presence of a new power and 
 yielded to it. 
 
 The self-righteous Pharisees were not attracted. 
 They thought themselves too good to need His 
 help, and were in no state of mind to value His 
 favors. On the contrary, they despised His pre- 
 tensions and teachings, and were offended and 
 scandalized that He should bestow consideration 
 upon sinners and outlaws, and showed so little 
 regard for the excellent manners, legal purity, 
 high repute, and decorous conversation of these 
 self-exalted religionists. 
 
 But Christ's reception of sinners was not of a 
 sort to make light of their sins. It was not true 
 that He preferred the evil to the good. He re- 
 ceived sinners, indeed, and ate with them, but 
 only that He might teach them better ways, re- 
 cover them from condemnation, and cleanse them 
 from their sins. He was kind and merciful to 
 them, because they felt their need of His sympa- 
 thy and help to lift them to a better life. He 
 called sin, sin, and guilt, guilt; but He was moved 
 and filled with pitying mercy for the marred and 
 miserable who were longing for deliverance. 
 
 And why should it not have been so ? Surely 
 such tenderness well befitted Him who came to 
 be their Saviour. Nor did He fail to show the 
 propriety of His conduct in this. He did receive 
 
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 319 
 
 sinners, and eat with them. He did manifest 
 pity and commiseration for the despised and 
 wretched. He did hold himself open to be visited 
 by the wicked, the base, and the unclean. Nor 
 did He ever weary in His efforts to serve, comfort, 
 and bless all who came unto Him. But there 
 was ample justification for it. A few simple and 
 homely parables were enough to put His accusers 
 to shame. His conduct, after all, was in strict 
 accord with the principles that govern in the 
 common affairs of life. 
 
 When but one out of the hundred of a shep- 
 herd's flock has strayed away, doth he not leave 
 the ninety and nine to seek and recover it ? When 
 a woman misses one of her ten pieces of money, 
 does she not search diligently for it, and show 
 gladness in regaining it? What true-hearted 
 father would not welcome his prodigal son when 
 he returns in humble penitence, though ragged, 
 reeking, and repulsive from his guilt ? And why 
 should not the merciful Saviour, sent to save the 
 wandering, lost, and erring, cheerfully receive 
 wandering souls when they come with broken 
 hearts, seeking pardon and restoration ! 
 
 It is a bereavement and calamity to lose what 
 we value and love. It is a sore loss and sorrow 
 when a son turns out a rioting spendthrift and 
 vagabond. And so God, and heaven, and the 
 holy universe, are bereft and damaged by men's 
 sinfulness. So to speak, there is a privation and 
 loss to Heaven inflicted by human apostacy ; and 
 there is every reason to wish the mutilation 
 
320 THE SINNERS FRIEND. 
 
 healed. God loves and values His great flock, 
 and is not willing that even one should be lost. 
 Every member of it is a treasure. The human soul 
 is a precious thing. It is a coin from the mint of 
 heaven. It is stamped with Jehovah's image. 
 It is a thing capacitated for a transcendent destiny. 
 There is vast worth in it for good and profit, the 
 loss of which is great and painful. And as a lov- 
 ing father is wounded and distressed to see his 
 son going to the bad ; so the great heart of God is 
 moved and affected by the ruin of impenitent sin- 
 ners. He loves them ; He pities them ; He has 
 tender compassion for them ; and is not willing to 
 lose them ; but would that all should come to 
 repentance and live. It is no compensation for 
 their loss that He has so many others left. Other 
 souls and sons cannot satisfy for those that are 
 gone. He might fill their places with new crea- 
 tions, but that could not cover the wound nor 
 modify the calamity. Substituting archangels in 
 their stead would not satisfy the personal interest 
 and affection which infinite Goodness feels for 
 each that He has created and so nobly endowed. 
 It is the crippled and ailing child that lies the 
 nearest to the parental heart ; and where the 
 tragic consequences of sin are most felt and la- 
 mented, there the divine compassion is deepest 
 and most active. 
 
 Hence the readiness of Jesus to receive and 
 favor sinners. It was not as the defender and 
 patron of their wickedness. It was not to encour- 
 age and strengthen them in their evil ways. It 
 
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 32 1 
 
 was that he might help them out of their miseries, 
 rescue and new-create their alien hearts to hope 
 and heaven. He had words of comfort for the 
 lowly and the guilty ; He gave himself to com- 
 panionship with those whom society discarded ; 
 He even dealt tenderly toward the very thralls 
 and worn-out servants of the devil ; — just that He 
 might raise up the fallen, recover the lost, and 
 bring salvation to the perishing. And such a 
 compassionate Saviour Jesus is. 
 
 And what a joyous achievement is success in 
 such a work ! Who can begin to tell what vast 
 and eternal good is embraced in the saving of a 
 perishing soul ! Lost, and found, — dead, and 
 made alive again, — snatched from the mouth of 
 hell and lifted to the height of heaven, — what 
 blessedness of meaning is summed up in this ! 
 And if it is so glad a thing to the shepherd to get 
 back one straying sheep, and to the father to 
 have his errant son come home ; what must it be 
 to God and heaven, and all the holy universe, to 
 have such master-pieces of divine creation rescued 
 from the destroyer's grasp, and set up to live and 
 shine as immortal stars in the kingdom of glory ! 
 Aye, says the Saviour, "there is joy in heaven, — 
 joy in the presence of the angels of God, — over 
 one sinner that repenteth ;" — " more joy over one 
 sinner that repenteth, than over ninety and nine 
 just persons that need no repentance." The 
 sighs and tears of a repentant Magdalene may 
 awaken no interest on earth, or excite only dis- 
 gust in the proud scribes and Pharisees ; but wait- 
 21 
 
322 THE SINNERS FRIEND. 
 
 ing angels are rejoiced, and the bells of heaven are 
 set a ringing, and the sons of God shont for joy 
 over the new birth of a fellow-heir to a glorious 
 immortality. Nor is there ever a conversion of a 
 sinner on earth but it awakens songs in heaven. 
 
 How indeed shall we gauge the satisfaction of 
 Jesus as He beholds the fruits of the travail of His 
 soul ! This is an ocean too wide for our gaze to 
 reach across it, and too deep for our fathom line 
 to sound. We cannot know the bitterness of the 
 cup He drank, nor feel the agony that made His 
 pores sweat blood, nor estimate the burden of the 
 cross under which He fainted and on which He 
 died. No, the encyclopedia of Calvary, and the 
 melting lore of dying love, are too profound for 
 our powers to compass. And so it is beyond our 
 reach to measure the heavenly joy over the tro- 
 phies of that wondrous tragedy. 
 
 And when for such glad results the Saviour 
 dealt so graciously toward the guilty and despised, 
 how utterly discordant and shameful the attempt 
 to stigmatize and condemn Him for it ! What 
 these people charged and meant for His dishonor 
 was really a most precious encomium. What 
 more cheerful and hopeful to sin-burdened and 
 anxious souls could be said of Him than that 
 "this man receiveth sinners!" And what, alas, 
 would be our fate if this saying were not true ?' ' 
 
 A blessed Gospel, therefore, is that which has 
 been thus given us to preach. A compassionate 
 Saviour has come to seek and to save the lost. In 
 
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 323 
 
 Him there is hope even for the worst. He is here 
 to receive, to pardon, and to bless, if sinful souls 
 will but draw near in humble penitence. His 
 word still is, "Come unto me, all ye that labor 
 and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." 
 Nor is there any other Name under heaven, given 
 among men, whereby to be saved. 
 
 What think ye then of Christ? In what esteem 
 do you hold Him ? Is it a thing of hopeful joy 
 to you that the guilty and outcast can find favor 
 with Him? Have you felt drawn to Him in 
 loving interest to hear His gracious words and 
 profit by His mercies ? Sinners as we all are, has 
 it been yours to make the angels glad by repent- 
 ance? And if disturbed and troubled by past 
 negligences "and sins, be comforted by what this 
 day's Gospel preaches, and rejoice in the blessed 
 truth that u fhis man receiveth sinners." 
 
gifting attir jFmiiing, 
 
 Fourth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 They . . . found Him on the other side of the sea. — Jno. 6 : 25. 
 
 "T is a great and blessed thing to find 
 Christ. To find Him, is to find the 
 centre of all Christian faith and hope. 
 To find Him, is to find the well-spring 
 of eternal youth. There be many treasures in 
 the world, but none to compare with Jesus, who 
 proposes to be wisdom, righteousness, sanctifica- 
 tion, and redemption to all those who devoutly 
 come to Him. And He is also to be found of all 
 those who diligently seek Him. In some sense 
 also the world is full of those who seek Him; for 
 He has ever been c ' The Desire of nations. ' ' 
 
 But the seekers of Christ are of quite different 
 sorts. Henry Martyn, the missionary, found that 
 the thronging crowds of poor Hindoos that gath- 
 ered around him every week came more for the 
 bread he was in the habit of distributing among 
 them, than for the Gospel Bread of Life. And 
 so it is with many still. They profess religion, 
 join the Church, or take part with Church people, 
 more for the credit, social standing, or business 
 advantages it may be to them, than for any honest 
 
 324 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 325 
 
 spiritual profit. What they look at is the worldly 
 gain it may be to them. They have a relish for 
 the loaves and fishes, and this it is that controls 
 their movements. They are eager enough to 
 have Christ as their Prophet and King, if He 
 will prosper their earthly lives, fill their barns 
 and purses, and crown them with temporal good 
 and honor. But when the soul is to be subjugated 
 to righteousness and truth, self-denial and the 
 cross endured, the ardor fails, and the showy zeal 
 expires. When there is to be a feeding of the 
 flesh and its lusts and appetites, or food or money 
 to be given away, there is stir and eagerness 
 enough; but when only spiritual good is to be 
 obtained, and only the Bread of Life is offered, 
 the multitudes turn away, and the altar of God 
 is neglected and forsaken. It is well indeed to 
 be zealous and determined in seeking Christ. It 
 is the only way to eternal salvation. But it must 
 be a seeking of Him as the Saviour of souls. 
 
 But to find Christ so as to be to us a personal 
 saving it is often necessary to cross the sea. 
 These people found Him on the other side of the 
 sea. A man has sometimes to leave his old way 
 of life and enter a new land to find his fortune. 
 And the same sort of necessity often holds in 
 these spiritual things. There are two sides to 
 life ; — a right side and a wrong side ; and it is on 
 the wrong side, — the side of sin and condemna- 
 tion, — that all are born and many continue to 
 live. For such there is no hope but to emigrate, 
 to quit the old life and associations, and to cross 
 
326 SEEKING AND FINDING. 
 
 over to the other side, where alone Christ and 
 salvation are to be found. 
 
 Between many and the Saviour there is a dark 
 wide sea of unrepented and unforgiven sin, which 
 must be crossed to reach Him. He is indeed 
 willing and ready to receive and save even the 
 worst ; but they must consent to part from their 
 old evil ways, leave the shores of desolation, and 
 come to Him on the other side. 
 
 It is easy to become badly severed from the 
 shore of safety. If you have stood upon some 
 jutting rocks or timbers close to the water's edge 
 at the incoming tide of the sea, you perhaps re- 
 member how imperceptible its approach was. 
 You saw a little shivering spread of thin water 
 running up upon the smooth sand, and some tiny 
 wavelets gliding in only to retire as they came, 
 with nothing to indicate the majesty of the incom- 
 ing waters, until presently you found yourself cut 
 off from the land by a wide stretch of sea rolling 
 between you and safety. And so it is with sin. 
 The first may be a trifle. We excuse it and say, 
 u Is it not a little one?" But gradually the tide 
 of evil glides in, each little wave followed by an- 
 other, and every successor coming faster and 
 deeper until, before the person is aware of it, he 
 is surrounded by an ever-widening .sea that must 
 be crossed in order to be saved. 
 
 What is it, then, that separates so many from 
 Christ, and the peace which is to be found in 
 Him? 
 
 With some it is a subtle unbelief and false 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 327 
 
 philosophy perverting their thinking and sway- 
 ing them into doubt, skepticism, and a hardened 
 unwillingness to be convinced. 
 
 With others it is a cold indifference that puts 
 aside all concern about sacred things and is satis- 
 fied so to remain. 
 
 With another class it is a deep and all-absorb- 
 ing selfishness, toiling night and day to win and 
 secure all it can, not caring whom it wrongs, and 
 scrupulous only in refusing to part with anything. 
 
 There is also a sea of worldliness and carnal 
 gayety by which many are parted from the Sa- 
 viour. Their business, their pleasures, their 
 ease, their friends, their vanities fill up their 
 thoughts, occupy their time, and tax their ener- 
 gies so that no room is left for God and attention 
 to the wants of the soul. The deep waters of 
 worldly likes roll between them and salvation. 
 
 And there are many well-meaning people who 
 are so taken up with their domestic duties, and 
 have so much upon them, that they are unwill- 
 ingly kept away from Christ. They would be 
 Christians, and often really long to find the Sa- 
 viour and His peace ; but they are so preoccupied 
 and tied down by adverse and oppressive cares 
 that they excuse and justify themselves in not 
 making the attempt. 
 
 But whatever may interpose to keep away from 
 Him in whom alone is pardon and peace, our 
 bounden duty is to set ourselves to overcome it. 
 Necessity is upon us. Without Jesus we are lost. 
 Nor can we ever find Him by lingering on the 
 
328 SEEKING AND FINDING. 
 
 barren shores of sin. There needs to be a vigor- 
 ous combating of carnal indifference, an abandon- 
 ment of evil ways, and the bold adventure of the 
 soul, by God's grace, to conquer every obstacle, 
 and thus pass over to the side where Jesus is. 
 There must be no holding back for weather, — no 
 timid shrinking because of hindrances and diffi- 
 culties. He that observeth the wind will not 
 sow ; and he that regardeth the clouds will not 
 reap. And however adverse and dark the sea, it 
 must be crossed, if ever people would be with 
 Jesus. 
 
 But that Galilean sea symbolizes this present 
 life. Christ has passed over it and is now on the 
 other side. There is a beyond — another side. 
 And these two sides are very different. Here 
 there is toil, and weariness, and trouble, and 
 storms, and darkness. Here we have trials, losses, 
 sicknesses, bereavements, sorrows, tears. It is not 
 so on the other side. There they hunger no 
 more, neither thirst any more. There there is no 
 more death, neither sorrow, nor crying; neither 
 shall there be any more pain ; for the former 
 things have passed away. There Jesus is in the 
 fullness of His glory and beauty to feast the souls 
 of His people, and to be to them an eternal con- 
 solation. 
 
 Many in this world have a hard and trying life. 
 They have poverty, and want, and disease, and 
 temptation, and sin to battle with, and must 
 struggle hard to keep the narrow way. People 
 are often so distressed as to lament that ever they 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 329 
 
 were born. But there is another and better side. 
 This world is not the whole of life, and its griefs 
 and hardships cannot last forever. And where 
 there is honest and faithful Christian endeavor 
 deliverance is not far away. There is rest on the 
 other side. 
 
 Some of us may have had to suffer bitter disap- 
 pointments and cruel wrongs. Though we have 
 had our comforts and blessings, the path through 
 which we have come has been marked with thorns 
 and lined with graves. But if true love and zeal 
 for Jesus has place in our hearts, all these adversi- 
 ties will disappear, and all losses be made up to 
 us in the glory to be revealed on the other side. 
 
 Some of us may be going down the decline of 
 life. Daily dimmer may grow our vision. Most 
 of the friends and associates of our youth have 
 gone. And nothing may now remain to us here 
 but a few years of increasing infirmities never to 
 be removed. But this is our comfort, that when 
 the trying voyage of life is over, immortal youth 
 and unfading blessedness await us on the other 
 side. 
 
 To all His people the word of Jesus is, ' ' Let 
 not your heart be troubled : ye believe in God, 
 believe also in Me. In my Father's house are 
 many mansions : if it were not so, I would have 
 told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And 
 if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come 
 again, and receive you unto myself; that where I 
 am, there ye may be also." Yes, we shall share 
 His blessedness on the other side. 
 
Fifth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 He that entereth in by the way of the North gate to worship shall 
 go out by the way of the South gate ; and he that entereth by the 
 way of the South gate shall go forth by the way of the North gate : 
 he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but 
 shall go forth over against it. And the Prince in the midst of them, 
 when they go in, shall go in; and when they go forth, shall go forth. 
 ■ — Ezek. 46 : 9, 10. 
 
 pATES ajar is a popular poetic image 
 which these words may call to mind. 
 Gates are spoken of, — gates of good and 
 blessing. They are Temple gates, — the 
 gates of entrance into holy worship and fellowship 
 with God. 
 
 The first thought suggested in connection with 
 entrance into these gates is, that Religion is for 
 all in common, — for high and low alike. They 
 are for the prince and for the people without dis- 
 tinction of rank. 
 
 There are many orders and estates in life. 
 Whatever may be men's theories of natural and 
 social equality, the fact remains that class differ- 
 ences cannot be obliterated. There always are, 
 and always will be, older and younger, teachers 
 and pupils, governors and governed, learned and 
 
 330 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY. AFTER TRINITY. 33 I 
 
 ignorant, rich and poor, fools and wise. No laws, 
 or legislation, or attempts to level things, can 
 ever make this different. But while these dis- 
 tinctions exist, and often are very deep; before 
 God, all are on the same level and foundation; 
 for God is no respecter of persons. The same 
 Temple gates and ordinances are for all alike. 
 The prince must go with the people, and the 
 people with the prince. There* is no exemption 
 for the high and rich because they are high and 
 rich, nor for the humble and poor because they are 
 humble and poor. Worship, devotion, and the 
 service of God are precisely the same for all. In 
 the true divine order, "the rich and the poor 
 meet together," as the one L,ord is the Maker of 
 them all. 
 
 But God's worshippers do not all enter the 
 temple from the same quarter. There is a north 
 gate, and a south gate; — a side of sunshine, and a 
 side of shade, — and people come in from these 
 opposite sides. Some have good fortune in their 
 affairs, and are peculiarly favored in their estate; 
 and in their case the mercies of God are most 
 potential in drawing them. Many have had good 
 and pious homes in which they grew into pious 
 thinking and pious ways, hardly knowing any- 
 thing else. They come not with bitter sorrows 
 of repentance, for their consciences have never 
 been corroded by gross immoralities, and they 
 have never lived in unbelief. Their lives have 
 been genial, sunny, and good, the rewards of 
 careful parental and pastoral care and teaching; 
 
332 THE TEMPLE GATES. 
 
 and it has ever been their life and joy to love and 
 serve the good Father in heaven. Gently drawn 
 along as by golden cords, they have come into 
 religion's ways amid pleasantness and peace. 
 These enter the temple from the side of sunshine 
 and brightness. 
 
 But there is an opposite side, — the side of gloom, 
 darkness, and storms. Great sorrows and adversi- 
 ties, great crimes and terrors of conscience, great 
 disturbances and fears, great perils and judg- 
 ments, are often the means of bringing careless 
 and wicked people to a change of their ways. 
 Except for some dark providence, some sore be- 
 reavement, some heavy affliction or severe re- 
 verses, many would never have been moved to 
 piety and faith. Except for lives of profanity and 
 wickedness, the alarms awakened by Jehovah's 
 threatenings, the sharp disasters that came near 
 consuming them, many would never have come 
 to think of God nor to seek His mercy. The 
 hand of almighty power often strikes in upon the 
 peace of guilty souls, breaks up their nests, shows 
 them the yawning gulf, and through fiery trials 
 brings them to themselves and their duty. These 
 come into the temple by way of the north gate, — 
 from the side of shadow, gloom, and darkness. 
 
 But from whatever side people enter, the great 
 matter is to enter. The gates are made for this 
 purpose. To neglect the temple and worship of 
 God, is to neglect the soul and heaven. To be 
 without God and without hope in the world is 
 an abnormity, — a negation of proper manhood, — 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 333 
 
 a making light of the superlative work of divine 
 goodness toward our race. There is no merciful 
 God, no hope, no salvation apart from Him who 
 can be approached only through His own ordi- 
 nances and temple. The gates of the Sanctuary 
 are the gates of hope and salvation, and there is 
 neither for those who refuse to enter them. 
 
 And having entered there must be sfraightfor- 
 ward pi'ogress. Entering at the north gate there 
 is to be a going through to the south gate ; and 
 the same to the north gate from entrance at the 
 south. Many enter the temple-place and come 
 out just where they went in. They make no 
 progress. They do not go through. They begin 
 and then retreat. They go part of the way, but 
 get no further. We see them enter at one gate, 
 but they never get to the other. There is no 
 thoroughness in their religion, — no following on 
 to serve the Lord. They perform some duties, 
 but leave the rest. They make the start, but fail 
 to continue. But God says, ' ' If any man draw 
 back, my soul hath no pleasure in him." Hav- 
 ing made the beginning, we must "go on unto 
 perfection." Paul supplied the right example, 
 when, forgetting the things that are behind, and 
 reaching forth to those things that are before, 
 he ever pressed for the mark of the prize of the 
 high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 
 
 Another thought is, that the true worship of 
 God does not let us out as we came in. It is meant 
 to do something for us, — to make us better, 
 stronger, and firmer in our faith and duty. When 
 
334 THE TEMPLE GATES. 
 
 Moses was in the mount with God, his face took 
 on a brightness, so that the children of Israel 
 could scarcely endure to look upon it. When 
 men observed certain disciples, they took knowl- 
 edge of them that they had been with Jesus. 
 Association and fellowship with the divine im- 
 printed its marks. And so our entry into the 
 temple is intended to enlighten, brighten, and 
 burnish our souls, — to clear away the darkness and 
 earthiness of our hearts, — to illuminate and trans- 
 figure our natures, — to bring the sorrowing to joy, 
 the troubled to peace, and to prepare the happy 
 for the day of trial. We may not always be able 
 to see the effect, or be fully conscious of it, but 
 the good is there, and continues to deepen as we 
 continue in the sacred communion. Moses did 
 not know his face was shining, and we may not 
 be able to carry away with us the scented waters ; 
 but where they have touched us the pleasant 
 aroma remains upon the soul. Going in with a 
 true heart and a serious mind, we cannot come out 
 as we went in. 
 
 A pious life has many ins and outs. There is 
 an in to the closet. We need our private devo- 
 tions, — our retirements from the world ; and to 
 these we must attend. This is one ingoing. 
 There is another ingoing to the public worship. 
 If we would be right Christians, we dare not for- 
 sake the assembling of ourselves together as the 
 manner of some is. People who despise church- 
 going, who do not care whether they hear the 
 preaching of the Word or not, and think they can 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 335 
 
 do as well by lying at home or wandering about 
 the streets and fields, or by using God's holy day 
 for social visitations, never can have much of the 
 spirit of religion in them. True Christian life 
 calls for a going in to the sanctuary. 
 
 There is also a going in to the Table of the 
 Lord, to the study of the Scriptures, to frequent 
 self-examinations, and to consideration of what 
 we can do for God and His cause. 
 
 All these are ingoings in Christian life. But 
 there are also outgoings. We cannot always be 
 in the closet, in the place of worship, or in the 
 more formal duties of religion. Neither is it in- 
 tended that we should. God has arranged for 
 <?^/goings as well as ingoings. We go in to eat, 
 and rest, and commune, and refresh ourselves ; 
 and then we go out to employ and put forth the 
 strength which we thus acquire. A right man 
 will always have some employment, and so will 
 have a going out to business, trade, and daily oc- 
 cupation. Hiding away from the world is not 
 Christianity. God means us to take our part in 
 the industries, toils, burdens, and attritions of 
 life. It is this that helps to develop character, 
 strengthen virtue, and promote usefulness. Man 
 is always at his best where he is obliged to work 
 and toil for bread and shelter ; and no man can be 
 what he ought to be, if he never goes out in this 
 line of things. 
 
 Then there is also a going forth to manifold 
 temptations. God always tries those whom He 
 honors. He puts them to the test, that they may 
 
33^ THE TEMPLE GATES. 
 
 show what is really in them, and develop their 
 powers of endurance. It may be by adversity, or 
 it may be by prosperity, — it may be by provoca- 
 tions and rough experiences, or it may be by flat- 
 teries and soft solicitations, — it may be by taxes 
 on temper, on patience, on endurance, or it may 
 be by exemptions, ease, and a plentiful and sunny 
 life. But, in one way or another we must be 
 tried. As Jesus came out of the waters of Bap- 
 tism to be tempted of the devil, so we must en- 
 counter all sorts of trials and temptations, that we 
 may prove ourselves the true children of God by 
 our victories over them. 
 
 And then there are further outgoings in Chris- 
 tian work. Religion is not all hearing of ser- 
 mons, saying of prayers, and singing of Psalms. 
 There are children to be instructed and trained in 
 religious knowledge and habits. There are sick, 
 and poor, and helpless to be looked after and 
 cared for. There are churches to be built and 
 sustained, ministers to be educated, erring ones 
 to be recovered, people destitute of the means of 
 grace and salvation to be supplied with the word 
 and ordinances, and a thousand interests of the 
 kingdom to be looked after and provided for, re- 
 quiring labor and self-denial, to which good peo- 
 ple must needs go forth. 
 
 It is therefore a true picture of Christian life 
 which these ins and outs suggest. 
 
 But in these ingoings and outgoings God's 
 people have a comforting assurance. ' ' The Prince 
 is in the midst of them." 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 337 
 
 Whoever this Prince may be when the prophecy 
 reaches its ultimate fulfilment, we know who is 
 now the Prince of Zion. The King and Head 
 of the Church is the risen and enthroned Jesus. 
 He is the Lord and Prince of all God's people. 
 And He is ever with them, — ever "in the midst 
 of them." Going in or out, He is with them. 
 
 His word is, that "Where two or three are 
 gathered together in His Name, there He is, in 
 the midst of them." And all faithful souls know 
 the truth of this. 
 
 His Sanctuary is the appointed and special 
 meeting-place between Him and them. Here 
 He breathes upon them, and bestows His Spirit, 
 and shows His wounded hands, and feet, and 
 side, and gives His loving benediction. Here 
 He mingles His prayers with ours, and unites 
 His Spirit with our spirits, to lift us into heavenly 
 experiences and blessing. 
 
 And when His people go forth He goes forth 
 with them. Be it in special works for Him and 
 His Church, or in our daily business, He is with 
 us. A true Christian is a Christian in his ordi- 
 nary work and plans of life, as well as in his 
 worship and confession; and the Prince is with 
 him in the one as in the other. Christ and His 
 people are one, and can no more be separated in 
 the common affairs of life than in their devotions. 
 He dwells in them and walks in them. 
 
 He also goes with them into their trials and 
 temptations, to direct, comfort, and sustain. There 
 is no one upon whom we can so much count at 
 22 
 
338 THE TEMPLE GATES. 
 
 such times as upon Him. His sympathies are 
 with the sorrowing; His help is with the weak 
 and endangered; His consolations are with the 
 faint and the sad. 
 
 And in our goings forth in active Christian 
 duty, He hath specially said, ' ' Lo, I am with 
 you alway, even unto the end of the world." 
 When His ministers stand up to preach His Gos- 
 pel, He stands up with them, and speaks by 
 them, and is their mouth and wisdom, as He is 
 their salvation. When His people do for His 
 Name and honor, and for the good of the Church 
 and their fellow-men, it is more His doing than 
 theirs. It is His Spirit acting in their acts. 
 
 And especially in our going forth out of this 
 world, will our Prince go with us. In the passage 
 through the dark valley, the gloom is often so 
 deep, the mystery so great, the experience so un- 
 tried, the natural dread so oppressive, that then, 
 above all, we would like to have the assuring 
 presence of some one able to sustain and comfort 
 us. But there our Prince is especially near. He 
 is never closer nor more precious to a believing 
 soul than when it trembles on the confines of an 
 unexplored eternity. Even amid the dissolution 
 of the earthly house of this tabernacle, His hands 
 are open to receive the outgoing spirit; and, in 
 all the frowning gloom and darkness, His rod 
 and His staff are pledged for our defence and 
 consolation. 
 
 And yet one other thought from this text: We 
 have not long to worship here. There is a gate 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 339 
 
 of entrance and a gate of exit, and the distance 
 between them is short. It is the place for the 
 adjustment of our affairs with God, — the place 
 to get His favor and benediction, — the place of 
 ready-making for a happy departure; — but it is 
 no place for a long stay. The gate at which we 
 come in already points on to the gate at which 
 we are to go out. We cannot remain even if we 
 would. The procession is ever moving, and we 
 necessarily move with it. "For here we have no 
 continuing city. ' ' 
 
 Dear friends, have you entered these sacred 
 gates and put yourselves in condition for a hope- 
 ful and happy exit from this world? Some of 
 you have had your lot on the side of storms and 
 darkness. You know what it is to be afflicted, 
 bereaved, weighed down with trials and sorrows. 
 Have they served to bring you in by that North 
 gate ? Some of you may have had but little else 
 than sunshine and prosperity, to whom God has 
 been very good, strewing your path with flowers. 
 Has that served to awaken your devout gratitude 
 and to bring you in through the South gate? 
 Think what mighty interests hang suspended 
 upon these questions. Let them not be put aside as 
 impertinent. And if you have not yet sought to 
 enter the blessed sanctuary, now is the time for 
 you to act ; that through these earthly gates you 
 may enter the gates of pearl and find your home 
 in the heavenly Jerusalem. 
 
Sixth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of 
 God. — Ps. 46 : 4. 
 
 HBN the Roman Empire fell before the 
 fierce invasions of the northern Barba- 
 rians the foundations of society seemed 
 to be uprooted. Consternation and de- 
 spair seized the civilized world. The stress of the 
 situation moved Augustine, the great Bishop of 
 Hippo, to write the greatest of his works, in 
 which he sketched and defended a better common- 
 wealth, — one which time could not waste nor 
 enemies destroy. He named it The City of God, 
 meaning that imperishable kingdom and state of 
 which Jehovah is the Head and all true believers 
 are the citizens. He traced its history, conflicts, 
 trials, and triumphs, from the earliest ages, 
 through successive dispensations, from Noah to 
 Abraham, the prophets of Israel, the Advent of 
 the Christ, the conquests of the Apostles on to the 
 final consummation in eternal glory. 
 
 Such a City, or Commonwealth, there is, and 
 always has been, and ever will be. The Psalmist 
 exulted in the contemplation of it, and sung again 
 
 340 
 
SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 34 1 
 
 and again of "the City of God," — "the City of 
 the Lord of hosts," — "the City of our God." 
 And so the text speaks of ' ' the City of God, the 
 holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High." 
 
 This mystic City, or Commonwealth, has its 
 centre in heaven. It is otherwise called "the 
 kingdom of heaven." Many of its citizens are in 
 heaven ; but many are found scattered here and 
 there all over the earth. They are not all of one 
 order, one nation, or one continent, tribe, or 
 tongue. Nor are they all included in one partic- 
 ular association, organization, or fold. Wherever 
 there are men and women who acknowledge and 
 adore the true and only God, and accept and fol- 
 low Jesus Christ, His only Son, as their Lord and 
 Saviour, there it exists in sacred sovereignty and 
 gracious benediction. And whatever gravitates 
 heavenward, and makes for man's eternal blessed- 
 ness, belongs to this City of God, the new Jerusa- 
 lem, of which God and the Lamb are the glory 
 and the light. 
 
 And in connection with this City the Psalmist 
 tells us of a River, by which it is refreshed and 
 gladdened. It is a mystic River, as the City is a 
 mystic City. 
 
 There is another river, very ancient and very 
 great. It started with the tears of our first parents 
 as they went weeping from Eden ; and it has been 
 flowing in ever-expanding volumes through all 
 the ages since. Its waters were early dyed with 
 the blood of Able. In Noah's time it had swollen 
 to turbid violence which shook the earth and en- 
 
34 2 THE BLESSED RIVER. 
 
 gulfed the world of mankind in a flood of uni- 
 versal judgment. And since that time its streams 
 of desolation have been crashing through the cen- 
 turies destroying myriads and overwhelming the 
 greatest empires in its course. It is the river 
 of sin, and death, and judgment, flowing with 
 tears, and sweat, and blood, turbulent with vio- 
 lence, foaming with wicked passions, and smok- 
 ing with the burning wrath of Heaven. Lan- 
 guage cannot tell the mischief it has wrought, the 
 miseries it has created, the hells of woe it has 
 entailed upon our race. 
 
 But? the River of which the text speaks has a 
 different record. It started in the foreknowledge 
 and compassion of eternal Omnipotence before 
 the earth was. It broke forth into the world 
 when God said, The Seed of the woman shall 
 bruise the serpent's head. It gilded Adam's tears 
 with hope. It over-arched Noah's altar with the 
 bow of promise when he alighted from the Ark. 
 It followed Israel in their long prilgrimage through 
 the wilderness. It made up " Siloah's brook that 
 flowed fast by the oracle of God." The prophets 
 stood on its banks and cried, ' ' Ho, every one that 
 thirsteth come ye to the waters." Jesus told of it 
 when He lifted up His voice and said : ■ " If any 
 man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. ' ' 
 
 Nor has this River ever ceased to flow in joy- 
 ous and gladdening beauty, even in the darkest 
 and the most calamitous times. Sometimes it 
 trickled feebly among the rocks and rubbish with 
 which depravity and falsehood obstructed its cur- 
 
SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 343 
 
 rent. Sometimes it seemed quite lost to human 
 view. But it has never failed, and never can fail. 
 Reinforcements of blessed rains and inspirations 
 from heaven again and again have come to swell 
 its volume and augment its flow. The ancient 
 patriarchs and the seers of Zion saw and felt it in 
 their days, and drank of it, and called upon their 
 generations to "taste and see that the Lord is 
 good." Since the world began it has been the 
 joyous theme of Psalms, and rituals, and many 
 holy visions. And to this day it still is singing 
 its way among the peoples of the earth, bearing 
 the treasures of heavenly grace and hope upon its 
 bosom, giving life to all it touches, and destined 
 to wash the curse clean out of our smitten and 
 ailing world. 
 
 It is a River ; hence an open and public stream, 
 free and accessible to all ; — a River, deep, abun- 
 dant, vast, exhaustless, and at all times accessi- 
 ble. No winters can freeze it up. No hands can 
 dip it dry. No obstructions can stop its onward 
 course. No powers can fence it in. It is even 
 the glorious Lord himself come down to be to us 
 1 ' a place of broad rivers. ' ' 
 
 And what rivers are to earthly cities this River 
 is to the City of God. 
 
 All God's people have their life-drink from it. 
 They could not be what they are without it. 
 There are thirsts in man which cannot be satis- 
 fied nor assuaged except by the life-waters of this 
 sacred River. Of whatever earthly streams or 
 fountains men may drink, they thirst again and 
 
344 THE BLESSED RIVER. 
 
 languish if the deeper wants of the soul remain 
 unsatisfied. But those who drink of this River 
 of God have in them springs of joy and hope well- 
 ing up into everlasting life. 
 
 It is also a purifying River. Humanity, as we 
 find it, needs cleansing. There is a leprous 
 plague in the world from which no one in the 
 course of nature is, nor can be, free. But there 
 has been a fountain opened for the washing away 
 of sin and uncleanness, and its waters flow in this 
 River. By these the citizens of the sacred Em- 
 pire are washed, sanctified, justified in the name 
 of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God. 
 
 When Naaman washed in Jordan, as bidden by 
 the prophet, his plague was stayed and his flesh 
 came again as the flesh of a little child. And so 
 there is perfect healing and purification in the 
 waters of this River. From the heights of Jeru- 
 salem, on the Church's great inauguration day, 
 there went forth a voice into all the earth to in- 
 fected and perishing souls, saying, "Repent and 
 be baptized every one of you in the name of 
 Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." And 
 everywhere, as many as comply with this word 
 are purified in soul, and made ' ' a chosen genera- 
 tion, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a pecu- 
 liar people, ' ' called to walk with the king in fine 
 linen pure and white. 
 
 Beauty and joyous fertility also come of this 
 River. What is more charming in nature than 
 living streams, where the waters kiss the land, 
 and the land flushes and blooms responsive to the 
 
SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 345 
 
 gentle touch, and the trees extend their arms to 
 embrace the laughing current, and every rush and 
 reed and springing plant stretches up to hang out 
 some flag or tinted bell to the Lord of the waters 
 and the sunshine ! Even so does this sacred 
 River gladden and adorn the City of God. Its 
 citizens are like trees planted by the rivers of 
 water, bringing forth fruit in their season. ( ' They 
 spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the 
 trees of lignaloes which the Lord hath planted, as 
 cedar- trees beside the waters. ' ' 
 
 Rivers, moreover, are great arteries of com- 
 merce. By means of them cities secure much 
 wealth and prosperity. They furnish outlets and 
 facilities for profitable intercourse with distant 
 countries. And such is this River to the City of 
 God. By this its citizens have connection and 
 commerce with other worlds. They do business 
 with lands very far off, and thus secure for them- 
 selves pleasant and imperishable riches. What 
 blessed imports from heaven come to them by 
 means of this River ! What medicines for the 
 soul, what joys for the heart, what riches for the 
 spirit are thus obtained ! What treasures of wis- 
 dom, what wealth of mercies, what supports of 
 character and dignities, what sublimities of hope, 
 what titles to inalienable and eternal possessions 
 do the citizens of this heavenly commonwealth 
 acquire by means of this blessed River! Even 
 under all the denuding calamities of a suffering 
 Job they are richer than Croesus, or all the 
 worldlings of the earth. 
 
346 THE BLESSED RIVER. 
 
 Nor is it difficult to find this River, or to avail 
 ourselves of its blessedness. In God's Word and 
 Sacraments, — in the doctrines and promises of 
 His Gospel, — in the covenants of His grace, — in 
 the ordinances of His house, — in the assemblies 
 of His saints, — in the illuminations and inward 
 promptings of His Holy Spirit, — its presence is 
 manifest. These are the points of man's contact 
 with it. In these may we drink of it, and take in 
 all the riches of its cleansing, renewing, and sanc- 
 tifying power. Coming to these, we come to 
 the very well-springs of salvation and touch the 
 1 ' pure River of water of life, proceeding out of the 
 throne of God and of the Lamb. ' ' 
 
 This, then, is the River, the streams whereof 
 make glad the City of God. Blessed River ! 
 Happy City ! Happy the soul that bows to drink 
 of these waters ! Happy the Naaman who con- 
 sents to wash in their cleansing waves ! 
 
 And may I ask then, dear friends, whether you 
 have learned to appreciate and profit by what God 
 has so mercifully arranged for our immortal good ? 
 
 Some of you, no doubt, have long been enrolled 
 as citizens of this sacred Commonwealth. You 
 were born within its territory. From early in- 
 fancy you have shared its benedictions. You 
 have been marked with its badge and sealed with 
 its signet. You were rocked in the cradle of its 
 immunities, and composed to your infant slum- 
 bers by its songs. You have been reared under 
 the sound of its bells, and led by loving hands 
 into the halls of its oratories. You have been 
 
SIXTH SUNDAY. AFTER TRINITY. 347 
 
 taught to worship at its altars, and to rejoice in 
 the music of its hymns. You have subscribed to 
 the statutes of its government, and sworn by the 
 name of its God. Have you then been faithful to 
 your vows and loyal to your King ? 
 
 Others, perhaps, have long been hearing of this 
 heavenly City, but never pledged allegiance to its 
 authorities. The River of free grace that runs 
 through our sanctuaries has been running by their 
 doors and into their very homes, and lodged 
 many a drop of its waters upon their hearts; but 
 they have not been softened to penitence, nor 
 moved to seek the salvation it carries. Some- 
 times there may have come a spell of serious 
 thinking, when they were almost persuaded, and 
 perhaps made solemn promises; but other influ- 
 ences interfered, and their names have not yet 
 found place upon the roll- books of the sacred 
 community. Many are willing to go far and 
 spend much, to drink of earthly springs, to bathe 
 in earthly waters, to breathe the atmosphere of 
 rocky heights and scented hills, for bodily in- 
 vigoration, health, and pleasure; but when it 
 comes to dealing with the City of God and the 
 life-waters which alone can give health and sal- 
 vation to the soul, there is often no heart for it, 
 and many turn away in cold indifference. 
 
 I see people sick, and ailing, and sad, and full 
 of soul-aches and discomforts. I see them trying 
 varied expedients for relief and consolation. And 
 I wonder, Have they tried the waters that make 
 glad the City of God ? 
 
34-8 THE BLESSED RIVER. 
 
 I see people who are growing old, feeble with 
 years, bending toward the nearing grave. Most 
 of the friends of their youth are gone. One after 
 another of their cherished possessions has receded 
 from them. The bubbles they once so eagerly 
 pursued have vanished. They have run their 
 race. Nothing more remains to them in this world 
 but a coffin and a tomb. And I wonder, Have 
 they accepted place in the Commonwealth of the 
 redeemed ? Have they partaken of the reviving 
 waters that strengthen for ascensions beyond the 
 reach of feebleness and death? 
 
 I see young men and maidens, full of the ardor, 
 gayety, and hilarity of youth, eager in the pur- 
 suit of earthly pleasures, gains, and honors, and 
 at whose hearts the subtle archer is aiming his 
 arrow, presently to lay them with the dead. 
 And I wonder, Are their names in the book of 
 life? 
 
 I think what a lofty inspiration dwelt in the 
 souls of those men of old who could walk forth 
 amid the populations of the earth and proudly 
 say, / am a Roman citizen ! But how paltry was 
 that short-lived honor compared with the im- 
 munity and glory of citizenship in the sacred 
 Commonwealth of the saints, — in the eternal City 
 of our God ! Rome and its empire have fallen 
 and passed away; but this City stands, and must 
 stand forever, with all its sons and daughters 
 destined to a blessed immortality. Come what 
 changes and convulsions may, amid the worst 
 desolations of death and hell these shall survive, 
 
SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 349 
 
 and chant their Halleluias by the crystal sea, 
 when this vain world shall be no more. 
 
 O that all who hear me this day may be duly 
 awake and alive to the sublimity of our privi- 
 leges, and find the inspiration and the peace that 
 come by this River, the streams whereof make 
 glad the City of God ! 
 
 Brief life is here our portion : 
 
 Brief sorrow, short-lived care ; 
 That Life that knows no ending, 
 
 The tearless life is there. 
 
Seventh Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants 
 of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with 
 hunger. — Luke 15 : 17. 
 
 " HESE words call up the old, old story, 
 so familiar to all, — the story of the prodi- 
 gal son. But while that story is old, it 
 is ever new, ever displaying some new 
 beauty, some fresh light. Many a careless and 
 disobedient heart is still being touched by it, and 
 tears in the eyes of many an awakened sinner 
 still testify to its melting power. It is a story 
 which also makes its appeal to us, as to all wan- 
 derers from the Father's house who have been 
 wasting His gifts and trying to satisfy immortal 
 natures with this world's husks. 
 
 This was a case in which a young man grew 
 tired of his father's house, and impatient under 
 its restraints. He longed to have his own way, 
 and to be free to indulge his own likes and vani- 
 ties. Virtuous obedience became irksome to him, 
 and he took what he could, turned his back upon 
 his parents, and went away into a far country, to 
 live according to his fancy. How accurately this 
 
SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 35 I 
 
 describes multitudes of highly favored people ! 
 Born and reared in the Church, and blessed with 
 all the tender care of fond and faithful parents, 
 they have suffered their love of home and duty to 
 die out; and though living beneath the shadows 
 of God's house, are now morally in a far-off 
 country, prostituting a kind Father's gifts, and 
 wasting their faculties and powers in reckless 
 follies and degrading guilt. 
 
 But this young man's selfish and evil ways soon 
 brought him into unexpected griefs. His first 
 downward steps were easy and flattering. The 
 ways of sin and self-pleasing seem strewed with 
 flowers, and for a while may fill with laughter and 
 delight. But the joy soon palls ; the pleasure fades ; 
 and life becomes flat, and stale, and wretched at 
 the last. Sin always humiliates and brings to 
 want and distress. Like the relentless Shylock, 
 it will have its pound of flesh, and reduces to 
 utter helplessness when the need is greatest. 
 Famine soon comes to the land of the profligate, 
 and with it comes want with nothing to satisfy it. 
 
 This prodigal soon found himself destitute, for- 
 saken, and starving. Instead of the comforts of 
 home and the society of equals, he is with herds 
 of swine, and worse fed than they. Sin is a 
 denuding robber. It robs of good name, right 
 feeling, and self-respect. A convict is known 
 only by his number^ and the sinner loses his name 
 as a child of God and heir of heaven. He is in 
 disgrace; his whole being is reduced to dishonor 
 and wretchedness. 
 
352 THE PERISHING SPENDTHRIFT. 
 
 Homeless, friendless, penniless, and perishing 
 with hunger, thoughts of home came into this 
 young man's mind. The ill consequences of sin 
 are apt to bring the past into impressive remem- 
 brance. A robber in his stronghold beside the 
 Rhine was made to reflect on the days when as 
 a little child he could not sleep without a kiss 
 from his mother, and it melted him into repent- 
 ance. Napoleon in his misfortune recalled with 
 sighs the days of his youth when he went to his 
 first communion. And many an one, under the 
 weight of what his sins have brought upon him, 
 has cried out in his remorse, ' ' O that I were as in 
 months past, as in the days when God preserved 
 me; when His candle shined upon my head, and 
 when by His light I walked through darkness; 
 as I was in the days of my youth !" And with 
 all the enjoyment which can be gotten out of 
 sin, it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an 
 adder. 
 
 Perhaps the most bitter of all the memories of 
 this wretched prodigal was that of his wicked in- 
 gratitude. He had given sorrow to his father and 
 caused a grief to his mother that had perhaps 
 brought her to her grave. And as iron in his 
 soul were these reflections now. To think of 
 happy homes made sorrowful and lives destroyed 
 by our sin, and lips that might have spoken our 
 forgiveness for ever silenced, is a terrible thing. 
 Nor can repentance undo the trouble. It may 
 secure us pardon through our Saviour's mediation, 
 but it cannot extract the thorns of regret from the 
 
SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 353 
 
 soul. You may mourn over the grave of your 
 parent, and be in bitterness for having broken 
 that parent's heart ; but that will not bring that 
 parent back, nor do away the bitterness. The 
 prodigal by genuine repentance may find pardon ; 
 but the guilty past he cannot blot out nor forget. 
 One of the hardest punishments of sin is remorse, 
 — the memory of misdeeds eating into the soul. 
 And sooner or later, when cruel wrongs are done, 
 the doer's heart will bleed with vain relentings. 
 So it has been with many we might name ; and 
 so it was with this prodigal in his destitution. 
 His greatest misery was his remembrance of the 
 happy home he had so recklessly abandoned, and 
 the wretchedness he had so wickedly brought 
 upon himself. 
 
 It was "when he came to himself" that these 
 torturing remembrances seized him. This implies 
 that he had been acting all the while like a man 
 beside himself, — like one possessed, bewitched, or 
 idiotic. And so it is with every one who lives 
 only to gratify his selfishness and lusts. Whoso- 
 ever chooses the ways of sin is a lunatic, a mad- 
 man, one beside himself. Who in his right senses 
 would give up a comfortable home to live so as to 
 be made to envy the swine their food ! When one 
 in a moment of frenzy destroys his own life we 
 account him insane : what then shall be said of 
 him who knows the right, yet gives himself to 
 the bad, — who throws away his life on sin, — who 
 makes himself the murderer of his own soul? 
 
 But this prodigal's coming to himself was a 
 
 23 
 
354 TH E PERISHING SPENDTHRIFT. 
 
 painful process. It disclosed to him a base and 
 wicked past for which he could render no justifi- 
 cation or excuse. It is said that a man feels no 
 pain in drowning, but suffers agonies in being re- 
 stored. So the wandering and sinful, captivated 
 by their pleasures, feel no compunctions; but re- 
 pentance brings a different state of things. Then 
 bitter anguish invades the soul and the cry comes: 
 
 O pleasures past, what are ye now, 
 But thorns about my bleeding brow, — 
 Spectres that hover round my brain, 
 And aggravate and mock my pain ! 
 
 The sinful and hardened heart must indeed be 
 melted with sorrow for its ungrateful and unholy 
 past before there can be sure amendment for the 
 future. Peter's bitter tears had to flow before he 
 could lift his eyes to the Saviour he had denied 
 or read his pardon in that Saviour's smiles. And 
 so it is in every case of true repentance. There 
 is no salvation where there is no painful sorrow 
 over the sins of a misspent past. 
 
 Many are so dimsighted as to think they have 
 no ill past to lament. They have no idea that 
 they have ever played the part of prodigal sons or 
 daughters ; but such have not yet quite come to 
 themselves. Were their vision clear they would 
 see enough to fill them with repentant grief. If 
 you have never sinned against earthly parents, 
 you have plentifully sinned against your good 
 Father in heaven. Think how He has fed and 
 clothed you all these years, and how safely He 
 
SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 355 
 
 has led you through the perilous wilderness of 
 this world. Think of the health, peace, prosper- 
 ity, friends, and comforts He has given you to 
 enjoy. Think how He has kept His finger day 
 and night upon your heart that it might not cease 
 to beat, — how His good providence and guardian 
 angels have ever been about your path, upheld 
 you in your steps, watched about your bed, and 
 given all the light and flowers that have cheered 
 your life. And then consider the sort of returns 
 you have made for all this. Has your gratitude 
 and love been in any degree commensurate with 
 the goodness bestowed ? Has there been no for- 
 getfulness, — no abuse of favors, — no neglect of 
 God, — no disobedience to His laws, — no resistance 
 of His gracious calls, — no trampling on His mer- 
 cies, — no turning away from His Word, His 
 House, and His Son ? Alas, alas ! Who among 
 us has not abundant reason to strike his breast and 
 cry, "God be merciful to me, a sinner !" 
 
 It was a good thing in this prodigal that he so 
 far came to himself as to see the rags, the want, 
 the misery to which sin had brought him. It 
 was the starting-point toward a better life. Hav- 
 ing learned that his relinquishment of the place 
 and treatment of a son had made him a bondslave 
 of a foreign master, and a starving wretch who 
 would willingly have filled himself with the food 
 of swine but could not command even that ; he 
 was now in a condition to take the right means 
 for his salvation. And only as he thus came to 
 loath his folly and his sin, and to condemn and 
 
35^ THE PERISHING SPENDTHRIFT. 
 
 hate what had brought him down so low was 
 there any hope of escape from his wretchedness. 
 And so we all need to know and feel what an 
 evil thing and bitter it is to depart from the living 
 God, that we may get upon the road to deliverance 
 and life. 
 
 When the prodigal came to himself he began to 
 long for the bread of his father's house. Loath- 
 ing the food and fruit of his waywardness, there 
 was nothing now that he could relish but the 
 bread of the house he had so wickedly left. It 
 was a favorable symptom. 
 
 It is said of a young man of Brittany that he 
 went out to fight for his country. The fatigues 
 and hardships of war laid him low. He had come 
 to the conviction that he must die. Nothing 
 could rouse him from his deep despondency and 
 distress. All the delicacies which kind hands 
 brought to him remained untouched and untasted. 
 He had no appetite for them. At length his 
 father came to his bedside, drew forth a coarse 
 loaf such as the young man used to eat at home, 
 and said, ' ' Take this, my son. Your mother 
 made it for you. ' ' The young soldier opened his 
 languid eyes, seized the loaf, and began to eat, 
 saying, " How good is this bread from home ! " — 
 It was the commencement of his complete recov- 
 ery. And it is ever a sign of returning health 
 when souls grow sick of the world's wages and 
 long for the spiritual food of the Father's house. 
 The bread of home is the bread of life. 
 
 But this prodigal did not remain sitting, lament- 
 
SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 357 
 
 ing, and longing. He aroused himself to action. 
 He said to himself, "I will arise, and go to my 
 father. ' ' He did not know how that father would 
 receive him. He knew only his ill desert, his 
 wretchedness, and the starving condition to 
 which his sins had reduced him. But his mind 
 was made up what to do. He would throw him- 
 self on his father's mercy. Worthless, wicked, 
 disobedient as he had been, he would cast himself 
 in humble confession at his father's feet, hoping 
 perchance for some favor, even if no more than 
 to be made one of the hired servants. 
 
 And as he determined so he did ; and it was his 
 salvation. He built his hopes on a father's love. 
 They were only dim and uncertain hopes, but he 
 ventured upon them, confessing his sin and hum- 
 bly pleading for some slight compassion. And 
 this is just what is needed in the case of every 
 wretched wanderer from God. There must be 
 trust in the heavenly Father's love, and a practi- 
 cal rising up to test it by return. Unworthy, 
 ragged, wicked, and starving as a soul may be, 
 there is plenty of bread in the Father's house ; 
 but there must be a turning of back upon all sin- 
 ful ways, and an humble suing for mercy. To 
 sit still, and moan, and wait is to perish. There 
 must be a prompt and decided rising up, a vigor- 
 ous direction of the steps homeward, honest con- 
 fession of sin, and humble pleading for forgive- 
 ness, ready to accept the humblest place in the 
 Father's house. There is no other way, — no 
 other hope. 
 
358 THE PERISHING SPENDTHRIFT. 
 
 And this ragged, sin-stained, and unworthy 
 prodigal met with a thousandfold more favor than 
 he for one moment dreamed. Nothing can ex- 
 tinguish the love that lies embedded in the pa- 
 rental bosom. The child may forget home and 
 friends, but a parent can never forget the child. 
 Wicked and wide wandering as it may have be- 
 come, so long as its father or mother lives there 
 is somewhere in the world a heart that beats 
 kindly in its behalf and wishes it well. The 
 story is not overdone which represents the old 
 grandfather as unable to realize that little Nell 
 was dead, but kept on to the end repeating, u She 
 will come again to-morrow." And though this 
 ungrateful son had done so ill and degraded him- 
 self so deeply, his father's earnest well- wishes for 
 him had suffered no diminution. In his father's 
 heart there was a constant outlook and hope that 
 the erring prodigal would retrace his steps, and 
 come back to the home he had so wickedly for- 
 saken. And when the returning sinner was yet 
 a great way off the father saw him, recognized 
 him even in his emaciation and rags, and was 
 moved with his tenderest compassion for his 
 truant child. And so it is that the good Father 
 in heaven pities His erring children on the earth, 
 and looks, and longs, and waits for their return 
 to Him, ready to embrace them with loving arms, 
 to forgive their sins, and to welcome them to the 
 highest favors within His gift. 
 
 When the returning prodigal was yet a great 
 way off his father ran to meet him. And so the 
 
SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 359 
 
 heavenly Father comes to meet every returning 
 penitent. Every sigh of sorrow over sin He 
 hears. Every tear of penitential regret He sees. 
 And to every movement of spirit to come back 
 from sinful alienation He graciously responds. 
 Nor is there a repenting sinner He does not meet 
 halfway. 
 
 Dear soul, disappointed, wasted, and unhappy 
 in your wandering from God, have you ever 
 thought of the good and plenty in your Father's 
 house ? Have you ever compared your present 
 condition to the good and happiness which there 
 has place? Have you ever considered what a 
 blessed boon it would be if you could enjoy even 
 the humblest measure of what is there in unfail- 
 ing plenty ? Has there never arisen in your breast 
 a desire to get back to that good home, and that 
 good Father's love? What then has been the 
 fruit of it ? Has it moved you to do anything to 
 better your sad estate ? Hiring yourself to earthly 
 masters cannot help. Home, — sweet home, — is 
 the proper place for you. There there is enough 
 and to spare, while you perish with hunger. A 
 Father with undying love and kindness is there 
 to receive and welcome you, if you but trust to 
 His goodness and come. But you must arise and 
 go to your Father. 
 
 Some are yet a great way off from God and 
 righteousness, who perhaps have only just begun 
 to think of forsaking sin, and going home to the 
 Father. They may be weak, doubtful, and un- 
 certain, but would like to leave their bad ways 
 
360 THE PERISHING SPENDTHRIFT. 
 
 and get back to God and peace. Let not such be 
 disheartened. God's compassion for you has not 
 been exhausted. His love for you has not died 
 out. He is even now looking and waiting for 
 your return. His eyes see what is going on in 
 your heart. And He is ready to meet you half- 
 way. Only have confidence to act with prompt- 
 ness and decision,, and all will be well. 
 
 Indeed, we are all of us too far off from the 
 good Father in heaven, and suffer much by reason 
 of it. There is not one but has need to resolve, 
 and arise, and hasten to get nearer by humble 
 penitence and confession. Nor are we at all safe 
 except as we get back to the favor of Him whom 
 we have too much grieved and offended. But 
 there is a home for us with Him as His children 
 in the Father's House; and the word to every 
 one is, Come home, my wandering child, come 
 home. 
 
&§t a®ag to tf)e jFattet, 
 
 Eighth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life : no 
 man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. — Jno. 14 : 6. 
 
 HESUS had just been speaking to His 
 disciples about His departure out of this 
 world, and His going to the Father. 
 Whither He was about to go, and the 
 way by which they were to come to the same 
 place, they were supposed to know. 
 
 Christ had been showing and telling them all 
 these things. But those who have the best op- 
 portunities are sometimes slow to take in and 
 realize the truth. Thomas spoke up, and said, 
 " Lord, we know not whither Thou goest; and 
 how can we know the way?" There had been no 
 lack of plainness in what the Lord had said and 
 taught; and yet the mind of Thomas was mys- 
 tified about it, and could not see through it. 
 Philip also put a question so stupid that Jesus 
 exclaimed at his dulness. But for the clearing 
 up of the matter, He answered Thomas' speech, 
 and said: ii I am the Way, the Truth, and the 
 Life : no man cometh to the Father, but by Me" 
 
 361 
 
362 THE WAY TO THE FATHER. 
 
 I. These words assume that the true goal of 
 life is, to come to the Father, that is, to God. 
 But what is it to come to God ? It does not mean 
 coming to His being ; for no one can ever get 
 away from that. Hence the Psalmist's exclama- 
 tion: "Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? or 
 whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I 
 ascend up into heaven, Thou art there: if I make 
 my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there. If I 
 take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the 
 uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall Thy 
 hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold 
 me." And wherever God is, He is in all the 
 fullness and almightiness of His being; so that in 
 these respects there can be no going from Him or 
 coming to Him. Nay, we live, and move, and 
 have our being in Him, and cannot absent our- 
 selves from His presence and power. 
 
 To come to God means the coming to a right 
 consciousness of Him, to a proper knowledge of 
 His character and attributes, to a realization in 
 our souls and convictions that He is, and that 
 He is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek 
 Him. It means the attainment of such a moral 
 nearness to Him as to find in Him the supreme 
 object of our interest and affection, the supreme 
 joy of our hearts, the All in all of our thoughts, 
 wishes, aims, and emotions. When our souls rest 
 in God, in His glory, in His love, and in His will 
 and purposes, we have come to the Father. And 
 when all this is accomplished, it is heaven, — all 
 that we can wish or enjoy of happiness and good. 
 
EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 363 
 
 Iyife has no higher goal. There is nothing 
 superior for man, or any moral being. It is the 
 sublimest portion to which it is possible for us to 
 aspire. 
 
 II. But it is further assumed in these words 
 that mankind in this sense have gotten far away 
 from God. We are born in utter ignorance of 
 Him, and at best are slow in coming to a proper 
 knowledge of Him. Nature around us and within 
 us ever prophesies of Him, and tells of His eter- 
 nal power and Godhead ; but the human soul is 
 so full of darkness and corruption that it is ex- 
 ceedingly dull in comprehending the truth, and 
 still more faulty in living up to what it does per- 
 ceive. Man is a bundle of ever-craving desires, 
 which never rest ; and the true object of those 
 cravings is God, whose offspring we are. But so 
 perverted is our nature that these cravings go out 
 after a thousand things which are not God, and 
 which can by no means fill His place. God is the 
 one only abiding good of the soul. 
 
 But until grace takes hold of us, and the Spirit 
 regenerates, illumines, and renews us, there is no 
 sort of moral nearness to Him. There is no love 
 of God, no right reverence for His Name, no sym- 
 pathy with His character or will, no seeking unto 
 Him as our supreme good. Born with a corrupt 
 and biased nature, the whole development of life, 
 except as turned and modified by the operations 
 of renewing grace, are adverse to the divine holi- 
 ness, and one continuous rebellion against God's 
 just and righteous government. 
 
364 THE WAY TO THE FATHER. 
 
 When Adam sinned a wide gulf came between 
 him and God. And the more his posterity multi- 
 plied the wider this gulf became ; leaving to us in 
 the course of nature nothing but a fearful looking 
 for judgment and fiery indignation. 
 
 III. But it is further assumed and taught us in 
 the text that arrangements have been made for 
 the bridging of this gulf, and the opening of a 
 way by which guilty and alien souls may come 
 back to the Father of their spirits and live. 
 Those arrangements were fore-announced from 
 the beginning, and in due time were completed 
 in Jesus, who here proclaims himself The Way to 
 the Father. 
 
 This is a blessed announcement. It declares 
 all impediments to our salvation covered and clean 
 gone in Christ Jesus. In Him there has come a 
 revelation of God's character, goodness, love, and 
 gracious purposes to show us the Father, to do 
 away with our fears, to attract our confidence, and 
 to kindle penitential desire to return to His em- 
 braces. In Jesus there has been wrought an 
 ample satisfaction for our sins, a payment of our 
 debt, a covering for our unrighteousness, a release 
 from our condemnation, and a free and full for- 
 giveness for all our guilt and wrongdoing. In 
 Him there is an effectual mediatorship between 
 God and man, by which God is reconciled to His 
 erring creature, and the way is open for us to 
 enjoy His favor. In His righteousness there is 
 justification for us, and from Him hath come a 
 
EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 365 
 
 Spirit of life and power to regenerate willing 
 souls, to beget in us a new Godward aspiration, to 
 overcome our love of sin, and to set us into action 
 to be rid of it. In Him there has arisen a new 
 Sun of Righteousness to drive away our darkness, 
 to warm us into right affections, and to bring us 
 under a new principle of gravitation. In Him we 
 have a new Head and King to answer for us, to 
 throw open our prison doors, to go before us as 
 our Leader and Lord, to fight our battles for us, 
 and to bring all who follow and trust in Him to 
 the same eternal home of purity and peace with 
 Himself in the Father's house. A glorious way 
 to the Father has thus been provided. 
 
 In all this, Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and 
 the Life, — the effectual and perfect bridge over the 
 gulf of separation between God and sinful man, — 
 the certain path by which condemned and lost 
 souls may come to the same goal and blessedness 
 to which He hath given promise to bring all who 
 are planted upon Him as their hope. 
 
 Jesus is not only a sign-post to point out the 
 way to heaven ; but He is Himself the Way, — a 
 mediator with living and almighty arms to grasp 
 us into himself, to bear us on His shoulders and 
 in His heart, to float us as a bark upon a full- 
 flowing river, and thus to bring us to His home 
 with God. All the means, the truth, the life in- 
 volved in our complete salvation are personally 
 centred and embodied in Him ; so that we have 
 only to plant ourselves upon Jesus, cling to Him, 
 trust in Him, and give ourselves to Him in full 
 
366 THE WAY TO THE FATHER. 
 
 and confident surrender to His will and leader- 
 ship, in order to pass out of condemnation to 
 heavenly acceptance, from death to life, from 
 aliens to fellow-citizenship with the saints, from 
 children of wrath to sons of God. And Jesus thus 
 proclaims himself the Way, the Truth, and the 
 Life, that we may know whereon to plant our 
 feet, and rest assured that in Him we have eternal 
 redemption. This is most certainly true. 
 
 IV. But it is here still further declared that there 
 is no other way of life for us. While Jesus pro- 
 claims himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life 
 He is particular to add: "No man cometh unto 
 the Father but by Me." He is the only Way; 
 and failing to take Him, we must needs stay and 
 perish in our alienation and sin. 
 
 Many think to come to God and heaven by way 
 of their own works, virtues, and goodness. But 
 people can be moral, truthful, charitable, upright, 
 and very exemplary and useful members of society 
 without believing in Christ at all. There have 
 been heathen men and people who quite reject the 
 doctrine of Christ's atoning mediatorship, who 
 yet have been models of good citizenship, com- 
 mendable in life, and charitable in temper and 
 deeds. Nor can we say that their excellent mo- 
 rality will be of no sort of consideration in God's 
 final awards. But the pointed and positive words 
 of Jesus must hold true, that He is the Way, the 
 Truth, and the Life ; and that no man can come 
 to the Father but by Him. People will be re- 
 
EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 367 
 
 warded according to their works, but they cannot 
 be saved by them ; for only ' ' he that hath the 
 Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of 
 God hath not life." 
 
 Many think to be saved by trusting to other 
 mediators. Some have mythic Saviours that 
 exist only in fancy, to whom they commit their 
 souls. Some trust in human priests to do for 
 them and set all right with God. Some make 
 mere ceremonies, rites, and sacrifices their de- 
 pendence, as if ritual observances, fasts, abnega- 
 tions, will-worship, and such like compensations 
 for sin are to take them to heaven. Some pray 
 to saints, or the Virgin Mary, or to angels, trust- 
 ing to their merits and intercessions to save them. 
 But to all this the word of Jesus is, u JVo man 
 cometh to the Father, but by Me" 
 
 And so there be some who hope for salvation 
 through Christ, but give themselves no concern 
 to be conformed to Him in life, temper, or righte- 
 ous obedience. Good works of ours cannot save 
 us; but we have no right to count ourselves saved, 
 or on the way to salvation, while we live in sin 
 and make no effort to model our hearts and doings 
 to the holy example our Saviour has set us. 
 " Faith without works is dead, being alone." A 
 good tree bringeth forth good fruit ; and if faith 
 does not lead to righteous living and doing, it is 
 not yet of sufficient power to put us on the Way 
 to heaven. " Faith must obey the Father's will, 
 as well as trust His grace." 
 
 Dear friends, there be man)' refuges of lies by 
 
368 THE WAY TO THE FATHER. 
 
 which sinners have sought to shelter themselves 
 in hope of escaping the divine condemnation ; but 
 there is only one Way to the Father, and that is 
 through Jesus Christ, embraced by faith, and de- 
 voutly served. If we ask what is the way to 
 heaven, Jesus answers, ' ' I am the Way. " If we 
 ask whether there is any other Way, He answers 
 ' ' None. " If we ask whether there be not some 
 exceptions in favor of good and virtuous people 
 whom we may hope to meet in heaven, His answer 
 is No : u no man cometh unto the Father but by 
 Me." Timothy, who knew the Scriptures from 
 a child, and Mary Magdalene possessed by seven 
 devils, had but one way to salvation. The loving 
 John who leaned upon the Saviour's breast, and 
 the malefactor dying for his crimes, had but one 
 way to Paradise ; and that is the way of faith in 
 Christ Jesus. All need expiation for their guilt. 
 All need quickening and renewal of their hearts 
 by His Spirit. All need a Saviour who can give 
 life to the dead. All need a competent and avail- 
 ing intercessor to stand for them before the throne. 
 And in Jesus only can such a Helper be found. 
 
 Most people have some idea of going to heaven 
 when they die. They love to hear of that Father's 
 house in which are many mansions. They often 
 think of it, and talk of departed friends as there, 
 and fondly cherish the hope of meeting them 
 where all tears are dried and parting is no more. 
 And it is well that their hearts are so far awake 
 and alive to the heavenly blessedness. But some- 
 thing more is necessary. The question is, have 
 
EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 369 
 
 they betaken themselves to the only Way to 
 heaven ? Have they learned to know, confess, 
 and trust in Jesus ? Have they joined themselves 
 to Him as their Lord and their salvation? O dear 
 friends, be careful that you do not cheat your 
 souls with hopes of coming to the Father-home 
 without seeking and appropriating the one only 
 Way to it. 
 
 24 
 
Ninth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 ^(afc 
 
 
 And He turned Him unto His disciples, and said privately, Blessed 
 are the eyes which see the things that ye see ; for I tell you, that many 
 prophets and kings have desired to see the things which ye see, and 
 have not seen them ; and to hear those things which ye hear, and 
 have not heard them. — Luke io : 23, 24. 
 
 HANY people do not know when they are 
 well off. Even the most favored do not 
 half appreciate what they have. This 
 is especially true with regard to spiritual 
 privileges. The Apostles themselves needed to be 
 told and admonished with regard to their favored 
 estate in this respect. And even when their at- 
 tention was called to it, they did not half under- 
 stand the character and value of what the good 
 providence of God had vouchsafed to them. When 
 ills and privations come we keenly feel them; but 
 our blessings we take as a matter of course. 
 
 But not so would the Saviour have us feel and 
 act. He would have us understand and appre- 
 ciate His favors, especially those which relate to 
 our spiritual and eternal welfare. This is amply 
 shown in what the text brings to our attention. 
 What then are ' ' the things ' ' to which the 
 
NINTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 37 1 
 
 Saviour here refers as being seen and heard by 
 His disciples; John, who was one of them, speaks 
 joyfully of them. ( ' The Word, ' ' says he, ' ' was 
 made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld 
 His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of 
 the Father, full of grace and truth. ' ' And again, 
 ' ' That which we have seen with our eyes, which 
 we have looked on, and our hands have handled 
 of the Word of life, that declare we unto you. ' ' 
 In other words, they had seen the Christ, the 
 incarnate Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, 
 and heard His words, and beheld His miracles. 
 They were having familiar converse with the very 
 Lord of glory. 
 
 To no people on earth had such privileges 
 ever been previously awarded. Some very high 
 favors had been vouchsafed to the patriarchs and 
 prophets. God had made himself known to them 
 by many notable revelations. They had many 
 hopeful ideas of the Saviour to come. Abraham 
 saw His day, and was glad. "The sufferings of 
 Christ, and the glory that should follow," were 
 foretold by the prophets in terms of happy ex- 
 ultation; but they did not fully understand what 
 the Spirit that was in them did signify. It was 
 through types and partially understood predic- 
 tions that they had to do with Him. But it was 
 different with the Apostles. They saw the Christ 
 face to face. They were His companions. They 
 were the hearers of His words, and the eye- 
 witnesses of His mighty works. What they did 
 not understand of His public addresses He ex- 
 
37 2 BLESSED PRIVILEGE. 
 
 plained to them in private. None of the mighty 
 kings of old, — not even Moses, David, Elijah, or 
 any of the prophets, — ever enjoyed such privi- 
 leges. O the blessedness of those apostolic at- 
 tendants upon the ministry of the Saviour of the 
 world ! We think back upon their lot, and would 
 deem it an unspeakable happiness to have what 
 they had. 
 
 And yet our privileges to-day are as high, and 
 even higher than were theirs at the time the 
 Saviour spoke these words. All that they had 
 we virtually have. What they saw we also see 
 through their eyes. What they heard we hear 
 through their ears. All that they witnessed of 
 the Saviour's life and doings we have through 
 their testimony, and very much more than they 
 then comprehended. How could they conceive 
 the real majesty of Christ while they saw Him 
 hungering, and thirsting, and without "a place 
 where to lay His head?" Though full of glad 
 anticipations from the greatness of His miracles 
 and the wonderfulness of His teachings, they were 
 utterly confounded when they beheld Hirn ar- 
 rested, condemned, crucified, dead, and entombed. 
 How defective and deluded their expectations 
 until after His resurrection and the day of Pen- 
 tecost ! Until then, What did they know of atone- 
 ment by His lifeblood, — of Redemption by His 
 cross, — of justification through His death and 
 resurrection, — of the Kingdom He came to es- 
 tablish? They had as yet no rightly apprehended 
 Christmas, — no Good Friday, — no Easter, — no 
 
NINTH SUNDAY- AFTER TRINITY. 373 
 
 Ascension Day, — no blessed Pentecost. But sub- 
 sequently, to them, and thence down to us, have 
 come all that they had at the time, and all 
 the after demonstrations, teachings, and institutes 
 which make up the fullness of the Gospel. No 
 false notions are now in the way of a just esti- 
 mate of the Christ and His Kingdom. We now 
 have the whole plan of redemption plainly before 
 us. We see Jesus, made a little lower than the 
 angels for the suffering of death, but now crowned 
 with glory and honor. We see all the types ful- 
 filled in Him, the prophecies luminously accom- 
 plished, the power of His salvation reigning over 
 millions of hearts, the all-sufficiency of His grace 
 everywhere manifest in and around us, and His 
 blessed Kingdom spreading throughout the world, 
 tempering the spirit of nations, and taking up 
 vast realms of humanity into the quickening and 
 happy embrace of His love. And whatever con- 
 gratulations were due to the first disciples when 
 the Saviour spoke the text, they apply in a su- 
 perior degree to us. 
 
 We may not think so. We may lament our 
 doubts and uncertainties, and fancy how much 
 better for us if we could be favored as those who 
 accompanied the Saviour, seeing and hearing 
 for ourselves what they saw and heard. But we 
 vastly discount our privileges. The truth is, we 
 see more, know more, understand more, with less 
 hindrances to a genuine faith, than they at that 
 time. If Capernaum was "exalted to heaven" 
 by the presence and doings of Jesus among its 
 
374 BLESSED PRIVILEGE. 
 
 population, a heaven with a still clearer light and 
 mightier appeal is that to which the favor of God 
 has lifted the people of our day in these lands 
 of churches, Bibles, and exhibits of His saving 
 truth. Thomas believed because he saw; but 
 Christ pronounces His blessing with greater em- 
 phasis upon those ( ' that have not seen, and yet 
 have believed." 
 
 People think of the honored kings and prophets 
 of the olden time and envy their high privileges. 
 But no ancient kings with all their glory nor 
 prophets with all their inspiration were blessed in 
 point of spiritual light and privilege as we are. 
 Bven the immediate attendants of our L,ord as He 
 lived and wrought on earth, high and glorious as 
 were their opportunities, did not have it in their 
 power to know Him as fully or to believe in Him 
 as intelligently as may the people of our day. 
 John the Baptist saw and testified of Christ and 
 showed a wonderful insight into His work and 
 mission. But with all his greatness and inspira- 
 tion Jesus himself says, " He that is least in the 
 kingdom of heaven is greater than he." Nor 
 could we ever complain of any lack in spiritual 
 light and privileges, if we only knew how well off 
 we are. The clear knowledge of salvation and 
 the glory of God revealed in it is the highest boon 
 that can come to man. And all this is now within 
 the reach of all to whom the Gospel is preached. 
 O that people did but see and feel what a precious 
 thing it is to live in a Christian land, where we 
 are encompassed with the story of salvation from 
 
NINTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 375 
 
 earliest infancy ; — where the Saviour's cross is 
 never out of view ; — where His voice never ceases 
 to call the sinwearied and the sorrowing to come 
 unto Him and find rest for their souls ! How sad 
 that we so little appreciate what prophets and 
 kings desired to see, and did not see ; and to hear 
 what we hear, and did not hear ! 
 
 Would it be so if people had any right apprecia- 
 tion of the Gospel and these Gospel times? Meas- 
 ured only by the cost of labor, blood, and treasure 
 at which such blessed fortune has come to us in 
 these ' ' days of the Son of man, ' ' there never has 
 been, in any time, among any people, a spiritual 
 heritage so precious. 
 
 And when we look at the sublimities of personal 
 exaltation and glory to which we are called, and 
 for which the doors stand wide open to ever} 7 one, 
 no words can speak nor mind compute the excel- 
 lency of the lot which so many only neglect and 
 despise. Yes, blessed are the eyes which see the 
 things which we see, and the ears which hear the 
 things which we hear ! 
 
 But whether we realize it or not, these gracious 
 favors and opportunities impose corresponding re- 
 sponsibilities. So much given, much will also be 
 required. The greatness of the mercies neglected 
 augments the condemnation of their neglect. 
 When the crash of judgment comes those highest 
 in privileges unimproved will fall the hardest. 
 
 Dear friends, let us beware then how we treat 
 our privileges. Their blessedness to us depends 
 on our faithful attention to them. We need to 
 
376 BLESSED PRIVILEGE. 
 
 give earnest heed to them, lest at any time we 
 should let them slip. And what would we be 
 without the light, the assurances, and the prom- 
 ises of the Gospel ! There is no forgiveness save 
 through the atonement which it preaches ; no 
 hope in death but through the Saviour it pre- 
 sents ; no blessed heaven save that to which it 
 points and tells the way. 
 
 And yet further. Giving all diligence to make 
 our own calling and election sure, we must not 
 forget that gratitude demands of us to do also 
 what we can to have others partake of the same 
 blessedness. Rejoicing in the light, it is our 
 mission to spread it. And in this duty we each 
 and all have a share. 
 
Tenth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, 
 after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not 
 after Christ.— Col. 2 : 8. 
 
 HE best and fairest things in this world 
 are liable to be spoiled. The earth is a 
 realm of ruins, and nothing good in it 
 is safe. Man was made but a little lower 
 than the angels, but his glory was soon tarnished. 
 The holiest gifts are liable to be perverted. The 
 richest flowers are often blasted in their bud. 
 There is not a saint among men beyond the 
 reach of danger. Even religion itself, pure as 
 the Divine mind from which it comes, is liable 
 to be despoiled in the hands and in the hearts of 
 its possessors. Such at least are the implications 
 of the text, and the foundation of its cautions. 
 
 Beautiful is true religion, — the simple taking 
 of Jesus as our prophet, priest, and king. With 
 the Bible in its hand, it stands by the cross, and 
 looks up into the face of God with all the loving 
 confidence of an accepted child. The voice of 
 prayer, thanksgiving, and adoration is on its lips; 
 but it does not rest in mere laudations. It is 
 
 377 
 
37$ DANGEROUS EXPOSURE. 
 
 honest, industrious, benevolent, and good; though 
 it does not imagine that its works can justify be- 
 fore God; nor its moralities and charities exempt 
 from worship and faith in Jesus. It is earnest 
 and zealous; but it does not take mere emotion 
 and ecstacy for Christian experience, nor regard a 
 momentary zeal for God as an evidence of real 
 piety. It has its creed, which it acknowledges 
 and defends; but it does not regard orthodoxy as 
 all that is demanded, or feel justified in bigotry, 
 uncharitableuess, or persecution, because ( ' The 
 form of sound words" is on its tongue. It loves 
 to be in retirement with God; but it does not 
 hunt for isolation from human society, as if that 
 were the way to heaven, or seek its holiness in 
 exclusion from the world in which God has placed 
 it to labor and diffuse its healthfulness. It does 
 not take saying prayers for piety; nor morality 
 for religion; nor theology for faith; nor counting 
 beads, penances, fasts, or monkery for righteous- 
 ness; nor a sudden spring of an excited brain for 
 forgiveness of sins. It sees everything in Christ. 
 It sees God in Christ, and sees itself in Christ. 
 It sees its righteousness in Christ, its justification 
 in Christ, its exemplar in Christ, its hope in 
 Christ. It sees the penalty of sin in the sacrifice 
 of Christ; and realizes forgiveness in the promise 
 of Christ; and finds its duty in the commands of 
 Christ; and relies for help upon the grace of 
 Christ. It weeps, but sorrows not as those who 
 have no hope. It sometimes falls, but is not 
 utterly cast down. It trembles, but it does not 
 
TENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 379 
 
 despair. It is beset with oft misgivings, but it 
 gives itself up in solemn covenant to God, and 
 feels sure that He cannot disappoint those who 
 trust in Him. 
 
 How beautiful ! How true to our better in- 
 stincts ! In every feature it shows the light and 
 excellence of the genius and benevolence of God. 
 
 But man, in his delirium, is oft unwilling to 
 receive it or to accept it as it is. His sickly 
 reason is prone to find in it deficiencies, mistakes, 
 and defects. Even where it has taken up its 
 residence in the mind, and begun to spread its 
 radiance over the character, it is subject to damage 
 and decay. It needs to be guarded on all sides, 
 lest it be u spoiled. ' ' 
 
 And there be many spoilers of it. The Apostle 
 names a number of them. 
 
 1. The first is philosophy, so-called. 
 
 Men of the supposed higher learning look 
 askance at religion. They say, Yes, it is good; 
 but some of its features need to be a little modi- 
 fied. It takes too humbling a view of humanity. 
 It lays too much stress on the Bible, which is 
 not what people think it. They are willing to 
 admit that it is a book of much good history, 
 a book of sublime poetry, a book of excellent 
 moral precepts, a book which admirably describes 
 human nature, a book from which all men may 
 gather a great deal of practical wisdom and com- 
 forting promise. But it is somewhat superannu- 
 ated, and many of its texts are spurious or faulty. 
 The geologist has bored the earth, and found it 
 
380 DANGEROUS EXPOSURE. 
 
 much older than Moses seems to say. The astron- 
 omer has measured off the universe, and thinks 
 our world too insignificant to be the object of all 
 that Divine concern of which the Bible speaks. 
 The anatomist has examined the skulls of dead 
 men, and compared the one with the other, and 
 questions whether they have all proceeded from 
 one pair. The natural historian has never found 
 a race of snakes with powers of speech, and so he 
 puts down the account of the serpent in Eden as 
 a myth. The family of man speaks hundreds of 
 languages, and men proclaim it a mere dream 
 that there once was a time when u the whole 
 earth was of one language and one speech." 
 Miracles they say are so contrary to the general 
 experience of mankind that they must be re- 
 jected or explained away; and what cannot be 
 naturally accounted for they put down as false- 
 hood or fiction. And this they call philosophy. 
 And, strangely enough, this diluted and emas- 
 culated theology is by many accepted and counted 
 for the true wisdom. Some are content to reject 
 everything distinctive in revealed religion, and 
 count themselves believers, when they are mere 
 rationalists, pantheists, deists ; — proud, cold, 
 phlegmatic, sneering Sadducees. They are 
 spoiled by their philosophy. Follow them, and 
 you let go all proper hold on Christ, and you throw 
 up your interest in heaven. How do they know 
 the length of time it took Almighty God to place 
 the various strata which compose the crust of the 
 earth, or that they rightly understand Moses? 
 
TENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 381 
 
 How can they tell that this world is too small to 
 engage Jehovah so deeply for its welfare ? How 
 do they know that that old serpent was a snake ? 
 How can they prove that the human race and 
 language therewith do not extend back to one 
 common stock ? How dare they deny the credi- 
 bility of miracles in the face of the many wonders 
 which are spread around them every day and en- 
 acted every season in their sight? And what au- 
 thority have they to contradict the testimony of 
 God to our sinfulness, or to dispute the damning 
 nature of wickedness ? They think themselves 
 wise, and they have not yet learned enough to 
 learn that they are but babes and fools in these 
 matters ! They are but spoilers of the truth, 
 against whom we need to be on our guard. 
 ''Blessed is the man that sitteth not in the seat 
 of the scornful." 
 
 2. But the boasting philosopher is not the only 
 spoiler of religion. The text speaks of the vain 
 deceiver. This character comes in many shapes. 
 He looks upon religion and says: "Yes, it is a 
 grand thing. People can't do without it. It fits 
 so admirably to their nature that they cannot alto- 
 gether resist it. It addresses the deepest and 
 mightiest feelings of their hearts, and they must 
 feel it. He who comes wrapt in its sacred garb 
 cannot fail to awaken reverence and command re- 
 spect. I will therefore adopt it. But I will not 
 merge myself into the vulgar mass of believers, nor 
 remain in the obscurity of an ordinary saint. I 
 will make myself a name and influence. I will be 
 
382 DANGEROUS EXPOSURE. 
 
 a reformer. I will take advantage of the weakness 
 of human nature and get me a following. I will 
 avail myself of the power of religion, and in the 
 name of God I will sway men and bring them to 
 my standard. ' ' And so if he at first received the 
 faith it soon became a mere means to an end, 
 and often a very base end. A Mahomet rises and 
 spreads the veil of dark superstition over millions 
 for ages. A Hildebrand rises and does what is 
 almost as bad. Romish popes and Jesuits and 
 Protestant popes and Jesuits come forth to spoil, 
 enslave, and destroy. One says lo, here is Christ, 
 and another says lo, there is Christ. Sectarian 
 champions, some with one hobby and some with 
 another, go forth in the grand battle for personal 
 notoriety, promotion, power, and gain. And in 
 the many-sided conflict, excited and sustained by 
 personal ambition, religion is degraded, distorted, 
 crippled ; Christ is crucified afresh ; and the glad 
 hopes of a free salvation are prostituted into a vile 
 battle-cry that Heaven is open to him who dies 
 fighting for his leader ! It is awful to think of 
 the traffic and speculation carried on by designing 
 men and religious demagogues of both sexes in 
 the hopes and fears of people more honest than 
 themselves. Hence says Paul,. * * Beware lest any 
 man spoil you through vain deceit. ' ' Serving a 
 sect is not always serving God, and serving self is 
 serving the devil. 
 
 3. Another spoiler mentioned by the Apostle is 
 tradition. Traditions are the opinions, doctrines, 
 or customs entailed from a father to a son, or from 
 
TENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 383 
 
 one generation to another. Whatever is approved 
 and handed down from age to age is tradition. 
 But traditions are not always right and good. 
 We have much by tradition ; but we may also err 
 by tradition. Jesus tells of people who trans- 
 gressed the commandment of God by their tradi- 
 tions, and taught for doctrines the commandments 
 of men. Paul once persecuted the Church in his 
 exceeding zeal for the traditions of his fathers. 
 Peter speaks of some who were lost in vain con- 
 versation originating in tradition. By traditions 
 the Jewish Church was brought to desolation. 
 And to rest on tradition is to follow a blind guide 
 and to give ourselves into the hands of the spoiler. 
 Men have relied upon tradition, and it put the foot 
 of the pope on their necks. They have followed 
 tradition, and it gave them the priest instead of 
 Christ, and Mary instead of the only Saviour of 
 sinners, and masses and penances, and confes- 
 sionals instead of that righteousness which alone 
 can justify before God. Beware, therefore, says 
 the holy apostle, lest any man spoil you by the 
 traditions of men. Some of them may be good 
 and true ; but we have ( ' a more sure word'' ' 
 which came in old time, not by the will of man, 
 but holy men of God spake as they were moved 
 by the Holy Ghost. This is the only charter of 
 our hopes ; the only anchor for our faith ; the only 
 infallible guide for our lives. While tradition 
 accords with this, we need not fear it ; but where 
 it deviates, let God be true though it should make 
 all the fathers liars. In some cases the fathers 
 
384 DANGEROUS EXPOSURE. 
 
 may help us to a better understanding of the 
 Scriptures. We should give their learning, their 
 advantages, and their convictions the respect 
 which belongs to them ; but they were but men, 
 and erred like other men, and we must always 
 appeal from them to the written word, which is 
 able to make us wise unto salvation. 
 
 4. But we are also cautioned against ' ' the rudi- 
 ments of the worlds" — the manners, superstitions, 
 idolatries, and maxims which obtain among men 
 of the world. It is a hard thing to keep clear of 
 the influences around us. All men feel more or 
 less that when in Rome they must do as Rome 
 does. Even the most rigid and unyielding things 
 are affected by external pressures. And we are 
 liable thus to be affected in our religion as well as 
 in anything else. The Jews had a pure religion, 
 but heathenish elements were ever and anon 
 mingling with it. Moloch would now and then 
 lift up his bloody arms in the very presence of 
 Jehovah's temple, and the priests of Baal oft sup- 
 planted the sons of Aaron. And when Christ 
 came the Jewish religion was exceedingly cor- 
 rupted with Gentileism and worldliness. The 
 Christian religion started out on the pure basis of 
 the ancient revelations. But it was liable to the 
 same influences, and in all ages has suffered from 
 the same causes. It was given to the world as a 
 plain, simple system, unadorned except with its 
 sublime spirituality. But when kings and empe- 
 rors began to take it into favor they carried their 
 worldly pomp with them into the Church. Mag- 
 
TENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 385 
 
 nificent outward ceremonies were instituted. Gor- 
 geous rituals were devised. Privileged orders were 
 appointed. Mediatory offices were multiplied. 
 Judgeships and authorities were set up. And at 
 last what started as Christianity became but little 
 more than baptized heathenism. In place of the 
 old gods were patron saints. Venus became 
 Mary. The elements of the world supplanted the 
 Spirit of Christ. The true glory of the Church 
 was gone ; Anti-Christ had come into the temple 
 of Christ. 
 
 And the same causes which thus spoiled the 
 ancient Church much cripple and spoil Christian- 
 ity now. Professing Christians sometimes become 
 as worldly as worldlings themselves ; and wordly 
 tastes and ideas assert themselves even in religious 
 things. The fashions and tastes and likes of an 
 ungodly world are consulted in place of the word 
 of Jesus. Something to draw, — something to at- 
 tract, — something to entertain, — something differ- 
 ent from the simple old ways — must be had ; and 
 the Spirit of Christ is killed out with new im- 
 provements and human inventions. Personal 
 piety suffers from the same cause. Men of busi- 
 ness must yield to the tricks of trade ; people 
 must keep up appearances, though it be at the 
 expense of honesty ; they immerse themselves be- 
 yond measure in earthly cares and then plead 
 them as reason for exemption from spiritual du- 
 ties ; leanness comes over them and their religion 
 is spoiled. 
 
 Brethren, it is no use to disguise the fact; this 
 
 25 
 
$86 DANGEROUS EXPOSURE. 
 
 world is no friend to grace and no helper to our 
 salvation. If we would approve ourselves unto 
 God, we must beware of it and watch ourselves 
 perpetually. The Apostle thus cautions us to 
 take heed. Religion was not designed to take us 
 from our business, but to keep us at it for the 
 glory of our Maker and the good of men. But 
 no business is rightly conducted which does not 
 proceed upon the principles of justice, fraternity, 
 and benevolence. Religion was never designed 
 to abridge our enjoyment of the good things of 
 this life; but to regulate our desires and to keep 
 our hearts set upon eternal good. Only let us 
 take Christ, and adhere with confidence to His 
 simple word and Gospel, and we will need no aid 
 from philosophy, tradition, or the rudiments of 
 the world, either to complete our own personal 
 hopes or to commend our religion to others. 
 
 All that is "not after Christ" in sacred things 
 is wood, and hay, and stubble, which can by no 
 means stand the fires of judgment, and will be 
 worse than lost to those who rely upon it. Phi- 
 losophy may be good, and tradition may be good, 
 and many elements of the world may be good; 
 but Christ is better, and His word a better guide 
 than all the pretended helps of earth. They that 
 put their trust in Him shall not be put to con- 
 fusion. Where philosophy fails He can help us. 
 Where tradition is powerless He is mighty. And 
 when the whole fashion of the world shall pass 
 away He will be the everlasting Deliverer of 
 them that are His. 
 
TENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 387 
 
 Philosophy may spoil us, but it cannot sanctify 
 us. Tradition may lead us into error, but it can 
 give us no certain assurance of our acceptance 
 with God. The world may enslave and ruin us, 
 but it never can exalt us in the eye of God, or 
 add to the joys of our immortality. But in 
 Christ all things are ours. With our hearts firmly 
 grounded in the stabilities of the simple truth as 
 it is in Jesus, philosophy, tradition, the world, 
 everything becomes subservient to our welfare 
 and a minister to our joy: For all things shall 
 work together for good to them that love God. 
 
Eleventh Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 Wherefore do the wicked live ? — Job 21 : 7. 
 
 IE need no argument to prove that the 
 wicked do live. If any are holy and 
 good, they are exceptions to the gen- 
 eral mass of mankind. Not only do the 
 wicked live, but they often nourish in all the thrift 
 and luxury of life. There is scarcely one among 
 us who cannot say with David: " I have seen the 
 wicked in great power, and spreading himself 
 like a green bay tree." The pampered children 
 of pride and folly are to be found on every side. 
 "They become old, yea, are mighty in power. 
 Their seed is established in their sight with them, 
 and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses 
 are safe from fear; neither is the rod of God upon 
 them."— WJiy is this? 
 
 It is not because they deserve it. The vineyard 
 that produces only wild grapes is justly doomed 
 to desolation. The figtree which continues barren 
 under the tender culture of its owner is right- 
 fully sentenced to be cut down. And how can 
 those deserve to live who spend their being in 
 
ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 389 
 
 dishonoring and wronging Him who made them ? 
 God has given them breath to praise Him; but 
 they employ it in folly, cursing, and blasphemy. 
 He has given them powers to comprehend His 
 glory; but they never adore Him. He has given 
 them His Word ; but they despise and disobey it. 
 He has sent His Son to die for them; but they 
 contemn Him, and spurn the offers of His Gospel. 
 He is infinitely entitled to their devoutest homage 
 and sincerest services; yet they never subordinate 
 one hearty feeling, thought, or purpose to His 
 holy will. He has nourished and brought them 
 up as His children; yet they only rebel against 
 Him. And if speedy justice were to be meted 
 out to them for one sin of a thousand, they would 
 all sink in a moment to everlasting death. It is 
 not because they deserve it that they live. 
 
 Nor is it because God is not aware of their sins 
 and guilt. " Mine eyes are upon all their ways," 
 saith He ; ' ' neither is their iniquity hid. " " There 
 is no darkness nor shadow of death where the 
 workers of iniquity may hide themselves." 
 
 People generally seek retirement, or choose the 
 solitary place, or select the covert of the night to 
 conceal and hide their crimes. They look care- 
 fully on every side to see that there be no witness 
 of their unlawful deeds. But they forget that the 
 all-seeing eye of God is on them all the while, — 
 that those sins of secrecy and night had a voice 
 that was heard in heaven, — and that what they 
 thought no one should ever know is all written 
 down upon the records of eternity. "I know 
 
39° A SERIOUS PROBLEM. 
 
 your transgressions," saith the L,ord, " and your 
 many sins." Verily "all things are naked and 
 open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to 
 do." Not because their guiltiness is unknown 
 then do the wicked live. 
 
 Nor is it bechuse God is not able to punish them. 
 He who hurled archangels from their sunny 
 thrones cannot be wanting in resources to mete 
 out justice to rebel men. He who balances the 
 worlds in their orbits and wields the thunders of 
 Omnipotence certainly can be at no loss for power 
 to crush the puny despisers of His authority that 
 crawl upon His footstool. He needs but to speak 
 and it is done ; to command and it stands fast. 
 And not because He is impotent to punish do the 
 wicked live. 
 
 Nor is it because God is satisfied with them or 
 indifferent to their wicked7iess. The word is clear 
 and plain on this point. ' ' He is not a God that 
 hath pleasure in wickedness. " " He is angry 
 with the wicked every day." "He hateth all 
 workers of iniquity." And the symptoms and 
 tokens of His anger are everywhere to be seen in 
 the judgments which He sends. 
 
 Nor do the wicked live because God has never 
 given sentence against them. It is written that 
 ' ' God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon the 
 wicked and rain it upon them." Of every per- 
 sistent sinner the record is, ' ' Though his excel- 
 lency mount up to the heavens, and his head 
 reach unto the clouds, yet he shall perish forever. ' ' 
 The decree has gone forth that "the soul that 
 
ELEVENTH SUNDAY- AFTER TRINITY. 39 1 
 
 sinneth it shall die. ' ' And it is not because no 
 sentence of condemnation is on the wicked that 
 they live. 
 
 Nor is it that God does not mean to execute this 
 sentence. "God is not a man, that he should 
 lie, nor the son of man, that he should repent." 
 Men change and shrink from the fulfillment of 
 their words ; but God is forever immutable. His 
 covenant will He not break nor alter the thing 
 that is gone out of His lips. * ' The counsel of the 
 Lord standeth forever." "He hath sworn, say- 
 ing, surely as I have thought so shall it come to 
 pass, and as I have purposed so shall it stand." 
 Heaven and earth may pass away, but no jot nor 
 tittle of His word shall pass away till all be ful- 
 filled. 
 
 Nor do the wicked live because God needs than. 
 He indeed uses them. Such are his wonderful 
 resources that ' ' He maketh even the wrath of 
 man to praise Him." In his mysterious provi- 
 dence the godless Assyrian became the rod of His 
 anger and the staff of His indignation. The pride, 
 tyranny, and blasphemy of Pharaoh are overruled 
 to the showing forth of His power and the decla- 
 ration of His glory in all the earth. Even the 
 wrath and malice of those who crucified the 
 Christ were made to open the gates of salvation 
 to a ruined world. And so all the mischiefs of 
 the wicked shall be turned in the end to work the 
 greater glory of His Church and the sublimer hap- 
 piness of His saints. But still He does not need 
 them. He can carry on His great purposes with- 
 
392 A SERIOUS PROBLEM. 
 
 out Syria's ambition, or Pharaoh's pride, or Phar- 
 isaic malice, or any of those deeds of wickedness 
 which He now permits. He can promote virtue 
 without the aid of vice, and effect redemption 
 without the aid of transgressors. The Divinity 
 of Jesus could be established without having the 
 devils declare it, and He can conquer the world 
 to himself without the help of wars or the diplo- 
 macy of ungodly rulers. Not a single sinner, no 
 matter what his estate or office, is in any way 
 necessary to the L,ord. He is God and can do 
 whatsoever he pleases, without the agency of 
 those who know Him not. It is not because they 
 are needed that they live. 
 
 WJierefore, then, do the wicked live? 
 
 There is but one answer to the question, and 
 one of great credit to the goodness and mercy of 
 God. Retribution is delayed and sinners live 
 that they may have a chance for salvation; for, 
 as He lives, He has no pleasure in the death of 
 the wicked. ' ' He is not slack concerning His 
 promise, as some men count slackness, but is 
 long-suffering to usward, not willing that any 
 should perish, but that all should come to re- 
 pentance. ' ' 
 
 Our God is good, and takes no delight in the 
 ruin of creatures made in His own image. He 
 would rather that all would turn from their evil 
 ways and live. He has gone to great expense and 
 pains to provide means for every one's salvation. 
 He therefore delays the stroke of wrath, and waits 
 and bears with offenders, and meanwhile so directs 
 
ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 393 
 
 His providence that they may come to a better 
 mind, and lay hold of the forgiveness that is in 
 Christ. 
 
 The Apostle Peter says that ' ' the long suffer- 
 ing °f our Lord is salvation. ' ' There would be 
 no chance for us without such forbearance. If 
 God were at once to enter into judgment with us, 
 it would be impossible for any one to be saved. 
 If doom should follow instantaneously upon trans- 
 gression, there could be no escape from devouring 
 flames. What would have become of David, if 
 justice had overtaken him in the midst of his 
 criminal passion ? What would have become of 
 Manasseh, if God had called him to judgment 
 when he was yet profaning the temple with his 
 dissoluteness and making the streets of Jerusa- 
 lem run down with blood ? What would have 
 gone with Peter, if God had made a sudden end 
 of his probation while those false and cowardly 
 words U I know not the man" were yet on his 
 lips? What would have gone with Paul, yet 
 breathing out threatening and slaughter against 
 the disciples, if that vision of his on the plains 
 of Damascus had been a call to the final tribunal 
 of his injured God ? And what, alas ! would 
 have become of us, if retribution had immedi- 
 ately followed transgression, and judgment suc- 
 ceeded right on the heels of our guilt ? Who of 
 us in that case would be here to-day, in this land 
 of hope, with a throne of grace accessible, and 
 the prospect of heaven glowing in our hearts? 
 Not one; no, not one. 
 
394 A SERIOUS PROBLEM. 
 
 Every sinner therefore has his day of grace, — 
 his respite from just and decreed punishment for 
 his offences, — that he may have opportunity to 
 repent and be saved. The children of pride and 
 folly are not cut down at once, and the lewd and 
 profane have their season of probation lengthened 
 out, and the guilty revilers of Christ and religion 
 are not visited with sudden judgment, that a new 
 spirit may be wrought in them and perhaps bring 
 them to a knowledge of the truth. David re- 
 pented; and Manasseh repented; and Peter re- 
 pented; and Saul of Tarsus repented; and many 
 grievous offenders were, after a while, recovered 
 from their sins to holiness; and sentence against 
 the wicked is not executed speedily, in order to 
 give room for them to hear the voice of God and 
 make their escape to the refuge set before them. 
 Year after year of trial is added, that, peradven- 
 ture, they may see their folly and return to the 
 Shepherd and Bishop of their souls. And to 
 furnish every reasonable chance for such changes 
 judgment lingers and sinners are permitted to live. 
 
 And, besides the mere matter of time for re- 
 pentance, the long-suffering of God is often a 
 motive to induce the very reformation for which 
 it gives a chance. It is not always so. It is 
 a sad and melancholy truth, that, ' ' because 
 sentence against an evil work is not executed 
 speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men 
 is fully set in them to do evil." There are those 
 who make the very forbearance of God a license 
 for unconstrained indulgence in sin. Because 
 
ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 395 
 
 they have leisure after their crimes they study 
 to sophisticate the truth, and become vain in 
 their imaginations, bold in their unbelief, and 
 daring in the work of banishing all reference to 
 God and retribution from their thoughts. Be- 
 cause their first sins involve them in no imme- 
 diate embarrassment and suffering, they go on to 
 mature them into fixed habits and make wicked- 
 ness a part of their existence. Having com- 
 menced a course of lawlessness and rebellion 
 against God from which they experience no pres- 
 ent disadvantage, they feel emboldened to press 
 it to still greater degrees. Many a man is wicked, 
 prayerless, and Christless for no other reason than 
 that God has been good to him, and has not pro- 
 ceeded to judge him at once for his sins. 
 
 But, while multitudes are thus emboldened in 
 crime by the very leniency of God, it is different 
 with others. There are those to whom God's for- 
 bearance and long-suffering become a powerful 
 motive to bring them to repentance. Thus it 
 was with Luther. The very mercy of God in 
 sparing him when Alexis, his friend, was struck 
 dead by his side, determined him from that day 
 forward to devote himself to God. 
 
 Thus the wicked are permitted to survive their 
 crimes that they may have the time and the mo- 
 tive to turn themselves and be saved. 
 
 From this, then, let us learn — not to envy the 
 prosperity of the wicked. They stand on slippery 
 places. They seem to be in peace, but the fires 
 
396 A SERIOUS PROBLEM. 
 
 of judgment and destruction are roaring under the 
 very pavements on which they walk. There is 
 everywhere a clamoring for their ruin. God's 
 forbearance for a while holds the thunders back, 
 that they may fly to Jesus and be safe. But ex- 
 cept they repent, their desolation shall soon come, 
 and they shall pass away as a dream when one 
 awaketh. The curse of the Lord is in their house, 
 and hell from beneath is moved to meet them at 
 their coming. 
 
 Learn to appreciate the divine goodness and 
 mercy. God never strikes till the last hope is 
 gone. He bears with unholy people as long as it 
 is possible for justice to forbear, and until all 
 means are exhausted, only that they may repent 
 and be saved. Oh, the depth of the mercy of 
 God ! It is high as heaven, deep as the sea, past 
 finding out. 
 
 Learn, then, also, to make a right improvement 
 of the divine long-suffering. Time, and means, 
 and opportunity are given us to escape to the hills 
 of salvation ; and judgment delays that we may 
 come to a better life. God means that we should 
 profit by these mercies ; and all the worse will it 
 be for us if we now neglect the great salvation 
 which He has so graciously put within our reach. 
 And as we value our eternal peace, let no one 
 trifle with these days of respite from deserved per- 
 dition, lest the harvest pass, and the summer end, 
 and all hope be clean gone forever. 
 
Gracious &f)oug1)te. 
 
 Twelfth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, 
 thoughts of peace, and not of evil. — Jer. 29 : I.I. 
 
 "NE of the most marked features of the 
 religion of the Bible is the light in which 
 it represents the Divine Being. Pagan- 
 ism represents Him as a stock or stone, 
 carved into the similitude of a man, or a bird, or 
 a four-footed beast, or a creeping thing, without 
 intelligence, and even without life. Some, under 
 the pretence of exalting His majesty and great- 
 ness, represent Him as occupied only in certain 
 great creative and conserving acts, and not at all 
 concerning himself with the little affairs of human 
 life or destiny. 
 
 Men are prone to conclude either that there is 
 no God, or that He knows nothing about our 
 behavior in this world, or that He is wholly in- 
 different to what we do, or say, or think. But 
 the holy Book assures us that He is an infinite and 
 living Intelligence, who is with everything that 
 He has made, not only as an unconcerned specta- 
 tor, but as a loving Father, in sympathy with His 
 creatures, consulting each one's good, and so 
 
 397 
 
39^ GRACIOUS THOUGHTS. 
 
 minute in His attentions as to keep count of the 
 very hairs of our heads. So far from retiring 
 from His works to dwell apart in the secrecy of 
 His own unapproachable Godhead, uncaring for 
 such worlds as ours or such beings as we, there is 
 nothing done, nor said, nor thought, nor felt by 
 man but He knows it, and notes it, and thinks of 
 it, and orders His dealings with reference to it. 
 
 God does think of us. This He himself affirms 
 in the text. The same is also attested in Nature, 
 which is one vast volume of divine thoughts, in 
 every one of which, if rightly read, we find marks 
 and tokens that we have been thought of, and that 
 our interests are not unconsidered. In the very 
 framework of the heavens above us ; in the adjust- 
 ment of the sizes, spheres, and motions of the 
 planets and stars; and in the arrangement of the 
 relations of the celestial orbs to the world which 
 we inhabit, references to us, as well as to other 
 beings, can easily be traced. This mysterious 
 ocean of air which envelops the earth, at the 
 bottom of which we live, in all its currents, 
 changes, adaptations, and never-ceasing opera- 
 tions, — the mighty sea of waters, in their varied 
 distribution and multiform offices, — the moun- 
 tains and rocks, and lands and streams, — the 
 trees, and fruits, and flowers, — the night and day, 
 the rains and dews, — the seasons and laws of seed- 
 time and harvest, — the beasts of the field and the 
 birds of the air, — the links of kindred and the ties 
 of home, — the relations of the elements, the course 
 of things, and the constituents, pursuits, and very 
 
TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 399 
 
 burdens of life, — all are freighted with evidences 
 in every part of the great machinery of creation 
 that God has thought of us, and never ceases to 
 have a very particular regard to us. "Many," 
 says the Psalmist, "many, Lord my God, are 
 thy wonderful works which Thou hast done, and 
 Thy thoughts which are to usward: they cannot 
 be reckoned up in order unto Thee. They are 
 more than can be numbered." 
 
 And God's thoughts to usward are all benevo- 
 lent, — " thoughts of peace and not of evil." 
 
 This we do not always realize. There is so 
 much disappointment, disaster, affliction, trial, 
 and suffering that we are often doubtful and mis- 
 giving. We are in a constant war of good and 
 evil, which surges first one way and then another. 
 If we have peace one day, we are disturbed the 
 next. There is not a rose but in plucking it we 
 are pricked with its thorns. Hence we are often 
 hurried into very mistaken estimates of the econ- 
 omy under which we are placed. Trouble comes 
 or adversity overtakes us, and we conclude that 
 God is thinking of us other thoughts than thoughts 
 of peace. When Jacob finds Joseph gone and 
 Benjamin about to be taken, he says, "All these 
 things are against me." But it is not so. Even 
 these adversities are connected with "thoughts of 
 peace and not of evil." Joseph is taken just that 
 he might be the instrument of saving Jacob and 
 all his house, and that the promises might not 
 fail. When Israel was pursued by Pharoah, and 
 the strong warriors of Egypt were pressing upon 
 
400 GRACIOUS THOUGHTS. 
 
 their rear, while the mountains heinmed them in 
 on either side, and the Red Sea was in their front, 
 they felt as if God had led them there just to de- 
 stroy them. But it was not so. It was to destroy 
 their adversaries and to vouchsafe to them the 
 sublimer salvation. When they were in the wil- 
 derness, without food or water, and ready to perish 
 of hunger and thirst, they supposed in their an- 
 guish that God meant to do them evil, — that His 
 thoughts toward them were bitter. But they 
 were nevertheless " thoughts of peace," — the pre- 
 liminaries of marvellous miracles to save them at 
 the last, and to fill them and all the after-church 
 of God with joy. When David was being driven 
 about in the mountains as a fugitive from the 
 powers which thirsted for his blood he thought 
 God had ' ' forgotten to be gracious. ' ' But it was 
 a mistake, as he himself afterward acknowledged, 
 and was glad that he had been afflicted. 
 
 The same mistake is frequently made by peni- 
 tents. When the Spirit enters the heart, and 
 makes it feel its guiltiness before God, and dis- 
 tresses it on account of its sins, and makes it fear 
 the wrath it has deserved, it can hardly think 
 otherwise than that the Almighty's thoughts are 
 thoughts of resentment and severity. But it is 
 quite the contrary. The men of Nineveh, in 
 sackcloth and ashes, were thinking that God was 
 about to destroy them in the very hour that His 
 thoughts toward them were peace. When the 
 prodigal resolved to return to the parent he had 
 wronged he was busy thinking how he should 
 
TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 4OI 
 
 placate that parent's wrath, and taxed all his dis- 
 turbed and distressed wits to make out a speech 
 of confession and self-abasement to modify the 
 supposed anger of his father. But that father 
 meanwhile was only thinking how he might wel- 
 come the returning sinner, and day by day was 
 on the house-top looking for him and making 
 ready in his heart for his joyous reception. 
 
 And so, O conscience-stricken one, terrified and 
 alarmed at your sinfulness and neglect of your 
 Maker: you wonder how He can be otherwise 
 than angry with you. You doubt if there can 
 be any mercy for you. But while you are thus 
 wrestling with your guilt and the imagined wrath 
 of God, His thoughts abound in mercy and par- 
 doning love. You are thinking Him harsh, un- 
 willing to forgive, and requiring to be pleaded 
 with and bribed by sacrifices and good works; 
 whereas He is full of joy at your willingness to 
 accept His forgiveness, and cherishes toward you 
 only ' ' thoughts of peace. ' ' 
 
 So in Christian experience and life. You re- 
 pent, and yet feel that your penitence is not 
 worthy to be called repentance; that everything 
 about it is so poor and superficial as to look more 
 like mockery than reality. You love God, and 
 often have great comfort in thinking of Him; 
 but it is so faint and feeble, as compared with 
 the warmth of affection and interest toward other 
 objects, that you feel as if God could not accept 
 such a cold and unworthy devotion. You are so 
 dissatisfied with yourself, and ashamed, and full 
 
402 GRACIOUS THOUGHTS. 
 
 of lamentation, that yon think God cannot think 
 of you with favor. But if you are really humble 
 and sincere in your sense of your unworthiness, 
 God knows your heart and sees your struggles of 
 spirit, and might make it otherwise if He would. 
 But He sees that it is better for you to be led 
 through these depths and conflicts, to try you, 
 and prove you, and develop in you the better 
 fitness to appreciate and enjoy His mercies at the 
 end. 
 
 So too in the performance of religious duty. 
 One says, " I go into my closet; and kneel before 
 God in secret; I try to pray to Him; but it seems 
 only like a waste of time. My mind wanders to 
 the ends of the earth; and I come forth feeling 
 that it would have been better if I had not made 
 the attempt. ' ' Another says, ' ' I went to His 
 house with sincere desire to worship with His 
 people, and to commune with my Maker; but so 
 many cares and trifles came into my thoughts 
 that I cannot see how God can be otherwise than 
 angry with me." But, my dear Christian friend, 
 God knew what took you to your closet; and He 
 knew what thoughts brought you up to His house, 
 and what thoughts interfered with the perfection 
 of your devotions, just as He knew the lamenta- 
 tions of David for not being permitted to build 
 the temple which he had projected. But as David 
 was not rejected because he could not do all that 
 he desired, so neither are you because you cannot 
 pray and worship as you would like. God said 
 to David, u Thou didst well that it was in thy 
 
TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 4O3 
 
 heart. ' ' The poor widow, when she saw the rich 
 people of the congregation putting their large 
 sums of money into the treasury, doubtless felt 
 very meanly of her mites, and lamented that she 
 had no more to give. But the Saviour did not 
 think her little offering mean. It was all she 
 had; and because it was all she had, Jesus said 
 it was more than all that those rich ones out of 
 their abundance had given. No, no; we are not 
 required to do as we would like, but simply as we 
 can. And with all our deficiencies and disabili- 
 ties, God's thoughts toward us are "thoughts of 
 peace, and not of evil." 
 
 And so in other instances. The answers to our 
 prayers are often so delayed that we think they 
 are wholly unacceptable. The Cyro- Phoenician 
 woman goes to the Saviour for her suffering 
 daughter, and He does not seem to hear her. 
 And when she finally gets a reply, it looks like 
 a complete repulse. But, is she therefore to con- 
 clude that He is harsh, unfeeling, or angry, and 
 unwilling to grant her request? What a mis- 
 representation this would have been of the real 
 facts. Iyoving thoughts and overflowing benefi- 
 cence underlay even that seeming repulse. It 
 was only the better to prove her earnestness, to 
 call forth more evidently her wondrous faith, that 
 He might bless her the more and instruct His 
 disciples the better. 
 
 Sometimes we are called to part with the chief 
 joy of our hearts. The disciples were told that He 
 whom they had taken to be their Redeemer was 
 
4O4 GRACIOUS THOUGHTS. 
 
 to leave them. Were they therefore to conclude 
 that they were to be left comfortless, with all 
 their great hopes destroyed ? So they might have 
 reasoned, and so they were disposed to reason. 
 But it was a great mistake. His thoughts toward 
 them were " thoughts of peace, and not of evil." 
 He was only going to send another Comforter, to 
 prepare a place for them, to come again and take 
 them to himself, that where He is they might 
 be also. 
 
 In the ordinary course of nature it is appointed 
 unto men once to die. We think how the light 
 of this world is to fade from our vision, and our 
 hearts cease to beat, and the warm blood chill 
 and stagnate in our veins, and our bodies be low- 
 ered into the grave and buried out of sight. We 
 see this occurring every day, and many friends 
 being carried ofT. It cuts deep into the soul, 
 and we imagine all sorts of sorrowful and hard 
 things. We wonder what God can be thinking, 
 and whither His redeeming love has gone, that 
 He should leave even His own accepted children 
 to such bereaving sorrows or so sad a doom. 
 But it is not evil that He is thinking. He means 
 it well. He would wean us from the things of 
 earth to those of a better world. He would purge 
 off our dross. He would discipline us for heaven, 
 and draw us thither, that we might have the 
 better destiny. In what seems the worst still 
 His thoughts are beneficent, — "thoughts of peace, 
 mid not of evil. ' ' 
 
 The fond parent is sore distressed to see the 
 
TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 405 
 
 dear child taken, and thinks it only evil and 
 hard. Why could not this valued treasure have 
 been left? Why should this afflictive vacancy 
 have been created ? And why should this great 
 sorrow have been sent upon a circle so peaceful 
 and happy? Dear friends, there was good in it, 
 and only good. 
 
 In the Alpine regions, when the shepherd finds 
 that the pastures for his flock are failing from the 
 valleys below, he takes some lamb in his arms, 
 and carries it up to the hills above, that the 
 rest of the flock may follow and find plenty for 
 their preservation and comfort. And so the great 
 Shepherd in heaven. He comes and takes some 
 precious lamb in His arms, and carries it up into 
 the eternal hills, that the rest of the flock may 
 be drawn thither for their everlasting good. His 
 thoughts are ' ' thoughts of peace, and not of 
 evil." 
 
Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him. — Job 13 : 15. 
 
 T is the patriarch Job who here speaks. 
 He was a great sufferer. He had been a 
 rich man, — rich in sheep, camels, oxen, 
 and asses, the sort of property which 
 then made up rich men's estates. But all these 
 had been wrested from him, — burnt up, or carried 
 off beyond recovery. He had a great household 
 of servants; but these were smitten with the 
 sword, captured, or otherwise destroyed, until 
 scarcely one was left. He had seven sons and 
 three daughters, all settled and happily situated 
 in life, full of comfort in each other, and the par- 
 ticular pride of their father. But, in the midst 
 of life and its festive enjoyments, a great storm 
 struck the house in which they were assembled, 
 overthrew it, and killed every child he had. 
 
 Nor was this all. Troubles never come singly. 
 Wave upon wave had dashed over him, but other 
 and mightier ones came. He was himself stricken 
 with sore sickness. An elephantine leprosy seized 
 him, and covered him with swellings and ulcera- 
 tions, making him a loathing to himself. His 
 
THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 407 
 
 friends could no longer recognize him amid the 
 distortions of his features, and were so horrified 
 at the spectacle he presented when they saw him, 
 that they lifted up their voices and wept, rent 
 their mantles, and sprinkled themselves with dust. 
 And still more to intensify his sufferings his wife 
 turned adversary and tempter, and urged him to 
 curse God and die, rather than live on in such 
 wretchedness. 
 
 And to all this came the harsh and persistent 
 accusations of his mistaken friends, who referred 
 his distresses to some flagrant guilt, which they 
 charged him with hiding in his heart. He knew 
 and protested that he was not a hypocrite, and yet 
 he was at a loss to understand his case. 
 
 It is a hard thing to be tormented without being 
 able to know why. And with all the rest of Job's 
 miseries, this inability to unravel the mystery was 
 no small part of his distress. One of the intensest 
 of his cries was for God to show him wherefore 
 He thus contended with him. 
 
 But amid all these intensified sufferings Job 
 still spoke of having an adequate Helper in whom 
 to trust. His faith was greater than his trouble. 
 And even if his sufferings should be intensified, 
 doubled, and protracted till life could no longer 
 hold out under them, he would still hopefully 
 confide in God. 
 
 Satan alleged that Job would give up his relig- 
 ion if his riches and prosperity were taken from 
 him ; and so the accuser was allowed to afflict 
 him. But the result demonstrated that his devo- 
 
408 PERSISTENT FAITH. 
 
 tion had a deeper foundation than a mere selfish- 
 ness which looked only to the enjoyments of a 
 prosperous earthly life. Job was a true believer, 
 and showed that if deprived even of life itself he 
 had faith in the Almighty, and that to Him He 
 would cling. 
 
 Nor was this a mere foolish fanaticism. There 
 is an Almighty One, who ever lives, and we in 
 Him. He is the t,ord of all realms and of all 
 things. No hair can drop nor sparrow fall without 
 Him. Our hearts beat because He sustains them. 
 Life and death, prosperity and adversity are alike 
 from Him ; nor can anything be or come to pass 
 without Him. Nor is He less the friend, pro- 
 tector, and saviour of His believing people amid 
 the worst seeming adversities than in the bright- 
 est of earthly comforts. However hot the furnaces 
 through which He leads them, or extreme the de- 
 mands He makes of them, they shall not be the 
 losers in the end. Nay, to lose life for His sake 
 is the sublimest saving of it. 
 
 Such unfaltering faith in the divine goodness 
 amid earthly suffering is not as common, even 
 among Christians, as it ought to be. People be- 
 lieve in God ; and while things are prosperous 
 they think Him good, and readily trust and hope 
 in Him. But when long and multiplied adversi- 
 ties come, and the soreness of trial and hardship 
 is felt, and their days and nights are filled with 
 grief and sorrow, they are apt to be fretted, some- 
 times even to desperation. Though they have 
 more comforts left than Job had, they are prone 
 
THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 4O9 
 
 to feel and act as if there were no God, or as if 
 He were dead, or had lost His power and gracious- 
 ness. And many are so shaken by their trials 
 that they fall out with God, and will not believe 
 that He cares for them, or that there is any good 
 in trusting in Him. 
 
 But God is merciful even to such, and it is not 
 right for us to blame them too harshly. Human 
 nature is weak. Faith has some hard battles to 
 fight. And things often come to such a pass that 
 we are greatly at a loss to know what to make of 
 them. God's footsteps are in the sea. Many are 
 the occasions on which He seems to hide himself. 
 Expectations are disappointed or reversed ; earn- 
 est prayers are not answered ; our thinking is 
 baffled and confounded ; matters take on a contra- 
 riness that seems to throw everything out of gear; 
 and we wonder what possible good is in it. It is 
 easy enough to be pious when all runs smoothly. 
 But when clouds and tempests come, and dark- 
 ness takes the place of light, and the dealings of 
 God give us pain, and the sword at every step 
 is made to pierce our bosom, and everything in 
 the world seems turned against us, then to be con- 
 fident in the Lord demands an amount of grace 
 and faith not so easy of attainment. 
 
 And yet such a victorious confidence is possible. 
 It was shown in Job, and should be aimed at by 
 us. His adversities were intense and many ; but 
 they could not dislodge nor even shake his stead- 
 fast trust in God. His wealth gone ; his children 
 gone ; his health gone ; his wife turned against 
 
4IO PERSISTENT FAITH. 
 
 him ; his best friends condemning him as a wicked 
 dissembler ; and with seemingly nothing left to 
 him but a miserable death and a clouded fame, he 
 successfully held on to his faith in the love and 
 justice of God, and cried his victory over every 
 doubt. From the lowest depths of his sufferings 
 came the word of triumph, " Though He slay me, 
 yet will I trust in Him. ' ' 
 
 Job did not come to this rare and high attain- 
 ment all at once. He was a man of like passions 
 with us, and had to be taken through many sharp 
 contentions and anxious exercises of soul to be- 
 come such an exemplary believer. Nor was it 
 without many a faulty word and passion that he 
 came to the full victory of faith. At first he 
 thought himself better than he was. It required 
 the severity of his trials to reveal to him his de- 
 fects, and to bring him to patient waiting upon 
 God. But he was loyal in the centre of his being, 
 even when speaking unadvisedly with his lips ; 
 and this it was that finally brought him through 
 as a grand example of confiding patience under 
 the worst adversities. 
 
 Faith and trust in God cannot unmake grief and 
 sorrow, nor render suffering and death attractive 
 and beautiful. Even the spotless Son of God had 
 His pains and distresses of both soul and body ; 
 and His followers cannot hope for exemption. 
 The thorns will pierce and sore trials will come. 
 Flesh and blood will be made to smart. But 
 where the soul is stayed on God, faith has won- 
 derful power to buoy up the spirits, to reconcile 
 
THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 4 1 I 
 
 us to our lot, and to steady the soul. It looks 
 through the clouds. It is not vanquished by the 
 darkness it cannot penetrate. It furnishes an 
 anchor of hope both sure and steadfast, which 
 links the believer to the continent of eternal 
 glory. 
 
 And a grand example for our encouragement 
 and imitation is here. To fret and vex ourselves 
 because things go badly with us is not the way to 
 master troubles, nor to help us when they come. 
 We may not be able to see through them, but 
 God does, and stands pledged to make all things 
 work together for good to them that love Him. 
 The great matter is to hold on, hold in, and hold 
 out, as Job did, sure that the end will abundantly 
 justify all the ways of God and restore unto us 
 double of all that we have suffered. Lazarus was 
 not the loser by reason of his poverty and sores ; 
 and Job became all the more renowned and glori- 
 ous because no sufferings could dislodge him from 
 his trust in the Almighty. Therefore, faint soul, 
 hold on ; hold in ; hold out. 
 
a ©teat (Elite. 
 
 Fourtee?ith Su?iday after Trinity. 
 
 And his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and 
 he was clean. — 2 Kings 5 : 14. 
 
 ^/V^J VERY distinguished personage, as the 
 TO© world counts greatness, here comes be- 
 few ^ ore us ' ^ e was ^ e comman( ier-in- 
 ^M*^i chief of the Syrian army, — "a great 
 man with his master, and honorable." He was 
 rich, he was high in office, and he was held in 
 eminent esteem. Next to the king himself, there 
 was perhaps no man in the realm of whom so 
 much account was taken, or on whom so much 
 confidence reposed. 
 
 But, with all his dignity and honor, there was 
 one great drawback to his estate, comfort, and 
 hopes; and one which tended to vitiate every- 
 thing else. The record says he was a leper. 
 He had become the victim of a loathsome and in- 
 curable disease, regarded with intense abhorrence 
 wherever it is found. A leper was usually held 
 to be as good as dead. And with this disease this 
 great Syrian general was attacked, sealing to him 
 a life of suffering and humiliation, and a wretched 
 death, if not in some way cured, as few have ever 
 been. 
 
 412 
 
FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 413 
 
 But how was he to be cured ? The trouble was 
 constitutional, and had become so much a part 
 of himself that no skill of physicians or power 
 of earthly remedies could reach it, or separate 
 between him and the detested affection. From 
 all that he or his friends knew, and according to 
 the common experience of ages, his case was 
 hopeless. 
 
 And yet there was cure for him. It was not 
 in Syria. It was not to be found anywhere in 
 heathendom. But it existed. In all periods of 
 the Church, God has lodged with His people 
 certain "gifts of healing." Among these powers 
 was also that of curing the leprosy. Christ exer- 
 cised this power in various instances during His 
 earthly ministry; and the same was done by sun- 
 dry of the prophets who preceded Him. There 
 was also a prophet, contemporary with this great 
 Syrian, who stood in such relations to God that 
 he had it in his power to work miracles, and thus 
 to cure leprosy. He was a man of note in his 
 own country, but quite unknown to Naaman, 
 until his attention was drawn to him by what 
 some might call a mere accident; but what men 
 call accidents are all matters of divine providence. 
 
 It was but a short time before that the Syrians 
 had made war upon Israel, and carried off many 
 prisoners, great and small, whom they had sold 
 into slavery. Among these was a little Hebrew 
 girl, who had been purchased by this Syrian gen- 
 eral as a waiting-maid for his wife. Having be- 
 come interested in the family, and acquainted 
 
4 14 A GREAT CURE. 
 
 with Naaman's trouble, she one day happened to 
 say to her mistress that she wished her lord could 
 be with the prophet that was in Samaria, as he 
 would recover him from his leprosy. Uncon- 
 sciously to herself, she thus became a preacher 
 of salvation to that home. Her words were re- 
 ported to her lord, and thence to the king, and a 
 state expedition was instituted to go over into 
 Palestine to secure the aid of the prophet in 
 relieving Naaman of his disease. 
 
 It is a blessed thing when children are early 
 taught in matters of religion, so that they may 
 anywhere and always be prepared to give informa- 
 tion and light upon the facts and truths relating 
 to grace and salvation. In this instance a little 
 servant girl thus became a veritable prophetess to 
 the great house of Syria's greatest general. Nor 
 does it require much genius, eloquence, or scholar- 
 ship to be an effectual bearer of the tidings of 
 divine grace. What is most needed is simply a 
 clear knowledge and confident persuasion of the 
 facts, and a good, benevolent, and sympathetic 
 heart to tell them. Damascus doubtless had men 
 of eminent attainments, genius, eloquence, and 
 wisdom; but they and their great abilities were 
 mere ciphers and puerilities by the side of the 
 few simple words of this little female slave, so 
 far as regarded the helping of her lord to get rid 
 of his leprosy. In her humble station and fem- 
 inine childhood she was worth more than a thou- 
 sand scientists and facile orators in such a case, 
 because she knew where the healing power could 
 
FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 415 
 
 be found, though she only talked it in her juve- 
 nile innocence. 
 
 But in proposing to avail himself of what his 
 little maid had told, Naaman made some serious 
 mistakes, such as need to be avoided if we would 
 profit by divine grace. His great consequence 
 was much" in his way and disabled his efforts at 
 every step until he was brought to give up all his 
 assumed loftiness. Had he taken the suggestions 
 as given by the little prophetess all would have 
 been right ; but he was too great a man to be con- 
 tent with such straightforward simplicity. He 
 must have things arranged to suit his style and 
 state. He was told, Go to the prophet in Sama- 
 ria ; but what had a great man like him to do 
 with one so low in rank and obscure in position ? 
 Naaman was the man to do with kings and the 
 highest authorities. He would apply to his sov- 
 ereign and get royal letters wherewith to come to 
 the king of Israel. Nor would he go empty- 
 handed. He would go in state and loaded with 
 treasures of state. Gold and silver, to the amount 
 of fifty thousand dollars, besides ten changes of 
 costly raiment, he took with him as a grand back- 
 sheesh. And thus in style, as a royal ambassador, 
 he made his way to the king of Israel, thinking 
 that this was what became his dignity and high 
 estate. 
 
 But the grace of God was not at the command 
 nor within the reach of such a spirit. People 
 who thus exalt themselves are bound to be hum- 
 bled. His roval letters did not avail. When the 
 
416 A GREAT CURE. 
 
 King of Israel read them he was astounded and 
 indignant. He rent his clothes, denounced the 
 proceeding as a conspiracy to bring about war, 
 and exclaimed, Am I God, that I should recover 
 a man from his leprosy ! So the grand presenta- 
 tion proved a total failure, all because Naaman 
 took his own self-consequential way for it, instead 
 of following the suggestion of the little maid to 
 go to the prophet in Samaria. 
 
 But even when it was made evident that he 
 must go to the prophet, the same spirit which 
 prevented his success in the first instance again 
 proved a vexatious hindrance. Disappointed and 
 humiliated that he could not get the prophet's 
 services through royal command, and obliged to 
 go to the humble man whom he thought to make 
 come to him, it was in no very amiable mood that 
 he directed his cortege to the house of Elisha. 
 
 When he reached the prophet's dwelling he did 
 not condescend to dismount. His dignity and 
 self-importance would not allow him to do that. 
 He merely sent word in to Klisha to come out to 
 him, expecting that he would recognize and honor 
 the great Naaman, and go through a round of 
 ceremonial pow-wowing with due regard to the 
 importance of his patient. But Klisha did not 
 know his lordship, or rather knew him too well 
 to pamper his pride or to think of the giving of 
 divine grace where such a temper held sway. He 
 would not so much as make his appearance. He 
 simply sent a servant to tell the great man to go 
 wash himself seven times in the river Jordan and 
 
FOURTEENTH SUNDAY- AFTER TRINITY. 417 
 
 his leprosy would be cleansed. Naaman took this 
 as an insult to his dignity and his government, 
 and drove off in a great rage, resentfully berating 
 the prophet for his disrespect and lack of good 
 manners. But it was of no use ; he had to pocket 
 the insult, as he regarded it, and come down to 
 do according to the prophet's word or keep his 
 leprosy. 
 
 And here again the proud Syrian was made the 
 pupil of a servant. A little servant girl told him 
 where to go ; a servant of Elisha told him what to 
 do ; and now a servant of his own became his ex- 
 horter and teacher, to expostulate with him in 
 regard to his unreasonable passion and bring him 
 to his right mind. The whole thing was simple 
 and easy enough from the beginning. It needed 
 neither kings, nor gold, nor costly apparel, nor 
 ceremonial manipulation. It would have been 
 enough to go in humble quiet to the prophet, to 
 entreat his help and to do as directed. As it was, 
 the prophet had not bidden him to do any great 
 thing. It was no harsh or painful matter to go 
 wash in Jordan. The river was near at hand. 
 Pharpar and Abana, rivers of Damascus, were in- 
 deed much more beautiful and attractive than all 
 the waters of Israel ; but that was not the ques- 
 tion. He needed to go where the cure was to be 
 found, and not simply to the waters most pleasing 
 to the eye. Effective remedies seldom are pala- 
 table. When people want favors it will not do to 
 pique themselves on their taste. The prophet's 
 word, not Naaman' s pride, was to govern in this 
 
 27 
 
41 8 A GREAT CURE. 
 
 case. But the prophet's word did not please his 
 excellency. Some great thing he would have 
 done willingly ; but when it was said, Go wash in 
 Jordan, his dignity was offended and his impor- 
 tance was insulted. 
 
 God is no respecter of persons, and in matters 
 of grace and salvation the high must come down 
 to the same plain with the low. There are no 
 favors nor immunities for princes and patricians 
 above those of plebeians and servants. And if 
 people will not take divine help and cure as God 
 proposes to impart it, they may gratify their self- 
 consequence, conceit, and passion, but they cannot 
 have his healing and saving favors. 
 
 The reason why the man was so crossed in his 
 ideas and preferences is plain enough. He needed 
 to learn that in these matters of grace he must 
 obey, and not command. God does not give that 
 which is holy to dogs, nor cast his pearls before 
 swine. The treasures of His grace are too precious 
 to be bestowed indiscriminately where there is no 
 proper appreciation of them, — no humbling of 
 ourselves to receive them. People must be will- 
 ing to come down to God's terms, or they are not 
 worthy of His favors, and cannot have them. 
 They must learn to submit their will to His, and 
 do as He directs, or they must remain in their 
 sins. 
 
 The expostulations and sound reasonings of 
 Naaman's servant succeeded in subduing his 
 proud petulance, and in inducing him to make 
 honest trial of the prophet's directions. Repent- 
 
FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 419 
 
 ing of liis impatient rage, he went down to the 
 Jordan and washed as he was told. 
 
 Even the seven times in which he was to wash 
 had an important spiritual bearing. So far as the 
 washing was concerned, once would have done, 
 or it might have been dispensed with altogether; 
 but then there would have been no test of the 
 man's faith, and no such proof of his humble 
 and persistent obedience. The washing was 
 necessary, and the seven times were necessary, 
 that his dutifulness might be adequately shown. 
 There was doubt whether he had faith and self- 
 humiliation enough to wash at all, as the prophet 
 bade him ; and that doubt had to be removed by 
 actual compliance. Having washed once, there 
 was still a doubt whether he was sufficiently made 
 up to persevere in the duty prescribed. As no 
 signs of cure appeared in the first, second, third, 
 fourth, fifth, and sixth washing, it was a question 
 whether he would not become disgusted with the 
 performance, and give up in unbelief of any favor- 
 able result. He therefore needed to be tried to 
 the full extent of the seven times. Being faithful 
 and obedient to the seventh washing, it was evi- 
 dent that the spirit of faithful obedience was in 
 him, that he had really mastered his pride, and 
 that he had become a willing subject of the divine 
 word. So then the desired cure was reached, and 
 "his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a 
 little child, and he was clean." 
 
 And what blessed instruction there is in all this 
 for us ! We are all spiritual lepers. We belong 
 
420 A GREAT CURE. 
 
 to an infected race. There is upon us a filthiness 
 of the flesh and of the spirit. The taint is upon 
 us from our parentage. It is in our blood and 
 pervades our whole being. In some it is more 
 alarmingly developed than in others; but it is in 
 all of us, and we must needs die of it, if it be not 
 counteracted and overcome by divine power and 
 grace. Happily there is a prophet in Israel who 
 can recover us from our leprosy. The servant- 
 maid, the Church, has made us acquainted with 
 His saving power. For years and years she has 
 been saying to us, ' ' Would God ye were with the 
 Prophet ! for He would recover you from your 
 leprosy. " What the treasures of empires cannot 
 purchase is at hand. There is not a man or 
 woman living that needs to perish. The fountain 
 flows for the washing away of sin and unclean- 
 ness. No great thing is required to be done. All 
 that any sin-stricken soul needs is humbly to ac- 
 cept and obey the prophetic word, — to give up 
 all idea of merit or good deserving, and try for 
 deliverance in the way prescribed. 
 
 The word to Naaman was, "Wash and be 
 clean ; " he washed, and he was clean. And when 
 it is said to us, Repent, and be baptized, every 
 one of you, in the name of the L,ord Jesus, that 
 your sins may be blotted out; why should we 
 stagger at the simplicity and easiness of the re- 
 quirement? Ready to do some great thing, should 
 we not the rather be obedient when it is said to 
 us, Wash and be clean? Alas, that when the 
 Jordan is at hand with its cleansing flood, people 
 
FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 42 1 
 
 will be thinking of their own Abana or Pharpar, 
 where no healing is ! that some who feel and 
 know that the deadly ailment of sin is upon 
 them, are yet willing to run the awful risk of 
 never being cleansed at all, if they cannot have 
 it in the way of their own choosing ! To all 
 such the case of the Syrian leper speaks with 
 impressive power. To all such the pointed ex- 
 postulation of his servant applies with unspeak- 
 able point: v 'If the prophet had bid thee do 
 some great thing, wouldst thou not have done 
 it? how much rather then when he saith to 
 thee Wash and be clean?" 
 
 You may say that ceremonies and outward for- 
 malities are nothing; but would Naaman have 
 been healed if he had not gone down and washed 
 himself seven times in Jordan, according to the 
 saying of the Man of God? Then how can we 
 hope to be cleansed of our more fearful malady 
 without humble and obedient submission to God's 
 appointed ordinances? Hath not the Saviour said, 
 Except ye humble yourselves, and become as 
 little children, — submissive, meek and obedient, 
 — ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven? 
 
jfutilitg of a JBibiirrtr Serb to. 
 
 Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 
 No man can serve two masters ; for either he will hate the one, 
 and love the other ; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the 
 other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. — Matt. 6 : 24. 
 
 ijAMMON means riches, — not simply 
 money, lands, and stocks; but whatever 
 is sought and treasured as good fortune 
 in the things of this world. Everything 
 or anything that is an object of desire, pursuit, 
 and trust to people of worldly mind and selfish 
 ambition, is Mammon. It includes wealth, power, 
 honor, fame, business, pleasures, gayeties, amuse- 
 ments, and whatever of earthly good or enjoyment 
 people set their hearts on, or exalt into the room 
 of God, whether it be riches, station, place, or 
 anything else. 
 
 As to the other Master spoken of, most people 
 feel and agree that God ought to be honored and 
 served. Even atheists and unbelievers readily 
 concede that, if there be a God, no devotion is 
 too much for us to render Him, and no pious 
 obedience can go beyond what is His righteous 
 due. Any child of sin and Satan, in his serious 
 and sober moments, will agree that it is right 
 
 422 
 
FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 423 
 
 to serve God, and fault himself that he has not 
 been more dutiful in this respect. The com- 
 mon conviction is clear enough that as truly as 
 God is God, in whom we live and move and have 
 our being, we should honor and serve Him; and 
 few fail to do some things in the line of what all 
 feel to be the righteous and indefeasible obliga- 
 tion of every one. 
 
 But while this is true, the human heart is prone 
 to give chief attention and energy to another Mas- 
 ter. To the natural man, Mammon has wonderful 
 charms and commands many ardent worshippers. 
 And there is much that makes it seem reasonable. 
 In a world like this there is strong call to be con- 
 cerned about what tends to make life easy and 
 pleasant. We must live. We must have food 
 and shelter, and provisions for those dependent 
 upon us. Many desirable things present them- 
 selves, and invite our efforts to secure them. 
 Riches, honors and place, promise to add so much 
 to the convenience, comfort, zest, and joy of life, 
 that it seems like a wrong against ourselves to be 
 indifferent to them. Thus multitudes are drawn 
 and captivated, and feel that some concession 
 must be made to Mammon. They are not ob- 
 livious to the fact that there is a higher good 
 than the most favored estate on earth. They 
 fully consent that an outward life of ease, com- 
 fort, distinction, or wealth is not the chief thing 
 for the soul. They do not for a moment dispute 
 that all earthly good is evanescent, and must 
 presently fail those who have it, — that nothing 
 
424 FUTILITY OF A DIVIDED SERVICE. 
 
 is more uncertain, perishable, and unsatisfying 
 than what worldlings most value and strive for. 
 They know every earthly possession is liable to 
 failure at any time, and at best will have to be 
 given up after a few years. They know full well 
 that every dollar one wins here he must presently 
 lay down and leave forever. Mammon is perish- 
 able, and cannot help when the ultimate test 
 comes. Yet multitudes are infatuated; and Mam- 
 mon, after all, gets marvellous credit; while many 
 who would fain count themselves the children of 
 God, are deep in the service of this captivating 
 idol. 
 
 Hence that remarkable manifestation of life and 
 character to which the , Saviour here refers ; that 
 is, the attempt to reconcile the service of God with 
 the worship of Mammon, — the endeavor to gain 
 this world without losing the blessedness of the 
 next. They cannot honestly renounce the claims 
 of God and the soul, and yet feel that they cannot 
 be fair to themselves without trying to win and 
 enjoy as much of this world as possible. They 
 readily admit that it is right, necessary, and good 
 to serve God, and that to live only for the indul- 
 gence of their carnal aims and desire is very un- 
 worthy and wrong ; but they cannot give up the 
 world. And so they hover between the two, and 
 think to meet the case by conceding something to 
 both, and pursuing a fancied mean between them 
 by which to quiet their consciences, and yet 
 gratify their worldly desires and covetous fancies. 
 Many are the instances of this. 
 
FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 425 
 
 That some should wish for such a compromise, 
 and try to have it realized, is easily understood. 
 Arouse a man's religious feelings and convictions 
 which are not yet strong enough to control his 
 heart and life, and you have all that is necessary 
 to start him on the attempt which I have described. 
 Like Herod, he will do many things in the line 
 of religion and goodness, while yet there is no full 
 surrender of his soul to God and righteousness. 
 But how any one can think to make a success of 
 it, and come out safe in the end, is a puzzle. It 
 is as plain as that two and two make four that two 
 things so essentially discordant as a life of genu- 
 ine piety and a life of worldly conformity cannot 
 possibly be harmonized. And here stand the 
 words of the Saviour : " Ye cannot serve God and 
 Mammon. ' ' 
 
 It is sometimes wise and proper to be neutral. 
 There may be feuds, dissensions, and controver- 
 sies in which it is well to refrain from taking 
 sides. But it cannot be so in the matter between 
 the service of God and the service of Mammon. 
 The one is so radically at variance with the other 
 that there is no middle ground, and no possibility 
 of standing with both. We must be on the one 
 side or the other. Not to take a positive stand 
 for God and heaven throws us where there is no 
 other standing-room but with those who have 
 Mammon for their god. It matters not for good 
 words, pious intentions, and half-way doings ; if 
 the heart be not made up, fixed, and settled to 
 know no lord but God, — no rule or aim of life but 
 
426 FUTILITY OF A DIVIDED SERVICE. 
 
 the doing of His will, our place is with the Mam- 
 monites. 
 
 It is not meant indeed that we are to tear our- 
 selves away from the ordinary associations, attach- 
 ments, and pursuits of life ; or that we dare not 
 eat, and drink, and clothe ourselves becomingly. 
 It does not mean that we are never to laugh nor 
 allow ourselves the enjoyment of whatever good 
 of this world our merciful Father in heaven may 
 award us. He has made us human beings, and 
 put us here with certain needs, adaptations, ca- 
 pacities, instincts, and relationships ; and He 
 means that we should be true men and women, 
 and live and handle ourselves as such. We are 
 not required to abjure all attention to the things 
 of time. That would be to fault and contradict, 
 not to serve Him. But we are to order ourselves 
 in these earthly spheres, necessities, and sur- 
 roundings, so as not to forget God, not to pervert 
 His gifts, but so to direct and use our powers that 
 we may fulfill the purposes of our creation and 
 do honor to His Name. We may value wealth, 
 and labor for it, and enjoy it ; but must remember 
 that it is the Lord's, and that we are responsible 
 to Him for the use we make of it. W T e may share 
 the pleasures of society and a cheerful life ; but 
 must hold them subservient to the higher aims and 
 purposes of our being. We may have respect to 
 honor, influence, gain, and fame, and have them 
 before us in our efforts ; but not so as to make 
 them the sole spring of our industry and activi- 
 ties, or to treat them as the true goal and end of 
 
FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 42/ 
 
 our existence. We may be alive to the attrac- 
 tions of the world God has given us and respond 
 to them ; but not so as to waste ourselves upon 
 them. 
 
 But the danger is not that we will have too 
 little regard for the gains, possessions, pleasures, 
 and honors of this world. There is a perverted 
 nature in all of us, and it is sure to show itself 
 unduly absorbed with what is only earthly and 
 temporal to the neglect of the heavenly and 
 eternal. Few people live over whom Mammon 
 does not have an immense influence, even where 
 the will is for something better. We all have 
 need to struggle against its seductive power, — 
 against the temptation to bestow undue affection 
 upon earthly good, and to grieve and pine when 
 we have it not in the measure we would like. It 
 is a trying thing to human nature to be poor ; yet 
 it is better to live in want and die of starvation, 
 peacefully submitting ourselves to the divine will, 
 than to revel in the riches of Dives and fare as he 
 did when death comes. The great matter is to be 
 dutifully and confidingly enlisted under the stand- 
 ard of the King of kings and Lord of lords, seek- 
 ing first, and above all, the Kingdom of God and 
 His righteousness. 
 
 It is no hardship that the blessed Saviour would 
 thus lay upon us, but rather to furnish us a sub- 
 lime and peaceful deliverance. From an absorb- 
 ing and bootless love of the world which never 
 can satisfy, — from torturing and consuming anxi- 
 eties about what we shall eat, drink, and put on, — 
 
428 FUTILITY OF A DIVIDED SERVICE. 
 
 from all vexatious cares that have no higher aims 
 and ends than earthly fortune, — from slavery to 
 greed, and self, and appetite, and perishable pleas- 
 ure and gains in this world, — He would have us 
 happily detached and delivered by a dutiful trust 
 in Him who feeds the birds and clothes the lilies. 
 There is something sweeter than selfish lust, — 
 sweeter than this world's gains, — sweeter and 
 more precious than all the treasures of Egypt. It 
 is the sweetness of freedom from carking cares and 
 anxieties about what must perish in the using, — 
 the sweetness of having all things in God who 
 careth for us, and rest in Him" who knoweth what 
 we have need of before we ask Him, and stands 
 pledged to bring us safely through all trials, and 
 make everything work to the eternal good of them 
 that love Him. 
 
 Mammon, at best, can do but little for us. 
 Mammon cannot give us a single good that we 
 can carry with us into eternity. Not a pleasure, 
 not a possession can it give its devotees that they 
 can take with them when they come to die. 
 Mammon can make misers and shrivel our nature 
 into a miserable selfishness. Mammon can make 
 us proud, heartless, and tyrannical, but renders us 
 utterly destitute for the world to come. Mammon 
 may make men feel as if they were little gods for 
 every one to worship, but cannot ease a pain, heal 
 a sickness, cure a fever, or enable one to live one 
 moment longer. Mammon may greatly flatter its 
 devotees, but is apt to plant thorns in their dying 
 pillows, and leave the soul distressed and hopeless 
 
FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 429 
 
 in the final agony. Mammon may give a man 
 great influence for the time, and bring around him 
 many sycophantic friends, and secure him an 
 elegant home, a fine funeral, and a showy tomb ; 
 but it cannot make him more genuinely respected, 
 or secure for him favor in heaven. 
 
 Dear friends, there should be no trouble about 
 what to choose in such a case as this. In the 
 Church, or out of it, spiritual misfortune, disap- 
 pointment, and eternal ruin must come of per- 
 sistence in the worship of Mammon; and people 
 only deceive themselves by thinking to serve 
 both God and Mammon. Jesus says it cannot 
 be. There is, then, but one alternative, — but one 
 hope; and that is, to give our hearts' devotion to 
 the only true and saving Lord, who stands before 
 us and says, "If any man serve Me, him will 
 my Father honor." There is no sublimer Mas- 
 ter, — no worthier or nobler service, — no surer 
 way to happiness and eternal blessedness. And 
 if we would make a choice never to be regretted, 
 here is our opportunity and now is the time. It 
 will not do to say — "After a while," — "time 
 enough yet," — "when earthly cares are less press- 
 ing," — the word from heaven says, " Now is the 
 accepted time, — Now is the day of salvation," — 
 4 ' Choose you this day whom ye will serve. ' ' God 
 help us each and all to the right decision, and 
 give us grace to stand to it faithfully to the end ! 
 
& jStaniung proclamation. 
 
 Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. — Jno. 6 : 37. 
 
 "N this promise many now singing the 
 song of Moses and the Lamb once hung 
 their fainting spirits, and it carried them 
 safely through guilt, through tempta- 
 tion, through death. So says a great American 
 preacher. And it is the same to-day that it ever 
 was. Its freedom is not restrained, its grace is 
 not diminished, its Giver's power is not abridged. 
 It stands now, for every soul to take hold on, as 
 true, as gracious, as firm, and as transcendant as 
 when it first came from the lips of Jesus. O 
 that He, with whom is the residue of the Spirit, 
 would shed forth His light upon it, and upon our 
 hearts, as we contemplate it ! 
 
 I. See here a word of explanation of what true 
 Christianity is. The text shows us the Christ, 
 stationed in the midst of a world of homeless and 
 needy ones, as the centre and source of ample 
 supplies and consolations for all, claiming to be 
 both able and willing to bestow them on every 
 
 4. HO 
 
SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 43 I 
 
 one. And what is this but the very heart of the 
 Gospel ? 
 
 The centre of Christianity is Christ. He is its 
 beginning, middle, and end. Everything belong- 
 ing to it groups about Him. In its object and its 
 subject. He is the All and in all. What the sun 
 is to the planetary system, Christ is to the system 
 of salvation. He carries all, sustains all, vivifies 
 all ; and without Him it is nothing. In our faith, 
 in our hopes, in our prayers, in our songs, in our 
 aims, in our desires, in our emotions, and in all 
 our thoughts and experiences as Christians, He is 
 the Alpha and the Omega. The best sermons, 
 the best hymns, the best Liturgies, the best lives, 
 are those which have in them the most of Christ. 
 Everything objective in Christianity centres in 
 Christ. Coming to Him comprehends all. Com- 
 ing to Him we believe and confess Him, put our 
 trust in Him, and consent to give Him our hearts. 
 Coming to Christ means faith, repentance, and 
 conversion. It means prayer, baptism, righteous- 
 ness, sanctification, and redemption. Coming to 
 Christ we become Christians, and find place among 
 the saved. 
 
 II. See here a word of blessed encowagement to 
 the troubled and anxious. It says to every weary 
 and heavy-laden sinner, ' ' The Master is come, 
 and calleth for thee." He has come, not in the 
 terrors of justice to arraign and condemn; but 
 meek, and having salvation. The word is, 
 "Come unto me, and I will give you rest." It 
 
432 A STANDING PROCLAMATION. 
 
 matters not for blood or nationality. It matters 
 not for condition, rank, or standing in the world. 
 It matters not for age or condition in life. It 
 matters not for the depth of guilt, the time wasted 
 in sin, the number or the turpitude of offences. 
 It may be a Manassah, who filled the streets of 
 Jerusalem with blood ; — it may be a Mary Magda- 
 lene, driven and tossed with seven devils ; — it may 
 be a Saul, whose very breath was slaughter and 
 havoc to God's saints ; — it may be the thief in the 
 last extremity of suffering for his crimes ; — it may 
 be the man who swung the lash that lacerated the 
 back of the Son of God ; — it may be the soldier 
 that drove the nails into his hands and feet, or 
 thrust the spear into His side ; — it may be the 
 lowest and the worst of Adam's children — no 
 matter, any one that cometh to Him He will 
 in no wise cast out. The word is absolute and 
 without limit. No one is outside of its range. 
 Whosoever will may come, and he that cometh 
 shall not be rejected. The declaration in the 
 original has a double negative, making the lan- 
 guage the strongest possible, that Jesus will 7iot 
 cast out any one who comes to Him. 
 
 And what He spoke with His lips is illustrated 
 and confirmed in His history and providence. 
 There is no case in any records of a sinner come 
 to Him who met with repulse and rejection. In 
 all His career on earth we see His tender willing- 
 ness and delight to raise up trophies of His grace, 
 albeit from among the chief of sinners — from, 
 among persecutors and blasphemers — from among 
 
SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 433 
 
 publicans and harlots — even to the shamed thing 
 dragged before Him in the temple. In no age, in 
 no land, under no circumstances did the L,ord of 
 glory ever spurn from Him an humble sinner 
 fallen at His feet to plead for His forgiveness. 
 And if anything is true of Him, this is true, that 
 whosoever cometh to Him He is willing and 
 ready to receive, and help, and welcome. 
 
 Precious assurance ! Hear it, ye people of oft- 
 repeated and oft-broken vows, whose promises lie 
 on God's altar unredeemed, whose solemn cove- 
 nants and pledges lie strewn in shattered frag- 
 ments all along your path. Hear it, ye souls 
 bowed down with chagrin and torment at contem- 
 plation of your unmanliness and guilt. L,et go 
 all further trust in self, and put your unworthy 
 hands in Christ's to walk as little children by His 
 side. For He hath sympathy for you ; and whoso- 
 ever cometh unto Him He will in no wise cast out. 
 
 III. See here a word of pregnant promise. If 
 Jesus will not cast out the soul that comes to Him, 
 the implication is that He will receive it ; and, 
 being received, it must needs have a home and 
 fellowship with Him. Coming to Christ with the 
 continuity which the word implies means no more 
 separation. Coming to Him, we become His, and 
 He becomes ours, and there is a joining from both 
 sides into an everlasting unity of fellowship, in- 
 terest, fortune, and destiny. What is His becomes 
 ours, and what is ours becomes His. His unfail- 
 ing righteousness becomes our righteousness ; His 
 
434 A STANDING PROCLAMATION. 
 
 merit our plea ; His victory our victory ; His 
 spirit our spirit ; His kingdom our kingdom ; His 
 Father our Father ; His home our home. In all 
 respects, where He is there shall we be also ; for 
 we thus become joint-heirs with Him to eternal 
 glory. 
 
 We can conceive of many things from which 
 Christ might cast us out. He might cast us out 
 from His pity, His forbearance, His compassion, 
 and His love. He might cast us out from the 
 benefits of His mediation, from His forgiveness, 
 from the influences of His Spirit, from the aid 
 of His intercessions, and from all the consolations 
 of His grace. He might cast us out from His 
 Kingdom, from part in the resurrection of the 
 just, from His friendly recognition in the day 
 of judgment, and from the joys of heaven. And 
 from all these must those be severed who come 
 not to Him. But from the dreadfulness of such 
 calamity we may read the blessedness of those 
 whom He will not cast out. His love, tender- 
 ness, and compassion for them shall never cease. 
 His mediation, His grace, His forgiveness, His 
 righteousness, His Spirit, and His intercessions 
 ever avail for them. All the power, and the 
 riches, and the dominion, and the glory, and the 
 triumph over death and hell, and the immortal 
 empire awarded Him by the Father they shall 
 share. i\nd as He liveth and reigneth in glory 
 without end, so shall they live and shine amid 
 the thrones and princedoms of eternity, as His 
 imperishable stars. 
 
SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 435 
 
 What shall we say, then, to these things ! The 
 Christ is here. The redemption He proposes is 
 itself the evidence that we need it. And to all 
 the bruised, mutilated, disabled, faint, and de- 
 spairing souls that lie scattered, and groaning, 
 and helpless all over the surface of the world, His 
 sympathetic and compassionate word is, " Him 
 that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out. ' ' 
 Nor can we do a better or a wiser thing than to 
 avail ourselves of such a Patron. No greater 
 honor can come to man than to be joined to such 
 a Prince and Saviour. No sublimer happiness 
 can we ever hope to reach than that of identifica- 
 tion with the status, glory, and destiny of the 
 Heir of all things. 
 
 Dear friends, we often doubt and wonder, can 
 the Saviour really be so good as to receive and 
 welcome creatures so faulty as we ? With all our 
 many errands to His house, His altar, and His 
 throne, imploring to be numbered with His saints, 
 and with all our longing and wrestling to secure 
 His great salvation, doubts and shadows often 
 come over the soul, and we question if we may 
 hope to be among the saved. Nor am I surprised 
 that faith itself should sometimes stagger when 
 we contemplate our unworthiness. But if Christ 
 will cast out none who come to Him, why should 
 we fear? If no weaknesses, no stubborn roots of 
 remaining earthiness, no defects, no infirmities, 
 no sinfulness in the past, can bar the way to His 
 favor, why need we despair? If the worn-out 
 slaves of sin and Satan may have redemption 
 
436 A STANDING PROCLAMATION. 
 
 through His blood, shall not His own children, 
 hungering for His grace, be allowed to count 
 themselves among His saved ones? If the fraudu- 
 lent Zaccheus could find salvation, and the thief, 
 dying for his crimes, could have the doors of 
 Paradise opened to receive his departing soul, and 
 the persecuting Saul of Tarsus could obtain for- 
 giveness, and be accepted as a child and apostle 
 of God for whom is reserved an eternal crown of 
 righteousness, why may not the Marys that sit at 
 His feet, and the Johns that lean on His bosom, 
 and the Peters that stand up for His defence, hope 
 to be welcomed on the same terms to the same 
 transcendent blessedness? 
 
 And though we may yet have many corruptions 
 to subdue, and many trials to endure, and many, 
 temptations to overcome, and many antagonisms 
 to resist, rendering many more errands to the 
 throne of grace necessary in order to a final tri- 
 umph, we still may come without let or hindrance, 
 and find shelter in the Rock that is higher than 
 we. And even if we have been faithless to our 
 calling, dishonored our profession, denied our 
 Lord, and grieved His loving heart by mortal sin, 
 the doors of mercy are still wide open to us, and 
 the tender voice of invitation is, "Return, ye 
 backsliding children, and I will heal you." 
 Through the tears of ingenuous shame we still 
 may see forgiveness in His grieved and gentle look, 
 and be sure that He would have us take hold 
 again upon His everlasting covenant. For who- 
 soever cometh to Him He will in no wise cast out. 
 
SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 437 
 
 Ye dying sons of men, 
 
 Immersed in sin and woe, 
 The Gospel voice attend, 
 
 Which Jesus sends to you : 
 Ye perishing and guilty, come, 
 In Jesus there is plenteous room. 
 
 Believe the heavenly Word 
 
 His messengers proclaim ; 
 He is a gracious Lord, 
 
 And faithful is His Name. 
 Backsliding souls, return and come ; 
 Cast off despair, in Christ there's room. 
 
ISotrtrirttons upon ti>e WLxtstltx. 
 
 Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 I will be as the dew unto Israel : he shall grow as the lily, and 
 cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread ; and his 
 beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. — Hosea 
 14:5,6. 
 
 SRAKL was the name given to Jacob 
 when he wrestled with the Jehovah- 
 Angel, and conquered to himself the 
 divine blessing. It is a name which 
 primarily refers to spiritual qualities. It describes 
 the characteristics of those who succeed in their 
 endeavors to secure the divine favor. He who 
 wrestles to win the grace and benediction of 
 God, and perseveres in his efforts until he pre- 
 vails, is a true Israel. 
 
 It is a name which describes every Christian, 
 for Christian life is the struggle to secure and re- 
 tain the divine favor and blessing. There is 
 deadly wrath against us by reason of our sins, and 
 we are exiled now. The goal of our existence is 
 to get back into reconciliation and peace. For 
 this also every right man longs, and prays, and 
 wrestles, as did Jacob. Knowing and feeling his 
 unworthiness and guilt, he cannot give up the 
 
 438 
 
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 439 
 
 effort nor demit the struggle to secure so great a 
 boon. Many are indifferent, and give themselves 
 little or no concern about it ; but every genuine 
 Israel strives and agonizes to be on terms with 
 God and to have His blessing. 
 
 Nor are such efforts without good hope of suc- 
 cess. Jacob wrestled for the divine benediction, 
 and he prevailed and got it. God is not inexora- 
 ble. He is willing to be entreated even by those 
 who have wronged Him most. In our own 
 strength and merit no one can win ; but earnestly 
 pleading the mediation, mercy, and promises of 
 Jesus, and persevering with a determination never 
 to leave off, God himself will yield to our entreaty 
 and acknowledge us as victors. It may cost us 
 suffering, but we shall prevail. 
 
 Notice then the items of blessing here promised 
 to every such spiritual wrestler. 
 
 God says, ' ' / will be as the dew to Israel. ' ' 
 Gently and invisibly the dew distills upon the 
 world, refreshing, comforting, and sustaining the 
 drooping vegetation. And thus God promises to 
 bless all who earnestly seek His favor. What a 
 joy to the thirsting and famishing soul to learn 
 that wrath is gone, and that condemnation is 
 effectually turned away ! What a blessed cheer 
 comes with the Gospel word of pardon and peace ! 
 Like a balmy and healing moisture from heaven, 
 it brings hope, and life, and gladness. God is 
 ever graciously with His struggling people. His 
 hand upholds them. His promises cheer them. 
 His comforts delight them. His graces enliven 
 
44-0 BENEDICTIONS UPON THE WRESTLER. 
 
 and sustain them. In spite of all earth's draw- 
 backs and nature's infirmities, they are blessed; 
 for God is to them as the dew upon the grass. 
 
 And the further promise to every such wrestler 
 is : u He shall grow as the lily." There be many 
 plants which cannot stand the frosts of winter nor 
 the heat of summer ; but the lily is one of those 
 bulbous growths that carry in them such a store 
 of life-elements as to enable them to live and 
 thrive when other plants are blasted and dead. 
 And as with the lily, so with every true Israel. 
 By the mercy and grace of God he is furnished 
 with vitality and grace against all times of adver- 
 sity, trial, and despair. He has vigor and sub- 
 stance enough in his ' ' root of faith ' ' to with- 
 stand the winter's frosts and the summer's drought. 
 He abides and puts forth in freshness and thrift 
 when others are cut down as the grass or wither 
 as the green herb. The grace of God is sufficient 
 for him, making him strong amid weakness, joy- 
 ous in tears, and triumphant even in seeming 
 defeat. As the lily, He grows and flourishes. 
 
 Furthermore, "He casteth forth his roots as 
 Lebanon." Here is the idea of strength, firm- 
 ness, and deep-seated power. Lebanon is Pales- 
 tine's greatest mountain. It rises out of the 
 earth's deep bosom and bathes its snowy summit 
 in heaven. It is remarkable for its u roots," — its 
 great rocky buttresses, which it sends out even 
 into the sea. And so every true Israel's posi- 
 tion is fixed and firm, as if rooted in the world's 
 heart and girded by the granite framework of the 
 
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 44 1 
 
 mountains. His foundation is the Rock of Ages. 
 Nor waves nor storms can move or displace Him. 
 There are many weaklings in the world, driven 
 about by every wind of doctrine, and ready to yield 
 to every new wave that comes. But the genuine 
 Christian knows whom He has believed, and holds 
 fast with an unfaltering trust. Nothing can drive 
 or dislodge him from the precious faith on which 
 his immortal hopes are built. Such at least is 
 the birthright and privilege of every true child 
 of God; and the grace for it is ours if we do but 
 seek to avail ourselves of it. 
 
 There is likewise an excellent expansiveness 
 pledged to Christian life and experience. A 
 mountain does not grow. But of the true Israel 
 it is said, " His branches shall spread." Living 
 Christianity means growth and aggression into 
 the beyond. The genuine believer increases in 
 faith, grows in grace, develops in knowledge, and 
 strengthens in faithfulness, activity, and conquest. 
 If we be Christians indeed, we will never rest 
 with past experiences, attainments, and accom- 
 plishments. The aim is ever to become better, 
 more holy, more Godlike, more useful. There is 
 a continual branching out into new fields, new 
 efforts, and higher achievements. The Spirit of 
 God is a living and active Spirit; and the indwell- 
 ing of that Spirit makes it our life, our privilege, 
 and our glory, to become wiser, more dutiful, 
 more energetic, more effective, and more mature 
 for heaven, every year that we live. And what- 
 ever we may have experienced or achieved in the 
 
442 BENEDICTIONS. UPON THE WRESTLER. 
 
 past, it belongs to our Christian life and char- 
 acter to be ever ready and anxious to do greater 
 things, and to put ourselves forth in ever-spread- 
 ing branches. Wearying in well-doing is a prog- 
 nostic of failure in the end. We must on, and 
 ever on, while life and strength are given us. 
 Planted and girded like Lebanon's Mountain, we 
 are to spread our branches like Lebanon's Cedars, 
 even as the trees which the Lord hath planted. 
 
 And with all this comes beauty, — beauty like 
 that of the olive tree, modest in external presenta- 
 tions, but specially pleasing and attractive in in- 
 ward fibre and richness of fruitage. A true Chris- 
 tian character is a beautiful character; — beautiful 
 in texture, beautiful in tendency, aim, and fruit- 
 fulness. Let men say and think what they will; 
 when the final verdict is reached its purport will 
 be that 
 
 A Christian is the highest style of man. 
 
 His religion is not a mere creed, but an ex- 
 perience, a life, — not a mere restraint, but an 
 inspiration, — not only an insurance for the next 
 world, but a programme and guide for this. 
 Everything concerning him takes on peculiar 
 attractiveness. Ignorance, prejudice, depravity, 
 and a perverted understanding, may decry and 
 hate him; but when he truly embodies what was 
 so sweetly exemplified in Jesus, no right-minded 
 man can deny his spiritual beauty. There is 
 beauty in holiness, — beauty in its creation, — 
 beauty in its development, — beauty in its pos- 
 
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 443 
 
 session, — beauty in what it inspires, and beauty 
 in what it achieves. Both in life and in death 
 the good Christian is beautiful. The beauty of 
 the Lord is upon him, like the beauty of angels. 
 
 And hence also his life is fragrant. " His 
 smell is as Lebanon." His quiet influence, like 
 the name of Jesus, "is as ointment poured forth." 
 Paul says of Christians, "By us God maketh 
 manifest the savor of His knowledge in every 
 place." As a man lives near to God, and is 
 faithful to his Christian confession, there goes 
 forth from him a peculiar aroma to refresh and 
 cheer. From his life, his conversation, his pray- 
 ers, his charities, and his good deeds there issues 
 a sweet odor to make the world better for his pres- 
 ence. Even those who walk not with him feel 
 the good that he exhales, and in their hearts re- 
 spect him more than they do one of themselves. 
 He is a benediction to society, for such are the 
 salt of the earth and the light of the world. Like 
 the precious cedars of Lebanon, the savor of his 
 life regales and blesses wherever his influence 
 reaches. 
 
 From this then, dear friends, we may see what 
 practical Christianity is. It is a constant struggle 
 and wrestling to secure and retain the favor and 
 blessing of God. There must be a conquering to 
 this end or we are undone. We must surmount 
 the hindrances in the way, or true peace and home 
 we cannot have. And though in our own strength 
 alone we never could succeed, the Jehovah- Angel 
 has come to us. On Him we can take hold. Nor 
 
444 BENEDICTIONS UPON THE WRESTLER. 
 
 can we fail if we will but persevere. As Chris- 
 tians, we are all in this struggle. Fortunately it 
 is not a hopeless wrestle. Success is sure if we 
 only keep at it, determined never to give it up. 
 
 And blessed are the promises to those who are 
 faithful. God will be as the dew to them. They 
 shall grow as the lily. They shall be planted and 
 girded like Lebanon, with affections in heaven 
 even while living on earth. Growth, expansion, 
 and blessing, and beauty shall mark their career. 
 And when they pass away, the sweet savor of 
 their lives shall linger long after they are gone. 
 
 To this our calling then let us be true, deter- 
 mined, and inflexible. It is the best we can do 
 amid the infirmities, sins, and sufferings of this 
 unsatisfying world. It will lift us highest and 
 make us happiest of anything that can enlist our 
 hearts and energies. And whatever adversities or 
 trials may attend it here, they cannot last and 
 will only add to the glory of the victory. For 
 ' ' if God be for us, who can be against us ? n 
 
Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye 
 comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accom- 
 plished, that her iniquity is pardoned. — ISA. 40 : I, 2. 
 
 [jOD has a people. It is made up of those 
 whom He has called and chosen to serve 
 and honor Him. All the circumcised 
 seed of Abraham, who accepted the 
 Lord's covenant, and confessed Jehovah as their 
 God, were His people in the time Isaiah wrote. 
 And all those who have been baptized into the 
 Church of Christ, and confess Jesus as their Lord 
 and Saviour, are, in the same sense, His people 
 now. There were those of old who were Jews 
 only outwardly, and whose circumcision was that 
 of the flesh and not of the heart ; and so there be 
 those now who have the form of godliness, and 
 are outwardly rated as members of the Church, 
 but who are not inwardly and in truth members 
 of the communion of saints. God's true people 
 are they who confess His word and name, accept 
 and observe His ordinances, and with heart and 
 soul believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as their 
 hope and salvation. 
 
44-6 THE MESSAGE OF CONSOLATION. 
 
 It may seem a little paradoxical that God's 
 people, — those who have Him for their Father 
 and L,ord, — should be in need of comfort. Nat- 
 ural reason would suppose that people so highly 
 distinguished as to be Jehovah's own would be 
 lifted entirely above the common lot of mortals 
 and would never want for consolation. But it is 
 here implied that they may and do have sorrow. 
 And when we inquire particularly into their case 
 we find them always more or less the children of 
 affliction while sojourning in this world. They 
 have much with which they would not part ; but 
 they also have much to bear. Jesus said of all 
 His followers, in the world ye shall have tribula- 
 tion. They are here chained to a body of death 
 from whose clogging weight and infirmities they 
 are never free. Sin still works in their members. 
 The world they live in is adverse. Satan still 
 assails them with his temptations. They often 
 find themselves impelled and driven into what 
 they would fain avoid. God Himself often leads 
 them into wildernesses of trial and hardship, and 
 makes the fires hot about them, that He may the 
 more thoroughly purge out their sins, chasten 
 their spirit, prove their sincerity, strengthen 
 their graces, and develop them into a purer and 
 better saintship. Hence the forty years of wan- 
 dering in the desert. Hence the long contests 
 with the Canaanites after the crossing of the 
 Jordan. Hence the sore captivity of seventy 
 years in Babylon. Nor is there any exemption 
 or escape from affliction and sorrow of one kind 
 
EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 447 
 
 or another. Though they be God's people in 
 deepest reality and truth, they still have need of 
 comfort. 
 
 But God has comfort for His people. Of old 
 He covenanted with Israel that He would be 
 their God, and that they should be His people. 
 By virtue of that covenant they were distin- 
 guished, honored, and blest beyond all others. 
 They stood to God as no other people stood, and 
 God stood to them as He stood to none others 
 upon earth. He had them under His own special 
 protection, and performed toward them all the 
 offices of a true and faithful God. When they 
 were oppressed and tried His ear was open to 
 their cries. When in want He was ever present 
 to supply them. When in darkness He gave 
 them light, and served as their guide and help in 
 all their straits. And what He was to Israel of 
 old He is to His people still. By faith grafted in 
 upon the same original olive-tree, all Christians 
 occupy the same relation to Him that ancient 
 Israel did. Baptized into His Name, and con- 
 joined with the assembly of the saints, His cove- 
 nant is with us, and we are His people, and He is 
 our God. 
 
 It is not easy to take in all the meaning and 
 preciousness that belong to the relation thus es- 
 tablished. God is a being of exhaustless fullness. 
 His powers and possessions are endless. And in 
 making Himself our God, He makes over to us 
 all that He has and is. Holding His place and 
 prerogatives as God, He holds them for our good, 
 
44-8 THE MESSAGE OF CONSOLATION. 
 
 and for our blessing and salvation. He makes 
 Himself, as it were, our property, — puts Himself 
 to our use and service, — gives us the advantage 
 and profit of all His ineffable Godhead. Every- 
 thing that an almighty and eternal Being can be 
 to us in the way of helping, keeping, and serving 
 us, He makes Himself over to be to us. 
 
 When Israel rebelled and forsook Him He 
 afflicted and chastised them. Again and again 
 His hand was heavy upon them, and His sore 
 judgments overtook them for their sins. But 
 He still did not cease from being their God, to 
 whom they might penitently return and still find 
 Him the same merciful and loving God and 
 Father. If He afflicted them, it was still for 
 their good, that they might turn from their fol- 
 lies and have experience of His goodness. And 
 such a God He is still to all who believe on His 
 Name. 
 
 This, then, is the first and great source and sub- 
 ject of comfort and consolation to God's people. 
 He has entered into covenant with them to be 
 their God. This is a full offset to all their afflic- 
 tions. Hence the divine Word is, ' ' Fear thou 
 not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I 
 am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will 
 help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right 
 hand of my righteousness." By virtue of His 
 covenant with us, we have a God who cannot fail 
 us. He lives forever, and His mercy is everlast- 
 ing. All that can harm us is under His control, 
 and all that can help us is at His command. His 
 
EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 449 
 
 ear is never heavy that it cannot hear, nor His 
 hand shortened that He cannot save. Be the 
 situation what it may, He is ours to bring us 
 through, — ever our own faithful God. 
 
 Two further items of comfort are named. The 
 prophet was to tell Jerusalem that her iniquity is 
 pardoned and her warfare accomplished. Great 
 was her guilt. She had sinned against light and 
 love. She had turned aside unto idols. She had 
 stoned and killed the prophets sent unto her. 
 She had piled up iniquity on iniquity. But still 
 there was pardon for her; and that pardon was 
 proclaimed as a present and living reality, if she 
 would believe and receive it. 
 
 And so, through Christ, there is now offered 
 and proclaimed a present, complete, and everlast- 
 ing forgiveness to all who consent to be and re- 
 main God's people. Jesus hath borne our sins in 
 His own body on the tree. By His precious blood 
 He hath expiated our offences. The iniquities 
 of us all were laid on Him, and He hath answered 
 for them. And no matter how many or great our 
 sins have been, there is now no more condemna- 
 tion, if we only accept the pardon which the 
 Gospel preaches to us. It is not a pardon to be 
 worked out by our prayers, penances, and good 
 deeds. It is not a pardon that is to be ours 
 only at some future time, when a certain proba- 
 tion is passed. It is not a pardon simply for some 
 of our sins, or which sets us only partially free. 
 It is a perfect pardon, already complete, cover- 
 ing every iniquity, and exonerating us from all 
 
 29 
 
450 THE MESSAGE OF CONSOLATION. 
 
 condemnation if we will only believe and re- 
 ceive it. 
 
 There is nothing so dreadful as to be under the 
 condemnation and wrath of Almighty God. It 
 puts upon us a curse as terrible as the agony 
 which wrung the Saviour's soul. It fastens upon 
 us an amount of ill which no tongue can tell, 
 which no effort can escape, and which no being 
 can stand up under. If death could swallow one 
 up in the horrors of annihilation, it would not be 
 a fraction of the calamity involved in the endur- 
 ance of the irremediable wrath of God. And in 
 proportion to the dreadfulness of such a woe is the 
 preciousness and comfort of the pardon proclaimed 
 to us in Christ. Even men of the liveliest faith 
 do not half appreciate it. It carries in it an im- 
 measurable abundance of blessing and consolation. 
 
 And we can have it for the acceptance of it ! 
 Did men but realize it what a comfort is here ! 
 Failing to appreciate it, they miss the joy of an 
 unspeakable blessing. Therefore the heralds of 
 God are commanded to lift up their voices, to 
 throw into them the utmost emphasis, and to pro- 
 claim with fullest energy and earnestness that 
 the decree is passed that mercy has prevailed, 
 that pardon is granted, that the great condemna- 
 tion is gone. And if we did but know and realize 
 it, here is a comfort and a joy for God's people 
 which should make them forever glad. 
 
 And as the result of this absolution, and con- 
 nected with it as part of the same glad proclama- 
 tion, there is the further announcement that all 
 
EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 45 I 
 
 present adversities and calamities are nearing 
 their termination. The word is, " speak ye com- 
 fortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her 
 warfare is accomplished. ' ' The metaphor is mili- 
 tary, and the meaning is that the time of her hard 
 service, her subjugation, and her misery was now 
 touching upon its limit, — that the era of freedom 
 and jubilee was about to dawn. The first refer- 
 ence may have been to the restoration from the 
 Babylonian captivity, and thence to the nearing 
 exemption from the old bondage to the burden- 
 some exactions of the Mosaic laws ; but it referred 
 also to the final release from all burdens, aches, 
 and disabilities. 
 
 In part the warfare is already over. The old 
 law with its burdens, if not repealed, has had its 
 penalty satisfied. It cannot bind nor condemn the 
 believer in Jesus. The Devil's dominion has been 
 broken, and he cannot oppress us now beyond 
 what we are able to bear. He can no longer 
 tyrannize over us by bringing up oar sins, for 
 they have all been cancelled in our Saviour's 
 blood. Sin may still linger in our members, and 
 much trouble us by its presence even when we 
 would do the best ; but its power is broken, and 
 the Spirit so helpeth our infirmities that we need 
 no longer be overwhelmed. We have an Advo- 
 cate with the Father to maintain our cause. Here 
 is comfort, and assurance, and consolation in 
 which we may well rejoice and be glad, even in 
 the midst of all the ills and trials that still remain. 
 And the proclamation is that even these are near- 
 
452 THE MESSAGE OF CONSOLATION. 
 
 ing their end and about to vanish away. It is 
 4 'but for a moment," and then will come the 
 everlasting release. 
 
 Often are even the Lord's people made to sigh 
 and cry, O to be rid of these aches and ills, these 
 stripes and vexations, this exposure to adverse 
 elements, vicissitudes, bereavement, and sorrow ! 
 O to be released from the decay of age, the power 
 of disease, the bands and gloom and horribleness 
 of death ! O to be done with disappointments, and 
 infidelities, and the harsh ingratitudes that torture 
 and afflict our souls ! O for a life that ends 
 not, a world that fades not, a holiness that errs 
 no more ! O for affections ever fresh, for facul- 
 ties that never weary, for loving companionships 
 which cannot be soiled nor sundered ! But what 
 they thus covet is not far away. The blessed 
 consummation is nearer than they think. A little 
 while, and we shall have done with earth's bur- 
 dens and disabilities for ever. A little while and 
 the ascended Saviour will come again to receive 
 us unto Himself, to conduct us into the mansions 
 He has gone to prepare for us, and to introduce 
 us into the everlasting home of peace and rest. 
 And with this we may comfort ourselves. Nor 
 is there anything in being that can so cheer and 
 gladden the jaded heart of man as just these 
 assurances, which God proclaims to us by His 
 holy word. 
 
 See, then, dear friends, the merciful tenderness 
 of our heavenly Father. He would have us com- 
 forted. Though many a burden and trial be 
 
EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 453 
 
 upon us, He would not have us without consola- 
 tion. He gives Himself to be a God to us in all 
 our need of Him. He is most urgent in having 
 us feel and know that our sins, though many, are 
 all blotted out and taken clean away in the blood 
 of Christ; and that what we yet suffer because of 
 them is soon to be over for ever. And what more 
 could we ask or wish? O the comfort and peace 
 of a vigorous and confiding faith ! 
 
Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 And Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom. — Gen. 13 : 12. 
 
 JJHEN people are called upon to make 
 choice in life, and to branch out for 
 themselves, they often make very un- 
 2i fortunate work of it. Even where there 
 is nothing wrong or sinful in their choice, it is 
 often very unwisely made, and what was chosen 
 for superior good turns out for particular evil. 
 
 IyOt thought he was doing a splendid thing for 
 himself and his posterity when he choose this 
 Jordan plain. He thought he was acting with 
 very special foresight and consideration. ' ' He 
 lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of 
 Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, 
 even as the garden of the Lord. And so he jour- 
 neyed east, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. ' ' 
 
 Viewed from the hills toward Bethel, the Jordan 
 circle was then a scene of enchanting loveliness. 
 From either side of the wide outstretched plain 
 the brooks and rivulets poured down from their 
 mountain springs, and through the centre rolled 
 the meandering river. 
 
 God loves beauty, and hence has imprinted it 
 
NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 455 
 
 on His works; and He has implanted the like 
 instinct in the human soul. It was no fault in 
 Lot that he admired and was drawn by the fasci- 
 nations of the rich and splendid country that 
 spread itself before him. It was a goodly land, 
 and one desirable to dwell in, which, in the long 
 after years, touched and fired the great soul of 
 Moses himself as he looked down upon it from 
 Nebo's summit. 
 
 Nor is it wrong in us in choosing and arranging 
 our homes for ourselves and our children to seek 
 out pleasant locations and to surround ourselves 
 with what is pleasing to the eye and grateful to 
 the imagination. As there is no sin in having 
 elegant mansions, fair gardens, and fine pictures 
 to look on, provided we can afford it ; so neither 
 is there evil in desiring fertile fields and well- 
 watered lands, instead of being confined to barren 
 rocks and parched moors. Whatever God has 
 given of good and pleasantness it is the Chris- 
 tian's privilege to like, appropriate, and enjoy, if 
 he has his choice, the same as any other. Monk- 
 ish asceticism may enjoin self-mortifications in 
 such matters, but it is no requirement of the good 
 Father in heaven. And if places and things have 
 in them suggestions dear to memory, they are all 
 the more desirable and worthy of our regard. 
 The Jordan plains reminded Lot of the home of 
 man in his primeval days, and the blessedness of 
 that time and place where the primal father of the 
 race walked in innocence with God. Nor were 
 any of these attractions to be despised in making 
 
456 A DISASTROUS CHOICE. 
 
 choice of a land and home for himself and his 
 children. 
 
 But there were serious drawbacks. Bad neigh- 
 bors are a great depreciation to any locality ; and 
 the inhabitants of the villages in this Jordanic 
 plain were very bad people and sinners of a very 
 aggravated type. 
 
 We cannot avoid contact with bad people so 
 long as we are in this world ; but it is good policy 
 to have as little to do with them as possible. 
 Mingling with and marrying into the families of 
 the ungodly is what ruined the antediluvian 
 world, and has ruined the peace and happiness of 
 many worthy people in every age and country. 
 The greatest mischief to the Church of God is the 
 lowering and obliteration of the walls and fences 
 between it and the world. Contiguity with the 
 wicked begets ties and common interests with the 
 wicked, predisposes to leniency toward their ill 
 ways, and tends to draw the soul into what God 
 cannot approve. Lot was a good man and quite 
 settled in his faith, which had served to bring 
 him from idolatrous Ur to where he might wor- 
 ship the true God in peace ; but even he was not 
 proof against the deteriorating and corrupting in- 
 fluence of his bad associations. Human nature 
 will always take on evil more readily than good. 
 The contagion of a diseased man will impart dis- 
 ease to a dozen sound men, but the health of a 
 sound man is not so readily imparted to one dis- 
 eased. Example and the ways of society at large 
 are very strong ; but they are always the strongest 
 
NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 457 
 
 in the bad direction. It is hard for Christians in 
 any case to keep unspotted from the world. And 
 it was a bad calculation for Lot that he did not 
 take this into the account. 
 
 And if he should even be proof against the cor- 
 rupting influence of his bad neighbors, his choice 
 necessarily threw him into many sorrows and 
 grievances by reason of them. We are told that 
 his soul was often "vexed with their filthy con- 
 versations." Nevertheless, " Lot pitched his tent 
 toward Sodom." 
 
 But there were several deeper faults and flaws 
 in this move. 
 
 First of all, it was too avaricious in principle. 
 The getting of the good lands was the main 
 thought and aim. Whatever else might be risked, 
 lie wished above all to settle himself well with 
 regard to earthly and outward gains, comforts, 
 and possessions. It was by what his eyes saw 
 that he was most led. And this is always a doubt- 
 ful principle on which to act. When all other 
 things are evenly balanced it may be allowed to 
 decide ; but to be controlled by the lusts of the 
 eyes is to be led by cupidity to indulge a covetous- 
 ness which is idolatry. God, the worship of God, 
 and the bringing up of families in His fear and 
 service, should be the first consideration in any 
 move which a good man makes. Lot was a good 
 man, but he suffered himself to be captivated with 
 the idea of possessing a rich country. He did not 
 mean to sacrifice his religion ; but in his zeal for 
 worldly comforts and possessions he omitted to 
 
45 8 A DISASTROUS CHOICE. 
 
 provide for its due protection. And here was his 
 great mistake and a great flaw in his proceeding. 
 
 And this defect in principle also operated to 
 beget a faulty selfishness and neglect with regard 
 to the dues of others. Abraham had indeed given 
 him right to choose as he pleased. It was a mag- 
 nanimous generosity which submitted such an 
 offer; and it called for some acknowledgment on 
 the part of L,ot. Abraham was the uncle, the 
 elder, the rightful head and governor of the en- 
 tire establishment. It was on Abraham that L,ot 
 had depended all the way through, both for his 
 status as a worshipper of the true God, and for 
 whatever of prosperity had attended his immigra- 
 tion to Canaan. It would have been eminently 
 proper for him to throw the whole question back 
 again to Abraham, who had the wiser head and 
 the higher authority, and from whom he had had 
 nothing but good and justice in all the years 
 of their pilgrimage together. There was every 
 reason to believe that Abraham would have made 
 the very best disposition of the question possible. 
 But Iyot was too eager to secure what his eyes 
 saw and his heart coveted, to refer the matter to 
 his wise uncle and benefactor. The chance was 
 before him, and he zealously grasped it, consider- 
 ing only himself, and leaving out all consideration 
 of his uncle's interest, or his uncle's superior 
 right to advise. This was selfish and ungrateful. 
 But so young people sometimes act to their own 
 detriment. 
 
 It may be our right to choose for ourselves, 
 
NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 459 
 
 without reference to any advice or wishes on the 
 part of those above us, and without regard to 
 what fathers, mothers, or those on whom we have 
 been dependent might feel or wish; but it is very 
 selfish and ungrateful to do it, and is very apt 
 to work badly, and to bring many sad regrets. 
 When God gives Abrahams to young Lots, it is 
 not for nothing; and to leave them out of con- 
 sideration in any case, is very unsafe, and an im- 
 propriety which never promises well. 
 
 Lot furthermore assumed risks and exposure, 
 not only to his religious character and hopes, but 
 also to everything he held dear on earth. He not 
 only became entangled with bad neighbors and 
 their ill ways, but also with their enemies. Pitch- 
 ing his tent toward Sodom, it was not long till 
 we find him in Sodom, his daughters married to 
 children of Sodom, his wife wrapped up in the 
 society and possessions of Sodom, and himself 
 powerless against the abominations of Sodom. 
 Parting with Abraham and Abraham's counsel, 
 he parted with the best influences that had ever 
 been exercised over him. Calculating above all 
 for his worldly advantage, he sorely suffered in 
 the raid of the four kings, and finally lost all he 
 had in the destruction which befell Sodom for its 
 wickedness. He went down into those attractive 
 plains a wealthy man, with a happy family, with 
 every outward prospect of a prosperous life; but 
 he came out stripped of all his possessions, his 
 wife turned into a mound of salt, and his own 
 life saved only so as by fire. It proved a general 
 
4^0 A DISASTROUS CHOICE. 
 
 ruin to his own peace and comfprt in life, and 
 threw a cloud over his character and over all his 
 posterity. His wretchedness brought on by that 
 move was pitiable in the extreme. 
 
 And yet hot was not a bad man. We miss the 
 point if we class him with hypocrites and unbe- 
 lievers, or rate him with the irreligious and the 
 careless. He meant it well, and was guilty of 
 no particular sin in choosing as he did. But, like 
 many otherwise good and well-meaning people, 
 he did not consider. He did not act wisely. He 
 let the worldly spirit influence him more than 
 was meet. He acted with too much worldly 
 eagerness and self-will. He over-estimated his 
 ability to direct himself, and took no one's coun- 
 sel. This was the spring of all his sad misfor- 
 tune. And not all the faith and goodness that 
 may be in men will serve to deliver them from 
 the sad consequences of their mistakes when 
 once they begin to act on the general principles 
 of the world. 
 
 The case of IyOt thus stands out as a beacon 
 light to all Church people to be on their guard 
 how they deal with themselves, even when not 
 chargeable with any special sin. In every life, 
 times and occasions come when choice is to be 
 made, — when there must be a separation from the 
 old connections and old dependencies to act for 
 one's self. The youth leaving home, the choice 
 of a profession, the changing of pursuits, the 
 selection of new places of residence, the forming 
 of new alliances, the starting of new homes, and 
 
NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 46 1 
 
 adventures to secure a better fortune, are all such 
 times. And these are always critical times, — the 
 times in which the greatest dangers come, — times 
 which call for the devoutest and most thorough 
 consideration. They are times in which mistakes 
 and unwisdom, though not sinful in themselves, 
 yet disastrously color and cloud the whole after- 
 life, and bring evil on generations after us. The 
 time comes to every one when he must pitch tent 
 in some new direction; and pitching it toward 
 Sodom may have in it everything to captivate 
 and attract so far as the worldly eye can see; but 
 it is a hazardous experiment, and in most cases, 
 as in Lot's, it will result in sorrowful disaster. 
 
 Here then is a lesson for parents. You wish 
 to give your children a pleasant inheritance, an 
 attractive home, a situation in life of which they 
 can be proud, and in which to be rich and happy. 
 But what precautions have you taken to guard 
 their religious interests, to keep them from evil 
 associations and from alliances with the wicked? 
 You are anxious to give them a home that shall 
 be congenial to their health and physical wel- 
 fare; but what have you thought of Church privi- 
 leges, connection with the means of grace, asso- 
 ciation with people you can approve, and the 
 opportunities for the health and salvation of their 
 souls ? What will your own example upon them 
 necessarily be, if for worldly advantages you put 
 yourselves down where there are no Abrahams nor 
 Sarahs to keep up the spirit of faith and devotion, 
 and no Church conveniences that you can ap- 
 
462 A DISASTROUS CHOICE. 
 
 prove, no houses of the Lord to which to take 
 your children, that they may grow up in the fear 
 and favor of God ? You have had an eye to good 
 lands, to pleasant locations, to fruitful fields, to 
 business conveniences, to prosperous situations; 
 but how far have you been considering the wants 
 of your souls and of the souls of your house- 
 holds? You mean it well; but in how many in- 
 stances is it Lot over again, pitching tent toward 
 Sodom? 
 
 Here also is a solemn lesson for all young peo- 
 ple and those making arrangements to settle 
 themselves in life. You are looking to what 
 pleases your fancy, — you are joining yourselves to 
 companions, associates, and connections that 
 must necessarily have a controlling influence 
 over your whole earthly life, — you are fixing the 
 character of your employment, your profession, 
 your business relations, your place of residence, 
 and the line of things in which you propose to 
 spend your earthly existence, — you are closely 
 calculating your chances, your greatest successes, 
 your prospects of a good livelihood, your opportu- 
 nities for winning a fortune, honor, or promotion 
 in the world, — you are shaping matters that must 
 shape your whole career. These things are more 
 or less occupying your earnest thought and atten- 
 tion by day and by night. But what respect are 
 you showing to the wishes and advice of your 
 parents, your superiors, and those most capable 
 and most anxious to have you do the best ? You 
 are striking out on your own account, and to act 
 
NINETEENTH SUNDAY' AFTER TRINITY. 463 
 
 for yourselves, where the old home influences will 
 no longer be over you, and all your surroundings 
 will undergo a change ; and what consideration 
 are you giving to the moral and religious bearings 
 of your choice and movements? What account 
 are you taking for your souls, the nurture and 
 security of your faith and hopes toward God ? 
 What is the outlook for the influences and entan- 
 glements that may come from the choice you are 
 making ? Have you looked at the exposure and 
 risk to which you are subjecting yourselves and 
 yours in the eager pursuit of what so attracts and 
 pleases your imagination ? Alas, what multitudes 
 of Lots do we find about us, — good and well- 
 meaning indeed, but captivated with worldly fan- 
 cies, — and pitching their tents toward Sodom ! 
 
 And what a solemn lesson is here for all of us ! 
 We are continually choosing, — making new ar- 
 rangements, — entering on new fields and experi- 
 ments. The old order of things is ever and anon 
 getting out of joint, dissolving, and pushing us 
 out into new selections, enterprises, and attempts 
 for the better. We cannot help it. Circumstances 
 demand it. And we must again and again cast 
 about for new departures. Much thought and 
 anxiety are necessarily involved, and the moves 
 we make are vitally related to all our future. 
 What weight, then, are we giving to the spiritual, 
 moral, and religious side of the matter? Is it 
 Jordan's fair plains, or Abraham's God, that is the 
 uppermost in our thoughts and calculations? 
 
 Ah, this pitching of tents toward Sodom, — this 
 
464 A DISASTROUS CHOICE. 
 
 throwing ourselves into associations with the 
 w T icked to please our earthly tastes and further 
 our earthly comforts and fortunes, — this going 
 down into the doomed world in hope of improving 
 our comforts and estate, — what noble souls it has 
 ruined, — what lives it has made wretched, — -what 
 ill ends it has brought on otherwise good people ! 
 L,et us take warning then, dear friends, and beware 
 of pitching our tents toward Sodom. 
 
®f)e Samaritan ffliHotnan. 
 
 Twentieth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 How is it that Thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a 
 woman of Samaria ? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samari- 
 tans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of 
 God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink ; thou wouldest 
 have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water. — 
 John 4 : 9, 10. 
 
 T is a striking fact that a Jew can gener- 
 ally be recognized. There'is no disgrace 
 in it, but it is hard for him to conceal or 
 obliterate the peculiar indications of his 
 race: No matter where he is born and reared, 
 what language he speaks, what centuries or ages 
 of naturalization have intervened, nothing can 
 entirely wipe off his Jewish features. In Jerusa- 
 lem, in Babylon, in Egypt, in Rome, in Tartary, 
 and everywhere on earth, the discerning eye can 
 detect a Jew. He belongs to a peculiar race, and 
 always carries the marks of it. Nearly every 
 nation has a general type of its own, but never so 
 distinct and certain as that of the Jews, even 
 after two thousand years of dispersion among the 
 nations. 
 
 These Jewish marks could be recognized in 
 Jesus also. "He took on Him the seed of Abra- 
 
 30 465 
 
466 THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. 
 
 ham." But He did not try to conceal His Jewish 
 kinship. He never attempted to play a double 
 part in anything; neither should we. Iyife is too^ 
 real, too solemn, too momentous, to admit of at- 
 tempts at disguise. We are what we are in spite 
 of all the masks we may wear; and we should 
 never be ashamed to be and appear what our 
 Creator made us, even where it may be to our 
 disadvantage. 
 
 To the eye of this woman the speech, dress, 
 and face of Christ bespoke a Jew, and He had no 
 wish to make it seem otherwise. He was a Jew, 
 and that fact was now in His way; but He would 
 not be other than His true self. 
 
 He was now travelworn, thirsty, hungry, weary. 
 He was waiting for bread; and He civilly asked 
 for a drink of water. There was no just reason 
 why it should not be given Him by a Samaritan 
 woman, even if He was a Jew. Was He not a 
 brother-man ? Was He not partaker in the same 
 common wants and deserving of the same humane 
 consideration with other men? And why hesitate 
 about bestowing a common civility upon a needy 
 and worthy fellow-being only because he is of 
 another party? This woman had done worse 
 things than give a drink of water to a Jew. But 
 party and prejudice are often much stronger than 
 principle, and she must withhold the water while 
 she vents her Samaritan spite and hatred, though 
 a man should perish for want of a little water, 
 and though the very Son of God was being struck 
 by her taunts about His earthly kinship. 
 
TWENTIETH SUNDAY "AFTER TRINITY. 467 
 
 A worthier, greater, holier man than that weary 
 and suppliant stranger she had never seen. A 
 more deserving civility she could never bestow 
 than that which was so respectfully requested 
 and under the circumstances so eloquently en- 
 treated. But He was a Jew, and she a Samar- 
 itan; therefore He must be taunted, insulted, 
 and for the time denied. Poor, narrow-hearted, 
 malignant human nature ! What is meaner than 
 a vaunting pride of race, rank, caste, family, and 
 clique ? What is more ridiculous and absurd than 
 the way some people prate and swagger about 
 ' ' society, ' ' family, and blood ? And those who 
 claim and proclaim the loudest generally have 
 the worst record. A loose-lived Samaritan woman 
 of mongrel parentage vaunts over the blood of 
 David and the Son of God ! 
 
 And well may we blush for the baseness of 
 human nature, as well as wonder at the sublime 
 humility and meekness of our adorable Saviour, 
 as we contemplate this picture. A common beg- 
 gar might have asked of the most honorable, and 
 have received; but the great and glorious Messiah, 
 for whom the ages waited, was only jeered as 
 being a Jew when He asked a drink of water 
 from a woman whose stained life should have 
 shut her mouth about the relations of other peo- 
 ple ! Had Jesus caused her to drop dead at His 
 feet, as Sapphira before the face of Peter, it would 
 have been less than she deserved. 
 
 But there was no spirit of retaliation in that 
 meek sufferer. He came not to destroy men's 
 
468 THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. 
 
 lives, but to save them. He was not on earth to 
 resent disrespect and reproach, but to pity the 
 weaknesses and sins of humanity, and to suffer 
 for its forgiveness and salvation. His only reply 
 was: u If thou knew est the gift of God, and who it 
 is that saith to thee, Give me drink; thou moulds t 
 have asked Him, and He would have given thee 
 living water" 
 
 From this answer of Christ two things appear. 
 
 I. We here get a glimpse of that good which 
 Jesus came to impart to the children of men. He 
 calls it ' ' The gift of God. ' ' Many and various 
 are God's gifts. If we were to reckon them up, 
 they would be as the sands of the sea, multiplied 
 by the number of stars in the firmament, for mul- 
 titude. And many of them are so great in worth 
 that we cannot even begin to estimate their value. 
 But with all, there is one which stands out in 
 vast preeminence as ' ' The Gift " — the Gift of gifts. 
 
 Nor ought there to be any difficulty in identify- 
 ing it. Some would have us think of Christ as 
 the gift. Others have taken it to be the Holy 
 Ghost. And still others consider it the life eternal. 
 But it is neither of these, contemplated singly. 
 It is a complex of gifts and mercies. It is the 
 gift of God's only Son, Jesus Christ; it is the gift 
 of the Holy Ghost; and it is the gift of eternal 
 life; all these, and whatever else pertains to our 
 salvation. 
 
 Redemption is one. However complex the par- 
 ticulars in which it consists, or is procured, or is 
 
TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 469 
 
 imparted it is everywhere contemplated in the 
 singular, and as the paramount and all-crowning 
 donation of almighty goodness. ' ' God so loved 
 the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, 
 that whosoever believeth on Him might not per- 
 ish, but have everlasting life." This tells the 
 whole story. The Lord Jesus is in this gift; and 
 everlasting life is in it ; and the activities of the 
 Holy Ghost are in it ; and so all the facts and 
 items which go along with Christian life and 
 hopes, even to glory everlasting. Nothing less 
 than this is the preeminent Gift of God; and noth- 
 ing less than this does He bring within the reach 
 of all to whom He comes, and even to this inso- 
 lent woman and her mongrel kin. 
 
 He further calls it ' ' Living water. ' ' One of 
 the gladdest things in the world is pure, fresh, 
 springing water. It is one of God's most precious 
 life-gifts to the world. And to this the Saviour 
 here likens the good which the Gospel brings. 
 Where it comes it carries blessed rejuvenation. 
 Where it is received sinking strength recovers, 
 and dying life rekindles, and perishing souls re- 
 cover, a thousand springs are set a flowing with 
 gladness, and everything sings and rejoices with 
 new-begotten life ! Where there was barrenness 
 there is a putting forth for happy fruitfulness. 
 Where there was desolation there is bloom and 
 joy. Where there was rocky hardness there is 
 genial soil. Where there was thirst and famish- 
 ing there is satisfaction and blessedness. Where 
 there was filthiness, dust and death, there is sane- 
 
470 THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. 
 
 tification, beauty, and unfading glory. Yea, such 
 and so precious is the good which Jesus brings to 
 the famished children of men. 
 
 Nor can it come without Him. He brings it. 
 He gives it. All the blessings and privileges of 
 the covenant of grace come through Him. He 
 tells this woman of Sychar that it was His pre- 
 rogative to give the living water. He is the true 
 Rock of Horeb whence the gushing streams come 
 forth to give life to perishing Israel. For this 
 purpose was He smitten by the rod of the law. 
 For this was His body broken and His heart 
 rifted. For this He lives and is ever with His 
 Church, even unto the end of the world. From 
 His cross forgiveness flows. From His throne the 
 Holy Spirit is sent. And through His word and 
 sacraments He comes to us with life for evermore. 
 
 II. We may here also see why so many fail to 
 get the benefit of this heavenly good. 
 
 The first hindrance is ignorance. The Saviour 
 tells this woman that if she had known the Gift 
 of God, and who it was that was conversing with 
 her, she would have asked, and He would have 
 given her living water. But as yet she did not 
 know Him nor the gift of God ; and so she was 
 without the living water, and showed no anxiety 
 to possess it. A like ignorance is that which 
 keeps many from salvation and from solicitude 
 about their souls. People treat religious things 
 with indifference, neglect, and contempt without 
 meaning any harm by it. The trouble is that 
 
TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. ' 47 1 
 
 they do not know what they are doing, what 
 treasures they are allowing to pass from them, 
 what blessedness they are trampling under foot. 
 They may be wide awake on other things. They 
 may be intelligent and wise in temporal and secu- 
 lar affairs. They may understand politics, finance, 
 business, and the laws of ordinary life and suc- 
 cess. They may be learned in the sciences, the 
 stars, the rocks, the plants, the animals. They 
 may be skilled in history, in laws, in languages, 
 in art, in mechanism. They may even be great 
 authorities in some departments of knowledge. 
 But they are indifferent about the preeminent 
 things of man's salvation and eternal life. And 
 the reason is that they know not the gift of God. 
 They do not understand it. They have no appre- 
 ciation of it. Even when they have it brought to 
 them, and the very voice and words of the Son of 
 God are sounded in their ears, and everything is 
 so clearly presented that they themselves can re- 
 hearse it, they do not take in, nor realize, nor know 
 what tremendous things they are dealing with, nor 
 what unspeakable treasures are thus brought to 
 them. They know not the gift of God, nor who 
 it is that is speaking with them. Seeing, they 
 see not ; and hearing, they do not understand. 
 They perceive no commanding worth, no pressing 
 necessities, no motions of eternal Deity for their 
 redemption. The great and all-crowning gift of 
 heaven comes to them, is on all sides of them, is 
 filling their eyes and ears, and they themselves 
 are conversing with it all the while ; and yet they 
 
472 THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. 
 
 do not perceive, do not understand, do not take 
 in ; and Christ and salvation pass for nothing. 
 They drink and drink of their earthly wells, and 
 ever come back thirsty as ever, and know not that 
 the spring of salvation is at hand flowing with 
 living water, which he who drinks shall never 
 thirst again. They fail of the transcendent good 
 of the divine munificence, and remain in their 
 unsanctity and destitution, self-satisfied and self- 
 secure, and even sneering at the world's Re- 
 deemer, because they do not know the grace of 
 God and the time of their visitation. Their mis- 
 ery is their ignorance and the cherished blindness 
 of their unsanctified hearts. 
 
 Another hindrance is prejudice. But for her 
 Samaritan dislike of Jesus, and the pique of her 
 people against the Jewish claims and professions, 
 she would have treated Christ in a very different 
 way. And so it is perpetually. There is an im- 
 mense amount of Samaritan prejudice and resent- 
 ment in the irreligious world. Is it a religious 
 book or lecture ? That is enough to damn it in 
 their regard and esteem. Any subject is more 
 palatable to them than the subject of the salva- 
 tion of their souls. They will hear us willingly 
 and meet us on social terms, if only we will not 
 talk religion to them. Of all men there are none 
 whom they more despise than these sanctimonious 
 people, who are ever preaching up church and 
 religious devotion. They would at any time 
 rather witness a play than hear a sermon, or join 
 in a dance than in a prayer. They are impatient 
 
TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 473 
 
 and ill at ease the moment they detect a disposi- 
 tion to influence them to the duties of piety and 
 the ordinances of God. They never talk of these 
 matters, and do not wish to be talked to about 
 them. They have a feeling of aversion to the 
 whole thing. They would think themselves be- 
 littled to become earnest Christian men and 
 women. They despise the thought of it. They 
 are full of resentment and censoriousness toward 
 all these goody people, and would rather keep 
 aloof. They would as soon see them driven from 
 the community, from society, and from all respect- 
 able consideration. If they had their way, they 
 would smite them at all points. And more or less 
 of this feeling is in every unsanctified heart. 
 Hence there is much incivility toward Christ and 
 the people who belong to Him. There is a preju- 
 dice, breeding all sorts of ill manners, which 
 would be considered intolerable except as against 
 religious things and religious professors. And 
 this prejudice — this aversion toward Christ as a 
 Jew — this unwillingness to treat respectfully with 
 Him and His servants, — is the secret cause why 
 so many fail to know the gift of God, or to secure 
 to themselves the water of life. 
 
 But the greatest hindrance of all is, that peo- 
 ple do not ask Christ for this living water. Christ 
 tells this woman that if she had understood and 
 asked, He would have given her what would have 
 made her blessed for ever. But she did not ask, 
 and the implication is that He could not impart 
 this living water so long as it w r as not wanted and 
 
474 THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. 
 
 solicited. The gifts and privileges of the Gospel 
 are freely made to all, but they are possessed by 
 none but those who seek them by faith and prayer. 
 Anxious as Christ was to bestow His mercies upon 
 the suffering and needy, He always drew from 
 them first a confession of their misery and some 
 earnest prayer for His help. In the great promises 
 which are yet outstanding to Jehovah's ancient 
 people, there is still this condition added: "I will 
 yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, 
 to doit for them." Though God knows what 
 things we have need of before we ask Him, He 
 yet commands us ' ' by prayer and supplication to 
 make our requests known unto Him." The word 
 and law respecting all His glorious benefactions 
 is, "Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, and ye 
 shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto 
 you. For every one that asketh, receiveth ; and 
 he that seeketh, findeth ; and to him that knocketh, 
 it shall be opened. ' ' God is more willing to give 
 His Holy Spirit, than earthly parents to give good 
 things to their children ; but only "to them that 
 ask Him. " "If thou criest after knowledge, and 
 liftest up thy voice for understanding ; if thou 
 seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for 
 hid treasure ; then shalt thou understand the fear 
 of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God." 
 And the grand reason why so few ever find and 
 secure eternal life is, because they never seek and 
 never obediently ask of God to give it them. 
 They are earnest and anxious enough about 
 other matters. They are intent in their several 
 
TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 475 
 
 pursuits of business, pleasure, or self-promotion. 
 They are eager to add field to field, and to join 
 house to house. And they fondly anticipate a 
 time when they may say to themselves, ' ' Soul, 
 take thine ease, for thou has much goods laid up 
 for many years." But for the great things of the 
 life eternal, and the inheritance that fadeth not 
 away, they have no zeal to show, no prayers to 
 offer, no earnest application to make ! 
 
 How is it, then, dear friends, with you? To 
 us, as to this woman of Sychar, has the Saviour 
 come. By the side of all these earthly wells 
 whither people come to drink only to thirst again, 
 He sits with living water to slake all thirst for 
 ever. To this woman there was some degree of 
 excuse for not knowing Christ; but what excuse 
 can we plead for not knowing Him? If any 
 among us are strangers to His character, gifts, 
 and offers, it is not because we have not abundant 
 opportunity to be familiar with them. If any 
 one listening to me now has never made an 
 earnest and honest application to Him for the 
 water of life, it is not because there has been no 
 chance, no call, no necessity for it. What answer, 
 then, do you propose to give for not knowing the 
 Gift of God, and not asking share in those living 
 waters which spring up into eternal life? On 
 what plea do you think to rest when the day of 
 judgment comes and finds you uncleansed, un- 
 baptized, unsanctified, and destitute of God's 
 saving grace? This unclean, uncivil, and un- 
 promising Samaritan woman, yet listened, and 
 
476 THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. 
 
 inquired, and was saved; and so may we all. 
 But it can only be by repenting out of our old 
 prejudice, indifference, and neglect, and taking 
 Jesus as our Teacher, our Messiah, and our L,ord. 
 O that men might but know the gift of God, 
 and who it is that stands in meek weariness, plead- 
 ing with them to come to Him that they might 
 have life ! And if any here are still without a 
 saving interest in Christ, let them open their 
 eyes and see, and open their ears and hear, and 
 open their mouths and ask, lest He pass them by, 
 and leave them to perish for ever. 
 
Cije &wx$ of Jesus, 
 
 Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over 
 it. — Luke 19 -.\\. 
 
 EARS are no strange thing in our world. 
 Since the day that Adam went weeping 
 from Eden the earth has never ceased 
 to be a vale of tears. Abraham, and 
 Isaac, and Joseph wept. Hezekiah, and Isaiah, 
 and Jeremiah, and Ezra, and Nehemiah wept. 
 And Peter and Paul wept. When David fled from 
 the rebellion of Absalom he went up the Mount 
 of Olives, and wept as he went, and all the people 
 that were with him "went up weeping as they 
 went. ' ' According to Homer, Achilles and Ulysses 
 wept. History tells that Alexander, and Caesar, 
 and Cato, and Brutus, and Scipio, and Napoleon 
 wept. And there be few men that have ever 
 lived, however great or small, who never wept. 
 But here we have an instance of an outburst 
 of tears altogether peculiar and specially remark- 
 able. Here was a man, the most exalted in His 
 nature, His offices, and His power, that ever 
 walked in flesh and blood, — a Divine man, — a 
 God-man — the only begotten of eternal Deity, — 
 
 477 
 
478 THE TEARS OF JESUS. 
 
 whose voice could still the tempest and raise the 
 dead, — whose touch could heal the leper, give 
 sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and speech 
 to the dumb, — suddenly deluged with a flood of 
 tears. Who would have anticipated such a thing 
 from such a Being? 
 
 It was in the midst of a grand triumphal pro- 
 cession. He was mounted as a prince. A re- 
 joicing multitude was with Him. Men were 
 strewing His path with green, and laying down 
 their garments for Him to ride upon. As the 
 prophet predicted, it was the King of Zion coming 
 into the holy City. Multitudes going before, and 
 multitudes following after, were making the hill- 
 sides ring with loud and prolonged Hosannas to 
 Him as the Son of David, and the long-expected 
 Prince of peace. But in the midst of all this 
 enthusiasm and loud acclaim, He was melted into 
 tears. What was the cause and meaning of such 
 an outburst, from such a personage, at such a 
 time? 
 
 Men sometimes weep for joy over great suc- 
 cesses, or when unexpected honors are conferred 
 upon them ; but it was not so here. These tears 
 were accompanied with words, and they uttered 
 only painful lamentation. 
 
 Knowing what was about to happen to Him in 
 that city, we might suppose that He was thus 
 affected in anticipation of what He was presently 
 to endure. Was it then the foresight of the 
 treachery of Judas, the mock trials, buffetings, 
 and derisions that awaited Him, and the change 
 
TWENTY- FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 479 
 
 of these loud swelling Hosannas into the horrid 
 cry of Crucify him ! crucify him ! Was it that He 
 foresaw three crosses raised on Calvary's summit, 
 and himself writhing in agony and blood on one 
 of them, crucified with thieves and murderers ? 
 No, not the remotest allusion to anything of this 
 was in His words ; and when the women that fol- 
 lowed Him on the way to the cross bewailed and 
 lamented Him He said to them, " Daughters of 
 Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for your- 
 selves and your children." He had no tears to 
 shed in view of His own sufferings and death; for 
 He knew that the way of the cross was the way to 
 the throne. 
 
 Quite another matter was here the burden of 
 His thoughts. Before Him stood the beautiful 
 city, so sacred for a thousand years, the joy of the 
 whole earth, with its walls, and towers, and pal- 
 aces, and gold-roofed Temple, — the house of 
 prayer for so many generations, — the dwelling- 
 place of Jehovah whence He dispensed His favors 
 to so many sacred prophets and noble kings and 
 sacrificing worshippers, — the city of Israel's solem- 
 nities, with its thrones of judgment, the thrones 
 of the house of David, and for the peace and pros- 
 perity of which the prayers of the devout had 
 ascended from age to age. But beautiful as that 
 city shone in its sacredness, and history, in that 
 morning's bright sunlight, its day of salvation 
 was past. By its unbelief and determined rejec- 
 tion of the Christ for whom it had been so long 
 waiting its doom was sealed. Behind that vision 
 
480 THE TEARS OF JESUS. 
 
 of beauty and blessed memories there rose another 
 scene when those thronged streets should be piled 
 with dead; those proud buildings wrapt in flames; 
 those sacred spaces resounding with curses, exe- 
 crations, and unanswered cries for mercy ; that 
 holy temple levelled with the ground ; the Roman 
 eagles perched upon those walls ; the Holy of 
 Holies abandoned by its God ; the city of David 
 reduced to a field of blackened ruins, and its 
 myriad population among the unpardoned dead, 
 or scattered to the four winds ! And this was the 
 soreful contemplation that drew these tears. 
 
 But we must not suppose that it was merely the 
 fall of Judea's capital, the overthrow of tower and 
 palace and temple, the deportation- and enslave- 
 ment of the people of His country, sad and affect- 
 ing as this would be to a loving and patriotic 
 heart. There was a spiritual ruin in the contem- 
 plation that moved Him most of all. It was the 
 shutting out of the light of life and salvation to 
 the people who had sinned away their day of 
 grace by steeling their hearts against the testimo- 
 nies and pleadings of the Christ, and were now 
 about to crucify their own Messiah. For their 
 good He had come into the world, and lived, and 
 taught, and wrought ; and for their salvation He 
 was about to lay down His life; but they as a 
 nation would none of Him, and took upon their 
 souls the guilt of His blood. And for their fate 
 in eternity, as well as in time, He could not sup- 
 press the sad emotions of His loving and tender 
 heart. 
 
TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 48 1 
 
 And of great and solemn moment to us, dear 
 friends, are these tears of Jesus. 
 
 They are instructive tears. They tell of His 
 tender love and compassion for sinners. He does 
 not willingly become a Judge and avenger. It 
 hurt and wounded His great soul to see men de- 
 termined and set in unbelief and rejection of His 
 saving mercy. His Gospel rejected, sends barbed 
 arrows into His heart. He weeps to see men 
 choose their own misery. 
 
 These tears show us also how gladly He would 
 save men if they w 7 ould. He had given these 
 people a day of blessed visitation. He had given 
 them prophets and the writings of inspired men. 
 He had given them the powerful ministry of John 
 the Baptist. He had given them the melting in- 
 fluence of Incarnate Love. He felt for them; 
 else why did He weep ? He was anxious to save 
 them ; else why did His tears flow ? Some might 
 say, Why, then, did He not save them? The 
 answer is, They would not; and because they 
 would not, He could ?tot. He could speak worlds 
 into being; He could calm the raging storm; He 
 could recall the dead to life; but He could not 
 save those whose minds and hearts were set against 
 their only Saviour. He might have transformed 
 them by an edict of His power; but, forced against 
 their will and choice, they would no longer have 
 been moral beings. And as they were finally 
 made up to disown and kill Him, He could not 
 save them, and wept over the tragic end they had 
 thus sealed upon themselves. 
 
 31 
 
482 THE TEARS OF JESUS. 
 
 These tears of Jesus are encouraging and con- 
 soling tears. The sweet undertone that comes 
 from them is, that He cares for us. They preach 
 of His profound regard for our welfare, of His 
 deep anxiety to have us improve by His merciful 
 visitations, and of His unspeakable sorrow for 
 those who reject His saving grace. 
 
 There be many hypocritical tears; but Christ's 
 were not of that character. He is truth itself. 
 They bespeak the genuine feeling of His heart. 
 They tell of love that passeth knowledge, and on 
 which we can safely trust. They assure us that 
 there is ample provision for our eternal peace, if 
 only we are willing to take and receive it. They 
 prove to us that if w T e perish, it is a thing of 
 great pain and sorrow to His heart, and that 
 the fault of it is not in Him. They say to us 
 that there is a beautiful and blessed life which 
 He' is infinitely desirous that we should have, 
 which He freely offers, and from which nothing 
 but our persistent and stubborn unbelief can ever 
 separate us. These are comforting and consola- 
 tory truths. They are the very essence of the 
 Gospel. And they are all the more clearly cer- 
 tified to us by these tears. 
 
 But they are solemnly admonitory tears. They 
 tell of a day of gracious visitation, privilege, and 
 opportunity; but likewise of a limit to that day. 
 The substance of this tearful lament was, that 
 these people had had a day which brought to 
 them everything belonging to their peace; that 
 they did not appreciate it; and that they now had 
 
TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 483 
 
 reached a point when there was no more hope for 
 their city nor for their souls. How solemnly 
 therefore do these tears admonish us to beware, 
 lest we presume too far, or indulge our indiffer- 
 ence and resistance to the calls and offers of mercy 
 too long ! There is a line over which grace will 
 not follow the transgressor and beyond which 
 there is no more salvation. This sore lament of 
 Jesus tells us so, and that these Jews as a nation 
 had crossed that line. There is no mark by 
 which any one can tell just where that line is. 
 Death indeed marks it; for there is no repentance 
 in the grave nor pardon offered to the dead ; but 
 no one knows when he is to- die; and the whole 
 matter is often settled and unalterably fixed this 
 side of death. There is such a thing as harden- 
 ing one's self against light and truth, and a re- 
 sistance of the Spirit, until there is no power of 
 feeling left, and a condition of judicial blindness 
 sets in which seals the sinner's doom. There is 
 a sin unto death, when prayers no longer avail. 
 There is an obstinacy against the truth, which 
 lands one beyond all hope of pardon. God is 
 very long-suffering and patient, not willing that 
 any should perish; but there is a point at which 
 He will no longer keep silence; and all who refuse 
 and abuse His merciful compassion are in dan- 
 ger of bringing upon themselves irremediable 
 condemnation. The time came when there was 
 no more salvation for rebellious Jerusalem; and 
 Christ's tears over the sad fact should move and 
 admonish us not to risk such a fate. 
 
484 THE TEARS OF JESUS. 
 
 Furthermore, these were awfully foreboding 
 tears. Men of great minds do not weep for 
 trifles ; and the great and glorious Christ would 
 not have been so deeply moved but for something 
 transcendently sad and painful. Was it the tem- 
 poral calamities that were to come upon His 
 country that so affected Him ? Then how much 
 more reason for distress over the eternal perdition 
 of these doomed people ! What were the devasta- 
 tions wrought by the Roman armies compared 
 with the wrath to come ! There is something in- 
 finitely pitiable in the loss of a soul. It is a fear- 
 ful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 
 Nor is there anything that more touchingly tells 
 the story than these tears of Jesus over these peo- 
 ple who were about to shut the doors of hope and 
 mercy against themselves. 
 
 Men may ridicule the doctrine of an eternal 
 hell for the wicked and unbelieving ; but what 
 could thus move the feelings and draw the tears 
 of the Son of God is not a thing to be laughed at 
 or disposed of by a shrug of incredulity. Laying 
 aside all idea of unquenchable fire, there is quite 
 enough in these tears of our Lprd to tell us that it 
 is a deep, dark, and unspeakable calamity to be 
 forever shut out from the divine favor. People in 
 their folly, ignorance, and unbelief may make 
 light of it ; but the contemplation of it made the 
 very Lord of glory weep. 
 
 And yet again, these tears of Jesus were exem- 
 plary tears. They evinced a tenderness of heart 
 which we should cultivate, — a deep and loving 
 
TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 485 
 
 concern for the good and happiness of all creat- 
 ures, especially for the salvation of souls. If 
 Jesus wept over the dread consequences of abusing 
 and rejecting the divine mercies, have we no 
 cause for sorrow that we ourselves have so much 
 to answer for in this respect ? 
 
 Dear friends, let us try to enter into the mind 
 and spirit of our Saviour, that His mind and 
 spirit may also live in us. Let us learn to regard 
 the things that make for our peace as He regards 
 them. Let us learn to grieve and lament over 
 the misimprovement of our gracious privileges as 
 He sorrows over those who fail to profit by His 
 mercies. Let us learn to think and feel over the 
 loss of the soul as He thinks and feels. And as 
 we would have peace and gladden the Saviour's 
 heart, let us not neglect the opportunities of our 
 day lest its sun should go down and leave us un- 
 helped in that blackness of darkness which moved 
 the Son of God to tears. 
 
5H)e ^xztwumt&s of ILtft. 
 
 Twenty-second Sunday after Tri?iity. 
 
 For a living dog is better than a dead lion. — Eccles. 9 : 4. 
 
 FIND in this text a homely proverb illus- 
 trating the value and importance of life. 
 In sundry places the author of this book 
 speaks disparagingly of earthly life. He 
 characterizes it, over and over, as empty, ' vex- 
 atious, and vain, — even as vanity itself. But here 
 he seems to take a somewhat deeper view, and 
 finds, after all, that life is a thing of moment, and 
 that even a dog living is better than a lion dead. 
 
 Nearly all creatures have an instinctive love of 
 life ; and most people would give up anything 
 rather than life. Yet few estimate it as they 
 should. Poets particularly have shown great 
 aptness to speak lightly of it as a gay, flattering, 
 fickle, transient thing, — a bursting bubble, — a 
 meteor, — a dream. The Scriptures also speak of 
 it as l ' but a vapor that appeareth for a little time 
 and then vanisheth away. ' ' And there ai'e aspects 
 of it which amply justify these presentations. No 
 one can survey life without feeling that it is a 
 scene of brief lights and deep shadows — a theatre 
 of mingled smiles and tears, joys and sorrows, 
 
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 487 
 
 roses and thorns, — which soon disgusts many, and 
 in which no one can be long at home. But it has 
 other aspects which render it exceedingly impor- 
 tant and precious. 
 
 The fact that it is the gift and creation of God 
 is reason enough for us to esteem and value it. 
 We have in it a very masterpiece of divine power 
 and goodness. Beasts, and birds, and flowers, and 
 rocks, and waters, can attract and interest people, 
 and how much more should we value living man, 
 made but a little lower than the angels, crowned 
 with glory and honor, and given dominion over 
 all creatures around him ! 
 
 There are limitations, and drawbacks, and bur- 
 dens in human life; but it sublimely demonstrates 
 the existence, intelligence, and goodness of God. 
 The form, mechanism, adaptations, beauty, and 
 majesty of man's body alone could come only 
 from some great Creator, with resources of wisdom 
 and excellences to awaken our lasting adoration. 
 But with this body is conjoined a rational spirit, 
 that cognizes Deity and is related to Godhead as an 
 inspiration and a child. People set great store on 
 pictures which noted artists paint, and deem it a 
 fortune to possess them; but what are they in 
 comparison with the living images of the living 
 God, which the infinite Master of all arts has pro- 
 duced in the endowment and adornment of these 
 natures of ours— in the creation of a human life ! 
 
 Important also is human life in view of what it 
 can accomplish. Short and precarious as it is, we 
 can hardly set limits to what may come of it, even 
 
405 THE PRECIOUSNESS OF LIFE. 
 
 in this world. Think of the countless arts, crafts, 
 trades, industries, pursuits, and professions which 
 minister so bountifully to the necessities, conven- 
 iences, and comforts of man, the good of society, 
 and the happiness of the world. Think of the 
 advancement of learning, the achievements of 
 science, and the varied gains of human thought, 
 handiwork, and adventure, and what all this has 
 contributed to the improvement and elevation of 
 our race. Think of the play and progress of gifts, 
 and talents, and activities, and energies that our 
 human life affords, and the multitudinous and 
 lofty results ever being turned out from this won- 
 derful workshop. Think of the brilliant and 
 beneficent triumphs of human genius in the 
 mastery and utilization of the forces and powers 
 of nature, in the yoking of the fiercest elements 
 to our service, in the opening up of ready and 
 instantaneous communication with the most dis- 
 tant sections of the world, in developments that 
 make our times a wonder. And judging from the 
 past, it is beyond our power to imagine what all 
 may yet come out of this brief and swift-passing 
 human life. 
 
 Still more important is human life in its con- 
 nection with another world. The death of the 
 body is not the end. There is an everlasting Be- 
 yond, to which this life is only the vestibule, and 
 all the good or ill of that eternal Beyond depends 
 on the manner in which we order ourselves while 
 on earth. Indifferent as may be the appearances, 
 or brief the years of our sojourn here, every step, 
 
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 489 
 
 word, or thought echoes through eternity. As 
 we conduct ourselves in this life we are filling up 
 books of record to tell on our final destiny. Life 
 here is a sowing for an eternal harvest, and the 
 reaping is always according to the sowing. Our 
 present being necessitates a further history on 
 which the present must have a conditioning influ- 
 ence. The great Maker has created this stage of 
 being, and the complex wheels of His providence 
 have turned us out upon it, here to work out 
 what we are to be hereafter, and we cannot make 
 it otherwise. We cannot decline the momentous 
 responsibility. It is the inevitable. And hence 
 the unspeakable importance of this present life. 
 
 Life is valuable also for the opportunities it 
 gives for usefulness. Every calling in life has 
 open doors for doing good. ' ' Many find nothing 
 to do, because they do nothing to find;" for there 
 is no condition in life without scope for moral 
 activity and valuable service. Every one has 
 some that look to him, lean on him, and take 
 from him what influences their thinking and their 
 lives. And we thus have opportunity for blessed 
 things in our day and generation. 
 
 It is also in this life only that we can develop 
 the virtues that most adorn human character. 
 Heaven is nc place for the cultivation of patience 
 and self-control; or the practice of self-denial; or 
 the exercise of forbearance, candor, and courage; 
 for there are no trials there, no lusts to mortify, 
 no enemies to fight, no ignorance and falsehood 
 to combat, no poor and perishing to feed and 
 
490 THE PRECIOUSNESS OF LIFE. 
 
 save. This world is the only field to grow these 
 excellences. 
 
 This life also is the appointed time to secure 
 the salvation of the soul. ' ' Behold, now is the 
 accepted time; behold, now is the day of salva- 
 tion." And when we consider the value of the 
 soul, and what all is involved in its eternal salva- 
 tion, — the ruin from which it is rescued, and the 
 glory to which it is exalted, by living union with 
 Him who gave His precious blood for its redemp- 
 tion, — it would seem impossible to exaggerate the 
 importance of the time allotted us to become par- 
 takers of the great salvation. Had life no other 
 worth than this, it would still be a boon that calls 
 for our everlasting thanksgiving. 
 
 And if perchance one finds himself outside the 
 ark of safety, unprepared for death and heaven, 
 his life is his period of hope and opportunity 
 for a better lot. Even for the unworthiest and 
 guiltiest this life furnishes room for repentance, 
 for the retrievement of losses, and for the secure- 
 ment of eternal deliverance. While there is life 
 there is hope, — a chance for happy change. No 
 one living is shut out from the possibility of 
 being saved, if in earnest to secure that goal. 
 Only he who lets this life go by with mercy 
 spurned and grace despised puts himself beyond 
 hope. 
 
 And the importance and interest which centre 
 in this present life, arise from the fact that we 
 can never have another like it. Death effectually 
 severs from everything now present, and ushers 
 
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 49 1 
 
 into quite a different world. This life is one of 
 probation; the next will be one of retribution. 
 Having misused, abused, and squandered the one, 
 there is no other of the sort on which to fall back 
 to undo the mischief. There can be no inversion 
 of the glass when once the sands of earthly life 
 have run out. Though short, uncertain, and pre- 
 carious as this life is, when it expires a thousand 
 worlds cannot buy back a single moment of like 
 privileges and opportunities. That line once 
 crossed, the annals of our earthly life pass un- 
 changeable into the archives of eternity. — O the 
 momentousness of this frail and fleeting mortal 
 life ! Despite its days of grief and storm, and 
 the gloom which gathers round its close, life is a 
 blessing, an infinite blessing to him who views 
 and uses it aright. 
 
 What, then, are the inferences to be drawm 
 from all this? 
 
 First, if life is a thing of so much value, it is a 
 sin wantonly to destroy it, or to expose it to injury 
 and peril. " Thou shalt not kill" is the word of 
 the Almighty thundered down the rocky side of 
 the mount that flamed and trembled under His 
 touch. Life is too precious a creation for Him to 
 I allow reckless liberties to be taken with it. Ac- 
 cording to His law, whosoever lifts a hand against 
 a human life lifts it against God himself. And 
 yet I find one hundred and seventy-nine thousand 
 suicides reported for 1895, and a fearful increase 
 of them for all the years since, besides murders 
 without number. 
 
492 THE PRECIOUSNESS OF LIFE. 
 
 Nor is it only the suicide and trie murderer that 
 stand chargeable with the sin of trifling with the 
 precious gift of life. Wilfully to trample on the 
 laws of health, to indulge intemperate excesses, 
 recklessly to expose one's self to danger and dis- 
 ease, to stint the demands of nature to gain wealth, 
 or to subject one's powers to the strains of wasting 
 passions and killing toil is to make inroads upon 
 life which good sense cannot approve and God 
 will never justify. To damage, curtail, or destroy 
 another man's life is to rob him of his dearest pos- 
 session ; nor is the guilt the less to inflict a like 
 injury on one's self. It is wicked in either case; 
 for it means destruction to a most valuable gift of 
 God. 
 
 Again, if life is so important and precious, great 
 is the debt of thankfulness we owe for its preser- 
 vation and continuance. Many are the perils to 
 which it is exposed, — perils in infancy, perils of 
 disease, perils from ignorance and indiscretion, 
 perils from the warring elements, perils from acci- 
 dents, perils from the indwelling seeds of decay 
 and death, perils from the very delicacy of the 
 nature God has given us. 
 
 Our life contains a thousand springs, 
 And dies if one be gone. 
 
 And that we have thus far lived through all, 
 with limbs, and senses and faculties preserved, 
 and survived so many that were younger, stronger, 
 and seeming to have a firmer hold on life than we, 
 demands of us an amount of grateful returns that 
 
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 493 
 
 should inflame and occupy us and all our powers 
 for all the remainder of our days. 
 
 Furthermore, if life is a thing of so much worth 
 and importance, we should be very guarded against 
 impatient desire to have it ended. Elijah and 
 Jonah prayed that they might die ; but it was 
 much to their discredit. And it would have been 
 a sad thing for them, as well as for the Church, 
 had God visited them as their bad temper prayed. 
 It is the part of piety to wait all the days of our 
 appointed time until our change come, meanwhile 
 making the best we can of our lives, doing with 
 our might all that our hands find to do. We are 
 enlisted for life ; and to withdraw before getting 
 our proper discharge is to act the part of cowardly 
 deserters. It is well to be ready to go at any 
 time in any way our good Lord may choose; but 
 willing to stay, and do, and suffer as He may ap- 
 point, thankful that He gives opportunity for us 
 thus to add to the jewels of our crown. 
 
 And finally, if life is of such momentous conse- 
 quence, no duty or obligation is more urgent or 
 binding than to exert ourselves with all diligence 
 to use it for its purposes. To trifle with it, — to 
 handle it as a price in the hand of fools, — to waste 
 and abuse it, — to neglect its precious privileges, — 
 is to turn a transcendent blessing into a curse, 
 trailing its ever deepening ills through everlasting 
 ages. 
 
 Some pervert life to a wicked diabolism, sowing 
 seeds of error, spreading snares for the heedless, 
 laying stumbling blocks for the blind, taking ad- 
 
494 THE PRECIOUSNESS OF LIFE. 
 
 vantage of the ignorance and passions of the weak, 
 destroying the peace of families, and ruining them- 
 selves and all who come under their influence. 
 
 Some degrade life into a mere vulgar animal- 
 ism, pursuing whatever natters their senses, grati- 
 fies their fancies, and pleases their appetites, hav- 
 ing no higher aim than to gratify and serve their 
 earthly likings. Theirs is the Epicurean philos- 
 ophy, which says, ' ' Eat, drink, and be merry ; 
 for to-morrow we die/' 
 
 Many prostitute life to unceasing toils for mere 
 worldly ends. They labor day and night, rise 
 early and sit up late, and tax themselves to the 
 utmost, to win the prizes of earthly ambition, 
 fortune, place, power, fame, and notoriety. Thou- 
 sands are willing to do anything, spend any 
 amount of time, energy, and means, incur any 
 inconveniences, take any risks, make any sacri- 
 fices, for a title, a ribbon, a gain that cannot 
 profit. 
 
 But, dear friends, this boon of life has been 
 given us for higher and holier purposes. It was 
 a great question of old time, "What is that good 
 for the sons of men, which they should do all the 
 days of their life?" but after reasoning out and 
 experimenting in every direction for an answer, 
 Solomon said, " the conclusion of the whole mat- 
 ter " is this: "Fear God, and keep His com- 
 mandments ; for this is the whole duty of man." 
 He who fails on this point, fails in the highest 
 purpose of his being, and makes of His existence 
 his worst calamity ; for, in proportion as a man 
 
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 495 
 
 ignores God and the claims of moral right, he 
 mutilates his being, damages his manhood, mars 
 his native dignity, and turns his immortality into 
 an incurable wretchedness. 
 
 Dear friends, learn and profit by the lesson. 
 Value and cherish your life, and see that ye de- 
 vote it to its proper ends. Live for God, for 
 truth, for usefulness on earth, for the awards of 
 eternity. Anchor on the Rock of Ages. L,et 
 Jesus be your example and your guide ; and thus 
 best live while you live. And beyond the hills 
 which bound your present horizon ; beyond the 
 stars that look down so lovingly amid these anx- 
 ious night watches ; beyond these doubts and 
 struggles, aches and ills ; when this world's bloom 
 is gone, its pleasures past, its fortunes worthless, 
 its chaplets withered, and all its joys are over ; 
 there shall still remain for you a realm of light 
 and beauty, victory and glory, where they that 
 sow to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life 
 everlasting. 
 
2H)e Jfruitlesg &xw. 
 
 Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this figtree, and 
 find none : cut it down : why cumbereth it the ground ? — Luke 13 ; 7, 
 
 iHILB the Saviour has given no explana- 
 tion of the parable from which this text 
 is taken, there can be no difficulty in 
 -^ understanding- what it was meant to 
 
 teach. The ' ' certain man, ' ' stands for God him- 
 self. His vineyard is Christendom. This figtree 
 is man. 
 
 The Scriptures frequently speak of men as trees. 
 It is an apt comparison. A tree is a living growth. 
 It has a life peculiarly its own. And it is capa- 
 ble of being very useful as well as ornamental. 
 In these respects men are like trees. 
 
 But the text speaks of a particular kind of tree 
 — a fig iree — one °f the most prized of domestic 
 trees in oriental countries. Yet the figtree has 
 something unfavorable attending it. The rabbis 
 thought it the tree of which Eve and Adam ate 
 and so introduced evil into the world. The 
 Greeks used it as a symbol of calamity and guilt, 
 and hung figleaves on the necks of criminals con- 
 demned to death. Even our own word sycophant, 
 
 496 
 
TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 497 
 
 signifying an obsequious and honeying deceiver, 
 literally means one who shows Jigs. It is curious 
 that a tree capable of so much good and blessing 
 should have such associations. But in this also 
 it represents man, who bears with him an unsav- 
 ory history. He carries with him a tainted tradi- 
 tion. All humanity has about it the story of sin 
 and condemnation. 
 
 This figtree was favorably situated. - It was 
 planted in a vineyard, — in a select, guarded, and 
 cultivated spot, surrounded with every care and 
 protection. So it was with the people of Israel. 
 And so it is with those who have place in Chris- 
 tian lands. We have not been bred in the wilder- 
 ness with savages and wild men, but in God's 
 own vineyard, — in the very garden-spot of earth's 
 best culture and greatest opportunities. Saxon 
 blood, — the noblest and the ruling blood of our 
 time, — flows in our veins. American homes, — the 
 most favorable in the world, — are our homes. 
 Protestant Christianity, — the truest and purest 
 form of religion on earth, — is our birthright in- 
 heritance. Schools, churches, Bibles, preachers, 
 printing presses, and all the facilities for moral, 
 intellectual, social, and religious growth and pros- 
 perity, are everywhere about us, and ever active 
 for our culture and improvement. We have had 
 our places in the very heart and centre of the best 
 of this world. From earliest infancy, light, truth, 
 order, and gracious solicitude have surrounded us. 
 And the good providence of God has never ceased 
 to favor, water, and defend us, as the trees of His 
 
 32 
 
49& THE FRUITLESS TREE. 
 
 own garden. We have grown up in His vine- 
 yard, and have never known anything else. 
 
 It was expected of this tree that it would bring 
 forth fruit. It had a nature capable of yielding 
 fruit. Its situation was favorable; and it had the 
 time and culture to render it fruitful. Hence, its 
 owner came year after year seeking fruit thereon. 
 It was reasonable td expect to find it. God has a 
 right to returns for the favors He has bestowed 
 upon us. We have not been the recipients of so 
 many gifts of grace and cares of providence for 
 no purpose. God looks for us to be wiser, holier, 
 and more conformed to truth and righteousness, 
 than those who have none of our privileges. He 
 expects us to profit by the Gospel, and to make 
 just response to His merciful favors. He expects 
 us to acknowledge His goodness, to confess His 
 Name, and to consecrate ourselves, and all we 
 have and are, to His service. The proprieties of 
 life, and faithfulness in the various spheres we 
 occupy, are in the line of Christian fruitfulness, 
 if they spring from faith in the Lord; but that 
 is not enough. Having given us His blessed 
 Gospel, we are expected to embrace it, to confess 
 it, to live by it, and to sustain and further it with 
 our means and influence. Having place in His 
 Church, we are expected to show fidelity and zeal 
 in everything that pertains to its prosperity, and 
 to honor our profession by works of faith and 
 labors of love. 
 
 This figtree quite disappointed its owner. When 
 he sought fruit on it, he found none. For three 
 
TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 499 
 
 successive years He came; but not a fig was there. 
 So it was with the great body of the Jews; and 
 so, alas, it is with many in our day. Though 
 brought up in God's vineyard, and surrounded 
 with all the means and opportunities of fruit- 
 fulness, many are barren trees. For years and 
 years the Lord has been dealing out to them the 
 benefits of His tender care; but no response have 
 they ever made. Prayerless and careless have 
 they remained under it all, doing nothing for 
 God nor for their own souls. Again, and again, 
 the Master has come seeking fruit, but finding 
 none. Even in the professed Church, amid all 
 the sacred services and lavish favors of divine 
 goodness, many are as dead and fruitless as if 
 they had never known the way of righteousness. 
 
 But exact account of this figtree was kept. 
 Every visit was noted. And so God takes no- 
 tice and account of every one that has place in 
 His vineyard. Many take no account of them- 
 selves, and live along as if their indifference were 
 nothing. Their golden opportunities, and their 
 years of grace and privilege, they let pass without 
 improvement. But there is One who has kept 
 exact record of it all, and will some day demand 
 account for the failure. 
 
 It was no pleasure to the owner of this vineyard 
 that his figtree was so unfruitful. Nevertheless he 
 was forbearing, wulling to wait and give it full 
 opportunity. But at length his patience gave 
 out, and his word went forth, ' ' Cut it down, why 
 cumbereth it the ground?" 
 
500 THE FRUITLESS TREE. 
 
 God is very merciful and slow to anger. He 
 bears long with the neglectors and abusers of His 
 grace. He is not quick to deal harshly with 
 people, though so regardless of His favors and 
 claims. But let them not suppose that He is 
 pleased with them, or that their barrenness is no 
 matter to Him. He will not always keep silence. 
 The time will come for judgment upon every one 
 that continues to disappoint His rightful expecta- 
 tions. As the fruitless tree is cut down and cast 
 into the fire, so He has said He will deal with 
 those who fail to profit by His mercies. There 
 will come a sad end for all the barren trees in 
 His vineyard. 
 
 Yet this tree was allowed to stand ; — not be- 
 canse it deserved to stand, — not because its owner 
 was not in earnest in condemning it, — not because 
 there was any change of purpose respecting it, — 
 but because a gracious and loving gardener inter- 
 ceded for it, and pleaded that it might be spared 
 one season more, while he would ply it with fur- 
 ther efforts to render it fruitful. In this gardener 
 we recognize the blessed Christ, who ever pleads 
 for poor barren souls. It is only because He 
 lives, and pleads, and intercedes that any of us 
 are here to-day. Had it not been for Him we 
 would long since have been where mercy never 
 comes. By His intercessions alone has doom 
 been kept away. 
 
 For His sake we have been respited and our 
 probation prolonged. On His account we are 
 spared and still have chance for salvation, while 
 
TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 501 
 
 new mercies are added. Who of us can tell what 
 thunderstrokes of death and judgment Jesus has 
 warded off from us by His gracious intercessions ? 
 Who can tell what activities are at this hour 
 going on before the throne in heaven by way of 
 entreaty for barren souls? Oh, that fruitless 
 plantings of the Lord did but see and understand 
 how much they owe to that loving Jesus, whose 
 word, and Church, and helpful ministrations they 
 so belittle, neglect, and often despise ! 
 
 But the respite in this case had its limit. It 
 was only for a brief period, to see if betterment 
 would come. And so in the case of every barren 
 soul. With many it is only for a year. That 
 time passed without improvement, the merciful 
 intercessor Himself joins in, and says, " Then cut 
 it down." Even the Christ cannot defer judg- 
 ment upon the negligent and unfruitful beyond a 
 certain limit ; and how near to that limit any 
 one may be cannot be told. The axe is already 
 laid at the root of many a tree, and any moment 
 it may strike. This only do we know, that each 
 recurring season, each day, each heart-throb 
 brings the barren soul so much nearer the time 
 when even the merciful Intercessor will say, 
 "Cut it downy The last gracious experiment 
 will soon be over with some, and nothing but 
 prompt and energetic change to a more dutiful 
 form of life, now and at once, can save them. 
 Presently one, and another, of whom we would 
 least expect it, will have reached the boundary, 
 their harvest past, their summer ended, and they 
 
502 THE FRUITLESS TREE. 
 
 not saved. And who can measure the sorrow then 
 to be felt? 
 
 Deep and painful is the anguish when a kind 
 and loving earthly friend abandons us. Then 
 what must it be to be forsaken by the blessed 
 Jesus, and left unhelped and unpitied in the 
 hands of almighty wrath ! O the regrets and 
 griefs that await the undutiful ! 
 
 Dear friends, it is a great and blessed thing for 
 us that Providence has given us place in His vine- 
 yard and surrounded us with privileges so exalted. 
 Bat it is also a very serious thing. The greater 
 the favors the more solemn the responsibilities. 
 The higher the elevation the more terrible the 
 fall. God expects and requires of the trees in His 
 garden what He does not expect of those in the 
 wilds. How, then, have we been meeting these 
 just and reasonable expectations ? 
 
 Alas, of how many has the good L,ord been 
 obliged to say, ' ' Behold, these three years I come 
 seeking fruit on this figtree and find none!" 
 Will He allow such a state of things to continue. 
 Consider this, O ye careless and faithless ones? 
 and see to it that ye do not press His patience and 
 forbearance too far. 
 
 "Wherefore the Holy Ghost saith, To-day if 
 ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, ' ' 
 but ' ' fear, lest a promise being left us of entering 
 into His rest any of you should seem to come 
 short of it." 
 
&f)e Host Qtfymtt. 
 
 Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. — 
 Jer. 8 : 20. 
 
 HIS sad lament the sorrowing prophet 
 put into the months of the children of 
 Israel, because they had sinned away 
 their blessed opportunities and were now 
 on the brink of the great captivity. But it is not 
 necessary to confine ourselves to the original ap- 
 plication of it. The people of Israel were not 
 such sinners above all sinners that the same 
 plight may not be realized in myriads of others 
 in the course of the ages, and in many of our 
 own day, or even among ourselves. Nor need 
 we more than dwell a little on the wording and 
 imagery of the text to find it abundantly sug. 
 gestive of some of the most momentous practical 
 truths demanding every one's very serious con- 
 sideration. 
 
 I. I find it here suggested and clearly set before 
 us that the great object to be attained in this life 
 is the salvation of our souls. No one was ever 
 created to be lost. From the time the Lord called 
 
 503 
 
504 THE LOST CHANCE. 
 
 Adam to account for his disobedience, a system 
 of provisions was instituted, and put in form to 
 be transmitted to all his generations, by which to 
 come to a knowledge of our wants, and of the 
 way to the divine favor and eternal life. If that 
 gracious light gradually faded out from the early 
 world, it was amply restored when the race started 
 on its new beginning in righteous Noah. And if 
 the saving light of life was again diminished and 
 lost to the nations born of him, it was no fault of 
 the Good Lord, who made ample provision for all 
 to have and retain the knowledge of Him, so as 
 to glorify Him and enjoy His favor for ever. All 
 this was still more abundantly true of ancient 
 Israel, and especially of those to whom the Gospel 
 has since been preached, and who now have the 
 light and privileges of His completed revela- 
 tions. At sundry times and in divers manners 
 God spake in time past unto the fathers by the 
 prophets, and in these last days hath He spoken 
 unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed 
 heir of all things. He has instituted His Church, 
 given the Scriptures, appointed His ministers, 
 and set up a complete economy of grace which 
 has come to us and all the nations, so that we 
 have only to give earnest heed to the things 
 which are being preached to us continually, in 
 order to find access into the holiest of all. Not 
 willing that any should perish, but that all should 
 come to repentance and live, a sublime and com- 
 petent Saviour has been sent, who has gone 
 through the whole work of satisfying for our 
 
TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 5 OS 
 
 guilt, and now presents Himself in all His saving 
 power and grace to every hearer of the Gospel, 
 saying, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and 
 are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Is 
 it now asked, ' ' What shall we do that we may 
 work the works of God?" His own clear and 
 assuring answer is, ' ' This is the work of God y 
 that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent." 
 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou 
 shalt be saved." "He that believeth and is 
 baptized shall be saved. ' ' And all the ministers 
 of the Gospel in all the world are now commis- 
 sioned and sent, as Christ's ambassadors, to carry 
 His Word of reconciliation to all nations, kindred, 
 people, and tongues, and in His stead to beseech 
 every one to be reconciled to God, and take the 
 redemption purchased by this Saviour's blood. 
 
 From all this it is clear and certain that God 
 desires our salvation, and that this is now the 
 great object for which He is ever dealing with 
 us in this world, and the supreme thing that our 
 lives are given us to attain. Missing this we 
 miss the goal of our existence. 
 
 II. I find it here suggested and clearly set be- 
 fore us, that particular seasons and opportunities 
 are given us for securing our salvation. We 
 cannot grow and gather our bread in winter. 
 We must have the warm and genial summer time 
 to give us harvests and appropriate seasons for 
 gathering them. The years of grace likewise 
 have their seasons, — their summer and harvest 
 
$06 . THE LOST CHANCE. , 
 
 time, — in which to secure and appropriate the 
 bread of life. 
 
 The happiest and most precious summer time 
 of grace is the growing and susceptible season of 
 youth. The Scriptures are everywhere eloquent 
 in their observations upon the great advantages 
 of early piety, and the earnest beginning of Chris- 
 tian life while the heart is yet tender and unen- 
 grossed with the cares and worries of later years. 
 Impressions received when we are young strike 
 the deepest and last the longest. When almost 
 everything else is forgotten the old man still 
 recollects the lessons of his youth, and what his 
 pious mother taught him when he was a child. 
 The little prayers he learned to say while kneel- 
 ing at her knee are those which are most present 
 to him in his declining days, and serve him best 
 as he comes to pass away from earth. Amid all 
 the turmoil, and bustle, and strife through which 
 he has passed, and by which so much that once 
 interested him has been brushed away to oblivion, 
 the things which he learned, and felt, and was 
 taught to cherish in his early days still retain 
 their place and brightness to the last. At no 
 other period is the heart so open, so near heaven, 
 so capable of receiving sacred truth, so intense in 
 the hold which it takes upon right instruction, so 
 susceptible of being impressed with what is to 
 shape life to the proper standard. The pursuits, 
 anxieties, disappointments, and pressing cares of 
 maturer life soon tread down the softer sensibili- 
 ties, harden the nature, and give a set to the soul 
 
TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. $°7 
 
 which renders it difficult to move it with anything 
 but the calls and interests of this present world. 
 As youth's bright season passes away and the 
 hard struggles and competitions of business come 
 upon us, the probabilities are much diminished 
 of ever making the necessary revolution for a 
 new start, if we have never before learned to 
 seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. 
 People who have neglected their souls until mid- 
 dle life, are far less likely ever to feel again as 
 they would have felt, or to succeed as well as 
 they would have succeeded, if they had been 
 careful to remember their Creator in the days of 
 their youth. Each year of neglect and continu- 
 ance in unconcern detracts from the likelihood 
 of ever embracing that Gospel on which every 
 one's salvation hangs. Youth and early life are 
 therefore God's special summer time for the fash- 
 ioning of the soul to His will, and of imparting 
 to it that heavenward impulse by which to secure 
 a happy destiny. 
 
 There also comes to every one, at one time 
 or another, a season of solemn retrospect and 
 thoughtful review, when we are forced to con- 
 sider what and where we are, what we are here 
 for, and how we have been disposing of ourselves 
 and our opportunities ; — times when we are in 
 a measure retired from the beaten ways and com- 
 mon current of things, — times when by choice or 
 otherwise we turn aside a little to the byways, 
 nooks, and sequestered spots to meditate, and 
 think, and ponder, — times when we get away 
 
508 THE LOST CHANCE. 
 
 somewhat from our common selves to contem- 
 plate and inquire about life, and what we are 
 living for, and how it is likely to be with us when 
 we have done with earth. These are significant 
 and important times, — moments which are moth- 
 ers to the most decisive impulses, yea, mothers 
 to our eternities. They furnish the pivot-mo- 
 ments on which our destiny turns, and on which 
 the soul vibrates to take its direction for this 
 world and the next. They are the times that 
 fashion and decide the under-strata of our whole 
 career, and lay the foundations of all that is to 
 come of our existence. They are the brooding 
 times which shape our lives and determine the 
 character of our immortality. They come some- 
 times in connection with gre*at disappointments, 
 startling events of Providence, sore bereavements, 
 bitter losses, or turns of fortune which bring 
 our whole course of life to a halt. This is 
 a very unsettled and unstable world, and great 
 and unexpected events and changes are ever oc- 
 curring. With all our care irresistible waves 
 break in and turn all our plans and calculations 
 upside down, sweeping away upon their boister- 
 ous surges all that was fair, beautiful, hallowed 
 and promising ; cutting the very ground from be- 
 neath our feet, desolating all our proud thoughts, 
 and laying all our lofty imaginings in ruins. The 
 gourd which has been sheltering our heads is cut 
 by some unexpected worm. The tree in whose 
 beautiful shadow we have so confidently reposed 
 is withered down to its roots. The objects on 
 
TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 509 
 
 which the tendrils of the heart were twining them- 
 selves give way and disappear, and our souls in 
 the agony of their bereavement and desolation are 
 compelled to cast about in other directions, and 
 to bethink them for quite other orders of things. 
 The natural heart may be disposed to view such 
 times as only wintry and disastrous ; but they 
 are really God's summer times for the bringing 
 of us to thoughtfulness and salvation. It is then 
 that we are cut loose from the world that has 
 been dragging us with it, and that the hard soil 
 is softened and torn up for the reception of the 
 good seed which God would sow in it for our 
 eternal good. It is then that the majesty and 
 claims of neglected Heaven come very near and 
 press upon us with • solemn force. God is then 
 speaking to us with special urgency and power. 
 And next to the susceptible season of youth, these 
 times are the most favorable seasons for the grow- 
 ing and gathering of the blessed harvest of salva- 
 tion. If they are left to go by unimproved, or 
 only madden the soul against itself or against 
 the Lord who rules in all these things, the hope 
 of ever being saved is put all the further away, 
 and the insensibility is less likely than ever to be 
 overcome. If such seasons come and pass, and 
 the world again comes back, and life settles once 
 more into its old channels, and no salutary change 
 is wrought in our aims and character, the chances 
 are a thousand to one that so it will continue to 
 the end, and salvation be forever lost. 
 
 There also come seasons of special visitations 
 
5IO THE LOST CHANCE. 
 
 of grace, times of much religious interest in the 
 community, times when a particular seriousness 
 gathers over people's minds, and thoughts of God, 
 judgment, and eternity insinuate themselves even 
 into the- most hardened and unwilling. Circles 
 of friends, families, or churches are sometimes 
 visited with a common sobering of mind, and 
 thinking on serious things, and an unusual con- 
 cern about the way they have been living and 
 doing. One and another is impressed and moved 
 to a thorough change, which makes others 
 thoughtful and serious. Individuals certainly 
 come upon such times. In one way or another 
 God's voice comes to them, so that their gayities 
 pall, and their souls become restless over their 
 long indifference, and their thoughts go forward 
 to the setting of summer suns, and the coming 
 of autumn tints, and the dropping of autumn 
 leaves, and the closing up of life. Eternity rises 
 to their view as a solemn reality, and there comes 
 a knocking at the heart, a quickening of the 
 pulse, and a deep stir in the soul as to how it will 
 be with them when death overtakes them, and 
 the gravestone marks the place where the earthly 
 journey ended. And then it is that "the king- 
 dom of God is come nigh," and the Holy Ghost 
 is moving about the spirit to win it to the ways 
 of righteousness and the better world. These 
 also are the precious breezes of God's summer 
 time, which no one can afford to despise. 
 
 And so there are other special days and seasons, 
 such as birthdays, anniversaries of affecting deaths 
 
TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 5 I I 
 
 or events in life, the closing of the year, the be- 
 ginning of a new section of time. Such seasons 
 have a special power to impress and stir up 
 wholesome thoughtfulness over past failures and 
 neglects, and to beget new resolves that touch on 
 the wants and eternal interests of the soul. Even 
 days of festival and rejoicing, times of family re- 
 gatherings, thanksgiving days, and Christmas 
 times, when children and children's children as- 
 semble in the old home, and everything is full of 
 cheer and merriment, may serve as occasions to 
 beget very serious thinking. In the midst of the 
 social joy and happiness, while the eyes are feast- 
 ing with the pleasant scene, there comes with the 
 gladness the saddening undertone that this picture 
 must some day be reversed ; that the time will 
 come when those heads so full of bright thoughts 
 will toss upon the fevered pillow, those little 
 hearts beating with so many glad emotions grow 
 still and cold, and the home that rings so joyously 
 with merry laughter echo the sighs and lamenta- 
 tions of them that weep over lost ones never more 
 to return ; — when these patriarchs of the circle 
 shall be gone, and other feet tread these patrimo- 
 nial halls, and young and old lie in silence be- 
 neath the sod. All these and such like may be 
 fitly called the summer time of sacred impression 
 and holy impulse to move the soul and bring it 
 into saving harmony with God. 
 
 The summer time of grace is not necessarily 
 confined to such seasons. In a wider and more 
 general sense that summer time is life, and takes 
 
512 THE LOST CHANCE. 
 
 in the whole period of our stay on earth. But 
 when we deduct the years of unconscious infancy, 
 and the time we necessarily spend in unconscious 
 sleep, and the times when w T e are thoughtlessly 
 carried along with the drift of things about us, 
 and the times when we are absorbed and taken up 
 with the pursuits and pleasures of life, and the 
 years already gone, and the uncertain years of the 
 future which may never come, our summer time 
 for working the works of God and gathering our 
 harvest for eternity is after all very limited, and 
 the times I have named make up almost the entire 
 sum. Neglecting these we neglect all our main 
 chances, and probability rises to almost certainty 
 that we never shall see salvation. This harvest 
 past, and this summer ended, without recovery 
 from listlessness and indifference to heavenly 
 things, there is poor chance that matters will ever 
 be any better with us. 
 
 III. Furthermore, I find it here suggested and 
 distinctly set before us that the period of grace 
 must one day come to an absolute termination. 
 The harvest cannot last all the year. Long and 
 genial as the summer may be, it must end. And 
 it always ends sooner than w r e calculate. How 
 long has it been since June set in, and people in 
 general were busy with their plans how to order 
 themselves and their vacations for the summer ? 
 But June was quickly gone, and July hasted past, 
 and August suns soon rose and set no more, and 
 September was here almost before we thought ; 
 
TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 5 1 3 
 
 and presently the sun crossed the line, and nature 
 began to show the sear and yellow leaf. And 
 now the bare branches and the chill winds tell of 
 the ending year. A true picture this of the way 
 it is with the season of grace and salvation. It 
 comes upon us as by stealth, before we are half 
 prepared for it. We are apt to think, ' ' Oh, life 
 is long, — it is time enough, — there will be plenty 
 of opportunity. ' ' But presently the June of youth 
 is past, and the main harvest time is over. Then 
 come the languid days of midsummer, when the 
 burdens and oppressions of life hang heavy upon 
 us. And then come the busy times of approach- 
 ing autumn ; and the summer limit is reached 
 before we have had time to consider. Presently 
 the last note is sung ; the last act of the drama is 
 performed ; the clock of eternity strikes ; the cur- 
 tain falls; the last pulse trembles in the heart; the 
 summer is ended, the harvest past, and all the 
 opportunities of this world are gone forever ! 
 
 Who will dispute the facts as I state them ? In 
 whose experience and observation do they not 
 find an echo? 
 
 But even apart from the termination of life, 
 which may occur at any time in any case, the 
 summer time of spiritual blessing and opportunity 
 may come to a speedy close. God will not always 
 wait on those who only waste their time and abuse 
 His long suffering. His offers persistently un- 
 heeded are ever liable to be withdrawn and taken 
 back. It was a fearful sentence pronounced upon 
 the old world, when God "said, "My Spirit shall 
 
5 14 THE LOST CHANCE. , 
 
 not always strive with man, ' ' and on the heels of 
 mercy neglected and misimproved came summary 
 and awful judgment. It was a fearful message 
 sent to the rebellious and unfaithful Jews: "Be 
 thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart 
 from thee." And it is one of the settled princi- 
 ples of the divine government: "He that, being 
 often reproved, hardeneth his neck shall suddenly 
 be cut off, and that without remedy." Every in- 
 stance in which the soul deliberately puts from it 
 the clear and evident calls of God and stifles con- 
 viction for the following of its own self-chosen 
 ways is a step toward that fatal line at which the 
 divine word says, "Ephraim is joined to his idols; 
 let him alone." And when once the Holy Spirit 
 is thus grieved away from the soul the ministries 
 of grace cease from their effect. Man stands then 
 as a dead tree upon which the sun rises and sets, 
 and the seasons come and go, but there is no more 
 living response to the heavenly beams. Then al- 
 ready, even in this present life : ' ' The harvest is 
 past, the summer ended, and the soul is not 
 saved. ' ' 
 
 But barring all such calamity, the time is com- 
 ing, and may be near at hand, when our whole 
 history on earth will reach a perpetual end. 
 When we begin to live we also begin to die. We 
 are all like travellers passing through a land for 
 the last time ; every step leaves so much behind 
 never to be seen again, and brings us so much 
 closer to the moment when the whole terri- 
 tory will recede from us for ever. And how 
 
TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 5 1 5 
 
 will it then be with the frivolous and unthought- 
 ful who have spent their precious youth pursuing 
 the butterflies of worldly pleasure, and their riper 
 years in scrambles and strifes for the honors, 
 riches, and emoluments of earth, and held at bay 
 through all their course all claims of God and 
 serious religion ! What will it avail for any one 
 to say, "I have been reared in a pious home; I 
 have brought up my family in respectability and 
 comfort ; I have labored hard and diligently to 
 secure an honorable living ; I have conducted an 
 honest business ; I have secured a competency for 
 those dependent on me ; I have received the ap- 
 plause, respect, and esteem of all that knew me ; 
 I have never blotted my record with base crimes 
 and wicked habits ; I have much goods lawfully 
 acquired, and have given an example to the world 
 of probity and good citizenship;" if with all it 
 must be added, "but I have neglected God and 
 my soul ; I have favored religion, but never made 
 it my own ; I have supported the Church, but 
 always put off becoming a faithful member of it 
 myself; and now I must die as I lived, the harvest 
 past, the summer ended, and I not saved ! 
 
 IV. And yet again, I find it here suggested and 
 distinctly set before us, that if ever we are saved 
 at all we must faithfully and promptly embrace 
 and improve the seasons of grace which God in 
 mercy sends us. If any of you are yet in the 
 morning of life, see to it that you do not let it 
 pass without earnestly seeking the kingdom of 
 
5 l6 THE LOST CHANCE. 
 
 God and His righteousness. It is of all times 
 God's own chosen time for coming under the con- 
 ditions for a good and pious life. Letting this go 
 by unimproved, you let go the very best chance 
 you can ever have, and it may be your only 
 chance. And if that precious season has already 
 gone without making you a child of God, by all 
 the store you set on a blessed . eternity do not 
 neglect your present opportunities. Now while 
 you have health and reason, — now while you 
 hear the whisperings of the Spirit urging you not 
 to neglect so great salvation, — now while you yet 
 can feel the motives and influences given to bring 
 you into the fold of Christ, — now that the evil day 
 has not yet overtaken you, nor the years when 
 you will have gone too far to retrace your steps, — 
 now while the doors of mercy stand open to you, 
 and you feel almost persuaded to enter, — let noth- 
 ing come in to keep you back, lest the harvest 
 pass, the summer end, and you be left without 
 part or portion with the saved. 
 
 In everything there is the utmost importance 
 attaching to the favorable moment. 
 
 There is a tide in the affairs of men 
 
 Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; 
 
 Omitted, all the voyage of their life 
 
 Js bound in shallows and in miseries. — 
 
 On such a full sea are we now afloat ; 
 
 And we must take the current when it serves, 
 
 Or lose our ventures. 
 
 And so there are crises in our lives, — moments 
 pregnant with vast results, — which, promptly 
 
TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 5 I J 
 
 seized, become the turning-points of everlasting 
 triumph, but which, if left to pass, bring irre- 
 mediable failure. Present opportunities neglected 
 can never return. Once lost, they are gone for 
 ever. Others may come, but never can fully re- 
 pair all the disadvantages of having let the first 
 go unimproved. The great matter is to seize 
 the favorable moment as it comes, and work and 
 gather when the harvest and the summer are upon 
 us, lest we miss our chance, and find, with all our 
 good intentions, that we are too late, too late. 
 If ready to meet religious duty now, it may still 
 not be altogether too late. But be assured that 
 a course of indifference and procrastination cannot 
 go on without limit. Some of these passing days 
 the sun of mercy will have crossed the line, the 
 clock have struck the hour of harvest past, the 
 summer ended. And what if you should then be 
 found ^ not saved " all your opportunities closed, 
 the ship of your salvation gone, and nothing 
 left but the agonizing lament — " Too late! Too 
 late"? 
 
&eal (or ©ntr. 
 
 Twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord. — 2 
 Kings 10: 16. 
 
 '1EAL, is a very important thing in human 
 life. It is to man what fire is to a steam 
 engine. However perfect the machinery, 
 it is but little worth without heat to 
 drive it into action. Zeal is heat, ardor, earnest- 
 ness, energy, — the passion which we throw into 
 what we undertake. A man without zeal is a 
 drone, a clog, a burden, a blot. He wins no ap- 
 plause; he excites no pity; he accomplishes no 
 good. If he has talents they are buried, and not 
 always in a napkin. He may count in the census, 
 but he is a mere cipher of existence. The world 
 scarcely knows that he is in it, except for what 
 he consumes; and were he to die to-morrow, it 
 would be no worse off from his absence. 
 
 The sentence which fell upon man at the be- 
 ginning requires the eating of our bread in the 
 sweat of our brows; and, without energy in busi- 
 ness and a vigorous and persevering putting of 
 our hands to do with our might what we find to 
 do, life must be a failure. No work, no bread; 
 
 518 
 
TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 5 19 
 
 no zeal, no manly success. This is the law of 
 things in this present world. 
 
 And of all things in which to be zealous, zeal in 
 our religion, — "zeal for the I^ord," — needs to be 
 vigorous and strong. Were it possible to be luke- 
 warm in everything else and not suffer, to be 
 lukewarm in this admits of no excuse, and has 
 upon it the disgust and condemnation of God. 
 Jesus has said from heaven : u I would thou wert 
 cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, 
 and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of 
 my mouth." Above all things it is required of 
 us to "be fervent in spirit, serving the L,ord." 
 All the examples which the Scriptures most com- 
 mend are such as Phineas, and David, and Elijah, 
 and Josiah, and Hezekiah, and Apollos, and Paul, 
 and Kpaphras, who were distinguished in nothing 
 more than in the intense fervor shown for God, 
 His worship, and His truth. Jesus has left an ex- 
 ample for all believers to follow; and in prophecy 
 as in its fulfillment He is represented as the one 
 who could say, "The zeal of Thine house hath 
 eaten me up." And very hard it is to see how 
 anyone can be a right man, much less a right 
 Christian, without close imitation of those who 
 showed themselves "very zealous for the Lord 
 of hosts." 
 
 But zeal of itself is an imperfect virtue. Even 
 when contemplating the true God and the true 
 service of God it may go very far astray. It may 
 exist in flaming warmth, and exert itself with 
 tremendous power, and still not make the man 
 
520 ZEAL FOR GOD. 
 
 in whom it burns a true and accepted servant of 
 the Lord. It needs the guidance of wisdom and 
 the regulation of other principles. Paul had as 
 much zeal while a Pharisee as he had after he 
 became a Christian; but it made of him a bloody 
 monster in the one case, and a very messenger of 
 life and salvation in the other. The Jews of his 
 time had a zeal for God, but not according to 
 knowledge. And so it has been in very many 
 instances: Tyrants and popes, Councils and In- 
 quisitions, zealots and bigots, have murdered 
 millions on millions of people better than them- 
 selves, and made their history a shame and scan- 
 dal in the earth. No one can be a true servant 
 of God without zeal; but zeal alone can never 
 make a man a saint. There must be something 
 to qualify and direct it, or it becomes a blasting 
 ruin and disgrace. 
 
 Nor need we go further than the man who 
 spoke the text, to see wherein zeal, even with 
 a good and holy cause, may be so tainted and 
 intermixed with other qualities as to make its 
 possessor a monster and a reprobate. 
 
 Jehu was sacredly called and anointed to be the 
 King of Israel in place of the infamous and idol- 
 atrous seed of Ahab and Jezebel, all of whom 
 he was divinely commissioned to smite and de- 
 stroy. He undertook the work with daring en- 
 ergy, and this he called his "zeal for the L/ord," 
 which he invited Jehonadab to come with him to 
 see. It was right that he should follow the com- 
 mands God had Qriven him. It was right that he 
 
% TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 52 1 
 
 should bring all his power to bear against idols 
 and idolatry. It was right that he should set 
 himself to recover his country from the base apos- 
 tacy which Jezebel and Ahab had induced. And 
 so far his zeal was in accord with the revealed 
 will of heaven and in the path of duty. But it 
 was after all a zeal which brought little credit or 
 good to himself, and eventually called down 
 divine judgment on his house. 
 
 Note, then, the particulars in which this man's 
 zeal was faulty and thus learn to direct our own 
 aright. 
 
 Jehu's zeal was tainted with a ferocious cruelty. 
 It was his business, as the administrator of the 
 laws of Israel, to make an end of that infamous 
 woman Jezebel, whose impieties and crimes bereft 
 her of every right to life and every plea of com- 
 passion ; but it was not his business to enact to- 
 ward her the wanton barbarity of the savage, to 
 have her cast unwarned from the window of her 
 palace, to trample her body under the feet of his 
 horses, to drive his chariot over her mangled 
 frame in the public streets, and to let her bones 
 lie in the highway for the dogs to crunch. It 
 was his business" to execute Jehoram, who had 
 forfeited all title to allegiance ; but it was not his 
 business to encounter the doomed and wounded 
 monarch with such harsh and cruel taunts, to 
 shoot him down like a dog, and to cast him out 
 unburied where Naboth's blood was spilled. It 
 was his business to put out of the way the seventy 
 princely scions of Ahab's house ; but it was not 
 
522 ZEAL FOR GOD. 
 
 his business to do it with such cruel treachery, to 
 have their heads carried in baskets from Samaria 
 to Jezreel, and to stack them in heaps by the city 
 gates as a public show. And it was also his busi- 
 ness to bring down the power of BaaPs priests and 
 worshippers; but it was not his business to de- 
 ceive them with such atrocious hypocrisy to such 
 a horrible slaughter. 
 
 Thus Jehu's "zeal for the Lord " was savagely 
 ferocious. It lacked charity, and hence was not 
 a genuine zeal for God. True zeal, like the heav- 
 enly wisdom of which it is born, " is first pure, 
 then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full 
 of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and 
 without hypocrisy." It is not indeed a mawkish 
 sentimentalism, which cannot bear to give pain 
 or punish the guilty. There must be vigorous 
 firmness to discharge every duty, no matter how 
 painful. What God commands, it must have the 
 nerve to do without fear or favor. But it must 
 likewise be tempered with reason and humanity. 
 We cannot acceptably serve God while we outrage 
 all considerations of justice, whether in word or 
 deed. Needless severity and harshness, even to 
 the unworthiest and guiltiest, is wrong, and be- 
 trays a spirit which is not of God. Right zeal 
 cannot compromise with untruth or unrighteous- 
 ness. It belongs to its nature to hate, abhor, and 
 fight sin in all its forms ; but not so as to play the 
 savage or the brute toward the sinner. A man is 
 still a fellow man, however far he may be out of 
 the way ; and the obligations of a common creat- 
 
TWENTY- FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 523 
 
 urehood hold with reference to his person, how- 
 ever necessitated by law and righteousness to con- 
 demn and punish his. crime. 
 
 Jehu's zeal was further marred by a vain-glori- 
 ous, proud, and ostentatious spirit. A true and 
 vigorous zeal certainly involves publicity. A man 
 cannot be an earnest, faithful, and enterprising 
 servant of God without putting himself before the 
 eyes of others. Though he may not court obser- 
 vation or applause, he cannot retire from notice, 
 and do all his work in secret. Nor could Jehu 
 fulfill the duties imposed upon him without very 
 marked public demonstrations. But his address 
 to Jehonadab showed far more arrogance and 
 swelling pride than genuine piety. He did not 
 say, Come, counsel with me, that I may make no 
 mistakes in these peculiar duties ; or, Come, help 
 me carry through my solemn and painful commis- 
 sion with due humility, gratitude, and godly fear; 
 but he set himself up as the grand hero, and 
 said, Come, behold me, admire me, witness the 
 grand things that I am doing, and see if the 
 like of me was ever in Israel. Here was vanity, 
 conceit, and a vaunting self-consequence and 
 self-assertion, wholly out of place in a true man 
 of God. 
 
 True religious zeal does not thus sound a trum- 
 pet before it. It vatinteth not itself. Neither 
 does it depend on human admiration and praise 
 to perpetuate its efforts. It does not work to be 
 seen of men, and is not eager for earthly pane- 
 gyrics. It lives to God rather than to men, and is 
 
524 ZEAL FOR GOD. 
 
 ever modest in what it claims for itself, knowing 
 that at best it is but an unworthy servant. 
 
 There were no classes of peo'ple whom the 
 Saviour condemned with greater severity than 
 those religionists of His time who sought the chief 
 seats in public assemblies, the uppermost rooms 
 at feasts, and thanked God that they had not the 
 faults and weaknesses of other men. And so 
 there be many still who are never to be seen ex- 
 cept on great occasions, who will not serve if they 
 cannot lead, who must be petted, and pampered, 
 and pleased, and admired, or their activity and 
 devotion all goes from them, and who seem to 
 think that everything is going to rack and ruin 
 unless they are at the helm. But all such zeal is 
 Pharisaism, born of the vanity and depravity of 
 man, and not of the Spirit of God. And all who 
 take to religion and its activites for show and 
 self-importance, and use the plea of "zeal for 
 the Lord" to win admiration, favor, or public 
 notoriety for themselves, are mere Jehus, cor- 
 rupt in mind and destitute of the living power 
 of the truth. 
 
 And a yet further defect in Jehu's zeal was its 
 lack of moral principle and honest consistency. 
 Good ends can never justify wicked means. No 
 earnestness of pious endeavor can ever supersede 
 the laws of eternal morality. A man cannot lie, 
 and deceive, and play the foul trickster, even for 
 the success of a good cause or the glory of God, 
 without compromising his virtue and his saint- 
 ship. Jesuitism is devilism, no matter how it 
 
TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 525 
 
 may varnish or disguise itself. It is specially for- 
 bidden to do evil that good may come. But this 
 is just what tainted the sudden zeal of Jehu. He 
 adopted the most perfidious deceit, falsehood, and 
 hypocrisy to destroy the worshippers of Baal ; and 
 when his treacherous butchery of them was over 
 his devotion to the true worship was after all so 
 weak, suspicious, and self-seeking that he refused 
 to make common cause with it as established at 
 Jerusalem, and set up "the golden calves of 
 Bethel and Dan," saying, " These be thy gods, O 
 Israel!" 
 
 The zeal that would honor God, and that God 
 honors, must in all things obey God. It cannot 
 transgress one commandment under plea of devo- 
 tion to another. It cannot serve righteousness by 
 adventuring into wickedness. A heart that can 
 deceitfully proclaim the glory of Baal, even though 
 meant for Baal's destruction, is too rotten to be 
 trusted for Jehovah, and will just as soon deify 
 golden calves when that suits its purposes. If we 
 would serve God, we must serve Him honestly, 
 truthfully, consistently. It w 7 ill not do to be 
 zealous to pull motes out of the eyes of others, 
 while beams are sticking in our own ; or to be 
 strict in tything mint, anise, and cummin, while 
 the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, 
 and faith, are trampled under foot. Of what use 
 can it be to our estate with God, outwardly to ap- 
 pear righteous unto men, while inwardly full of 
 hypocrisy and iniquity? What credit is it to 
 strain to put down one evil while exemplifying 
 
526 ZEAL FOR GOD. 
 
 another ? What virtue is there in fighting for a 
 cause which we are ready to compromise on the 
 first temptation? An old bishop has said, "No 
 zeal is right which is not charitable;" and we 
 may add with equal point, No zeal is right which 
 is not thoroughly moral. I once knew a man 
 who was never so earnest a Christian as when he 
 was a little drunk ; but such a zeal is a thing of 
 disgust both to God and man. 
 
 True zeal is the outbirth of a pure and holy 
 spirit. It is not a romantic sentiment that glows 
 only while the glamour lasts. It is not an affec- 
 tation, put on from without, and having no coun- 
 terpart in the qualities of the soul. It is not a 
 mere sympathetic furore, caught from others, as 
 the coward also rushes into battle, and as the 
 multitude runs without knowing why. It is not 
 a mere galvanism of the spirits, artificially 
 wrought up for some special emergency, which 
 subsides or changes when the spurt is over. It is 
 a living principle, grounded in the heart, fed and 
 sustained by conviction and love of right, which 
 lives to the truth and eye of God, and is a vital 
 part of the inmost character of the man, in sun- 
 shine and in shade. It is a live coal from the 
 heavenly altar, which cleanses and purges while 
 it animates the soul, and makes it warm and 
 ready to answer to every call of God, " Here am 
 I ; send me." It is not the spirit of party, the 
 impulse of self, the mere influence of association, 
 the obstinacy of a favorite scheme, the endurance 
 of a proud nature, the carnal thirst for applause, 
 
TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 527 
 
 the greed for personal aggrandizement ; but that 
 spirit of faith which led Moses to choose suffering 
 with the people of God rather than to enjoy the 
 temporary pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach 
 of Christ greater riches than all the treasures in 
 Egypt. It is true religion made living and potent 
 in the soul, which consecrates the whole man, 
 with all his powers and for all his days, to the 
 humble, patient, unswerving, and unabridged 
 devotion to God and duty, trusting in Him 
 whose is the kingdom, and the power, and the 
 glory. 
 
 And this, dear friends, is what I am here to 
 inculcate. A word from the eternal throne has 
 come forth to every one of us. It tells of a God 
 to be honored, a cause to be served, wrongs to be 
 righted, and great things to be achieved; and 
 that we are here for the purpose. There is no 
 room for doubt as to the part meant for us to 
 take. What response, then, have we given to 
 the heavenly message? How have we been 
 answering to the word and anointing of Jehovah? 
 Many live and act as if there were no God, no 
 prophets by Him commissioned, no word from 
 heaven for them to obey. But life was not given 
 for such inanition. 
 
 Many have had the anointing of holy Baptism, 
 consecrating them to a life of faith and activity 
 for God, who slumber in sin, and live along in 
 dead inertia toward their sacred calling, as if they 
 had no souls to do for, no Christ to serve, no work 
 for Him, no account to render at the last. "Woe 
 
528 ZEAL FOR GOD. 
 
 to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that 
 take counsel, but not of Me; and that cover with 
 a covering, but not of My Spirit!" And even 
 of those who have sworn unto the Lord, and laid 
 their vows upon His altar, how many are as in- 
 different as if the cause of God and righteousness 
 were scarcely to be distinguished from the gay 
 and idolatrous world? If ever they were earnest 
 and ardent in their profession, they have left their 
 first love. Their ardor has lost its flame. Their 
 zeal is dead. Some are vain enough to think 
 themselves rich, and increased with goods, and 
 needing nothing; and know not that they are 
 wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, 
 and naked. Alas, what fresh quickening from 
 on high do all such people need ! Nay, what 
 spiritual revival do we all need, to make us such 
 Christians as we ought to be ! 
 
 The great thing required for the Church of our 
 times, both in its leaders and in its people, is a 
 new baptism of fire, to kindle and warm them 
 into a pure and living zeal for God, as against 
 the idolatries, apostacies, shams, and lies which 
 everywhere infest society, and are fast dragging 
 this present world to its destruction. And the 
 way to get it is, for each one individually to turn 
 unto the Lord his God with vigorous energy and 
 devotion, to repent out of all existing deadness, 
 and to join the life of a Christian with the name. 
 What our hands find to do, we must do. And 
 with each one ready and thirsting to do the will 
 of God, and to serve Him with an undivided 
 
TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 529 
 
 heart, there will be no lack of genuine zeal for 
 the Ivord of hosts. God help us to be true and 
 faithful to our calling, that we may be His in the 
 great day. 
 
 Work for the good that is nighest ; 
 
 Dream not of greatness afar ; 
 That glory is ever the highest 
 
 Which shines upon men as they are, 
 
 Work, though the world would defeat you; 
 
 Heed not its slander nor scorn ; 
 Nor weary till angels shall greet you 
 
 With smiles through the gates of the morn. 
 
 Offer thy life on the altar ; 
 
 In the high purpose be strong ; 
 And if the tired spirit should falter, 
 Then sweeten thy labor with song. 
 34 
 
Twenty-sixth Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 And He said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some 
 of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have 
 seen the Kingdom of God come with power. — Mark 9:1. 
 
 "HE years come and go. This is the 
 last Sunday in the annual round of our 
 Church seasons. After to-day the whole 
 Church year will be numbered with 
 the past. Everything in nature around us, — the 
 faded and falling leaves, the shortening days, and 
 the waning of the sun's power, — also reminds us 
 of an approaching termination of our sojourn on 
 earth. 
 
 It is fitting, therefore, that we should cast our 
 thoughts forward to what is beyond, and inquire 
 about what is to come after we have done with 
 this present world. In this the text, and that to 
 which it specially refers, can serve us well, and 
 help to throw much blessed light upon what to 
 many is very dark and dim. 
 
 Jesus here speaks of seeing " the Kingdom of 
 God come with power." The same is spoken of 
 in Matthew as seeing "the Son of Man coming 
 in His Kingdom." And in Luke the same is 
 described as seeing u the Kingdom of God." 
 
 530 
 
TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 5 3 1 
 
 This Kingdom has different stages: the King- 
 dom in embryo, and the Kingdom finally com- 
 plete, — the Kingdom in Spirit as it now exists, 
 and the Kingdom in full manifestation as it is 
 to be hereafter, — or what is otherwise called the 
 Kingdom of grace, and the Kingdom of glory. 
 It is of the latter, or the Kingdom as hereafter 
 revealed, when the L,ord Jesus will come again, 
 that is here spoken of. The coming of the King- 
 dom "with power" and the coming of u the Son 
 of Man in His Kingdom" invisible manifesta- 
 tion, as here phrased, sufficiently prove that the 
 reference is to the Kingdom as it is to be when 
 Christ shall come the second time. 
 
 Now three of the Evangelists tell us that the 
 Saviour solemnly announced to His disciples, 
 shortly before His Passion, that some of them 
 should not taste of death till they had seen this 
 kingdom. How then, when and where did they 
 see it? as the great day had not come in their 
 lifetime. The answer to this question is given in 
 the record of what occurred soon after this saying 
 of the Saviour. And there we read : — "After six 
 days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his 
 brother, and bringeth them up into an high 
 mountain apart to pray. And as He prayed the 
 fashion of His countenance was altered, and His 
 face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was 
 white as the light, so as no fuller could white 
 them ; and there appeared unto them Moses and 
 Klias in glory, talking with Jesus, and spake of 
 His decease which He should accomplish at Jeru- 
 
532 THE GLORIOUS BEYOND. 
 
 salem ; and Peter, and they that were with Him, 
 saw His glory, and the two men that stood with 
 Him." 
 
 True, this was not the Kingdom in its final con- 
 summation ; but it was a living picture and ex- 
 hibit of it, in which these men saw the Son of 
 man coming in His kingdom, and from which we 
 may see the chief features of that kingdom in its 
 ultimate completion. For whatever else the scene 
 of the Saviour's Transfiguration may have been 
 intended to subserve, it was a picture, earnest, and 
 showing of the Kingdom as it will be when com- 
 plete. The disciples were to "see the Son of man 
 coming in His kingdom" before they died, and 
 we search through their history in vain for any- 
 thing answering to the description, save this 
 scene of the Transfiguration. Peter also distinctly 
 identifies this scene as an exhibit of " the power 
 and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. ' ' And all 
 the features and surroundings of the case assure 
 us that it was meant to be a pictorial illustration 
 of the great redemption work in its final outcome. 
 
 What, then, may we learn from it touching the 
 estate and condition of things when our Saviour 
 comes again, as He has foretold? 
 
 It shows the exalted character of the kingdom 
 as far above the common world. The exhibit 
 was on "a high mountain," and in Scripture, as 
 in nature, mountains connect with heaven and 
 the divine. "All that expands the spirit, yet 
 appals, gathers round their summits." They 
 
TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 533 
 
 tower above the smoke and stir of this lower 
 world, and seem to be joined with, as they image 
 the eternal Almightiness. And thus lofty, heav- 
 enly, glorious, and joined to eternity is the king- 
 dom of Christ when once it comes to its full reve- 
 lation. For u the mountain of the L,ord's house 
 shall be established in the top of the mountains 
 and shall be exalted above the hills." 
 
 This scene also shows us Jesus in His proper 
 excellency. He was still a man, as He always 
 will be ; but a transfigured, glorified, metamor- 
 phosed man, — a man arrayed in the glory of 
 Divinity. " His face did shine as the sun." His 
 very garments glowed with burning brightness. 
 And so intense and transcendent was the splendor 
 that permeated and enveloped Him that the Evan- 
 gelists seem at a loss for words and images to de- 
 scribe it. They pile together the most expressive 
 terms and figures, and then seem to feel as if they 
 had only half told the sublime reality. And so it 
 is that He is said to appear in the great consum- 
 mation. He is then to come in His glory. The 
 promise is that we shall then ' ' see the King in 
 His beauty ; ' ' and here was the exhibit and illus- 
 tration of that beauty and glory with which ( * He 
 shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be 
 admired of all them that believe. ' ' 
 
 The same also shows us the reality of another 
 life for those who believe in Him. We look into 
 the cold, damp, and dreary grave, and hear the 
 sad consignment of ' ' earth to earth, ashes to 
 ashes, and dust to dust," and in trembling and 
 
534 THE GLORIOUS BEYOND. 
 
 doubtful wonderment we ask, u If a man die, 
 shall he live again?" But this scene of the 
 Transfiguration answers the question with posi- 
 tive demonstration. Men long departed from this 
 world were there. Moses, the servant of God, 
 who had died in Moab's mountain more than one 
 thousand years before, was there. Ages had 
 passed since God laid his body to rest ; yet here 
 he was, living and speaking. Elijah had been 
 caught away from earth for more than eight hun- 
 dred years ; yet here he was, in living companion- 
 ship with Moses and Christ, and seen and heard 
 by the three disciples who witnessed the scene. 
 To pass away from this life, then, is not sinkage 
 into oblivion or nothingness. The departed still 
 have place and life, though the places that once 
 knew them know them no more. 
 
 And the same tells of the estate and condition 
 of God's departed servants when once the King- 
 dom is complete. Paul gives it as the Lord's own 
 word: that when He shall come with the voice of 
 the archangel and the trump of God, "the dead 
 in Christ shall rise first : then we [believers] 
 which are alive and remain shall be caught up 
 together with them in the clouds, to meet the 
 Lord in the air : and so shall we be ever with the 
 Lord." And here is the living illustration of it. 
 Here is Moses, representing the saints who have 
 died, and Elijah representing those of them who 
 never die at all ; both of them "in glory," both 
 of them with Christ in near and familiar con- 
 verse, not only beholding, but sharing His glory. 
 
- TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 535 
 
 What may be between death and the resurrection 
 we are not told ; but the word is that when our 
 Saviour comes in His kingdom He will "change 
 our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto 
 His glorious body ;" and here was the exhibit of 
 the fact accomplished. These ancient saints were 
 in the same glory and heavenliness of the trans- 
 figured Jesus. David looked forward to a time 
 when he would awake in Jehovah's likeness ; and 
 here is the showing of what he anticipated. 
 
 We sometimes wonder whether the saints in 
 glory have any knowledge of or interest in what 
 is going on in this world ; and on that also this 
 Transfiguration scene throws some rays of light. 
 Moses and Elijah certainly knew about Christ's 
 mission and work in the world, and the sort of 
 termination it was to have ; for this was the one 
 great subject of their conversation, as heard by 
 the disciples. The record is, that they "spake 
 of His decease which He should accomplish at 
 Jerusalem." And if these men knew of Christ's 
 doings, and what was about to happen to Him, 
 they must have been in condition to know more 
 of what was going on in the world. Why, then, 
 should we think that saints in glory have lost all 
 recollections or knowledge of earthly affairs, and 
 all interest in what most enlisted them while 
 here? 
 
 The question is sometimes asked, Shall we 
 know each other in heaven ? This, too, the scene 
 of the Transfiguration would seem to answer. 
 Moses and Elijah knew Christ and must have 
 
536 THE GLORIOUS BEYOND. 
 
 known each other, and were known and recog- 
 nized by Peter, James, and John. And if those 
 who had never seen nor known each other in this 
 world could so readily be identified, shall we not 
 be able to recognize those whom we have seen, 
 and known, and loved ? 
 
 People generally have very crude notions as to 
 what is to become of the earth when Christ comes. 
 Some think it will be utterly annihilated, stricken 
 out of existence, or turned into some tenantless 
 and indescribable desolation. But this showing 
 of the Kingdom tells a very different story. The 
 earth with its mountains and valleys still was 
 there, though with Christ and His glorified ones 
 over and above it. And there were the represent- 
 atives of its population in the flesh, in the persons 
 of Peter, James, and John. Their place was high 
 above the common world. They were chosen 
 men, set apart and consecrated unto the L,ord. 
 Christ and the saints in glory were in view when 
 they were rightly awake, and the manifestations 
 and testimonies to them from the heavenly orders 
 were full of blessedness. And so there will be a 
 redeemed and sanctified race upon the earth after 
 Christ comes in His Kingdom. The earth, like 
 all the ordinances of heaven, is made to abide for 
 ever. The curse that is now upon it for man's 
 sin will be lifted off ; but it will not be denuded 
 of population. It was made to be inhabited, and 
 its inhabitants then will be a redeemed human- 
 ity, as here represented. It will not be the home 
 of the elect and glorified ; for they shall be like 
 
TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 537 
 
 the angels, and in the same sort of supernal life 
 in which Jesus is ; but it will be the home of 
 righteousness, and of a redeemed race, such as 
 would have been if Adam had never sinned. 
 
 The showing is that the Kingdom complete will 
 embrace several distinct classes. First, the Head 
 of all will be the glorious Christ. Second, those 
 glorified saints who died in faith and were brought 
 forth again in the resurrection of the just. Third, 
 those who never died at all, but were suddenly 
 changed, transported, and made the glorified com- 
 panions and associates of the children of the resur- 
 rection. These are the kings, priests, and admin- 
 istrators under Christ, in dealing with and ruling 
 over the race then still dwelling in the flesh, 
 which constitute a fourth class. And thus shall 
 be realized that "restitution of all things, which 
 God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy 
 prophets since the world began." 
 
 And yet another showing in this Transfigura- 
 tion scene was, the intense emphasis it gives to 
 the crucifixion of Christ as the centre of the whole 
 redemption work. Moses and Elijah in glory on 
 that mountain were in devout conversation with 
 the Saviour ; and that conversation was on one 
 specific theme. It was not the glory of the occa- 
 sion ; nor the glory He was to resume with the 
 Father after His work on earth was done ; nor 
 yet the glory of His Kingdom in its final con- 
 summation. The record says, They talked with 
 Him, and "spake of His decease which he should 
 accomplish at Jerusalem." These men were 
 
538 THE GLORIOUS BEYOND.' 
 
 among the greatest of the ancient worthies, and 
 there were myriads of momentous subjects that 
 might have engaged their attention ; but from all 
 other topics in the universe they turned to this 
 one theme, and talked of it alone ; namely, the 
 death of Jesus at Jerusalem. Calvary — the Cross 
 — the self-sacrifice of the eternal Son of God for 
 man's redemption — this engrossed the whole 
 time and the whole attention of the sublime con- 
 ference. And what an unspeakable significance 
 does this assign to that death scene ! The King- 
 dom itself, its very existence, success and glory, 
 hung on that tragic event. The Cross, the Cross 
 of Jesus, is after all the centre around which the 
 highest interest of heaven and all the hopes of 
 man revolve. 
 
 Dear friends, our life is a calamity, heaven a 
 disappointing dream, and even the Christ himself 
 nothing to us, but for that decease which He ac- 
 complished at Jerusalem. The Cross of Jesus, 
 though bare and barren in itself, with Him out- 
 stretched and dying upon it in our stead, is the 
 very Tree of L,ife on which our Paradise depends. 
 All mercy, love and glory for our fallen world 
 issue from thence. Nor are we in accord with the 
 mind and feeling of heaven, nor in fit condition to 
 join the blessed fellowship of the glorified, until 
 we have learned to view and hold that as the 
 Alpha and Omega of our faith, and the founda- 
 tion of our best and highest hopes. 
 
 Great and glorious things await the people of 
 .God. " Unto them that look for Him will Christ 
 
TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 539 
 
 appear the second time without sin unto salva- 
 tion. " But it is all built upon the one great 
 transaction which has made Calvary so dear to 
 every Christian heart. And as we look forward 
 to the closing of this present world, let us make 
 sure of shelter under our Redeemer's Cross ; for 
 on that our eternal salvation hangs. 
 
 The Cross ! it takes our guilt away ; 
 
 It holds the fainting spirit up ; 
 It cheers with hope the gloomy day, 
 
 And sweetens every bitter cup. 
 
 The balm of life, the cure of woe, 
 The measure and the pledge of love, 
 
 The sinner's refuge here below, 
 
 The angels' theme in heaven above. 
 
 The End. 
 


 
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